Engineers, machinists and skilled trade workers are among the nation’s most challenging postitions to fill according to this year’s survey of the hardest jobs to fill, released annually by Manpower Inc., as reported by U.S. employers. Jonas Prising, President of Manpower North America said, “From our research it is clear that across the country employers are experiencing […]
Resume Writing Blunders
As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I have provided thousands of free resume critiques for people interested to know if their critical document is competitive enough to entice the reader to call them for an interview. It constantly surprises me to see some of the typos and grammatical errors. Here are just a few of the blunders I have seen: […]
Executives Support “Green Initiatives”
And it is not just talk! The latest Executive Quiz from Korn/Ferry International showed that 75% of Executives would be willing to forgo a portion of their salary in support of “green” initiatives. When these executives were asked about current resources their employers have dedicated to “green” issues, 49 % reported that existing staff have been […]
Resume “Righting”
As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I am privy to thousands of “wrong” resumes; those that will not get you the job interview you are seeking. The satisfaction I am able to enjoy in my career is having the expertise to “right” your resume and to make you stand out from the competition. Most of us will humbly agree that we are […]
You Need a Cover Letter!
A resume should never be sent without a cover letter. It is your opportunity to introduce yourself, show an interest in the company or position you are seeking, draw attention to your resume and motivate the reader to interview you. Usually your cover letter is the first contact you have with a potential employer so be sure it […]
Am I me yet?
Authenticity, Corporate Pressures, and Values-Based Careering. You have worked arduously over many years to achieve your career success. Now you’re a true executive. With all the well deserved perks and pleasures. A lovely home in a prestigious part of town. The respect of your peers. And admiration from those who know they will never quite […]
PASSION, INTEGRITY, PERSEVERANCE and DETERMINATION!
These are some of the words used by winners of, Top 40 Under 40 2007, in describing their personal qualities relating to their success. This award was founded in 1995 by Douglas Caldwell, chairman of Caldwell Partners Inc. and honours those under 40 who have shown vision, leadership, innovation, achievement and have made an impact and been involved in their community. Mr Caldwell […]
DO NOT Use a Microsoft Word Resume Template!!
As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, this is definitely my most major peeve! Not only does it appear that Microsoft did little research in creating their resume template, they have also never felt the need to update it either! A viable, highly employable, potential employee will be eliminated from further consideration simply by choosing this template. “I am seeking a challenging […]
Do you follow-up after your job interview?
Resumes and cover letters aren’t the only documents that could have a positive influence in securing your next career move. Follow-up letters after your job interview are just as important. They can position you in the drivers seat! As a Career Management Professional, I am constantly amazed at the number of people who don’t recognize the significance […]
2008 Executive Job Market Intelligence Report
Each year ExecuNet publishes a comprehensive report on the current status of the executive job market. As always these surveys make for interesting reading, especially the 2008 survey which suggests that even though our minds are constantly being directed to a slowdown in the economy, some key points from this report suggest otherwise. ¬ “Thanks in part to […]
Bummed out at work? Join the club
The article, “Bummed out at work? Join the club”, by Tavia Grant and Wallace Immen and based on a survey commissioned by Desjardins Financial Security, suggests Canadians are increasingly stressed on the job, leading to rising levels of burnout and depression. “Stress, burnout and depression create huge fallout in the workplace that far exeeeds taking a sick […]
Overqualified? Underqualified?
Are you prepared to respond to your HR Interviewer when it is suggested that you are either overqualified or underqualified for the job position you are seeking? Tony Martin’s article, “When skills aren’t a perfect fit” provides advice from four of the top recruitment specialists, including David Perry, Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International. If there is one common […]
Resume Writing Errors
There is no room for complacency in a resume. Thinking that you can get by with an inferior document, doesn’t work. First impressions count. First impressions last……….! If you have an outstanding resume formatted correctly with the ‘WOW’ factor minus any errors you will be going a long way to securing the reader’s attention. As […]
Secrets for searching for a job during a recession
Educating clients on how to optimize their job search is one of the many services I provide. As a Certified Job Search Strategist, I am always sourcing processes and materials I can share. Recently, I came across an excellent article written primarily for I.T. professionals, however, the content is applicable to all job seekers in […]
Are you online and attracting the attention of Hiring Managers?
Over 150 senior executives from 1,000 companies were recently surveyed by an independent company employed by Robert Half International. The question asked, “Which of the following technology tools do you believe will be most useful in your firm’s recruiting efforts in the next three years?” The results were predictable to me, however, I suspect they will […]
Job Search Tip #2
Make your resume look polished!! The ‘wow’ factor, and the look of your resume are direct reflections of you! Many employers and recruiters say that a clear, concise, accomplishment-based resume will not only secure more attention, it is more likely to get the candidate hired. A resume is not just ready to go because you have […]
Job Search Tip #1
Don’t be discouraged or offended when your resume merits little or no excitement from Recruiters. They are extremely busy and receive numerous resumes each day. Recruiters are employed to “Hunt Heads”. If they have a position that meets your expertize and background they will call you. They look for powerful, impressive, and result-driven […]
Are cover letters read?
There is a misconception about cover letters. Many job seekers don’t bother to send cover letters because they assume they won’t be read. Wrong. I know that some employers and recruiters prefer to go straight to the resume and ignore the cover letter. However, you cannot assume that will always be true. Over the years as […]
Santa’s Resume
Winter has returned, albeit early. Yikes. What is that white fluffy stuff falling out of the sky? The Christmas season is being commercially forced upon us. The shops are packed full of enticing merchandize, and the television stations are showing endless advertisements pertaining to gifts. It’s hard to avoid the upcoming season. So, what about […]
Get Your Resume into the Right Hands.
Realize what can happen to a resume and cover letter saying “To whom it may concern”? To Human Resources personnel, this means that you didn’t take the time to find the name of the resume recipient. Of course, your resume may make it through the maze anyway, and someone may even read it. However, to […]
