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#Resumes : Resume Clichés that are Cringeworthy (embarrassing). Get it Right, you are, in Essence, Selling Yourself to a Potential Employer.

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Writing a professional resume is often more difficult than you could imagine. It’s different than writing any other type of document. This is why many people turn to a professional resume writing service. Writing a resume is actually writing a marketing piece about yourself. You are, in essence, selling yourself to a potential employer. You are communicating your brand and value to them, and showcasing why you are the best candidate above anyone else they have looked at, or will look at. For that reason, your language needs to be unique and how you articulate yourself in your resume will determine whether an interview invitation comes your way.

We review hundreds of resumes every year, and these are some of the resume clichés that are cringeworthy to steer clear of if you are attempting to write your own resume.

“I’m Very Enthusiastic, or Positive, or Energetic, or …”

It might seem like a good thing to be excited about a new job, and it is; however, this statement can actually make you sound desperate. You may really want the job, but saying so isn’t going to make it a reality. It’s up to you to show your prospective employer why you are the right choice, not why you are excited about the prospect of working there.

“I’m an Excellent Team Player and Can Work Independently”

These are buzz words the best resume writing services know are best left off of your resume. These are the phrases many candidates think employers want to hear. When they see it on a resume, though, they will be paying close attention to what the candidate does and says to back it up. They may want to see you are capable of working well with others, as well as on your own, but you shouldn’t have to spell it out. Your other words and actions should portray the message.

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

“I Have Extensive Experience In…”

Experience is important to land any job, but you need to be careful how you use this phrase. Using it to describe every work experience you’ve ever had, including part time employment or internships, weakens the phrase and causes it to lose meaning. While you’ll need some experience, you don’t need to overcompensate and exaggerate to land the job you’re looking for.

 

“I’m Passionate About…”

Passion can be an incredible thing in the working world, but it’s important to be honest about it. You may choose to use this phrase to describe an early interest in the field, when in reality, it was just an interest. For instance, you may claim you have been passionate about the environment since the age of 12 when applying for an environmental job. However, if you really consider it, you may have just started developing an interest in exploring the area further. It’s best to leave your passions out of your resume, at least until you have an interview.

Writing a professional resume takes attention to detail and careful consideration to ensure it has the right impact on a hiring manager. Avoiding these, and other common resume clichés, will ensure you are portraying your experience and value appropriately, all while capturing the attention of your prospective employer. Talking to a professional resume writing service about how to word similar phrases can help you make the best impression, giving you a better chance at obtaining the right job.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog – March 23, 2021

 

#BestofFSCBlog : How to Write a Résumé and Choose the Best Format. Chronological, Functional or Hybrid? Great REad!

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You have just over seven seconds to make an impression with your résumé. That is the average time it took recruiters to make up their minds about candidates based on their résumés, according to a 2018 eye-tracking survey by the career site Ladders. Professional résumé writers say you could try shaking up your résumé format if you are struggling to get callbacks.

If you are unsure how your résumé should look, start with the chronological format.

The most common résumé format is chronological, listing your work experience in order, with the most recent experience at the top. It is straightforward, and many hiring managers prefer it because it is easy to understand.

How to format a chronological résumé
  • Contact information: This should come first. Include your name, phone number, email address and location (city and state). You could also include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. Make it easy for hiring managers to reach you.
  • Work experience: List your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Format each position in the same way so it is easy for the hiring manager to read. Include the employer’s name, location of the role (city, state), your job title, and start and end dates. If you are still in the job you can write, for example, “January 2020 to present.” If you had more than one role with an employer, make it clear as a subheading or another line under the company name. List three to five accomplishments under each job. See more tips here.
  • Education: What you include here depends on your education history. If you didn’t attend college, recently graduated or are still in college, you may include your high school here. Otherwise, it usually isn’t necessary. Include the name and location of the college you attended, your degree and the years you were there. Recent graduates can also bulk up this section with their grade-point averages, although Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC, advises her clients not to include their GPA if it is below 3.5. Extracurricular activities and accomplishments can also go in this section.
  • Additional skills: This section is a great place to put expertise that goes beyond a specific job or internship experience, such as other languages you speak and proficiency with certain software or other technology. You may also mention soft skills, such as the ability to work independently, a particularly useful asset if you will be working remotely.
  • Certifications: If applicable, include professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

In most cases, résumé-writing experts say the chronological format is the way to go. “Overall, the chronological format is the most used format, and you don’t really see other formats too often nowadays,” says Demisha Jennings, a certified professional résumé writer, and founder and owner of She Assists LLC.

If you want to emphasize your skills, build a résumé with a functional format.

If you don’t have much work experience and the chronological format is not working, you could try the functional format. This type of résumé prioritizes skills over direct work experience and can also be useful for those who have been out of the workforce for some time.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Think carefully about using this type of résumé. “From a hiring manager’s perspective, I find this to be less effective,” says Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder and director of Brooklyn Resume Studio. “They want to know what you did on the job even if it wasn’t directly related. Were there some kinds of transferable skills or experience?”

How to format a chronological résumé
  • Contact information: This should come first. Include your name, phone number, email address and location (city and state). You could also include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. Make it easy for hiring managers to reach you.
  • Work experience: List your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Format each position in the same way so it is easy for the hiring manager to read. Include the employer’s name, location of the role (city, state), your job title, and start and end dates. If you are still in the job you can write, for example, “January 2020 to present.” If you had more than one role with an employer, make it clear as a subheading or another line under the company name. List three to five accomplishments under each job. See more tips here.
  • Education: What you include here depends on your education history. If you didn’t attend college, recently graduated or are still in college, you may include your high school here. Otherwise, it usually isn’t necessary. Include the name and location of the college you attended, your degree and the years you were there. Recent graduates can also bulk up this section with their grade-point averages, although Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC, advises her clients not to include their GPA if it is below 3.5. Extracurricular activities and accomplishments can also go in this section.
  • Additional skills: This section is a great place to put expertise that goes beyond a specific job or internship experience, such as other languages you speak and proficiency with certain software or other technology. You may also mention soft skills, such as the ability to work independently, a particularly useful asset if you will be working remotely.
  • Certifications: If applicable, include professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

Functional résumés often work best if you are sending your résumé to a person you have had contact with, as opposed to submitting through a job portal, which often will use an applicant tracking system, says Ms. Watkins. “Functional résumés work for direct contacts because you are there to have a conversation, the feedback is there, and they can put a person to the position,” Ms. Watkins says.

To write a résumé that plays up both your skills and experience, try the hybrid format.

Hybrid résumés combine the best parts of the chronological and functional formats. The hybrid format allows you to emphasize your skills, but also provides more context around your past work experience, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick, who favors the format and says it tends to give a “better picture of who the candidate is on the whole.”

How to format a hybrid résumé
  • Contact information: Include your name, phone number, email address, location (city, state), and the URL to your LinkedIn profile, if appropriate.
  • Summary: Similarly to the functional résumé, include a strong statement outlining your expertise, the types of employers you have worked with and your accomplishments.
  • Skills: List your relevant expertise in bullet points.
  • Select projects: If relevant to your desired role, you could add a section highlighting projects or campaigns you have worked on and what you achieved.
  • Relevant professional experience: Focus on relevant duties when describing your work history. Elaborate on how you used the skills that you listed.
  • Education: If applicable, include the name and location of your college, your degree and the years attended.
  • Certifications: Just as with the chronological and functional résumés, you can list professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.
Resources
What to read next

 

WSJ.com | March 12. 2021 |   

#JobSearch : Mistakes to Avoid for Doing your Own Resumes and Cover Letters. Great Two(2) Min Read!

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In today’s challenging economic climate, many people are choosing to create their own resumes and cover letters rather than hiring a professional to help save on the cost. This is understandable when money is tight. But you still want to present professional looking documents, free from mistakes. When you are writing your own resume and cover letters, it is very easy to make mistakes just because there are so many versions and corrections (we writers deal with this, too). Even if you are a competent writer, it still is a good idea to carefully read your work once more before sending it off to be read by the people you want to impress.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Here’s how to avoid some common mistakes in writing:

  • Keep track of grammar when changing a sentence. If you change the noun from singular to plural, for instance, remember to change the sentence structure to match.
  • Don’t rely on automated spellcheckers alone to catch mistakes. Your, you’re, their, they’re, there, two, too, and to are all words which are spelled correctly and won’t show up as an error when used in the wrong way. “Manager” was one I always misspelled as “Manger”. They are both words, so spell check never caught it. Luckily, I’m hyper-diligent about checking and rechecking how I spell Manager– plus there is a little tool in MS Word that lets you auto correct things like that, so whenever I type Manger, it automatically changes it to Manager. Awesome.
  • Avoid the automatic word-finishing features on your word processing program for the same reason. You want your brain to be in control.
  • Look it up if you are unsure. Good spellers and good writers rely on more than their memory. A popular site that helps with more than spelling is https://www.grammarly.com because it checks grammar, spelling, word choice, and style (plus, their Facebook page is informative… and snarky). It’s up to you to take the advice of the computer once the error is pointed out.
  • Take a break before rereading your work. It’s like rebooting your brain and allows you to see the piece with fresh eyes. If you have been working feverishly on something, you read it with your past efforts in mind and can fool yourself.

Of course, all the resume writing tips the pros use apply. Your cover letter and resume, along with the follow-up thank you letter, are huge indicators to the potential employer of your ability and professionalism. Everybody makes mistakes — but you don’t have to leave those mistakes in your writing. It’s easy to fix a mistake once you see it, so learn how to look for it.

FSC Career Blog Author: Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 26, 2021

 

#JobSearch : Résumé Formats to Play Up Your Strengths. You have Just over Seven Seconds to Make an Impression with your Résumé. Great Read!

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You have just over seven seconds to make an impression with your résumé. That is the average time it took recruiters to make up their minds about candidates based on their résumés, according to a 2018 eye-tracking survey by the career site Ladders.

Professional résumé writers say you could try shaking up your résumé format if you are struggling to get callbacks. 

1- Chronological résumé

The most common résumé format is chronological, listing your work experience in order, with the most recent experience at the top. It is straightforward, and many hiring managers prefer it because it is easy to understand.

How to format a chronological résumé 
  • Contact information: This should come first. Include your name, phone number, email address and location (city and state). You could also include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. Make it easy for hiring managers to reach you.
  • Work experience: List your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Format each position in the same way so it is easy for the hiring manager to read. Include the employer’s name, location of the role (city, state), your job title, and start and end dates. If you are still in the job you can write, for example, “January 2020 to present.” If you had more than one role with an employer, make it clear as a subheading or another line under the company name. List three to five accomplishments under each job. See more tips here.
  • Education: What you include here depends on your education history. If you didn’t attend college, recently graduated or are still in college, you may include your high school here. Otherwise, it usually isn’t necessary. Include the name and location of the college you attended, your degree and the years you were there. Recent graduates can also bulk up this section with their grade-point averages, although Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC, advises her clients not to include their GPA if it is below 3.5. Extracurricular activities and accomplishments can also go in this section.
  • Additional skills: This section is a great place to put expertise that goes beyond a specific job or internship experience, such as other languages you speak and proficiency with certain software or other technology. You may also mention soft skills, such as the ability to work independently, a particularly useful asset if you will be working remotely.
  • Certifications: If applicable, include professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

In most cases, résumé-writing experts say the chronological format is the way to go. “Overall, the chronological format is the most used format, and you don’t really see other formats too often nowadays,” says Demisha Jennings, a certified professional résumé writer, and founder and owner of She Assists LLC.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2- Functional résumé

If you don’t have much work experience and the chronological format is not working, you could try the functional format. This type of résumé prioritizes skills over direct work experience and can also be useful for those who have been out of the workforce for some time.

Think carefully about using this type of résumé. “From a hiring manager’s perspective, I find this to be less effective,” says Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder and director of Brooklyn Resume Studio. “They want to know what you did on the job even if it wasn’t directly related. Were there some kinds of transferable skills or experience?”

How to format a functional résumé
  • Contact information: No matter the format, this should come first. Include your name, phone number, email address, location (city, state), and the URL to your LinkedIn profile, if appropriate.
  • Summary: Start with a paragraph of three to five sentences that serve as your pitch to the hiring manager. Highlight the skills that qualify you for the job.
  • Expertise: Identify the top skills you have that relate to the job you want and make a section for each. For a coding job, you could title a section “Programming Languages,” and list the ones you are proficient in. Under a “Customer Service” section, in bullet points, you could list the total number of orders you have processed and skills related to the role, such as communication, problem-solving and product or service expertise. You don’t need to say when or where you used the skills or accomplished the aforementioned responsibility.
  • Experience: In a short section, list the company name, location of the job, your job title, and start and end dates. You don’t need to use bullet points to describe your accomplishments under each position.
  • Education: If applicable, include the name and location of your college, your degree and the years attended.
  • Certifications: List professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

Functional résumés often work best if you are sending your résumé to a person you have had contact with, as opposed to submitting through a job portal, which often will use an applicant tracking system, says Ms. Watkins. “Functional résumés work for direct contacts because you are there to have a conversation, the feedback is there, and they can put a person to the position,” Ms. Watkins says.

3- Hybrid résumé

Hybrid résumés combine the best parts of the chronological and functional formats. The hybrid format allows you to emphasize your skills, but also provides more context around your past work experience, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick, who favors the format and says it tends to give a “better picture of who the candidate is on the whole.”

How to format a hybrid résumé 
  • Contact information: Include your name, phone number, email address, location (city, state), and the URL to your LinkedIn profile, if appropriate.
  • Summary: Similarly to the functional résumé, include a strong statement outlining your expertise, the types of employers you have worked with and your accomplishments.
  • Skills: List your relevant expertise in bullet points.
  • Select projects: If relevant to your desired role, you could add a section highlighting projects or campaigns you have worked on and what you achieved.
  • Relevant professional experience: Focus on relevant duties when describing your work history. Elaborate on how you used the skills that you listed.
  • Education: If applicable, include the name and location of your college, your degree and the years attended.
  • Certifications: Just as with the chronological and functional résumés, you can list professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

 

WSJ.com | December 11, 2020 | Allison Pohle

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch -Not Getting Job Interviews? Your Resume Is The Problem. ATS(AI) Software Robots Deletes 75% of Resumes When you Apply Online.

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Cathy is a 59-year-old Hotel Sales Director who has had a vert successful career until COVID hit and she lost her job. She has been job hunting for seven months and has applied to over 300 jobs. “No one is calling. No interviews, not even one email or inquiry. I’m so frustrated. Is the job market really that impossible right now?”

“I have to wonder what I’m doing wrong,” says Tom, a Baby Boomer IT executive who contacted me about resume help. “I have sent out so many resumes – literally over 100—and I haven’t gotten one interview. Any recruiters that email me are looking at work I did two jobs ago as a project manager, but I never get any interviews for current my job level. Help!”

Although it is a difficult job market, there are still jobs available, and more positions are opening up every day. If you aren’t getting any response to your resume, no matter who helped you write it, you have to wonder if something is wrong with your resume.

The first and most important thing is to be sure that you are applying for the correct job opportunities and are a good fit for those opportunities. That you have the specific skillset and the experience the employer is asking for. You are not “just trying to get your foot in the door,” which is a very old-fashioned strategy that does not work anymore. Recruiters complain that too many people are applying for jobs that they aren’t qualified to perform. This approach will not work when you have such a competitive marketplace. Assuming that you are applying for jobs at the correct level, you have to analyze your resume closely and ensure you get the next two items right.

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Employers want outcomes

The number one mistake that most job hunters make is that they do not create a resume full of accomplishments and results. Instead they focus on vague, boring job descriptions or take the job listing and copy the content and paste it into their resume. These approaches do not work. Employers want to see results. They want to know the level of success that you have delivered in your previous jobs. So vague statements that don’t have any quantification won’t be effective at all.

The formula to follow is MY ACTIONS = My RESULTS

Whenever possible, use numbers, statistics, money or time saved, or note the dollars added to the company’s bottomline.

Here are some examples:

·  Streamlined the company’s sales process from start through installation. Improved processes. Implemented new sales training and changed suppliers. Results tripled sales within twelve months from $10M to $30M.

·        Spearheaded the moving of company facilities from one expensive location to three inexpensive locations including warehouses. Created strategic plan. Negotiated new leases. Results decreased rent, reduced labor, and transportation costs. Total savings of $7M.

·        Drove the turnaround of the department during acquisition. Restructured organization reducing team members by 35% plus improved processes and implemented new direction. Results increased revenues by 13% within nine months.

·        Developed the company’s marketing strategy and execution launching a new product into 13 countries.

·        Led the team project involving a complex redesign of a complex electrical system. Collaborated with engineering, manufacturing, and factory supervisors. Oversaw the implementation. Results saved $2.5M.

·        Created the training class for a new change management course. Taught class to over 300 managers.

·        Negotiated terms and pricing contract with the vendor. Results saved $100,000.

·        Established a new service program to improve the reach of the organization. Results delivered a 27% increase in aiding women and children.

Not everything is quantitative. When creating a new program or service, or you make an innovation that in and of itself is the accomplishment.

ATS blocks 75% of resumes

Over 95% of Fortune 500 Employers use an applicant tracking system called ATS software, that uses robots to review the resume and streamline the process. According to a study by job search firm Preptel, 75%of all resumes are never seen by a real human being. Instead, they are filtered out by ATS software robots. That’s right; these systems delete 75% of resumes when you apply online. That means if 300 resumes are submitted, over 225 are deleted and never seen by human eyes.

WHY?

CNBC reported that out of 1,000 resumes analyzed that were submitted through an ATS, 43% were sent in an incompatible file type. That means not even the computer saw them. You need to ensure that you are using a WORD file and which seems to be universally accepted. Also, avoid using graphics, tables, columns, text boxes, headers, or footers. And of course, you must include the keywords that are specific for performing your job. (For more specifics, read Employers Ignoring Your Resume? 5 Mistakes To Avoid )

To get a different result – employers calling you for interviews – you must change what you have been doing. Improving your resume is a great way to increase your odds of getting hired.

Forbes.com | October 20, 2020 | Robin Ryan

 

#JobSearch : Fast Fixes for Your Resume.The Job Market is Tough Right Now, So you Have to Take Advantage of any Opportunity.

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There are a myriad of tactics and tools you can use to improve your resume and not all are painful or require a lot of redo to your resume. The thing is – they can help you get a job, and isn’t that what you want?

So how do you go about fixing your resume quickly?

1- Delete your objective.  Many companies do not care what you want. It’s a sad truth but one that you have to live with. Removing your objective gives more space for you to focus on skills that the employer craves. Instead, replace this with a Career Summary, communicating your brand messaging and value proposition.

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2- Add a straightforward statement that explains why you are uniquely qualified for the position.  Such as: Proven Marketing Leader with Far Reaching Corporate Experience. Make sure that your statement is true and matches your job description. The last thing you want to do is make yourself out to be something that you’re not. HR Managers hate this, especially if you use a headline in your resume. But if done correctly, a statement helps recruiters immediately see that you are what they’re looking for in a candidate.

3- Include a summary of skills (keyword bulleted list) – especially if you have skills related to the open position. But, also include things like certifications, features you have, language skills, and any technical abilities that would set you apart from your peers. Do you understand Linux or can you program C++? Then add that on your resume. Any skills that you possess should be showcased, because it gives you extra value to the employer. You may not need those skills, but it’s good to have them on your resume.

4- Look through job descriptions in order to identify keywords companies are looking for on your resume. This sounds trickier than it actually is, but there’s a site called wordclouds.com. There you can copy and paste the job description, and it will give you a simple, easy to read explanation about the keywords that your prospective employer is looking for. Keywords help your resume stand out, and if a company sees that your resume has the needed keywords, you stand a better chance of landing the job. Adjust your resume according to the keywords and to match the description of the job.

6- Replace weak words and statements with Power Words. Instead of saying “Contributed to the company newsletter,” write, “Managed the award-winning Vista monthly publication, the flagship magazine of Made-Up Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of silicon diodes.” Both statements may be true, but the second one carries a lot more weight and showcases your talents. Make sure your statements are said with power.

The job market is tough right now, so you have to take advantage of any opportunity. Do not let one slip by because your resume is not up to par.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog | October 19, 2020

 

#BestofFSCBlog : Six(6) Things To Remove From Your Résumé. Note: Manager Spends Less than 10 Seconds Looking at your Resume.

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A résumé serves as the first impression you make on a hiring manager, so it needs to be laser focused to include only what’s most relevant and most likely to help you get the job.

With the average amount of time a hiring manager spends looking at a résumé clocking in at less than 10 seconds, it’s important that in those few seconds they see information that makes them want to put your résumé in the interview pile. To improve your chances of that happening, remove these six things from your résumé.

Dates other than listing your work history.

Unfortunately age discrimination, whether intentional or unintentional, happens more often than it should. The only dates that belong on your résumé are the dates of your work history. Graduation year and dates from any other certifications or qualifications should also be left off. Your degree and any other qualifications are what matter, not when you got them.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Details that give away your age.

There are some subtle and not so subtle details that can give insight into your age.

Including your GPA, using your school email address, and embellished job descriptions for entry level positions (ie, managed customer expectations while expertly crafting espresso beverages as a description for a barista position) are indicators of a younger candidate. On the other hand, using a font like Times New Roman, having an AOL or Hotmail email address, and even something as subtle as double spacing after a period are indicators of an older candidate.

Large blocks of text.

You want to optimize your résumé to be both easily skimmed and read. Large blocks of text require more effort to read and are more likely to be skipped on a first glance. Use bullet points for easier readability and to ensure that the information you want to highlight actually gets read. The easier a résumé is to skim, the more likely it is that the hiring manager will take a thorough look.

A photo.

Having a photo opens you up to potential discrimination. Whether that discrimination is intentional or unintentional, it’s still detrimental to your chances of being hired. Your appearance has no bearing on your ability to do the job, so therefore your photo has no place on your résumé.

Links to social media that aren’t relevant.

Your LinkedIn profile should always be included on your résumé, but choosing which other social media channels you list needs to be intentional. Remember, everything on your résumé needs to serve a purpose, so any social links you share need to showcase your professional abilities.

The social links you include will be highly dependent on the industry and specific job you’re applying for. Think of it this way – will sharing your social media do anything to improve your chances of getting hired? Does it serve as example of your work? If you answer yes to one or both of these questions, include it. If not, leave it off.

Your address.

Listing your address gives the hiring manager another factor to consider that you don’t want them to – your location. Especially now with remote work being the norm, where you live is practically irrelevant. For example, if you live in California and apply for a position in New York, the hiring manager might not consider your application even though the position is remote due to the time difference. You’re fine working in a different time zone, but the hiring manager has no way of knowing that. To prevent this issue, leave your address off of your résumé.

 

Forbes.com | August  20, 2020 | Ashira Prossack

#JobSearch : Using the C.A.R. Method on your Resume . Challenge-Action-Results.

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Have you heard me talk about the C.A.R method? If you are a client of mine, you have. It’s a method I use in every single resume. It is, to me, the single most important factor when writing about your accomplishments. OK, so what does C.A.R. stand for and what does it mean for you?  C.A.R. stands for:   Challenge   Action   Results

When consulting with clients and proceeding with the data mining process, I always ask them about their C.A.R. stories. What were the stories behind their accomplishments? What was going on in the company before they took on the issue? Give the reader some background, not a novel, just a hint of what the environment was like.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

So, ask yourself, what was the Challenge I faced when either

  1. a) I joined the company or
  2. b) I took on the new situation or
  3. c) I was promoted?

Briefly discuss the Challenge. Again, it doesn’t have to be super lengthy. You  just want to get your message across.

For the Action portion, this is where you can talk about what you did to resolve or change the situation. What action or steps did you take? For some jobs, it might be quite detailed, but I wouldn’t advise talking about every single thing. Summarize as best as you can. Remember, HR people have lots of resumes to review and not a lot of time.

For the Results portion of C.A.R., talk about the results. What was the percentage of production increase? How much did you increase sales or people productivity? Use numbers and percentages whenever possible.

These are the things that stand out and make you more employable as employers want PROOF of what you are capable of doing… it shows them what you can also do for them as well.

C.A.R. is the easiest way to pull out your accomplishments if you are having a hard time thinking of what you did/do.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

#JobSearch : Why Your Resume Isn’t Working For You — And How To Fix It. Great Read for All!

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I see a lot of resumes in my work with professionals seeking to reimagine their careers, change jobs or bounce back after a layoff. The number one flaw I encounter? Their resume is perfectly tailored to get them exactly the same position they are leaving. This is a real problem for ambitious job seekers who are looking for career advancement or to pivot to a new area or industry. If you are hoping to make a change, you need a resume that is not merely descriptive of your past experience but instead positions you for your next role.

Your resume is your main marketing document. It is a door-opener and a springboard for conversations during interviews. If you aspire to make a change in your career, your resume must build the case for your readiness to take on the next challenge. No recruiter is going to do this for you, because their main objective is to find a clear match to fill a defined role. And hiring managers don’t have time to figure out how your various disparate experiences add up to the whole package. You have to connect the dots and make it easy for them to see how you are a perfect (or at least plausible) fit.

Many job-seekers use the format they probably learned when applying for their first job: start with their most recent experience and work their way backward. For each position, they describe the job. Maybe they even start each with an active verb.

But unfortunately, they fall into two traps: first, because they present what is essentially a job description, they do not convey the impact or value that they contributed; and second, they fail to demonstrate their ability to take their skills and experience to the next level. As a result, the reader will likely see them as the ideal candidate for the same old job but may not see them as qualified for a stretch role.

Here’s how to avoid this pitfall and position yourself for your next role:

Start with a summary describing who you are, your qualification and what value you contribute. This creates the filter through which a reader will view the rest of your resume and helps shape the narrative of natural progression and readiness. It tells them what to pay attention to and how to assemble a coherent picture of your professional capacity. It typically includes a descriptor, like “sales leader” or “seasoned engineer,” a thumbnail of your skills and experience and what you are known or recognized for. Here are some excellent examples.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Tailor your resume to the job you are seeking, not to your prior jobs. Review the posted job requirements and make sure that you highlight those elements in your resume. It can be helpful to use key words from the job description, both to help get through the screening algorithm and to highlight those aspects of your experience when you are being interviewed. You want it to be easy for your reader to imagine you in the desired role. Note that, if you are pursuing a variety of roles or industries, you will want to have a basic skeleton resume and then create a few different tailored versions.

Demonstrate value by quantifying your results where possible. Don’t just describe the “what” — your actions or responsibilities — paint a picture of the “so what?” Highlight results, not just actions. What difference did you make or how did you contribute? Value can be demonstrated in terms of anything that can be counted: profits, revenue, savings, customer retention, satisfaction, efficiency, time, volume, size of team, etc.

Choose your words carefully. The subtleties of language can help you convey your “brand” — the qualities that are associated with your aspirational role. If you want to move from a job that is focused on execution to one that is about vision and strategy, avoid words that make you sound like a worker bee, like “diligent,” “tactical” and “responsive” and emphasize “strategic,” “proactive” and “influence.” You may also need to translate the language of one industry or field to another. Should you refer to “clients,” “customers,” “users,” or “stakeholders”? Adopt the vocabulary of your target role and industry.

Be positive. A job change is an opportunity to stretch and grow, and it requires you to project competence and confidence. Inside you may be a quivering mass of imposter syndrome, but your resume needs to tell the story of why, even if you have not done precisely this job, you are equal to the task. It starts with strong positioning in your summary. In addition, you can convey this by highlighting a track record of learning quickly, advancing, scaling rapidly and adapting. Finally, when you get to the interview, be sure to express excitement about the challenges and opportunities as well as a sincere commitment to adding value.

Author:  Hanna Hart – I am an executive coach with more than ten years experience in business, tech, law, foundations and other organizations. I help leaders to understand themselves better,

…
Forbes.com | August 10, 2020

#JobSearch : Tips to Craft a Resume Full of Achievements. Great Resume Tips!

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I work with clients every day who have a difficult time writing about themselves. We typically are not very objective when it comes to evaluating our work, looking at what we have accomplished.

If you are starting a resume from scratch, it can be overwhelming, especially if you are writing it yourself. Sometimes, you may think that you don’t even have enough achievements to fill an entire resume. If you have been working for more than a few years now, YOU DO. It’s all in the way you look at tasks you’ve done.

I work with clients every day who assume that the achievements must have numbers or metrics attached to them. Or, they’ll tell me, “Oh, well, that isn’t really a big deal. It’s just something I came up with to make that process easier.” They shrug off what would make a really good accomplishment. This is one reason it can be helpful to have a professional resume writer assist you in helping you in writing your resume. We just aren’t good at evaluating ourselves or promoting what we have done.

However, if you are writing your own resume, here are tips on how to gather valuable experience for crafting your resume.

☑️ Identify Strengths & Weaknesses

You may already know what your strengths and weaknesses are, but if not, talk to close, trusted colleagues or friends. You can also review past performance reviews and read what has been said about what you do well, and what areas you need to improve on. When you have identified them, you know what to highlight on your resume. If your strength is cultivating customer relationships, focus on that. (it may be another candidate’s weakness!).

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

☑️ Pay Attention to Daily Tasks

Start by reviewing your job description or making a list of tasks you do each day. These are usually the things that keep your department running smoothly. Just because you do them every day doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Review each of them and look for the strengths that you bring to them. Don’t discount them. What hole would there be if you didn’t do them.

☑️ What is Your Impact

Think back over the past months, even looking at your calendar for meetings you were a part of or conferences you may have attended. What have you contributed to or been a part of? What was the impact or result? Write down the specific results from the decisions made and include it.

☑️ Teams & Connections

We all develop connections at our jobs. Think through each of these relationships and how they may have impacted the company. Have you helped build new relationships? Did this create opportunities? Have you partnered with other teams to help lead an initiative? Your daily collaborations make a big difference.

Your resume is a marketing document, selling yourself to a potential employer. If you don’t write about the value you bring, how will they know.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog –  August 6, 2020