Effective Resume Writing
June 2, 2008
I need help with effective resume writing that will help me get the new job I’ve been wanting for a while. Where do you suggest I start? - Dan in St. Louis, MO
Basically having effective resume writing skills can be the margin between landing a job and getting passed over. I can remember many times how a colleague or friend had their dream job within their reach only to have it turn to vapor due to their resume not being in good form.
If only they would have shown me before hand! Go ahead right now and pat yourself on the back for taking this into consideration before you apply. Here are some resume writing advice you can put to use immediately.
Utilizing a powerful and descriptive title will make your resume “pop” meaning that it will out shine all the dull resumes. The title should be as useful as possible in describing exactly who you are as a professional in the shortest amount of words.
Your objective has to get the potential employer’s eyes on your resume quickly or again you are going to be passed up for someone else. The majority of resumes submitted are rejected because the applicant has no clear objective listed. Just like the title, the objective has to be clearly written and directly relates to the position you are applying for. If you are not able to sell yourself with your resume, you more than likely won’t have the chance to sell yourself during the interview.
In regards to how the resume is layed out, do your best to avoid using Times New Roman font because your resume will look like the masses of people flooding the hiring authority. Make yourself stand out such as using Georgia and Tahoma that have a professional appearance and are easy to look at. One thing to consider is using fonts that are narrow which allows you to save space and keeps the number of pages down to a minimum.
How many people do you think put the thought into printing their resume out on anything but regular printing paper? Go to your local office store and pick up some high grade glossy paper. Little things like this will add to the over all effect of separating yourself out of the fold by making them hold onto your resume just a little bit longer which increases the chance that they will actually read it.
As far as the length of the resume, keep it short. Try not to go beyond one page but balance this tip with the fact that it should be long enough to sell who you are but without overstating your accomplishments. Now this tidbit of resume writing advice may seem ridiculous but you would not believe how many people do not accurately check for proper spelling and grammar.
Regardless if the content is great and the format and length are perfect, if there is one small misspelling, grammar or puntuation error, this can completely turn the hiring authority off which will send your resume into the recycle bin.
Think about this, would you want to hire someone for a position that requires a high attention to detail if they can’t even proof read their own resume? This is one thing that you have absolute control over so its in your best interest to proofread over and over and over, even to the point where you have a few of your friends or family take a look at it to make sure there is not even the slightest mistake.
These tips on writing resumes will serve as a catapult to launch you directly into a face to face interview with the gate keeper of your new dream job. Use it as a tool so you will have every chance to sell yourself and outshine your competition.
Salary Negotiation Tips
May 30, 2008
I need salary negotiation tips for a new job I’m applying for. Would you please help me out with some pointers? - Keith in Austin, TX
Salary negotiation usually makes one choke up and cringe when even pondering the thought. However, it is in your best favor to possess the skills necessary to be in the position to win. Something to keep in mind is that the people who are able to negotiate compensation with a potential employer appear as a much stronger candidate for the simple fact that they bring it up and can hold their own.
Below I’ve listed some basics that will direct you on how to make yourself stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Learn about your target company’s salary range and the benefits they offer with the specific industry that they are in. This will give you a baseline to reference from. A common mistake that many “job virgins” find themselves in the middle of is that they end up dropping hints about the salary they want very early on in the interview. This is a no-no and on top that, many people will out right say something to the effect of “Oh… this so and so number is what I am looking for.”
This is understandable due to a person’s concern that the job might not be able to pay them what they require but at the same time, early in the interview process, its best to keep quiet and listen to the over all message that the potential employer is providing about how much they can provide in compensation. However, if they prod you for a number than use your ammo from doing research in that industry to give yourself some leverage.
Now here’s where having salary negotiation skills really come into play. When you’ve determined that its time to began discussing money, be the one to strike first with throwing out a salary range before your prospective employer does. This will leverage the salary range you are seeking in your favor. But on the opposite hand, if the person you are interviewing with readily takes into consideration the number you gave… and makes you an offer based on that number, don’t commit too quickly.
Communicate to them that you will take the offer into consideration and will provide a direct response within a short timeframe. This is a delicate balancing act here and you want to make yourself appear like you are not easily swayed by their offer, even if it is within or above the salary you’re looking for.
Another highly valuable salary negotiation tip is that you need to be upfront with what you expect from the employer in terms of pay but also the very real potential for career advancement. A couple of other things to think about are flexibility in your work schedule due to family along with continuing your education. To be fair though you need to make the company well aware of the value you can provide with your skill set and previous work history and how that can make them stronger as an organization.
Keith, using these simple steps will put you far ahead of the majority of job seekers out there and will serve as a sword and shield during the interview process. Having the right negotiating skills when it comes to getting the salary and benefits you want proves that you are not going to settle for second best and shows your level of confidence to go after what you truly want.
How Do You Know What Your Dream Job Is?
May 13, 2008
Finding your Dream Job is one thing, knowing what you looking for is another one all together.
I am a big believer in not doing the work others have already done so one thing I recommend you start off with is a simple personality test. There are many available online for free here is a pretty good one.
The Human Metrics Jungian Personality Test
So take your time and go through that test or another one, you may even want to try a few different ones. Then consider carefully what the results say about you, specifically the ones you don’t totally agree with.
The key to your dream job is first finding a career that
- Really motivate you
- Challenges you in a positive way
- Allows you the lifestyle yo most value
- Gives you the time freedom to do what you enjoy
- Lets you live in the area you want to live in
- Provides you the education to move up to your ultimate goal
There are more of course and we will go deeper into this subject in many different ways, the key for now though is simply understanding that this question is first and foremost, “who are you really”?
The key is to first really understand yourself and what you really want, until you do that you will chase money, prestige and other concepts only to feel let down and empty. A dream job doesn’t just pay well and let you have an awesome lifestyle, it makes you feel good and look forward to going to work.