Dear
Magic:
I
am looking for work and I’m not getting any calls. I’m starting to think there is something
wrong with my resume. Could you give me
some tips on how to write a good resume, my experience is somewhat varied and
I’m not sure how to create a resume that will get some interest. Help!
Jimmy Robinson
Dear
James:
If
you are not receiving a response back from employers about the resume you
submitted, there could be a variety of reasons.
Perhaps you do not have the particular qualifications the employer is seeking. Or maybe you are not properly communicating
your strengths, experience, accomplishments and skills, or maybe you didn’t
include a job objective.
Take
a hard look at your resume and revamp it for effectiveness. Would you want to interview you if you read
your resume? If you only have 30 seconds
to make your pitch, what would you say?
If an employer cannot see what you have to offer or understand how your
particular experience and skills are applicable to the job, you are not going to receive that callback to come in for an
interview. Note my tips and suggestions
below, and good luck to you.
Sincerely,
Marge
‘Magic’ Powers
The
common culprits that make a resume less ineffective include:
Poor Opening:
If your resume starts with only
an “Objective” indicating what you are looking for rather than what you have to
offer an employer, you have already lost points right there. Even if your resume does start with a
‘Summary of Qualifications” or something similar to that effect, you need to
ask yourself, “Does it immediately and clearly tell why you’re the right fit
for the job?” An effective opening
creates a theme that says, “Here is what I am best at.” Then, prove it by showcasing your
accomplishments (with an end result) in your various jobs.
Not Using It As
a Marketing Tool: A resume is used to help get your foot in the
door with an employer. It is not a legal
document and there is no need to include information that is irrelevant to the
position you are seeking. The more
irrelevant information you put on your resume, the easier it will be for an
employer to come to the conclusion that you are not an appropriate candidate
for the job. Use your resume to help
demonstrate particular accomplishments, experience, and skills that the
employer can benefit from regarding the open position. Your mission is to simply put out a
sufficient amount of background experience and information to spark the
employer’s interest. Save the rest of details
for the interview.
Inappropriate
Personal Information: Some personal information, such as hobbies,
may be explicitly placed on the resume to help tell the employer more about
your character. However, if what you
list is unprofessional and inappropriate for the profession, it can ruin your
shot at making a good impression with the employer. For instance, be cautious of your e-mail
address. Your username or domain for the
e-mail address can give off the wrong impression if it reads something
unprofessional or inappropriate or similar to “partyaniml@...or
“peoplehater@.”
If
you are including a website or blog address, or on LinkedIn, make sure the
information you have on it is appropriate and relevant for the job you are
seeking. Also, even if you are not
publicizing digital information, employers may be screening your activity on
sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, so check your privacy settings or
make sure your public profile is appropriate for a potential employer to see.
Brand
yourself: What can you do to
distinguish yourself from your competition?
The answer is: create a ‘branding statement’ that specifically
highlights your unique value; the one thing that you do better than anything
else. For instance, if you are an IT
Manager, your headline and branding statement could read something like this:
‘Information Technology
Manager. Designing next-generation
technologies that consistently out-perform and innovate the competition.’
(Think about what sets
you apart from the crowd. How are you better? What do you offer that others don’t? Identify your unique brand and use your
resume to sell it. What have been the results of your accomplishments? If you were an employer, why would you hire
you? Hmmmmmm?
What employers
look for when screening resumes and applications?
·
A match: They want to
see if you work history, knowledge and skills, education, training, and
achievements match their needs.
·
Positive
patterns: They look for a logical progression from one
job to another with a reasonable amount of time per job, promotions, awards,
and other positive results.
·
Positive
indicators: They look for favorable personality traits,
work habits, and interpersonal skills, as well as successful project
completion.
·
Knockouts: They look for any simple, clear-cut facts
that immediately put the applicant out of the running, such as: inability or unwillingness to relocate,
inappropriate education or experience, inappropriate salary demands. Avoid common resume mistakes:
Avoid
These Common Resume Mistakes:
·
Career/job
objective is missing or unrealistic.
·
Information
isn’t relevant to the job opening
·
Wordy,
vague, unfocused, rambling.
·
Focus
is on duties rather than responsibilities.
·
Lacks
performance results—concrete ways your employers benefited from your skills.
- Lacks hard numbers to back up achievements. Or no accomplishments listed at all.
- Work history is spotty, fraudulent, or missing.
- Crucial skills for the open position are buried and hard to find.
- Layout is too difficult to read quickly
- Typos, poor grammar, misspelling
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Magic
Morsel: If someone can’t spot your value in 20
seconds—you’re not making a good first impression.
Magic
Morsel: When you
are in a negative state, you cannot win.
Magic
Morsel: If you
don’t share your accomplishments, how are they going to know what you
contributed to the results?
CONNECT WITH US.
Questions:
Email me and let me know your opinions, let’s have your suggestions and
ask your questions. If you’re ready to
feel good about yourself, then connect now!
If you would like a ‘free review
of your resume or your background summary.
I’ll be happy to critique it at no charge.
Help is here if you only
ask: Contact Marge “Magic” Powers for a
free ½ hour consultation at 209.785.2042 or
marge@discoverwinningways.com.
(Would you please call between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.)? Note: If I am with a client, I do not answer the
phone, so please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as
possible. Thanks. ‘Magic’ Powers J
I have written and
included on my Web Site many helpful eBooks in how to improve your personal
life issues, career, job search activities and retirement lifestyle
predicaments…look them over and read what interests you: www.discoverwinningways.com.
WINNING WAYS is a
Career and Life Coaching firm. We help you bridge the gap between where you
are and where you want to be so you can reclaim
your power, commit to your destiny and keep your dignity. Our mission is a strong commitment to
bringing about real practical changes with huge results in your life.
Note: I only work with people who can benefit most
from my coaching; such as those who are in transition, open minded, interested
in growing and viewing their world as an opportunity full of possibilities. I enjoy working with people who are committed
and motivated to ‘win’ and want to be satisfied in a life that actually works
and fits who they are!
WINNING WAYS, Founder
Career and Master NLP Life Learning Advisor
209.785.2042
