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#JobSearch : 8 Simple Steps To Help You Navigate A Layoff. 2023 has seen a 200% Increase in Overall Layoffs, More to Come. Great Read.

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This year has seen a 200% increase in the overall number of layoffs, with job losses almost reaching levels last seen in 2020, and prior to that in the Great Recession of 2009. Although the pace has slowed into the final quarter, some major corporations are still announcing cuts.

If the worst happens, leveraging tools from organizational psychology can help you navigate what can be a very stressful time:

1. First of all, breathe. Losing a job is a grieving process like any other, so allow yourself time to feel your feelings, all of them. Take a couple of days to process the news, as you are not going to be effective whilst you’re still in shock. Although a layoff isn’t personal, it doesn’t stop it from feeling personal.

2. Next, address what Maslow calls “hygiene factors” and create a strong foundation to support your hierarchy of needs. This starts with a deep dive into your finances: if you don’t already know, calculate your monthly cost of living. The easiest way is to build a spreadsheet and total up all your non-negotiable outgoings. File for unemployment, and take time to understand the terms of your severance, if your company is offering one. In your spreadsheet total up your severance payment, unemployment income, savings and any other liquid assets. Now you can calculate how much runway you have before you need another paycheck.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fsc-linkedin-network-7081658661743308800

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

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

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

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search 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, Networking, etc) 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 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

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

Article continued …

3. Try to maintain regular and healthy sleep cycles (don’t be tempted to go nocturnal for the heck of it) and remember to be physically active. You may have taken the decision to put your gym membership on hold, but that doesn’t preclude you from getting outside for a run or a walk.

4. There is some truth to the adage that “you’re not unemployed – your job is to find a new job”, but that doesn’t mean you should lose sight of the fact that being your own boss comes with certain privileges. Chief amongst them is the ability to set your own hours. Once you get into the rhythm of your job search you can achieve maximum daily productivity within 90 minutes to 2hrs. You do not need to sit in front of your laptop 8hrs a day doom scrolling LinkedIn.

5. Set yourself SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). It is crucial to be mindful of what is achievable and realistic: you have no control over the supply of jobs so setting a goal of completing 50 applications per day simply might not be possible. You can however set goals around the networking activity you will need to augment your applications. Perhaps start with a daily goal of finding 5 new people to follow on LinkedIn, or leaving comments on 10 different posts. The network effect of this activity will build momentum and broaden your digital footprint.

6. Leverage technology. All the major job boards allow you to create search parameters and set alerts, meaning your first daily task can be applying for all the relevant roles that have gone live in the past 24hrs. Utilize free tools like Teal to help you craft your resume, and to keep track of the applications you’ve sent. Don’t be afraid to use AI tools like Bard and ChatGPT to help you complete onerous tasks like writing cover letters.

7. Practice gratitude, and if you can, give back. Navigating a layoff is emotionally challenging, but the research shows that practicing gratitude can have a transformational effect. Furthermore using some of your free time to volunteer in your community can be both emotionally rewarding, and can help strengthen your network.

8. Don’t be afraid to lean on your community, share how you’re feeling, and ask for support in the way that you need it. Former coworkers may want to help, but be unsure on how to offer it, so it can be helpful to provide them with a menu of options. Creating a simple framework like: “a) write me a recommendation on LinkedIn b) review my resume c) introduce me to folks at your former company” is a great place to start.

The advances in consumer facing technology and the macro-economic environment have created a perfect storm in the talent marketplace, meaning that your job search will likely be a marathon, and not a sprint. Establishing a strong foundation, including a clear view of your personal economic runway, is a critical first step in helping you navigate the period between getting laid off, and finding your next role.

Creating a framework for your job search activity, anchored with SMART goals, helps you hold yourself accountable on a daily basis. Practicing gratitude and leaning into your community will help to sustain y0u through the low moments that will inevitably be a feature of your job search. Rest assured though, that like all the previous economic downturns, this too shall pass.

Forbes.com | November 16, 2023 | James Hudson

#ResumeWriting : 5 Ways To Highlight Leadership Skills In Your Resume. Five Steps you Will Sell yourself Effectively to Secure Opportunities. Great REad!

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With the emergence of AI and its dominance over the workforce, comes the pressing need to upskill, not only in its use, but in soft skills that cannot be replaced by AI. One such soft skill set is leadership. There has never been a better time to develop and showcase one’s leadership skills than now, especially since, according to Zippia’s 2023 leadership research, 83% of employers view this skill set as essential across all organizational levels, whether the employee is in a leadership role or not.

 

 

In particular, employers prize versatile leadership competencies such as critical thinking, problem solving, initiative, teamwork, and communication.

So how do you highlight your leadership skills in your resume, especially if you’re relatively new to the field of management?  Here are five ways you can showcase your leadership potential and position yourself as a stand-out candidate in your resume:

Identify Transferable Experiences

Reflect over your previous experiences and look for stories to share that demonstrate where you have displayed your leadership skills. Remember, you don’t need to limit yourself to paid work experience alone, neither do you need to worry about having “manager,” “supervisor,” or “head of___”, in your title. You can pull from a range of experiences, from college or university, to volunteering and community outreach projects, to training and mentoring team members or occasionally deputizing for your boss. Even having a strong hand in the operations of the family business, if your family has one, counts as leadership experience. Remember, the value of the experience and your perceived value as a leader lies more in what you achieved and delivered, than a mere job description or title.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fsc-linkedin-network-7081658661743308800

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

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

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

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search 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, Networking, etc) 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 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

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

 

Article continued …

Use Leadership Vocabulary

Leaders and managers initiate action and drive transformative change. They are visionaries and can inspire entire teams, stakeholders, and departments at various levels of the organization toward a common goal. Bring your transferable experiences to life through the use of powerful, impactful verbiage that paint a lively picture of who you are as an emerging leader. Steer clear from cliched phrases or buzzwords and start each bullet point in your work experience section with a powerful verb that is commonly associated with leadership skills.

Some verbs you can use include:

  • Drove
  • Led
  • Spearheaded
  • Directed
  • Coached
  • Persuaded
  • Garnered
  • Negotiated
  • Mentored
  • Headed
  • Accelerated
  • Doubled/tripled
  • Shaped
  • Optimized

 

“Managed operations and performance for new commercial product in a failing area of the business,” or “Directedperformance of new commercial product and launched operations from scratch in a failing area of the business, that saw customer engagement grow by 200% within six months.”

 

The first sentence merely alludes to your job description; the last one nails the specific of the value you brought to your work using numbers wherever possible. Potential employers care about tangible results, which demonstrate that you actually made a positive difference in your last/current job—a sign of budding leadership skills. The focus is on the numbers, not your theory about work ethics or a mere list of job responsibilities.

Study Job Description

Thoroughly study the person specification within the job posting, and extract the keywords and key phrases that you feel closely align with your own leadership experiences. You can even use a Venn diagram to make a visual comparison so you see clearly where your strengths are. This will help you to decide if you meet at least 70% of the job requirements or not, before proceeding further. Ensure your resume and application answers speak directly to these requirements.

Craft A Compelling Summary

Your resume’s professional summary, also known as a professional profile, is a paragraph that is strategically placed at the top of the first page of your resume. Since it is the first section the recruiter or hiring manager will lay their eyes on, it is essential to make it as concise and impactful as possible. This is where you should should use some of the keywords and phrases you have found in the job description in the previous step, and also highlight your tangible experiences. Be sure to include quantifiable details such as how many years of experience you have, what size budgets you were accountable for or worked on, team headcounts, percentage of KPIs achieved, etc.

Through following these five steps you will sell yourself effectively to secure opportunities to progress up the ladder within leadership roles. And in the meantime, remember to maximize every opportunity to showcase and polish your leadership skills so you have more stories to pull from in your resume and in interviews.

Forbes.com | October 24, 2023 | Rachel Wells

 

#JobSearch : 3 Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Interviews. Do These Three Things, and You’ll Start Lining Up Interviews in No Time!

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In a perfect world, if you have the right skills and background for the role, you will get an interview. Unfortunately, “perfect” and “job search” are words that don’t come together too often. From my experience as a former recruiter and HR manager, I’ve found that rarely do the “best” candidates get the job. Instead, the candidates who know how to play the recruitment game the best way are the ones who get the most success.

So if you have been looking for your next role and getting rejection letter after rejection letter, read on and watch this video to see the real reason you are not getting the results you deserve.

You’re Only Using One Resume

Recruiters can immediately identify the candidates that are open to any and every role, and it’s not doing you any favors if you are one of them. The best candidates are the ones who are specific in what they want.

What you want to change is to first study the job description and then work on your resume. Take keywords and skills you find and infuse them into your bullet points. This will help catch the recruiter’s attention.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fsc-linkedin-network-7081658661743308800

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

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

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

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search 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, Networking, etc) 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 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

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

 

Article continued …

You’re Applying To Old Roles

Your best chance of getting interviews is focusing on roles that were published within the last few weeks. Because if you see a role that’s been “available” for months, chances are it’s already been filled but they just haven’t taken it down yet.

A great way to stay on top of the market is to sign up for email alerts on different job boards for specific companies and roles. This will give you access to the most current listings.

You Lack The Right Background

The candidate that recruiters want most is someone who proves they can do the job. So if you don’t have the right skills they are looking for, I encourage you to learn them! You don’t have to go get a new fancy degree, but even enrolling in free courses, putting them to use, and moving that up on your resume will make a big impact.

Do those three things, and you’ll start lining up interviews in no time!

Forbes.com Author:  Sho Dewan – Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Forbes.com | October 12, 2023

#JobSearch : To Avoid Age Discrimination Eliminate 7 Things From Your Resume. We Are Seeing More People Over the Age of 50 Losing their Jobs. Question: Is Their Age Discrimination?

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We are seeing more people over the age of 50 losing their jobs. They worry about ageism, which is a legitimate concern. When you are close to 60 or older, the discrimination becomes even more apparent. John, age 60, was an HR director at a Fortune 500 company where he worked for 20 years. Having just been laid off from his job, he contacted me for job search and resume writing assistance. He became very worried when he realized his age was an obstacle to securing a new job. John has the same issues I see in many older workers. He didn’t know how to sell himself in his resume, on LinkedIn, and especially not in an interview. Recent accomplishments were few and far between. A resume that should be full of achievements only had generic job descriptions. Often a mature worker’s resume is tremendously outdated, screams “I’m old,” and won’t be an asset.

Let’s compare John’s situation to Mary, a marketing director, who called wanting resume writing help. Mary was 64 years old, and as we talked, she mentioned that she had white hair and wrinkles and wondered if that would stop an employer from hiring her. As we started compiling her past achievements, she had a lot of accomplishments in the last few years. Everyone liked working for Mary—she was a great manager and had evidence in her work history to prove it. It was clear she had developed high-performance collaborative teams that beat expectations. Mary didn’t do things the same way just because they always had. Instead, she attended conferences, listened to thought leaders, watched relevant TED talks, and stayed on top of new industry trends. With that new resume in hand, it’s no wonder she quickly found a terrific new job.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fsc-linkedin-network-7081658661743308800

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

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

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

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search 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, Networking, etc) 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 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

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

 

Article continued …

When it comes to resume writing, many mature workers need a crash course on what they need to stress and what to eliminate. Employers love to see outcomes and results, so always focus on noting those.

Marc Cenedella, CEO of Leets Resume and founder of Ladders, has also seen a lot of resumes from older workers. He offered some good advice on what to change when creating your resume to prevent age discrimination from being a problem.

  1. Chop your work history section. Ancient jobs from 20 years ago have no relevance to the hiring manager. Instead, focus on the last 15 years, cutting your resume down to that. Put heavy emphasis on your last 5-7 years and stress relevant experience.
  2. Drop your college grad year if it’s before 2005.
  3. Watch the technology you mention. Tech changes every day. Only advertise your software skills that are needed and valued now. Anything you did in the 1990s or 2000s isn’t relevant. Drop any mention of things such as Autocad or WordPerfect that are not used anymore. List popular software employers want like Excel (advanced user), SQL, Marketo, Salesforce, Slack, Illustrator, and cloud skills working in AWS or Azure are good to mention.
  4. Emphasize you have a team mentality. Drop any reference that says you avoid or dislike change. No “my way or the highway.” Instead, show you are coachable, and if you are the manager, describe how you mentor team members and focus on their professional development. The goal is to show you have built high-performance, collaborative teams.
  5. Don’t appear out of date. Your resume must reflect that you are a continuous learner and apply the knowledge or new skills at work. Consider getting some current certifications to enhance your background. Classes like project management to improve or gain a new marketable skill are valuable, too.
  6. Drop old-fashioned email addresses. If you’re using an AOL, Hotmail, or Yahoo email address, it’s time for an update. Using AOL tells hiring managers you are a low-tech person and haven’t bothered to keep up with trends for 25 years. Instead, switch to a Gmail address.
  7. Don’t list your home address or home phone number. City and state and a cell number is all you need.

Don’t sell yourself short. You still have a lot to offer. Your resume is an advertising tool, so be sure it markets you in the best possible light.

Forbes.com Author:  Robin Ryan          Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | September 26, 2023

#JobSearch : 5 Steps To Get Hired During The September Surge. Best Months for Candidates are at the Beginning of the Year, Spring, and of Course, September.

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You may have seen the trend all over your TikTok feed or in recent articles — the September Surge for hiring is here. Most recruiters, hiring managers, and career coaches agree: now is the best time to update your resumes and start hunting for a new role if you want to land one by the end of the year.

So what is this September Surge? It refers to the uptick in hiring that occurs in the last quarter of the year. The surge happens because of two things. First: hiring managers and recruiters are mostly back now from their summer vacations. And second: Many companies and brands have a remaining budget to accelerate hiring and help hit certain revenue targets as the year ends. This way, they can end the year on a high and have a complete team that’s ready to hit the ground running early next year.

I’ve been in the HR and recruitment space for the better part of the decade, and have seen the best months for candidates are typically at the beginning of the year, Spring, and of course, September. If you’ve been in the market for new opportunities, your time is going to come sooner rather than later, especially if you follow these five tips to get hired during the September Surge.

1. Get specific on what you want

Remember rage-applying? Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it. While it’s true that you shouldn’t pin your hopes on just one or two applications, you also shouldn’t go and just hit “easy apply” to every open role either.

It may feel counterintuitive, but the more narrowed and specific you get on what you want the more, the higher your chances become of actually landing it. What I recommend is for you to make a list of all the great qualities you are looking for in this next role. Here are some questions to help you get started:

  • What kind of company do you want to work for?
  • How would you describe what your ideal manager and team look like?
  • What skills do you want to flex in this role?
  • What projects and type of work do you not want to do?
  • Where would you like to be located?

Once you get clear on the type of role you want, why you would be a good fit, and how you can contribute, that is when the magic happens. Get specific and make a list of your target roles & companies before progressing forward.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 3.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Updated NEWS: #BestofFSCBlog – Aug23 we hit Two Milestones: #1– Hit over 1.2 million impressions on our FSC Career Blogs within 7 days on LinkedIn……. #2– Over 3.5 Million participates on our FSC Career Blog page below within three years!  Both the Team/myself want to thank you all for participating! …… Chris G. & Team,www.firstsun.com

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 8K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fsc-linkedin-network-7081658661743308800

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

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

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

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search 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, Networking, etc) 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 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit us @ www.firstsun.com  OR Ask for a Quote for Services at  info@firstsun.com

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

 

Article continued …

2. Get your resume ready and tailored for the role

You already know the job market is uber competitive these days so don’t disqualify yourself with a bland, generic resume.

Think of it this way: Recruiters will be sifting through hundreds of resumes for a single job post. They’ll be skimming through pages and pages of resume to focus on certain key qualifications and experiences that match the job description. And if your resume is not highlighting the things they are looking for, your chances are pretty much zero on landing an interview.

So how do you ensure that your resume stands out from the others?

You don’t have to go all out and create something wildly creative here but use what is tried and true. You can download our free, simple, ATS-friendly resume template from our website here.

Next, read the job post thoroughly and put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes. What kind of skills and experiences are they looking for in this candidate? Now that you know that, try to use their language, the same keywords and skills. Anything you can do to make the recruiter’s job easier will work in your favor, I guarantee it.

Then proofread for any silly errors. Make sure there are no typo errors and even get a friend or two to read your resume and check for anything that can be revised.

3. Research the company and get connected with decision makers

The next part is how you stand out even further. You can dramatically increase your chances of being noticed by deeply researching the company and getting connected with decision makers.

Start by digging deep into the company’s website, social media profiles, and any recent news articles or press releases. This knowledge will not only help you tailor your application but also impress during upcoming information and actual interviews, demonstrating your genuine interest and commitment to the organization.

You can also look up the company’s decision makers on LinkedIn, and try to hit up a connection with a well-crafted intro. Here’s a template you can use here:

Hi James,

Amazing to see you celebrate your anniversary with [firm name]! Congratulations on your tenure and all your big wins.

I wanted to reach out as I am exploring opportunities with [firm] myself. Would you be available for a call to discuss your experience so far? Thanks so much in advance!

Best,

NAME

Also, if you can, attend industry-related events, conferences, and webinars, as these are excellent opportunities to meet professionals from your desired field, including those within your target companies.

4. Prep for your networking chats and interviews

And then it’s off to the interviews! Getting your resume handpicked from the rest is an excellent opportunity that you shouldn’t miss, so ensure that you’re ready to impress during your networking chats and interviews.

You’ve already done your research about the company, so you probably already know what to say on some level. All that’s left to do is to polish your game through practice.

Research common interview questions and prepare thoughtful responses, but don’t just write your answers on a piece of paper. Write stories that highlight your unique skills and experiences, and relate back to the role you are going for.

Say them out loud and take note of your tone, expression, and body language. It doesn’t matter if you do this alone with a mirror or a friend who can provide some feedback, you just need to get those reps in to get rid of the jitters.

5. Don’t just focus on only one company. Get multiple offers to build leverage.

If you follow the first four tips, you will probably have a line up of interviews coming your way. But the big mistake I want you to avoid is just going all in on one company. While it’s great to have your eyes on the prize, the more options you have, the more leverage you build up.

And saying yes to every suitable interview that you can line up can help ensure that you get the best offer possible. Because the last thing a company wants to do is lose out on great talent to another competitor.

The goal here is to have multiple offers because then you are in the driver’s seat and are able to compare and contrast comp packages, benefits, and the overall culture of each company. If you run across a company that has the best culture-fit but is lacking in total compensation, you can even use other offers to showcase your value and negotiate for a better salary.

Remember, this is not just another job you are after. You are going towards your ideal career and it’s important to think things through with all the information available. So be patient and give yourself the gift of choice.

Bonus Tip: Remember you are a valuable candidate!

It all starts with confidence and knowing that you bring to the table a set of skills that any company would be lucky to have. Most of the time it all just comes down to your stories, timing, and your confidence in yourself, so follow the tips I laid out for you to ensure that you make the most of the September Surge. Rooting for you!

Forbes.com | September 7, 2023 | Sho Dewan

#JobSearch : The Role Of An Exceptional Resume In Securing Your Dream Job. New FSC Career Blog Author! Great Read!

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In today’s compеtitivе job markеt, thе rolе of an еxcеptional rеsumе cannot bе undеrеstimatеd whеn it comеs to sеcuring your drеam job. Your rеsumе sеrvеs as thе first imprеssion that potеntial еmployеrs havе of you, and it plays a crucial role in dеtеrmining whеthеr you gеt invitеd for an intеrviеw or not.

Crafting a standout rеsumе tailorеd to thе spеcific rеquirеmеnts of thе job you’rе applying for is еssеntial. This articlе еxplorеs thе kеy еlеmеnts of an еxcеptional rеsumе and providеs valuablе insights to hеlp you crеatе a winning documеnt that sеts you apart from othеr candidatеs.

Understanding the Importance of a Well-Structured Resume

A well-structured resume is essential for effectively highlighting your credentials and experience. It allows hiring managers to quickly and easily navigate your document and find the necessary information.

An organized resume typically includes a professional summary, employment history, education, skills, and relevant certifications. By structuring these sections logically and simply, your resume has a more significant impact and is more likely to make a positive impression.

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Article continued …

Captivating Employers: How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

It captivates hiring managers and makes your resume stand out, and it is crucial to highlight your unique qualities and achievements.

  • Start by customizing your resume for each job application, ensuring it aligns with the specific requirements and preferences of the hiring organization.
  • Use action verbs and concise statements that focus on the results you have achieved.
  • Whenever possible, evaluate and quantify your accomplishments to demonstrate your impact in previous positions.

 

Tailoring Your Resume to Match Your Dream Job Requirements

A one-size-fits-all approach only works in the context of resumes. It’s crucial to tailor your resume to align with the unique job requirements you envision, increasing your chances of getting noticed.

Carefully assess the job description and identify the essential skills, qualifications, and experiences the employer seeks. Then, customize your resume to showcase how your experience aligns with these requirements. You exhibit your dedication and enthusiasm by demonstrating your suitability for the position.

 

The Power of a Professional Summary: Grabbing Attention from the Start

Your profеssional summary is a powerful tool to grab the attention of еmployеrs from thе start. This briеf sеction at thе bеginning of your rеsumе providеs a concisе ovеrviеw of your qualifications and carееr goals.

Craft a compеlling profеssional summary that showcasеs your uniquе sеlling points and promptly capturеs thе rеadеr’s intеrеst. Focus on your most rеlеvant еxpеriеncеs and highlight thе valuе you can bring to thе organization.

 

Showcasing Your Skills and Expеrtisе: Highlighting Kеy Compеtеnciеs

It stands out in a compеtitivе job markеt, and it is vital to showcasе your skills and еxpеrtisе еffеctivеly.

  • Crеatе a dеdicatеd sеction in your rеsumе to highlight your kеy compеtеnciеs, including both hard and soft skills.
  • Hard skills rеfеr to spеcific tеchnical abilitiеs, such as proficiеncy in softwarе applications or languagеs.
  • Soft skills, on the other hand, еncompass pеrsonal qualitiеs likе communication, lеadеrship, and problem-solving abilitiеs.
  • Bе spеcific and providе еxamplеs of how you havе appliеd thеsе skills in your prеvious rolеs.

 

The Impact of Accomplishments: Quantifying Your Achievements

While composing your resume, more is needed to list your obligations. Recruiting directors need to see the effect they have made in their past jobs.

Evaluate your accomplishments at whatever point conceivable by including explicit numbers, rates, or other quantifiable outcomes. For instance, rather than expressing that you “enhanced sales,” determine that you “enhanced sales by 20% in somewhere around a half year.” It exhibits your capacity to provide concrete outcomes.

 

Optimizing Your Work Experience: Presenting a Strong Job History

Your job experience section is essential to your resume, offering insight into your career progression and achievements. Optimizе this sеction by focusing on rеlеvant еxpеriеncеs and prеsеnting thеm in a clеar and concisе mannеr.

Begin with your most rеcеnt rolе and work backward, such as job titlе, company namе, еmploymеnt datеs, and kеy rеsponsibilitiеs. Usе bullеt points to showcase your achiеvеmеnts and determine thе impact of your contributions.

 

The Art of Selecting the Right Keywords: Getting Past Automated Filters

In today’s digital agе, many companies use applicant tracking systеms (ATS) to filtеr rеsumеs basеd on spеcific kеywords.

To еnsurе your rеsumе gеts past thеsе automatеd filtеrs, it is crucial to sеlеct thе right kеywords. Carеfully rеviеw thе job dеscription and incorporatе rеlеvant kеywords naturally throughout your rеsumе.

Strikе a balancе bеtwееn including important kеywords and maintaining a wеll-writtеn and cohеsivе documеnt.

 

Aesthetics Matter: Designing an Eye-Catching Resume Layout

Thе visualized appеal of your rеsumе plays an essential rolе in attracting thе attеntion of еmployеrs.

  • Dеsign an еyе-catching rеsumе layout that is visually appеaling and effortless to rеad.
  • Usе a clеan and profеssional font, adequatе spacing, and consistеnt formatting.
  • Include pertinent sеction hеadings and bullеt points to boost rеadability.
  • Considеr using subtlе colors or icons to add visual intеrеst whilе еnsuring a polishеd and profеssional look.

Building an Imprеssivе Onlinе Prеsеncе: Lеvеraging Social Mеdia

In today’s digital еra, building an imprеssivе onlinе prеsеncе is crucial for job sееkеrs. Employеrs oftеn conduct onlinе rеsеarch on candidatеs bеforе making hiring dеcisions.

Ensurе your social mеdia profilеs, particularly LinkеdIn, rеflеct a profеssional imagе. Highlight your skills, еxpеriеncеs, and achiеvеmеnts on thеsе platforms. Engagе in industry-rеlatеd discussions, connеct with profеssionals, and showcasе your еxpеrtisе to еnhancе your onlinе rеputation.

Networking Strategies for Landing Your Dream Job

Nеtworking plays an essential rolе in landing your drеam job. Lеvеragе both onlinе and offlinе nеtworking stratеgiеs to еxpand your profеssional connеctions.

  • Attеnd industry еvеnts, join rеlеvant profеssional associations, and еngagе in informational intеrviеws.
  • Activеly rеach out to individuals in your dеsirеd fiеld and sееk mеntorship opportunitiеs.
  • Building a robust nеtwork can provide valuable insights, rеfеrrals, and potеntial job opportunitiеs.

 

Rеsumе Mistakеs to Avoid: Common Pitfalls and How to Fix Thеm

It crеatеs a stеllar rеsumе; it is еssеntial to avoid common pitfalls that can undеrminе your chancеs of succеss.

  • Common mistakеs includе typos and grammatical еrrors, including irrеlеvant information, using cliched phrasеs, and failing to tailor your rеsumе to thе spеcific job rеquirеmеnts.
  • Proofrеad your rеsumе carеfully, sееk fееdback from trustеd individuals, and еnsurе that еach sеction adds valuе and aligns with thе job you arе targеting.

Thе Importancе of Proofrеading: Polishing Your Rеsumе to Pеrfеction

Proofrеading is a critical stеp in thе rеsumе writing procеss. Evеn minor еrrors can crеatе a nеgativе imprеssion and undеrminе your crеdibility.

 

Aftеr complеting your rеsumе, takе thе timе to carеfully rеviеw it for spеlling mistakеs, grammatical еrrors, and formatting inconsistеnciеs. Considеr еnlisting thе hеlp of a trustеd friеnd or profеssional proofrеadеr to providе an objеctivе pеrspеctivе.

 

Customizing Your Resume for Different Job Applications

Each job application is unique, and your resume should reflect this. Tailor your resume to match the specific requirements and preferences of each job you apply for.

It includes adjusting your professional summary, emphasizing different skills and experiences, and reordering sections to highlight the most relevant information. Customization demonstrates your attention to detail and genuine interest in the position.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, an еxcеptional rеsumе plays a pivotal rolе in sеcuring your drеam job. It sеrvеs as a powеrful tool to showcasе your skills, еxpеriеncе, and qualifications to potеntial еmployеrs. By crafting a wеll-structurеd and tailorеd rеsumе, you can еffеctivеly highlight your uniquе valuе proposition and stand out from thе compеtition. Rеmеmbеr to еmphasizе your achiеvеmеnts, showcasе your kеy compеtеnciеs, and еnsurе a profеssional and visually appеaling layout. Invеsting timе and еffort into crеating an еxcеptional rеsumе can significantly incrеasе your chancеs of landing your drеam job.

 

FSC Blog Author: Mary Jean –  As you embark on your journеy to sеcurе IT intеrnships in Mеlbournе or any othеr dеsirеd location, mastеring thе art of resume writing is paramount.

 

FSC Career Blog – June 6, 2023

 

 

#JobSearch : 5 Essential Skills To Put On Your Resume. Resumes Should be One Page Long. What is Important to You?

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Resumes are one page long. One page isn’t enough space for me to express my full thoughts on slight tweaks to the Instagram Reel algorithm—it’s not enough space for my professional life.

But, alas, we all must boil ourselves down to the one-pager. And between job experience, education, and summary statements, we must fit our skills. This is, after all, what you do at a job—use skills. I recommend not skipping the skills part—nearly 90% of resumes include it. Choosing what skills to put on a resume requires precision. You have a limited amount of space, and you need to strike the right balance of skills you have, skills the company wants, skills that are hard to acquire, and skills they might not know you have.

 

Read on for five tips on what skills should make the cut.

Technical Skills

Include relevant technical skills that are specific to your industry or the job you want. For example, proficiency in programming languages, software applications, data analysis tools, or design software. Technical skills also demonstrate a certain type of problem-solving ability which can be more broadly applicable, even if you’re not using those particular skills at work. Highlight your critical thinking and creativity via the technical tools you’ve mastered.

 

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Article continued …

Collaboration

Working with others is a skill—and one that you should share (since you’re good at sharing!). Nearly 61% of recruiters say that soft skills are as important as hard skills, so don’t skip this. “People who enjoy team-based, collaborative projects, if even just a little, should highlight that fondness in cover letters and ensure their resumes include a prominent line or two that demonstrates relevant experience, aptitude, and training,” says Dr. Deb Mashek, collaboration expert, consultant, and author of Collabor(h)ate. “If you like collaborating with others, say so!”

To show off your collaboration skills, highlight experiences where you contributed to group projects,. Emphasize your ability to effectively convey information, listen actively, write, and speak in public. All of these demonstrate you can work on a team.

Leadership

If you have experience leading teams or managing projects, emphasize your leadership skills. This may include: team building, delegation, conflict resolution, and project management. Get specific about what you’ve learned as a leader, and be ready to talk through details of how you invested in developing your leadership prowess. Leadership is important even if you’re not going to be managing anybody—you may lead a small project, or even just have an easier time working in a team if you understand the benefits of leadership. If you know how to do it, put it on the resume.

Social Media

Even if the job doesn’t require that you use social media directly, it can help to demonstrate that you understand where the customers are. Furthermore, an understanding of the shifting social media landscape shows that you’re ready and willing to adapt. In today’s rapidly changing work environment, employers value candidates who can adapt and thrive. Social media is essentially marketing, so understanding how to sell something on TikTok shows more than just dance skills—it shows you know how people in the year 2023 consume content.

Customer Service Skills

In many ways, we almost all have a customer service component to our jobs—even if the customer is internal. At some point, you’re providing someone else with a product or deliverable, and you want them to be happy with what you created. So if you’re good at working with customers and meeting their needs, include that in the skills section.

There are many other skills you may want to include on a resume, depending on which ones you have. Above all, the most important skills to highlight are the ones you feel most confident in. Just remember—everything on a resume is an invitation for a question. The interviewer could ask for details about any of the skills you claim to have, so be sure to be honest. And good luck!

 

Forbes.com | June 22 | Ginny Hogan

#JobSearch : How To Write A Resume Objective Statement That Will Land You That Interview. First Tip: Learn What it Is. Do you Know & What is It?

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Resume objective statements have never made the most sense to me. The objective of a resume is obvious—it’s to get a job. Trust me, I’m not writing one for fun. It’s not a Bluesky skeet or anything like that.

But in these tough economic times, it can never hurt to be too careful when it comes to expressing yourself well in job applications. Whether you’re a new grad looking to land that first gig out of college, a freelancer looking to upgrade to full-time, or someone looking for a new job after years at the same place, a tight resume can be the key to getting you through the door. And it starts with a resume objective statement.

Here are a few tips for writing a resume objective statement that will land you that coveted interview.

What Is a Resume Objective Statement?

My first tip for writing a banger resume objective statement is to learn what it is. Don’t skip this step! A resume objective statement is a brief statement at the beginning of a resume that summarizes the career goals and objectives of the job applicant. That’s it!

 

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Article continued …

Be Specific

Your objective statement should be specific to the job you’re applying for. Make sure you read the description carefully and highlight the skills and experience you have that are relevant to the position. If you have a particular goal in mind, such as working in one specific industry or becoming a manager, you can include that in your objective statement. Just make sure it’s tailored to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you want to work in sales, don’t say that you want to become a vet (learn from my mistakes!).

Ideally, use exact words from the job description in your resume objective statement. This means—I’m so sorry to say—that you need to write a new one for every position you’re applying to. It does pain me to tell you this, but one day you’ll have a job with healthcare, and you’ll thank me. And it doesn’t have to be entirely new—slight tweaks go a long way.

Be Succinct

Your objective statement should be concise and to the point. Fewer words is always better, and this is true across all mediums—resume statements, break-up texts, etc. Aim for one or two sentences that summarize your skills and experience as they relate to the job.

The resume objective statement is located right below your contact information. It might not be the most important part of the resume—that really depends on what the employer is looking for, and whether or not they’re seeking someone with super specific experiences—but it is the first thing they read. Get to the point and leave them wanting more!

Highlight Your Value

Your objective statement should make clear what value you can bring to the employer. Think about what sets you apart from other candidates and what skills or experiences you have that would make you an asset to the company. If you don’t have any skills, acquire some! Or, expand your definition of a skill. In my opinion, in this day and age, any attitude other than nihilism counts as a skill (but don’t put that on your resume). In all seriousness, though, skills as broad as social media, effectively using ChatGPT, or public speaking can appear in a resume objective statement if it aligns with the job you’re applying for.

Be Unique

To whatever extent possible, I recommend trying to avoid cliches. You’re trying to get your resume to stand out from hundreds of others. Phrases like “seeking an exciting role” or “looking to develop my skills” or “hire me rent is so high” are overused and don’t add much value to your objective statement. Instead, focus on specific skills or experiences that would make you a good fit for the job. My advice? Throw in the word “myriad.” It fits into every sentence, and there are myriad benefits to showing off your vocabulary in this way.

Once you have that perfect resume objective statement, you’re well on the way to the next challenge: acing an interview. Good luck!

Forbes.com | May 5, 2023

#JobSearch : How To Stand Out As Companies Are Flooded With Résumés. A MUst REad!

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There is a Catch-22 in the job market. White-collar office workers have been laid off in disturbingly large numbers. Those who are still employed are concerned about their job security. In challenging times, people are understandably submitting dozens or more résumés each day. They feel it’s a numbers game, and the more they apply, the better their chances of securing an interview.

Highlighting the plight of job seekers, a Tiktoker (petersbrainfolds) recently took to the social media platform to voice his frustration over applying to 557 jobs since July 27, 2022. “I’m applying for jobs within and out of my field of expertise. I’m applying for big companies and small companies. I’ve even had a recruiter look at my résumé and rework it for me and tell me how to get around the system,” Peter said in the TikTok video. “I’d say more than three-fourths haven’t even responded.”

Moreover, the application process at a marquee brand, like Google, can be quite competitive. In fact, over 2 million people apply to work there every year. According to MentorCruise, getting hired at Google is 26 times more difficult than getting accepted into Harvard University.

The paradox is that the avalanche of résumés makes it nearly impossible for recruiters, human resources, internal corporate talent acquisition and hiring managers to go through them all adequately. This leads to candidate frustration, anger and calling out recruiters and companies as being callous and rude for ghosting job hunters.

What You Should Do

Terrence Seamon, a career coach and leadership development consultant, advises job seekers to use the “SMART” strategy—be strategic, memorable, active, relating, and tweak the résumé before you hit submit.

Instead of spraying and praying that your résumé gets noticed, Seamon suggests you take a “surgical strike” approach by targeting companies you would love to work with and focusing your energies on the specific roles you desire.

You want to be “memorable” by finding ways to stand out in a crowded market. Don’t worry about fancy fonts on the résumé. Instead, ensure that the document clearly aligns with the requisite requirements of the job description. In addition to a core résumé, tailor it for each submittal to match the specific job advertisement requirements.

Having a LinkedIn profile is only table stakes. Seamon advises that you must actively promote yourself on the social media platform to get noticed by recruiters, human resources and potential hiring managers. Check into your network to find out if anyone has a connection with your target companies who can offer a recommendation and help get you to the front of the line.

Most companies use applicant tracking systems, due to the large daily volume of résumés. Use relevant keywords applicable to the position and industry to improve your chances of gaining attention.

According to Indeed, job seekers should apply to 10 to 15 different jobs each week. Avoid applying to five or more jobs at the same company, as they’ll feel you’re just shot-gunning your résumé out of desperation and don’t really care about the company or any of the jobs you applied for.

 

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Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

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

 

Article continued …

What Not To Do

On LinkedIn’s job board, you can see the number of people who applied for a position. When you see hundreds of responses, your initial response would likely be not to bother. However, since so many people are sending out résumés, especially with LinkedIn’s Easy Apply function, many respondents shoot their shots and do not possess the right skills and experience for the role.

A recent trend on TikTok is “rage applying.” Feeling overlooked, unappreciated, passed over for a promotion and unfairly compensated, people are hunkering down and applying to as many jobs as possible to get out of their current position. This plan won’t work out well. Acting out of haste will haunt you in the future. You may be inclined to accept the first offer received just to leave your employer. After a couple of months, you’ll regret the job switch, as you didn’t do enough homework on the job, management team and corporate culture.

Be Forewarned: There Are Lots Of Fake Jobs

In a survey conducted by Clarify Capital, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, around 25% of hiring managers self-reported that they’ve kept job listings open for more than four months. Moreover, they don’t intend to hire anyone in the near future.

The reasons for posting “ghost jobs” include building a pipeline of candidates for when the tide turns and recruiting gears up again, making it seem as if the company is doing well and expanding and humoring employees that help is on the horizon with new staff arriving to help with the workload.

As a recruiter, I’ve seen this trend play out over two decades. Human resources and hiring managers place phantom jobs, anticipating that things will improve and companies will eventually hire.

 

Forbes.com | April 10, 2023

#JobSearch : 5 Tips To Pass The Resume 30-Second Test. That is the Time you Have to Engage a Recruiter. A MUSt REAd.

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You can spend hours crafting your resume and conducting your job search, but today’s labor market can be competitive, and you need to go above and beyond if you want to stand out.

As if that wasn’t tough enough, recruiters will only dedicate a short amount of time to scanning your application. In fact, if you want to be shortlisted for an interview, you have as little as 30 seconds to impress them.

The good news is, there are some steps you can take to perfect your content and format your resume as effectively as possible. This will make it much easier for the recruiter to find those all-important details.

But how do you go about passing the 30-second resume test?

Tailor every application

Writing a strong resume can be time-consuming, so it’s understandable that tailoring every application you submit can feel like a lot more work. However, recruiters have become wise to this over the years, and they can spot a generic resume with just a quick scan down the page.

Generic resumes look lazy, and unprofessional, and suggest that you don’t have a genuine interest in their job role. Therefore, it’s crucial that you tailor every resume to the specific position and company before you submit your application.

This will require a certain amount of research, as well as using the job description to highlight important keywords and shape your content.

Engage the recruiter immediately

Your resume needs to start with a professional summary that grabs the recruiter’s attention immediately. As a senior professional, this should be a short summary that includes your current position and years of experience. You must show your relevance to the role and highlight your key achievements.

This section must also be tailored to the specific position and company. As we’ve said, a generic application won’t cut it, and if you get this wrong in the first instance, your resume is sure to end up on the rejection pile.

An engaging and focused summary will hook the reader and convince them to keep going, getting past the 30-second mark and increasing your chance of being invited in for an interview.

 

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Article continued …

Keep it relevant

As you gain more and more experience, the list of things you can add to your resume will only grow. The problem is, with just one to two pages to impress, including every job you’ve ever had is unlikely to get you over that 30-second hurdle.

Recruiters only want to see your most recent and relevant experience, qualifications, and skills. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to review all your past positions and only go into more detail about those that are relevant to the role. For example, it’s unlikely that if you’re being considered for a senior position, that the employer will want to read 10 bullet points about an internship you did over a decade ago, so cut it down or remove it completely.

This is important because the recruiter will not waste time wading through chunks of irrelevant text. If they start reading and the content quickly seems unrelated to the role they’re hiring for, you’ll simply end up on the rejection pile.

Be specific

The more specific details you can give about what makes you great for the job, the better.

So, when describing your experience, avoid giving generic explanations and give specific details instead. This includes quantifying your achievements to show how you made a real impact in past roles.

This will also apply to your key skills. For example, if you know how to code, be sure to list the specific programming languages you understand. Alternatively, if you are proficient in several types of accounting software, be sure to name the exact tools you’ve used.

Think carefully about structure and readability

Of course, the content of your resume is absolutely vital, but so are readability and structure. If your resume is poorly formatted, the recruiter might not give it any more than a quick glance. So, in order to make it easy for them, you must use headings and subheadings to structure your information and guide the reader’s eye.

Bullet points are also a great way to break up chunks of text because large blocks of text can be very off-putting. As can quirky or hard-to-read fonts, so it’s crucial that you choose a standard font that makes your resume easier to scan through.

Finally, it’s a good idea to think carefully about how you structure your content. As a more senior professional, it’s likely that your skills and experience will take precedence over your education. So it’s better to put these sections closer to the top of the page.

You’ll be able to get a better understanding of what the employer deems most important when you look through the job description.

By following these five tips, you can quickly engage the recruiter and ensure that your resume makes it as easy as possible for the reader to see that you’re a good fit for the role. This is how you hold their attention for at least 30 seconds and secure yourself an interview.

 

Forbes.com | February 2, 2023 | Andrew Fennell