Book Review Between Jobs

Book Review Between Jobs Friday I opened my snail-mailbox (I have no idea how that is actually written) and found a book by career coach Billie Sucher. And it was autographed with this message Heres to new beginnings! Very cool. I was a little nervous about getting this book and reviewing it because, well, what if it sucked? Ill tell you right now, it doesnt suck, and it is one of two books that Id highly recommend (more on the second tomorrow) indeed, if I had the money Id give both of these books to anyone in a job conundrum unemployed, underemployed, unhappily employed, etc First, the title and subtitle: Between Jobs: Recover, Rethink, Rebuild. Its definitely something I can relate to but I LOVE how she sets the tone with the recover from this loss, rethink your career and future, and rebuild its time to act now and move on! Next, the format. At the bottom of the cover it says 501 Proven Strategies For Success is this in the same format as Tom Peters Wow book? Yep! I love this format because you dont have to put a ton of time and critical analysis into it basically you get 501 ideas, tips, etc. that you can read when you want. Read one a day and think about it, or read several pages of any chapter whatever you need. Billie starts the book with 10 questions for you to help you deal with being between jobs and asks you to contemplate the questions before, during and after reading the book. I love how she begins each chapter with a quote from a job loss survivor. I hated reading articles on how to find jobs by people that had never been through a real job loss, and these little quotes make this book that much more heart-felt. So then were on to content. I remember at the beginning of my job search Id get some books on techniques, resumes, interviewing, etc. Some of them were HUGE, and hard to make it through. And I could find the same information on the internet, regurgitated in various fashions. What was at first interesting later became cliche, and then contributed to the overall discouragement of the job search. Billie has 8 chapters wrapping up the 501 strategies, and a final chapter with quotes from the job loss survivors. It is not preachy, wordy, overly-verbose (like some of my blog posts ;)) or out of line. As I related to just about evey single point in her book I realized that this is a collection of the best-of-the-best tips out there from your dad, your counselor, your coach, HR, or whoever. This is the collection that Id recommend to anyone either in college or a professional that just lost their job. Here are some examples of some points I liked (with the chapters in bold) note there are 501 of these, I just pulled out some that jumped out at me but this book is full of wisdom: Getting a Grip: Let go of your old job. Give yourself some time, and then begin the journey. Putting the Pieces Together: Dont be afraid of or reject these two words: Starting Over. Each day brings the opportunity to begin again. Packaging the Product: A messy, cluttered resume should not be sent to anyone, including your mother. Building Bridges: Dont ask your professional references for a job. Completing the Application Form: Include reason for leaving if asked to do so on the application, however, choose your words carefully. Fired or terminated can be replaced with will explain. Words such as downsized, reorganization, work force reduction and restructuring can be used if applicable to your situation. Presenting Yourself in the Interview: Respond only to the question asked. Save the minute details. If the employer wants more information, they will ask. Negotiating the Best Deal: Be prepared to explain your value and what makes you stand out from other applicants with the same or comparable credentials. The Best is Yet to Come: Be willing to pay your dues and prove yourself. Awesome book I highly recommend it, even if you find this review to be lacking (I dont think I ever got an A in elementary school for book reports! ;)). Book Review Between Jobs Friday I opened my snail-mailbox (I have no idea how that is actually written) and found a book by career coach Billie Sucher. And it was autographed with this message Heres to new beginnings! Very cool. I was a little nervous about getting this book and reviewing it because, well, what if it sucked? Ill tell you right now, it doesnt suck, and it is one of two books that Id highly recommend (more on the second tomorrow) indeed, if I had the money Id give both of these books to anyone in a job conundrum unemployed, underemployed, unhappily employed, etc First, the title and subtitle: Between Jobs: Recover, Rethink, Rebuild. Its definitely something I can relate to but I LOVE how she sets the tone with the recover from this loss, rethink your career and future, and rebuild its time to act now and move on! Next, the format. At the bottom of the cover it says 501 Proven Strategies For Success is this in the same format as Tom Peters Wow book? Yep! I love this format because you dont have to put a ton of time and critical analysis into it basically you get 501 ideas, tips, etc. that you can read when you want. Read one a day and think about it, or read several pages of any chapter whatever you need. Billie starts the book with 10 questions for you to help you deal with being between jobs and asks you to contemplate the questions before, during and after reading the book. I love how she begins each chapter with a quote from a job loss survivor. I hated reading articles on how to find jobs by people that had never been through a real job loss, and these little quotes make this book that much more heart-felt. So then were on to content. I remember at the beginning of my job search Id get some books on techniques, resumes, interviewing, etc. Some of them were HUGE, and hard to make it through. And I could find the same information on the internet, regurgitated in various fashions. What was at first interesting later became cliche, and then contributed to the overall discouragement of the job search. Billie has 8 chapters wrapping up the 501 strategies, and a final chapter with quotes from the job loss survivors. It is not preachy, wordy, overly-verbose (like some of my blog posts ;)) or out of line. As I related to just about evey single point in her book I realized that this is a collection of the best-of-the-best tips out there from your dad, your counselor, your coach, HR, or whoever. This is the collection that Id recommend to anyone either in college or a professional that just lost their job. Here are some examples of some points I liked (with the chapters in bold) note there are 501 of these, I just pulled out some that jumped out at me but this book is full of wisdom: Getting a Grip: Let go of your old job. Give yourself some time, and then begin the journey. Putting the Pieces Together: Dont be afraid of or reject these two words: Starting Over. Each day brings the opportunity to begin again. Packaging the Product: A messy, cluttered resume should not be sent to anyone, including your mother. Building Bridges: Dont ask your professional references for a job. Completing the Application Form: Include reason for leaving if asked to do so on the application, however, choose your words carefully. Fired or terminated can be replaced with will explain. Words such as downsized, reorganization, work force reduction and restructuring can be used if applicable to your situation. Presenting Yourself in the Interview: Respond only to the question asked. Save the minute details. If the employer wants more information, they will ask. Negotiating the Best Deal: Be prepared to explain your value and what makes you stand out from other applicants with the same or comparable credentials. The Best is Yet to Come: Be willing to pay your dues and prove yourself. Awesome book I highly recommend it, even if you find this review to be lacking (I dont think I ever got an A in elementary school for book reports! ;)). Book Review Between Jobs Friday I opened my snail-mailbox (I have no idea how that is actually written) and found a book by career coach Billie Sucher. And it was autographed with this message Heres to new beginnings! Very cool. I was a little nervous about getting this book and reviewing it because, well, what if it sucked? Ill tell you right now, it doesnt suck, and it is one of two books that Id highly recommend (more on the second tomorrow) indeed, if I had the money Id give both of these books to anyone in a job conundrum unemployed, underemployed, unhappily employed, etc First, the title and subtitle: Between Jobs: Recover, Rethink, Rebuild. Its definitely something I can relate to but I LOVE how she sets the tone with the recover from this loss, rethink your career and future, and rebuild its time to act now and move on! Next, the format. At the bottom of the cover it says 501 Proven Strategies For Success is this in the same format as Tom Peters Wow book? Yep! I love this format because you dont have to put a ton of time and critical analysis into it basically you get 501 ideas, tips, etc. that you can read when you want. Read one a day and think about it, or read several pages of any chapter whatever you need. Billie starts the book with 10 questions for you to help you deal with being between jobs and asks you to contemplate the questions before, during and after reading the book. I love how she begins each chapter with a quote from a job loss survivor. I hated reading articles on how to find jobs by people that had never been through a real job loss, and these little quotes make this book that much more heart-felt. So then were on to content. I remember at the beginning of my job search Id get some books on techniques, resumes, interviewing, etc. Some of them were HUGE, and hard to make it through. And I could find the same information on the internet, regurgitated in various fashions. What was at first interesting later became cliche, and then contributed to the overall discouragement of the job search. Billie has 8 chapters wrapping up the 501 strategies, and a final chapter with quotes from the job loss survivors. It is not preachy, wordy, overly-verbose (like some of my blog posts ;)) or out of line. As I related to just about evey single point in her book I realized that this is a collection of the best-of-the-best tips out there from your dad, your counselor, your coach, HR, or whoever. This is the collection that Id recommend to anyone either in college or a professional that just lost their job. Here are some examples of some points I liked (with the chapters in bold) note there are 501 of these, I just pulled out some that jumped out at me but this book is full of wisdom: Getting a Grip: Let go of your old job. Give yourself some time, and then begin the journey. Putting the Pieces Together: Dont be afraid of or reject these two words: Starting Over. Each day brings the opportunity to begin again. Packaging the Product: A messy, cluttered resume should not be sent to anyone, including your mother. Building Bridges: Dont ask your professional references for a job. Completing the Application Form: Include reason for leaving if asked to do so on the application, however, choose your words carefully. Fired or terminated can be replaced with will explain. Words such as downsized, reorganization, work force reduction and restructuring can be used if applicable to your situation. Presenting Yourself in the Interview: Respond only to the question asked. Save the minute details. If the employer wants more information, they will ask. Negotiating the Best Deal: Be prepared to explain your value and what makes you stand out from other applicants with the same or comparable credentials. The Best is Yet to Come: Be willing to pay your dues and prove yourself. Awesome book I highly recommend it, even if you find this review to be lacking (I dont think I ever got an A in elementary school for book reports! ;)). Book Review Between Jobs Friday I opened my snail-mailbox (I have no idea how that is actually written) and found a book by career coach Billie Sucher. And it was autographed with this message Heres to new beginnings! Very cool. I was a little nervous about getting this book and reviewing it because, well, what if it sucked? Ill tell you right now, it doesnt suck, and it is one of two books that Id highly recommend (more on the second tomorrow) indeed, if I had the money Id give both of these books to anyone in a job conundrum unemployed, underemployed, unhappily employed, etc First, the title and subtitle: Between Jobs: Recover, Rethink, Rebuild. Its definitely something I can relate to but I LOVE how she sets the tone with the recover from this loss, rethink your career and future, and rebuild its time to act now and move on! Next, the format. At the bottom of the cover it says 501 Proven Strategies For Success is this in the same format as Tom Peters Wow book? Yep! I love this format because you dont have to put a ton of time and critical analysis into it basically you get 501 ideas, tips, etc. that you can read when you want. Read one a day and think about it, or read several pages of any chapter whatever you need. Billie starts the book with 10 questions for you to help you deal with being between jobs and asks you to contemplate the questions before, during and after reading the book. I love how she begins each chapter with a quote from a job loss survivor. I hated reading articles on how to find jobs by people that had never been through a real job loss, and these little quotes make this book that much more heart-felt. So then were on to content. I remember at the beginning of my job search Id get some books on techniques, resumes, interviewing, etc. Some of them were HUGE, and hard to make it through. And I could find the same information on the internet, regurgitated in various fashions. What was at first interesting later became cliche, and then contributed to the overall discouragement of the job search. Billie has 8 chapters wrapping up the 501 strategies, and a final chapter with quotes from the job loss survivors. It is not preachy, wordy, overly-verbose (like some of my blog posts ;)) or out of line. As I related to just about evey single point in her book I realized that this is a collection of the best-of-the-best tips out there from your dad, your counselor, your coach, HR, or whoever. This is the collection that Id recommend to anyone either in college or a professional that just lost their job. Here are some examples of some points I liked (with the chapters in bold) note there are 501 of these, I just pulled out some that jumped out at me but this book is full of wisdom: Getting a Grip: Let go of your old job. Give yourself some time, and then begin the journey. Putting the Pieces Together: Dont be afraid of or reject these two words: Starting Over. Each day brings the opportunity to begin again. Packaging the Product: A messy, cluttered resume should not be sent to anyone, including your mother. Building Bridges: Dont ask your professional references for a job. Completing the Application Form: Include reason for leaving if asked to do so on the application, however, choose your words carefully. Fired or terminated can be replaced with will explain. Words such as downsized, reorganization, work force reduction and restructuring can be used if applicable to your situation. Presenting Yourself in the Interview: Respond only to the question asked. Save the minute details. If the employer wants more information, they will ask. Negotiating the Best Deal: Be prepared to explain your value and what makes you stand out from other applicants with the same or comparable credentials. The Best is Yet to Come: Be willing to pay your dues and prove yourself. Awesome book I highly recommend it, even if you find this review to be lacking (I dont think I ever got an A in elementary school for book reports! ;)).

Resume Writing Services In Washington

Resume Writing Services In WashingtonThe number of people looking for professional resume writing services is increasing at a rapid pace. Most people who are working in Washington state are looking for career opportunities, however, it is difficult to gain employment in this city without having an impressive resume. If you are looking for a resume writer, Washington has many companies to choose from.Before you hire a Washington based resume writer, you need to know what you are looking for. Writing resumes is not easy, and the person who writes resumes has to be able to do it quickly. The professional resume writers in Washington have been doing this job for many years and have extensive experience with resumes.Resume writing helps you put your best foot forward. Many companies nowadays are interested in seeing resumes that are more than just a piece of paper. You have to be able to write effectively and make a good impression on your potential employer. If you use a great resume, it can help you land a great job, so you should consider hiring a resume writer in Washington.Companies in Washington understand how important it is to have good resumes, as well as how important it is to get the resume right. There are many schools in Washington that will teach you how to write a great resume. However, a lot of these courses are online and so the students need to attend classes regularly. A lot of people do not have the time to attend class regularly, so this is one of the many reasons why there are resume writing services available in Washington.To find a service to help you with your resume, you need to look in the local phone book and find a company that provides resume writing services. You will then need to talk to them about what you are looking for and what kind of service they offer. Make sure you talk to people in the company and find out if they have any other recommendations.Try to find a company that does not charge you before you begin looking for a resu me writer. After all, you do not want to hire someone who is charging you money before you have even started looking for a service provider. You should also ask about how long the resume writer has been in business and how many resumes they have written.When you finally find a company you can trust, it is time to hire a resume writer to help you out. Find out how long the resume writer has been in business and make sure you can get quality work from them. If you find a good company, it should be worth your while to work with them over a company that does not offer a resume writing service.You should consider hiring a resume writer in Washington if you are looking for something other than a resume that just looks professional. You need to find a person who is going to help you become hired and look like an expert in your field. Be sure to hire a person that has experience with resumes.

How to Boost Your Resume in 5 Easy Steps

How to Boost Your Resume in 5 Easy Steps In the internet age, resume writing is still playing catch up. What had worked a decade ago is still being applied today. The best part is people expect it to continue working. The way resumes are being processed nowadays are significantly different. 10 years ago there were no LinkedIn, online job portals just started out and we still uses fax machines!  Fast forward to today we are looking at resume parsing, data analytics, personal branding, video resume, gamified recruitment process, you get the picture. So why are you still writing your resume based on decade-old advice?  Apply these 5 tactics to boost your resume instantly and start shining from the crowd: 1) Identify your ‘hook’: I would also call this your associative keywords. These would be the keywords that (when searched) will rank you high on the list. The important bit here is the keywords should be identified from the searcher (the recruiter) point of view â€" the same keywords that recruiters would use when they are mining their database. To begin, look out for keyword that firstly identify the job nature (e.g. Accountant) and also if there might be any interchangeable terms (perhaps Finance?). Now Accountant is a very broad term. You would want to differentiate yourself with a niche. However this niche should also be appear commonly in the job you are looking for. (E.g. Cost Accountant for manufacturing industry) 2) Compare with what you are looking for: This is one of my favourite hacks. Firstly identify 3 to 5 ideal jobs from online portals and copy their entire content. Just go to any word cloud generator website and create the word cloud for each of them.  Now do one more cloud with your existing resume. Compare and contrast. If you are reading this, chances are your own word cloud would deviate significantly from the rest of the word clouds. Here is where you identify 5 â€" 8 common keywords from them and prepare to re-write your resume with them in mind. 3) Make sure your resume is applicant tracking system friendly: Applicant tracking systems are used by organisations to manage the flood of applications they receive. They will read your resume, and then rank and score your applications vs. the job descriptions. Only those applicants who receive high scores will get a call for an interview. Always use a standard Word document, and save in .doc format: File/Save As/Word 97-2003. Many ATS still cannot process .docx, PDF, RTF, and JPG formats. And remember to use simple formatting â€" avoid putting important information into headers, footers, borders, tables, etc. As much as it is a computer system, it is one that prefers simplicity. 4) Improve resume parsing accuracy: Many companies also realize the lengthy online application forms is killing off interest. So to compensate, they look to resume parser to scan your resume and automatically fill in the forms for you. The tech is pretty old but accuracy improvement has only been marginal. Especially when it comes to names as the system were designed for the western markets.  Still there are ways to make sure things don’t get misinterpreted. Importantly, use clear and simple categorisation when it comes to different sections so the parser would know what is what. E.g. Personal Information, Executive Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills. And under Work Experience, always list. Grammar can also easily make the parser confused. E.g. some write it as Microsoft PowerPoint and others Microsoft PPT. To be safe, echo how it is written in the job description.  And parser only read text, not graphics. Any extraneous formatting or graphical elements on the resume only get in the way. 5) Sequence that appeals to recruiters: There was a research by TheLadders that recruiters spend an average of six seconds on your resume before deciding if they should read more or move on. In the short time that they spend on your résumé, recruiters look at your name, current title and company, current position start and end dates, previous title and company, previous position start and end dates, and education. Your resume should be done in the same sequence to make it easier for the recruiters’ tired eyes to read without compromise. Author: Adrian is the co-founder and former Managing Director of RecruitPlus Consulting, an award-winning mid-career professional recruitment agency based in Singapore. A recruiter with more than 10 years of experience owning, managing and growing staffing businesses, he is now running CareerLadder that provides recruitment training and career coaching services.

Contractor Case Files Solving the Two Major Pitfalls of Going Solo

Contractor Case Files Solving the Two Major Pitfalls of Going Solo Being a contractor or freelancer is not all it’s cracked up to be. If you are planning to be one or have been one for a while now, you would know that despite the multitude of benefits of going about business on your own, managing your money and setting up your own benefits is a tedious and important responsibility. Securing a regularly compensated, full-time position is a traditional and safe bet, but if you are more of a risk taker becoming a contractor can be highly profitable. If you are thinking twice of making the big move because you’re scared to lose the safety net of a regular employment, there’s more options out there for you than you think. Thanks to your bigger, more flexible income, you have more to manage taxes, investments and benefits. Pitfall 1: Setting Up Independently Now this can be viewed as both a disadvantage and/or the opposite. While given a much bigger freedom to take care of your finances, a poorly structured financial plan can lead to massive tax cuts if you are unable to maximize company and personal tax breaks. The key to solving this is doing ample research to carefully structure your finances so that you are able to build more tax efficient investments through your surplus income. You’ll find out that there are quite an overwhelming number of options for portals to help you out. There’s insurance companies, banks, and other financial services. To be able to best secure a financial planning partner, ask for freelancer/contractor specific plans. This is no longer hard to find, ask around contractor circles and make an effort to join contractor networks in your industry and location so you can find the best financial advisors for contractor markets. Pitfall 2: Getting Mortgages Contractors usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to securing mortgages. Traditional banks and loaning avenues will either A â€" give you a maximum loan only based on salary alone, or B â€" not trust you with a loan at all. Unfortunately many contractors find trying to secure a decent size mortgage very frustrating. Normal lending policies are in the dark when it comes to freelancers. For example, despite being a growing industry, IT contractor mortgages are hard to find in decent amounts since loaning firms understand the fundamental truth that despite big earnings, there is the reality of the indefinite and short-term nature of contracts. The ones that will overlook this will often be the least competitive in terms of interest rates. No bueno. How to solve this? Clean up your act. If you have good credit rating and have a deposit (most adviseably in the 5%-20% range), you will not need to fear being classified as high risk. It is all about keeping your finances clean, as they will also take into account the fact that you have better chances for paying with savings from your hefty contractor checks. You may not be able to get a loan straight from banks, but there are many industry and contractor specific loaning firms that can not only provide you a better consideration for your circumstances, offering mortgages that take into account dividends with competitive interest rates and protection products that are tailored to your particular circumstances. What needs to be understood mostly is that at the end of the day, responsible financial management is both the challenge and the key to getting money security in the contractual world. Don’t get intimidated by normal lending policies or hear say. Turn to experts before you shy away from getting your money situation under control. Do you have tips for contractors? Reach out to us in the comments below or tweet @mscareergirl!  Image Credit: AnnieAnniePancake on Flickr

Business Resume - Creates a Good One

Business Resume - Creates a Good OneWhen you are looking for a job, one of the things that you should do before you apply for a position is to create a business resume. Not everyone knows what a business resume is, but it is usually a document that is used to provide you with basic information about your job history, education, and any other necessary information.One of the things that you should do first when you are creating a business resume is to make sure that you have all of the relevant information. The best way to do this is to go online and check out the various job postings. You can also get the information from the websites that allow you to fill out an application and submit it for a chance to be considered for the job.Once you have found a number of jobs that you want to apply for, you need to create a separate document for each job. By creating two documents, you can actually have two copies of your resume on file, so that you can easily access them when you need them. If you cannot find information about a specific job, just create a second business resume that has the job title and address included in the header.It is important to understand that your business resume is a second document. It is not the same as your traditional resume. While you may want to include a summary of your education and experience on your traditional resume, a business resume is supposed to include all of the information about your previous employment and history. Because of this, it is important to check that the information that you have on your business resume is accurate.Of course, once you have created your resume and you are ready to apply for a job, it is important to take some time to tailor the information to the company that you are applying for. The information that you provide in your business resume should be able to provide more detailed information about the position than you will provide about the person who applies for the position. It is especially imp ortant to be specific about the job description, and not general in the information that you give.Another thing that you need to consider when creating a business resume is that it should be designed in such a way that it is easy to read and understand. This means that you should avoid abbreviations, and even unnecessary words like 'much'a lot.' When you can shorten the information in your business resume, you can make it easier for potential employers to see the information that they are looking for.You should also be careful to ensure that you include all of the information that you have on hand, even if it is not something that is needed on the job. Sometimes it is possible to leave information off of a business resume that is still relevant for the job. Sometimes, it is better to leave something off of a business resume than to try to use too much information, which may not necessarily help you in the future.Finally, when you are creating a business resume, it is important to us e a variety of formats. Some people may want to put their name and address in the first column, while others may want to put all of their contact information in the second column. This is not a strict rule, but it is one of the things that you should do when you are creating a business resume.

Sadiq Khan announces London Living Rent scheme - Debut

Sadiq Khan announces London Living Rent scheme - Debut This could change everything for  young London renters. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced plans for a London Living Rent project, aimed to help those on low to medium incomes. Under the scheme, new homes built through the project will have rents based on a third (??) of average households in each London borough. In regards to how  a low-to-medium income is defined, homes are likely to be offered to households earning a joint income in between £35,000 and £45,000 (varying from borough to borough.) This news will likely come  as a welcome respite for young  London professionals. Under the scheme, tenants  only pay an average rent of below £1000 pcm for a two-bedroom flat. Currently, the city average according to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme puts average rent at £1800 pcm. Via Labour Party We know that fixing Londons housing crisis wont happen overnight, Khan said. Thats why Im working with housing associations and councils to build new homes for London Living Rent. Whilst the scheme is still in its infancy, newly-elected Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville has already pledged his support. Glanville confirmed his borough will be the first to build 500 homes for the scheme. To think, rent in East London becoming cheaper? We never thought wed see the day. Some are remaining skeptical about the scheme. Tony Devenish, Conservative planning spokesperson, has accused the mayor of attempting to distract Londoners with spin instead of real answers. The only way to slow down the increase in rental prices is to build far more homes, he said. Via ODN Fresh off launching a one-hour hopper bus ticket and setting up the new London Night Tube, it seems like Londons new mayor is set on making an impact, and fast. Skepticism aside, if this means a cheaper, more accessible city to live in, count us in. What do you think about the mayors grand housing plans? Tweet us @DebutCareers with your thoughts. Feature Image ©  @SadiqKhan via Twitter Follow Brenda on Twitter @brendaisarebel Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Why Doesnt My Resume Get Me an Interview - Jane Jackson Career

Why Doesnt My Resume Get Me an Interview - Jane Jackson Career Power Up Your Resume!Youre looking for a new job and you’ve sent your resume in response to numerous advertised roles and nothing!   If that sounds familiar then read on!  Is there really a résumé Black Hole? What happens to your résumé once you click on the ‘Apply’ button?  On average, every new job advertisement elicits 100-300 resumes. Many recruitment agencies and most large organisations use selection software (such as ‘Turbo Recruit’) that automatically screens resumes for key words that are a match to those in the job advertisement.   Smaller organisations have talent acquisition team members to manually screen the resumes.  If the average recruitment consultant or HR consultant takes about 20 seconds to review each resume, that’s 3 resumes per minute (without a break.)   To get through 200 resumes it would take over an hour.  Multiply this by 10 positions, which is the average number of openings managed by a recruiter, and that’s a lot of hours just for the initial screening and culling of resumes!After resumes are screened, then what happens?   The screener is looking for resumes that will fall into the categories of ‘Yes’ or ‘Maybe.’   The ‘Yes’ and ‘Maybe’ resumes will be given a more thorough reading after the initial screening.   The ‘No’ resumes will be out.   Those candidates who are in the ‘No’ pile may, or may not, receive an email letting them know that they have been unsuccessful.   Often it’s an automated response along the lines of ‘We have received many applications from candidates who are a close match to our requirements and unfortunately you were not successful ..’For comprehensive support to help you create a powerful resumé that generates results, check out my How to Write a Resumé Online Course I created just for you:Which resumes end up in the ‘No’ pile?   The resumes that don’t match those key words required for the role, the resumes that have typographical errors, the res umes that are hard to follow, the ones with unexplained gaps in employment, the ones that dont address the selection criteria, the ‘generic’ resumes from candidates who simply send the same resume for every role without tailoring it to suit.What about the resumes that end up in the ‘Yes’ or ‘Maybe’ pile?   Perhaps they are from candidates who were referred by another employee or were recommended by a friend, and those candidates who demonstrated in their resumes the closest match to all the relevant key words in the job advertisement.    After more in depth consideration the ‘Maybe’ resumes that join the ‘Yes’ resumes will generate a screening phone call or email suggesting a time for an interview.Those successful resumes will probably generate an initial phone-screening interview.   The hiring manager will have provided the screener with specific requirements for the role (and we hope that those requirements don’t change during the selection process â€" somet imes changes do happen.   This is most frustrating for the screener, the recruiter and disappointing to the applicant.)If the candidate is granted an interview there are several hoops to jump through.   There will be interviews, feedback, more questions, and more interviews.   These interviews might be one-on-one or panel interviews, there may be psychometric assessments; skills assessments and/or role-play situations and presentations to be made as part of the selection process.     Between each stage there will be a waiting period, often agonizing for the candidate.   If the process continues successfully there will be reference checks, salary negotiations, background checks and finally â€" hopefully â€" an offer.Meanwhile, back to those resumes that didn’t quite make it.     The odds of those candidates getting an email or an actual phone call thanking them for taking the time to apply are not very high.  Some companies will respond to each and every applicant.   Many don’t. What can you do to maximize your chances of getting in to the pile of ‘Yes’ resumes so you continue in the selection process? ·             Make sure you are a fit for all of the ‘must have’ requirements of the role ·             Go through the job description carefully and ensure that the key words in the advertisement are reflected in your career summary in your resume and in the body of your resume (providing you have those skills and aptitudes, of course!) ·             Make sure your resume demonstrates what type of professional you are with how many years of experience in what industries or areas of specialization â€" tailor this information to ensure you are a close match for the role for which you are qualified to apply ·             Ensure that your resume includes Accomplishments that highlight the value add you brought to your current and previous roles ·             Ensure your resume demonstrates that you will provide an effective solution to fill the need of th e hiring manager ·             Make it easy for the screener to see how close a match you are to the requirements of that specific role ·             If you are able to gain an introduction and recommendation prior to applying, through a member of your network, this will help to strengthen your chances of securing an interview ·             Make a call to the consultant handling the recruitment for the position prior to applying.   This will give you the chance to sell yourself on the phone and make yourself known to the screener so they will look out for your resume if they are impressed with your telephone manner. ·             Follow up with the screener to ensure that your resume has been received. ·             If you don’t hear after a week or so, follow up again to find out if you are in consideration.Make sure that you expand your job search so that you have several options on the go at any given time.   This will enable you to move forward, stay focused and remain positiv e whatever the outcome of any individual application.     Id love to hear how your resume works for you and how these tips have helped you strengthen your resume.   Or ask a question about your resume in the comments section below.Visit www.janejacksoncoach.com for more career tips or join The Careers Academy for on-going career management and career transition support.

Your resolution will fail Heres why - Hallie Crawford

Your resolution will fail â€" Here’s why It’s interesting to me how so many people set their New Year’s resolutions but fail within a few weeks (if not a few days). Why is that? I think that the problem is that most resolutions are unrealistic or general (I will lose weight, I will eat healthy, I will spend more time doing ____). What’s your resolution? Do you see this pattern? Here’s some help… Anytime you set goals you need to remember two things: Your level of commitment is crucialIf you are not ready to commit to change, whether it is a career change, losing weight, learning how to ride a horse, etc it won’t happen. You have to be committed to make it happen. Before you set your goal think about how committed you are to it. I have my career coaching clients measure their commitment to career change on a scale of 1-10. If it’s not at a 10, I ask them to think about what would make it a 10. How can they move it up the scale? You can read more about the importance of commitment here. Your goals must be SMART goals Yes most of you have heard about SMART goals by now (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented {realistic/relevant}, Timely). The problem is that most people know what SMART goals are, but not that many are successful at creating SMART goals for themselves. You need to be able to set specific steps for you to be able to reach your big goal.I find that my clients are able to reach their goals when they create weekly and monthly checklists with small action steps. This helps keep their goal top of mind with tiny baby steps to reach it. Here’s an example â€" Many people say they want to lose weight in the New Year. That’s great â€" but how can it be a SMART Goal. My suggestion would be not to focus on the full year. Start smaller. So for example you might want to say that by April 1st you will have lost 10 pounds (specific â€" not just lose weight). It is a measureable, attainable, realistic, timely goal. Your baby steps in your checklist for week 1 might be to have a salad every day. Week 2 might be to add 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. Let us know what your New Year’s Resolution is and how you have set SMART goals for yourself in the comment box below. Happy New Year! Atlanta Career Coach