Biggest Resume Blunders and Easy Steps to Fix Them

Biggest Resume Blunders and Easy Steps to Fix Them How many times have you struggled to fit your entire career onto a piece of paper? Resumé writing  should be easy, seems easy, but isn’t. People still make terrible and sometimes even hilarious mistakes  that will have recruiters either laughing or shaking their heads as they toss your precious papers into the  trash can. Take a look at some of the most common and ‘fatal’ resume mistakes made and how to rectify them. Typos: Yes, you’ve heard that a million times already and yet, according to  CareerBuilder, 58% of resumes have grave grammatical errors and  spelling mistakes. A potential employer is immediately put off by  someone who doesn’t seem to have the time to proof read a  professional document, or someone with bad English. Fortunately, these errors can be corrected by carefully reading through your resumé at least twice  before you send it out. There’s a bright chance you might have written your phone number wrong, too! It’s even better if you get somebody to proof read for you as fresh eyes are more likely to spot mistakes  you might have missed. One for all is not  all for one: Let’s face it, a resumé for a job in retail and a job in banking simply cannot  be identical. Employers will spot a ‘one-size-fits-all’ resumes from miles  away and will instantly disregard the application. It shows them that you  don’t care enough about their company to make a separate resume. This is  considered important enough for institutes like Porter and Chester Institute to provide career services that help you focus on the entire job  search process (including writing resumes) according to what employers look for in an applicant. Practice your resumé writing skills and tailor each one specifically for the company or job position you’re  applying for. If it is an IT company, include your stint as a programmer instead of that year long job as an  art curator. The point is â€" make your resumé relevant to the recruiter and the job. Writing an objective: By: StartupStockPhotos Forget it. An objective is something you’ll find in thousands of resumé templates and honestly, a  recruiter has no time for it. All it does is state your aspirations in a very flat manner and there is no way  of verifying that they are true by a just quick scan, which is all they get. Don’t include an objective; let your qualifications speak for themselves.  Taking records and updating files  Managing employees  Writing reports Here’s an example of a simple list of duties that could apply to a  number of positions. It doesn’t show your potential employer  what you can do; it’s just a list of what you were supposed to do. “Employers and interviewers love concrete data,” is a quote by  author and business consultant, Marcus Buckingham. That is  simple, yet powerful career advice. Instead of simply providing a  list, give more details. Made sure that company files were always up-to-date in an organized format to be easily  referred to when needed Supervised and trained 15 employees in a retail environment with 10,000 sales per month Compiled sales data into a coherent document to inform the respective department heads Getting too personal: Whether you choose to write an objective or explain what your previous job entailed, saying, “I hope to  achieve…” or “I wrote reports” isn’t considered professional. This also goes toward the ‘skills’ section of  your resume. Be wary of saying too much. Avoid putting things like, “Reigning champion for annual egg-and-spoon race for 4 years” on your  resumé. Instead, include a hobby like camping or recreational basketball. But as always, try to keep it  relevant to the job and company. Six different fonts, three highlighting colors, printed on blue paper, tied with ribbons â€" if it’s an assault  on the eyes, don’t include it. Perfumed paper and artsy watermarks are only appropriate if you’re  applying for a designing job. Stick to one or two fonts to separate headings and subject matter. Don’t use different colors to highlight  specific qualifications. Keep it simple â€" black font on white paper, at least 11 point text, with neat  formatting. Make it easy for anyone to browse through your resume and properly understand the gist of  it in a matter of seconds. Going too long or too short: You’re probably familiar with the rule of sticking to one page and not  going over two. But the truth is there really are no set rules that apply  to the length of your resumé. It should be long enough to get your  qualifications for the job across and get a phone call for an interview. ‘Short and sweet’ doesn’t apply here and neither does ‘long and  drawn out.’ The length of your resumé doesn’t matter as much as  what is in it. All you need to do is make sure you’ve shown that you are capable of fitting in at the  company applied to. When writing your resumé, pretend you’re writing an essay or a speech. It  should have a beginning, middle and an end â€" an overview of yourself,  proof of your qualifications and a summation of your qualities and abilities.  If your resumé is not focused towards proving that you deserve an  interview, the reader will just be reading through a list of things you’ve  done in your life. He/she will not get the feeling that you know exactly Create a goal in your mind: For example, if you’re applying for the position of ‘Project Manager’, as you  write your resume, showcase your leadership qualities and convey your ability to be efficient, smart and  detailed enough to be capable of being a Project Manager. Exclude any information that does not serve Several commonly made resumé mistakes can be avoided if you make a decent effort. Proofread, be  professional, and prove that you can do it, instead of simply making lists. Keep a goal in mind and you  will definitely impress a few recruiters enough to warrant a phone call. Author:  Ray Holder is an independent career counselor. Connect with him on Twitter. Image credit: Shutterstock

Best Legal Resume Writing Services

Best Legal Resume Writing ServicesDo you need some sort of legal resume writing services? Well, if you do, you are probably looking for the best service. There are so many competing agencies to find a decent lawyer, and it can be very hard to figure out which one is best.Now, this industry is huge and there are so many lawyers and law firms competing for your business. You are competing with all different types of lawyers for your business. So how do you find the best legal resume writing services?The first thing that you need to look for is a law firm that has been in the business for at least three years. This will make sure that they have been around for a while and have the customers that they have.It may be easier to find the best firms if you just check online. There are many sites that offer free online reviews for law firms and attorneys. Using these sites will allow you to find the best firms in the state and by doing this you can pick out the ones that are the best suited f or your situation.You can also find a list of the best legal services on the internet as well. There are many sites that compare different legal firms, and what they can offer you.A reputable service will offer you a complete legal resume writing service. This includes everything from professional drafting to compiling a short biography.The law firm will not only be able to get you a job, but they will also give you the best chance of landing that job. This is because they will have used the best professional resume writing services available and they will know exactly what they need to tell you in order to land the job for you.It is just common sense that you should always work with a law firm that has a proven track record of success. Look for these three things when selecting a law firm: experience, professionalism, and a unique and professional writing service.

What to do When Running Late for a Job Interview

What to do When Running Late for a Job Interview What to do When Running Late for a Job Interview No matter how well we plan out our days, sometimes the forces of nature can be against us. While it is sensible to be well prepared for your job interview, knowing what to do if you are running late is also just as essential to prevent it from ruining your chances of landing your dream job. So â€" you have been very diligent with your company research, you have prepared some good answers to commonly asked interview questions, you have had a new haircut and have hung up your smart interview suit ready to slip into in the morning. However, your plans for a smooth and easy route to your job interview have been scuppered. This could be because your car wouldnt start, or the bus was late, or your train has been delayed. Whatever the reason, it isnt helping your anxiety levels one little bit!It is easy to let a situation like this rattle you and make you feel less confident about your performance at interview, but not everything is lost! Lets look at some ways to cope with arriving late for your interview that will leave you feeling more positive.Dont give up!Many people may think that it wouldnt be worth turning up at all at the interview if they were running late. But dont do this.Ghosting your interview because you are late can be a very negative reaction.Doing this would completely blow your chances of postponing or re-scheduling your interview for another time. The company wouldnt look too favorably at you and would probably never consider you for a position with them again in the future. The repercussions of not turning up for an interview can go much further. Doing this can seriously harm your reputation. Your interviewer may well have valuable connections with other businesses that you would be interested in working for. Word could get around that you ditched the interview with no explanation, so other employers may be put off your application even before they have met you.Here is what you do instead: Contact your interviewer to explain that you are run ning late. Ask them if it would be convenient for them to move your interview slot to later in the day to allow you to arrive and prepare. The interviewer may well be willing to move your interview time and arrange to have their lunch early or late to accommodate you.Should the interviewer have scheduled back-to-back interviews with candidates, they may offer to change your interview to another day. While this may not be the best solution for you, especially if you are already on your way to the interview, it does mean you get second chance to create a good first impression. You will also be able to attend your interview completely unflustered by the days events.Remember that when you initially speak to your interviewer to explain your situation, you should try to keep as calm and collected as possible. Try not to let your frustrations get the better of you. If you cannot talk directly with your interviewer, then leave a message for them apologizing for your lateness. Keep heading t owards your interview and dont turn back for home until you know the outcome and the decision from your interviewer. It is better to turn up and be sent home than not to turn up at all.At your interviewWhether your interview was delayed for later the same day or was rearranged for another day, once you walk through the interview room door, simply apologize swiftly and politely, then take your seat. Your interviewer will appreciate your apology, but dont make the situation any worse by continuing to apologize or offer a lengthy (and boring) explanation. More than likely the interviewer will be quite tired and will want to get on with your interview.Overdoing your apology can make you look and feel awkward as well as make the atmosphere between you and your interviewer quite tense. Just apologize once, say thank you and move on to your interview as if nothing had happened.Focus your inner voiceDespite your best efforts to remain calm and collected at your interview, it can be easy to let your inner voice start to undermine your confidence. Try to focus your inner voice by repeating your rehearsed interview answers in your head. Look at your interviewer and listen to what they are saying. Listen for specific keywords they use when describing the job on offer and the tasks that the role involves. Think of the skills and experience you have that match with their descriptions and use these to make your interview a two-way conversation. This will help your negative inner voice to switch off.With your interview preparations, try to have a couple of really engaging questions that you can ask your interviewer. Asking these will show them that you are focused and have shaken off your earlier lateness event. It will also make your interview memorable for more than just being late!Good luck with your next interview! previous article Cardinal Red Resume Template Freebie next article Sweet Peach Resume Template Giveaway you might also likeWhy Do You Want to Work Here? B est Answers to This Interview Question

Creating Strong First Impressions As a Leader - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Creating Strong First Impressions As a Leader - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You’ve likely heard this saying: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” And it’s true. You can’t take whatever you said or did back after all is said and done. Here’s another one: “Fake it until you make it,” which speaks to bolstering your confidence until your skill set or accomplishments match up. When your first impression seems inauthentic or presumes power you don’t have, people can tell you’re not being honest. You’ve broken the most essential thing without ever earnestly attempting to build it â€" trust. You Must Establish Trust From the First Impression Trust is intrinsic to communication, development, improvement, growth and success in business. Remember, your leadership will set the tone for nearly aspect of the company. Fifty-one percent of workers present emotional dissonance on the job, acting out the emotions they feel are expected and appropriate for a professional environment or to survive work culture. It’s vital you don’t cultivate this element of negative work culture. You may need to overcome impostor syndrome or calm your ego to give a meaningful and memorable first impression. Either way, trust remains integral, and here are a few tips for giving your best first impression as a leader. 1. Give a Warm Greeting, but Don’t Smile Creepily Give a warm greeting, however brief, to show you can find commonality and connection among different personalities and in varying circumstances. Make eye contact. Give a confident, but not too tight, handshake. Not a handshaker? Share a partial upturned smile for a great impression, since most people think extreme V-smiles or too many teeth are creepy unless you want to make your employees think you’re going to eat them for lunch. An asymmetrical or slightly crooked smile that shows a few teeth is fine, as long as it’s your genuine smile. Get Excited About Something Do you genuinely care about what you’re saying? Do all the faces look the same to you now, no matter what company you work for? Does your heart still race and you turn white as a sheet in front of people after all these years? If you lack energy, it will reflect on your audience â€" so if you want your employees to get excited about something, you should radiate it to your employees. If you wonder why everyone else gives you a lackluster greeting at your arrival, your presence and expression are likely failing to convey the energy that fuels passion and enthusiasm. If you care, so will they. Find a detail â€" no matter how small â€" and use it. Setting and Work Culture Should Inform Attire Ask about and investigate the setting before you show up. What are the dress and work culture like? Do employees dress business casual or in full suits? What about C-level employees? Is there a clear difference? What about when you are client-facing? Will you meet with clients that day? Define professional dress according to the setting and work culture, as well as your personality. Don’t obsess over these factors, but don’t forget them, either. In a more laid-back work culture, if it’s a day you know you won’t have client meetings, dress cleanly and professionally, but forgo the full business suit. Accessories also add personality and communicate little details. For example, geometric details on a tie or jewelry can communicate structure, innovation and personality. Wait Silence establishes presence, so you don’t have to communicate authority by talking to fill up space. It also shows you’re taking in your surroundings. Add a thoughtful smile and express your appreciation for the talent in the room. Everyone will feel welcome and valued, and you will appear approachable and open. Pauses also accentuate important points and lend weight to them during talks, presentations and conversations. Pausing also helps if you have a problem with using too many verbal fillers or if you feel a tad nervous because you want to make a good first impression as a leader. 5. Tone Signals Trustworthiness People can base their impressions on tone of voice in as little as 500 milliseconds because human fight-or-flight instincts are so finely tuned. Wasting time trying to decide if a voice is trustworthy or untrustworthy risks survival. While you don’t have control over the length of your vocal tract, you do have control over your eyes, smile and tone. Use a clear, confident voice with a warm tone for a great first impression. As you make the next move, focus mindfully on the first impression you would like to give. What impressions have you left behind for prior shareholders, fellow leaders, employees and clients? How does that inform your reputation today? Is there anything you’d like to change going forward? From body language to tone, your first impression is essential to building trust, which will play a part in cultivating a healthy work culture and morale, open communication and productive staff. Forget faking it until you make it â€" you’re already there. Lead with authenticity, and these tips will help you communicate the rest to make the best first impression as a leader.

Tips For Writing a College Resume

Tips For Writing a College ResumeWriting a college resume is one of the most important things to do if you are thinking about getting a good job after college. But the writer's guide can be tough to grasp unless one has been through the process. Most students learn about resume writing through books and seminars at school. But it is possible to learn these tips as well.One important tip is to always keep your resume as short as possible. Too much information will make it difficult for the recruiter to read, especially if they are already overwhelmed with other things. Be concise, don't have anything that is overwhelming and keep it short. This will also help you read it easier when you look at it later.The next tip is to use different terms. This will help the recruiter distinguish between the various parts of your resume and figure out which part they should read. Asking them to read from left to right is another thing that you should consider.Another important tip is to keep your r esume simple and easy to read. If you have too many details on your resume, this will make it appear cluttered and will lead to difficulty in reading the text. Make sure that your text doesn't seem too complicated or you will be cutting yourself off from getting a better job. What you want is to be able to read the resume without having to re-read everything.Include your education in your resume. A good idea is to list your highest degree first and then go down your list to your lowest. Then do the same with your previous jobs and even names. These types of tips can work for both men and women.The last tip for writing a college resume is to organize it. Be sure that you have a section for your career goals and another section for your education and any training you have had before. Some of the common items that students leave out are information about volunteer work and the reason why you are applying for the job. Adding this information will make it easier for the recruiter to read .There are many tips to writing a college resume that can help you create a great looking resume. You want to look great and for the recruiter to see it as well. Take your time to make your resume professional looking. This will show the recruiter that you put a lot of effort into your own job search and you look forward to an interview with them.So next time you start your school year you will need to make a great resume. Keep it simple but professional looking. The next tip for writing a college resume will help you create one that will be ready to apply for a job the very day you submit it.

Leverage Your Leadership Position to Pay It Forward

Leverage Your Leadership Position to “Pay It Forward” 3 Ways to  Leverage Positions of Leadership to Effectively Pay It Forward   “Start where you?are.?  Use what you have.?Do what you can.” â€" Arthur Ashe   If you are in a position of leadership, chances are you didn’t get there on your own. Along the way, people have believed in you, invested in you, and supported you. You may not have always been in a position to pay these people back, but you are certainly in a position to pay it forward.     Sharon E. Jones, author of  Mastering the Game: Strategies for Career Success, says, “Use the skills, knowledge, and resources you have to serve others in need and causes that are important to you.” Here are her recommended strategies to leverage a leadership position to effectively pay it forward:     1.  Mentor  and  Vouch for Junior Professionals     One way to  pay it forward  is  by mentoring and vouching for junior professionals  behind you.  You have accumulated  a wealth of knowledge  over time as you successfully advanced in your  company. You can mentor junior employees and help them  strategically  navigate the  company’s  written and  unwritten rules.  You  can  also help  junior professionals  within the company by vouching for them,  essentially  making  positive  comments  about them based on  your  observations.  Your stamp of approval can help  make people at  your  company more comfortable  with  working with them, especially if they are new  or diverse.   2.  Leverage Your Network to Help Others   You can also  pay it forward  by connecting  people  to  reliable contacts  in your network who can help them achieve their goals. Even if you can’t directly help someone, you might know of someone else who can. Be generous with your time and network.  If you are viewed as a person who is always taking and never giving, your network will shut down on you.  Not only will existing connections fade away, but it will likely be more difficult to make future contacts because of your reputation as a taker.  By  giving generously within your means, you are viewed more favorably and maintain a strong network.   3.  Channel  Company Resources to  Causes  You  Care  About     Channeling your organization’s resources toward socially responsible causes you care about is  another  way to  use  your status as a leader to pay it forward.  You can encourage  your company to financially sponsor a not-for-profit cause about which you are passionate.  Additionally,  you can use your status as a leader to get your organization to pick a particular not-for-profit that matters to you for  company-wide  community  service days. If your company doesn’t have a community service day, consider proposing  one  as a team-building activity that  fosters  camaraderie and generates  positive publicity  for the company.     Start the Ripple Effect   As you create the life you have always dreamed of  as a leader, make sure that you give back and help the next generation of aspiring professionals. Never forget that you have the power to affect change.  Your efforts  to pay it forward can motivate the recipients of your generosity to also pay it forward, creating a long-lasting, positive ripple effect. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class ® right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!

4 steps to reinventing your retirement

4 steps to reinventing your retirement There’s a “silver tsunami” making waves today. Around 10,000 baby boomers will hit retirement every single day over the course of the next 20 years. But for boomers, retirement doesn’t mean what it used to! In fact, for many nearing 65, retirement looks less like “taking it easy” and more like “taking on the next challenge.” For many people â€" especially senior executives, business owners, and entrepreneurs â€" retirement is about finding a new adventure, career or passion. Starting over is a massive challenge even for successful professionals, explainsSusan Spaulding, author of Recalibrate for Life 2.0, Transition Stories for Business Leaders. Especially since retirement may mean leaving behind a title, connections, a professional identity, and other perks, it’s really difficult to leave a career to start a new one. “What’s next?” is not so much a practical question as a very real fear for many people at this stage. Psychologically, people are often unprepared for moving on to something else â€" Spaulding reports that many people can’t even imagine what that something else would be. Feeling overwhelmed If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed as you’re getting ready to leave a career, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there’s some good news. Understanding these fears is a lot easier when there’s a clear pathway to unpacking all the uncertainty and ambiguity that comes with starting over. If youre looking to change up what retirement has in store for you, Spaulding explains that the key to keep in mind is branding. That’s right â€" it’s all about changing your brand. She said that to successfully transition to Life 2.0, its a matter of changing a personal brand to align with the individual’s needs, skills, and passions. You’re changing your brand to fit with a new community, a new “market” that aligns with who you want to be and what you want to do. How to change your brand So how can you start changing your brand? How can you find some answers to “what’s next?” Spaulding describes four basic steps to get you started: Take Inventory: Get started by identifying your professional and personal strengths. What has given you the greatest sense of accomplishment? What are your passions? What skills have you gained in your career? The goal is to generate a bank of ideas that you’ll be able to refine later. Build your story and your plan: Use your inventory to begin crafting your brand story and plan. Start by thinking of a statement that captures the way you want to interact with the world. Who do you want to help? How do you want to help them? How will you use your personal strengths, passions, and skills to serve a need? Once you have a big idea down, you can start fashioning a few plans that will put that story into action. Explore the options: Once you have a starting point (or more than one starting point!), identify ways to test your plan and your interests. The idea is to test it in tiny ways. Give yourself permission to try something once and move on. Don’t commit to any one path until you’ve given yourself time to test out all your ideas Evaluate and recalibrate: Testing your plans is not a “one and done” proposition. Look back at your experiments and reflect on what you learned from them. (Note: There is no “failure” here, just learning). Give yourself time to think, retest, and adjust your plans. Is this the only way you can rebrand yourself? Absolutely not. But a solid starting point goes a long way to relieving some of the anxieties and fears that come with starting over. If nothing else, this is a way to move into a state of mind where you give yourself permission to try, explore, and test new ideas. For a lot of people, that freedom is something they haven’t had in a long time. In Recalibrate for Life 2.0, Spaulding shares stories of more than a dozen business owners and executives who are making the transition to a new future. You will find key takeaway points and tips for getting started on your own Life 2.0. If you’re asking yourself “what’s next?” don’t be anxious, be eager! Remember, exploring and experimenting makes for a rewarding outcome. Allow yourself a little bit of patience, reflection, and space, and your new life will have you saying “wow!” before you know it.