Category Archives: Resumes

Overcoming Age Discrimination in the Job Search – Part II

I have heard from many of my baby boomer job-seeking clients that they have experienced age discrimination in today’s competitive job market. I wish that were not the case, but I am glad to share that there are effective techniques to overcome this challenge. Primarily, you want to focus on the value you offer an employer. You want the hiring manager to see you as a valuable skillset that would enhance their team.

The last thing you want the reader to do is question your age as they read your resume. To make your resume age-neutral: Continue reading →

Overcoming Age Discrimination in the Job Search – Part I

As a career coach, I work with fresh college graduates looking to launch their professional career as well as baby boomers looking for a satisfying second career. While they have different obstacles – they have the same goal: they need to make their resumes “age-neutral” and convince the hiring manager that they are the ideal candidate for the job. Jobseekers with little experience need to sell themselves on their potential while more mature workers need to show they still have a lot to offer an employer. There are effective strategies for each to overcome age discrimination in the job search. This week I’ll offer a few tips for the new graduates, next week I will address the boomers.

New college graduates and other Millennials need to show prospective employers that they have transitioned from “college kid” to “young professional”. Continue reading →

Have You Ever Considered a Video Resume?

More companies today are relying on video resumes and video interviews during the hiring process to reduce their travel budgets. They are especially popular in high-visibility executive roles, sales and training positions where the employer is hiring you for your personality as well as your skill set. Jobseekers seem to be slowly adopting this new job search tool as a means to differentiate themselves from the competition. “18% of job seekers have reported participating in video interviews in the past year – more than double the rate of a year ago” according to a recent Right Management survey. Are you prepared to sell yourself on video? Here are a few tips.

Your video resume should be no more than 2-3 minutes in length.
Wear attire suitable for a face-to-face interview.
Make sure you have proper lighting, a non-distracting background, and have eliminated all sources of ambient noise. Continue reading →

How Does Your Resume Rate Against The Competition’s?

September is International Update Your Resume Month and the perfect time to update your resume as many companies renew their hiring efforts for 4^th quarter deliverables. As the kids head back to school, you can refocus your time on your career development.

How old is your resume? If it has not been updated in the last year or two, odds are it is outdated and not winning you interviews. A fresh resume can be just what you need to jump-start a stalled job search. As you read job postings, capture key words and phrases to add to your resume keep the language of your resume current. Most importantly, make sure your resume is compatible with the Applicant Tracking Systems many employers use today, to avoid the “resume black hole”. Otherwise, no human being will ever read your resume.

Even if you are not currently conducting a job search, you should treat your resume as a living document, Continue reading →

You Must Beat Out the Competition to Get Into Your Top College

The process of selecting and applying to college mirrors the job search process and college admission has never been more competitive. Each institution is looking for the best incoming freshman class to bolster their ranking. Is there a college that you’ve been dreaming of attending? With the number of college applicants rising each year and schools becoming more selective, you must market yourself effectively to stand out from the competition. Overwhelmed and not sure how to make yourself stand out? The Resume Resource can help.

According to the NY Time’s The Choice blog, the number of accepted applications dropped in 2013 at many of the top colleges and universities. Continue reading →

Beating The Applicant Tracking System – Your Formatting Is Crucial

Last week I shared tips on using the proper keywords on your resume to get through the Applicant Tracking System. Today, I will discuss proper resume formatting, to avoid the dreaded “Resume Black Hole”!

Applicant Tracking Systems are actually very simple systems. They read the information on your resume as data, categorize it and use it to populate the hiring company’s candidate database. It then rates how qualified each candidate is by matching their resume with the keywords from the job posting. Equally as important as keywords is the formatting you use for your resume. If your formatting is not compatible with the Applicant Tracking System, it literally cannot read the information on your resume!

You can be the most qualified person for the job, but if the automated recruiting software cannot read your resume, your resume is not flagged for review. No human being will ever read it. And if the hiring manager never sees your resume, you would lose out on the opportunity.

Here are some specifics on ATS-friendly formatting. Continue reading →

Beating the Applicant Tracking System: Identifying the Keywords to Include on Your Resume

By now, you probably know that most employers use Applicant Tracking Systems to weed through the onslaught of incoming resumes, and use keyword matching to identify the most qualified candidates. I am frequently asked by jobseekers how to identify the keywords to include in their resume.

It is not some deep, dark secret. It is actually quite easy to figure out which keywords to include on your resume. For starters, carefully review the job posting. If it is a well-written job posting, you should be able to easily identify the keywords. They are the specific experience, skills and education required of the ideal candidate. Highlight all these keywords and work them into your resume in context. Continue reading →

Give Your Grad the Most Valuable Graduation Gift – a Jump on Their Career

Need a great idea for the best present you can give a recent college graduate? Consider an Entry Level Launch Package from The Resume Resource, which includes a resume and cover letter with job search counseling and LinkedIn advice, is the perfect gift to help your grad jump start their career.

The job market for recent college grads is the most competitive it has ever been. With many carrying high student loan debt, these new college graduates must demonstrate that they have transitioned from “college kids” to “young professionals” to be considered serious candidates. A professionally written resume gives these new grads the competitive edge needed to win interviews.

The Resume Resource assists new college graduates as they embark on their professional careers. We guide them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful, and help them develop the tools and confidence to achieve their specific career goals.

1:1 Career Coaching: If you are not sure of the specific career you would like to pursue, we can help you identify the types of positions that best align with your education, natural talents and interests, and establish a realistic career goal.

Resume and Cover Letter Package: Focusing on what you have accomplished academically and personally, we will design personalized career documents that sell you as the ideal candidate. We will highlight your personal qualities to show that you have transitioned from a college student to a young professional.

Job Search Coaching: We will share proven methods and strategies to locate jobs, how to use social media in your job search and application best practices that will accelerate your results. Together, we map out a structured and systematic job search plan.

Interview Prep Sessions: We can help you prepare to answer those tough interview questions and articulate the value you offer an employer. If needed, we can also explain the proper attire, grooming and follow-up for the interview.

Ongoing Career Support: We enjoy building long-term relationships with our clients and provide ongoing support through weekly blog posts and daily career tips shared via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The Resume Resource helps their clients develop and express their personal brand with a compelling resume and cover letter that stands out among other candidates’ submissions and persuades employers to call for an interview. Your career success starts here!

Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource in 2009 to help people advance their careers with rewarding jobs that provide more than just a paycheck. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she provides her clients with the tools and strategies needed to achieve their goals and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful.

What To Do If Your Industry Is Dying

A smart career manager stays up on current trends in his/her industry. Don’t let yourself fall victim to the changing job market. If you have heard rumblings about change in your organization and see that opportunities in your field are drying up, it is time to revamp your resume to highlight your transferable skills. A few keys kills are highly desired in almost every industry:

Communication
Collaboration
Analytic Skills
Project Management

Communication – In almost every career, strong communication skills are vital. Whether communicating with clients or colleagues, you need to be able to articulate your ideas verbally and in writing. Hiring managers are looking for employees who can communicate effectively across the organization and represent the company in a professional manner.

Collaboration– In very few jobs do you operate in a vacuum. Interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds is very desirable to employers. Cross-functional collaboration, co-creation and cooperation are vital for business success. Successful companies know that collaborative teams encourage creativity and innovation.

Analytic Skills – Most jobs involve collecting and analyzing information to some degree. Analytic skills are crucial in problem solving, and identifying and designing process improvements. The ability to analyze data and make decisions based on available information is needed in performance measurement, compliance and auditing functions.

Project Management – Project managers are in high demand in most industries, as almost every company is trying to work better, smarter and faster. Your ability to plan, organize, allocate resources and oversee the execution of a project to achieve a specific goal is highly transferable. In today’s highly competitive job market, jobseekers may need to broaden their job search and leverage their transferable skills to stand out from the competition.

Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource in 2009 to help people advance their careers with rewarding jobs that provide more than just a paycheck. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she takes the time to get to know each of her clients and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful.

Does Your Resume Read Like an Obituary?

Resumes changed 180 degrees a few years ago due to the highly competitive job market and Applicant Tracking System technology. Jobseekers must update their resume language and formatting to take advantage of all the hiring going on right now and avoid the dreaded “Resume Black Hole.

Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource in 2009 to help people advance their careers with rewarding jobs that provide more than just a paycheck. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she takes the time to get to know each of her clients and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful.

3 Things to Keep In Mind When Hiring a Professional Resume Writer

In today’s competitive job market, many jobseekers who used to write their own resumes are now reaching out to professionals to improve their job search results. Here are a few tips to make sure you don’t get burned.

1. Template resumes work best for clones.

Each of us is unique —in regard to the value we offer an employer as well as our individual career goals. Be wary of resume mills that promise a complete resume within 24 — 48 hours. A resume created this quickly must surely be a template and those are rarely effective. You need to stand out from the competition to win an interview. How can you differentiate yourself with a resume that looks like everyone else’s?

Make sure you get to speak to the person who will be writing your resume. You want to work with someone who takes the time to get to know you and your individual needs. A successful resume writer will schedule a 60 — 90 minute client intake session to discuss your skills, interests and career goals. Think about it. If they do not know you, how can they possibly market you effectively?

2. “One size fits all” solutions rarely fit all.

Some jobseekers have a clear idea of where they want their career to go and only need a well-written resume to jump start their job search. Others need help focusing their job search efforts, training on how to use social media effectively in their job search, or interview preparation.

Select a professional that offers a variety of services. A la carte options are a great way to customize a package for your individual needs. Why pay for something that you don’t need?

3. Value is not the same as Price.

Make sure you know what you are getting for your money. Be sure to ask these types of questions and make sure you are comfortable with the answers.

– What sort of results do other clients typically experience?

– Does the company offer client testimonials?

– Will you receive your resume electronically so that you can update it yourself in the future — or must you return to the company and pay for future updates?

– Is the resume writer trained on the current best practices?

– Will your resume be optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems?

Your resume writer should be easy to work with and want her clients to succeed. In addition to creating a stellar resume, she should provide tips on effective job search practices and navigating the online application process.

The take-away:
In this highly competitive job market, a professionally written resume can accelerate your job search and result in jobs offers with a higher starting salary. Due your due diligence to make sure you are working with someone reputable, who comes highly recommended.

Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource in 2009 to help people develop the tools, strategies and confidence to build satisfying careers. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she helps her clients articulate their unique value to stand out from the competition, and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful. www.the-resume-resource.com

The Soft Skills Most Highly Prized By Hiring Managers

Make sure your resume shows employers that you have what it takes to join their team. Highlight these qualifications on your resume; demonstrate how you have utilized these skills throughout your career to deliver results for your previous employers.

1. Ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization
2. Ability to work in a team structure
3. Ability to make decisions and solve problems
4. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
5. Ability to obtain and process information
6. Ability to analyze quantitative data
7. Technical knowledge related to the job
8. Proficiency with computer software programs
9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports
10. Ability to sell or influence others

Source Job Outlook 2013 – Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers