In 2008 and 2009 during the massive layoffs in the automotive industry (remember, I’m in Michigan), it seemed like every other call I received was a Chrysler engineer. During that time I worked with dozens of engineers, and it always amazed me that not one Chrysler engineer that called had the same job or same credentials.

The engineers that called were from different divisions, departments, lines, and processes. These job seekers worked in manufacturing, product design, project management, quality control and many other areas within the company. Every person that I spoke with had a different story to tell and something unique unto them to offer.

The challenge in working with each engineer was to discover what their unique strengths were and to illuminate the value those strengths provided. Were they innovative, a visionary, a leader, detail oriented, or a great communicator? My job was to help identify the true strengths and skills they had to offer and enjoyed. Doing this made each engineer unique and valuable.

The same holds true with all job seekers. You each have skills, strengths, and experiences that make you unique. Making employers aware of these skills by showcasing them in a focused resume and then networking to share your uniqueness is how you will find the right job for you. Make a list of what is unique about you, what makes you special and make sure it is incorporated in your resume and job search. You don’t have to be the best, you just need to know what you are the best at in order make you shine and irresistible. So get clear on what your special strengths are and make them known to the world!

Shine On Job Seekers!

As I talk with many candidates, the biggest frustration I hear is that there is no response to resumes they send out. Although many have worked hard to develop a large contact list, targeted specific companies of interest and have a specific system or plan in place to send out resumes, I find most do not follow up on sent resumes.

When I ask the question, “Have you followed up with them?” I usually get the deer in the head light stare, as if the thought is a new concept.

Don’t expect the contacts, networking acquaintances, recruiters, HR department or hiring managers to contact you. It probably won’t happen. I spoke with someone last week that had applied for a particular position and was complaining she had once again, gotten no response,  so I suggested she give them a call. Later that day I received a call from the woman saying she did contact the company and found out that for the two positions available they had receive over 400 resumes. The company also said it would be several weeks before they began interviews.

Knowing what to expect and when decisions will be made helps job seekers with the frustration of the unknown. With only 2-3% of resumes being followed-up on, this job seeker would have missed an opportunity to stand out from the hundreds of candidates that blended in with the crowd and didn’t following up. In our conversation the woman admitted she usually didn’t follow up because she felt uncomfortable contacting the companies and so we discussed how to follow up and make an impact.

The easiest and fastest route is to call to the contact you sent the resume to. Usually a response time of five to six business days is acceptable if there isn’t a specific date deadline already given in the job description. If calling is not an option I would send an email note with your resume attached. Whether on the phone or sending an email try and include a few questions and express your genuine interest in the position such as:

• Conveying your interest in the position and company with a short reason on why you want to work for them, be authentic and real when speaking with them.
• Finding out what the next step is, when interviews will be taking place and when you should contact them again.
• Asking how many applicants have applied so far so you have an idea of the odds.
• Giving your name at least one time in the conversation to help them remember your name or at least make it familiar to them.
• Determining if there is anything additional they are looking for in the candidate. If they are responsive you may have a few minutes to sell yourself to them based on what the company is looking for – make sure to do your homework before calling.
• Thanking them again for their time.

The conversation should last no more than five or ten minutes, so you don’t take up their valuable time. It may feel awkward at first, but like anything it will get easier with practice. With people being so busy and the employment arena being so competitive, following up on sent resumes is a must.

Shine on jobseekers!

I recently participated in an energetic and informative discussion with several colleagues from the Resume Chicks during an interview on Blogtalk Radio’s Career Success Radio program (@CareerRadio) with Australian career experts Keith Keller and Annemarie Cross. It was a fast hour that centered on two main areas of Career Management.

The first point addressed in roundtable discussion was on recommended strategies to strengthen resumes. Consensus among the group was that the resume should be extremely focused on the career objective at hand. It can not be merely a laundry list of all of your past work history but rather strategically selected keywords, achievements and successes that bring home your value proposition.

Including achievements and accomplishments that are fact-based and as quantifiable as possible will draw attention to a resume and was the second critical-must for successful resume development. For those careers that don’t use revenue or cost metrics, data such as customer satisfaction rates, time management improvements and recognition or awards works well to demonstrate significant contribution.

Using a format that is attention-grabbing, easy to read, and professional rounded out the top three resume improvement strategies. Since most resumes are looked at for only 20-30 seconds, the resume must immediately jump out and be noticed if it is to do its job properly. Developing a format that showcases the candidate’s values, and highlights the keywords and requirements the reader is looking for will generate interest and get the candidate noticed.

We also addressed social media and it’s relevance on a job search. Again the consensus was that networking communities such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and others are growing in effectiveness in an aggressive job search. Profiles or bio’s on sites such as LinkedIn allow for a deeper exposure and is often the first look recruiters take at potential candidates for a position they are looking to fill.

Currently more than 80% of recruiters use LinkedIn for research and as a database. For job seekers to utilize their LinkedIn profile it must include a strong achievement-based look at their work history and a summary that reaches out to readers with keywords to offer unique value. Often overlooked in the creation of a strong profile is the providing of a professional photograph, recommendations for current and past positions held, and taking advantage of the many applications now available on LinkedIn. Effective apps include linking your blog, twitter feed, slideshare or podcasts to your profile for maximum exposure.

Candidates’ online profiles and their resume and other marketing tools should compliment each other and should be congruent but not identical in their content. On the Career Success Radio program it was agreed that using both in conjunction with an aggressive job search is the most effective way for a candidate to land the right job. Tune in for the full interview at Career Success Radio

Shine On Job Seekers!

Math was never my best subject but I did enjoy parts of it. I remember always enjoying the process of factoring whole numbers down to prime factors in order to find common denominators for fraction problems (weird I know, but true). I am often reminded of the factoring process when working with professionals in the throngs of a career change. As we sort through their transition, we work to uncover common denominators that highlight their new career criteria.

Guidelines for developing the common denominators are the new job descriptions and announcements for the type of position the professional is looking to transition into. We look for skills, achievements and experiences to demonstrate these smaller fractions in a way that will peak interest in the hiring manager. Our goal is to combine the fractions to create a whole number or in a job search would equal a dynamite resume and career search strategy.

A resume developed to lead a career-change job search must bring all of the fraction fragments together seamlessly in the form of a targeted, concise resume.

Any professional contemplating a career change can determine whether they have the actual requirements for the position the same way. Using job descriptions for the type of position you are interested in, review each past position in your career history and extract all nuggets that fit your current focus.

So, identify your focus, use job descriptions to determine what to leave in and highlight and what to leave out. Build and polish your resume so that it can brilliantly stand alone as a whole number and get you the interviews you deserve.

Shine on Job Seekers!

A resume that only provides a summary of your career history and is not strategically developed to capture attention and highlight your value, will never get a second glance in today’s highly competitive job market. Effective resumes should read like a marketing document with the words jumping off the page.

Keywords are attention grabbers, easy to locate and read, and help to provide information on the skills, experience and value you offer. Whether in a column, table, separated with commas or sprinkled throughout the resume, keywords are most effective when they are specific to a position, field and industry.

If you are unsure of what words best fit the position you are seeking, look through several job descriptions that fit your targeted position to see which keywords are used most often and which skills and requirements are being asked for. Identify these keywords and incorporate them into your resume.

The use of keywords in your resume and other marketing tools is important because they help the resume fit accurately into a particular job, industry or company. Keywords are also vital when applying for a position online. If you have ever used your resume to apply to an online application form, it was most likely scanned and placed in a database by the company or recruiting firm. Tracking system software varies but in many systems data is collected and used to weed-out ill fitting applicants. The closer your resume matches the keywords, phrases and need of the position, the more likely your application will get noticed.

The key to using keywords correctly is to embed them throughout the resume so that they are picked up by tracking systems but also make you very appealing to hiring manager, recruiters and the decision makers that will also read your resume at some point during your interaction with a potential employer. Used correctly keywords will be key to bringing you attention and interview offers.

Shine on Job Seekers!

Your resume is a marketing tool and is most effective when it is custom designed to attract a specific target audience and make you shine! Looking at what is important to potential employers will help determine what to showcase and what to weed out in your marketing tool; creating an irresistible resume.

It is like a puzzle, you have to know what the picture is before you can begin building the frame and filling in the missing pieces. The picture for you is your focus, your current career target.

A good first step to identifying your unique puzzle picture is to evaluate your personal, professional and financial likes and dislikes and strengths and weaknesses. Discovering what you are best at, what is most important to you and what you most enjoy doing, helps to determine the type of position you will consider a target position. Review job descriptions that interest you to help better understand the skills, experience and achievements required to develop a solid frame for your resume puzzle.

Once you are clear on your current career goals you can begin the process of finding out which companies and positions will offer what you are looking for. Researching the companies you are interested in can provide a better understanding of the added value you can offer to help you stand out, get noticed and get interviewed. Not sure where to look?

Start with the company website, industry blogs and websites, Google the industry and company, check out the competition, and use social networking groups to learn about the company culture, the management style and decision makers.

While filling in your resume make sure to match your experience with the skills and requirements of the positions you are seeking. Make their focus your focus by building a custom resume that will have everything your targeted employers are looking for – making you and your resume irresistible!

Shine On Irresistible Job Seekers!!

5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Meandering Work History

Each individual is different of course, but those with a history of job hopping might find resistance by hiring managers looking for candidates that will remain loyal to their company as the economy works to recover.

I recently encountered such a client who was concerned with his resume and interview options because of the wide range of jobs he has had over the past 15 years.  We discussed strategies and decided that it would be best if we identified the skills and requirements of his current job search and focused the resume on those criteria.

Passionate about the career and direction he has chosen, he wanted to do what ever he could to make sure this issue was addressed in the best way possible.

Five quick tips I offered include:

1. Determine the crucial transferable skills, experience, and requirements of the current career focus. Investigate what education, certification, skills, experience and other requirements are expected when pursuing the chosen position. Research targeted companies to uncover the culture, values and expectations of the company for further use in your resume. Check out the job descriptions on a few job boards to get the full understanding of what will be expected in that role.
2. Build your resume with the new career focus in mind. Determine which transferable skills and experiences to mine from each past position. Showcase these skills in the resume by knowing what the reader is looking for and boldly providing examples of the sought skills.
3. Show commonalities between jobs to increase the look of a strategically planned background. If you are seeking a position in an industry you have worked in before, make sure to show the total number of years in the industry to give your experience more credibility. Also, highlight the repeat use of transferable skills in your past positions such as customer service, IT, leadership, training, or management.
4. Prepare a few answers ahead of time for interview questions pertaining to your work history. First and foremost, always be honest. Be sure to communicate to the interviewer that the strength of the skills and achievements you developed has led you to your ability to succeed at the targeted position. Convey your passion, interest and excitement for a chance to work with their company or in the particular position.
5. Use those past positions to regain contacts, make new connections and build your network. A varied history can actually have an advantage over someone who has been in the same industry for 20+ years with like minded professionals. Use the diversity of your background to expand your networks and opportunities into areas that might have normally seemed too remote.

For my client and other job hoppers to succeed, use your vast experience to address the needs and expectations of the targeted position or company by building your resume to showcase your value toward those needs. What can you offer that will help them or fill a need? Promote that value and you will get noticed regardless of your job hopping past.

It sounds almost too simple to be true, but not knowing the content of your resume, and getting caught up by it during an interview are fairly common occurrences. Whether you have written your resume yourself or had it written by a professional resume writer, you must be well aware of what is on your resume. If you’ve made it past the initial gatekeepers and have received an invitation for an interview, take some time to review your resume and know it well.

Most often the responsibility of interviewing and offering positions to candidates falls on the manager of the department, area, or office, depending on the size of the organization. Just because they are the decision makers it doesn’t make them proficient or even comfortable during the interview process. It is your job as the candidate to help the hiring manager feel comfortable with you so the skills on your resume and your natural fit with the interviewer will illustrate your potential value to the company.

You must be able to identify areas of your resume if a sentence or two is read to you for you to elaborate on.

When conducting these interviews, your resume will often be the outline at which questions are asked about your skills and achievements.  If you stumble or look blinded by the question, it may send a red flag about your ability to do those skills.

Make sure to read every word – several times, so you are completely familiar with the words used. This is particularly important if you wrote or had your resume written a few months ago. Also refresh yourself on your LinkedIn profile and the content of your VisualCV web page. The more you know about yourself and how you describe your value, expertise and achievements the more you’ll be see as the right fit for the job.

In case you haven’t heard, September is National Update Your Resume Month and I wanted to give a quick reminder to anyone who still hasn’t updated their resume. Competition is tougher than ever because unemployment rates remains very high.

Recruiters and hiring managers are getting bogged down with the number of incoming resumes they are receiving. In order for you to stand out, you need to have an updated resume that is rich in relevant keywords and provides the reader with a really focused picture of your skills, achievements and the value you offer their company.

If you are not sure if you are in need of a resume, see if you fit any of the categories below.

If the resume you’re using was typed on an electric typewriter … you might be in need of a resume update.

If you’re still using your college graduation resume 13 years and 3 jobs later … you might be in need of a resume update.

If you have an Objective Statement or “References Upon Request” on your resume … you might be in need of a resume update.

If you’re tired of getting no response from your current resume … you might be in need of a resume update.

And finally

If the list of bullets on your resume reads more like a to-do list than marketable achievements and past experience … you might be in need of a resume update.

Saturday Evening RePost

Written by Kris Plantrich for and Reposted from Fox2 Detroit.

After recently reviewing the resume of a potential client I noticed again, common mistakes that lead to an ineffective resume. In order for your resume to do its’ job – which is to obtain interviews for you – your resume must be attention-grabbing and powerful. What makes a resume really jump out at the reader…is focus.

Each resume you send out should be targeted to match the type of position you are looking for or even the actual company that you are intending to send it to. It may seem unrealistic or impossible to target your resume for each position but it is a sure way to get noticed in today’s struggling economy.

5 Tips to Keep Your Resume Focused include:

Use actual jobs to focus your resume – Job descriptions are an invaluable source of information when developing your resume. Find several job descriptions that fit your goals and qualifications to keep you on track when developing the different parts of your resume. If unsure of what to add or leave off refer back to your job descriptions for guidance.

Include training and associations that are relevant – Some careers have taken job seekers through many different types of training. If you have an extensive list, keep it relevant by using training and associations that are relevant to the current position you have set your sights on.

Focus your experience and achievements on your new job target – I spoke with a recruiter earlier today that informed me he is receiving over 400 unsolicited resumes a week. There is no way he can review this many resumes. The ones that will catch his eye are ones that highlight experiences sought for a specific job and don’t just ramble on about every job responsibility or task ever experienced

The same is true for the achievements you choose to use in your resume. The achievements used need to be specific, offer qualitative information, and demonstrate your usefulness or potential value to a company. Dig deep in your research and find out which of your achievements will be most valuable to your target company.

Point readers of your resume in the right direction with a focused header – With the above example of the recruiter receiving 400 resumes weekly, it is very difficult for him to separate the resume out. An easy way to give immediate definition and recognition to your focus is by using a header such as, Quality Engineer, Director of Operations, or Senior Marketing Manager. The reader will need to look no further than the title to know that you are seeking a particular position.

Develop a laser-focused Qualifications Summary. This is the most important part of your resume. It is the first and often only section read by recruiters and hiring managers. If your Summary area doesn’t catch the reader’s attention, nothing will.

Again, refer back to the description of the job you are targeting and make sure to include the skills, experience and expertise being asked for. Use examples of your experience to showcase the requirements the company is looking for.

When deciding on the focus for your resume make sure to point each paragraph, sentence and even word toward your target.  Having a focal point makes it easy to see what should stay and what should be removed as you develop your resume. The more targeted the resume – the more powerful and effective. So stay focused and get noticed!