resumes

Think Before You Selfie

Let’s face it – there are a million things to consider when you are on the job hunt. One of the most commonly overlooked considerations is your personal brand. We know that over 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates. LinkedIn is one social media account that is great for networking, staying in touch with current and past counterparts and getting those recommendations. It is also a great job search aide – allowing employers to find you.

I have said it before, but it bears repeating. Take the time to clean up your social media accounts and beef up your LinkedIn profile. Ideally you aren’t posting rants or other items in poor taste… Keeping an eye toward your personal brand, make sure your LinkedIn profile picture is professional – if not taken by one. First impressions matter. Make sure you are setting a positive and inviting tone. The goal is, after all, being invited to interview!

Don’t have a LinkedIn account? It’s time! Use it as an excuse to re-connect with past bosses and coworkers. Many of my clients thank me for pushing them to do this, being pleasantly surprised by the responses they receive. Plus, you never know when a connection could result in a job offer.

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Have a Happy & Safe Memorial Day!

As we all head into a three day weekend and summer officially begins, I hope we take a moment to consider the fine men and women who have, and who currently, serve our great country. For those who sacrifice so much, sometimes their very lives, we celebrate an extra day off from work, have a picnic and/or spend time with our family. Let’s remember to celebrate these fine men and women, all they gave up and continue to, so we can enjoy our many freedoms.

May we never forget.

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Hiring Trends every Job Seeker should Understand.

One of the biggest obstacles to getting hired right now is the lack of understanding on the part of job seeker’s regarding how hiring is being done. Below is an informative article from FlexJobs, helping you learn what topics you need to dig in on and master for a successful job search.

First, companies are more flexible with work arrangements than ever before. If you have been looking for that opportunity that gives you the opportunity to work remotely or alternative work hours, you are more likely than ever before to find that situation. Many companies are moving to a mostly, if not 100%, remote workforce to reduce overhead. In addition to the benefit of flexible work arrangements, many companies are offering unique benefits to appeal to, and retain, top candidates. Think anything from gym memberships to box seats for spring training games.

Next, we see many hiring managers building a pipeline of candidates and going back to that pool as positions open. As a candidate this means you want to act with grace throughout the hiring process – especially if you were passed over as first choice. Also, be particularly open to non-traditional communication. We are all hyper-busy, including over-burdened hiring managers. Be prepared for text and social media messages in lieu of more formal communications.

Finally, because it is a competitive market, you can expect more pleasant handling by hiring managers. Remember, they are building their talent pipeline. As much as you need to make a good impression, so do they. With the ever-increasing dependence on automated tracking systems, hiring managers are learning to better populate keywords to pre-screen potential candidates, saving them valuable time – which they are now using to manage your hiring process experience.

For every job seeker candidate with an excellently crafted resume in hand this should mean a much more pleasant hiring, on-boarding and overall work experience. The process will still be lengthy, but has become more worthwhile in landing that ideal work situation.

Happy reading -> https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/new-hiring-trends-job-seekers-be-aware/ .

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Good News for the Q2 Job Seeker!

With graduation quickly approaching, experienced candidates want to be sure to dust off those resumes and get them circulating. Why? Many companies are preparing for an influx of candidates in the talent pool with all these new graduates coming on the scene. Companies are posting, or getting ready to post, their open positions.

There are (at least) two benefits for experienced candidates on the hunt for a new position in the second quarter. First, a majority of the experienced candidates began their search in January as part of their New Year’s resolution. Their job hunt is either complete or cooled off. Second, your competition is inexperienced. Being an experienced candidate with a multitude of workplace and position experience gives you a definite edge.

So, if you have been thinking about making a move, now is your time. The job market is still going strong, more open positions are about to or have already hit the marketplace – and you may get to experience a compressed hiring cycle with hiring managers preparing to go on vacation…

It’s a perfect time to begin circulating your keyword-optimized, achievement-laden, targeted position/industry resume. Let’s get to work.

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The Professionally Written Resume Edge!

I absolutely love the article I attach at the end of this post. Not only because the author makes a solid case for the professionally written resume – which happens to be my thing, but because I have found truth in my experience with real clients in every point she makes.
You can go it on your own, and some folks do fine writing their own resume. However, I have seen, time and again, the real boost it gives my clients to discuss their career with an unbiased 3rd party. We really are a humble culture. This makes for resumes that do not do a candidate justice.
In support of the points the author makes, many of my clients come back to me to let know how much the process of writing a resume with me helped them prepare for, and nail, the interview.
And this is what it’s all about, folks. You can have a bad resume and not make it through ATS for the chance to interview, you can somehow make it through ATS and have a mediocre interview, and you can go through the process of creating excellent-quality, professional marketing documents for your job search – and own the interview.
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Salary & Negotiation

salary pic

First, let me begin by stating openly and emphatically that I am not a career coach. What I share with you today comes from my experience and the experiences my clients have been wonderful enough to share with me. Disclaimer. Check.

When it comes to salary and negotiating yours for a new position, remember not to settle. Once more I am going to ask you to do your research. Look at the salary range for the position on Glassdoor or Google Jobs. Think about your worth and the skills you bring to your potential employers’ table. Consider what your bills and living expenses are. These factors give you a good idea of what you need to ask for salary-wise – and what your walk-away point is.

A word of caution. Although the job market has come back full-force, employers have continued to use some of the tight-market tactics with candidates. Things to watch out for and, in my mind, walk away from, are; offering the base salary, offering the base salary with promises of increases and no plans/steps to see them materialize and agreeing to the mid to high-end of the salary range with the responsibility of supervising 10 extra people and 4 additional territories. You may think this sounds crazy and wonder who would go for it, but it happens more often than you think. And it happens to some pretty talented and sharp candidates.

While these are extreme cases and there are examples of employers behaving badly that run the gamut, I believe most organizations and corporations truly mean well. You need to remember that their ultimate responsibility is to protect their bottom line. Your responsibility is to provide for your family, and, hopefully have some work/life balance. There are many mutually beneficial employer/employee relationships to be had. If you are dealing with a situation or potential employer where the benefits seem to be all one-sided, it may be time to walk away.

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Keywords Versus Power Words. Which One Wins?

All my clients are super sharp people. Without exception, each one is highly trained, skilled and has a multitude of excellent achievements to their credit. You can be an intelligent person and still get tripped up by keywords. In fact, most of my clients are on the right track when they come to me – meaning that their resume has a good portion of quality content and, what I like to refer to as, power words.

Power words and industry phraseology are important on a resume. A hiring manager must believe you know the industry or role you are submitting your resume for, after all. It is important not to mistake power words for keywords. Keywords, like the hiring and resume industry, are constantly changing. Therefore, each new resume requires complete, fresh, industry and position-specific keyword research.

Keywords need to be included throughout your resume and cover letter. Keywords specific to your target position / industry are populated in the applicant tracking system (ATS). If you do not have the right mix of keywords in your resume, ATS filters you out and your resume is not seen by a human being. Similarly, if your format and content aren’t visually engaging when your resume makes it through ATS, the hiring manager will not add your resume to the stack for interview.

Without keywords, you don’t stand a chance. No chance of your resume being seen. No chance of be invited to interview. No chance at landing the job. Keywords win.

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I had My Resume Professionally Written 2-Years Ago. Would You Critique It for Me?

First, let me say that I do not even like my own work from 2-years ago! Second, resume and hiring trends are constantly changing and evolving. For this reason, I do not charge for, nor do I offer, reviews or to critique resumes. In all the years I have been writing resumes, there has never been a client that I have not had to do a total re-write and / or re-format of their resume. Not once.

There has only ever been a singular time that I felt I could not help a client. In his case, he had no relevant experience for the industry he wanted to transition to – and I can always find ways translate experience so that it lends itself well to the target position – even when switching industries. While there is a trick to resume writing, I never suggest false information on a resume. Not only does this devalue what you have to offer, it always comes out – and usually in the interview. That’s embarrassing for everyone. So, I had to turn that gentleman away. An experience I hope I never have to repeat.

The thing about my service is, while I don’t offer critiques, I am completely upfront. I charge you one fee, which includes my total service; resume, cover letter and interview. Many companies charge a separate fee for the critique, resume, cover letter and a fat fee if you want to actually speak to a human being. Many companies charge far more than I do. And the money is well-earned, I assure you.

My business model has always been a simple one. Serve people well, at an affordable price. This model has, in turn, served me well, as my clients continue to bless me with referrals and support. I know I could raise my fees and charge needless critique fees in addition to separate service fees for every product I provide my clients with. While it would be nice to make more money, I feel it is more important to serve my clients well and share my talents in an affordable way. No critiques. Just straightforward, quality service.

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Sites to Research Your Next Employer

Let’s talk about your next employer for a minute. What is the company culture? Are their values in line with your own? How do they treat their employees? What need do they have that you can fill? While 2019 is definitely shaping up to be the year of the candidate, after years of employees staying in a situation they were unhappy with, the job market is fierce.

As I have said on many occasions, it has never been more important to do your homework. Make sure you have done your research. Know the employer, the salary you want, and they are willing to pay, and how they do business. Employers are looking for anything they can use to eliminate a candidate from the hundreds submitting resumes. They want you to invest the time to understand them and their business needs. The internet and their website make this simple.

Quick side-note:  Another trend we are seeing is employers wanting you to find them directly, not through a search application, although many still post their open positions with job search apps. Whenever you can, apply directly on the company site.

To help you along with your research, below I share a few resources for learning more about your next employer (and, handy as they are, can be used to find your next employer/position):

Glassdoor

Indeed

LinkedIn

CareerBliss

Twitter

Facebook

Google

Fairygodboss

Whether this is new information or a valuable reminder, be sure not to overlook the details in any step of the hiring / job search process.

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