The Job Search Dolphin!!!!

In an interview, stay out of the "Excuse Zone!"

2011-12-18T11:15:00.001-05:00

There are simply some things you do not ask in an interview.

And there is one area in particular that you absolutely need to stay away from. I call it the “Excuse Zone.” In the Excuse Zone reside many pitfalls, many traps: journey there during an interview and it cannot help your prospects. In the Excuse Zone – any questions about vacation, sick time, breaks, lunches – anything to do with time off.

If you are asking about sick time, an employer figures you are planning to take time off. If you are asking about breaks, an employer figures you will be taking advantage of that opportunity. If you are asking about lunch time, an employer figures you are more concerned with how you can relax, instead of what you may be able to offer.

None of these things help. An employer will get the impression that what you don’t have to do and where you won’t have to be is more important to you than anything else. Frankly, it’s a turn off to prospective employers.

Ask several Excuse Zone questions during an interview, and there is a good chance that much of the positive effort you had already put in will not count all that much. It’s human nature. We remember the best and the worst more than the mediocre. When the worst stands out more than the best, we don’t remember so much about the good side.

Of course, time off, lunch, sick time, etc. matter in a job. However, until you are offered the job, it doesn’t matter at all, does it? When someone offers you a job, you can ask about benefits and also ask about Excuse Zone area questions. At that time, employers don’t mind. They want to hire you, and are happy to provide answers.

Focus on what sells you best: your talent, your experience, your accomplishments, your education. Show an employer you are a motivated solution provider. That can create a positive impression and certainly can help your chances.

If you are working hard to find a new employment opportunity, play to your strengths. It’s easy to stay out of the Excuse Zone. And it’s very important that you do so in an interview.

Keywords, not Categories

2011-12-11T10:47:00.001-05:00

Most job boards let you search by category and keyword. Employer sites often do this as well.

The most effective way to search them is not by “category,” but by “keyword.”

Here’s why keywords win the day, and categories can tend to be the wrong direction: when an employer posts a job, that employer gets to choose what category the job goes in. Most of the time, no one from that job board makes any suggestions on that front, either. People doing the job posting can struggle with choices here. They are left to their own devices to both write an effective ad and put it where it will be seen by the most candidates. And they may not make the most logical choice.

Here’s an example.

Suppose a company has an opening for an IT Director, who has management experience and a CCNA. One would think you would find that job in an “IT related” category. However, since the IT Director is a manager, someone might post it in the “Management” category, instead. If this job is in the Banking sector, someone could post it in the “Banking” or “Finance” categories, rather than Information Technology. If this job is with a not for profit organization, it might get posted under “Non Profit.” None of the categories is really “incorrect.” Most of us would look in an IT related category for IT positions. In this example, this particular position won't show up there.

Since folks do their own job postings, this happens more frequently than you might think.

That’s why keywords are your best friend.

Let’s say you put “CCNA” as a keyword. Jobs that have CCNA in the title and/or description will come forward, no matter what category they were placed in. Use “CCNA” and “Director” (or “Administrator” or “Manager”) and you’ll further narrow the field to more senior level CCNA relevant positions.

If the job board allows you to pick “all categories” choose “all.” If it doesn’t ask you to get specific with categories, go that route. If, like for Career Builder, you can only choose several categories at a time, and “all” isn’t an option, you still have options. Keep your keywords the same, and choose as many categories as you can that you believe might be relevant. Repeat the search with different categories. In any of these cases, your use of keywords will help you find things that others might miss. Two very good resources to check this way are Indeed.Com and Craigslist. Indeed doesn’t even have a category search.

By using keywords instead of categories, you can be very specific and find opportunities others may have missed. It’s also going to save you time. You won’t have to look through every recent job in a specific category to see if it is relevant to your search.

It’s a simple way to make your job search more effective.

Take All The Positives You Can Into Your Job Search Efforts...And Leave The Anger Behind.

2009-08-10T20:17:00.002-04:00

In my staffing days, I’d hear all kinds of tales from frustrated job seekers. Many of them had very real issues and difficulties that had caused difficulty along the way. Some would vent about how unfair an employer seemed, or how unresponsive another staffing firm was. Others might just vent frustration with the Tampa Bay job market, salaries, or the process of having to interview “again and again.”
Most of this took place during far better economic times, too.

As an interviewer, it tended to wear me out. As someone trying to find opportunities for people, I sometimes just couldn’t “let go” of all the negativity sent my way. I’d never advertised services as a Mental Health Professional. Simply, I was a staffing person juggling candidates and clients and trying to create good employment fits for both sides of the equation.

Times are tough. Even when they aren’t for you, they may be for someone else. More importantly, we all have issues that wear on us, frustrate us and tire us out. It’s called “life.”

Each day is a new battle. Why carry rusty armor?

Since there’s no second chance to make a first impression, bringing up your very real pain and frustration to interviewers, HR folks, people at a job fair or staffing/search professionals is not going to create a good first impression. We have every right to feel; listeners have every right not to be subject to all our feelings in depth.

Interviewing types are not totally devoid of empathy or sympathy. People who can help you in your search are not all indifferent.

However, there’s a big difference in introducing yourself with “Man, it’s been a very tough 16 months” versus “I’m a Civil Engineer.”

Call it the “Nearest Exit Theory.” If you are standing alone at a party and someone walks up to you starting a rant of invective and frustration, one of your first thoughts is probably “How do I get out of this?” You want the nearest exit.

So will the people who are helping you on your job search.

Vent to friends, family or inanimate objects. That’s healthy. It’s what a support system is for. Close friends and family who will listen and encourage, and perhaps share their own frustrations in a safe environment.

So, take all the positives you can into your job search efforts and leave the anger behind.

I’m not telling you that it’s easy, only that it’s necessary. Employers are looking for people who can be an addition, not a drain. People who can add to a team, not suck the life out of it. People who can bring ideas, not invective.

Focus on what you have to offer, what you can do, what you can learn and what opportunities you feel you are a good “fit” for. We all have things to offer – focus on the unique skills and experience you and only you have.

Plus, you are selling an employer on the truth: what you have done and what you could do.

As good as it is to hear something positive, just imagine how reinforcing it is for you to be saying those positive things. About you!

Greg

Job Search Tip: Opportunity Lost and Found

2009-07-29T23:08:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine recently told me about a “temp” they’d brought in for a week (which was part of the problem.)

This employee was brought in for a temporary position that was going to last at least 5 months, due to someone’s impending leave. While there were no guarantees about anything longer, it was a 5 month stint with a paycheck – with a chance to positively impress a lot of people.

And impress people this person truly did. He took 10-20 minute breaks almost every hour, texted regularly at his desk, visited Facebook regularly, and showed minimal interest in learning about what the job entailed. Instead of asking how he could help his team, he’d just sit at his desk and text or surf the net. The entire department made their concerns known to a manager: by the end of the first week, it had also become this person’s last week.

The person who told me about this is someone I’ve known quite a long time, so I knew this was a true tale of “Opportunity Lost.”

Some of us may choose to work with staffing firms in our search. I have done that.

And a “temp” gig may come up that has some “life” in it – it doesn’t pay badly and it lasts more than a day or two. Sometimes, it’s months.

If you step into this arena, please be aware that you are auditioning. You are like an actor trying to land a role in a major motion picture. There are multiple opportunities to showcase your “stardom” by demonstrating your professionalism, dedication and initiative. Even if the employer has no “full time” opportunities, you have the chance to make a positive impression. You may get new references out of the experience and possibly leads to jobs in other places. At minimum, you’ve done a good job.

Some folks may not want temporary work: that’s ok. It’s not a fit for everyone.

But, if you are willing and able, be aware that it’s an opportunity. Not just to bring in some money, but also to make an impression.

If you get that chance, make your impression a good one.

Opportunities can be found, too.

Tales from the Resume Reef: 9 “Killer Shark” resume errors to avoid.

2009-07-25T13:58:00.002-04:00

Doing your own resume? Please pay attention to detail!

In today’s economy, employers can be even more fussy about the resumes they want to look at. So, it is more crucial than ever to avoid what I would call “killer shark” resume errors. These are ones who will most likely get your resume ignored, lost or not taken as seriously as you deserve.

These are the kinds of things I’ve fixed for other people in over a dozen years of working with resumes. Repairs of the “killer shark” problems didn’t guarantee results; the repairs did, though, remove obstacles to getting a resume read and for a candidate to be taken seriously for opportunities.

If you do your own resume, avoid the following “killer shark” errors.

1. Old contact information or contact information missing: This is a “killer” simply because it’s hard to reach you if you don’t provide the correct information. Make certain your contact information includes an email address you use regularly. If you put in your phone number, make certain you include any number you’d be ok with an employer calling. For most of us, it’s a cell phone.
2. Spelling Errors: This is a “killer.” Spell check exists in pretty much all word processing programs and most email clients as well. If you don’t spell check your resume, you are sending the message that you aren’t detail oriented. Not a good thing for an employer to see.
3. Handwritten Corrections: I’ve seen this more than I ever thought possible. There is NOTHING professional about using handwriting to update ANY information on a printed resume. If it means going to a friend’s house to type a resume from “scratch,” that’s better than someone seeing scrawled “corrections” on your resume. From experience, I can tell you that resumes with handwritten edits very quickly go to the bottom of the pile, if they are kept at all.
4. Additional Pages Without Contact Info: Here’s another “killer.” In today’s so called “paperless” world, we print out more than ever before. If you have a multipage resume, but your contact information is only on the first page, how does someone know that the other pages are part of the same resume? That becomes a kind of puzzle that hiring folks don’t have time for. Just put the same contact info (including your name) that you have on page 1 in the upper right corner of EVERY additional resume page.
5. Tiny Font Sizes: Ever seen something in print that was so small, you feel like you’d need a microscope to read it? I’ve seen resumes where 4,6 or 8 point fonts were used. Most hiring folks don’t keep a microscope around to read resumes. Use a font between 10-12 points: most folks are comfortable reading documents that are sized such. Anything smaller is potentially an eye test. And if it means your resume is a little longer, isn’t it better that it’s one that someone can read easily?
6. Space Killers: Not talking about “Alien” here. Don’t use a large font (over 12 points) throughout your resume to make it look “longer.” No one thinks it’s a better resume: just that you are eating up space. If you are filling out your resume that way, you NEED to shorten it. Switch to a 10-12 point font. If it means a “short resume,” change your default margins to 1” all around and increase the font size for your first page contact info to 14 or 16. Remember when you answered essay questions for tests? It wasn’t the length of the answer that the instructor was looking at: he or she was looking at the content of the writing. Same thing is true of a resume!
7. Personal Information: Leave your SSN, DL, date of birth, names of kids, name of spouse, date of wedding, etc. behind. I have seen these on a number of resumes, particularly those with a lot of work experience. These information bits are “killers” because you are giving away private information others can use for potentially bad purposes. Plus, employers DO NOT want to see info on marital or child status on the resume. They don’t want it, can’t ask for it and you don’t have to give it to them!
8. The Nefarious Bad Copy Killer: If your resume prints out oddly, or you have some poor copies made, don’t use them! I’ve had resumes faxed to me that were clearly not in good shape to begin with, considering I couldn’t read the fax. Make certain you are sending a “clean copy” no matter how you send it. Again, it relates to perceptions of professionalism. Hiring folks tend to think “If this person sent me this bad a copy of a resume, how detail-oriented is he/she?”
9. The Dark Fancy Paper Killer: Most of us print resumes in a dark font, and black is a good color to use for text. However, don’t let ANYONE talk you into putting that resume onto dark red, dark blue or any other dark paper color. Simply, it’s just very hard to read. Fax that, and it’s even more difficult for someone else to read. Plain white paper is just fine: if you want to use fancier paper for mailed resumes, stick to something like ivory or crème colors.

It’s easy to avoid “Killer Sharks” in the resume world. Keep things simple, professional and easy for someone else to read.
If you have more questions on resume writing, you will find tips at http://jobsearchdolphin.blogspot.com/

Working with Staffing/Search Firms: An Insider's Guide, Part I

2009-07-09T14:35:00.003-04:00

How do Staffing or Search Firms really work? That’s not an uncommon question.

As someone who spent nearly a decade in the business, I hope to provide some answers. The intent is not to encourage or discourage your use of a staffing or search firm as part of your job search (IMHO – they can be helpful and have gotten me my most recent position – which took place during this recession.)

The more you know, the easier it is for you to understand what’s going on. I’ve worked with some very established, professional and ethical firms over the years: however, no matter how much we explained to a candidate or a client, there were still questions.

So, I’ve divided up this into 3 separate articles:
1. Background/Intro
2. How Staffing Firms/Search Firms Work with Candidates
3. How Staffing Firms/Search Firms Work with Employers

Each section will also handle and hopefully clarify some common misconceptions.

Some background and an introduction re: my experiences:
From 1997 to 2008, I worked at several staffing firms as well as a couple of search firms. Starting originally with some basic sales calls and recruiting, I became involved in finding candidates, finding clients, setting up interviews, briefing and debriefing of candidates, and closing deals and bill clients. At one time or another I set bill rates or placement fees, got a signed contract, found candidates, got them interviewed and got them placed.

I generally worked what the industry calls a “full desk” – meaning that I was responsible for finding clients AND candidates. Somehow, I always felt better knowing I was part of the whole process and could know more completely what was going on. However, some firms split recruiting and sales and do just fine that way.

A “full desk” person is usually called a “Recruiter” even though he or she is also doing sales. Very often, I was making over 100 outbound calls on a daily basis: it’s an inside sales position whether you are dealing with companies who may have jobs or interviewing local candidates who come into the office or you deal with remotely. And a lot of voicemails left.

During my experience, I had to create my own potential client list as well as candidate pool. Potential clients were just that: people who might work with me at some point, but had not done so as of yet. Sometimes, it took years of phone calls and discussions to get to that point where a potential client became a real one. If you have been in sales, you know how that can be. On the candidate side, I ran ads online, in the papers (back in the 90s,) attended job fairs and also called directly into companies to “head hunt” candidates. You may have heard the term “Headhunter.” It was also the name of a job board in the late 90s was absorbed into Careerbuilder.com in 2001.

In my time in the placement world, I placed people in temporary, temp to hire and direct hire opportunities. Direct Hire at one time was called “Permanent Placement,” but the recession of 2001 gradually pushed that term into past tense usage. It’s hard to think of any job as “permanent” anymore. As the times changed, so have people’s approaches toward their careers. In many situations, people are at their current jobs only until something better opens up elsewhere, whether in another department in their firm or another firm altogether.

I’ve strictly done inside sales, and many firms operate strictly that way. Others mix in outside sales and inside sales or rely strictly on outside sales. I admire outside sales professionals because I could never do what they do – visit people all day to try and sell business services/products.

I had no degree in HR nor sales experience when I started working in staffing/search. That’s not uncommon. In my first position, I got truly wonderful training through the Sandler Sales method. My firm paid for me to go to an external trainer who presented and trained in the Sandler method. I used those techniques for years. Plus, I got interview training from the former HR Manager who ran my firm. Thus, I was given good tools to start to work with.

When I worked in Career Services at a college, I would run classes in Career Development. One of my early questions to students was “What qualifications does someone need to be an interviewer?”
The truth surprised them. There are no qualifications.

Years ago, I was interviewed for a direct hire recruiter position at a Tampa Bay recruiting firm. Only it was more of a lecture than an interview. My interviewer spoke for about 45 minutes straight, asked me a couple of short questions, and then said “I think you can do this job.” How he knew that was anybody’s guess!
Key point here is that some of the worst interviews you will have aren’t your doing. You were interviewed poorly.

And the more you know about the way staffing/search firms work, the more likely you have a chance to have more positive experiences with them. As well as an understanding of why things may happen the way they do.

The Job Search Dolphin

Keep on Going, Part 565.5

2009-06-07T14:19:00.007-04:00

It's been a year since I posted on this blog. During those months, I wasn't motivated to showcase my so called "wisdom" when I was going through not working, not finding a job, finding a bad job, and finally finding a good one. All in the span of a very long 2008. The recession was here in Florida, early.

Still, I did provide resume suggestions and career search ideas as a free service to friends, family and friends of family, as I always had been doing. But I felt too demoralized to share further in a blog or article, as I had tried to do for the first half of 2008.

Searching for work, I think, is some of the hardest work there is. We seldom, perhaps outside of dating, have to work very hard to "sell ourselves."

That first date, particularly with someone we may barely know, is often filled with a wondrous mix of nervousness, anticipation, fear, joy, panic and expectation that seldom comes together so forcefully. Every movement, every word, every silence, ever gesture, or lack thereof, seems to have more meaning than usual. And, as we try to apprise the situation, someone is apprising us. His or her criteria are different from ours, and we don't quite know how we're being looked at or considered. If we find commonality, interest, attraction, we're more upset if things don't work.

But there is an almost universal truth that covers both the dating experience and the job search experience: each of us views things differently. The puns (I think they are funny) I'm trying to impress my date with are for her annoyances that she politely puts up with, waiting for a quick exit. I felt I was witty and charming, while my date thought she'd tuned into to a very bad showcase from Comedy Central.

And I have received feedback from interviews that seems to be a clear signal that I am a serious candidate, only to find that I am not the one of choice. The interviewer's enthusiasm may have been framed for "this guy could work" while I think I hear "this guy is our choice." When I was struggling to find work, I think I viewed a lot of interviews this way. Each time that the result was different from my expectations, I got more frustrated.

Most of the time, no one is at "fault." We are a match for a person or not, and the same is true of employment opportunities: we are a match for the job or not. Problem is that we aren't usually the ones making the final decision.

Feeling rejected is never a fun thing.
And it seems to be often at the very core of job searching. Particularly in a tough market.

The simple truth is, as REO Speedwagon put it a long time ago, that we need to "Keep Pushing On." It's not an easy thing.

But, you have value: as a person and as an employee. You always have.

Help yourself. Stay in touch with friends and family, do things with people, and find things to enjoy even in your times of stress - whether it's playing with your dog, watching an old movie, or playing an old computer game. Cheap or free stuff that has great ability to distract us from stress in our lives.

Most of us have "first date gone bad" stories. However, most of us kept up the search for that "someone" because we considered the search worth the challenge.

Job searching is not much different. Things won't work. Frustration ensues. Anger shows up.

You get to show your real strength in your willingness to keep trying. To stay connected and to stay active. You win every day no matter the result, just because you stayed "in the game." In my unemployment, I learned that being active in my search was a victory in itself. It kept me moving forward and kept me in contact with people who might be able to help me. Eventually, someone did.

And sometimes any victory you can get matters. You are worth it!

Avoid the Scattershot Job Search

2008-05-21T11:47:00.002-04:00

I've seen a number of resumes lately for technical positions my colleages and I are recruiting for; unfortunately, the vast majority of candidates were completely unqualified. One thing about technology - if people DON'T have what's needed, such can eliminate the candidate very quickly. The "I can learn" theory of doing things is not something that's applicable. Thus, such candidates were "set off" to the side.

Employers don't spend time endlessly reading unqualified resumes; it's a very short elimination process.Specifics matter, and their absence just takes up time to get through.

What's it mean to you? That you WON'T hear back from employers in such cases, and that such could be very frustrating. (After all, we've all applied for jobs we thought we were "right on target" for, and never heard a thing.)

Thus, it pays to be selective, smart and do yourself a favor. READ the job descriptions carefully and only apply if you have a majority of the key skills/abilities/experience that are being asked for.

At least that way, you guaranteee a better chance that your resume will be taken more seriously - and potentially lead to call backs or emails of interest. Plus, such can lower your frustration. If you send your resume "everywhere," you'll hear from mostly no one and feel like your efforts are fruitless. Truth is, they are just too scattered.

You aren't scattered; you have talent and experience to offer. Go after those jobs that match what YOU can do.

Tales from the Resume Reef: Doublecheck that Content!

2008-05-16T15:45:00.002-04:00

True stories abound from recruiters and employers alike. When they've reviewed resumes, they haven't seen the key "needed" skills, experience and education. So, they don't call the candidate.

Invariably, some candidates follow up (and good for them!) and speak to the hiring authority. What they are told is something like "well, we didn't see any Oracle experience" on your resume. What people have sometimes responded with is "Oh, I have that" or something similar. However, the problem is that the information wasn't on the resume.

You gotta have the content.

If you do your own resume, take an extra step. Have someone you know and respect review your resume and "interview you" to find out if you've included EVERY important piece of information. That person can ask you questions like "Is there anything else you've done?" for each job you've had, and can go through your skills section and ask the same. And can also proofread your document.

Here's the reason why. When we write, we tend to "see" things. No, not UFOs, but words or letters we EXPECT to be there because we wrote them. That's why spellcheck picks up a missing "the" or "and" - the words AREN'T really there - we just thought we put them in!

Having an "extra" set of eyes to proofread your resume and to quiz you on content can only help. Such can make certain that you have the "right content" and key information in your resume to market yourself.

After all, why not?

Tales from the Resume Reef: Contractual Obligations

2008-05-12T21:37:00.002-04:00

Lately, I've seen some resumes where a candidate has worked for less than a year at several employers.

As a recruiter, I try to read further, and can usually discern that the person was working on contracts or consulting. If I speak to the candidate, he/she usually confirms my suspicion.

However, not all recruiters nor employers "dig" that deeply when they see a lot of short employment stints.
It tends to make them wonder about work histories when they may not have to.

If you have worked temporarily or contractually or as a consultant, showcase that:
3/07 to 9/07 CONTRACT Network Administrator, The Zorch Group, Bristol CT
3/07 to 9/07 Network Administrator (Consultant,) The Zorch Group, Bristol CT
3/07 to 9/07 Network Administrator (Temporary Position,) The Zorch Group, Bristol CT

In that way, you've made clear what short-term employment really was, and makes employers quickly understand why you had such.

Truth is, most of us have done contract, temporary or consulting work at some time; it's common and normally not of any concern to employers looking for full time employees. And, if they ARE looking for something more "temporary," they will see that you have already done such.

Just "clarify" your work history!

It's just a matter of making things EASY for the employer, which is always a good thing for you!

Email Lesson Learned the Hard Way

2008-05-08T12:07:00.001-04:00

A few years back, I aggressively put my email address on any site of ANY kind that was of interest, whether for job search or my digital photography hobby or social networking.

The result? Well, within a couple of years I was getting over 50 SPAM emails per day. No matter how much filtering I did through Outlook or Thunderbird, such junk still got through. With such a large amount of spam each day, I was "under siege." Not to mention that I had to filter through all the garbage to find the occasionally relevant email or note from a friend.

Thus, I had to change my main email address - and did so. Next, I realized that I should not post my email address at every opportunity. Then, I made certain that ANY posting of my email address would be with my YAHOO email address. As it turns out, Yahoo has great SPAM filters; I'd imagine such other free email as Hotmail or Gmail do as well. So, the Spam levels to my HOME email address went to next to nothing.

Here's the lesson, then: If you are going to post your resume on the job boards, you are going to get spam.
Lots of it.

Keep your personal email "safe." Create a special email account from one of the free providers, such as Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail and use THAT for your job search. And post that email address on your resume as well.

That way, you'll have control over SPAM, and it won't get so "close to home."

And you can still make certain legit employers have an electronic way to reach out to you!

Getting Back on the Bike

2008-05-06T22:06:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week, I purchased a used bike for exercise purposes. When I “test rode” it, that was the first time I’d ridden a bike in about 7 years. And I was a little nervous.

Fortunately, everything came back to me pretty quickly, and I enjoyed the experience. I was able to shift gears and handle the brakes as if I’d been still doing the same thing over and over. Kind of like I’d never been “away” from it.

Looking for a job in a challenging economy can be a lot like getting on the bike each day. It seems like a new task, it’s challenging, and there are no real guarantees. Sometimes progress is slow and we wonder how much of that is us. And when things will change. What about losing balance?

However, just getting “on the bike” each day is a major thing. By putting effort into your search, you may not be guaranteeing success; however, you are making much stronger strides toward achieving it. By being willing to get on that bicycle and ride through interviews, phone calls and internet searches, you are pushing up hills that may be steep at times but are likely to flatten out. By steering past bad jobs and bad experiences and pedaling forward, you can keep yourself actively engaged.

If you are ready to move in your career search, no matter the reason, keep in mind that no one “stands still fast.”

Your willingness to make the effort each day is what can make the difference.

Just get back on the bike. It’s worth the ride.

And it’s all under your “pedal” power that you can grow forward.

Tales from the Resume Reef: Focus on Content, not Style

2008-04-30T20:45:00.002-04:00

As someone with extensive recruiting experience, I can tell you that I have received resumes in ALL varieties of formats and paper choices over the decade. Ironically, the fanciest of paper and the most "creative" design usually were showcasing the worst resumes: typos, lack of information, lack of clarity, dates missing from employment, etc.

For resumes, substance ALWAYS triumphs over style. In the 30 seconds or so a hiring authority or recruiter looks at your resume, he/she is looking to see if you qualify for something that's currently open.

Things that employers DON'T say-
"Terrible resume, but look at how nice this paper is. I'll call him."
"Man, she spent a ton of time designing this. I have no idea what her skills are, but might as well call her to find out."

While it's admirable to want to have your resume looking sharp, what's more important is what's IN the resume.

In the past, for example, I've worked with placing graphic designers. They managed to use their creative abilities to mix their work history, skills and experience in with some graphic work: freehand sketches or some layout in the margins. However, they kept focus on CONTENT: the INFORMATION the employer needs to see to get to know you!

So, no matter how nice the paper or the layout, your CONTENT is what will drive employers to make positive decisions regarding your qualifications.

Plus, we EMAIL resumes in most cases for “first contact” with employers. That fancy paper or design means even less, then, doesn’t it?

Use your talents to put a resume together that clearly discusses your skills, education and experience. THEN, if you want to add nicer paper for print copy, you are showcasing CONTENT first.

And as far as “creative” design, my suggestion is to leave that to the graphic designers. Use examples we’ve provided or good advice on resumes you can find at helpful sites like the following:
The Riley Guide -
Secrets of the Job Hunt -

Let the content be what ‘sells’ you; it’s what employers are looking for in your resume.

Catches from the Job Posting Net: Are they really ALWAYS looking?

2008-04-27T12:14:00.001-04:00

We’ve all seen ads, mostly, where a company or staffing firm seems to recruit for the same positions week after week.

Are there more and more new opportunities, or is something else going on?

Truthfully, it’s usually “something else going on.”

1. The job is VERY hard to fill due to a limited Candidate Pool. There’s just a limited talent pool for this, such as in fields like IT or medical. Chances are, if your resume is on the job boards and you qualify for a position like this, you’ve already been contacted.
2. The job is OFTEN open because there is some turnover. This is particularly true of call centers. Even the best call center environments have a fair amount of turnover. For ANY call center, I’d suggest speaking to someone who works there before you’d interview – find out if the turnover is natural or there are problems that are worse/deeper than that.
3. The job is ALWAYS open because there’s a real problem; employers can’t keep people. I’ve seen this very recently with one firm that keeps advertising the same entry level position: it’s possible that they could have up to 3 people in the role at once. However, they advertise about every 2 weeks for this same opportunity.

Thus, the employer can’t “keep” people. My guess, from experience in dealing with employers who say such, is that this is the attitude there: “We can’t find anyone good.”

Truth is that they do, but they are chased away! It’s a bad work environment with broken promises and unrealistic expectations. And this is well worth avoiding, or you’ll be the next person that they complain about.

Note that #3 above is the MOST common reason that employers keep advertising; there’s a BAD work environment to consider.

It’s in your best interests to look carefully at any job that’s posted “over and over again.”

And if you can talk to someone who works there, get the “skinny” as to why those jobs are open.

If you don’t have that opportunity and do interview for one of these jobs that’s “always advertising,” be certain to ask this key interview question: “Why is this job open?”

Warning sign is if the employer is negative about employees or the person or people you are being asked to replace.

No company can grow to the point where all they do is hire. Growing firms may add a lot of people, but if they are well or at least decently run, they’re going to keep a fair number of those they hire.

So, if someone is “always advertising” be aware that it’s not growth, and, in fact, may be a warning sign. A sign to avoid the job!

After all, you deserve better than to walk into someone else’s failures!

Job Search Tips: Older Board Postings

2008-04-25T18:24:00.002-04:00

If you are hunting through Monster, Careerbuilder, Dice, etc., you are probably checking regularly for the newest postings in your field. Certainly, that makes sense!

However, MOST jobs are posted once and not given “refreshed dates” – it’s an extra cost to keep something as a “new” job each day. Most employers don’t pay for this. So, what does that mean?

That there are “older” jobs that may still be valid. Monster, Careerbuilder and Dice, etc., normally post jobs for 30 days, possibly more. What about that job that’s 3 weeks old?

True, sometimes those “older” jobs are filled, and the poster just never got to taking it offline. However, in with those “older” jobs are those in your field that are unfilled! Whether an agency or direct hiring employer posted that job, they are still waiting for someone – and it could be you.

Guess what? Most people just pass those older postings by, figuring that the jobs are filled, and they AREN’T! It's an opportunity for you!

Thus, when you are searching online through the boards, don’t always default to just the newest jobs. Choose the option that lets you go back 30 days and see if there are any good jobs you may have missed.

It only takes a couple of seconds to apply for one of these jobs; you may just be one of the few who does.

And one of the even fewer who may hear back from the employer!

Job Search Tip: Stay in Touch!

2008-04-22T15:49:00.003-04:00

We've all come close!

Most of us have had good or even great interviews, or introductory discussions, that led us to have interest in a job or company that DIDN'T result in a job offer.

In some cases, through multiple interviews or calls, we've built rapport with hiring types. While we weren't chosen, clearly we were viable, "almosts" who created a positive impression.

SO, what do many people do with those contacts? Nothing.

That's a mistake. Too many times, we think something like "they didn't hire me, so I guess that's it." And that's both a critical error and a loss of resources, too.

Sometimes when we are that "close" 2nd or 3rd, we've sold ourselves very well as candidates. Had there been 2 openings instead of one, we would have been the choice for that 2nd opportunity. Thus, these people are WORTH staying in touch with - you made a very positive impression!

Here's how these folks can be of help:
Resource - they can direct you to OTHERS they know who are hiring.
Friendly Voice - if you are making a lot of call on the job search, you can make some calls to people who you already know. It takes stress away.
Network - they can (and it's happened to me) forward your resume to others who may help.
Employer - the job you didn't get 6 months ago may be opening again soon. You were "runner up." Don't you think that they want to know someone of your quality still has interest?

(All of these situations have happened either to me or people I know, so I know it works!)

Keep track of the folks you've interviewed or spoken well with. People who you liked - who liked you! It's an important part of your network going forward. And stay in touch with those folks as part of your job search. I've mixed between email updates and phone calls so that I can NOT be a pest, but still be persistent.

After all, the folks who know us, even a little bit, will have more stake in helping than a total stranger or the cold efficiency of a job board.

In our search, it's important to use all the tools we can. And to work with ANYONE who may be able to provide us with help in the process.

Like those who know us.

Job Search Tip: Another Reason to Avoid Objectives

2008-04-21T15:57:00.001-04:00

We've covered why objectives don't work on resumes, why they aren't needed, and how they can cause trouble for you as a candidate. To "bring that home," I include 2 very recent objectives I've seen on resumes sent for professional positions:

A job that is satisfying at the end of the day, for both of us. To grow and be happy.
Both have enough fluff, don't they? They are trite, silly, weak, and add NOTHING to the candidate's marketability!

(It's kind of like that long party scene in the 2nd Matrix movie: why was it there?)
If the answer is to fill space, that's not something that belongs on your resume. For there are no "rules" as to how much space must be filled. And wasted space (like that movie scene,) just loses the reader's interest.

Remember that employers hire for THEIR reasons, not yours, in this "what have you done for me lately" world we now live in.

That's why objectives on a resume don't ADD anything: you aren't selling specifics and positives. Instead, people write more "polished" versions of the 2 examples above. In the process, they just "polish," not clean up or repair this resume issue. That's what objectives are: simple, useless junk that doesn't belong no mater how much polish is added.

Use your skills, education and experience to sell yourself to employers.
Avoid the junk, and let the good "stuff" speak for itself.

Objectives just get in the way.

Don't Walk Right In...

2008-04-18T14:26:00.005-04:00

When I first started in my staffing work in '97, I was amazed at the number of people who showed up unnanounced at our firm for professional positions. Moreover, most (99%) were candidates who were poorly dressed, poorly groomed, had typo filled resumes or had no idea what we did. In 4 years, we had over 400 walk ins: only ONE was "placeable," and we did so.

So, we discouraged walk ins based on this kind of information. We felt that they were wasting OUR time. Had they called in advance, we could have told them what we were recruiting for, gotten them to send a resume, and set up appointments for viable candidates. Everyone could have benefitted that way.

Some recruiters encourage walk-ins, but many prefer that you set appointments. It helps schedule THEIR day, and makes it easier to spend more time with you.

Employers RARELY have time for walk-ins; the first thing they'll do is give someone an application and that's about as far as things go. Frequently, those applications also make it to the "bottom of the pile."

Being aggressive makes sense in your job search, as does contacting employers.

However, unless told otherwise by the employer, don't just "walk in."

Instead, FIRST call the employer or recruiter. Find out if they have jobs for what you are qualified for, and find out what the best method is for applying. Some folks may send you to their website as a start to fill out an app, while others may want you to make an appointment.

If you get an appointment, make certain to find out what the employer or recruiter would like you to bring:
-Resume
-References
-ID (usually 2 forms)
-Other things (such as copies of diplomas, certificates or awards.)

(And "Dress for Success," too. Even if you are going to a temporary agency just to "sign up.") You never get that second chance to make a first impression!

Remember that being convenient for the one HIRING is crucial.

You deserve the chance to showcase your abilities and talent; just call ahead to find out the best way to do so!

Tales from the Resume Reef: Fill in the Recent Blanks

2008-04-15T21:02:00.002-04:00

My car is a 2004. While I’m very happy with it, I could hardly claim it as a “new vehicle.” Put it on a lot with 2008 models, ask people to spot which are “new cars” and mine won’t quite make the list. In “Car years,” 2004 may not be a lifetime ago, but on a resume, if it’s your most recent date of employment/activity, that’s an issue.

If you haven’t worked or worked in your field in at least 2 years, you need to put SOMETHING for your most recent activity. Why? Employers who see a resume with a work history ending in 2004 and nothing since are puzzled, and then they tend to ignore the applicant.

(Please note that this is NOT about re-entering the workforce, and the difficulties you may run into. That’s a whole other issue. Instead, this is about the resume you are using to do so.)

Some brief points:
• If your most recent job isn’t “related” to your field, DON’T remove it completely if it fills in some key time.

Example:

Work History
2004-2007 Greeer/Customer Service Big Mart Austin, TX
1995-2004 AV Technician Al Wright’s Repairs Austin, TX
1990-1994 AV Technician McFloyd’s Zeke, AZ

This way, people see that you have been working, even if not in your field. Otherwise, the question becomes “What has this person done since 2004?”

• If you were in school, use that as a replacement for “blank time.”

Work History
2004-present Studies toward B.S. in Chemistry Don Haas College
1995-2004 AV Technician Al Wright’s Repairs Austin, TX
1990-1994 AV Technician McFloyd’s Zeke, AZ

• If you had a family-related issue, use that.

Work History
2004-present Stay at home parent
1995-2004 AV Technician Al Wright’s Repairs Austin, TX
1990-1994 AV Technician McFloyd’s Zeke, AZ

Now, we’ve previously discussed not giving out personal information; however, we’ve got that “what happened after 2004” issue otherwise. Employers are likely to respect a decision to be a stay at home parent; however, they will not be certain what to do with someone who looks to have done “nothing” since 2004:

Work History
1995-2004 AV Technician Al Wright’s Repairs Austin, TX
1990-1994 AV Technician McFloyd’s Zeke, AZ

Note: Volunteer work can also be a valued “time filler.”

Very few people who have several recent years of inactivity on their resume were really inactive. However, if your resume reads that way, it doesn’t give the employer anything to go on more than “I wonder what he/she’s done since …..” And then set the resume on the road to oblivion, less gently known as a shredder or trash can!

You deserve better! Fill in the blanks!
Employers see a more complete you, and you become a more "complete" candidate!

From the Job Search Tip File: When NOT to Apply.

2008-04-11T19:03:00.002-04:00

In an earlier column, we discussed the “50% rule,” which was hopefully a simple way to say the following. Most jobs have MANY more requirements than are ACTUALLY needed. Therefore, if you have “50%” or more of the requirements, your application or resume is not in vain. It very well may be that your 50% is JUST what the employer was looking for!

However, there’s a part 2 to this: When NOT to apply.

In many ways, it’s more than just a reverse of the “50% rule.” With the “50% rule,” if your resume isn’t quite what someone is looking for, he or she is still likely to hold on to it for future reference. You are, essentially, a good candidate for something in the future – and folks don’t get rid of good resumes (especially if they’ve spent $300-$800 advertising the position online or in the papers – or both!)

However, there are times NOT to apply. Simply, if you don’t have at least 50% of the required skills, abilities or background required.

Here’s why NOT to send your resume or hit the “apply” button on Monster:
1. Employers get 300+ resumes for any good position, and they very much resent having to read resumes from “unqualified” candidates.
2. Thus, you are not only wasting an employer’s time.
3. They won’t read your resume at length, nor will they want to keep it.
4. Instead, they’ll wonder “Why did this person apply?”
5. You are also guaranteeing, for the most part, that your resume is shredded, trashed or filed in some part of oblivion no one regularly visits.
6. And that you’ll never hear back from the employer. If you follow up with them, you’ll find it’s likely they have NO IDEA who you are.

So, you are essentially frustrating the employer as well as yourself. Doesn’t seem like there’s much “up side” to this!

However you search, however you apply, keep in mind that your qualifications are only valuable to a specific employer if they are in that 50%+ range for the advertised position.

Sending a bunch of resumes out or applying for ANYTHING that’s of interest truly wastes your time. Instead, find what you qualify for or who may have interest in what you have to offer. That, and only that, is the best place to send your resume.

Trust me, there are plenty enough of those places if you do the research.

And can get you the best results possible, which WON’T happen if you simply send your resume around as if you were tossing snowballs into the air or leaves across the lawn before you raked.

Rake in a better chance of success. Send your best in a resume to those jobs you have at least 50% of what is required.

Something SMART ventured; hopefully, something GREAT gained!

Tales from the Resume Reef: The Format, Part III: Making your Resume Easy to Read

2008-04-08T16:35:00.005-04:00

Let your resume be there to HELP you, not HINDER an employer!

A resume can’t help you if it’s more of an ineptly written novel or poorly designed puzzle than a tool to help employers find what you have to offer.

A reader will initially look at your resume for 15-30 seconds. So, it’s very important that your KEY skills and accomplishments are easy to find, easy to discern and quick to discover. Thus, your resume needs to be easy to read:
1. Fonts sized decently
2. Spacing clear
3. No “puzzle tricks”
4. No “paragraph-itis”
5. Gimmick free

Each of the above is explained in more detail below. It’s the chance for you to position YOUR resume more effectively, by helping the reader more easily find out good things about you – and also by weeding out some “junk!”

1. Fonts Sized Decently: Use fonts from 10-12 point as much as possible.
Smaller than 10 point may be hard for a reader to make out, and larger than 12 point makes it look like you are just trying to fill space.

>If you have the room, you can certainly use a larger font for your name and contact information at the top of your resume; however, that’s really the only place for an overlarge font.

2. Spacing Clear: “Clear spacing means separation BETWEEN elements of your resume, and BOLD in places. Note the following examples:

8/2000-4/2003 Assistant Manager Billfolds Etc., Granbury NJ
8/2000 – 4/2003 Assistant Manager Billfolds, Etc. Granbury, NJ

The second one is easier to read, isn’t it? Everything is not “on top of each other.”

3. No “puzzle tricks:” Also known as “Acronym Fever”

Ever see a list on a resume that looks something like this?

Technical Experience
MS Office, HTML, Windows 98, C#, C++, Lotus Notes, Firefox, Linux, Windows NT, 2002, ASP.NET, Open Office, Networking, Active Directory, MS Project,
MS Workflow, Peachtree, A+, Network+, Routers, Hard Drives, Laptops, MCSE

It’s a whole “crowd” of names, acronyms and tools all put together into one puzzle. If someone wanted to know if this person had Peachtree experience, how easy would that be to find? It’s a “puzzle trick” which puts the onus on the reader.

Take a look at this alternative:

Technical Experience
OS: Windows 98, NT, 2002, Linux
Office Software: MS Office, Workflow, Project, Peachtree, Open Office
Internet/Email: Firefox, Lotus Notes
Networking: Active Directory, Routers
Hardware: Hard Drives
Development: C#, C++, ASP.NET
Certifications: MCSE, Network+, A+
Computers: Laptops

Notice how much more easily information is to find under this “org chart.”
Plus, if an employer was most interested in your certifications, you could easily move that line to the top!

4. No “Paragraph-itis” It’s a common resume problem. Instead of writing short, bulleted statements, people want to write “novellas” about their experience.” It’s VERY time consuming and most employers don’t read their way through.

See the following example:

Working with the ACCUGUESS Global Vice President and the ACCUGUESS South America Coordinator of Finance to develop and implement a business controllership plan encompassing business and financial controls, business and control focused financial reporting and analysis, process and systems development and improvement, and productivity initiatives. Leads all controls activities for ACCUGUESS South America $245 Million business. The role works with all functions and across all ACCUGUESS South America regions to improve strengthen internal controls in support of Moogle-Zorch requirementsments and in compliance with Mootleson, Ambrose and Florb policies and procedures. Responsible for driving financial/accounting process improvements to advance controllership, drive productivity and eliminate rework and manual efforts. Identify control issues, assess risk, and implement solutions by working in a teaming relationship with ACCUGUESS management, as well as ACS management. Direct accounting staff to ensure financial controllership responsibilities and processes are compliant, and consistent with Mootleson, Ambrose and Florb policy, applicable laws and regulations. Assist/Direct regional controllers by improving core processes, reducing complexity and increasing accountability. Monitor and improve internal control processes, support Four Sigma initiatives and provide financial process support. Interface with internal and external auditors. Provide guidance to management on appropriate tax, legal and accounting treatment in all regions. Work with the ACS Controller and ACCUGUESS Global Controller to provide central point of contact for ACCUGUESS regional controllers for review of application of technical accounting for transactions in the areas of restructuring and repositioning, asset impairment reviews including Asset Retirement Obligations, revenue recognition matters, purchase accounting, divestiture accounting, investment accounting, foreign exchange and other areas as warranted. Establish ACCUGUESS South America policies and practices consistent with ACS and Corporate policies. Perform Balance Sheet reviews. Coach and develop staff for growth opportunities. Work with a team of individuals located in geographically diverse locations. Support the integration of acquisitions including working with ACS Controller to review all ACCUGUESS purchase accounting related issues. Responsible for ACCUGUESS repositioning process. This includes working with regional controllers and operations staff to ensure appropriate documentation is created to propose potential restructuring projects. Ownership over Restructuring (Repositioning) support website and ongoing monitoring of reserves recorded.

It’s quite long, isn’t it? Hard to find out what’s important when there are no breaks of any kind. So, let’s try creating 6-8 bulleted items, trim a bit and see how this looks:

• Working with the ACCUGUESS Global Vice President and the ACCUGUESS South America Coordinator of Finance to develop and implement a business controllership plan encompassing business and financial controls, business and control focused financial reporting and analysis, process and systems development and improvement, and productivity initiatives.
• Leads all controls activities for ACCUGUESS South America $245 Million business. The role works with all functions and across all ACCUGUESS South America regions to improve strengthen internal controls in support of Moogle-Zorch requirementsments and in compliance with Mootleson, Ambrose and Florb policies and procedures.
• Responsible for driving financial/accounting process improvements to advance controllership, drive productivity and eliminate rework and manual efforts. accountability. Monitor and improve internal control processes, support Four Sigma initiatives and provide financial process support. Interface with internal and external auditors.
• Provide guidance to management on appropriate tax, legal and accounting treatment in all regions. Work with the ACS Controller and ACCUGUESS Global Controller to provide central point of contact for ACCUGUESS regional controllers.
• Establish ACCUGUESS South America policies and practices consistent with ACS and Corporate policies. Perform Balance Sheet reviews. Coach and develop staff for growth opportunities.
• Responsible for ACCUGUESS repositioning process. This includes working with regional controllers and operations staff to ensure appropriate documentation is created to propose potential restructuring projects. Ownership over Restructuring (Repositioning) support website and ongoing monitoring of reserves recorded.

Much easier to read, isn’t it? Keeping the bullets to 3 sentences or less makes the statement that this is “short and important.” Remember, you don’t have to tell EVERYTHING – include what’s IMPORTANT and edit out the rest!

5. Gimmick Free – There are some things that simply aren’t needed on a resume, but folks put them there anyway.
• “References Available Upon Request”
NOTE: It’s REDUNDANT, as no one puts “No References Are EVER Available” on a resume.
• Personal Information.
NOTE: No one can ask you your age, religion, marital status, etc. So, put NO SUCH information on your resume. I’ve seen resumes where people have put birthdate, name of spouse and kids and wedding dates – and I’m not making that up!
• Junk Phrases such as “Hard Working, Team Player, Well Organized, Dedicated….”
NOTE: Those are “Junk Phrases” because they are YOUR opinion. Only through your references could someone perhaps find out about your best qualities. It’s very hollow boasting and means NOTHING. More importantly, employers have seen these types of phrases and wording so much on a resume that they don’t take them seriously.

Sometimes, it’s what you DON’T have in your resume that matters more. And by avoiding these “readability” traps and following our suggestions, you have a better chance to have a resume that’s reader friendly and easy to navigate.

Remember that every time you make things easier for an employer, you give yourself a better chance.

So, why not?

Phone Tuning: Leave that Name and Number Twice!

2008-04-06T20:57:00.001-04:00

Leaving a voicemail message? Here’s a tip I learned in sales training years ago: put your name AND phone number in TWICE!
• Near the beginning of the message
• Near the end of the message

Sample:
“This is Greg Lachs at 813-555-1212. I really enjoyed meeting with you on Tuesday and am very interested in joining your team. I’d very much like to find out what the next step is in the process. Again, Greg Lachs at 813-555-1212. Thanks.”

Why put both in twice?

Here’s the reason, and it’s simple: people can’t HEAR fast.
So, at the end of the message, they know you’ve called and may have written your number down or have it available. However, if they don’t have such, they only have to listen to the BEGINNING of the message to get the name and number again.

Such makes it EASIER for someone to get back to you!

And that’s always a good thing!

Job Search Tips: Lessons from the Movies

2008-04-04T20:21:00.000-04:00

Don’t be the next Dewey Cox!

Like a much smaller number of people than expected, I went to see the "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" when it came out several months ago.

Heavily promoted, decently reviewed, with backing of known talent, the movie BOMBED. Much money was lost on this, to the surprise of MANY. It lasted about 3 weeks in the theatres and went to that great “it’s not yet a movie you can get at Netflix” oblivion very quickly.

And it ties in very directly to job search issues - and provides important lessons.

1. The movie wasn’t particularly funny for a “supposed comedy.”
Jokes were sporadic, to my taste. In fact, when the first 10 minutes of the movie were put online for public view, I went to the site for a preview. It seemed like a LONG ten minutes.

The Job Search Lesson - Things NEED to be as advertised. Interviewing, you can't try to be funny, offbeat or a different person from who you are. For one thing, people notice. For another, you'll be very uncomfortable. Be energetic and upbeat, but you need to be YOU!

2. To follow this movie, you would have had to seen "Walk the Line." This movie was an attempt to parody much of "Walk the Line," which I thought was a pretty darn good flick. However, not everyone saw "Walk the Line." So, jokes tied to it would have made no sense to the audience who hadn't seen the Johnny Cash biopic where Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix had been so stellar.

The Job Search Lesson - Obscurity doesn't help. This is particularly true for resumes. One thing I've seen people do is go into what I'd call "acronym fever," and list a number of acronyms that someone reading the resume may not understand. In fact, I've seen such in a number of military resumes. Since the reader wasn't likely part of the same military unit, you need to "break down" acronyms into "every day" terminology.

3. The lead actor wasn't a "name" actor.
I'm not knocking the lead's talent, but who lines up to see a John C. Reilly flick? He was great in Chicago and in Talladega Nights as a SUPPORTING actor.
We often gravitate to that film with Will Smith, Will Ferrell (who would have been my choice for this movie) or Jack Nicholson - we know they are likely to be entertaining films.

The Job Search Lesson - You need to be a "name," and not just blend in. How? Well, from a stellar resume to great interview skills to an aggressive and effective job search.
That's what differentiates you from others, and makes you a "marquee" candidate!

4. The lead character wasn't that interesting (and this is the most dangerous “job search area.”)
Dewey Cox was a mix of a number of people who added up to someone we probably didn't care about all that much. Not a bad guy, not a great guy – yet, there was no magnetism in the character the way we saw Johnny Cash's intensity or Ray Charles’ brilliance in "Ray." Not much depth. In the movie, by the time the much advertised “Dewey Cox meets the Beatles” scene took place, I was getting bored. As a result, the "what happens next to this character" thoughts we might have when watching a movie turned into "I don't really care much about what happens to Dewey Cox" for me. Hard to pay as much attention, isn't it?

The Job Search Lesson - We tend to "hide" behind generic resumes and don't always interview as well as we'd like. You HAVE to be interesting to the employer. However, you don't need to entertain in order to do this.
How?
-Wear your best “professional” clothing.
-Arrive 15-20 minutes before the interview.
-Shake hands firmly, but not in “bonecrusher” fashion.
-Ask “open ended” questions about the job, company, training, etc.
-Let the interviewer speak! Don’t interrupt with your questions.
-Have great eye contact with the interviewer.
-Smile!
-Sit up straight and stand up tall.
-Show interest and pay attention! If your eyes wander around the office, you will seem to be “drifting” out of the interview. I’ve noticed such in candidates before, and you need to stay focused on the interviewer.

“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” was not an awful movie, nor stellar. It just “didn’t have enough” to make it as either a “critical smash” that doesn’t make money but people love for years (think “Shawshank Redemption.”) And it wasn’t a smash at the box office.
It was just there, and not for long.

You have much more to offer. Use these lessons to strengthen your “box office potential” to get great “reviews” from interviewers and top the charts by getting the position you are looking for!

(and special thanks to Melanie Lachs for her editorial genius!)

Phone Tuning: When they Don’t Call Back

2008-04-03T17:06:00.000-04:00

We’ve all been there: an interview, perhaps a second, and then it becomes silent and still. Employers don’t contact us, nor do they return calls.
I’ve often stated that this is simply unprofessional behavior on their part, which is not that rare.

In fact, I’ve even heard of situations where people will call back multiple times, days apart, and still hear nothing in return. In these cases either the contact person is “unavailable,” “in a meeting” or you are sent directly to voicemail.

As someone who was on a job search 4 months ago, I experienced such as well. Frustrated me no end, too!

In that quite rare instance where George Costanza was right about something, “It’s not you; it’s them!”

As important as it is to do phone call follow ups after interviews, here are some VERY important things to remember about such:
• Most employers DON’T operate this way; we just remember our “best” and WORST experiences more clearly.
• Someone not calling you back is NOT always a reflection of no interest; some people simply DON’T return phone calls. I’ve had contacts who I had to get “live” or I’d never get them at all. (As a backup, I’ll try to email them directly; that’s worked sometimes.)
• If folks aren’t getting back to you, that’s a reflection of THEIR unprofessionalism. • Don’t take it personally. Take it as a challenge to do better when you are in a hiring position to treat people with the respect and dignity they truly deserve.

• Most importantly is this: employers who do not returning your follow-ups are losing access to your talent, skills and abilities.

It’s truly their loss and not yours!

Job Search Tip Update: Those "Refreshing" Resumes

2008-04-01T05:16:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine does just what I’ve done in the past re: posted resumes – updates them on the job boards each day!

I heard from her yesterday; an employer had called her based on her resume posting on Monster or Careerbuilder (I have forgotten which) and asked her if she had just posted her resume. Her response was that it had been on the job board, but that she updated it each day.

The employer’s response was very positive – the equivalent of saying “so, you’re trying to stay ahead of the others.” He was quite positive about that, and was very impressed with my friend’s self-marketing efforts. What resulted was a very positive initial phone interview for a position my friend has very much interest in.

Would she have gotten the same reaction if her resume’s last post date was 3 months ago?

It may be that she never would have been called!

If an employer can find good things about you in your resume, why not make it easy for him/her to find your resume on the job boards? REFRESH your resume several times a week for each job board you’ve posted on.

Of course, according to my friend, refreshing your resume EACH DAY on every job board isn’t such a bad idea, either.

And it's something that will take about 5 minutes of your time on a daily basis.

Tales from the Resume Reef: The Format, Part II: Resume Length

2008-03-29T15:51:00.000-04:00

Your resume needs to be CONCISE. SHORT, To the POINT. EASY TO READ!

That can mean different things to different folks; however, if your resume is 9 pages long, I can pretty fairly state from experience that it’s too long. However, the “resume must be one page” methodology of days gone by is not accurate, either. Thus, this column will try to help you find a “good” length that doesn’t short change your accomplishments, yet keeps the reader interested.

Keep in mind that the key is to keep the reader interested in what you have to offer. So, anything that “gets in the way” of such is NOT going to be of help! While there are no “definite” rules in this, let’s look at a list of “good ideas” based on what the employer may be looking for. Having worked with employers and candidates, I’ve worked with thousands of resumes over the last 20 years. Hopefully, the following will be helpful!

Good Idea #1 – Have your “best specifics” organized at the top/beginning of your resume:

Greg Lachs
1244 East West Street
Tampa, FL 33630
813-555-1212
Jobseachdolphin@gmail.com

Objective
Staffing Sales, Career Services or Recruiting Opportunity.

Professional Summary
Experienced and Innovative Staffing Sales, Career Services and Recruiting Professional with a 10 year record of success.

Professional Highlights:
-Recruiting/Placement for Information Technology, Graphic/Web Design, Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Allied Health, HR, Finance, Administration, Clerical.
-Successful placements in Direct Hire, Contract and Contract to Hire and Internships.
-“Phone Warrior” – regularly and successfully making 100+ outbound sales calls per day.
-Led Gerard-Phillips through a 250% increase in gross billing between 1998 and 2000.
-Achieved placement records in Career Services for IT, Criminal Justice and Massage Therapy grads.
-Organized 3 largest on-campus career fairs in Remington College, Tampa Campus history.
-Developed new business relationships with Cox Target Media. Achieva Credit Union, Eckerd, Hillsboro Printing, FKQ Advertising, Pinch a Penny, Special Data Processing, among others.
-Business Development through Inside Sales Calls and Networking.
-Professional and Effective Sales Techniques: Sandler Sales Institute Graduate, 1998.
-Successful “Cold call” recruiting into businesses to build pool of Engineering Candidates.
-Strong internet research skills including search engines and cross referencing of professional organizations.
-Well versed in MS Office and ACT software.
-Dedicated and proven methods through Career Assistance to provide STRONG matches based on upgrading candidate resumes and interview skills.
-Active database of professional contacts going back to 1997/1998.

Software
MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Lotus Notes, Campus View, MS Publisher, MS Money, ACT

Note how this layout, from my December resume of 2007, makes it EASY for the reader to quickly see my qualifications. Put these highlights at the beginning.
• Recent college grad? Put your info on that EARLY in your resume.
• Have certifications or awards? Put that info EARLY in your resume.
• Want to list your education? Put that info either EARLY or at the END of your resume.

Good Idea #2 – Have your employment history in “reverse chronology.” (Most recent job first) with SHORT, bulleted items highlighting your accomplishments. Here’s what I had in my most recent resume:

Experience
5/06 – 11/30/07 Director of Career Services Remington College Tampa, FL
-Oversaw largest increase in placements for Criminal Justice & Massage Therapy in campus history.
-Inside sales (75-125 outbound calls per day) for student placement opportunities.
-Placement of students and graduates in Technology, Criminal Justice, Business and Allied Health.
-Responsible for placement of grads from all programs (approx 300 per year).
-Development and presentation of upgraded curriculum for Career Development.
-Organized and staged 3 largest on-campus career fairs (10/06, 4/07 and 9/07) in school’s history: 40+ employers per event.
-Created first comprehensive email list of students for distribution of job leads and tips.
-Conducted Workshops on Career Placement Skills: Interviewing, Resume Writing, Cover Letter Writing.

10/05 – 5/06 Staffing Specialist/Recruiter Amtran Services Tampa, FL
-Assisted in creation of start up staffing firm.
-Placement in IT, Graphics, Marketing/Sales.
-Provided ALL Placement services, from recruiting to sales to placement
-Inside sales (75-100 outbound calls per day.)
-Created initial policies, procedures and forms and bill rates for Contract and Direct Hire.
-Recruiting and placement for Contract and Direct Hire positions.

9/04 – 3/06 Career Services Consultant /(Independent Contractor for Career Envisions, Inc.)
-Regularly achieved 90%+ placement rate of eligible students for New Horizons, Tampa.
-Placed IT certification students in internship, full time and contract employment opportunities in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale for New Horizons, South Florida.
-Created and presented original "Career Services" training curriculum for soft skills training:
"Resume Writing," " Cover Letter Writing," "Interview Skills," "Job Search Skills" "Negotiation
Skills" for IT trainees attending New Horizons Computer Learning Centers.
-75-125 daily outbound sales calls for placement opportunities.
-Trained IT trainees in "soft skills" in Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville.

11/02 – 7/04 Recruiter/Inside Sales Staffing Firms Tampa Bay Area
-Recruiting/Placement for Information Technology, Graphic Design, Finance, Engineering, Drafting and Marketing.
-Inside Sales (75-125 outbound calls per day.)
-Achieved highest Billing in local branch history.
-Temporary, Temp to Hire and Direct Hire placements.
-Career counseling: resume writing assistance and interview preparation for applicants.
-Wrote job board advertisements for both Direct Hire and Temporary positions.

2/98 – Present Freelance Career Services Consultant Tampa, FL
-Provide resume writing and career placement assistance for individuals and small groups.

11/97 – 10/02 Kennard Communications of Florida (Company Closed 11/02) Tampa, FL
-(10/01 – 10/02) Assistant Marketing Coordinator
-Researched and developed local and national client base.
-100-125 outbound sales calls daily.
-Sold first annual contract for Engineering Job Board.
-Created and marketed pricing packages for job postings.
-Led company in sales volume for job board postings.
-Conducted resume writing workshops at career fairs and college campuses.
-Concepted engineering internet job board and wrote all website copy to submit to designers/developers.
-Recruited candidates through attendance of regional college job fairs/professional association meetings.
-(11/97 – 10/01) Staffing Manager - Gerard Phillips (staffing division of Kennard - closed 10/01)
-Recruiting/Placement for IT, Administrative, Clerical, Graphic Design, Finance, HR, Engineering,
Drafting and Marketing.
-Inside Sales (75-125 outbound calls per day.)
-Billed $800,000 in gross sales between 1998 and 2000.
-Successfully developed FIRST Pinellas County client base for Graphic Design and Marketing Placement.
-Set bill rates, policies and procedures for internal operations.
-Temporary, Temp to Hire and Direct Hire placements.
-Concepted company’s website and upgrade; wrote copy for site.

5/95 – 11/97 Coordinator, Hotline of Hillsborough
Crisis Center of Hillsborough County Tampa, FL
-Supervised all staff and volunteers for 24 hour, 7 day/week telephone crisis hotline.
-Co-coordinated 5 week training session and developed training materials for new counselors.
-Recruited, Interviewed and hired all staff.

Education
B.A., English The Pennsylvania State University

Notice how this makes it EASY for the reader to quickly what I did where and when.
• Reverse chronology means someone doesn’t have to read YOUR ENTIRE RESUME so see what you have done most recently.
• Bulleted items are MUCH easier to read than paragraphs: it says “this is short, important and worth reading.” Paragraph descriptions are WORDY; thus, a very bad idea.
• Numbers, numbers, numbers! If you have any numbers re: how much you accomplished, or number of people supervised or daily activities or accomplishments, include that. QUANTIFICATION helps showcase your SPECIFIC successes!

Good Idea #3 – Don’t go too far in reverse! Most resumes that wind up being 8 or 9 pages happen for two reasons:
1. People describe work history/experience in paragraphs that are long and hard to read. We’ve covered that one, already.
2. They go back “too far” in reverse.

Unless you are applying for the highest level of Sr. Management, your career history need not go back more than 20 years. That’s it! What you did in 1985 might be interesting (I was a teacher at that time,) but it was 23 years ago. Moreover, what you can do NOW frequently has little to do with what you did 25 years ago in THIS WAY: you aren’t using the same techniques, tools, etc. In IT resumes, for example, I’ve seen people describe their mainframe work in 1967; however, we’re not using those same mainframes these days. Or, they may describe working with an early version of DOS that hasn’t been able to be on use on computers since 1986.

This is not an attempt to say that what you did “way back when” never has bearing.
However, there are 3 things to keep in mind re: your resume:
1. People want to know what you can do NOW: not what you could do during the Nixon Administration.
2. Age discrimination is real. You aren’t being dishonest in cutting the “ancient” from your resume: you are focusing on the relevant. That gives you a better chance to get in for the interview, where “live” you can make that positive impression no matter how much experience you may have! My resume, for example, has no mention of my radio work in the 80s; my last stint as a dj was in 1988. Could I walk into a radio station and offer my services as a dj and be taken seriously? Not based on that!
3. My resume, as yours should, focused on my skills and the experience I have that’s recent and relevant.

Good Idea #4 – Number resume pages, and put your contact information on EVERY page of your resume.

In this “paperless” world, folks print out resumes almost all the time. If they misplace a page from yours, how will they know it’s yours? Well, having page number and your contact information is certainly helpful.

Good Idea #5 – Be ready to cut, edit, delete if need be.

How long should a resume be? Well, no rules are consistent, and keep changing.
However, if your resume is 6, 7 or 8 pages long, in most cases, that’s just TOO long. Most professional resumes should be NO LONGER than 3 pages. An employer WILL read a 3 page resume if it’s organized as we’ve discussed, but not necessarily a 6 page verision.

It’s a Bad Idea to think you need to include “everything.” That’s how resumes get to be overlong. And it’s a time you may need to show your effort to a friend, colleague or a professional resume writer to get yours to a reasonable length.

Good Rule of Thumb: For each job description, have no more than 6-8 bulleted items and keep each item NO LONGER than 2-3 lines. Such can save you space!

The key issue in resume length is NOT what you want to tell an employer; it’s what you can get that person to read. Hope that these tips will help you get your resume to a “reader friendly” length.

And that you can find more help in your job search at Greg Lachs’ Job Search Dolphin blog!

Phone Tuning, Part 2 - Messages from Work

2008-03-26T20:58:00.000-04:00

Here’s a voicemail message many leave at work:
“I’m either on the phone or away from my desk.”

Wow! Isn’t that helpful?

Other reasons the person COULD have been unavailable....
• The person was busy fighting a rampaging killer aardvark in the office.
• The person was practicing pogo stick climbing of the Eiffel Tower.
• The person was playing catch with live alligators.
• The person was eating paint.
• The person was fighting off Lex Luthor and kryptonite at the same time.

Truly, it’s nice to know that this person is safe and either on the phone or simply away from that desk, isn’t it?

“I’m either on the phone or away from my desk” is trite.
Overused.
And fairly meaningless.

It’s the equivalent of saying “I can’t take your call because I can’t take your call.”
OR
“I don’t feel like answering the phone right now, so leave a message.”

Not quite the message we might want to give to a colleague, client, or potential employer! And, we can do better!

Employers may call us at work; it’s important to be not just professional, but also to use common sense as well. Therefore, if your voicemail has the phrase “I’m either on the phone or away from my desk,” change the trite phrase to something else:
• “This is Randi Zorch. I’m sorry I missed your call. Please leave a message and I’ll return it as soon as possible.”
• “Mike Florb, here. Please leave a message at the beep with your name and number. I’ll call you back.”
• “This is Zeke Flibbo. I’d like to return your call, so please leave your message at the tone.”
• “This is Ed Cell. Please leave a message at the tone, or, if you need to reach me right away, please try my cell at 813-555-1212.”

Any of the 4 above is still short, to the point, and avoid the useless phrase of “being on the phone or away from my desk.” After all, we kind of figure you AREN’T available if you aren’t answering the call. So, why remind us?

A more professional message on your voicemail at work can ALWAYS be helpful.

And, as you can see, it’s not hard to do.

Tales from the Resume Reef: The Format, Part I: Overview

2008-03-24T21:01:00.000-04:00

Simple facts about what your resume needs to be:
• Concise
• Easy to read
• Easy to follow
• Flexible
• Accomplishment Based
• Absent of Useless Extras

We will go over EACH of the above topics in its’ very own article right here on the Job Search Dolphin. The goal, I hope, is to give the reader a very clear idea of what works in a resume and why – and what DOESN’T.

Here are some quick thoughts to ponder about each of these topics.
• Your resume needs to be CONCISE
If your resume is 7 pages, I can pretty much guarantee that it’s too long. Readers are looking for quick information: not a script for the next Spiderman movie! However, the “resume must be one page” methodology of days gone by is not accurate, either. We’re going to help you find a “good” length that doesn’t short change your accomplishments, yet keeps the reader interested.

• Your resume needs to be EASY TO READ
If you’ve bunched ALL of your technical skills together, you may have created an eye chart. No one reads an “eye chart” for fun! Long, detailed descriptions of your past work history shouldn’t be paragraphs waiting to be part of the next 800 page novel, either. Simply, we’ll show you how to showcase your best skills and work history in a way that helps a reader more easily find out the good things about you.

• Your resume needs to be EASY TO FOLLOW
If you have the “functional resume,” we’re going to try and convince you to “toss” it. Simply put, the reader isn’t going to know how what you did where. Further, most won’t guess in your favor. We’ll help you show a clear path that makes sense to the reader: that’s the key, after all!

• Your resume needs to be FLEXIBLE
We’re not discussing “flexible facts” where one could make up accomplishments depending on the job description. Let’s leave that to Jon Lovitz’ classic character Tommy Flanagan, who was rather “creative” with facts the way many politicians can be. Instead, we’ll go over how you can MOVE what is important to different places based on the jobs you apply for.

• Your resume needs to be ACCOMPLISHMENT BASED
If most of your resume is a history of job descriptions, you are selling yourself very short.
How MUCH did you increase sales? How MANY people did you supervise? By WHAT percent did you help increase production? We’ll show you how numbers/quantification can help you sell yourself! Give yourself the awards for success you’ve earned!

• Your resume needs to be ABSENT OF USELESS EXTRAS
If you are wondering how this Greg Lachs person is going to help you with your resume, you may wonder if you have enough space for all you have done. Well, there’s more room than you think if you get rid of such classic and completely wasteful “extras” such as “References Available Upon Request.” Instead, we’ll show you key things you DON’T NEED; they are like that pile of newspapers by the fireplace – something taking up space and generating no heat or interest.

And we are hopeful that in giving you each of these steps in detail, we can help you make certain your resume does you all the favors it can. Each person can offer much; sometimes the resume gets in the way rather than helps. When you consider that 90% of resumes are ignored or set aside for future disposal by employers, keep in mind that getting into the 10% pile isn’t that complicated.

Product counts, and we hope we can give you enough tips and guidelines so that your resume is a product of the finest variety! Just like you!

Job Search Tip from the Dolphin: Avoid Revolving Door “Opportunities”

2008-03-23T21:05:00.000-04:00

In Tampa, there was a call center who advertised each week for employees both in the local papers and online. Many applied and many were hired. However, there was a reason this employer kept advertising: they couldn’t keep anyone!

As someone who worked in both Career Services and Recruiting, I spoke with a number of ex employees of this call center. One story clearly showed me why people either quit or were being let go with great frequency: a student of mine told me that she was let go for not being logged onto her computer on time; the reason she wasn’t logged on was that her computer was having problems and she was working with technical support to get things corrected.

So, while she was doing the right and only thing she could (it’s kind of hard to log onto a machine that’s not working!) she got in trouble for not being logged in.

For this employer, I heard many similar stories. And for years, they were regularly recruiting for the same positions. Management wouldn’t change their approach, so employees couldn’t stay very long!

You may see an employer who is frequently advertising one or more of the same positions on a regular basis. However, most of the employers doing so aren’t growing.
It’s a “revolving door opportunity.” Next person hired is likely the next to either quit or be fired. Thus, it’s good for you to avoid these situations.

Most of the time, it’s a result of the way the company or organization is run, and here are some frequent examples of a “revolving door” situation:
• People are asked to do too much.
• Training is incomplete.
• Management is focused on strict and impractical guidelines.
• Rules change for no reason.
• Environment is not comfortable.
• Managers are not qualified and way too vocal.
• Most importantly, employees simply aren’t valued!

Ironically, these companies have hiring authorities who say “we can’t get good people” when the truth is quite the opposite. Good people have no reason to stay, or are let go. And supervisors and managers will be the first to “slam” former employees for “shortcomings.” While the truth is that virtually no one could succeed.

If you are set up to fail, it’s kind of hard to do otherwise!

Further, this is not just for “entry level” positions. I’ve seen mid to senior level positions advertised over and over by the same firm for jobs that SHOULDN’T be hard to fill.

If someone is advertising “all the time,” see if they are a growing firm. If not, you are looking at a “revolving door” that will continue to be such. It’s not a healthy place for your work environment. STAY AWAY!

You deserve a better work situation, and a diligent search can help you find one!

"Fin Tuning" - References

2008-03-20T20:39:00.000-04:00

Not long ago, I was working with a candidate who provided me with several professional references right before an interview I’d set up with a client. While I was able to reach two people and get very positive and detailed feedback, 3 other references never returned calls. Having 2 good references was helpful, but most folks are looking for at least 1-3 more.

Had the employer hired my candidate, my guess is that they would have done their own background check. And that they’d “reach out” to those references again.

Of course, if the folks being called don’t return those calls, it SLOWS DOWN the hiring process. I’ve had experiences in staffing where I could not place a candidate until references got back to me, so the candidate had to wait.

Since most professional employers want 3-5 professional references, it’s very important to make certain of the following:
1. That you have current and complete contact information for your references:
• Employers get easily frustrated with disconnected phone numbers, wrong numbers or email “bouncebacks.”
• Check with your references to make certain all your information is STILL current!
2. That your references know that phone calls may be coming:
• This is ESPECIALLY true if you haven’t communicated with references for awhile.
• Plus, it keeps your references “alert” as to why calls are coming in, and the need to answer and/or return those calls.
3. And, if you have just had a job interview, you may want to “refresh” your references memories with a simple call such as this –
“It’s Diane. Just interviewed with Zorch for the Controller Position and it went very well. Steve Jackson from Zorch is likely to call you. I appreciate your willingness to be a reference for me. Thanks”

(If you are interviewing a lot, you probably don’t have to remind folks EACH time!)

Give your past colleagues or supervisors the chance to brag about the good things you offer!

Your references can certainly be of great help as long as you make certain that they are easily reachable!

“Take this Ride and Love It”

2008-03-15T14:30:00.000-04:00

A couple of nights ago while buying groceries, I was speaking to the young woman who was at the cash register. She spoke energetically about being on Spring Break from the University of South Florida, and how she had to start studying later in the week. I asked her “how far along” she was in her studies; her response was that she was a “sophomore again” as she had changed majors twice. Turns out she started in English and now was in the accounting field, and was very eager to get into her studies. She found that the job opportunities in English right out of school were not all that plentiful in comparison to the accounting arena. A very bright and personable student, she’s likely to do well; certainly her attitude could not have been more positive!

Amazing to me was that her story was pretty much an exact reverse of mine!

A lifetime ago, when I started at Penn State, I entered accounting for the simple reason that there were jobs in that field. However, I had been very mediocre at math throughout secondary school; a “B” was a cause for celebration, and a C was more par for the course.
In my first calculus class at Penn State, I got my one and only D as an undergrad; in the next level calculus class, my grade was solidly in the “F range” when I came to a realization. It was the “wrong fit.” Thus, I changed majors twice, to Broadcasting and eventually to English, and graduated with a B.A. And jobs in the English arena were not plentiful in an early ’80s recession for a new grad. In the next 16 years I accumulated experience in the following: radio dj, teaching, administrative support, editor, volunteer coordinator, outside sales, facility management and the running of a 24 hour crisis hotline.

All during that time, I kept wondering “where I was supposed to be” in my career path.

I was VERY frustrated by such, and kept wondering if I was a failure.

Only in ’97, did I get into recruiting/staffing, and eventually Career Services. And discovered that in those two arenas I was to find opportunities that would fit my skills and interests in a way I didn’t know possible. Plus, all of those earlier work experiences helped me in dealing with the wide range of people I’d try and help who were in the job hunt.

We never know exactly how we are going to “get there.”
And, we never know WHEN that can be.

The worst thing I did was put “timetables” on myself for where I thought I should be.
“By this time, I should…” was my line of thinking. It was tied to nothing more concrete than hope and imagination. Further, each time that didn’t work out, I got angrier at myself for “falling short.”

Some folks find a career path easily and move to it quickly.

Many of us don’t.

At nearly 50, I’ve finally learned that it’s ok, too.

• Each of us is so different from any other one that we cannot be successful if we compare ourselves to others.
• Each of us learns differently; what looks great at first (for me, teaching) may turn out to be the wrong path for many reasons.
• Each of us will learn things we think we’ll never use, and find them incredibly valuable at some unexpected time.
• Each of us has skills, talents and abilities that are in need: it just may take some time to find where that is.

For me, I tended to order mine a bit wrongly and ignore some truths about who I was. Once I got past some of that, I was able to find a career path that was rewarding, challenging, and worth looking forward to.

We all have things to offer.
Sometimes, it just takes awhile to find out the what, where, when and how.
And that if you aren’t “there now,” you are likely on the journey.

It took me until nearly 40 years on this earth to “get there.”

And it’s different for each of us.

That’s the cool thing, though: since we’re all different, we can each offer something unique and special.
Whether it’s right after school or 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 years later!

From the Search Tip File: Refreshing Resumes

2008-03-12T20:09:00.000-04:00

If you post on the job boards, here's something to keep in mind: keep your resume "fresh."

With most boards, you can renew, refresh or edit your resume: doing so UPDATES your posting date to make it current.

You can do this every couple of days.

And it CAN be very helpful:
1. Your resume is one of the FIRST that is pulled up in your professional category or by matching keywords. They may not have to "go back" as far to find candidates.
2. Employers see that you are likely still looking; that's good for them to know.

Having used the boards as a recruiter, I know can pull up resumes not only by keywords, categories or location, but I can also choose HOW RECENTLY the resumes are posted. The more CURRENT, the BETTER.

Everyone looks at that a little differently; however, if your resume has been posted six months ago and never updated, most people tend to figure that you have found something and that you forgot to remove your resume. Plus, I've found that these "older" resumes don't always have current contact information. So, I am a little more reluctant to call candidates I may not be able to reach.

So, I may not even try!

And if you are STILL looking, why not let potential employers know such?
-In Monster, you can go to the resume section and simply choose "renew."
-In Careerbuilder, you can make a minor edit to your resume. Here's what I do: I keep my current salary accurate, and then drop it by $100. That "updates" in Careerbuilder. The next time I "go in" I just bring my salary back to what it is.
And so forth...

I'd up the ante by suggesting you do this 3-4 times per week, as a common default in job boards is "resumes w/in last 3 days." This way, you'll always be in that section!

Recruiters, whether working directly for a company or for a staffing/recruiting firm are only going to look at "so many resumes." Thus, they are less likely to go back 3 months or six months or more to find candidates, unless the needs are especially specific and the "pool" of candidates is very minimal.

Since most of us aren't in that situation, you can make it easier for them to find you ahead of many others if you refresh your resume on a frequent basis.

Little time involved. Potentially much upside. Enough suggested!

Tales from the Resume Reef: Roll Credits, Logically

2008-03-10T20:20:00.000-04:00

I'm one of those folks who is often still sitting at the end of a movie eager to see the final credits. In the quick scene by the waterfall, was the actor with the gun who I thought it was? Was the song that followed the big argument the one I thought David Bowie originally recorded? Where DID they film it?

Maybe you do the same thing.

At the movie's end, we see lists of ALL participants. It's niftily broken up into categories, too. Special Effects folks don't appear in the music credits, nor does the list of costumers show up in the list of actors and characters that usually starts the whole thing. That could be confusing.

Even more confusing? A title such as "People Who Were Involved in Making this Film" and nothing more than a list of all the names in no specific order. No titles or credits.

Who'd want to stay for that? How could anyone follow a random list and make sense of it?

Instead, the credits are "rolled logically."

So, the question then, is why do some folks put their "credits" in their resumes in a random "see if you can figure out where THIS is" fashion? I've seen a lot of this in technical resumes, but not just there. Of course, you need to have "keywords" that speak of your skills, accomplishments and abilities. However, bunching them together in no particular order does you no favors; it just confuses the reader.

If the person reading your resume can't follow it, he or she will miss things or simply skip over them. It's not hard to avoid this, though!

Organize and divide - quite simple!

Not this:
Technical Skills
Java, Javascript, Open Office , HTML, MS Access, Unix, Photoshop, MS Word, Dreamweaver, Windows Vista

This:
Technical Skills
Web: HTML, Java, Javascript, Dreamweaver
OS: Unix, Windows Vista
Graphics: Photoshop
Office Tools: Open Office, MS Access, MS Word

Not this:
Accomplishments/Skills
Outside Sales, Marketing via Flyers, Staff Development, Web Design, 300% Increase in Billings from 2003-2007, Appointment Setting, Workshops, President's Club Member 2003-2007, Opened New Office in 2005, Achieved 150% of quota 2006, 2007.

This:
Accomplishment/Skills
Sales: Outside Sales, 250% Increase in Billings from 2003-2006, Achieved 150% of quota 2006, 2007, President's Club Member 2003-2007
Marketing: Flyers, Web Design
Staff/Leadership: Staff Development, Opened New Office in 2005

Notice how in EACH case, the 2nd "version" of each is easier to read. Each is divided into categories that are simple and easy to follow.

And that's the point. If your "credits" are easy for the reader to get through, it's more likely he/she will see more clearly the best that you have to offer. What you then have is logical, simple and "reader friendly."

Help your resume give you the credit you are due! By organizing your skills and accomplishments, rather than bunching them together, you stand a much better chance of keeping your audience's attention.

Avoid The 90% Pile

2008-03-06T20:54:00.000-05:00

Other folks have pointed out that adjusting your resume based on the job posting can be helpful. Truer words there are not.

The same is true for cover letters. Recently, I received a resume and cover letter in response to a job posting for a software engineer. However, the cover letter specifically focused on the person's Quality Assurance background and interest in a Quality Assurance position. I didn't have one of those.

One could almost say that the "job posting" world has a generic feel to it. It's impersonal, and many of the jobs we see look very much the same.

However, the person who reads YOUR information is an individual, which makes it personal. Thus, it's important that your resume and cover letter don't wind up in the "90% pile."

While not everyone reads cover letters, many folks do. If you send your cover letter, you are trying to make a positive impression, right? There's no reason for the following 2 errors:

1. Leaving old contact information from a previous letter
2. Not updating the job title you are applying for to make it the CORRECT one

Not correcting the 2 errors above says the following:
"I'm applying for your job along with MANY others, so it doesn't matter that much if you pay attention."

As job postings can result in HUNDREDS of responses, you simply give the person evaluating your effort a chance to put your resume in the 90% pile. That's the pile of resumes most recruiters and employers get that they have no use for or cannot use. And those are the resumes that will wind up being set aside or put into obscure files.

It's the OTHER 10% that get another review, and from those come choices for initial interviews. So, it's where YOU want to be!

In your cover letter, be specific about contact information and job titles for EACH job you apply for. That way, you let the reader know that you are focused on him/her:
there's a better chance that your resume and cover letter get to the 10% pile if you are qualified for the opportunity!

Be Ready for the Unexpected Good Stuff...

2008-03-02T13:35:00.000-05:00

The picture here is one of my personal favorites: something I was able to "stumble" across while taking pictures in Ft. DeSoto Park back in 2002. While strolling along the fishing pier with my digital camera, I looked up and found these two feathered folk on a lamppost. Quickly, I changed the setting to "B&W" and snapped several shots. And this is the one that seemed to turn out best.

In 7+ years of amateur, self-taught digital photography, I've come up with some pictures I really enjoy. Yet, this particular one is among those I have the greatest fondness for.

It's simple - I was ready for the "unexpected good stuff." Ft. Desoto is a park that is often ranked among America's Top Beaches. So, I went with charged camera, extra batteries, and a willingness to use up the entire memory stick.

The job search process is similar. One never knows where an opportunity may come up, from whom or when. We need to be ready.

1. Keep your resume current.
Years ago, I worked with someone who did nothing but contract work related to Defense Contract Management. He said he updated his resume AS SOON as he got a new job. That's not bad advice!
2. Keep your resume available: I keep copies in my "job search only" Yahoo email account - so I can access my documents from anywhere. Or, keep your Flash drive with you.
3. Stay in touch with your contacts.
4. Find ways to expand your "network" of contacts.
5. Communicate FREQUENTLY with your contacts.
I've sent out a "blast" email about each two weeks to my contacts:
a. With a different subject line each time. It's more likely someone will read that.
b. With something different in the text each time. Just 2 or 3 sentences updating my search. If it's TOO LONG, it becomes a chore for the reader - and you lose that person's interest.
-This is good way to remind folks you are looking, get their suggestions/feedback, and to thank them.
SAMPLE:
I just had a second interview with the XYZ Company. Any feedback on them is appreciated. Thanks for your help in my search!

Not only will these help you be ready for the "unexpected good stuff" that may come your way, but also will your constant "contacts" with your network help increase the possibility that such things can take place.

In your job search, prepare for the unexpected. The more ready you are, the better your chances will be.

Tales from the Resume Reef - Don't Create Unneeded Distance

2008-03-01T14:23:00.001-05:00

One of the points I try to "hit" in resume writing tips regards making things EASIER for employers to find the "good stuff" you have to offer.

Lately, I have seen some resumes online that create a whole sub-category.
It's called a "Summary Resume" and most times includes "complete resume available by request" or something like that. And if you are going to post your resume on job boards, it's not the best tactic. It creates unneeded distance, making an employer take another step just to find out more about you.

In the "Summary Resume," someone puts "short versions" of what he/she has done. Further, there is no "summary" of skills (ironic, perhaps?) that makes an employer get a clearer picture of what someone has to offer. Instead, there are single sentence descriptions under anonymous employers that leave out key accomplishments and details.

Please keep in mind that I am not referencing "Confidential" resumes here. That's a different type - and people are leaving things out to protect themselves - not to try and keep people from getting valued information.

That's not the case with "Summary Resumes."
1. They are short, and contain "Some" information
-Note that the term "some" is a danger - what is enough? If you provide "some" information about your skills or experience, is that adequate? What have you left out?
2. They usually have contact information for a person, or at least that person's name
-Thus, any confidentiality is gone.
3. They ask for someone to contact them to GET the full resume
-So, people are asked to take an "extra" step.

If you are comfortable in posting a resume with your name on it on job boards, make it the FULL resume. With a summary resume, you are leaving information out, and asking employers to contact you to "fill in the gaps." Some will do that, but others may not take the time. And you may lose opportunities. Chances are, if you are posting on the job boards, you WANT to be contacted. However, your skills, education and experience are what will drive employers to make that contact.

Don't ask people to "guess" if you have what they need.
Let those folks SEE the good you have to offer! With a FULL Resume.
It makes their decision easier, and you a more viable candidate.

And a "Summary Resume" is not a step that will help in that process.

Interview Tip 4045.9 - It's never JUST a phone interview

2008-02-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

Phone interviews can certainly make or break your progress in the hiring process.
Over the years, I've discovered that some folks don't take the calls as seriously as they do for "in person" interviews - or they have no clue as to how to approach a phone interview.

It's never JUST a phone interview. This is a key element in the search process for employers. Thus, it's just as important to know WHAT NOT TO DO for phone interviews as it is for those one might have "in person."

Several years ago, I was working as a Career Services Consultant for some Technical Training centers. One of my students, who had several years of professional work experience, asked me the following: "I have a phone interview with the XYZ company on Tuesday. Should I sit in a dark room?"

Avoiding any one liners, insults or quips (tempting though it was with such a question,) I passed along some basic suggestions re: phone interviews and how to give them a better chance of working.
1. Choose a comfortable, though not too relaxing, well lit location. If your choice is the easy chair you fall asleep in, you'll wind up losing energy. If you don't have good lighting, you won't be able to use your resume and references list; you should have both with you during the interview.
2. Make certain this location is reasonably quiet. If you are taking this call at home, pick a spot where your family isn't - or ask them to move to another part of the apartment or home while you are on the call.
3. Let them know what you are doing, too! It's less likely for someone to come up to ask you where the can of olives is if that person knows you are on an important call!
4. Your resume and list of references are good to have for a phone interview - especially the resume. At an in person interview, I suggest people bring an extra copy of their resume for themselves. The biggest reason is simple; you don't have to just rely on memory to answer questions, or try to remember what you put on your resume. In that regard, the phone interview is no different!
5. Here's where some folks make an error; they'll have a video game or movie or tv on in the background (even w/o volume) during the phone interview. If your focus is on the screen, or your attempt to defend the empire against Darth Vader's cousin, how much attention are you paying to the interview? Turn off ALL electronic distractions.
6. Energy matters! Speak in a natural voice and speak clearly. Next, use an old "radio" trick I learned as a dj; smile as you are speaking. This way, your voice sounds more upbeat and friendly and it's all very natural!
7. Questions matter. Prepare 3-5 questions that matter to you about the job BEFORE the interview. Next, write them down on your resume. If the topics aren't covered during the course of the interview, you have an answer to that sometimes tricky "final" question of "Do you have any questions."
8. Closing strong. Should the final question be "Do you have any questions?" and you've DISCUSSED the questions on your list, you can always respond by restating YOUR written questions as follows:

-We discussed your training process, plans for growth and expectations for a new member of the staff. I think we've covered all the questions I have for now - but I would like your number or email address in the event that something additional comes to mind.

Notice how professional this closing is.
1. You go over the topics of importance; that shows the interviewer you've been an ACTIVE PARTICIPANT.
2. "I think we've covered" is actually stronger than "we've covered everything I would need." Simply, because you are leaving the door open for future conversation.
Besides, at this juncture, don't you think it's possible that some additional question may come up?
3. Further, you indicate that you would like contact information (which is always good to have.)
4. Finally, you state "something additional..." showcasing that you aren't just asking for contact information - but have purpose for doing so.

Whether the call is a "screening interview" or something more final, be certain to give it your best. If you take the call as seriously as you would an "in person" interview and are prepared, you'll give yourself the best chance to showcase the good things you have to offer!

Tales from the Resume Reef.....Re "Voiceover" Mode

2008-02-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

For about 10 years, I worked in a number of small radio stations as a part time disc jockey. And during that time, part of my job was often to write and produce 30 and 60 second commercial spots. In most of those situations, I was ending copy with such creative gems as "plenty of free parking" or "sale ends Saturday."

There is indeed a connection to resumes in this column: one thing "stuck" with me since that time. Whenever I write something, I can "hear" what it sounds like. As I write this, I can "hear" me reading it as if I was doing another 30 second commercial for Bob's Taxidermy and Screen Door Repair.

However, resumes are WRITTEN presentations.

It's a shame that some people write them in "voiceover" mode.

What I refer to is the "3rd person" style of resume writing:
Mr. Jackson received a promotion after a 300% sales increase from 2002 to 2003.
Ms. Sloan worked on several key projects while on contract.
Mr. Ramirez led the upgrade from Windows 2000 to 2003 Server across the network.

Or something like the following:
Mr. Smith is an experienced technical professional with over 10 years of IT experience. He has worked with networks and network configuration during that time. In addition, Mr. Smith has upgraded systems and led teams of technical professionals.
He has an MCSE and is working towards a CCNA certification.

That's "voiceover" mode. And it looks pompous, reads artificially and looks like someone is trying to write advertising copy instead of a resume. When I read it, I default to my old dj mode and have a harder time taking the work seriously. Put a little music underneath it and it's like I'm doing another radio commercial.

A personal preference. Yes.
A practical matter. Possibly.

In speaking with recruiters and in dealing with employers, I've found that they generally don't like such a format. If you are writing about yourself, you can use first person.

After all, you ARE describing yourself!

"Voiceover" mode, or 3rd person, can come across as impersonal. Perhaps even pompous.

Pomp and circumstance is great for graduation ceremonies, but there's no circumstance where pomp is really that helpful in your resume.

3rd person, "voiceover" mode is NOT more professional; it's less effective.
When it reads as though someone should be announcing it, your resume is focused less on what you've done. And can distract the reader. Even distance that person from you.
Put enough of yourself in 3rd person, as some do for the WHOLE resume, and it's almost as though someone else is being described instead of you!

With the good skills and experience you have to offer, take credit for what you can do. You don't need to use "I" overly much, either. Simply put your statements as follows:
Received a promotion after a 300% sales increase from 2002 to 2003.
Worked on several key projects while on contract.
Led the upgrade from Windows 2000 to 2003 Server across the network.

It's simple and more direct that way.
Remember, the simpler you make things for employers, the easier your resume is to read. And the more easy for them to find the good things you have to offer!

Tales from the Resume Reef - Dating Advice (for Employment History)

2008-02-18T20:20:00.000-05:00

It's time for a blunt statement about dating - dates for your employment history:

You need to have them!
They need to be in reverse chronological order!
They need to "line up" with the jobs and accomplishments/skills you list!

1. You need to have dates of employment on your resume. In 10+ years of recruiting and career services, I've yet to run into the employer who says "I don't want to know ANYTHING about how long that person was at any job." Truth is, it's necessary for the employer to get a clearer picture of your work history. As we've stated, the easier you make it for the employer to read your resume, the better for you!

2 examples
1/01-2/08 Supervisor, Helpdesk Department Interfake Tampa, FL
2001-Present Supervisor, Helpdesk Department Interfake Tampa, FL

Some folks may say you need month and date (it's my preference,) while others may say that years are enough. Be certain you choose one format and use it the WHOLE way through your resume.

2. You need to list employment dates in reverse chronological order, which is a fancy way of saying to put your most recent job first. Next, list the one before that, etc.
What you have done most recently is usually the most important issue for hiring folks, but not always. However, this style is what employers tend to find easiest to read. Essentially, they can "track" your work history from now to the start.

And that's a whole lot easier than starting with your first job and then working your way "back" to your current job. Yes, I've seen resumes that start in 1981 - and I get way down the second page before this century's work experience makes an appearance. Bluntly, it's a waste of the reader's time to lay out a resume this way, and does NOTHING to help you market yourself.

Plus, keep in mind that employers normally spend 15-30 seconds on their first view of a resume; thus, you make it easier for them to see your RECENT accomplishments by listing your most RECENT jobs first!

3. The dates need to "line up" with the jobs and accomplishments/skills you have. Here's where I may create controversy, but write this I must. "Functional" resumes are sometimes very good for career transitions; however, employers STILL want to know where you worked and when, as well as what you did there. If you list a bunch of skills or accomplishments, that's great. If you leave them at the top of the resume, and don't tie them to specific jobs or volunteer efforts, that's a mess.

The result: the functional resume that doesn't function.

Look at the difference below:
10/05 – 5/06-Staffing Specialist/Recruiter-Amtran Services Tampa, FL
-Assisted in creation of start up staffing firm.
-Provided ALL Placement services, from recruiting to sales to placement
-Inside sales (75-100 outbound calls per day.)
-Created initial policies, procedures and forms and bill rates for Contract and Direct Hire.
-Recruiting and placement for Contract and Direct Hire positions.
-Concepted company website and wrote copy.
-Wrote all recruiting ads for Monster.Com and Tampa Tribune.
-Placement in IT, Graphics, Marketing/Sales.

VERSUS

10/05 – 5/06-Staffing Specialist/Recruiter-Amtran Services Tampa, FL

Of the two, which gives more information? Which one tells an employer more? Which one gives a more complete picture of skills, duties and accomplishments?

The answer is easy, and easier for an employer to read.

Important, yet not difficult at all!

Tales from the Resume Reef- A Picture Can Paint a Thousand Rejections

2008-02-17T10:12:00.000-05:00

If you are thinking of putting your photo on your resume for jobs in the US, save that picture for friends and family.

Take it OFF your resume!

Over the years in my recruiting work, I've come across resumes submitted with someone's picture on them. In fact, quite recently, I spoke to a very "high end" technical professional who had sent out a resume for a year with picture on the front page. And it was only after this person was told not to do so that employers began to respond.

A decade ago, in a smaller staffing firm, I was working with graphic artists; in that field, there's a need to balance a resume's "creative touch" with basic resume information. Some would put a rendering/drawing of themselves on the resume, and I'd have to ask them to go into Quarkxpress or Pagemaker or InDesign and remove that element.

In some cultures, a picture is EXPECTED on a resume; however, that's not true in the US. In fact, it creates potential difficulties for employers: thus, they don't look at the resume at all!

Here's what a good friend in corporate recruiting told me about this. If someone puts a picture on a resume (or information about marital status, religion or age,) and isn't hired, that individual can make a case that he/she wasn't hired because of that personal information. Further, that case could become a legal one. Thus, these resumes are simply set aside so that employers don't put themselves in such a position. It's information ignored, which means your chances of getting that opportunity are null and void.

Keep the personal stuff out. Keep the pictures out.

So that you have a chance to stay "in the picture" as a viable candidate.

How Can We Be of Service?

2008-02-11T20:09:00.000-05:00

Back in '98-00, I wrote a column called "The Resume Dolphin" for an online newspaper.
At that time, one of my "keys" was to always invite questions as part of the column.
Some of the questions I received would inspire column topics -- and hopefully provided some assistance in the process.

Since this blog is about job search as a whole, I would enjoy the opportunity to provide assistance in posts that respond to your question. Resumes, Interviewing, Job Search, etc. - Whatever concerns you may have!

Plus, I figure your questions are going to be of more value here than to simply have a blog where I always pick the topic! The idea behind "Job Search Dolphin" is to be a free, helpful source of good and useful job search information.

So, what could I be of help with in your job search? What questions would you like to see answered?

Write me at jobsearchdolphin@yahoo.com

We're here to help, and happy to post what we hope will be helpful responses to the questions YOU NEED to have answered.

Tales from the Resume Reef...Life Begins at the Top (apologies to XTC, the legendary English band)

2008-02-06T22:13:00.000-05:00

Employers look at resumes initially from 15 to 30 seconds.

If your resume doesn't "GRAB" attention for the right reasons in that short time, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice. With the skills, experience, accomplishments and education you can offer, you have the chance to sell yourself quickly and effectively - if you start at the top (of your resume.)

Here are 5 simple steps:
1. Make certain that your name, address and all contact information is provided in a 10 point or larger font. Consider 12-14 points the maximum size. Note: MS Word templates often default here to 8 point fonts, and that's simply too small for many readers to get through.

2. Follow that with a SUMMARY STATEMENT - like the examples below-
Summary: An experienced inside sales professional with a 10 year history of success
Summary: A 15 year HR Manager with leadership experience and SPHR Certification
Summary: An MCSE Network Engineer with extensive architecture experience

Each of the above focuses on strength, experience, and certifications/talent.
Each is a short introduction that says "This is what you are getting in me."
And each is MUCH better than the lame objectives we've addressed before.

3. Follow that with a PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS section. Here's where bulleted items can help showcase your "good stuff." Pick about 8-12 of your "best" work history successes/talents/abilities and list them! Look at the example below-

Professional Highlights:
-Recruiting/Placement for Information Technology, Engineering, Allied Health, Administration, Clerical, HR, Graphic/Web Design, Marketing and Finance.
-“Phone Warrior” – regularly and successfully making 100+ outbound sales calls per day.
-Led Gerard-Phillips through a 250% increase in gross billing between 1998 and 2000.
-Successful placements in Direct Hire, Contract and Contract to Hire.
-Developed new business relationships with Cox Target Media. Achieva Credit Union, Eckerd, Hillsboro Printing, FKQ Advertising, Pinch a Penny, Special Data Processing, among others.
-Business Development through Inside Sales Calls and Networking.
-Professional and Effective Sales Techniques: Sandler Sales Institute Graduate, 1998.
-Successful “Cold call” recruiting into businesses to build pool of Engineering Candidates.
-Strong internet research skills including search engines and cross referencing of professional organizations.
-Well versed in MS Office and ACT software.
-Dedicated and proven methods through Career Assistance to provide STRONG matches based on upgrading candidate resumes and interview skills.
-Active database of professional contacts going back to 1997/1998.

In these, note how SPECIFIC abilities and accomplishments are provided. In some cases, even quantified. If you have "numbers" re: percentages of increase or people supervised or amount of money saved, use them! Employers ENJOY reading about success; let them see yours.

Also, note that terms such as "hard working," "team player" and other such generic "junk" is absent. No one puts "goofs off," "comes in late frequently" or "argues with others for no reason" on a resume. Stay away from the world of "generic junk!" To be perfectly blunt, employers give NO credence to such statements; thus, they waste space and time.

4. Add a "Software Proficiency" or "Technical Skills" section next.
These should also be bulleted items. You succeed with bulleted items because they are short and easy to read. If you are in IT, for example, this is where you replace a paragraph of description of your technical abilities with a bulleted list of what you know well. You are making things easier for the reader in the first 15-30 seconds this way!

5. The "Funnel Factor"
If you consider that you've provided good contact information, summary statement, professional highlights and your technical/software skills in the beginning of your resume, you DRAW the reader in. He or she can see very quickly what you have to offer. Moreover, your strengths and accomplishments are set in a position where they are hard to miss. Best of all, it's been put in a simple, easy to read format.

It creates what I have called the "funnel factor."
If employer can easily see qualifications of interest, they are drawn in to read further. Thus, they will more likely go to the Work History section (which should be the next section of your resume) to find out more about what you achieved where.

You've given employers a very "reader friendly" way to see your best and want to read the rest! If they only look for 15-30 seconds, they'll see enough "good information" to either set your resume aside for further consideration, or they will read further to get an even more detailed look at what you bring to the table!

Keep in mind that MOST people don't use resume formats like this, and those folks are your competition. With this 5 step process, you can be certain that your resume jumps ahead of many others.

Start at the top - and give yourself a better chance to finish there!

Maximizing your job search effort.

2008-01-30T20:24:00.000-05:00

When I became unemployed in December, I was very aware of what I had to do:
1. Update my resume on the job boards.
2. Contact staffing/recruiting firms.
3. Contact my "contacts" and people I networked with. Both friends and people who knew my from my local work experience in recruiting and career services.
4. Directly contact ANY company I had interest in.
5. Check boards like "Indeed.Com" several times per day, as well as Monster/Careerbuilder/Hotjobs and Dice and Craigslist.
6. Spend time on items 1-5 every day of the week, and use weekday "business time" to make calls, go to interviews and make contact with employers.

In other words, I had a focused approach that I know has worked for me before. In effect, I was using as many of the available "tools" I had to make certain I could get to speak with decision making folks as quickly as possible.

I was maximizing my job search effort.

And that "combination" effort helped me to land a job in less than 3 weeks with the Christmas Holiday right in the "middle of things." Several years earlier, between jobs, I used a very similar approach and found an opportunity in just over a month.
That says less about me, and more about the importance of using ANY reasonable tool to find work - and to make effort EVERY day. Because I was spending time looking for work actively, I had less time to focus on my unemployment. My JOB was finding a job; that's an important focus!

Let's go over each of the tools and how they can help.
1. Update resume on major job boards.
Yes, I have gotten plenty of spam and calls of no value from resumes on Careerbuilder and Monster and Hotjobs. However, I have also gotten REAL inquiries from VIABLE employers. Quick Tip: Update your resume EVERY day if you can on these sites; that makes them come up FIRST in employer searches, as the newest ones "pop up" first!
2. Contact staffing/recruiting firms.
See if they have anything, particularly on the temporary side. In the early 90s, Today's Staffing got me a temporary position at a major company that lasted 10 months - long enough for me to find a job w/benefits elsewhere!
3. Contact "your" contacts/network.
Let EVERYONE, from the parents of your kids' friends to former co-workers know you are looking. This is particularly true if you are unemployed. ANYONE can provide help in unexpected ways. The more people you know who are aware of your search, the more likely someone may be able to help! I've gotten several jobs in the past from "friendly" referrals!

Think of it this way: if a very close friend told you he/she was looking for a job, wouldn't you keep your eyes open for job opportunities for that person? Of course!

4. DIRECTLY contact ANY company/employer you have interest in.
Find where you want to be and MAKE PHONE CALLS! Email messages get lost; mail gets misplaced. Nothing is more personal in a job search than a live person, or a live phone voice.
a. Don't be concerned if there are no jobs on the company website - the company can still MAKE ROOM for the right person.
b. Don't ask "Wonder if you are hiring?" or "Do you have any opportunities?" - because if the person you speak to says "no" the conversation can stall very quickly.
c. Instead, call and ask something like this "I'm hoping you can help me. I'm an experienced inside salesperson looking for a job. I was wondering if you had any leads or suggestions for me." On the phone, if you say "I'm hoping you can help me," the listener tends to shift into "I want to help" mode!

Chances are, the person who answers the phone DOES NOT know the answer - so he or she will very likely transfer your call to someone who could help. With that person, just ask the SAME question! He/she may have a job, know someone, or can even forward your resume to people who can be of help!

5. Check boards SEVERAL times per day.
New postings come up ALL the time; you can set up job alerts to capture much of this - but it NEVER hurts to see what's most recently been posted! You may see that the XYZ company has a job that's too entry level for you; however, the job is in your field - and you hadn't KNOWN about the XYZ company before! Thus, you have a new place to call!

6. Spend time on items 1-5 every day of the week, and use weekday "business time" to make calls, go to interviews and make contact with employers.
Think about this: loss of a job means a 9-10 hour HOLE in your day that just showed up. If all you do is "take time off," the loss of your job will hit you harder and harder.

Instead, use AS MUCH of this "free time" as you can working on your job search!
For most of you, you'll be getting available DAY TIME, which means plenty of opportunities to CALL employers, go to staffing firms and interview for any job you may find to be worthwhile. If there are job fairs, you have time to go!

To be honest, I was down being unemployed; the job I took didn't last 2 weeks and wasn't a good fit. And I'll admit that my self esteem and confidence took a hit, too. However, by spending as much time as I could on the job search itself, I felt better! My time was spent trying to make things happen: talking to people, sending out resumes and interviewing. Such helped me stay focused, and stay much sharper for the phone and in-person interviews I had. My JOB was to find a job - and that's what I put my efforts in to.

Simply, I maximized my job search effort.

Keep in mind that activity can increase your chances of success, and shorten the length of your job search as well.

And the "basics" are things you can spend time on nearly every day!

Interview Tip# 4365.8 - Avoid the Excuse Zone!

2008-01-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

In an interview, your questions can help clarify some very important issues regarding the opportunity:
-How the employer trains new staff
-What his/her expectations are
-Opportunity for growth
-Why the job is open

All good topics you may wish to bring up.

However, be certain to avoid "The Excuse Zone."
Let's discuss what's there:
-Vacation Time
-Sick Time
-Break Times
-Lunch Hour
-# of days you can be late
-# of personal calls you could make

EVERY issue you raise there is about you NOT working. What you are doing is putting a thought into an employer's head that you are looking for ways to get out of work. That's why I called this "The Excuse Zone" in Career Services training I used to do. Any interview questions you ask about time off give the employer the impression that you may not want to work, and can give the employer the EXCUSE not to hire you!

So, during the interview stay away from the "Excuse Zone." Ask NONE of those type of questions. Clearly, those type of questions aren't going to help you get the opportunity.

Are issues like "time off" or "lunch hour" important? Absolutely. However, they don't matter until you actually WORK there, right?

Therefore, here's what you can do to get that info! When an employer offers you a job, that's the time to say something like "Wonder if you could clarify how time off is accrued" or "How do you configure sick and vacation time?" Since they are offering you the job, they aren't going to mind telling you what HR will likely tell you when you fill out paperwork.

As they are calling you to make you an offer, they are usually quite happy to answer questions about time off, benefits, etc. They want you to be there, so it's a good time for you to ask those questions! That way, you can decide whether or not to accept the offer with most of the possible information you need available to you.

Most importantly, you GET to an offer stage.

During an interview, all that EXCUSE ZONE questions can offer is a chance for employers to pass on you as a candidate.

Tales from the Resume Reef....Error of Margin!

2008-01-28T20:16:00.000-05:00

MS Word has default margins of 1.25" all around. While that creates plenty of blank space on the page, it can take away from how much you can fit on the resume page. If you are finding that your resume is winding up to be longer than you wish, certainly examine the CONTENT. However, you also have another option if you adjust the margins to create more space.

There will always be debate on how long a resume SHOULD be; I won't discuss such in this offering. Frankly, I think there will always be some debate on that topic - and that's a good thing. In that arena, the one "nugget o' wisdom" I will pass along is not my own. Author Robert C.S. Downs taught me that if I wasn't certain if something belonged in my writing, it didn't belong. (And this ALWAYS applies to the useless phrase "References available upon request." It just doesn't belong!)

However, there's more room for important information if you choose different margins from MS Word's default. So, try these margins, instead:
.5, top and bottom
.7 left margin
.6 right margin

Immediately, you create more space for text on the page; however, the text you put in will not look "jammed together."

Plus, there is no "standard" margin for resumes. Just as there is no standard font size - (though we suggest you don't use larger that 12 point font for your text.) What matters is that you can have a bit more space available for information and still print out the document without trouble.

Here's where there may be trouble.
Anything less than .5 on the top or bottom and the text may not fully print. From my own trial and error, I've discovered that a margin of less than .7 on the left may be a printing problem as well.

However, what's left is the good old right margin: anything .6 or higher is likely to be fine.

Don't make an "Error of Margin" by letting MS Word's default dictate how much space you have available for your resume. By changing MS Word margins, you can put more on a page and still have your document looking professional!

Sometimes, an "Independent Contractor" job may not be the best choice!

2008-01-26T11:20:00.000-05:00

I have found that Craigslist can be a very helpful source for jobs, whether full time, part time or project.

But some "Independent Contractor" positions may not be the best choice!

Check out this story from KCRA!
KCRA

Now, I haven't seen the word "eradicate" in any job postings, but I'm guessing that's a pretty clear warning sign if the topic isn't insects!

And my guess is that the poster of the ad noted may have to fill some forms out, or have her attorney do so - but it's highly unlikely that one of them is a 1099!

Beware the Unprofessional Interviewer!

2008-01-24T21:30:00.000-05:00

There are NO standard qualifications for an employer to be an interviewer.

None!

Yes, larger companies have HR and many smaller ones at least have someone who knows what isn’t legal to ask. Likely in such places, you'll be treated more professionally, and the interview will focus more on the skills, education and experience you offer - the things that REALLY matter re: how well you are qualified.

However, many who interview have NO idea about what they can ask. Or even what they should! While the person may be qualified to SUPERVISE, he or she may have had NO training or guidance on interviewing. So, that person may "wing it" or worked from a prepared list of questions.

While such doesn’t always mean that you’ll have a tough or difficult interview, you could run into questions or approaches that are not even close to being professional or appropriate.

For example, you may be asked illegal questions or ones that make no sense. Here's a weird one a student of mine was asked a few years back - "How many gas stations are there in Los Angeles?" Keep in mind that the student had never been to LA, had no preparation time, nor was allowed to use any resources like the internet. So, the student had to take a wild guess! However, the interviewer said that the purpose was to test how people reason! Now, I'm not certain how one can reason or figure something out with no information, nor the ability to research!

Sometimes, the interviewer may show “attitude” towards you, or negativity about the company, co-workers or the person who had the job before. How much "fun" would it be to work for someone like this?

Recently, while working in Career Services, I found that the Medical Assistants I got interviews for often were grilled by Physicians who asked illegal questions about children, marriage, etc. In addition, I had other employers asking me about ages of my students, if they had kids or if they had ever been in an accident: all are ILLEGAL questions. And I let the employers know that they couldn’t ask those types of questions.

In most cases, they were surprised.

Several years back, I interviewed at a staffing firm locally for an internal position. The owner, who was also the manager, asked me if I was married. Then, we went to a conference room, where I told him flatly that he couldn’t ask me that. His response was that since it was HIS company, he could ask whatever he wanted to!

(You’d think someone who owned a staffing firm would know something about employment law, or at least pay some attention to it!)

I left very soon after.

If you are being interviewed by someone who is causing you difficulty, whether by asking illegal personal questions or simply behaving in unprofessional ways, do you really want to work in such an environment? After all, the interview is a FIRST IMPRESSION for the employer – and FOR YOU!

My suggestion, bluntly, is to say something like “I really don’t think this is a fit for me. Thanks for you time.” And leave. However, that's just one opinion.

Here is a link to info on illegal questions and other ways to deal with them:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8963-2003Apr11.html

In addition, I’ve been asked “What if you need the job?” Well, I can’t answer that for anyone.

However, I might ask how much you needed a job where it was clear from the start that you weren’t going to be respected or treated properly.

You deserve better!

Interview Tip# 4365.5

2008-01-23T20:46:00.000-05:00

Have your questions ready!

A typical final interview question is this - “Do you have any questions?”

I’ve run into folks who didn’t ask me any questions during the interview, and didn’t respond to this opportunity. To me, in hiring mode, that tells me the person has no interest in the job I have. Therefore, that's usually not a person I seriously consider.

You can do better!

And it’s easy to fix - just have the questions ready BEFORE the interview.

Good questions you can ask include the following:

What expectations do you have of your staff?
What growth opportunities are there?
How do you train new employees?
What would your expectations be of me?
Tell me more about how your department is structured.
Tell me about your experience with the company.

Each of these can get you more information, and they are “open-ended” questions, too. They give the interviewer a chance to provide you with MORE information, which COULD lead to more questions on your part!

(Go the company’s website, too! You may find more questions based on company, structure, or growth that could be of interest!)

A Cheat Sheet? Why not!

There’s no need to MEMORIZE your questions!

Get a copy of your resume and WRITE your questions in a blank area. Just be certain that you not only take that to your interview, but that it’s NOT the copy you hand out to the interviewer! Anywhere from 3-6 questions is a solid start! If you have more than that, you may wish to prioritize - so that the ones you feel you NEED to know are the ones you ask first.

When the question “Do you have any questions?” comes up, if nothing springs to mind, look at the ones you’ve written. Ask away!

Note: No one will think it’s odd that you are prepared! Employers appreciate someone who plans ahead and takes the interview seriously!

You can get information, make a good impression, and not feel you have to memorize anything in the process!

And sell yourself as a candidate more effective in the process.

Tales from The Resume Reef...Of Spam and Privacy!

2008-01-22T20:59:00.000-05:00

When I put my resume on the job boards last year, I wanted to cut back on “spamportunity.” Thus, I created a Yahoo email account just for the job search.

Yahoo has a fairly good spam filtering system, and I also knew that my email would only be related to job search items. Easy to keep personal things separate.

Yahoo, AIM, Hotmail and Gmail all offer free email accounts: any would be good for your job search.

My suggestion is that you create an account JUST for your job search. Put that as your email contact on your resume and use it for any email sign ins or job applications you fill out on line. Your new and separate email account will be the place you can correspond online regarding your job search and do so with more privacy.

As someone who has posted a resume using my “normal” account, I can tell you that the spam jockeys grab those email addresses with alacrity. Why give them ANYTHING that will help them bombard you with a plethora of “make millions of dollars by doing nothing at home” ads?

Plus, by keeping your “job search” email separate, you protect email confidentiality. Believe it or not, I’ve gotten resumes from people who use their work emails for job searches. Not only do more and more companies monitor email and internet use, but also ANYONE can walk by your desk and see what’s open in your MS Outlook at work.

After all, we don’t always close Outlook every time we leave our work areas!

Tales From the Resume Reef... No Objectives!

2008-01-21T20:58:00.000-05:00

Employers choose candidates based on their own reasons, no matter what they may be.

Typical “resume” review the first time around is 15-30 seconds. So, you need to sell yourself on paper quickly and efficiently. During this time, the employer is thinking about “what can this person do for me?”

This means a resume should showcase skills, accomplishments and experience in a very clear and easy to read way. However, the process to do so is SIMPLE, and we’ll go over those steps in future tales from the reef.

The employer is NOT interested in “what can I do for this person?”

So, the “objective” is to have no objective.

To be honest, most of the ones I’ve read over the years were so poorly written, they actually took value from the resume:

“A chance to grow and be happy”
“A position where I can learn and grow”
“A growth-related opportunity in a position where I can use my skills”
“An opportunity to help your company grow.”

Take a serious look at the 4 objectives. Do they add ANYTHING?

Nope.

They are generic “what I want statements.” However, employers want to see what you can OFFER as a candidate.

And it’s why objectives have NO value!

What you want DOES matter. And that’s what you can discuss as part of the interview. That’s the place where personality and energy and attitude can come forth. It’s where you and the employer get the chance to see what kind of “match” can exist based on personalities and situations and discussion.

Such has no place on a piece of paper whose sole purpose is to let the employer know the quantifiable skills, abilities, accomplishments and experience you bring to the table. That’s what a resume is for!

An objective won’t get you into an interview.

EVERY part of your resume needs to matter TO THE EMPLOYER.

Your objective doesn’t.

If you have one, delete it and use that space to increase a font size or add skills or accomplishments. If you haven’t put one in, please stop and resist the temptation to do so.

Per Adrian Monk, "You'll thank me later."

The Dolphin

The 50% Rule

2008-01-20T13:08:00.000-05:00

Seen a lot of VERY long job postings?

Sometimes, the requirements are incredibly lengthy. Even more, if you have good experience in the field for that posting, you'll probably see that there are conflicting or "extra" requirements.

A combination of skills and experience NO ONE has, like the webmaster/graphic designer/network engineer who also is a software developer!
Request for more software, platforms or abilities than reasonable. (Call this a "wish list" as that is what we're talking about!)
Mix of very old and very new technologies or skills that simply don't go together.
Phrases like "As needed or When needed" as part of a requirement.

The longer the job posting, the more of a "wish list" it becomes. Chances are, this position has spent time bouncing around HR and some management types. And they've added every possible skill, ability or experience that could be helpful, whether or not it's really necessary. Sort of like that holiday "wish list" we put together as kids - EVERYTHING we could ask for!

Important Note: Most people who post jobs have no clue how to do so effectively! Plus, many who write job descriptions don't know enough about what's REALLY needed. What results is this: Positions posted on Dice or Monster or Hotjobs, etc. that look impossible for anyone to be considered a candidate.

However, it's simply a case of "TMI" (Too much information.) Frequently, it can be a challenge to see where the "too much" comes in versus what really does make sense. That's the error of those who wrote this job posting, and not the REAL job requirements!

Some folks see these jobs and figure that by not matching most or all of the skills, etc. , "required" that they aren't qualified. Simply put, that's NOT true!

When you look at a long job posting that's in your field, see if you have 50% or more of what is being asked for. If you do, the next question to ask yourself is "could I learn the rest?" Chances are that for at least the "reasonable" things, you can because such ties into advancing your skills.
If you have interest, apply for the position!

(On the other hand, if the job asks you to fly aircraft, fix computer networks, train skydivers, write 3 new symphonies, restore Pompeii, climb every mountain over 20,000 feet, perform appendectomies and lead treasure hunting expeditions, well, that's a bit different!)

Simply put, if you have 50% or more of the skills, education and experience someone is looking for, you have a fair "shot" at the position. There's NO REASON to NOT apply. Based on the requirements posted, NO ONE is going to be fully qualified.

As a recruiter, I've often had clients who give me a "wish list." My question back to them is "what skills/experience must someone ABSOLUTELY HAVE for this position?" In responding, the employer normally gives me a list that is 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the original job description.
From this response, I have the right specifics to "aim for" in finding candidates.

What that means is that decision making types are looking for specific skills, etc. that are just PART of that long posting. If you can speak to the employer, ask that question I did above. If you can't, consider applying for the position, anyway!

1. It never hurts to try! (How much are they paying you for working in that job right now?)
2. You might be what they are looking for.
3. Chances are, you are at least a "close fit" to what they need.
4. Employers DO NOT get rid of good candidate resumes. If you are a "close fit" but "not quite," you are possibly someone they'd consider for a similar opportunity.

To paraphrase Elvis, "It's Now or Later."

You are a potentially viable candidate with 50% or more of what's being asked for in a LONG and overwritten job description. The question is, do they want to bring you in now or possibly later?

And the only way to make yourself known is to apply for that job.

The people who actually hire know what kind of person is REALLY needed.
Guess what? There's a reasonably decent chance it could be you!

The Dolphin

Phone Tuning!

2008-01-19T16:00:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for employment, be certain ALL of your personal voicemails are professional, or at least informative and simple. The phone call you receive is often the FIRST time an employer is reaching out to you as a candidate. So, this is your chance to leave a very positive first impression with a short, clear recorded greeting.

As a former disc jockey, a lifetime ago, I would use the "special effects" library in the production studio to create backgrounds that featured everything from explosions to a chorus of singing "chipmunks." However, when I was looking for work, I took the creative message off the answering machine (it was the 80s and cell phones were still called "car phones!") and changed my message to something simple and to the point.

It's easy!

1. Get rid of jokes, long introductory music or any "creative" features such as comedy bits or sound effects. Employers ARE NOT impressed. In fact, they tend to get annoyed and sometimes just hang up before it is time to to leave a message.

2. Include key information:

Whose phone it is.
Suggest leaving a message.
And that you will return it as soon as possible.

3. Record your greeting in a fairly quiet place. Background music or sounds from passing traffic tend to drown you out.

4. Speak NATURALLY at a steady rate. Remember that while you can SPEAK fast, no one can HEAR fast. If someone else in your family records the voicemail greetings, please make certain he/she is aware of that!

5.Show some energy! Years ago, I was taught that if I smiled when I spoke on the air, people could hear the difference! If your message is flat and sounds like you'd rather be at the dentist, how positively do you come across?

6. Play back your message. Ask someone to call you to listen. Can he/she CLEARLY understand what was said? If not, you need to record again.

7. Sample message: "This is Tonya. Please leave your message and I'll return the call as soon as possible. Thanks."
Have a family phone? Try "You've reached Tonya, Jeff and Leah. Please leave your message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible." OR "You have reached the Richardsons. Please leave your message at the tone and we'll return your call."

Simple, right?

8. Note that "Tonya" or a LAST NAME is in EVERY message. If you don't have YOUR name on the message, how do people know they've reached you? Cell phones don't always come in clearly, either. With no name to go by, an employer MAY NOT leave a message!

Once you get the job you want, feel free to change your message back to whatever works for you! However, while you are looking for that opportunity, focus on a message that will work for both you AND the employers who call.

Don't forget the "phone tuning!"

Why we're here!

2008-01-19T15:23:00.000-05:00

No matter your professional background or job search status, I am here to help!

I've been in the recruiting/placement and career services fields for over a decade. Plus, I've done resume writing for almost 20 years, primarily on a volunteer basis.

What I've discovered over that time is that most people have SOME of the skills needed to help in the job search process, but usually not enough.

Further, having worked in recruiting/placement, I've been through THOUSANDS of resumes and interviewed several thousand people. In the process of working with employers, I've found out more and more about what THEY look for.

And it's often NOT what job candidates present!

Resumes lack information that will entice an employer.
Interview skills are lacking.
Job search techniques are often too passive.

That doesn't even mention the inaccurate information people get from "so called" experts.
I'm not claiming that questionable title of "expert."

Let's say I've learned from working IN the employment-related market and found techniques and approaches that are MORE likely to help job searchers find success.
I've written for Internet newspapers, created materials and templates and done training that has provided people with better tools. Such doesn't make me an "expert." Frankly, I've always had an issue with people who give themselves that title. What are the qualifications?

Instead, I can claim to be someone who has learned about things that can help.

Job searches aren't fun, generally. (Having just gone through one, I can state that without reservation!) However, with the proper tools and approach, we can maximize our effectiveness in the way we reach out to employers and the way we present ourselves.

Here's where you can find tools and approaches that can be of help.

No matter your education, experience or career goals, you have good things to offer an employer! I hope the Job Search Dolphin blog will be a helpful site for you to help you go and grow forward.

Great news! Most of what I hope to provide here is simple, simply written and fairly easy to use. Frankly, it wouldn't be much use, otherwise!

Your comments and feedback are ALWAYS welcome.

The Job Search Dolphin