Is it possible to be an effective multi-tasker? Watch this video and see if you agree...
http://youtu.be/yr8W8ejX6To
Fran Watson
Career Counsellor/Coach
www.franwatson.ca/bio.html
Showing posts with label tips on resume writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips on resume writing. Show all posts
Monday, July 07, 2014
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Santa's Resume
Even Santa has a resume. The way things are going these days he may have to find work in the off season... LOL
Fran
P.S. If you need help with your job search, click here
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Action Plan
WHAT IS ACTION PLANNING?
Action planning is a process which will help you to focus your ideas and to decide what steps you need to take to achieve particular goals that you may have. It is a statement on paper of what you want to achieve over a given period of time. Preparing an action plan is a good way to help you to reach your objectives in life.
An effective action plan should give you a concrete timetable and set of clearly defined steps to help you to reach your objective, rather than aimlessly wondering what to do next. It helps you to focus your ideas and provides you with an answer to the question ‘‘What do I do to achieve my objective?’’.
It’s OK to have several objectives, but you will need to make a separate action plan for each, otherwise things get confused.
Although here we are applying the techniques to careers, an action plan can be used effectively to help you to reach your goals in many aspects of your life, for example: to pass your driving test.
The following are all valid goals for an action plan:
To get more involved in a student society to get to know more people.
Deciding what skills I need to improve and deciding how I will improve them.
To investigate the different tools available to help me to choose a career, such as computer-aided careers guidance.
When action planning in a careers sense there are likely to be three main areas in which you want to develop action plans. These are:
* Choosing the career you wish to enter.
* Working out a strategy to help you enter this career e.g. application and interviews.
* Developing skills that you need to acquire to allow you to enter the career of your choice and to be successful in it.
It's time to take action for your career. If you need help, click here
To your job search success
Fran
P.S. If you need someone to help you through the job process, click here
Action planning is a process which will help you to focus your ideas and to decide what steps you need to take to achieve particular goals that you may have. It is a statement on paper of what you want to achieve over a given period of time. Preparing an action plan is a good way to help you to reach your objectives in life.
An effective action plan should give you a concrete timetable and set of clearly defined steps to help you to reach your objective, rather than aimlessly wondering what to do next. It helps you to focus your ideas and provides you with an answer to the question ‘‘What do I do to achieve my objective?’’.
It’s OK to have several objectives, but you will need to make a separate action plan for each, otherwise things get confused.
Although here we are applying the techniques to careers, an action plan can be used effectively to help you to reach your goals in many aspects of your life, for example: to pass your driving test.
The following are all valid goals for an action plan:
To get more involved in a student society to get to know more people.
Deciding what skills I need to improve and deciding how I will improve them.
To investigate the different tools available to help me to choose a career, such as computer-aided careers guidance.
When action planning in a careers sense there are likely to be three main areas in which you want to develop action plans. These are:
* Choosing the career you wish to enter.
* Working out a strategy to help you enter this career e.g. application and interviews.
* Developing skills that you need to acquire to allow you to enter the career of your choice and to be successful in it.
It's time to take action for your career. If you need help, click here
To your job search success
Fran
P.S. If you need someone to help you through the job process, click here
Friday, October 14, 2011
Need A Resume?
How to write a resume
So you want to know how to write a resume? Maybe you are a recent graduate and are just beginning your job search with diploma in hand. Perhaps you already have a job and want to switch careers or companies some time down the road. Even if you already have a job, it is always a good idea to have a current resume in case you decide you want to change jobs or find yourself downsized. Learning how to write a resume can be one of the most important skills you can acquire in the business world.
Start by gathering together all the information you will need to construct the resume. This is the first step in knowing how to write a resume. When you have all of the information close at hand, the writing process will be much easier. You will need to know the names of the last three places you have worked at along with their address and telephone numbers. Take a moment and jot down the dates you worked there, your job title, and your job duties.
You also need to have your education information. It depends on where you are in life as to what you include here. You will put your most recent education and training, but do not include elementary education. You’ll need the dates and any diplomas received as well as areas of study and any awards received. Include the name of the school as well as the address.
The sections of your resume should include: Highlights of skills, job experience, education, skills, awards and achievements, and volunteer or community involvement. If you are a member of an organization or club, include it in this section. Unless you are specifically requested to provide references, do not include them. However, if the ad for the job you are applying for asks you to include references then state “References are attached” and include a separate reference sheet.
When learning how to write a resume, it is important that you be very professional and use positive words. Your resume is what a prospective employer will see first, so you want to make a good first impression! You have approximately 45 seconds to achieve this.
For more information check out this page.
To your job search success.
Fran Watson
P.S. If you would like help with your resume, please contact me for information.
So you want to know how to write a resume? Maybe you are a recent graduate and are just beginning your job search with diploma in hand. Perhaps you already have a job and want to switch careers or companies some time down the road. Even if you already have a job, it is always a good idea to have a current resume in case you decide you want to change jobs or find yourself downsized. Learning how to write a resume can be one of the most important skills you can acquire in the business world.
Start by gathering together all the information you will need to construct the resume. This is the first step in knowing how to write a resume. When you have all of the information close at hand, the writing process will be much easier. You will need to know the names of the last three places you have worked at along with their address and telephone numbers. Take a moment and jot down the dates you worked there, your job title, and your job duties.
You also need to have your education information. It depends on where you are in life as to what you include here. You will put your most recent education and training, but do not include elementary education. You’ll need the dates and any diplomas received as well as areas of study and any awards received. Include the name of the school as well as the address.
The sections of your resume should include: Highlights of skills, job experience, education, skills, awards and achievements, and volunteer or community involvement. If you are a member of an organization or club, include it in this section. Unless you are specifically requested to provide references, do not include them. However, if the ad for the job you are applying for asks you to include references then state “References are attached” and include a separate reference sheet.
When learning how to write a resume, it is important that you be very professional and use positive words. Your resume is what a prospective employer will see first, so you want to make a good first impression! You have approximately 45 seconds to achieve this.
For more information check out this page.
To your job search success.
Fran Watson
P.S. If you would like help with your resume, please contact me for information.
Monday, September 05, 2011
Resumes
A Resume Reference Guide
Are you in the process of finding a new job or changing careers? If you are, you may also be in the process of creating a resume for yourself. Although resumes can be complicated and nerve-wracking to develop, they are usually a lot easier to write than originally thought. With that in mind, there are still many problems or complications that arise. For many resume writers that problem has to do with references.
On your resume, there is a good chance that you will list references. These references can typically come in two different formats. These formats are personal references and professional references. You will find that many employers actually like to see a combination of them both. Also, on average, most hiring companies like to see at least three references on their job applications and resumes.
Now that you know what many companies look for, in terms of references on a resume, you may want to start listing your references right away. While this approach is one that you can take, you may want to proceed with caution. As previously stated, one of the many mistakes that resume writers make involves their references. Some of the most common mistakes, as well as ways to prevent those mistakes from happening, are outlined below for your convenience.
One of the biggest mistakes that a job seeker, possibly just like you, makes involves listing no references at all. If you are simply submitting your resume, you may be able to get away without having any references listed, but you may not want to take any chances. If you are currently still lining up your references, you may want to have the phrases “references available upon request,” under the heading of references on your resume. Should you fill out a job application and are asked to provide references, you will want to do so. Omitting information on a job application may cause your application to be overlooked.
Another mistake that many job seekers make, in terms of their resume references, is not asking to use a reference in the first place. In almost all cases, you will find that your references are checked. That is why it is important that you ask each individual that you would like to have listed on a resume or a job application before officially listing them as a reference. If you have already submitted your job application and resume, without asking first, you will want to let each individual know, as soon as possible, that you used them as a job reference and that they may be receiving a phone call. This is important, as you do not want your references to be caught off guard, as it may impact their responses.
As previously stated, most companies like to see a combination of professional and personal references on their job applications and on all submitted resumes. This is a mistake that many job seekers also make and one that you will want to not make. For that reason, you may want to consider listing four references on your job applications or resumes. This would allow you to have an even number of personal references and professional references.
The above mentioned mistakes are common mistakes that many job seekers make when writing a resume for themselves. By keeping these common mistakes in mind, you can ensure that you do not make similar ones. This should automatically improve your chances of landing the job of your dreams or at least a job interview.
Good luck in your job search
Fran Watson
Career Coach
P.S. Check out this Cover Letter guide
Are you in the process of finding a new job or changing careers? If you are, you may also be in the process of creating a resume for yourself. Although resumes can be complicated and nerve-wracking to develop, they are usually a lot easier to write than originally thought. With that in mind, there are still many problems or complications that arise. For many resume writers that problem has to do with references.
On your resume, there is a good chance that you will list references. These references can typically come in two different formats. These formats are personal references and professional references. You will find that many employers actually like to see a combination of them both. Also, on average, most hiring companies like to see at least three references on their job applications and resumes.
Now that you know what many companies look for, in terms of references on a resume, you may want to start listing your references right away. While this approach is one that you can take, you may want to proceed with caution. As previously stated, one of the many mistakes that resume writers make involves their references. Some of the most common mistakes, as well as ways to prevent those mistakes from happening, are outlined below for your convenience.
One of the biggest mistakes that a job seeker, possibly just like you, makes involves listing no references at all. If you are simply submitting your resume, you may be able to get away without having any references listed, but you may not want to take any chances. If you are currently still lining up your references, you may want to have the phrases “references available upon request,” under the heading of references on your resume. Should you fill out a job application and are asked to provide references, you will want to do so. Omitting information on a job application may cause your application to be overlooked.
Another mistake that many job seekers make, in terms of their resume references, is not asking to use a reference in the first place. In almost all cases, you will find that your references are checked. That is why it is important that you ask each individual that you would like to have listed on a resume or a job application before officially listing them as a reference. If you have already submitted your job application and resume, without asking first, you will want to let each individual know, as soon as possible, that you used them as a job reference and that they may be receiving a phone call. This is important, as you do not want your references to be caught off guard, as it may impact their responses.
As previously stated, most companies like to see a combination of professional and personal references on their job applications and on all submitted resumes. This is a mistake that many job seekers also make and one that you will want to not make. For that reason, you may want to consider listing four references on your job applications or resumes. This would allow you to have an even number of personal references and professional references.
The above mentioned mistakes are common mistakes that many job seekers make when writing a resume for themselves. By keeping these common mistakes in mind, you can ensure that you do not make similar ones. This should automatically improve your chances of landing the job of your dreams or at least a job interview.
Good luck in your job search
Fran Watson
Career Coach
P.S. Check out this Cover Letter guide
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Get More Interviews - Resume Real Estate?
by Phil Rosenberg
Career Advice: Get More Interviews By Effective Use Of Resume Real Estate
Mar 16 2011 in Featured, Resumes, reCareered Blog by Phil Rosenberg
The real estate of your resume is one of the most important, and most over looked concepts of effective resume presentation. But most resumes I see have an poor idea of how the use of real estate affects the reader’s impression of your qualifications.
First, what in the world is resume real estate?
Resume real estate describes the use of space and placement on your resume. Not all spaces are created equal – that’s why resume real estate is today’s career advice topic.
Most resumes I see are clearly planned around paper. However, most interview decisions are made on a screen, not paper. This is makes a huge difference, because the human eye focuses on different information in the space of a screen, versus on paper. Most screens display only about half of a page, while readers focus on the whole first page of a paper resume. In the average “15 seconds” (http://www.recareered.com/blog/2010/10/01/15-seconds-2/) a recruiter/HR rep/hiring manager spends making an interview decision, if you don’t show why you are superior candidate quickly, you won’t make the cut.
Is your resume ever printed out? Sure, usually for review just before an interview, but most hiring managers typically make the interview decision from a resume they view on screen. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but let’s concentrate on how the majority of decision makers work, since it applies to the majority of candidates.
Back to real estate…
In an online resume and in 15 seconds, the human eye scans what’s on the screen…typically the top ½ of the first page. This is your most valuable resume real estate. Press the page down key. This is your next most valuable resume real estate, typically the second 1/2 of your first page.
Your goal is to get your reader to press page down … if you’re successful, you have your reader’s attention for more than 15 seconds, and increase your odds dramatically that you’ll get an interview.
If you haven’t captured your reader’s attention in the top half of your first page and convinced them to hit page down, you’re probably not getting an interview with this reader. So if all of the sizzle to your resume is on the second page, you are asking your reader to hit page down, twice, to get to the really good stuff that is relevant to the company. How likely is that, in 15 seconds?
For today’s career advice, here are a few suggestions to maximize use of your resume’s real estate, and some traps to avoid:
1.Small Headers – Use small headers and top margins. No one other than you needs to see your name in 24 bold font in flashing lights. The thinner you keep your top header, the more room you have to show your reader why they should hire you. Make your header 2-3 lines max in 10 font.
2.Kill the summary – Avoid a summary and key accomplishments section at the beginning. Both are seller’s pitch, and your reader doesn’t believe them. Your hiring manager believes the bullet points contained within your work experience. These are your features and benefits and most corporate buyers make decisions based on features and benefits … not seller’s fluff.
3.Personal Branding Statement – Instead of a summary, use a crystal clear, very concise personal branding statement (see :How A Personal Branding Statement Can Help Job Seekers” at http://www.recareered.com/blog/2011/02/24/career-advice-how-a-personal-branding-statement-can-help-job-seekers/).
4.Don’t describe the company – Directly under your personal branding statement, list your experience. Don’t waste space describing your prior companies – your hiring manager isn’t hiring your past company…you are asking them to hire you.
5.Minimize the unimportant – If your most recent experience isn’t relevant to the job you are applying for – minimize it, by only listing where and when you worked keeping it to a line or two. If you spent the past two years at a non-profit, and you are trying to get back into your prior technology industry, make sure to draw your reader’s eye to what’s relevant – your technology industry experience, by expanding the relevant experience.
6.Maximize the important – Make the first three bullet points relevant to the specific company, department, and hiring manager. Do research (see “4 Killer Ways To Use Research In Job Search” at http://www.recareered.com/blog/2010/07/16/4-killer-ways-to-use-research-in-job-search-best-of-recareered/) to determine what the most burning problems are, and demonstrate how you’ve already solved them.
Emphasize the three things your reader is looking for on your resume (see “Three Items Employers Look For In Resumes” at http://www.recareered.com/blog/2011/01/07/three-items-employers-look-for-in-resumes/). Your reader’s attention will focus most on the first three bullet points.
7.Use short bullets – no more than 2 lines. The human eye doesn’t scan detail in bullets longer than two lines. Use bullets, not paragraphs. The human eye doesn’t scan details well in paragraphs.
8.Seal the deal – Use the second (and possibly third) page to seal the deal, to add additional evidence. If your reader has gotten to the second page, the interview is probably yours to lose.
9.Death to zoom – Don’t Zoom. About ½ of the resumes I get are zoomed to 150%, because they were saved while in zoom mode. Most resume writers use zoom for final reviews, to make sure that typing and spacing is correct. If you save in zoom, the reader pulls up the document in zoom. At 150% zoom, the reader doesn’t see ½ the first page, they see ¼ of your resume, drastically cutting your most valuable real estate.
10.Save as .doc – Most companies save resumes in word or text, and a good percentage haven’t upgraded to Office 2007 and the .docx extension. If you have Office 2007, save in 97-2003 compatibility mode. The majority of companies and recruiters want your resume in word format, not .pdf.
I get so many resumes from frustrated candidates that have their most compelling information that makes the candidate a good fit … on page 2. These same candidates couldn’t figure out why they weren’t getting interviews.
How will you change how you manage your resume’s real estate? Readers who try today’s career advice, please comment and share your success stories.
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There is a lot more really good information on Phil's website. I encourage you to check it out.
Fran Watson
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