Job search advice

After a summer if recuperating from surgery, I'm ready to reconnect.

Here are a few thing to remember if you have reached a point of frustration in your job search and "I'll take anything" attitude.

Eliminate the "Objective" statement from your résumé. Employers don't care what you want or how desperate you are. Hiring managers are looking for one thing: A good match between the job and the applicant. Your résumé must make this connection.

Unfocused résumés don't get noticed. "One-size-fits-all" résumés simply don't work. Résumés must be targeted to a specific job or job category.

Don't waste time and money on mass mailings. Research job openings that match you particular skill set.

Churning out unfocused résumés can creat a false sense of progress in your job search. True satisfaction comes from actually finding a job, not counting the quantity of résumés sent.

I'm back

After a summer that included serious surgery and an extensive recovery period, I'm back at work and looking forward to assisting clients with their résumé needs.

I have upgraded the style and quality of documents I prepare. In the coming days, I will elaborate on this approach and comment on the state of the economy

March 4, 2010

Job seekers have five problems when trying to land a job, any one of which could be fatal, especially in the current economic environment:

1. Weak résumé

2. Poor interview preparation or poor interview performance.

3. Appearing desperate - willing to accept anything.

4. Too aggressive

5. Reluctant to relocate.

March 1, 2010
My colleague, Sandra Ingemansen, CPRW, has assembled a great list of Top Résumé Mistakes.
Here are some of the most egregious:

1. Photograph included, unless you are model or in show biz.
2. Including personal details - hobbies, sports you play, marital status, no. of kids, age, race, religion, outside social organizations, etc.
3. Inappropriate e-mail address; e.g. crazymonkey@example.com. This identifies you as an unserious person.
4. Lack of proper professional profile.
5. Use of 'Objective' statement - states what you want rather than what you have to offer.
6. Use of first person 'I' and 'my.'
7. Inconsistent use of verb tenses.
8. Inappropriate language, design, and formatting.
9. Passive language.
10. Redundant statements.
11. Overuse of duties and responsibilities instead of emphasis on accomplishments.
12. Too long and wordy.
13. Résumé hides important skills.
14. Outright fabrication or plagiarism; misrepresentation of accomplishments and background. Never falsify or exaggerate your academic record!
15. High school information - not needed.
16. Listing dates of college degrees.
17. Salary history or reasons for leaving previous jobs.
18. Spelling and grammar errors - a killer!
19. Use of odd-sized paper, loud colors, scented paper, and inappropriate graphics, (smiley faces).
20. Handwritten or poorly typed document.
21. Direct cut and paste from job descriptions.

There are other mistakes to be avoided.

Your résumé is a personal marketing document, not your personal biography. Don't make the mistake of assuming you will be hired solely from your résumé. It doesn't happen. The purpose of your résumé is to get interviews. Only you can 'close the deal' at the interview.

Need help with your résumé? Contact me at 520-825-3161 or at bob@highvalres.com. No obligation.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! Today is December 8, 2009.

In the coming weeks and months, I will attempt to shed some light on the career advancement process.

In today's troubled economy, it is vitally important for job seekers to understand how to navigate the challenges of developing your résumé and preparing for an interview.

For every job opening, hiring managers may receive dozens, even hundreds of résumés. He / she may pick 12 or more for futher consideration, then narrow those down to four or five for interviewing. How do you make the cut? First, you MUST possess the basic qualifications for the job. If you can't show related qualifications, you're probably wasting your time.

Then, your résumé must leap from the pack with an eye-catching headline (not an objective statement), a powerful summary of your strengths related the the job's requirements, be persuasively written with proper syntax, grammar, and spelling, and be distinctively styled. The good news, for you. is that an overwhelming number of résumés submitted for most jobs are incredibly weak and don't make it past the first 15 - 20 seconds of review. Therefore, a well-written and formatted résumé gives you an immediate leg up.

Contact me for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your résumé and a friendly chat about your career.
E-mail me: bob@highvalres.com
Call me: 520-825-3161
Website: www.highvalres.com