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Résumé Boot Camp – What to Include in a Summary

By Miranda Wilson on Monday, October 4, 2010

Do you feel like your résumé is missing something? Don’t feel like it has that “Ka-Pow” that it needs to grab an employer’s attention? Well, get ready to whip your résumé into shape with our new Movin’ On Up series, Résumé Boot Camp. Each week for the next month we’re going to focus on a few key ways you can add some pizzazz to your résumé to help it get the attention it deserves!

So, to kick this training off, let’s talk about your résumé summary. If you don’t have one, add one. If you already have one, read back over it and get prepared to kick it up a notch. Here are some more specifics on how to create a standout résumé summary.

Summary
Besides your contact information at the very top of your paper, the summary should be one of the first items that a prospective employer sees on your résumé. Sometimes, people think that a summary is a brief outline of what you’re looking for. Here’s an example: Seeking a position as a marketing assistant at XYZ Company. Although that might be what you’re looking for, a prospective employer already knows that you’re looking for a job because otherwise they wouldn’t be looking at your résumé.

Instead, a summary should highlight your skills as they relate to the job you’re applying for and what you can add to the company. An example of how a summary should look is: Construction supervisor with five years experience managing construction crew of 30 people, oversee production and development; establish safety codes; supervisor of the year; increased production and revenue by 40% during 2009 over 2008.

When creating your résumé summary, here are a few key tips to keep in mind.

Be brief, but specific. Don’t give all your information away in the summary. Let this be an opening to your résumé that encourages an employer to continue reading and learning more about you. Be sure to outline what you can offer the employer.

List relevant skills. In your summary, list your most relevant skills as they relate to the specific job opening. Which of those skills do you excel at the most? Write those down.
Also, describe your accomplishments. What are a few of your greatest accomplishments that would relate to the job? Is there an award you won? It’s OK to brag a little because you want the employer to know why you’re great and why they should hire you!

Use action words. Although sometimes you have to list something in past tense, try to use as many action words as possible to communicate greater intensity. And, using action verbs will more likely to grab the reader’s attention than using past tense verbs.

Format correctly. Keep the summary statement at the top of your résumé and make it short and sweet – about four sentences or less. Again, you want to grab someone’s attention with your summary, but not give away all of your information. Encourage them to keep reading. Also, be careful not to use the words “I”, “me” and “my” in your summary. Employers know you’re talking about yourself, so saying “I” or “me” in a résumé might sound amateur and unprofessional.

So, now it’s time for you to check out your summary statement or start writing it today. This is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and stand out in an employer’s mind. Have questions about writing a summary? Let us know. Also, tune in next week to learn how to write and format your work history on your résumé.

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Have You Googled Your Name Lately?

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Do you ever wonder how much information about you is floating around in cyber space? If you haven’t ever searched your name online, you should try it just for fun. It’s important to be aware of what information others can access about you because when you apply for a job, an employer is likely to go online to research more about you. Gone are the days when an employer would only look at your résumé.

The web has become a medium for personal branding. It helps others connect to information that tells who you are and what you do. It’s important that positive results show up in a search about you. If no search results show up about you, it’s time for you to generate some results yourself. When it comes to online branding, you have to take some matters into your own hands. Here are a few tips to help you create your own positive online brand for yourself.

Choose your name. If you have a common name, it’s important to decide how you want to format it. For instance, Tom Z. White will show up better in a web search than just Tom White, simply because adding an initial or your middle name will differentiate you. As you begin to brand yourself, see how your name stacks up by trying an online identity calculator. Also, when you decide on what name you are going to use, be sure to stay consistent and use it with all your online branding and even on hard copies of items like your résumé, cover letter, and business cards. The name an employer sees on your résumé is the name they will search online. So it’s important that your information is consistent and matches up.

Create professional social media profiles for yourself. For example, LinkedIn is one of the popular social media sites for listing information about your work experiences, interests, and education. You can upload your résumé, include details about your work history, and showcase recommendations others have made about you. It also allows you to make networking connections with others. Just be sure you’re aware of what your personal social media sites reveal about you because they may show up in a web search about you, too. A few other great sites like Brazen Careerist, Plaxo, and Friendfeed can also help you build your network and visibility.

Create a professional blog. A professional interest blog allows you to write about and share information on topics that interest you and pertain to your career. To maximize your results with this tool, be sure to focus on professional subjects and always include your name on it, so when you post information search engines like Google can recognize that it was created by you. As you post more content, the ranking of your blog will rank higher in search results. Find out more about creating a blog.

Write for other blogs. With an abundance of blogs available to choose from today, many blogs and news sites are looking for additional content writers. If you don’t want to create your own blog, you can still write for someone else and include your name in it. This is also a great way to help your name get recognized in search results. So, start finding blogs that interest you and begin building relationships with those blog writers.

Comment on blogs. Using your full name when you leave comments on others’ blogs will also allow you to show up in search results. You can leave thoughtful, professional comments on subject-matter blogs in your field of interest. This is a simple way to build your online presence, especially if you use a unique name when you post comments.

Create an online résumé. This is like your traditional résumé, except it’s kicked up a notch. An online version allows you to incorporate multimedia elements such as podcasts, videos, photos, and social media sites. It can also let you showcase a portfolio of your best work. Having an online résumé shows an employer that you go above and beyond. And because it’s housed online, you never know who could find it and offer you the next big job. Get more information on creating an online résumé.

These are some basic tips to help you create an online identity for yourself and get noticed more in search results. As businesses continue to evolve and our society becomes more technologically savvy, having a résumé isn’t always enough. You have to evolve with the times too, and following these tips can help you do just that.

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Five Common Words You Don’t Want On Your Résumé

By Job Journey on Wednesday, May 19, 2010

In this recovering economy, the job competition can be cutthroat, and job seekers are suiting up and bringing their A game to the fight. Employers are getting hundreds and hundreds of applications and résumés for every job posting. And, since most employers spend an average of only 20 to 30 seconds reviewing each résumé, it’s important to make sure yours doesn’t fall through the ropes.

A résumé that is concise, scanable, and still packed full of the right information is a great start to get you noticed as a top-notch contender. And, including power words can add a strong punch. But, adding the wrong words can be a knockout that leaves your résumé down for the count. So, make sure your résumé doesn’t have these commonly used words before you enter the job search ring.

Responsible. A job is defined as a duty, a function, or something that has to be done. Every job is a responsibility. So it’s understood if you’ve had previous job experience that you were responsible for something. Your résumé is about listing your accomplishments, not your responsibilities. So, instead of using a vague and common term to describe your work history, give specific and quantifiable facts and figures to impress your perspective employer. For example, instead of saying “responsible for office sales,” provide information like “sold X number of units and increased company sales by 46% in 2009.”

My. Or me, or I. These are first person pronouns and should not be used on your résumé. Since it’s understood that it’s “your” résumé, words like “I” are unnecessary and redundant. And, they can make your résumé appear unpolished, unprofessional, and even too “you” centered. So, make sure your résumé isn’t sucker punched by first person pronouns. Instead, begin sentences with action verbs like reduced, developed, programmed, etc.

Successful. If you weren’t successful at something, you certainly wouldn’t have it on your résumé. Perspective employers want to know how you can impact their bottom line and grow their business, so show them you’re a champion who can provide results by giving detailed and precise examples on your résumé. Don’t waste space saying you were successful. Give specific instances that prove you were.

Dependable. Like the word successful, using broad, overused terms, including dependable or reliable, won’t distinguish you from other job seekers. To set yourself apart, offer tangible examples of your work experience. Use numbers and data. And focus on results. Demonstrate your dependability by conveying how previous employers relied on you by sharing your achievements and growth.

Team player. Hiring a team player is important to every employer. But, the term is liberally used on most résumés and has essentially become a waste of space. Demonstrate your ability to work with others by describing the teams you worked with and what you achieved together. For example, instead of simply saying you’re a “team player who works well with others” explain how by using examples like “worked with IT, HR, and marketing departments to develop companywide leadership training initiative for 3,000 employees.”

With a limited amount of space on your résumé – only a page or two – to present your abilities and work history, it’s easy to get stuck on broad, commonly used words to convey your skills. But you can add the clout and punch your résumé needs by concentrating on communicating how you were responsible, why you were successful, and when you were a team player. Quantify and explain your qualities. By focusing on your accomplishments and avoiding overused terms, your competition won’t stand a fighting chance.

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My Entry-Level Life

By Miranda Wilson on Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring is in the air. It’s the time of year when college students begin anticipating summer vacation or start preparing for life after college. Maybe you or someone you know is looking for that first job or maybe hoping to land an internship or part-time job. Regardless of what you’re looking for, we’ve got some information you’re going to want to read.

Starting next Monday, March 29, and going through the beginning of August, we’re featuring a new blog series called My Entry-Level Life. As part of this series, each week we will post different topics about finding and transitioning into entry-level job positions.

Through this series, we’ll share tips on topics like hunting for an internship or first job, what to do the first day at work, work-life balance, phone etiquette, interacting with upper management, and much, much more. Whether you’re just starting out or starting over, this series will tell you what you need to know.

Next Monday, the focus will be on beginning the job hunt. We’ll discuss the benefits of getting a full-time job versus the benefits of an internship. How do you start looking for a job or internship? Tune in next Monday to find out!

Job Interviews Resumes and Cover Letters The Job Search

The Unexpected Detail that can Kill a Job Opportunity in One Second or Less

By Brie Hobbs on Tuesday, January 12, 2010

You’ve crossed the “t’s,” dotted the “i’s,” precisely followed all the do’s and don’ts, and your professional résumé is now a testament to your abilities, strengths, and experience. You’re certain your résumé is the shining example that all other résumés should imitate. Still dizzy with the pride of your feat and the vision of job offers sure to come, you quickly complete an online job application and submit your piéce de résistance.

Moments later, in an e-mail inbox far, far away, a hiring manager deletes your submitted résumé before the Outlook e-mail alert fades from their computer screen. With one glance, they’ve eliminated your carefully prepared résumé and the possibility of your employment. So, what went wrong?

While it takes them only 20 seconds to review a résumé, an inappropriate e-mail address that does not reflect professionalism can end a job opportunity in a split second. A clever, witty, funny, silly, or even flirty e-mail address on a job application or résumé submitted online or in person is often perceived as unprofessional. But in a digital age, your résumé is a potential employer’s first impression. And, first impressions are notoriously difficult to change. Hiring managers spend an average of only 20 seconds reviewing a résumé before they choose to discard it or keep it for further review. Your e-mail address is a reflection of you. Your résumé may never make it out of the inbox if it looks like spam. So, it’s important to have a professional e-mail address when applying for a job. If possible, choose an e-mail address that contains your name, like john.smith@emailaddress.com.

Maybe you’ve had your clever e-mail address since the days when AOL still announced “You’ve Got Mail.” Maybe it took days upon days to come up with that address and you’re loathe to part with it. If that’s the case, keep your clever e-mail for personal communication and open a professional one for your job search. You can even have your e-mails forwarded to your preferred address. Is it worth risking a job opportunity for the sake of a clever e-mail address?

No detail is too small to overlook on your résumé. So, make sure your e-mail address is appropriate and professional when applying for a job.

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Give Back and Add Holiday Cheer to Your Résumé

By Brie Hobbs on Monday, December 14, 2009

If you’re looking for a job this holiday season, now is the perfect time to spruce up your résumé with community involvement. A résumé that illustrates activity and involvement outside work demonstrates a well-rounded individual with a diverse range of skills, talents, and background. All of these characteristics could help you stand out like a brightly lit Christmas tree in your next interview.

Community involvement not only establishes your character, work ethic, and abilities, it also shows a potential employer you’re worth investing in, that you have history, interest, attachment, loyalty, and care within and for your community. Traits that also translate to a good employee. As an added bonus, volunteering for a local charity or at an event is a great way to network and give back. And what better time to start giving back and brightening your résumé than in the season of giving?

Not sure where to start? Begin with your passions and interests. If you are a runner, consider organizing or volunteering for a local Santa run. If you like working with children, get involved with your local children’s hospital or an organization like Toys for Tots. An energetic and outgoing individual who isn’t afraid to bust out an a cappella carol is everyone’s favorite Salvation Army bell ringer.

The sky’s the limit, so start with something you enjoy and care about. It’s a great way to make someone’s day brighter, and make your résumé shine like tinsel.