Writing Your Resume, Where To Begin?
April
There are many tips for writing a resume that will help someone get past the first level in the job application process. A good resume can help that person get to the interview process, if all the steps are taken properly. But the list of tips for writing a resume will fill a book, literally. Several books have been written on this subject, most of them containing excellent advice. One of them is the one I wrote called “Pro Resume Writing Secrets.”
But it may be more productive to concentrate on a few of the basic tips for writing a resume, leaving some of the finer points to the experts who work face to face with an individual. So, where do we begin?
- Perhaps the first decision to make is this: Should they try a full resume of several pages or stick with what has become known as a qualifications brief? Committing to one or the other will help eliminate doubts and allow the applicant to put together an organized and focused document.
- After deciding which type of resume or brief to commit to, the next step is usually the gathering of information. While this may seem simple, it is a critical step in the resume process. Many experts and job application advisers put significant emphasis on advance preparation. Just because you have a good memory and think you can put all of your education, experience and activities on paper does not mean you will do that when the time comes. Take plenty of time to make notes, gather certificates and other documents. Put together a well-organized file of all the information you need to build a good resume.
- Open any guidebook on tips for writing a resume and you will find some version of the two ideas above, as well as this tip: Try to focus on what the company needs, not just on showing the personnel manager or company supervisor how great your background is. One of the keys to a successful resume process (and one of the most difficult) is to blend personal experience and education with the needs of the company or person doing the hiring. Sometimes these needs are plainly stated in an advertisement or other information provided to the applicant. Sometimes this is only available when the applicant does some research or asks a few specific questions.
- Another key item on the list of tips for writing a resume: Do not start the resume process thinking that you have no work experience. This will only make for a weak resume or qualifications brief. In fact, every individual has something to offer. The key is to find out what you alone can do well and find the position in which to use those skills.
The Procedure for Online Recruitment and Selection
April
With the job market as it is, finding good jobs is often very difficult. The same goes for employers that are looking for good qualified employees. More and more companies are choosing to use online recruitment and selection to find qualified applicants. There are many online recruitment services available, so you have a good choice of which company to use. Some people will use more than one company to increase their chances of finding a job or finding a good employee, in the case of a company.
There is a procedure involved in the online recruitment and selection process. The business that is looking for employees registers with the online recruitment company, giving them all the personal data that is required. They then enter the data involving what they are looking for in a qualified employee. Sometimes companies are looking for just a couple employees, whereas other times, they are in need of many employees to fill different positions within the company.
An important part of the online recruitment and selection process that is often overlooked is posting of legal statements. These are very important as well as being required by law. Some of these statements are that the company is an equal opportunity employer. It is also vital that the company does not refer to age, race, sex or national origin as part of the online recruitment and selection procedure. This is illegal and can open the company up to a discriminatory lawsuit.
The wording that is used in an online recruitment and selection service must be followed. For instance, if you state that there is a deadline to when you will be accepting applications, you cannot extend that date. There are many situations where companies have been victims of lawsuits because of a disgruntled individual that wasn’t hired and felt it was due to their age or race. This may or may not have been the case, but if the company does not follow the law to the letter, they can have problems.
Going through the applicants is the next step in the process of online recruitment and selection. This is usually a step where the Human Resources Department will assist the employee because of their knowledge of the legal ramifications as well as the company’s individual hiring practice. The software for the online recruitment program makes it easy as it filters through all the applicants and will only pull up the ones that meet all the criteria required. From there, the last step of the online recruitment and selection is completed, which is selecting the individual that is most qualified for the position(s).
A Tip On Doing A Local Job Search
April
When you need work, you need to make sure you are doing all you can to find the right job. If you skimp on your job search, you may end up taking a job that you dont want just to get the bills paid. The more thorough of a search that you do, the more options you will find. When you have more options, you have more from which to choose. Wouldnt it be great to get three or four great job offers rather than just one so-so one? When you do a local job search, you have to think outside of the normal venues for finding a job.
Most of the good jobs you will find wont be listed in the classifieds. Your local job search might first lead you to the paper, and you should definitely look there. You may also do a local job search online, and you may find things there that are not in your local paper. However, you should know that some of the best jobs are not listed in either place. You may have to send your resume out to every company that you might want to work for. Often the good jobs are not advertised at all. You have to do the legwork, but it may well be worth it.
A big part of your local job search should include networking with those in your line of work. Quite often this is how you find the best jobs. Those who work in your field often know of job openings before they even open, and they might be able to give you a lead or even recommend you. Networking can be hard to do when you are new in town, but you have to make it a part of your local job search if you hope to find the job of your dreams.
Another key to a good local job search is to be persistent without being overbearing. You cant just send out resumes and sit back and wait for the phone to ring. There might be ten other people with a resume that looks just as good as yours. You up your chances of getting an interview if you do a follow up call. There are always people with your qualifications doing a local job search, so make sure you stay one step ahead by selling yourself effectively without going overboard. This might take some practice, but you have to learn how to do it for the very best jobs out there.
High Salary Equals High Happiness?
April
With all of the thought that people put into choosing the right job, too few of them actually do the research to back it up. A lot of people, for example, rate average yearly income as one of the primary motivating factors for the job field that they got into. The bottom line is that people want to make money, so average salary is important in determining what job they should get. In spite of all this, however, many of these same folks never bother to look up good statistics on average salaries. They trust any source that they find, even relying on the recommendations of friends or family member with no experience in the field.
I have always believed that there is never such a thing as too much information. The more information that you have, after all, the better job you can do in evaluating your situation and making the right decision. Average salaries are only one of the many factors that go into job happiness, but they are an important part. Let’s face it: no matter how happy you are with your job duties, if you are not able to make any money, you just will not enjoy the job. It is as simple as that. No one wants to go to one of the best universities, get good grades, spend hours and hours working on improving themselves, only to make little to no money
Still, it is easy to fall into the trap of looking at average salary and nothing else. You have to keep one thing in mind when you are calculating average yearly income: net income is dependent on you being able to do the job right. If you are unmotivated in your current profession, it doesn’t matter how lucrative it is. No matter what, you will not be able to do a very good job at it. You will either burn out quickly, get fired, or burn out slowly. Either way, you will lose time and money and never live up to your dreams. This is why it is so important to choose a job that you like, and not just one with a high average salary. The bottom line is that average salary is only one of many complicated factors that go into finding the right job for you. The perks and benefits of a career, the schedule and workload, and whether the skills and interests used match your own, can help you to decide on the right career.
Not Quite “Free” Employment History Searches
April
It turns out that very few businesses make use of even a free employment history search when interviewing employees for full or part time work. In fact, most employers rely upon their own impressions in the interview process or though talking to the references that a prospective employee provides.
This is good, since there doesn’t actually seem to be any such service that’s actually free in the traditional and commonly understood sense of the word. Often, free employment history search sites will require you to purchase something to get your free report delivered. Other so-called free searches require a subscription for service that can last years.
It is useful to note that one should be very careful about putting personal information out there during the registration process with on line search sites, as it is a commodity to be traded at will unless expressly forbidden by the terms of the website.
Often, these are simple public records searches that will yield information from the IRS or state tax offices as well as census data. This is useful when trying to look up very specific data. Basic and free employment history searches are usually less than $50. Other, more in-depth searches use such public data in conjunction with other data that is a bit more difficult to come by and are far more expensive as much as several hundred dollars for some real detective work.
Usually, when a company is interested in checking out information on a job candidate’s resume or CV, they’re looking to hire some sort of executive or someone that is to have a position of some authority. As such, they’ll surely save themselves the bother of looking for a free employment history search that will accommodate their exacting requirements when it’s well worth it to the corporation to make sure they’re not setting themselves up for future scandal.
Even if it’s not free, employment history searches that deal with international verification can get surprisingly good results faster than you might think, though some countries are certainly less well covered than others. Places that have had political unrest or secretive governments the very sort that encourage immigration of highly skilled labor are the ones least likely to have intact and detailed records available to even the keenest researcher in the US.
So, there are no free lunches, but there are legitimate (if not quite free) employment history search services to be found online. These can quickly determine whether or not your prospective employees are telling you the whole truth. In certain positions that carry a lot of responsibility or a high profile, this is your company’s insurance policy against a very particular type of fraud.
A Sound Strategy For Working with Executive Recruiters
April
Before you select and work with an executive recruitment firm, here are few executive recruitment strategies that can help you get started.
For whatever type of relationship that you seek, there is one thing that is true for all. It takes effort to make a relationship work. Among the executive recruitment strategies that you will learn here is building relationships between you as a job seeker and the recruiting consultants from executive recruitment companies or vice versa. Before you work with executive recruitment companies, you should understand how they work and when you should work with them or be on your own. There are some cases that getting a recruiter will work while there are situations that you should strike on your own. Read on to learn more about executive recruitment strategies that can really help.
If you are on the search for a new job, it is important to understand that ALL available strategies should be considered and used. Some would say that the best way to find a job is by sending out your resume to all the recruiters you can find. This is not always true. Although they can help in building networks, the most common way that positions are filled is through professional networks. One of the most helpful executive recruitment strategies is to work with an executive recruiter while you still have a job and not when you are unemployed. As you can see, the most marketable people are those who are still working. You are at a disadvantage if you approach recruitment firms while unemployed.
Next among executive recruitment strategies is to be persistent. Make sure you follow up from time to time. Its always important to be visible to your recruiters. You can remind your recruiter that you are interested by calling or emailing from time to time. You are then making them remember you as well. However, do not spam recruiters. No one loves spam. So make sure to limit your follow ups.
Another strategy is keeping your resume updated at all times. If you have posted your resume online, make sure that it is the latest one. Some recruiters actually search for the resumes that were currently updated in the last three days. The more frequent you update, the more that you will show up in the top searches of these recruiters.
Be selective when searching for an executive recruitment company. Never work with companies who make you pay for their services. They get their pay from the companies who are looking for employers and not from job hunters. At the same time, make sure that you know a lot about the recruiting firm youre getting. This is your career so make sure that they are an ethical company who shows professionalism. Read more executive recruitment strategies from top recruitment consultants by subscribing to our newsletter.
Some Tips For Writing An eResume
April
What’s the difference between a regular resume and an electronic resume? A resume is a resume, right? So, if the resume is complete and well written, it does not matter whether it is handed to the company representative in paper form or electronic form, right? Not necessarily.
The first item on a list of tips for writing an electronic resume: There will be some differences between an electronic resume and the traditional paper resume. While some may find success by just putting the more traditional style resume in electronic form and sending it along, the chances for success may be better if a few small points are given some attention.
First, though, it may be best to answer the question: Why use an electronic resume? According to most experts, one of the key tips for writing an electronic resume is that the electronic resume allows the job seeker to send the document to the right people using email. The electronic format also allows the applicant to place the resume with numerous employers by using a database or career placement website. The number of companies that use the Internet to find good employees is growing rapidly. Almost all companies make use of this method in some form.
That means you need a few changes in how the resume is written and how it is presented. Whether the document is an email resume using simple text or a document image like Adobe PDF, one of the most important tips for writing an electronic resume is: Make proper use of keywords, so that employers can find your resume during online searches. For instance, from a list of terms, job descriptions and other phrases commonly used in a particular industry or field of work, pull out some of the keywords to be used in your resume. When employment professionals search databases and employment services for candidates, they will use many of these terms.
The electronic resume must also be treated differently when it comes to formatting, layout and so on. Basically, some of the special style and layout ideas you use in a text program meant for print can be treated much differently with an electronic resume. A few minutes of minor editing and some careful proofreading will take care of most of the differences. Include this idea in your list of tips for writing an electronic resume: Watch for spacing between words and sentences when changing an already complete resume to electronic format. Appearance is very important.
One last simple tip: Be sure to include your email address along with other contact information in the body of the resume. Don’t include your contact information in the header or footer because most scanners cannot detect the data there.
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