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Top Resume Writing Tips

June 9, 2008 By

Potential employers will make a judgment about your skills and abilities based upon the first impression – which is more than likely your professional resume. That’s why it is so important. When you begin to build your resume, there are some simple resume writing tips to keep in mind to help grab the employer’s attention and get you in the door for an interview. The whole purpose of creating a resume is to get to the next step – the interview, so as you start to build your resume, keep this objective in mind.

Basics, basics, basics
Nothing is worse than misspelled words or improper grammar. A professional resume must be just that – professional! In this instance, the devil is in the details, so haul out your old English books or do some research on common mistakes.

• Check the final resume. Then – double check it. Then – find a few good friends or family members who will check it for you several more times.
• Don’t just rely on spell-check. Some words are misused more often than not and the rules for use can be tricky. Do a little research on which version of the word you really should be using.
• Is it principal or principle? The principal is the head of the high school. Do not use it to mean a fundamental.
• Have you been “complemented” or “complimented”? Both words are spelled correctly, but when referring to someone who thought you did a great job, you want the one with the “i”.
• Have you been “affective” or “effective”? If you have accomplished something, use the one which starts with the “e”.
• Check capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, plural words and titles.

You Have Less Than 30 Seconds!
After posting an open position, many managers are inundated with applications and resumes from all kinds of applicants. The majority of those resumes will be disposed of without any second look. This is why resume format is so important. When creating a resume, think of how it looks at first glance.

Your resume may showcase all of your accomplishments for the past 5 years, but if it doesn’t look impressive from that first initial scan, the manager may never read it. Some items of interest to check:

• Check the white space. Do not fill up your resume with words, words and more words. Allow for space on each side of the page, the top and the bottom.
• Fonts. Pick a font and stick with it. Don’t change from Times New Roman to Ariel to Comic Sans MS. However, you can and should use bold and/or italics for headings or to signify one or two items you wish to stand out.
• Bullets. Bullets are a great way to cleanly and easily highlight items from a list. This could be an educational history or a list of pertinent skills, like computer languages for an IT programming job.

Market Yourself
Many people misunderstand the purpose of a resume. It is not a job application or a complete job history. It is a marketing tool to help you get an interview. This does not give the resume writer a license to fabricate their background, but it does give the writer some leeway in terms of creating a resume.

• There are very few hard and fast rules that exist for resumes. They do not have to be one page only. They do not have to be chronological. Think if what is going to grab the employer’s attention and use that. For example, sales managers like to see accomplishments. Hospitals hiring doctors need to see education history.
• Talk the same language. Show that you understand the market you’re trying to enter. The easiest way to do this is to scour the job boards and find out which buzzwords or phrases are commonly used and insert these, appropriately, into your resume.
• Use versions. There’s no rule that states that one person must have one and only one resume. If there are several different types of industries or several types of positions you are targeting, create one specifically for each variation. An example is the accountant who may wish to have three separate resumes: one for a cost accounting position, one for a financial analyst position and one for an AR/AP manager.

How Can I Help You?
The employer is hiring because it needs somebody to do a job. The objective is extremely important because it should state, in a limited number of words, how you are the top candidate. What’s important about the objective is that you highlight one or two of your own skills or experience in one sentence that directly relate to the employer’s need.

Stand out in the crowd! If it sounds like a generic objective that could apply to anyone, delete it quickly! Objective that read like, “Seeking a challenging position where my skills will be utilized” are generic objectives. Make sure your section of the objective is specifically addressing how you personally can meet the employer’s needs.

One example of a good statement is “Sales manager with more than 10 years success in increasing profits seeking position in the automobile sales industry.” This resume objective is specific, targets the hiring company and shows how the individual would contribute. In this instance, using keywords or phrases directly from the job positing is good! It shows you’ve read the advertisement and understand what is wanted.

When writing a resume, remember that templates, generic and bland resumes will be overlooked and you will probably not get that interview. You must target your resume to the company and the position you are seeking and make your resume eye-catching and impressive.

Article by: Tracey Keeley is an expert in resume writing , cover letter writing, and assisting professionals with making career transitions. She contributes to career related magazines and websites such as JobGoRound, which provides resume writing service reviews and ratings.

Filed Under: Work & Career Tagged With: , , , , ,

10 Important Tips for Starting a New Job

June 2, 2008 By

You knew that first impressions were important in your interview, and you obviously aced that, because now you’ve got the job. However, did you know that first impressions are equally as important when starting a new job?

During your first hours, days, and even weeks on the new job, your new boss and coworkers are going to form their opinions of you, and these will likely color the rest of your time with this employer. For instance, if you earn a reputation as a slacker early on, it will be difficult to shake that label for long enough to earn a promotion, even if you deserve it. Conversely, if you work hard during your first few weeks on the job, your boss and coworkers will be much more likely to overlook rough periods in your performance later on.

Here are ten tips for creating stellar first impressions when starting a new job.

Take Time Off Between Jobs

At a wine tasting, guests are served bland foods to cleanse their palates between wines. Likewise, taking time off between jobs helps you to shake off the old routine and prepare for the new.

Humans are creatures of habit. Any job, but especially one at which you have spent a considerable length of time, establishes a sense of routine in your life that you may unknowingly be reluctant to change. Even a few days off between jobs can help you to prepare for a new routine and a new work environment.

Do Your Homework

You probably did a certain amount of research on your new employer during the application and interview stages. Now is the time to finish your research and round out your understanding of your new employer. If you are taking time off between jobs, you can use that time for this purpose.

To research or brush up on your new employer, read any materials about the company you can get your hands on, including the employee handbook. Your goal is two-fold: to understand what the company does and how you fit in, and to know what to expect in the workplace. If you or someone in your professional network knows someone at the company, plan to meet them for lunch or coffee before your first day – a little inside information can go a long way toward a smooth transition.

Dress Professionally

Presenting a neat appearance reflects positively on your work ethic and habits. Therefore, when beginning a new job you should always dress a notch or two above what is expected. Once those critical early days or weeks are over, you can relax a little without worrying about being perceived as slovenly or a poor worker.

If you have done your homework as suggest above, you should have a feel for your new employer’s dress code. However, if you are unsure it is always better to err on the side of too professional rather than not professional enough.

Arrive Early, Leave Late

Always being the last one in the door and the first one out will make it seem like you don’t actually want to be there – a dangerous impression to make, particularly during your first few weeks on the job.

Instead, always plan to be a little early, and don’t be in a rush to leave at the end of the day. Besides giving the impression that you are enthusiastic and ambitious about your work, you will also gain a reputation of never being late unless there is a real emergency – a valuable reputation to hold.

Get to Know Your Coworkers

Part of settling into a new job is integrating yourself into the workplace’s social network. Like it or not, you spend more waking hours with your coworkers than with almost any other people in your life. Moreover, these people’s opinions of you can directly impact your success with the company, not to mention your day-to-day happiness with your job.

Whatever you, don’t distance yourself from your new coworkers. While it may be tempting to frequently have lunch with your old coworkers, you may be inadvertently signaling to the new group that you are not “one of them.” Instead, socialize with your new coworkers over lunch and coffee as much as possible. Lunch dates with old coworkers can help you to maintain a strong network, but should not be overdone.

Ask for Help

Asking for help is an important part of settling into a new job, yet many people worry about seeming incompetent. In actuality, the opposite is true. By not asking for or accepting help from your coworkers, you risk ostracizing yourself from them, not to mention wasting time and energy on avoidable mistakes.

However, you also don’t want to ask the same questions over and over. If you know you may have a hard time remembering a complicated procedure, or that you have a bad memory in general, take notes whenever you get help. By only asking each question once, you will come across as a quick learner to your boss and coworkers.

Take Initiative

The first few weeks on the job, your new employer will most likely give you a more relaxed workload than your coworkers are expected to carry. Although the expectation is that you won’t be up to speed right off the bat, your employer also expects that you will let them know when you are ready for more work.

Use your light workload to focus on mastering and completing the work you have been assigned, and let your supervisor know if you will need another assignment soon. The sooner you can handle a full workload, the better the impression you will make. You may also opt to volunteer for special projects in order to really get noticed – but only do this if you are sure you can handle the extra work.

Make a Plan

Having a plan can help you monitor and achieve your goals during your first few weeks on the job. Your plan should include all of the things you are expected to learn, as well as a few goals you set for yourself to keep you motivated. Prioritize your goals to help you remember which skills are more important to master. Remember, the point is to keep yourself challenged so that you stay motivated, but not so challenged that you get discouraged.

A nice touch is to share your goals – and your progress – with your boss. To you, this may seem awkward and anal-retentive. To your boss, it will make you appear organized and ambitious.

Communicate with Your Boss

Just as sharing your goals with your boss can help promote a positive impression, communicating other aspects of your settling-in can encourage trust and confidence in your abilities. Your boss has hired you because you seemed like the best person for the job; in other words, he or she has taken a chance on you, and will appreciate updates on your progress.

Maintain a Positive Outlook

Optimists almost always make better first impressions than more negative people. Those who maintain a positive attitude in the face of a new or challenging situation tend to be looked on more favorably. Smile when you meet people for the first time or pass coworkers in the hall. Avoid complaining about anything, and stay out of the workplace gossip during these critical early weeks.

The Importance of Good Impressions

Because Americans only stay in each job for an average of about four years, it is safe to say that this job probably won’t be your last. So why put so much effort into making a good first impression?

While it’s true that this job is most likely a short-term solution, it still has the power to impact your career. Making a good impression might benefit you at this job by helping you to get promotions and special projects that look good on your resume and supercharge your career. In addition, starting a new job off on the right foot improves your chances of creating long-term networking contacts.

By following these ten tips and starting every job on the right foot, you can create solid stepping-stones from which to eventually reach even your loftiest career goals.

Article by: Tracey Keeley is an expert in resume writing, cover letter writing, and assisting professionals with making career transitions and starting new jobs. She contributes to career related magazines and websites such as JobGoRound, which provides customer reviews and ratings of resume writing services.

Filed Under: Work & Career Tagged With: , , ,

When There’s No Time To Prepare: Tips For Speaking Off the Cuff

May 26, 2008 By

It’s inevitable: You’re at a luncheon to honor a colleague and someone asks you to “say a few words.” Or your boss tosses an assignment into your lap that requires a presentation to your team with a turnaround time of one hour.

These can be the most nerve-wracking of presentations; after all, we’re taught that thorough preparation is the foundation of a successful presentation. When there’s no time to prepare, a key building block of your talk is missing.

No need to sweat; you can do it! Just follow the tips below for an off-the-cuff speech that makes you sound like the clever, articulate, unruffled genius you are.

Pointer 1: Stall for time!

If you’re asked to speak at an event where there will be several speakers, see if you can put off your time slot for a few minutes. Even five minutes will give you the time you need to do some speedy homework.

Pointer 2: Write out some quick notes.

Take a moment to think about your audience, the purpose of the occasion, and what you want to convey. Make some quick bullet points (on a napkin, if necessary), but no more than three so you don’t overwhelm yourself or the audience.

Because no one is expecting a long dissertation, don’t feel pressured to say more than is necessary.

Take your notes with you when it’s your turn to speak; because you only have a couple of bullet points, you won’t be tempted to stare at the paper the whole time you’re speaking, neglecting to make eye contact with your audience.

Write out your first sentence and memorize it, so that you can start off your remarks with an air of confidence. And make an effort to fit in an eloquent closing.

Remember, it’s about the audience, not you. If you’re saying a few words about a colleague, say something personal, but don’t bring up negative or embarrassing stories. Share positive memories, but most importantly, speak sincerely and from the heart. Give the audience what they want, and you will find your anxiety melting away.

Pointer 3: Get it together.

If you can get away, go to the restroom or another room for some privacy. Breathe deeply and do some neck rolls and stretches to get the blood flowing. Clench and unclench your hands and feet a few times if you’re sitting at a table and your hands and feet are hidden.

This is where visualization and positive self-talk can be useful. You’ve been asked to speak because someone believes you have something important to say. Remember this as you’re doing relaxation exercises and tell yourself that this is an opportunity, not a punishment.

Pointer 4: Be yourself, whatever that means.

If you are generally an informal speaker, don’t try to be formal just because the occasion is formal. Likewise, if you are a more reserved and formal speaker, don’t attempt a laid-back style. As a last-minute speaker, the last thing you should be doing is trying on a new persona in front of the audience. Do what you do best, and don’t try to be someone you’re not.

Ideally, you will always anticipate being asked to speak in certain situations, and won’t be caught off guard. Plan ahead if you think it’s possible that you will be asked to speak; have a few remarks in mind, just in case.

Last of all: Don’t panic. With a few moments to pull yourself together and make some pertinent notes, your last-minute speech can be genuine, natural, succinct, and meaningful, as though you had plenty of time to prepare.

Article by: Lisa Braithwaite works with individuals to uncover their challenges and build their strengths in presenting themselves confidently as speakers. Find your voice with public speaking coaching! Sign up for my newsletter and find out about my e-course and free consultation by visiting Coach Lisa B.

Filed Under: Work & Career Tagged With: , ,

How To Grab The Spotlight In Trade Shows

May 19, 2008 By

Trade shows are effective means to showcase your business to a multitude of clients and would-be customers. In the US and Canada, studies show that approximately 4,000 trade shows are organized each year. And almost 100 million people attend these gatherings. Researchers further expect that the number of participants would even increase in the years to come.

According to surveys, clients put great importance to these trade shows to make their buying decisions. Trade shows are frequented by buyers precisely because they are able to see how your products look and at the same time compare them with those of the other companies.

More than magazines and other promotional materials, trade shows are definitely better options if you want your business to make significant increase in sales. As an exhibitor, you would want to use trade exhibits to build client relationships, draw new clients to your business, as well as see what the competition has to offer.

To maximize the potential of every trade show you participate in, one of the most important technique is to provide a pre-show marketing strategy.

Going to a trade show without any preparation is like going to a war without any bullets for your guns. Without any preparation, you’re just going to waste not only your time and money, but your clients¢ too.

Pre-trade show marketing is essential to let your clients and prospective customers know about the trade show and the booth you’re going to have. The main purpose in your pre-show ad is to let people know that you will be in a trade show at particular dates and time. Let them know your booth number as well so your clients would know where to find you.

Promoting the trade show is not only the responsibility of the organizers. You also have the duty to let your target clients know what shows you will be attending as well as what products you¢re going to present.

You can choose from any pre-show activities such as personal invitations, printed color flyers, promotions in trade publications and the local media, direct mail strategy, telemarketing, website ads, and sponsorships.

Trade shows are definitely significant avenues to promote your products and services. To optimize their potential, you need to make sure that you are not just passive participants in these events. With a pre-show marketing strategy, I hope you become a better exhibitor who makes great waves in your sales.

For more information, you can visit this page on Color Flyers

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Public Speaking: Treat Your Audience With Respect

May 12, 2008 By

Imagine yourself as an audience member. You’ve paid big money to learn the secrets of your favorite guru. You’ve read the guru’s books, subscribed to his newsletter, and you read his blog daily. Now you have the opportunity to learn from him in person at his highly-publicized weekend seminar.

The guru comes onto the stage and starts speaking. You listen expectantly, anticipating an educational and entertaining presentation. Instead, you find yourself feeling more and more uncomfortable, as the guru seems to talk endlessly about his personal success, all the famous people he knows (many of whom you’ve never heard of), and how you’ll never be successful unless you do x, y, and z. At the end of the seminar you leave, feeling deflated, disappointed and resentful.

Now put yourself back in the driver’s seat. As the speaker, it’s your job to learn about your audience, discover their needs and wants, and figure out how best to serve those needs. How can you serve your audience if you’re badgering and intimidating them? Some speakers aren’t aware of these behaviors or the negative way they’re being perceived, but by following the tips below, you can ensure that your audience will never walk away feeling defeated.

  • Pointer 1: Name-dropping makes you look insecure

    • You’ve already been invited to speak. The organizers are aware of your credentials. The audience has already paid to attend your presentation. There’s no need to keep trying to impress them with your long list of credentials and famous cohorts.

    One result of dropping names of famous clients or colleagues is that audience members who haven’t heard of these people are immediately at a disadvantage. They become distracted, wondering who you’re talking about and whether it’s important to know. They don’t want to raise their hands to ask for clarification, because they’re insecure, too, and they fear looking stupid. They feel left out, and that’s the first step to disconnecting from you and your message.

    If you must name names, clarify for your audience who you’re talking about. Mention the title of the book she wrote, the TV show he starred in, the restaurants he owns. And only name names if it furthers the objective of your presentation. Your audience wants to be included; help them feel like they’re “in the loop.”

  • Pointer 2: Badgering gets old

    • You want participation from the audience. You want to ask them questions and get answers. You want them to laugh and have a good time. Sometimes you push too hard, and this can cause some audience members to become sullen and defiant, resisting your authoritative manner. Do you want them working with you or against you?

    When you ask a question of the audience, permit them to answer if they want to. Don’t badger them by saying, “Right? Right?” or “Yes or no? Yes or no?” until they respond. Instead of asking yes or no questions, ask open-ended questions that allow them to share their own experiences and knowledge.

    Offer discussion questions and ask them to share with a neighbor, or hand out cards with questions or ideas on them and ask willing participants to share. Instead of ordering them to “write this down,” let them decide what notes they want to take.

    Intimidating the audience into responding only makes them feel small and embarrassed, like chastised children. Treat them like the wise, experienced adults they are.

  • Pointer 3: Connection is more important than perfection

    • Public speakers often fear making mistakes, forgetting their words or being judged incompetent by the audience. In order to cover all their bases, they rehearse and practice until their words and mannerisms are completely memorized, down to every gesture and pause. How does the audience respond to this speaker? With glazed eyes and detachment. It’s hard to relate to a robot.

    The audience wants to connect with, relate to, and be emotionally involved with the speaker. An overly slick and polished exterior creates an emotional barrier between you and the audience, and interferes with the absorption of your message.

    How do you practice your presentation enough that you’re comfortable, but not mechanical? Always make sure your opening and closing are strong and focused and that you are comfortable with the first and last five minutes of your talk.

    Put the body of your presentation into simple notes or bullet format so that you can practice your main points but not have them so memorized that you’ll be thrown off if someone asks a question in the middle of it. This is the part where you’re going to want to interact with the audience, and that interaction can sometimes change the direction or tone of the presentation if you’re flexible and willing to go where the audience wants to go.

    Know your topic inside out and prepare for questions by anticipating what the audience might want to know. Beyond that, you can’t plan for all circumstances, so allow yourself to be human. If you do make a mistake or forget your words briefly, have a chuckle at yourself and move on. This will win you more points with the audience than having a perfectly memorized speech, guaranteed.

    Constantly read your audience throughout the presentation. Stay connected with them and be aware of how they’re responding to you. Treat them with respect, kindness and good humor, and instead of feeling defeated at the end of your talk, they’ll feel like winners.

    Article by: Lisa Braithwaite works with individuals to uncover their challenges and build their strengths in presenting themselves confidently as speakers. Find your voice with public speaking coaching! Sign up for my newsletter and find out about my e-course and free consultation.

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