Messages In This Digest (3 Messages)
- 1.
- Article: Writing a Résumé That Shouts 'Hire Me' (New York Tim From: Eric Nilsson
- 2.
- A blog site for people in-transition From: Alex Freund
- 3.
- Article: How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Question in a From: Eric Nilsson
Messages
- 1.
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Article: Writing a Résumé That Shouts 'Hire Me' (New York Tim
Posted by: "Eric Nilsson" ericnilsson@earthlink.net eric_s_nilsson
Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:44 am (PST)
February 28, 2010
The Search
Writing a Résumé That Shouts 'Hire Me'
By PHYLLIS KORKKI
IT'S tempting to think of a résumé as a low-maintenance aspect of your job
search. Just list where you worked, what you did and where you went to
school, attach that to each application and press the button.
In fact, though, you have considerable flexibility in how you structure your
résumé. The decisions you make about what it says and how it looks can
affect whether you get the job you really want, or get a job at all.
A résumé is a marketing document that "can serve as a magnet to draw job
opportunities to you," said Susan Ireland, author of "The Complete Idiot's
Guide to the Perfect Résumé." That's largely because more résumés are now on
job boards and social media sites, and are included on company databases,
she said.
Often, people place too much emphasis on the parts of past jobs that they
hated — and get new jobs they end up hating, too, she said. "Your résumé is
about your future," she said, "it's not about your past," so stress
experiences that are most relevant to the position you aspire to hold.
Let's say you were in a data-entry position but want to move into project
coordination. Give your true job title, she said, but you can highlight the
parts of your job that involved projects.
You aren't obliged to list every single job you have ever held. If a job is
15 or more years in the past, stop and consider how much it's worth
mentioning, or how much space to give it, said Wendy S. Enelow, a résumé
writer for executives and co-author of "No-Nonsense Résumés."
"Your résumé is not an autobiographical essay of your entire life," she
said. If the sales job you had 20 years ago does not relate to where you are
headed, leave it out or summarize it very briefly, she said.
In listing your most relevant experience, quantify your achievements
whenever possible, Ms. Enelow said. For example, you could write "automated
internal record-keeping processes, resulting in a 27 percent reduction in
annual operating costs," she said.
People with gaps in their recent work history often balk at a résumé that
lists their latest jobs first, thinking that a "functional" type, stressing
skills rather than dates, will work in their favor. But in most cases, job
seekers should go the reverse-chronological route.
Most hiring managers become suspicious when they see a résumé without
prominent dates, Ms. Ireland said. Try to list things like your community
service, your volunteer work or other activities to fill in gaps in your
recent work history, she said.
Many companies use software to weed out unqualified applicants. Pay
attention to key words, repeating some defining terms from the job
description. For example, if you are applying to be a solar energy
<http://topics.nytimes.com/ top/news/ science/topics/ solar_energy/ index.html? i
nline=nyt-classifier> engineer, you could include the words "solar,"
"installation" and "photovoltaic (PV)," Ms. Ireland said.
Be concise in the job-objective or summary part of the résumé, which comes
after your name and contact information. If you are seeking a position
similar to one you have held, simply state your professional title, Ms.
Ireland said (for example, user interface architect). Otherwise, indicate
the job you want next or emphasize the skills that the job involves.
Tweak your résumé when necessary. Be sensitive to wording differences among
industries. For example, banks have customers, while libraries have patrons
and hospitals have patients, Ms. Ireland said.
Generally, unless you are a very recent graduate, list education after work
experience. The older you are, the less necessary it is to list the year you
graduated, Ms. Enelow said.
Make sure your résumé is easy to read, both on the screen and on paper. Even
though most résumés are sent via e-mail, many H.R. people still print out
the attachments, Ms. Ireland said.
Résumés are shorter than they were even five years ago, Ms. Enelow said,
perhaps as a result of social-media behavior like 140-character tweeting.
Keep them "tight, lean and clean," she said. Ms. Ireland warns against the
"big cement block" effect, meaning the use of dense paragraphs. A paragraph
should be no longer than three lines, she said.
Make good use of white space, point size, boldface and bullets. But if you
start seeing a laundry list of bullets, group them into clusters under
skills headings so they are more readable, Ms. Enelow said.
And if you are a mid- or late-career professional, don't feel that you must
keep your résumé to one page.
Many companies have older versions of Microsoft
<http://topics.nytimes.com/ top/news/ business/ companies/ microsoft_ corporation
/index.html?inline=nyt- org> Word, so make sure that your résumé attachment
is compatible with them, Ms. Ireland said. It's also wise to have printed
versions ready, to hand out at interviews.
Finally, have someone review your work. If you need a complete makeover, the
services of professional résumé writers may cost from $100 up to thousands
of dollars, Ms. Enelow said.
But even an extra set of eyes from a friend, family member or career center
employee can be enough to set a wayward résumé on the right course.
E-mail: <mailto:thesearch@nytimes.com .> thesearch@nytimes.com .
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/ 02/28/jobs/ 28search. html?8dpc
- 2.
-
A blog site for people in-transition
Posted by: "Alex Freund" alex@landingexpert.com freundalex
Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:44 am (PST)
I want to introduce you to this blog site http://jobadviceblog.com/ which is
focused specifically on people in transition. I have been asked to
contribute to this site on interviewing skills but there are a number of
other experts that write on career coaching, IT jobs, interview advice,
marketing yourself, resume writing and more.
This site is very popular. Thousands of people in-transition are visiting
this site and you can also subscribe, if interested and get new blogs in
your area of interest.
I thought that this might be helpful to people in transition.
Alex
Alex Freund
(609) 333-8866
<blocked::mailto:alex@landingexpert.com > alex@landingexpert.com
http:// <blocked::http://www.landingexpert.com/ > www.landingexpert.com
<http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexfreu >nd
http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexfreu nd
Blog: <http://landingexpert.posterous. >com/
http://landingexpert.posterous. com/
- 3.
-
Article: How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Question in a
Posted by: "Eric Nilsson" ericnilsson@earthlink.net eric_s_nilsson
Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:22 pm (PST)
How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Question in a Job Interview
Youtube Videos that Will Help
By Rachel Carpenter (joyful327)
Getting reading for a big job interview? Looking for sample job interview
questions? Searching for tips on how to answer job interview questions? Your
job interview preparation could ultimately determine whether or not the
company chooses to hire you. It is wise to practice thoroughly for the big
moment.
One of the most common job interview questions is, "What are your
Weaknesses?" The question can be asked at just about any type of job
interview, whether you're applying to work at a fast food restaurant, a
teaching position, or even the CEO of a large company.
How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Job Interview Youtube Clip #1:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? > What's Yourv=TfOL0zGqI24& feature=fvw
Weakness?" Employers Want to Know
This video is a clip from the local news in Sacramento. It makes an
excellent point in that you should review the job description and find what
might be your greatest weakness. Then, explain to the potential employer
that you lack experience in that area, but are definitely willing to learn.
In essence, you will probably be telling the employer something they may
already know.
For example, say you are applying to work in a pet store. You might say, "I
have not had much experience with handling sugar gliders as pets. However, I
am currently reading up on caring for exotic pets, and am willing to learn
more. If I am offered the job, I will seek out educational opportunities to
help me improve my knowledge of exotic pets to assist potential customers."
Click here <http://www.youtube.com/watch? > tov=TfOL0zGqI24& feature=fvw
watch the "What's Your Weakness? Employers Want to Know" video. It's less
than two minutes long, and watching it could determine the outcome of your
job interview.
How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Job Interview Youtube Clip #2:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? > How to Answer Interviewv=kdr3-1_ omzI
Weakness Question
This video explains that you should convey that you are a self-developer and
take responsibility for your skills and work. Essentially, you want
employers to know that you will be able to identify when you need help, and
what steps you will take to improve yourself. This is definitely an
essential video to watch before a big job interview. You can see it here
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? > .v=kdr3-1_ omzI
How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Job Interview Youtube Clip #3:
How to Answer Tough Interview Questions: What is One of Your
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=7KnSsIzIYws& feature=PlayList &p=2FAFCE62C82D8
DB5&playnext=1&playnext_ from=PL&index= 21> Weaknesses?
This video was produced by the Capella University Career Center. The career
counselor explains an effective strategy of how you "sandwich" the answer
between two positive statements. It tells how you should convey to the
interviewer that you are self-aware. You can watch the video here
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=7KnSsIzIYws& feature=PlayList &p=2FAFCE62C82D8
DB5&playnext=1&playnext_ from=PL&index= 21> . It is a must-see video to watch
before a job interview.
How to Answer the "What Are Your Weaknesses?" Job Interview Youtube Clip #4:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? > Interview Tips: What's Yourv=q1QPafzXO- w
Greatest Weakness?
This is a "job search minute" from collegegrad.com. It explains that is
deceiving, and misses the point of the question, to answer the condition
with something that is a strength. For example, you should not say "I'm a
workaholic and spend too much time at work." Instead, you should identify a
true weakness and explain what you are doing to overcome it. Watch the video
here <http://www.youtube.com/watch? > to learn more.v=q1QPafzXO- w
These four short clips can be very beneficial in presenting yourself
successfully during a job interview. Another helpful article to read is "How
to Answer the 'Why Should We Hire You' Question in a Job
<http://www.associatedcontent. com/article/ 1958446/how_ to_answer_ the_why_shou
ld_we_hire.html?cat=31> Interview." Good Luck and Best Wishes in job
search!
More resources
*
http://www.associatedcontent. com/article/ 1958446/how_ to_answer_ the_why_shoul
d_we_hire.html?cat=31
URL:
http://www.associatedcontent. com/article/ 2724181/how_ to_answer_ the_what_ are_
your_weaknesses.html?cat= 31
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