I’ll preface by acknowledging that there are as many opinions about this subject as there are resumes in circulation. You will always need to do what’s best for you in your job search.
That said, my opinion and that of many career professionals is that an objective on a resume is an outdated and ineffective element.
An objective, in most cases is about you. What you want and the job you’re hoping to find. After all…it’s your objective. Today’s resumes are not about you, they’re about your next employer. What they want and how you can solve their business opportunity.
A well-written professional profile tells your next employer (or recruiter, or HR professional) what you can do for them. It describes your unique talents and value proposition. Try and stay away from tired and overused language like “excellent communicator” and ability to “multi-task”. How you ever met anyone who doesn’t claim those skills?
The top of your resume is prime real estate. The most impactful words and phrases should be there. It’s up to you to capture and hold the reader’s attention and make them want to read further. It’s my opinion that a strong professional profile is the best strategy.
5 Reasons Why Your Resume Isn’t Getting Any Attention
It’s boring – Let’s face it…No one wants to read anything that’s boring, especially a resume. You need to capture the reader’s attention immediately and make them want to read more. Do you open your resume with a tired and outdated objective? No one cares what you want (i.e. Seeking a challenging job in a fast-paced environment). Get rid of it. Your resume should begin with a strong, and captivating professional summary or profile. You should immediately answer the question “Why should I hire you?”
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – Nearly all major corporations and a growing number of smaller companies are using some type of applicant tracking software to pre-screen candidates and manage their candidate data. All the big job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder are likely to work in partnership with ATS providers to move candidate data between the sites and their client corporations. Resumes are that keyword-rich, contain familiar industry phrases and are traditionally formatted are more likely to make the cut. Graphics and unusual formatting create a higher likelihood of your resume being rejected by the system, even if you’re the perfect candidate. When possible, save your resume in ASCII (.txt) format then cut and paste it into the online application.
Your resume is not focused or targeted – Your resume must tell the reader exactly what job you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a job in accounting your resume should not feature your retail sales experience. A well-written resume will emphasize relevant experience and transferable skills while de-emphasizing or eliminating unrelated experience. Your resume should not be an exhaustive summary of everything you’ve done in your career. Focus on the experiences, both paid and unpaid, that relate directly to the job to which you’re applying.
Duties and responsibilities – If your resume is nothing more than a list of your past duties and responsibilities, it’s not likely to get a second look. Employers want to know what you’ve done, not what was on your job description. Consider the difference between these two resume bullets:
- Processed invoices and expenses
- Reduced costs by 20% and reduced errors by 35% through careful tracking of invoices and expenses.
Which one sounds better to you? Quantify your accomplishments and show your results!
No Cover Letter – There are a lot of different opinions about cover letters. Here is mine: Never submit a resume without a cover letter. Don’t miss an additional opportunity to make a connection with a recruiter or hiring manager. Your cover letter should complement your resume in both content and style. Use your cover letter to add a personal touch to your application package. Do your homework and find the name of the person to whom your cover letter should be addressed. Do not address it to Sir/Madam or Hiring Manager. If it’s not possible to find a name, a salutation of Good Morning or Good Afternoon will give you a 50% change of being right!
Now go hug your children and commit a random act of kindness!
10 Job Search Blunders I Find Hard to Believe
This is a great article!
Get Answers to Your Resume Questions Here!
Do you have a question about your resume or cover letter? Are you unsure of a direction or style? Post your questions in the comment section below, and I’ll answer your questions here.
Chances are, if you have a question, others do too. Let’s help everyone out with this discussion!
Jeff
Make Employers Think About Hiring You
Today’s guest blogger is William Frierson, staff writer for CollegeRecruiter.com
Have you thought about what it takes to get a job? Sure, you know about doing research, having a good resume and cover letter, a good interview, etc., but what can you do for an employer to consider hiring you. As a job seeker, you want to prove your worth without seeming pushy. One suggestion is to volunteer somewhere, which is an opportunity to offer your services and get noticed.
Here are some expert tips to remember in your approach to volunteering:
Pick companies where you would like to work - These companies should allow you to use your skills in a meaningful way that benefits them.
Decide in advance how much time on a regular basis you can spare - Tell hiring managers the time you’re able to commit to them based on your schedule (ex.- hours,days).
Never give up - Even though it may take some time, be persistent in your effort to share your time and talent(s) somewhere. It will eventually payoff.
While you would prefer to have a job, show employers that you’re willing to lend a hand where needed. Volunteering is a great way for them to see your skills and leave impressions in their minds of hiring you.
Information provided by Joan Prince.
Source: http://thecareernews.com/newsletter.php?news=2561
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Like this:
Managing Your Online Reputation
When searching for a job, it’s very common for perspective employers to look at your online profile. This information isn’t just used to “rule out” candidates — finding a broad online presence can also improve your chances of getting the job by increasing your “know, like, and trust” factor. What a company finds about you online should reassure them about your qualifications and suitability as a prospective employee … not raise red flags.
But it’s the negative information that can hurt your chances of getting the job. A 2009 survey found that nearly 80% of hiring managers in the U.S. researched candidates online before making a hiring decision. Another survey found that 70% of recruiters and hiring managers eliminated candidates after they found negative information about them from online sites like Facebook. More and more companies are reviewing the Facebook profiles of job applicants, either as a first step in the screening process (to narrow down the pool of applicants) or before inviting a candidate to an interview.
Prospective employers will make judgments about you based on what they find out about you online. You want to come across as committed, competent, skilled, and of strong character and integrity. You can manage the impression that others have about you through your online presence. However, it is important that your online professional image is also authentic and credible.
It is also important to note that if you aren’t managing your personal brand online, it’s still being formed (but without your input). Your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about you — whether a mention in a blog post, a photo tag or a reply to a public status update. When someone searches for your name on a search engine like Google, the results that appear are a combination of information you’ve posted and information published by others. You can be the author of your online identity by taking a strategic, proactive approach to managing your online presence.
What is online about you is more important than ever, and you need to dedicate some time to developing and monitoring your presence.
Now go hug your kids and commit a random act of kindness!
Overwhelmed with Job Search Boards?
Today’s post comes to us courtesy of CareerAlley.com
“Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig.” – George Bernard Shaw
So much to do and so little time. Job Search Boards, recruiters, company career sites, social sites and so on. So where do you start? How much time should you spend on all of the millions of things you need to do in your job search? My first rule of thumb is, do it all. How, you ask? First, make a list. Ensure you have a reasonable representation of all of your job search leads (the stuff I listed at the top of this post). Spread your time evenly, don’t get caught up in answering tons of online ads, but also don’t get caught up in sending too many notes to recruiters. Today’s post covers job search boards and the 10′s of thousands of jobs that are posted (and no, this is not a typo). So here goes, starting with some of the more popular names in job search.
- Monster.com – There are hundreds of thousands of jobs (when I checked) on Monster.com. There are tabs at the top of the page for Resume, Jobs, Career Tools, Advice and more. Right below this is the job search section and to the right is advanced search section. As with most job search sites, you can register, post your resume (maybe someone will find you) and get email alerts for your saved searches.
- SimplyHired.com – Let me start by saying that there was over 1,800,000 jobs on this site when I checked. This site is different from most of the others as it searches across companies and other job boards. Lots of filters are on the left hand side of the page as well as keyword refinement options. Top right hand side of the page has links saved jobs and saved searches. The bottom of the main page has links for salaries and trends. Regional site links are at the bottom of the page.
- Indeed.com – Not as many jobs as SimplyHired (but still over 800,000), you can refine your search by putting a location in at the top, or use one of the many refinements on the left hand side of the page. Top left hand side of the page has links for forums, salaries and trends. Top right hand side has “post your resume” and sign-in links. Once you do a search, there are filters on the left hand side of the page while the bottom of the page has links for related forums and related salaries.
- LinkedIn.com – One of the best places to post your resume (profile), this is a great place for potential employers to find you (but you can search as well). You need to be a member (free) to search (and if you aren’t already, get with it). Once you’ve signed in, click Jobs at the top of the page. You will notice almost immediately that there are a few jobs listed that may interest you based on your profile. There were over 49,000 jobs when I checked the site. Not enough space to list all of the benefits of LinkedIn, but do take a look at the job search section.
- Dice.com – The #1 technology search board, there were over 82,000 tech jobs posted when I checked the site. Top of the page has links for search jobs, and news & advice. A simple search box is at the top of the page along with an advance search option. Top job search terms are listed, followed by Jobs by Company. You can also browse job by skill and employment type.
Good luck in your search.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
