Posted By Amanda Collins on June 30, 2010

Back when I started writing résumés in 1996, they all started with an objective. But, if you look back at objectives, they’re often all about you, when we all know that a résumé’s true job is to share the value you’ll provide an employer.

Although the function of an objective remains the same, its name has changed. Now, we call it either a headline or a title, remaining in line with the marketing function of résumés. The goal of a title is to set the tone for the rest of the document and let the reader know who you are for him. Something simple and clear, such as the job title, is the way to go.

Objective: To obtain a full-time position in which I can apply my acquired skills in health care to better benefit the organization and myself.

Title: Staff Nurse

One of the above is clear and succinct, while the other talks around the issue without saying much. To continue with this example, it will be much easier to stay on target with the content of the résumé using this title. The objective here could mean the person is a healthcare administrator, CNA, or any other manner of positions.

So stick with a short title or headline. Elaborate in a branding statement and add more about your value in your summary.

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Tags: resume, resume objective

Posted By Amanda Collins on March 15, 2010

Taken from a recent e-mail from Mike O’Brien at Climber.com.

Did you know 75% résumés are overlooked? If you are like most people, you have applied to and uploaded résumés for dozens of jobs and heard nothing back. This is generally referred to as the “résumé black hole.”

If you do not know how to beat the résumé black hole, chances are your résumé will be overlooked. The root of the  problem is a piece of technology called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). The ATS was designed to streamline the flow of applicants for companies. This is accomplished by having a central place where all applications and résumés are warehoused.

To further compound the issue, ATSs are only 65% to 80% accurate in reading the information in your résumé. This means that one-fifth to one-third of the time the ATS is just plain wrong in importing data wholly and properly into the ATS. If your résumé makes this cut, the ATS then screens and ranks your résumé against open positions.

Next, résumés that pass the ATS screen are generally sent to a gatekeeper who spends about 30 seconds reading the résumé before deciding to move it along to the recruiter or hiring manager or pass it along to the trash can. About 1 in 10 résumés are passed along to the decision maker who decides if you will be interviewed.

Combat the résumé black hole by:
Loading up on keywords: ATSs rank on keyword density. Keywords should match closely to the required skills that appear in the job posting. The better you score against a jobs skill requirements the higher your résumé will rank.

Bypassing the ATS: Leverage your connections in person and the social media spectrum. Attend networking events and be sure you have a complete profile on LinkedIn. Also, connect with a recruiter (or two!) who specializes in your industry.

Making sure the job fits. Especially in today’s tough job environment, it is even more important to make sure that you have the skills and background required for the job.

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Tags: Job Search, key components in resumes, linkedin, resume, resume keywords

Posted By Amanda Collins on March 1, 2010

At an HR forum I attended this weekend, three of the four HR panelists confirmed what I have known for a long while – most hiring managers don’t read cover letters. I remember when I was in that position I didn’t read the letters either. In fact, very few people even bothered to submit cover letters, as these panelists also confirmed. So what’s the point? Why do professionals still suggest job seekers include cover letters?

A cover letter is your handshake, a warm introduction instead of just jumping in with, “Can I have a job?” It’s a way to pull out the most important parts in your résumé, be more conversational, and possibly cover things you can’t in your résumé, which is a more formal document. In your letter, pronouns can sneak in, and with them, personality! You can also tell the reader how you heard about the position, especially if you were referred by a friend or colleague.

If you choose to use a cover letter (and I’m going to be a proponent until I die), make sure it’s personalized. You shouldn’t have it addressed to “To Whom It May Concern” or – worse yet – “Dear Sirs.” Look up the hiring manager’s name on LinkedIn. If you don’t know, at least address the letter to “Hiring Manager” or some appropriate title. Mention the name of the company, position, and how you heard of them. Do a little homework online to see why you’re a fit with the culture or will be able to solve a specific problem confronting the firm. Pull in a few of your major selling points from the résumé as well (aka accomplishments) to really draw attention to your value.

Even though three of the four recruiters didn’t read the cover letter, one did – and one other said he will if he finds something of interest in the résumé. So I’ll continue to advocate for cover letters because you never know who might be reading it.

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Tags: cover letter, resume

Posted By Amanda Collins on February 28, 2010

There is a lot of power in a résumé – well, at least there is potential. So many times, I review résumés that lack a focus and strategy. Essentially, they are a brain dump of everything the person has done across his or her career. Typically, there are many areas for potential improvement, but it all starts with the top. Whether you call it an objective, title, or headline, how you present yourself starts with your first words.

When I first started writing résumés (in 1996), an objective was something like:
To obtain a position in which I can apply my experiences in child development and education.

Now, however, titles / headlines have replaced that long, not very to-the-point statement:
Preschool Teacher

Just like a newspaper headline draws readers to learn more, a résumé headline should do the same. To expand on the newspaper similarities, in journalism “above the fold” is where all writers want to be – because it’s the first part readers see when the paper is delivered. On your résumé, your “above the fold” section is the first third of your document, where you will have your contact information, headline, summary, and keywords. Employers have a lot of choices in résumés these days, so attract their attention immediately!

Even if you include a headline, it can be poorly written. At an event I attended yesterday, a hiring manager said he’d received a résumé that said “Banking Executive.” His first response? “Huh?” That basically meant nothing to him, so he didn’t bother to read further. His suggestion? Your headline should match the position for which you’re applying.

So be specific, succinct, and definitely include a headline on your résumé so employers are sure who you are for them. Questions on a résumé are never good.

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Tags: Job Search, resume, resume headline, resume objective

Posted By Amanda Collins on September 10, 2009

I’ve been writing résumés since 1996, and at that point they were little more than prettified job applications with little or no focus on differentiating the client. They were a series of lists saying what you did at each job. And they all started with objectives. In essence, they were about applicants.

Today, résumés are no longer past-oriented; they are very much targeted to the reader and future-oriented. Far from the days of lists, the best résumés today highlight your value proposition and accomplishments you’ve had across your career to paint a picture to the reader and let them know how you can make their business better. The driving factor behind résumés is WIIFM: what’s in it for me? – meaning what’s in it for the employer.

If your résumé starts with an objective, doesn’t have a summary / profile, and you’re not sure what accomplishments really are, you’re likely not hitting the right note with HR managers and recruiters. Remember that you need to market yourself as the expert, the one candidate they cannot afford to pass up. If you do that, you’ll likely see a turnaround in your responses to your job-search efforts.

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Tags: accomplishments, Job Search, resume

Posted By Amanda Collins on August 4, 2009

On the majority of résumés I see, people are missing a key component – the summary. As a marketing document, your résumé needs to sell you in a matter of seconds, and your summary will speak volumes about you. So make sure you grab readers’ attention immediately with an amazing summary that really showcases the value you offer and makes employers want to pick up the phone.

Although it is the first part of the résumé the reader sees, I write the summary last. I like to get a full sense of accomplishments and themes before I head up to write the summary. It’s kind of like trying to write the back cover of a book before the book itself is complete. I look at themes to get keywords out of experiences and accomplishments. Things like Product Management, Cost Controls, Operational Streamlining, and Systems Architecture are areas that may stand out when I reread the rest of the résumé. Someone told me today he heard of a colleague saying he optimizes your résumé as the SEO Résumé Writer. Well, all good writers should be doing that, so don’t be fooled. You do it too by adding those keywords.

Then, as I’m looking at accomplishments and the keywords I’ve culled, I start to see the picture of the individual. It also helps to have clients answer the question, “Why should an employer hire you?” That’s the crux of the summary, really. If you can’t share that in 30 seconds or less, you’re headed to the “no” pile. So think about it. What do you bring? Why are you the best candidate?

Too many clients will tell me they’re nice people or reliable, the soft skills you might have said in an interview 10 years ago. While it’s great to be the person in the office everyone likes, it’s more substantial to share some back-able, quantifiable results you can bring. Think about what you do. Are you the best marketing person, who has successfully expanded brand recognition through your initiatives? Do you create solutions for clients following development of a relationship?

Another trick is to look at the job description. They give you the answers right there, so use them! If the job write-up says they want someone with a demonstrated track record in supply chain management and channel development, make sure you write a sentence about that in your summary and add those words into your keywords section. No need to reinvent the wheel. Most companies are sifting through résumés with a scanning system, so the more words you use in your résumé from the ad, the better your chances of being found.

While there is an art to creating an eye-catching summary, these hints should get you started on the right track. Try to stay objective about yourself and look at your accomplishments from a new viewpoint so you can brag a little!

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Tags: accomplishments on resume, resume, resume summary, seo resume

Posted By Amanda Collins on June 30, 2009

If you haven’t written a résumé in a while, you probably don’t have any accomplishments on your document. That used to be the case, that a résumé was basically a fancy job application. However, in this competitive market, it’s more important than ever to demonstrate WIIFM: What’s in it for Me? – meaning for the employer. Your summary and accomplishments will showcase these points.

Great accomplishments are CAR statements: Challenge, Action, Result. Consider how you made things better at previous positions. Look at increasing revenue, saving money, improving customer service, or increasing efficiencies. Did you create / execute systems and processes? Of course, quantitative statements are best, but many professions can’t track numbers, so that’s okay too.

Sales people have no issue coming up with numbers, but remember that just saying “Increased sales 25% in six months” isn’t saying a whole lot. I could tell you all day I’m 6′ with long blonde hair, but if I don’t have a picture to back it up, I’m just making pie-in-the-sky statements (I’m really 5’4″ with short brown hair). When you write accomplishments, share the way you ended up with that result. That way, the reader is more likely to see you in the new company: “Wow, Joe increased sales 25% by implementing an employee appreciation program. I’ve been considering doing that. I need to call him in and ask him about that.”

My basic rule of thumb is one accomplishment per year worked, but don’t have 10 accomplishments if you were at a position 10 years – that’s overkill. Highlight your “key” accomplishments. Remember that a résumé is a marketing piece designed to showcase your best attributes so an employer will be left wanting more – and need to call you for an interview.

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Tags: accomplishments on resume, resume, resume keywords

Posted By Amanda Collins on June 18, 2009

Some people use the terms résumé and CV interchangeably, but the truth is they’re not quite the same. CVs are used almost exclusively outside of the U.S. where employers are expected to share more about themselves and their personalities, so that’s very different. In the States, however, the differences are pretty clear.

CV: Curriculum Vitae
If you just look at what CV means, you get a better view into what’s included. CVs are typically reserved for folks in academia or the medical field because they include speaking engagements and publications, as well as additional information such as professional memberships and community involvement. For a university president, a CV can be 10 pages or more because it’s highlighting a depth of experience that may span a few decades. CVs tell a story.

Résumé
A résumé is a more standard introduction when looking for a job.They are between one and three pages and span only 10-15 years in depth. Résumés are succinct, acting as a marketing piece to highlight only the great things you’ve done that relate to that position. Additional information may be included as appropriate, but it’s also okay to allude to publications and speaking engagements, then include an addendum with the additional information.

So, unless you’re living outside the U.S., the terms CV and résumé shouldn’t be used interchangeably because they’re very different documents.

Questions about creating your résumé for the American market? http://www.grammardocs.com/resumes/

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Tags: academic cv, cv, medical cv, resume

Posted By Amanda Collins on May 27, 2009

Truly, there is an art to writing a résumé. Too many people think of it as a glorified employment application that is all about the applicant’s past. In actuality, a résumé is a marketing document showcasing the accomplishments, skills, and education you have to offer to provide value to a potential employer. A well-written résumé will include:

Title
Tell the employer who you are for them. Unlike the old objective, a title is clear, concise, and is not about you.

Summary
Like the trailer to your movie, this is your “commercial” to highlight all the reasons the employer needs to (A) read more about you, and (B) call you in for an interview. It is the answer to the question, “Why should I hire you?” Focus on demonstrable traits as opposed to soft skills. Everyone will say they’re nice and easy to work with, but only a few will talk about their consistent ability to deliver results.

Core Competencies
Keywords are a huge component of a résumé, primarily because that is how employers will search for you among their database of scanned résumés. Make sure you’re including the words mentioned in the job description / want ad, which should definitely be reflected elsewhere on the resume.

Professional Experience
Employers want to know where you’ve worked, a little about the company, the dates, the location, your job title, an overall job scope, and accomplishments. When looking at your accomplishments, consider times you’ve had to overcome obstacles to reap a reward. Think about increasing revenue, decreasing spend, improving customer service, or bettering employee morale. If your paid experience is minimal, incorporate volunteer opportunities.

Education
If you’re a new graduate with limited work experience, this should follow the “core competencies” section. If you’re re-careering or a professional, this can go to the bottom, although it will depend on the individual person. Include the degree, major area, school, and location of school. If you’re basing most of your “saleability” on your education, it’s a good idea to list relevant classes or school groups in which you’ve been involved. If you have a college degree (or are working on one), there’s no need to include your high school. If you’ve not yet graduated, list the expected date of graduation.

Additional Information
Some new grads will include professional memberships, community involvement, or other sections that support the career goal.

Remember that everything on your resume should support what you want to be when you grow up. If it doesn’t, it’s not a good use of important real estate!

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Tags: accomplishments on resume, key components in resumes, resume, resume summary

Posted By Amanda Collins on April 16, 2009

If you’ve seen “Legally Blonde,” you remember when the main character was applying for positions using pink, rose-scented paper for her resumes. Certainly, that made her stand out – but was it in a good way? How do you stand out among hundreds of resumes in a fiercely competitive market? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say, as much as I love pink and roses, scented and colored paper won’t do it.

Most employers use a scanning system to track their resumes, so you need to make your resume come up in keyword searches. As noted in Candice Arnold’s latest blog on CollegeRecruiter.com, keywords play a huge part in making your resume stand out (in a good way). Of course, the most obvious place to add keywords is in the keyword section, often referred to as “Core Competencies” or “Areas of Expertise,” this is a small section at the end of the summary that clearly illustrates your transferable skills. When I’m writing a resume, I write the experience section first, then seek trends across positions, summarizing them in the keywords area. Another great way to populate this section is to look at job postings. Employers usually are rather blatant about what they want from applicants, so use that to your advantage! As I tell clients, the resume information below “Professional Experience” will remain static, but the “Summary” area is dynamic. Reread it for each new position, making sure you have the right words and answer the questions posed in the job posting.

Get more keywords in your experience section by thinking about buzzwords in the industry. Some of these may include: training, business development, penetrating accounts, client / vendor / employee relations, mentoring, global, international, or companywide. Your keywords will be different from someone else in a different industry, so be aware of your industry. If you’re working with a resume writer unfamiliar with your industry, tell her what the keywords are (a good writer who knows her limitations will ask).

By adding in some great keywords on your resume – and cover letter – you’ll boost your chances of coming up on searches, which will increase your interview opportunities!

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Tags: resume, resume keywords