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Resume Writer’s Insider Tip: Want to Test Your Resume?

By Maureen · Comments (1)
Friday, November 2nd, 2012

Want to test your resume?

As you read through your resume, do so as a stranger reading it for the very first time.

What stands out?

What leaves the greatest impression on you?

What assumptions or conclusions do you have to make?

What needs more clarification or explanation?

What have you done to prove what you say is true?

What stories demonstrate your expertise?

What separates you from the rest of the applicants?

Why would the employer chose your resume?

Why would the company call you in for an interview and not the 200 other people who meet or exceed the job requirements?

What makes you the ideal candidate for this position?

If you take the time to do this, you will not only demonstrate the type of candidate you are, and the character you have, you will strengthen and clarify your message to the employer and improve your chance for interview selection.

Good luck, you ideal candidate, you!

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Categories : Resume, Resume Writer Insider Tip
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Resume Writers’ Insider Tip: Give the People What They Want

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Friday, October 5th, 2012

Resume Writers’ Insider Tip: Applying to Jobs is Hard Work.

There was a very interesting post that came out last week entitled “50 JOB SEARCH TIPS FROM RECRUITERS” and it did just what the title inferred. It was informative and helpful. After sharing the post with my twitter followers, I was inspired to write this post.

Job seekers often come to me frustrated with their job search and with the hiring practices of companies. They pour their hearts and souls, along with countless hours into online applications, then hear nothing back from busy organizations. Now, I am not excusing poor hiring practices, nor am I suggesting that every bad application that comes through a company’s door should be acknowledged with a personal call from the CEO.

Instead, I am sharing with you, a tip that is sure to improve your chances for selection in the hiring process.

Let’s take this simple job poster below. It is all there in black and white. The company has told prospective job seekers exactly what it is they are looking for. So step one in any job application is:

 1.  Read the entire job description before you begin your application.

Job Number: 12345 | Title: Manager, software engineering | Terms of Employment: Permanent, Full Time, Overtime, Day Salary: $75,000.00 Yearly for 40 hours per week, Medical Benefits, Dental Benefits Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possibleLocation: Ottawa West, Ontario (1 vacancy)

Education: Completion of university

Experience: 5 years or more

Languages: English

Staff Responsibility: 1 – 20

Budgetary Responsibility: 0 – $100,000

Specific Skills: Plan, organize and direct daily operations, Establish and implement policies and procedures for information systems, Authorize the development of specifications for products or services, Assign, co-ordinate and review projects and programs, Oversee the analysis of data and information

Additional Skills: Hire, train, direct and motivate staff

Security and Safety: Enhanced reliability security clearance, Secret clearance

Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Attention to detail

Work Location Information: Urban area

Ability to Supervise: 1 to 2 people

Other Information: The successful candidate will be expected to develop portions of the software as well as lead a team of young software engineers using structured development methodologies.

Now that is a lot of text. Did you really read it, or did you scan it, and say to yourself…ya, close enough, I could do that, I’ll apply? (Be honest!)

Once you have read the entire job poster, you’ll want to highlight, or make note of all the requirements as outlined by the company. I have highlighted all the ‘requirements’ or ‘needs’ outlined by the company. In the example below, I used a yellow highlighter to feature the information that I consider crucial.

2.        Highlight the requirements the employer has stated

Job Number: 12345 | Title: Manager, software engineering | Terms of Employment: Permanent, Full Time, Overtime, Day Salary: $75,000.00 Yearly for 40 hours per week, Medical Benefits, Dental Benefits, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance Benefits, Group Insurance Benefits, Vision Care Benefits Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possibleLocation: Ottawa West, Ontario (1 vacancy)

Education: Completion of university

Experience: 5 years or more

Languages: English

Staff Responsibility: 1 – 20

Budgetary Responsibility: 0 – $100,000

Specific Skills: Plan, organize and direct daily operations, Establish and implement policies and procedures for information systems, Authorize the development of specifications for products or services, Assign, co-ordinate and review projects and programs, Oversee the analysis of data and information

Additional Skills: Hire, train, direct and motivate staff

Security and Safety: Enhanced reliability security clearance, Secret clearance

Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Attention to detail

Work Location Information: Urban area

Ability to Supervise: 1 to 2 people

Other Information: The successful candidate will be expected to develop portions of the software as well as lead a team of young software engineers using structured development methodologies.

Now that you have an excellent understanding of what the employer wants and needs, separate these key words and lay them out in a word document.

3.        Identify and feature key requirements

Manager, software engineering | Experience: 5 years or more | Languages: English | Staff Responsibility: 1 – 20 | Budgetary Responsibility:  $100,000Specific Skills: Plan, organize and direct daily operations, Establish and implement policies and procedures for information systems, Authorize the development of specifications for products or services, Assign, co-ordinate and review projects and programs, Oversee the analysis of data and informationHire, train, direct and motivate staff | Enhanced reliability security clearance, Secret clearance | Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Attention to detail develop portions of the software as well as lead a team of young software engineers using structured development methodologies.

Here is where many people give up. They look at this and they’re overwhelmed. This next step, however, is going to make all the difference in your application. Next, you’re going to take these key words and add them to your resume (where they are true and accurately represent your own capabilities – NEVER lie on your resume).

In order to create the information below, I simply used the words taken from the job poster and incorporated them into the resume.

4.        Incorporate the employer’s language into your resume

Resume title:

John Doe – Manager, software engineering

Resume profile:

Attentive software engineering manager, with 5 years experience planning, organizing, and directing daily operations. Secret cleared manager, leading teams of 20 young software engineers while overseeing budgets up to $100,000. Demonstrated expertise establishing and implementing policies and procedures for information systems including (give exact example). Work best in fast-paced environments, working under pressure, and within tight timelines.

Resume Key competencies:

Data Analysis | Staff Recruitment and Retention | Product & Service Development | Project and Program Coordination

And there you have it. You have given the employer exactly what they have asked for in the way they have asked for it. When you create your own resume using job posters that are of interest to you, you may not use the exact same language as the employer, but remember, the more you can incorporate the language they have used in the job poster, the more you have demonstrated that you are exactly what the employer needs.

Good luck. Please let me know how it turns out for you.

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Categories : Organizing your job search, Resume, Resume Writer Insider Tip
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Resume Writer’s Insider Tips: Set Yourself Up

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Friday, May 11th, 2012

One of the first things I do when writing a resume is set the margins. I know, I know, I can hear you yawning from here – but the simple idea of creating a structure to your document will make things easier as you continue to add tabs, tables, charts and/or graphs. Trust me – this will save you headaches down the road. **Did you know that in Canada and the US most resumes use letter-sized paper, but in the UK they use A4? 

Step two: Depending on the client, I change the spelling from English (US) to English (Canada). This could easily help you avoid a costly spelling error from appearing on your resume. Over 1000 words in Canada are spelled differently than in the US (i.e. – labour, counsellor, enrolment, focused etc.) and some words have different spelling in the UK and Australia. So before you start writing, make sure you know where you plan to send your document and set your spell check to your target audience. This in NO WAY eliminates the necessity of reviewing, editing, and proofing your document at the end, but it will help notify you of any inconsistencies within your document. 

Step three: If you are using a previous version of your resume to get started, I suggest you cut & paste the content from your old resume to your new resume. In my blog post about “paste special” there are some time-saving suggestions about how to keep your formatting consistent. 

Step four: Once you have your old content re-formatted to your new resume fonts and designs, you’ll want to go in and remove any meaningless content you know you will not use again. Here are some easy things to do to update your resume. 

Out with the Old & In with the New

 For example: 

1.       Objective statements: Most objective statements are all about the person writing them. i.e) I am looking for a job where I can use my awesomeness to develop as an awesome human being. 

Instead: Consider using a profile statement. A profile statement outlines the value you bring to an organization and essentially answers the question: “Why should we hire you?” What is it that you have to offer that makes you the right person for the company to where you are applying? i.e) Strategic and resourceful engineering professional with demonstrated achievements in research and development (R&D). 

Next, remove this redundant phrase once and for all 

2.       References available upon request.

Instead: Ask one of those available references to write you a testimonial and feature it in the very space where you might otherwise have placed this out-of-date text? Why not use a testimonial from a reference or a customer?

No matter what you do when writing your resume – remember to keep your reader in mind. What does he/she want to know about a candidate? What will help your reader to select YOU as someone they want to invite to an interview and meet in person.

With these small suggestions, you can update your resume and improve your chances of finding the employment you seek.

Good luck!

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Categories : Resume, Resume Writer Insider Tip
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Is your resume being read…by a human?

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Friday, April 20th, 2012

Last week I had an excellent conversation with my Canadian colleague Daisy Wright. I am a big fan of Daisy’s because she is devoted to helping Canadian job seekers find the work they love.

Our discussion centred-around a couple of points, one I want to share with you today.

Applicant Tracking Systems

Wikipedia describes ATS as “a software application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment needs… Nearly all major corporations use some form of applicant tracking system to handle job applications and to manage resume data.” Job seekers are facing these systems (often without knowing it) and finding it challenging to get past the initial screening.

As a job seeker, you need to understand how these systems operate in order to ensure you are screened-in to the hiring pool.

In June, I will be hosting Career Professionals of Canada’s tele-networking call on this very topic. In the meantime, here are some interesting resources I have collected on the subject that may help you understand ATS better.

Resources discussing ATS (and use of keywords):

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Categories : Online Marketing, Organizing your job search, Resume
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Should you send your resume to a recruiter?

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Friday, April 13th, 2012

It seems simple enough. Recruiters know about job openings; you need a job, so it only stands to reason that you blast off your resume to every recruiter you can find. Right? Well, not so fast.

Whether you are sending your resume to a recruiter or a specific employer, it is important to target your application and your resume to the needs of the intended reader.

If you send your portfolio to an entire list of recruiters you might be doing yourself a disservice. In an effort to deliver a quantity of resumes, you may be missing the crucial quality aspect of an online resume submission.

Instead, research a number of recruiters and select two or three recruiting firms who specialize in hiring for your targeted position or within your specific industry. For example, there are firms who specialize in pharmaceutical, information technology, or accounting industries when placing professionals. There are also firms who specialize in placing executive clients, government contracts, or administrative assistants. Before you submit your online application to a recruiter or recruiting firm be sure to conduct your due diligence and find a firm that specializes in placing people like you! This will not only cut out a lot of agony on your part, but it will increase the likelihood of being selected. (Which of course, increases your confidence, and your chances of being hired!)

When you are sending information to a recruiter, put yourselves in their shoes. They are likely receiving hundreds of resumes each day.

What is it about your email that is going to make a recruiter:

 1) open your message?

2)  read your document?

3) contact you for an interview?

Provided you have an answer to all three questions, you are ready to proceed. If not, you may want to brush up on your value proposition. I can help.

Be careful not to overwhelm them with information, at the same time, you don’t want to underwhelm them either, so make sure whatever you send demonstrates the value of them calling you in for an interview.

Before you send your resume to any recruiting agency or firm be sure to:

  1. Research the recruiting firms to identify which firms specialize in your sector and/or hire professionals in your position/at your level.
  2. Personalize your email so it is customized to the needs of the agency and the person reading your email (likely, but not always the recruiter you’ll be working with).
  3. Demonstrate in your email that you have done your homework and that you understand the business of the recruiting firm.

There is no exact formula, or combination with regards to the documents you send, when you send them, and no guarantee about  whether or not you will get a response. Here are a few documents I recommend clients use to start, engage, or re-start conversations with executive recruiters (not all at the same time, by the way; staggered throughout the hiring process): 

Resume | Professional Profile | Key Accomplishments List | PowerPoint Presentation | Linkedin Profile 

Whether or not you decide to work with a recruiter is really up to you. If you do choose to work with a recruiter, keep in mind what motivates the recruiter. With this in mind, you’re sure to develop a mutually beneficial relationship.

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Categories : Job Search, Resume
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Illuminate.

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Friday, November 25th, 2011

A friend recently reminded me of this quotation;

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? … Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory …that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson

I am grateful to shed light on talents, skills, and abilities that are often hidden from the owner’s view. Listening carefully to people tell their stories of accomplishment and of success, they often skip over what I call their “awesomeness” – the abilities you so innately perform you forget to mention them. Like math to mathematician, money to a banker, writing to an author, or singing to a vocalist. We might assume the person with these talents features them…appreciates them… cherishes them.

Fortunate to be part of this conversation with many of my clients, after shining a bright light on a person’s excellence, I have the distinct pleasure of being with them as they re-discover their “awesomeness”. What a treat!

So this week, on multiple occasions I passed this quotation to friends, colleagues, mentors and coaches; hoping its impact was meaningful to them in a way that it was to me.

What talents do you possess that are in need of illumination?

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Categories : Career Development, Resume
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Are you rushing through job search?

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Friday, November 4th, 2011

If you are, you’re not alone. Many people wait until the last minute to devise a career or job search strategy. While it is not an ideal situation you may find yourself in, here are a few things you can do to get out of this jam.

Build a Solid Foundation

Step one: Before you do anything else define a financial strategy that will take the weight of worry off your shoulders. You are going to need to put all your energy and focus on your career right now, so putting a financial strategy in place is vital to your success.

Step two: Get over whatever happened in your last job. You cannot change the past. You need your focus to be on the future. If you need help moving past the hurt, anger, frustration, my colleague Craig Dowden, Ph.D. wrote a very thorough post Dealing with Job Loss – Strategies for Moving Forward. With your financial and emotional houses in order, now you can get started on an effective career campaign.

Create a Career Calendar

Step three: Finding a job takes time. Carve out a minimum 5 hours one day to prepare for your job search. You will need to get your resume ready, your job search action plan together, and your head wrapped around what it is you’ll say when the interviewer asks you “Tell me about yourself.” Once your information is ready, it will be time to implement a strategy. You’ll need a few hours per week to do this.

Research, then Write Your Resume

Step four: Head to the public library or your local bookstore to pick up a copy of Best Canadian Resumes by Sharon Graham. You may also want to peek at Resume Magic by Susan Whitcomb. Both will teach you how to write a resume like a professional. Let me know if you need help with your resume.

Assemble an Effective Job Search Strategy

Step five: Compile a list of top 20 companies where you would like to work. DO NOT go to the job boards looking for the answer - instead do some research on companies where you would like to see yourself. Look, you could flip burgers if you really needed a job. Since you aren’t flipping burgers that tells me you WANT something MORE. Figure out what it is you want (the industry/position/company where you want to work) then pursue them with dogged determination!

Engage your Network

Step six: When appropriate, tell everyone and anyone you know, meet or come across what it is you’re looking for. Now, many people will say something very generic like “ya, umh…I’m a job seeker.” You have to be much more creative and specific than that. Be perfectly clear about what it is you seek. “I am a communications professional with 5 years experience in the healthcare industry and I’m currently looking for an introduction to the Communications Manager at ABC company” or something like that.

Good luck. Let me know how it turns out.

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Categories : Career Development, Job Search, Resume, Uncategorized
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Welcome to the PCS Blog

By Maureen · Comments (0)
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Thanks for visiting our new website and blog.

Here are some of the things we will be working towards with our clients:

  • Building confidence and increasing productivity that leads to better employment in shorter time. 
  • Creating authentic and customized resumes that demonstrate abundant value to prospective employers. 
  • Designing custom online profiles and tailoring portfolios that boost online visibility. 
  • Championing back to work strategies that save time and increase efficiency.

We welcome your feedback, thoughts, opinions, comments, and suggestions.

We hope you will come back and join us here, after our launch.

Maureen & the team at ProMotion Career Solutions

 

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Maureen McCann | 613.702.2122 | skype: mypromotion | twitter: @mypromotion | Google+
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