The Ways Your Resume is Boring

Here are seven ways your resume isn’t quite cutting it. So, take it out, brush it off, and let’s kick it up a notch.

1. It’s Still Sporting That Outdated Objective

If your resume is utilizing an objective, you really should trash it and start all over with a fresh, powerful introduction that incorporates a personal branding statement. A tailored career summary and polished personal branding statement will catch the employer’s attention and give him or her the best information up front—the information he or she needs to make a decision to call you to schedule an interview.

2. The Design/Format Is Generic

There is a strategy behind resume formatting and design. If you are an executive, yet you are using an entry-level resume format, you will look unprofessional and under-qualified.

3. It’s Missing Important Keywords

Omit keywords and the software system scanning your resume can’t find you. The recruiter giving your resume a quick once-over is looking for specific keywords as well. Leave them out and you’ll be left out of the interview process.

4. It Has Generic And/Or Vague Statements

Avoid using the same old terminology that everyone else uses in their resumes. Yes, we know you can problem solve. But instead of telling me you’re a problem solver, show me the result of a problem you solved.

5. It Doesn’t Focus On Hard Skills

And the championship goes to… hard skills. I used to be a full-time recruiter, and I used Monster and CareerBuilder to search for candidates. Not once did I enter the search terms: great communicator, excellent verbal skills, detail-oriented. These are universal statements millions use to describe themselves. Give me something tangible and relevant to the position I am trying to fill.

6. It Tells Vs. Shows

Instead of wasting valuable real estate on your resume providing me with a rundown of your job description (the same one I’ve read a million times as a hiring manager), show me what you achieved, what you accomplished, and what you contributed in the past.

WOW me with something other than the predictable, mundane job description. I want to know the challenges you faced in your previous roles, how you addressed them, and the results you obtained. This makes you different from everyone else. No two people will have the exact same experiences. Your experiences are what make you outshine your competition—USE THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.

7. It’s Passive

Using terminology that is passive is boring and lacks action. Instead of using phrases like “served as,” “duties included,” “promoted to,” “worked with”…choose strong action verbs. Action verbs do just what they say: they convey action and, ultimately, results.

The hiring manager is interested in results you can provide about what you did along the way. Choose terms like: Launched, Catapulted, Spearheaded, and Pioneered. These terms tell me something. They show me the action you took and captivate my attention so that I want to read on to discover the results you achieved.

Your resume needs to do two things: It needs to capture the hiring manager’s attention—and it needs to motivate him or her to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. If you look and sound like everyone else, you have no competitive advantage. Therefore, you’ve provided the HR person with zero motivation to pick up the phone, call you, and schedule an interview.

Stop creating a ‘same old, same old’ resume that looks and feels just like everyone else’s. Start by adding some variety and focusing on your accomplishments today.

Your Job Search: Who to List as Employment References

Question

“I’m applying for a job, and it says I have to list two references. Do I have to include this? I’m not sure who to put.” – Lee from Reno, NV

Answer

Thanks for your question, Lee. If the job you’re applying for requests references, you shouldn’t leave that space blank. Employers who receive large numbers of applications or résumés will often give each one only a quick glance before deciding whether to advance that candidate to the next round. Any omission in your application could cause you to be passed by.

What Do You Need to Prove?

Think about the position for which you’re applying – what qualities does that person need to demonstrate? Maybe they need to know how to manage others, how to solve conflicts or be detail-oriented. If you’re responding to a job advertisement, review the words the employer has chosen to describe its ideal candidate.

Next, consider the characteristics that all employers like to see in their staff. No matter what job you’re applying for, you want to demonstrate that you’re responsible, dependable, honest, a team player and someone who shows initiative, just to name a few.

Brainstorming Potential References

Now that you have your list, you want to think about the people you know who can speak to an employer about the ways in which you demonstrate those qualities. While former job supervisors are the first people many job seekers think of in terms of references, you can also consider asking these kinds of individuals:

• Professors or instructors
• Coaches
• Church or volunteer group leaders
• Coworkers
• Professional contacts who are familiar with your work

If you have a challenge in your background such as a criminal history including someone as a reference who can speak to your journey and positive qualities — such as a case manager or social worker — can be important.

Avoid listing family members or close friends as references – employers may perceive them as giving a biased opinion of your work. You should also avoid listing anyone who might have anything negative to say about you.

Contacting Your References

Once you’ve determined who you’d like to list as your references, reach out to them and ask them if it’s okay to list them on your job applications. You also want to make sure you have the most updated contact information – such as a phone number and email — for them.

If they say yes, brief them on the jobs you’re applying for and the qualities you’re looking to demonstrate. You may also want to provide this information to them via email, so they can refer to it if they receive a call from an employer.

If they say no, don’t get discouraged — after all, you only want references that are comfortable and willing to talk about you with potential employers. Be sure to thank them for the consideration and end the conversation politely.

 cross posted from goodwill.org

Resume Blunders

Goodwill Professional Center Director Randy Wooden speaks on the local Fox affiliate about what can send your resume to the bottom of the pile, or even worse, to the circular file.  Click on image to watch video.

Randy Wooden is a longtime Triad career consultant and director of Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC’s Professional Center. You may reach him at rwooden@goodwillnwnc.org.

Top 100 Most Powerful Resume Words

 

In today’s society, your resume is the most important document you have to get yourself an interview.

Including power resume words will increase your chance of getting hired by 80%!

When a hiring manager is seeing the same old resume time and time again which includes the cliché words and phrases such as “highly dedicated individual” or “great team player” you are guaranteeing yourself your resume will be deleted.

Poorly chosen words and clichéd phrases can destroy the interest of the reader. Power words when chosen correctly can have the opposite effect of motivating and inspiring the reader

Power Resume Words will make help you stand out from your competition and increase your chances of getting hired!

Top 100 Power Resume Words

1. Advanced
2. Assigned
3. Assessed
4. Absorbed
5. Accelerated
6. Attained
7. Attracted
8. Announced
9. Appraised
10. Budgeted
11. Bolstered
12. Balanced
13. Boosted
14. Bargained
15. Benefited
16. Beneficial
17. Comply
18. Critiqued
19. Closed
20. Collaborated
21. Designed
22. Delegated
23. Demonstrated
24. Developed
25. Detected
26. Efficient
27. Enhanced
28. Excelled
29. Exceeded
30. Enriched
31. Fulfilled
32. Financed
33. Forecasted
34. Formulated
35. Generated
36. Guided
37. Granted
38. Helped
39. Hosted
40. Implemented
41. Investigated
42. Increased
43. Initiated
44. Influenced
45. Integrated
46. Innovated
47. Instituted
48. Justified
49. Listed
50. Logged
51. Maintained
52. Mentored
53. Measured
54. Multiplied
55. Negotiated
56. Observed
57. Operated
58. Obtained
59. Promoted
60. Presented
61. Programmed
62. Provided
63. Projected
64. Qualified
65. Quantified
66. Quoted
67. Recommended
68. Refine
69. Revamp
70. Reacted
71. Retained
72. Recovered
73. Reinstated
74. Rejected
75. Sustained
76. Skilled
77. Saved
78. Scheduled
79. Supported
80. Secured
81. Simplified
82. Screened
83. Segmented
84. Streamlined
85. Strengthened
86. Triumphed
87. Troubleshot
88. Taught
89. Tutored
90. Translated
91. Trained
92. Uncovered
93. United
94. Unified
95. Updated
96. Upgraded
97. Validated
98. Viewed
99. Worldwide
100. Witnessed

Cross posted from Careerealism.com

How NOT to Write a Resume, pt. 2

So, last time we covered some basic “don’ts” of writing a resume. I would like to say that all bases were covered in the last post but alas that is not the case. Here is round two of “resume’ don’ts.”

1)      Just post one! A lot of people get to the point in the application where they are asked to post a resume’. This, for many, seems to be a terrifying feat. If you don’t have a resume’ that is fine. But, take the time to create one. There are a plethora of sources out there that can help you in doing so. Not posting a resume’ will surely prevent your resume’ from being seen.

2)      What is in a name? When you create a resume’ you save it. And when you save your resume you title the document something. DO NOT title it “Professional” or “Resume’.” Instead, title your document as your name. You can use your first initial and last name if your name is too long. DO NOT use your initials. In some cases this may be fine, however, if your full name is David Allen Madison, (DAM) OR Cameron Allen Nicolas (CAN, as to say you won’t your resume to last a long time)your resume’ may provide giggles for a recruiter but not necessarily in a good way. The more often your full name is seen the better and titling your resume as such is another way to achieve this.

3)      I Font take it anymore! This example ties in with the formatting don’ts from the last post. HR Recruiters look at hundreds of resume’s a week. When we come across one that has italics every other line, some parts bold, some parts not and a mixture of Courier New and Arial Black…we usually set it aside until our eyes are able to focus again. Keep it simple and neat. Use the same font for the entire resume’. Bolding certain parts are fine but keep it consistent.

4)      Spell Check does not always work! Nowadays we tend to get lazy when it comes to our spelling. We all do it, me included. However, the one place you want to make sure your spelling is absolutely correct is on a resume. So, don’t rely on spell check alone, but read your resume out loud to yourself. You may catch sentences like this…”I supervised to individuals.” Or, “Was a vitality part of the restructure process and prove import supervise of knew employees.” See the problems? Should be “Was a vital part of the restructure process and provided important supervision of new employees.” This may seem extreme but if you don’t know the difference between their, they’re and there you won’t get a job here.

 

These are only four examples but they are crucial. Next time we’ll focus on interview “don’ts” particularly phone interviews.

 

Until next time…

The HR Recruiter

The HR Recruiter has over 3 years’ experience working in Employment Services and Human Resources. He is currently working on his Masters of Science in Human Resource Development at N.C. State University. He is also a member of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). 

I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why.

 

If you think an apostrophe was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, you will never work for me. If you think a semicolon is a regular colon with an identity crisis, I will not hire you. If you scatter commas into a sentence with all the discrimination of a shotgun, you might make it to the foyer before we politely escort you from the building.

Some might call my approach to grammar extreme, but I prefer Lynne Truss’s more cuddly phraseology: I am a grammar “stickler.” And, like Truss — author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves — I have a “zero tolerance approach” to grammar mistakes that make people look stupid.

Now, Truss and I disagree on what it means to have “zero tolerance.” She thinks that people who mix up their itses “deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave,” while I just think they deserve to be passed over for a job — even if they are otherwise qualified for the position.

Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a mandatory grammar test. Extenuating circumstances aside (dyslexia, English language learners, etc.), if job hopefuls can’t distinguish between “to” and “too,” their applications go into the bin.

Of course, we write for a living. iFixit.com is the world’s largest online repair manual, and Dozuki helps companies write their own technical documentation, like paperless work instructions and step-by-step user manuals. So, it makes sense that we’ve made a preemptive strike against groan-worthy grammar errors.

But grammar is relevant for all companies. Yes, language is constantly changing, but that doesn’t make grammar unimportant. Good grammar is credibility, especially on the internet. In blog posts, on Facebook statuses, in e-mails, and on company websites, your words are all you have. They are a projection of you in your physical absence. And, for better or worse, people judge you if you can’t tell the difference between their, there, and they’re.

Good grammar makes good business sense — and not just when it comes to hiring writers. Writing isn’t in the official job description of most people in our office. Still, we give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers.

On the face of it, my zero tolerance approach to grammar errors might seem a little unfair. After all, grammar has nothing to do with job performance, or creativity, or intelligence, right?

Wrong. If it takes someone more than 20 years to notice how to properly use “it’s,” then that’s not a learning curve I’m comfortable with. So, even in this hyper-competitive market, I will pass on a great programmer who cannot write.

Grammar signifies more than just a person’s ability to remember high school English. I’ve found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing — like stocking shelves or labeling parts.

In the same vein, programmers who pay attention to how they construct written language also tend to pay a lot more attention to how they code. You see, at its core, code is prose. Great programmers are more than just code monkeys; according to Stanford programming legend Donald Knuth they are “essayists who work with traditional aesthetic and literary forms.” The point: programming should be easily understood by real human beings — not just computers.

And just like good writing and good grammar, when it comes to programming, the devil’s in the details. In fact, when it comes to my whole business, details are everything.

I hire people who care about those details. Applicants who don’t think writing is important are likely to think lots of other (important) things also aren’t important. And I guarantee that even if other companies aren’t issuing grammar tests, they pay attention to sloppy mistakes on résumés. After all, sloppy is as sloppy does.

That’s why I grammar test people who walk in the door looking for a job. Grammar is my litmus test. All applicants say they’re detail-oriented; I just make my employees prove it.

Kyle Wiens is CEO of iFixit, the largest online repair community, as well as founder of Dozuki, a software company dedicated to helping manufacturers publish amazing documentation.

 

cross posted from the Harvard Business Review

How NOT to Write a Resume

There are lots of articles on the internet that provide tips on how to write a resume. Some provide a “do’s” and “don’ts” list of things to add to your resume’. In my experience, however, there are some things that are not covered on these lists presumably because one would think there is no need to point out the obvious. Below are some gems that I have seen in my position that would absolutely fall under the DON’T category. Enjoy!

1)      While it is certainly an accomplishment to become the national champion of wrestling, this feat is not normally applicable to a position you are seeking. Unless of course you won’t to be a wrestling coach.

2)      I love to see that individuals are family oriented, however, “cuddling” with your “hubby” should probably be removed from your list of outside activities.

3)      This one is not is just obvious but so many people don’t do it. You may have a tremendous work history, but please, make sure that your past and present tense match your dates. In other words, if you held a position in 1998, make sure that the description reads –Facilitated weekly meetings; NOT –Facilitate weekly meetings. It may seem simple but adding an “ed” to a word can make all the difference.

4)      Some companies have a key word search for certain positions. If you are aware of this add the key words in with your resume. I find it quite amusing when a resume comes to me marked as a perfect candidate only to find a list of 50 words on the last page. These resumes are subsequently sent to the pile to be recycled.

5)      I like the look of flowers as much as the next person, really I do. However, it is not necessarily a good idea to add a row of them to the margins of your resume’. You want to attract attention to your experience, not your creativity.

It seems like these would be obvious “don’ts” on a resume’. Unfortunately, these examples occur far too often. Next time you are updating your resume’ (which should be often) read it over and ask yourself, “Is this information relevant to the position?” You can have a generic resume’ but always tailor it to the position you are applying for.

Until next time,

The HR Recruiter

The HR Recruiter has over 3 years’ experience working in Employment Services and Human Resources. He is currently working on his Masters of Science in Human Resource Development at N.C. State University. He is also a member of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). 

11 Things NOT to Include in Your Resume

Get rid of the objective - If you applied, it’s already obvious you want the job

Cut out all the irrelevant work experiences – If you’re still listing that prized shift leader position from your high school days, it’s time to move on.
Yes, you might’ve been the “king of making milkshakes,” but unless you’re planning on redeeming that title, it’s time to get rid of all that clutter.

Take a pass on the personal stuff: marital status, religious preference and social security numbers – This might’ve been the standard in the past, but all of this information is now illegal for your employer to ask you so there’s no need to include it. It will likely only hurt your chances of getting the position more than it would help you, says Catherine Jewell, author of the book “New Résumé, New Career.”  Another piece of personal information you should never include on your resume is your social security number, Sara Player, client support specialist for CareerBuilder.com, told us. Player isn’t actually sure why people decide to include their social security numbers, but she knows she sees it all too often and it’s unnecessary, not to mention, a little risky.

Don’t let your resume exceed one page – Yes, this might be difficult if you’ve had a lot of experience and you’re proud of all of it. But just because you’re proud doesn’t mean they’re necessarily relevant. Cut it down; employers don’t have the time to read two whole pages.  CareerBuilder.com’s Sara Player says: “Keep your work history short and to the point. When you describe what you have achieved while in the position, try putting it in bullet form and put what is most important first.”

Don’t list your hobbies – “Nobody cares — it’s not your facebook profile,” Player says. In other words, don’t put anything on your resume that’s irrelevant to your job. If it’s not relevant, then it’s a waste of space and a waste of the company’s time.

Don’t give them the chance to guess your age – Yes, your age is included in personal data, but if you don’t want to be discriminated from a position because of your age, it’s time to remove your graduation date, says Catherine Jewell. Doug Hadley of Mansfield, Texas, told MSN that he’s begun to leave out the fact that he’s a published author: “I don’t want to have to omit such things, but I feel as though I don’t even get considered if they are on my resume.” Sara Player advises to take out higher education if it’s irrelevant to the position you’re applying for or if you keep receiving rejection letters stating that you’re overqualified.

Don’t write your resume in the third person – Charlotte Beckett, head of Digital at The Good Agency, told Linkedin.com that it’s fine to write in first person in your opening statement, but the rest of your resume should be in bullet points, such as:
Developed and delivered marketing strategies for a range of products
You should not write in the third person since the recruiter knows you’re the one writing the resume.

Don’t include references – If your employers want to speak to your references, they’ll ask you. Also, it’s better if you have a chance to tell your references ahead of time that a future employer might be calling. If you say “references upon request” at the bottom of your resume, you’re merely wasting a valuable line, says career coach Eli Amdur.

Don’t include a less than professional email account - Make a new one. It takes minutes and it’s free

There’s no need to identify your phone number – Amdur says there’s no reason to put the word “phone” in front of the actual number.
“It’s pretty silly. They know it’s your phone number.” The same rule applies to email.

Don’t include your current business contact info – “This is not only dangerous, it’s stupid. Do you really want employers calling you at work? How are you going to handle that? Oh, and by the way, your current employer can monitor your e-mails and phone calls. So if you’re not in the mood to get fired, or potentially charged with theft of services (really), then leave the business info off.”

Read more at businessinsider.com

10 Ways to Get a Better Job

So your job is a drag. You could resign yourself to a life of dull (or even miserable) days in the office or you could set aside some time and get a better job. Here are ten great tips to help you put together a great application, ace the interview, and ultimately work for a company you’ll love rather than hate.

10. Put Together a Resume That’s Actually Compelling

While I’m no fan of the resume—as they’re often documents skimmed rather than read—they’re still requested by the majority of jobs you’ll come across. You don’t want to reinvent the wheel, but a little creativity can set you apart and help you stand out from the pool. Online tools can be of great help when it comes to creating something a little less ordinary. Visualize.me can create an attractive infographic. Sites like Re.vu and Zerply help you create professional landing pages that can serve as digital resumes. About.me and Flavors.me can be tailored to do the same. Use the tool that suits you best and make sure your page or resume stands out. Often times it is just as simple as choosing the right font and color. It doesn’t take much to make a resume look nice, so put in that little additional effort to keep yours from ending up in the generic pile.

9. Ensure Your Resume Isn’t Filled with Common Words and Redundant Phrasing

When writing your resume, you don’t want to use the sort of language that’ll make you sound like everyone else. That means avoiding overused terms (e.g motivated, innovative, dynamic) and cliche phrases (e.g. detail oriented, team player, excellent communication skills). Also, terms like “references available upon request” are implied statements, waste space, and do not need to be on your resume. It helps to read your resume from bottom to top to help catch errors, and when you’re done you can run it through RezScore to find out where you can still improve.

8. Search Unconventional and Career-Specific Job Sites

If you don’t know where you want to work you’re obviously going to have to search for some options., but you’ll be looking for a needle in a haystack if you go to popular sites like Monster.com and Craigslist. That isn’t to say they won’t have a great job here and there, but you’ll find yourself wading through a lot of undesirable positions just to find the ones you want. Instead of going the traditional route, try an unconventional job site like OneDayOneJob.com, which sends opportunities to your email inbox every day. SimplyHired is a seemingly standard job search, but it aggregates listings directly from company web sites and other locations so you’re not just pulling directly from one big pool. TweetMyJobs will handle the searching for you. Just tell it what kind of job you want and it’ll text, tweet, and email options to you as they’re discovered. Even if you’re several years out of college, you may also want to look at any job listings provided to alumni. Even if overqualified for the jobs being offered, you’ll learn about companies that are friendly to graduates of your school. You can look on the company’s site for more suitable positions and apply for those.

Alternatively, you can focus on sites that target the specific kind of job you want. For example, Dice.com is a good option for tech-related jobs and Authentic Jobs is a great option for designers and developers. Conduct a web search for the type of job you’re looking for and the term “job search site” and you may find a tool that’s more focused on your specific needs.

7. Find a Better Job by Searching for a Great Company Rather Than a Position

Getting a great job isn’t just about doing something you enjoy, but also about working in a good environment. That means you want to seek out companies who have a reputation for treating their employees well. You don’t have to apply to Google or Zappos—companies well-known for their great benefits—but just seek out companies that interest you and do a little research. All you have to do is call them up and talk to pretty much anybody. Just tell them this: “I’m thinking about applying for a job at your company but I wanted to know what it’s like to work there. Would you mind telling me how you like it?” Most people will be happy to share their opinion, and if they’re busy you can always schedule a call later. If the company sounds good, you’ve likely just made a friend who you can call back when you’re ready to apply and get some additional help. It’s a double win. In the event this doesn’t work as planned, however, Glassdoor is an online resource that can help you learn about a specific company from people who definitely want to share.

6. Learn to Make Even Your Irrelevant Experience Seem Relevant

I’ve never gotten a job because my previous work experience was particularly relevant, but rather because I learned how to spin my past experience to make it seem relevant. This doesn’t mean I lied, but instead concentrated on tasks in previous positions that were applicable to the job I wanted to get. If your current job is much different from the one you want, think about anything and everything you’ve done at your current job that’s out of the ordinary. Often times you’ll find examples of things that relate to the job you want because you were always excited to do that kind of work if it presented itself where you are now. If not, you can always start creating relevant experience now so you can use it when you’re on your interview. For example, if you work in a non-creative field but want to become a designer you would have plenty of opportunities. If you make lots of graphs and flow charts, finds ways to make them more attractive. If your company is having an outing, ask to design the flyer. When I worked in customer support, I used to create posters about inside jokes in the office or images based on funny things customers said. Sometimes I’d show these at interviews if I needed to demonstrate my Photoshop skills. As silly as that sounds, it not only demonstrated my capabilities but also showed how close I was with my team. When you put yourself into you work, you’ll find that your seemingly irrelevant experience can easily be tailored to most of the jobs you’ll apply for. You may have to start lower than you’d like, but if you work hard you’ll work your way up pretty quickly.

5. Dress Well for the Interview

Dressing for the interview doesn’t necessarily mean putting on crisply-ironed formalwear. Depending on the company, they may prefer you came in your everyday attire or just wore something that shows you can look nice without overdoing it. If you’re not sure what you should wear to an interview, just call the company and ask to speak with the human resources department. Let them know you’re coming in for an interview and that you want to know the expected dress code. In most cases, they’ll be happy to help you out. If you have to go in uninformed, however, business casual is generally a good bet. While nobody really knows what business casual actually is, you’ll generally be safe in a nice pair of pants and a button down shirt or sweater. Your goal is really to show that you’re capable of grooming yourself and looking presentable. If your clothing fits, is well-ironed, and isn’t something you’d wear around the house you’re probably in good shape. For some extra assistance, the Dress Code Guide can help you figure out the proper attire.

4. Learn to Read Body Language for a More Successful Interview

Learning to read body language is helpful in a lot of situations, but understanding the cues you send out and reading cues from others can be immensely helpful in a job interview. It’s especially important that you come of as pleasant and charming right off the bat because many decisions are made on the basis of a first impression. The most important thing is to avoid negative body language. For the most part you just want to avoid nervous ticks like touching your face and letting your leg become restless. You also don’t want to slouch or sit to rigidly. Basically, your goal is to appear comfortable but professional. If you can do that, you’ll be in good shape.

3. Know How to Give Great Answers to Common Job Interview Questions

What’s your greatest weakness? It’s an obnoxious question but you’ll hear it on the majority of job interviews in your life, and there are many others where it came from. (There’s plenty of debate on how to answer this question. I’ve always found the best strategy is to pick a skill you are actually bad at that sounds relevant to the job but really isn’t. Then you come across as honest but your weakness won’t hurt you.) You have to answer the questions if you want to get the job, so there are two things you want to do: understand the motivation behind the questions and prepare your answers in advance. Understanding the motivation is generally as simple as putting yourself in the company’s shoes. Why would they want to know your greatest weakness? Probably more to know how you respond to a question that asks you to be vulnerable than to actually find out where you can improve. They may also ask because they want to know if you can realistically gauge your abilities accurately. Once you consider the motivation behind these common questions it’ll be easier to tailor the answers you want to give. You don’t want to script them out and memorize them in advance, of course, but developing a list of sound bites can help you go in prepared while still being able to provide natural responses.

2. Ask for a Signing Bonus

Congratulations, you got the job! But you might be throwing away an extra month’s salary if you don’t ask for a signing bonus before accepting the position. If apply for a competitive job, chances are the company will really want to hire you if you’re chosen and they may be willing to pay you a little bit extra to get you on board. All you have to do is ask if they offer a bonus. You’re not demanding one, but simply asking the question. Whether you’re considering other options or not, asking this question will make it seem that way and they’ll be more inclined to offer you that bonus if they really want you. If they can’t, they’ll tell you no and there’s likely no harm done. It’s one of those low-risk questions that can often yield a high reward.

1. Leave Your Current Job Without Burning Any Bridges

If you hate your current job, it can be tempting to let everyone know it when you leave. As cathartic as that may seem, it’ll cause you trouble down the line. You want to leave your current company on good terms. You never know when you may encounter a coworker again or need to call that company for information or a favor. Burning bridges simply isn’t in your best interest. If you hate your job so much that you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing, however, you can reference these sample resignation letters and read tips on how to resign gracefully. Before you quit for real, run your plan by a friend or two to gauge their reaction. It always helps to have a few outside opinions to help ensure you don’t make a mistake you’ll regret.

 

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6 Tips For Experienced Job Seekers Who Have Been Unemployed Long-Term

The tight job market has affected all demographics — but older workers have really felt the squeeze, particularly if they found themselves out of work for one reason or another. Statistics show that older workers are unemployed for an average of 44 weeks (more than 10 months), according to an AARP report.

After a recent post by my co-founder Sean, on the things employers want to see on your resume, we recognized how easy it is to get frustrated and want to give up during the job search. But staying active and positive is the key to job search success. Follow the tips below to maximize your job search and get one step closer to your ideal position.

1. Sell, sell, sell. Consistently, the biggest mistake we see is that people write a ‘me’ focused resume. A primary example of this is the outdated objective statement – if you have the word ‘seeking’ on your resume, you’re writing a ‘me’ resume. Employers don’t hire you for your satisfaction; they hire you to fill their own critical need. Think of it this way. If you were in sales, would you ever say to a customer “Buy this item because I need the commission”? And if you were the customer, would you buy? A ‘me’ centered resume says essentially the same thing.

Your job is to think of the potential employer as a customer. You’ve know they’re a hot lead because they’ve taken the time to post the job – so someone is going to close the deal with them. How do you make sure they go with you? By selling to them like you would sell to anyone else. Figure out their pain points. Why are they hiring? Who have they hired in the past? What’s their most critical need? And then go in there with your sales guns blazing; be the solution to their problem.

2. Really tap your network. As you’ve heard before, “it’s who you know” that often helps you land a job. This is especially true with small businesses who cannot afford to post jobs on pricey job boards (or don’t have the time to sift through the hundreds of applications they may receive), but some larger companies also rely on referrals to fill open positions.

Actively keep in touch with former colleagues, friends, and family, and let them know you’re on the job search. If you know someone who works at an organization you’d like to work for, ask them to grab coffee or lunch to strengthen your relationship and inquire about possible opportunities there.

3. Perfect your resume. If you’re on the job search, your first priority should be your resume. It must show your value to potential employers to ensure you make it to the interview round. Make sure resume uses active writing to show hiring managers and recruiters what you accomplished and what you’re capable of.

Make sure that your resume is clean and clutter free. Anything that does not effectively sell your skills needs to go. Clean up your resume by using the ever faithful bullet points. Always keep in mind that less is sometimes more. You don’t need to get too fancy with fonts, language or formatting.
4. Search for free using your resources. Find job opportunities from sites across the Web — from job boards and government sites, to company career sites and newspapers, and more. Set up email alerts or RSS feeds to learn about jobs as they’re posted. Keeping on top of new postings can help you be one of the first to apply and ensure you get your resume in front of employers before the position is filled.

5. Learn new skills. Although you likely have a lot of experience in your industry, there’s always room to learn something new, particularly if you have been unemployed for several months. Look for certification programs or relevant classes you can take to boost your resume and impress potential employers.

6. Use social media for personal branding and networking. According to a study by Jobvite, 16 percent of job seekers (a combination of unemployed and looking, employed and looking, or employed and open to a new job) said “an online social network directly led to finding their current/most recent job.” Of those, the majority (78 percent) attributed their job to Facebook, 40% to LinkedIn, and 42% to Twitter. Since each network can be beneficial to your job search in different ways, it’s important you don’t write off certain online opportunities because you don’t see the value or think your age demographic isn’t right for them.

You should also keep in mind that your presence on these networks represents your online brand. The majority of employers now use social media to screen job candidates, and 68 percent said they have hired someone based on what they saw about them online (such as giving a positive impression or supporting professional qualifications).

What do you think? Are there other tactics that helped you land a job when you were unemployed? Please share in the comments below!

Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free Web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes — instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Facebook and Twitter.

Cross posted from Simplyhired