The Missing Component to Your Successful Resume

If you have ever written a resume before, you already know the basic elements needed for most resumes.  A resume typically has the following:

• Your name and address
• Summary of Qualifications
• Professional Experience or Work History
• Educational Experience
• Additional Criteria, such as extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, or skill sets

While this is the typical criteria used in creating a resume, a successful resume takes it one step further.  A successful resume always has keywords.

KEYWORDS

Keywords are listed as the last section on the resume or are integrated throughout the skill section of the resume.  They are words that describe the most common attributes an employer would use to find an employee when using big career sites such as Monster or Careerbuilder.  They are also useful when employers use technological software to scan resumes.  Even more importantly, when an employer stops to scan your resume, these words jump out at the employer and saves him time to have to go on a scavenger hunt to determine if you are qualified.

If you are a serious candidate and you want an employer to know you are a serious candidate, you should not only have keywords in the Keyword and Skills sections, but they should also be used throughout your resume.  For example, if you are a physical therapist and you know that typically a physical therapist must use whirlpool baths, infrared lights, and ultrasonic machines, these are all words that should be used throughout your resume – in the summary of qualifications, professional experience sections, and also in the educational section if you are a recent graduate and do not have much work experience.

Most employees assume an employer knows their job description.  So instead of outlining their duties using keywords, they give general job descriptions and leave off the most important and specific attributes to an employer.  You will not do this.  You will find out what attributes are most important to your employer and distribute these attributes throughout all of your personal branding materials.

While people in your position should do the same things, often times they don’t.  If you have ever made a lateral move in which you had the same job title but moved to a different company, you would experience this first hand.  In some companies, there is more support, so you may perform the duties necessary to only fulfill your role.  If , however, you work for a smaller company or a start-up, you will perform not only the duties typically performed for your title, but will also be responsible for several other jobs as well.  Therefore, it is always important to be specific when giving your job description.  It will let the employer know that you are perfectly capable of handling the tasks  he expects for you to take on in your new role as compared to the less specific person in which he has to guess their capabilities.

So what keywords to use?

Most people when researching keywords will quickly become overwhelmed.  It is hard to decipher which words are most important to use on your resume.  Typically, the best keywords are those that you have not already used on your resume.  For example, if you are a teacher and you already put that you “effectively planned and implemented cooperative lessons integrating the arts and technology”, then it is unnecessary to put “art and technology integration” in your keywords.  If however, you did not put a description that uses the most basic elements of your job in your professional experience, then you can use keywords to fill in the blanks.

It is also good to use keywords to provide alternate labels to your job description.  For example, many administrative assistants work under different job titles and also perform different duties according to these titles.  However, most Hiring Managers fail to make these distinctions and may only put secretary in his search engine.  If an employee fails to use the alternate title secretary, she may be overlooked for the job simply because she didn’t use the right keyword.

How do You know you used the right keywords?

As an employee, you have the advantage of knowing what duties were considered most important for your job description.  You should lead with that knowledge and then research the rest.  If you are unsure, then you should hire a professional.  Professional resume writers should have access to job profiles, have a list of keywords according to profession, and also have alliances with employment agencies that can assist them in ensuring your resume will fit the needs of the average employer in your field.

As always, good luck with your job search.

Ayesha Long

www.AyeshaWrites4u.com

Step Up to a Better Career with Professional Resume Services
*** Also be sure to go to Ayesha Writes 4 You’s website and schedule your Free Resume Consultation. From now until August 15th, you can take advantage of our Summer Discount and get 15% off any resume package. So go to www.AyeshaWrites4u.com to get started now!

Explaining Your Unemployment Status

One of my first posts on Stepping Up to a Better Career was “Does Unemployment Belong on Your Resume?“.  This post focused on people who chose to leave their jobs and do life-altering things such as taking a year hiatus to travel across the country or volunteering in a third-world country for six months.  But what if your unemployment experience is not as enlightened?

What if one day you showed up for work and was just fired?  Or laid off?

When unemployment is forced on you through an employer’s analysis, whether budgetary or personal, it can still have an effect on your self-esteem and thus have an effect on your job search. One of the biggest problems many people face is blaming themselves.  Unless you have done something deserving of being fired, such as excessive tardiness, lewd behavior, or mismanagement of company resources, it is not your fault!  And even if you were fired due to one of the aforementioned reasons, there is no reason to feel as if you cannot find new employment.  Of course if you were fired due to negative circumstances, you will need to do some self-reflection prior to taking on a new job so that you do not repeat the same mistakes twice.  The point is, that regardless of circumstances, you can still find a new job!

How?

Well, here’s the thing.   Your unemployment and the reasons for your unemployment do NOT belong on your resume or cover letter!  Therefore, if you are honest about your dates of employment, your career accomplishments, and highlight all of your qualifications, you will be seen as a viable candidate just like any other employee.

You do not need to explain the circumstances for leaving any job, unless it is voluntary and you have used that time to build your professional skills.  Then this is interesting information you can choose to put in the cover letter if the skills gained are applicable to the position at hand.  Otherwise, unemployment DOES NOT belong on any of your career documents.

The time to explain your unemployment is when you are standing in front of an employer and having your interview.  Then when the employer asks why you left your previous job, you can answer as honestly and professionally as possible.  The best response is brief, honest, and avoids criticizing the company, coworkers, or anyone else.

If you were laid-off, simply explain the company’s choices, such as budgetary cuts or departmental closings and then explain what you accomplished prior to being laid-off.  If you were fired, make sure you emphasize that the event leading up to your firing was an isolated event, you have evaluated your choices, and you will ensure that it will not happen again.

Being unemployed is not the end of your world.  You can always bounce back from setbacks such as being laid-off or fired, just be sure to be honest and professional as you go out on your career search.

As always, good luck with your job search.

Ayesha Long

www.AyeshaWrites4u.com

Step Up to a Better Career with Professional Resume Services
*** Also be sure to go to Ayesha Writes 4 You’s website and schedule your Free Resume Consultation. From now until August 15th, you can take advantage of our Summer Discount and get 15% off any resume package. So go to www.AyeshaWrites4u.com to get started now!

Five Tips to Creating a Job-Winning Resume

Okay, I know I’m a little late with my post.  Normally I write my posts very early in the morning, but I had the one problem that is the antithesis of writers block – too many ideas at once.  I was looking at two sample resumes on a website (will not mention the name) and was shocked at how many resume writing rules had been broken.

So I decided now is the time to do a refresher on how to make your resume a success.  Here are five little tricks you can try on your own resume:

• Be active. There is nothing worse than a list of job descriptions.  The truth is that if you work in sales, teaching, or any other industry, your employer knows what you did.  No one wants to hear what you’ve been responsible for or delegated to do.  Instead explain what you managed, alleviated, or increased and how.
• Stay anonymous. Your name, phone number, email, and address is all that is needed.  I’ve seen resumes where people have not only put their pictures, but also included their relationship status, number or kids, and charitable contributions.  While this is all great information for your personal development, it actually counts as distractions to an employer.  “Oh he has five children, that means that he probably won’t be as eager to do overtime as this other guy who has no kids.”
• Have an objective. An objective shows that you have focus and are not just sifting through the internet ads and applying to everything out there.  However, an objective is also not a list of things you are looking for as an employee (See Catch an Employers Eye Immediately )
• Think simple. Graphics, overuse of borders and too many fonts are all reasons for an employer to skip past your resume.  Yes, to you it seems catchy.  But to an employer it screams gimmicky and makes the employer think that either you are not professional or are using this extra flash to hide flaws in your professional skills.  Otherwise, why would someone who is a real asset need to resort to such tricks?
• Proofread. I always laugh whenever I type this one.  I think about the clients who have put incorrect e-mail addresses or phone numbers and then complain that no one is calling them in for interviews.  Let’s be honest, if you are not Kwame Jackson, no employer is going to go beyond one phone call to try to interview you.  So if they call and your number is incorrect, you might as well have never sent your resume.

Above all else, be professional.  There are dozens more tips that can be added – such as using the right type of paper, having a cover letter accompany your resume, or not including your picture.  I’d love to hear if anyone has any other tips that they think have made their resume a success.  Please share your comments below!

As always, good luck with your job search.

Ayesha Long

www.AyeshaWrites4u.com

Step Up to a Better Career with Professional Resume Services
*** Also be sure to go to Ayesha Writes 4 You’s website and schedule your Free Resume Consultation. From now until August 15th, you can take advantage of our Summer Discount and get 15% off any resume package. So go to www.AyeshaWrites4u.com to get started now!

How to Get Your Resume to Stand Out – Professionally

Why do I need a resume writer?

This is the number one question asked by job seekers when looking at professional resume services.  They read, and wonder…

“I graduated High School and have found plenty of jobs before, so why do I need a resume writer?”

“My dad works for Human Resources, I’m sure he can do my resume for me.”

“I was an English major in college, I’m sure I could put together a little one page summary highlighting my best achievements.”

These are all actual statements told to me by people who eventually hired me to write their resumes.  Their response?

“Wow, I didn’t know a resume could look so good.”

“Oh my God!  I sent out my resume three days ago and have already gotten two interviews and one job offer right over the phone.”

“That resume is awesome – I would hire myself.”

So what is it that a resume writer does that is different from the ordinary job seeker?  Why are people with exceptional qualifications getting looked over by people who are less adept and less skilled?

The answer is simple – it’s all in the packaging.  It takes an employer less than thirty seconds to look at your resume and scrap it.  A resume writer, who has been professionally trained, knows how to catch the employers attention before it wanes.  Then she knows how to keep that attention so that by the time he has finished reviewing it, he is already on the phone calling you.

So how do you know if the resume writer you select is right for you?  How can you be certain that you are not being hoodwinked into believing that this company is professional, when it really isn’t?

You have to do your research.

Before submitting any contact information, you should look for the following information either on the company’s website, by talking directly to the writer, or using google:

Is the company a part of any of the resume writing associations such as The Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) or The National Association of Resume Writers (NARW)?

These associations qualify it’s members, by ensuring that they are legitimate businesses.  They also provide additional workshops, seminars, and conferences to maintain the integrity of the resume writers and keep them current on trends in resume writing and human resources.

Does the company have testimonials?

A company is only as good as its brand.  You want to make sure that the company you choose not only has shining testimonials, but that they are legitimate.  Be sure to ask for references and to actually check the references.

Are there samples?

Before purchasing any product or service, you want to make sure that the company will deliver on its promise.  Asking for samples allows you to see the quality of the resume writers work and test it against other resumes you may have seen on websites or in resume books.  If it seems like the resume writer is just copying the same formats, then you can rest assured that your resume will lack the flair necessary to capture an employer’s eye.

What is their guarantee?

Never choose a resume writing company that lacks a guarantee.  You deserve to know that you are going to get what you paid for.  A resume writing company is not meant to guarantee you a job and any company that does is lying.  A resume is meant to get you in the door and get you an interview.  If you are offered a job (which more than likely you will be), that is just icing on the cake.  So what kind of guarantees should you expect?  Typically, a resume writer will give you a thirty day limit to get an interview and if you fail to get an interview, they will rewrite the resume for free, customize the cover letters for your next job, give you your money back, or apply directly to the jobs for you for an additonal fee.  Whichever option the company chooses is okay because you at least know that the company stands behind its work and is confident that they will deliver.

So if you are on the market for a job and your resume fails to get you results, your next step may be to hire a resume writer.  Then be sure to test them and make sure they meet all the qualifications to be an upstanding writer willing to deliver on his promise to get you ajob.

As always, good luck on your job search.

Sincerely,

Ayesha Long

www.AyeshaWrites4u.com

Stepping Up to a Better Career with Professional Resume Services

*** Be sure to go to Ayesha Writes 4 You’s website and schedule your Free Resume Consultation. From now until August 15th, you can get 15% off any resume package. So go to www.AyeshaWrites4u.com to get started now!

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Does Ethnicity Belong on Your Resume?

We’ve all heard the stereotypes. Blacks are lazy. They are loud. They intimidate their coworkers. They have no respect of time and they don’t earn their keep. We’ve seen it featured on CNN’s “Black in America”.

Some of us may have experienced the effects of such stereotypes firsthand. That quiet knowing that even though the employer is saying, “Currently we are not hiring,” what he really means is, “We are not hiring you or anyone like you”.  Yet, it is an unspoken statement – one that you can only know by experiencing.

If you go through this experience often enough, you tend to lose a part of yourself.  As a resume writer, I have met a few disillusioned job searchers who have went through this experience so often that they are either apathetic to their job search or they have decided to eliminate all factors of their racial identity.  I have even seen some resumes where the applicant wants to use their initials in the hopes that the employer will not recognize their identity from their ethnic first names (i.e. a name like Ayesha).

But have they made the right decision?  Should you hide your ethnicity from your resume in the hopes that your accomplishments can stand on their own when not being policed by racial shutters?  Or do you proudly proclaim your heritage and let the chips fall where they may?

The answer is simple.  Your race, gender, and ethnicity are all unique parts of your identity and should never have to be hidden.  You should be proud and never fall to such desperate measures as hiding your name.

Yet there are limits.  Should you hide your ethnic name?  No.  Should you do the exact opposite and list all of the racial organizations in which you are a member? Of course not.

If you are applying to a job that is in the nonprofit sector, caters to your demographic, or  actively promotes their racial diversity, then you can list some of these organizations proudly.  If your volunteer activities are less popular and have a reputation for being militant, then they should be left off completely.  Also, if your prospective company does not boast about their diversity initiatives, then all of your extracurricular activities pertaining to race should be left off of your resume.  Similar to religion, you do not want to give the employer any additional reasons to eliminate you from the candidate pool.

If you feel that you are the victim of employment discrimination, visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission site to find out how you can file a complaint.

As an African American female, I believe that my race and gender are a part of my identity – but in no way should they limit me or my capabilities.  Those of you who are the catalyst for this blog post, hold strong and know that you will find the job of your dreams.

As always, good luck on your job search.

Ayesha Long

www.AyeshaWrites4u.com

Step Up to a Better Career with Professional Resume Services

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