“Always listen to experts. They’ll tell you what can’t be done, and why. Then do it.” – Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for LoveRelated: Top 10 Resume Trends For 2014 The first rule of resume writing is that there are no rules. Resume writing, in that sense, is a Zen-like experience, and the closest thing to a rule you’ll encounter is the one that says, “Write tight.” But that’s true of all writing, not just resume writing. You should never waste words. Words gain power the more sparingly they are used. Why use two words when one can do just as well? Everything else about writing a powerful resume isn’t rules but more a set of guidelines for what will get you the attention of the all-important hiring manager. Does your resume have visual appeal? Is it in an attractive, easy-to-read, 12-point font (or even 13- or 14-point, depending on the font)? Is there plenty of white space? Are your headlines or section breaks clearly delineated from the body of the resume? Beyond the esthetics, there’s the “meat” of the resume itself. What kind of lead have you written? Does your copy above the first fold in the page compel the reader to continue through the resume? I recently reviewed a resume wherein the entire top third was taken up by contact information and a photograph of the applicant. That’s nearly four inches of prime resume “real estate” gone to waste to serve the job seeker’s vanity. That applicant should have used that space for a simple yet powerful description of who he was and how he could alleviate the “pain” that had led to the job opening. Farther into the body of the resume, is there clear demarcation between the sections of the document? In other words, can the reader easily tell where the Introduction ends and the Accomplishments and Skills section begins? Most important of all, does your resume show accomplishments, or merely job duties? Do you show proof of your claim to “strong detail orientation,” or “leadership skills”? What about “communication skills”? Anyone can claim they have strong communication skills; but what does that mean, exactly? Conducting sensitive contract negotiations with union shop stewards or representatives of new suppliers takes one type of communication skills; directing a group of workers laying eight-inch poly pipe requires an entirely different set of such skills. They’re both communication skills. But do you see how important it is to describe each as a discrete activity, and not simply place them under the blanket category of “communication skills”? In fact, throughout your entire work history, I advise you to add the phrase “So what?” after each bullet point, and answer the question. That’s one way to determine if what you’ve written is an actual accomplishment or simply a job duty. Employers don’t buy job duties, they buy accomplishments, results. They already know what the job duties are. Your goal is to show your potential employer how you achieved solid results at every job you worked at, how you made each job your own, and left each job better than it was before you arrived. Which engineer would you hire: The one who says, “Responsible for utility plant waste water upgrade project for the instrumentation scope, basic engineering review, detailed engineering review and recommendations, along with engineering and project management team”? Or the one who says, “Installed cutting-edge waste water treatment system that cut annual hazardous waste expenses approximately $150,000”? Do you see how this turns the message into a vibrant statement about what you will do for the potential employer? Watch any TV commercial: whether it’s for shampoo, a household cleaning product, soap, or whatever. The commercial isn’t about the product’s history or about what it’s made of. No, when they’re selling you shampoo, for instance, they sell you on how great your hair will look when you use the product. You want to paint a picture in the employer’s mind of you meeting the employer’s needs, so that before s/he is even finished reading the resume, that employer is at least thinking of bringing you in for an interview. For years, Palmolive dish detergent ran commercials showing a manicurist using the product to soften her customers’ hands. Yes, there are no “rules” for writing resumes. There are, however, certain guidelines to be followed. Following these guidelines will help ensure that your resume winds up in the hiring manager’s “Yes” pile.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
BigstockMake a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
- How did I learn about this job?
- How did I apply for the job?
- Did I earn an interview?
- What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
BigstockAre you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
BigstockYour job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
- Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
- Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
- Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
Need more help with your job search?
Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.