CareerBuilder.com has released a new survey of unusual (and fun) jobs. With so many serious issues in today’s turbulent economy, it seems a break from the norm is in order. For the top results from 8,700 workers reporting unconventional jobs held during their career go to http://tinyurl.com/6fyx4y to check out the full list from A […]
Your Resume – What NOT to Include
Your resume is a professional document, not a personal document. It has the potential to be reviewed by a hiring professional and digitally scanned by a computer and neither will spend more than a few seconds “reading” your resume. Within these few seconds, you can be assured that the professional and the computer have no interest in whether you are a golfer or a […]
President of Sales, VP of Sales, Sales Manager, Sales Associate
In today’s economic crisis, the number one job available is in SALES! These positions are currently the most sought after as an increase in sales could potentially be the key factor in the survival of many companies caught up in today’s economic turmoil. Increasing sales is one of the few definitive options available to the decision makers of many companies and organizations at […]
Revitalize Your Resume…
As a professional resume writer and career coach, I am often involved in a wide variety of speaking engagements. “Revitalize Your Resume to Make an Impression” is the topic of my next presentation. Next Wednesday, November 5th, I will be presenting to a networking group called Happen, which is an organization dedicated to assisting executives in career transition. Your number one tool […]
Cultural Diversity and a Name
The Government of Canada, Cultural Diversity: A Canadian Perspective, reports, “Approximately 200,000 immigrants a year from all parts of the globe choose Canada, drawn by it’s quality of life and it’s reputation as an open, peaceful and caring society that welcomes newcomers and values diversity”. Statistics Canada reports, “By 2017, visible minorities are expected to […]
Is A Professional Resume Writer Worth It?
Is a professional resume writer worth it was the question Jason Alba answered without any doubts by sharing his personal experience on Jibberjobber, My Number One Resume Problem. He says, “I forfeited thousands of dollars of income. Just a few hundred dollars, invested in a resume writer, could have changed that.” Retaining the services of a Certified Professional Resume […]
A Few Seconds Is All You Have!
The importance of how your resume looks and how it is written may be better understood if you are aware that the person reading it will spend an average of 30 seconds to do so. Even a skilled speed reader would be hard pressed to take in every word in your resume in a matter […]
Professional References
You have presented an impressive cover letter, an enticing and professionally written resume and you are contacted for the job interview. Once there, you are nothing less than brilliant during your interview in front of a panel of three! So why was that the last time you heard from them? One of the most common reasons a highly qualified job applicant is eliminated as a […]
Resume vs. Online Info
Despite our world of online networking and the information found in electronic mediums, Human Resource Directors say the resume is alive and well, although no longer the only source of candidate information. This, according to a recent article, Resume the Resume, “Reports of the death of the plain paper document have been greatly exaggerated”. In […]
Cover Letter Survey
One of my recent posts, “You Need a Cover Letter!” was based on personal experience and knowledge. If you had any doubts of the importance of a cover letter or are one of many job seekers who believe a formal cover letter is no longer neccessary, read on. A new study conducted by an independent research firm and […]
First Impressions
We have all heard it so many times before but it is a reminder that needs to be said again and again, “You do not get a second chance to make a good first impression”! Your look, your information, your voice, your words; everything you say and do creates an impression and if you want the job you […]
Privacy and Your Online Presence
Recently I posted, Social Networking Sites and Your Job Search. Basically, I wanted to caution job searchers about being somewhat discrete with the personal information they choose to share online since it could have a negative impact on their job search. Today, I’d like to talk about the information that you had better be willing to share or you will be wasting […]
Resumes and The “Who and How of the Candidate”
Recently I read an interesting blog titled Resumes Are Out! Although I agree that a well written resume does focus on “what” a candidate’s work experience, achievements and education are, I have to disagree that the “how” of the candidate is totally absent in a resume. Or should I say in my resumes? All of my resumes include details of my client’s hard […]
The Purpose of Your Resume
Yes, your resume is all about you, but the purpose is to sell yourself in a way that shows the interviewer/organization that it is all about them and that you will be a valuable asset to them. When perusing your resume or during an interview, there is one important question on their mind, “Is this the person who can solve my […]
Do you want to be an Astronaut?
The Canadian Space Agency is conducting a national astronaut recruitment campaign at the end of May 2008 to select astronauts to join its Canadian Astronaut Corps. It would be difficult for me to think of an occupation that I have not created a resume for, including a banana grower, a Roman Catholic Nun, a nude model and a ceramic potter, just […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]