WHY ISN’T MY RESUME WORKING?

We all wrote our own resumes when we were coming out of college, right? It’s part of the Career Planning and Placement process. You pick up some tips from the Placement Office, maybe a template and a few examples. If you’re interviewing with companies recruiting on campus, there may be a format you’re required to follow, so that everyone’s presented to the recruiters on a level playing field.

Now it’s 10 years later, you’ve got a few years of experience under your belt, maybe you’ve been with a couple of different companies and have shown some good career progression. You’re ready to move to the next level in your career – ready to transition to a leadership, executive or management role – and suddenly that old resume format isn’t working so well. You’re not getting the response you want. Why? And what’s the right strategy?

The reality is – it’s NOT all about the resume any more. Once you begin to target executive-level roles, you need a comprehensive search strategy and a tactical execution plan that encompasses all facets of the job search. The resume is still a critical piece of the puzzle, but the game has changed dramatically in the last few years.  

You have to know how to position yourself for where you want to go – not where you’ve been. Your resume has got to articulate the significance and impact of your work and the value you’ve brought to organizations. 

You’ve got to include examples of critical initiatives, cross-functional leadership, influencing perspectives, and what those things meant to the top and bottom line at your company. Take a look at your recent performance evaluations – many times they provide perspective on initiatives that were important to your management team.

Your LinkedIn profile has become another HUGE part of the search process. You need a great profile with a professional-looking picture – you don’t need a formal portrait, but you should look friendly and approachable - and no dogs, no booze and no vacation pictures. 

The percentage of recruiters and companies using LinkedIn to source candidates has skyrocketed in the last couple of years – more than 90% and growing every day. You have some great opportunities in LinkedIn to keyword load and create a profile that will help potential employers and top recruiters find you.

You need a strategy to get your resume to the right people at the right companies. How do you ensure your resume gets into the hands of the decision-makers at the companies you’ve targeted? Applicant Tracking Systems have changed the game – once you’ve uploaded your resume, it can sit in a database and never see the light of day.  So once you’ve uploaded your resume to a company’s website for the role you’ve selected, what do you do? If you’re waiting to hear from someone at the company, you could have a very long wait. Proactively use LinkedIn’s search function to find people at the company with whom you have things in common – LinkedIn groups, past employers, alumni connections – introduce yourself to them, connect with them and begin building and leveraging your network. Don’t be a stalker – but people are usually very willing to help someone if they can.

Competing in today’s job market is tougher than ever before in history. We often tell clients that we probably “could” roof our own house if we had to, but hiring a trained, experienced professional makes much more sense. Creating a comprehensive search strategy that encompasses preparation, developing the resume, effective use of LinkedIn, targeted resources, and a strong, focused plan will help you compete, move up – and win the job search race. Don’t get left in the dust!

MANAGING CAREER & SEARCH STRATEGIES FOR 2013

Searching for a job in today’s market is more competitive than ever before.  So what can you do to stand out in today’s very tough job market? How do you differentiate yourself from a crowded field of qualified candidates? What are the things that constitute a great search strategy ?  How do you stay ahead of the game and manage your career?  Here are the Top 10 steps to managing a career, making the right career move and conducting a passive or aggressive search.

1) Have a stand out resume. Update it annually, whether you think you need it or not. Evaluate market conditions, because they play into resume content and how to position yourself  to be a stand out, competitive candidate. 

2) Develop a comprehensive LinkedIn profile.

3) Join 20-40 LinkedIn groups that are at the appropriate level for your next career move. It varies if your goal is entry level, CEO, Consultant, Startup, Turnaround, or International.  A very targeted search and career move can be developed if you are focused appropriately.

4) It’s critical to know how to use LinkedIn most effectively.  For example, one of the most underutilized features is LinkedIn’s “Company Search" feature on LinkedIn. It should be used as a way to get your foot in the door, build your network for down the road and reach out to folks a step or two above your desired organizational level.

5) Create a target list of companies that focuses on a variety of types and sizes of companies. The big players are obvious, but small and medium companies offer a lot of career growth opportunities. A Fortune 500 might be a great fit, but a smaller company could give you  the chance to expand your skill set, wear a couple of hats, or prepare you for a career inside a big company.

6) Create a target list of contacts that includes managers, employees, recruiters and executives.  Remember, recruiters do not work for you. Their clients are the companies that retain them. Be certain your background fits the profile of the candidate the recruiter is placing.

7) Expand your LinkedIn network. Add 25-50 new people to your network per month. Use the LinkedIn company search function to connect with the decision makers in your target company list. A minimum of 88% of employers are using LinkedIn exclusively to find candidates (even at the executive level).

8) Attend networking events, conferences and trade shows - 2 per quarter at a minimum.

9) Stay in touch with contacts at least 4 times a year.

10) Stay connected to retained search firms. If unemployed, reach out weekly via email and phone.

These are all things that should be done regardless of employment status. The bottom line is, do not wait until you have concerns to have a plan in place. Always be a step ahead of the game.  If you become unemployed it could be a very costly mistake.

Many of the 2013 projections are looking much more positive than in the last 18-24 months. There will be some industries and geographic areas that are better than others, and now is a great time to commit to your career and career planning. Things don’t often happen randomly. Granted, some folks get lucky in their searches. But maybe that job you took was just a job and not the best opportunity that was out there. How will you know you've made the best career move if you have not really created a search strategy

Imagine the possibilities if you have a strategy and a comprehensive approach to your job search. Follow these 5 steps to a successful search and stay ahead of the game.

1.) Create a high-impact, competitive resume.

2.) Match LinkedIn profile and summary with resume content.

3.) Join LinkedIn Groups. Max out your 50 free groups.

4.) Use LinkedIn company search function as a way to connect directly with decision makers in the companies of interest.

5.) Reach out to recruiters that are a match for your background.

Remember, until steps 1-3 are complete you should not engage in a search. This is the most competitive job market in decades. Have a winning and competitive strategy and make 2013 your best year yet!

Sue Sarkesian/Elaine Basham

Co-Founders, The Resume Group

Waiting To Inhale...Your Resume!

That's what an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) does. It "inhales" your resume, sorts your personal and professional information, and looks for specific keywords that match job descriptions. In this very tough job market, hiring managers and recruiters are inundated with hundreds of resumes for every opening, and they just don't have the resources to read each one and select the most qualified candidates. So, the ATS does it for them. The problem is, the ATS is NOT looking for ways to include you – it's looking for ways to filter you out of the candidate pool. So how do you conquer the ATS challenge to get your resume actually seen – and read?

The obvious answer is to stuff your resume chock-full of as many keywords and as much industry jargon as you possibly can, right? Maybe even stick a giant keyword paragraph on at the end. Good ideas, right? Wrong. Most ATS's will reject resumes that don't have enough keywords, but some ALSO discard resumes that have too may keywords. It's important to have the right balance of the right keywords in your resume.

So what's the answer? First, read job descriptions. Read some more, and then read a few more. Read as many job descriptions as you can for the type of position you want, pick out the right keywords - the ones that match your background, experience and expertise, and write your resume so that your qualifications and experience meet the requirements of the job description. Of course, it also has to be true and accurate. Many ATS's now automatically check details like degrees and even employment dates, so don't lie. Give yourself the best chance of getting your resume seen by making sure your is keyword rich, with the right balance of keywords to make the ATS cut!

IS YOUR RESUME COMPETITIVE? THEN YOU LOSE!

With record numbers of jobseekers actively seeking new employment, you have to work harder – and smarter - than ever before to get your resume seen, and to get in the door for an interview. Having a resume that makes you a competitive player in today's job market is no longer enough to ensure a response to your resume.

Employers in this market have just one question: Why should I hire YOU? In this economy, employers have unprecedented numbers of candidates to choose from for every single job opening. If your resume is just competitive, you don't make the cut. It takes more than a competitor to win in this market – employers have to see you as a superstar.

So how do you take your resume to the next level? How do you convince a potential employer you are the "must-have" candidate? Here are some tips to get you started:

1) Know what's happening in NOW your industry. Conduct some research through professional associations, colleagues, competitors, and news bureaus to make sure you're up to speed on hot topics in your field. Make sure you know what the latest terminology is, and use those keywords in your resume.

2) Recognize what the future holds. Look for emerging technologies, untapped markets, the latest product advancements, and new product developments. Show a potential employer you know what's coming down the road – immediately and long-term - and that you know how to uncover and capitalize on those opportunities.

3) Distinguish yourself. What do you do better than anyone else in your field? What are the strengths, expertise, and competencies that make you distinctive? What would former bosses, customers, and team members tell a potential employer about your work?

4) Quantify your achievements. Think about each job you've held, and ask yourself how your employer benefited because you were there. What did you do – specifically – to increase revenue, reduce costs, improve service, streamline processes, gain market share, develop new products, etc. How much did you generate in revenue? How much time and money did your idea for a process improvement save? Did you help turn around an unhappy customer? How much did that client mean to the company in annual sales? Make your story compelling and powerful with precise details and numbers.

5) Position yourself for your NEXT Role. Don't dwell on where you've been. Position your resume for the role you want next. If you're a Sales Rep who wants to be a Sales Manager, try to bring out instances where you've had opportunities to train new hires, lead projects or teams, or present your successes at local or national meetings. Try to find examples of leadership roles, and bring out that experience in your resume. Let a potential employer know you want to excel, advance, and grow in your career.

Today's job market makes it more critical than ever to have a commanding resume – a resume that gives you a greater competitive edge and more than a fighting chance. If you need help putting together a "knock-'em-dead" document, hire a professional resume writer to help you project the right professional image.

Take Your Resume From Drab to Fab - Critical Steps to Make Your Resume Resonate

Your resume is probably pretty good. You've doubtless done a fair job of outlining your skills, your experience, and your contributions. You've labored over getting all the right key words in there; you've proofread your resume over and over again to make certain there are no typos, no grammatical errors, and no red flags that would cause a potential employer to eliminate you from the running. You've toiled long and hard to carefully craft your resume for one purpose and one purpose only - to get the job you want, right? Wrong. A pretty good resume is going to get you nowhere, especially in this job market. Your resume has to blow them away.

Your resume is a marketing piece. You're writing ad copy. You're making the most important sales pitch of your life, and you have to sell the product (you) better than anyone else. You have to be the product everyone wants to buy and you have to create excitement around your personal brand. I'm sure you've heard this all before. The question is, how do you present your story in an authentic, credible way and at the same time convince a potential employer to "buy" your product? How do you differentiate yourself in the market and make your resume the one that gets to the top of the stack? How do you influence the hiring manager's buying decision?

Here are a few things to think about for your sales pitch:

1) Its Not All About You. Zero in on what the potential employer wants to buy, and position yourself to be the product that employer must have. Read a few dozen job descriptions for your dream job. Target the qualifications, key phrases, and requirements, yes - but go further. Focus on the "sizzle" the employer may have put in the job description. Look for the kinds of personality traits and individual qualities they may be looking for in the person they want to fill that role within their organization.

2) Differentiate Yourself. Think about the professional competencies and skills you bring to the table, of course. But what exceptional talents, knowledge, and aptitudes make you stand out from your peers? What have managers said about you in performance evaluations? What have former employers seen in you that made you remarkable to them? What personality traits do you possess that have helped you succeed throughout your career?

3) Back Up Your Claims. Potential employers want to know that you understand the tangible value you've brought to organizations - and they want to know what you can do for them. Why should they "buy" you? Can you make them money? Can you save them money? Can you improve processes? Increase market share? Boost productivity? Find new markets? Bring fresh ideas to product development? Prove it! Don't say you increased revenue - knock them out with how much you improved sales. Don't say you reduced costs - wow them with the numbers.

4) The X-Factor. Don't forget to add awards and professional affiliations, but also mention any civic or community activities. Potential employers like to know the product they're buying will go a little further and do a little more than expected. They want to know the person they're hiring understands the value of giving back.

Employers are on a quest for the best - in this economy, they can't afford to make hiring mistakes. The competition for every job is unbelievably fierce. Don't let a pretty good resume blow your chances. Close the deal with a resume that makes the sale.

Now is the Perfect Time to Polish Your Resume

Believe it or not, we're beginning to see flickers of hope in the economy – tiny signs of life in hiring. We're beginning to see home sales pick up, and banks are slowly but surely starting to release their iron grip on those bail-out dollars.

And, there are ever-so-slight signs of movement in the job market. There are some indications that we're beginning to turn the corner and the economy is going to begin to improve. I'm not being a Pollyanna here – the job situation is still bad, and will probably continue to be difficult for many months to come, but some economists and labor experts are beginning to speak with cautious optimism about signs of economic recovery – not a rebound by any means, but at least some signs of life.

As the market begins to turn around, it’s important to make sure you're ready to meet new challenges in the job market head-on. If you've been hanging on to a job you hate because you're worried there may not be another one out there very easily, good for you – that's the smart thing to do. The good news is the coming months may be a great time to start testing the waters.

If you've been laid off, downsized, or let go because of the economy, and have not been able to find a job, the good news for you is that the pendulum may be starting to swing your way.

What do you need to do in order to make sure you're on the leading-edge as the job market improves? First and foremost – make sure your resume is top-notch. Make certain you've got a killer resume that is going to put you at the top of the heap.

If you don't feel 100% sure that you can create the kind of resume that gives you a distinct competitive edge, then hire a professional to help you. It's an investment you can't afford not to make in this job market. How much should it cost? Expect to pay 1% to 2% of your salary for a professionally done resume, cover letters, and assistance with putting together a job search strategy.

How do you know you're working with a reputable firm? Ask for references, and call them. Ask the references what response they've gotten with their resume, and what feedback they've received from recruiters and hiring managers. Ask to see some sample resumes. Check the writer's LinkedIn profile and recommendations there.

Most resume writing companies will provide the resume and one or two cover letters. Very few offer to help you find resources, put together a search strategy and get you connected with recruiters, any of those that do, many charge extra to do that – try to work with a company like The Resume Group that includes those services in the original price. When shopping for a professional resume-writing firm, make sure you compare apples with apples in terms of products and services.

Ask about the process. Are you going to fill out a questionnaire or answer emailed questions? Or is the writer going to spend time interviewing you on the phone? Are you going to get a resume that truly highlights your unique skill set, strengths and achievements, or does the company use phrase-generating technology, stock templates and one-size-fits-all cover letters?

The resume process should be about you, your skill set, your experience, your qualifications, and your accomplishments. It's about making you stand out – not fitting you into the fastest, easiest, most streamlined way to spit out resume after resume. Hiring managers can spot a cheap resume template a mile away. Don't squander the opportunities that are about to come your way as the economy improves. The Resume Group is here to help if you decide that now is the time to polish your resume, develop a job search strategy, and find the resources to help you succeed in your search for a new job.

How To Write a Bad Resume

As a professional resume writer with more than 15 years of experience, I've seen thousands of resumes. Some are good, of course, but some are just downright horrific. We all know that a resume, no matter how great it is, isn't going to get you a job. Your resume only gives you a shot at getting an interview. A bad resume takes away the chance that you'll even get that far. So, I've decided to put together a list of just a few of the things that make for a really bad resume. By avoiding these pitfalls, you might improve your odds of getting in the door for an interview. Then it's up to you to seal the deal.

1) Focusing on responsibilities, not achievements. Your resume is a sales tool. It's your marketing piece. You're selling a product (you) to a buyer (employer). Get them to see the features and benefits you offer. Why should any prospective employer "buy" you as opposed to any of the other products (candidates) out there? By highlighting your achievements, in quantifiable ways, you give potential employers a reason to want to hire you.

Example: Resume #1 says, "Exceeded sales objectives"
Resume #2 says, "Delivered 137% of sales goal, outpacing 122 reps nationwide"

Which candidate do you want to interview?

2) Putting anything in your resume that you might have to back-peddle from in an interview. In other words, don't exaggerate, don't lie, and don't inflate your achievements.

Example: "Ranked in the Top 10 of all sales executives in the country". Great – now when the interviewer asks you how many sales executives there were, and you have to say "10", you look idiotic and there's zero chance you're getting that job.

3) Using acronyms like alphabet soup. Like everything else, there's a time and place for acronyms. Some have become a part of our business vernacular and it's OK to use them (i.e. HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). But be careful about tossing around acronyms. Some can have several meanings, so it's probably a good idea to spell out your use of the acronym once in the resume (i.e. ABC – it can mean Activity-Based Costing, Always Be Closing, or Anything But Chardonnay – make sure a potential employer knows which one you mean).

4) Using different fonts. I have seen resumes with at least 10 different fonts, in 6 different sizes, and a wild array of bold, italics, small caps, colors, and even flashing special effects. Don't do it. Use one font, and make it one that most Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) will recognize – Times New Roman, Arial, and Georgia are all good, standard fonts. Use Bold and Italics sparingly – and some ATS have a hard time with Italics - so only use them if you think they're absolutely necessary.

5) Listing your reason for leaving each job. Just one word. Don't. No matter why you left, whether it was a layoff, downsizing, restructuring, firing, or voluntary, it's going to be perceived as a negative. Better to leave this discussion for the interview.

6) Using your current company email address or phone number as your contact information. No employer wants to think that you would use company resources for your job search, so don't use your current employer's phone number or email address on your resume. It will doom your chances of getting an interview. Make sure the outgoing message on your cell phone or home phone sounds professional, and open a professional-sounding gmail or hotmail account for your job search.

Today's job market is more challenging than ever before. If your resume isn't better than everyone else's out there, you don't stand a chance of landing the job you want. Make sure you're giving yourself every opportunity to sell yourself in an interview.

3 Things Your Resume MUST Contain - Besides the Obvious

The purpose of a résumé is to help you get a job, right? It's normally the first impression an HR Professional or Hiring Manager has of you - its your introduction - your handshake - and hopefully your résumé will lead to an invitation for a face-to-face interview.

Usually less is more on a résumé. The more concise it is the better, and the easier it is to read, the more chance you have that a hiring manager will take the time to read the entire document.

We all know that a résumé is essentially a laundry list of your employment history, responsibilities, education, memberships and awards, along with other credentials and achievements. The basic elements remain the same, regardless of the format and style.

But in my 10+ years of writing résumés, I've found that the most successful résumés contain components that a lot of people don't consider when putting together their professional story.

Here are three things I think your résumé has to get across to a potential employer:

First, tell the reader WHO YOU ARE. Talk a little about the personality traits and characteristics you feel have served you well during your career, as well as your softer skills and abilities. I'm not talking a novel here, just a sentence or two that gives the reader a sense of how you might fit into their corporate culture. Maybe a couple of words about your management style or how you overcome obstacles.

Second, highlight WHAT YOU CAN DO for a company. If you have particular strengths and competencies to offer, outline them in your résumé. Have you positively impacted sales, profit, productivity? Say so. Even if you have not yet done some of the things you can do, selling your potential and goals can show that you're a desirable candidate who wants to be upwardly mobile.

Finally, PROVE IT. Quantify your contributions and achievements. If you improved a process that saved money, great. But you have to say it in a way that gives your accomplishment power and interest.

"Improved cash flow $150,000 per year by streamlining and tightening inventory control process."

sounds a whole lot more impressive than

"Implemented inventory process improvement, delivering significant cost savings."

Your résumé has to make the case that you are not only capable of handling the responsibilities of a particular position, but that you understand the impact of your job on the company as a whole. Show that you have an interest in benefiting the company, not just collecting a paycheck.

These three things give your résumé life, energy and interest. Give a potential employer more than a laundry list - give them food for thought and a reason to want to interview you!

The WOW Factor

Imagine you are a hiring manager.

You're sitting behind your desk, its about 3:45 P.M., and you're getting ready to review the 237th résumé of the day.

Your eyes feel like sandpaper, you're starving, you're grouchy and if you see "References Available Upon Request" one more time, you're going to make somebody eat those words - seriously.

So you pick up the next résumé, heave another huge sigh of boredom and wish - for the 237th time today - that this résumé is different. That this résumé is the one you can't put down. That this résumé is from a candidate that gets it. That this résumé is from someone who's résumé is geared to what the hiring manager wants - not what the candidate wants.

Now - let's assume you have all the experience, skills, education and credentials necessary for the job.

What does a hiring manager think when she or he takes a look at your résumé? What in your résumé makes them want to get you in for an interview as soon as possible? What do you offer that the other 236 candidates don't? What differentiates you in the résumé market?

Your résumé has to tell your story in a way that makes you the high-end, upscale, exciting product - the unique brand the hiring manager has to buy, no matter how much it costs.

How do you get your story across in a way that showcases you in that way?

Here's how:

Know what the hot-button issues and challenges are in your field and show that you know how to address them.

Know what people in your business are talking about right now and talk about those topics.

Know what everybody who's anybody in your professional arena sees as the newest and greatest technologies, the up-and-coming products, the untapped markets and the high-profit potential opportunities - and talk about them in your résumé.

Show you know what's hot and what's not. If you can prove you have any experience or expertise in any of the latest hot topic areas, show it.

Make your résumé the one that gets the hiring manager out from behind the desk and running down the hall to the HR Director - to get you in for the interview. Good Luck!

What Does Your Resume Have to do to GET the Interview?

Writing a résumé that provides information about your credentials, experience and accomplishments is the easy part.

Writing a résumé that forces a hiring manager to pick up the phone - NOW - and invite you in for an interview - PRONTO - is a whole other question.

What do Hiring Managers want, anyway?

Simple - they want:

1) Clarity – they want your story - clear, concise and in a format they can easily read.
2) Criteria - they want a candidate that meets their hiring requirements. They want to see the qualifications, education and experience needed for the job they're trying to fill.
3) Correctness – no "gilding the lily". They want a truthful, accurate picture of who you are, what you can do, and where you did it. They don't want typos, spelling errors or grammar mistakes.

So, if all things in the résumés of two job applicants were essentially equal, why would a hiring manager contact one candidate for the interview over another?

It's all about how you sell your personal brand. It's the things that make you the "must-have" candidate that everyone wants to interview.

You have to create a sense of excitement – a buzz – around your brand. Remember, a résumé is a marketing tool. It has to highlight your strengths and your contributions in a way that make YOU the standout applicant.

You have to tell the story of your professional life in a compelling and powerful way. When I work with clients on rewriting their résumés, I ask them to run the "so what" test on every single sentence. Here's how the "so what" test works: read each line in your résumé, then ask yourself, "so what? Would someone hire me because of this?" If the line is a reason to hire you, great – leave it in. If it's not, you should probably take it out.

Hiring managers and recruiters see and scan thousands of résumés every month.

Make your résumé the one they actually READ – and GET the interview!