Liz Handlin's Ultimate Resumes Blog

Job Seekers Beware: Companies Frequently Break Reference Policies

2009-11-24T17:06:00.001-06:00

With the national unemployment rate holding steady near 10 percent, it should come as no surprise there is a lot of competition for jobs across the country. What is perplexing, however, is how many people have bad professional references that can derail even the most qualified candidate, according to Heidi Allison, president of Allison & Taylor, the nation’s leading reference checking and employment verification firm.

“People spend a lot of time working on their resume, brushing up their interview skills and networking during job searches, but many fail to select their professional references carefully,” Allison said. “We check references for clients and approximately half of our calls to former employers produce an unexpected bad reference. The bottom line is that people need to select their references more carefully.”

Allison says there is a common misperception that, when contacted for a reference, former employers will only verify if a person previously worked for them and provide his or her job title.

“The fact is most people have no problem talking and, with a little prodding, one can learn quite a bit from a professional reference – some good, some bad,” Allison explained. “You’d be shocked at what some people selected to provide professional references have said about candidates.”

The following are excerpts of real professional reference checking interviews conducted by Allison & Taylor staff on behalf of clients during the past year:

Comments regarding a candidate’s skills, ranking them on a scale of 1-5:

Oral Communications: “Can I give a negative number?”

Interpersonal Relations: “He had a problem with a few of the people. I should have ended the relationship just after he started.”

Productivity: “Is there a rating less than inadequate?”

Decision Making: “He couldn’t make a decision if his life depended on it.”

Managerial Skills: “He couldn’t manage a group of children.”

Financial Skills: “That’s why our company had a major layoff – we left her in charge of the finances!”

Comments regarding a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses:

“I cannot think of any strengths, only weaknesses.”

“I’m sure there are some strengths, but nothing jumps out at me.”

“I’d rather not comment – you can take that however you want.”

Comments regarding the reason for the candidate leaving the company:

“I fired him! He and his buddy had some illegal things going.”

“It was a rather delicate and awkward situation. You should call her other past employers. I made the mistake of not doing that.”

“She was terminated in an investigation.”

Comments regarding a candidate selecting a person to be a professional reference:

“Are you certain he gave you my name?”

“I let him go and that’s all I care to say.”

“I’m surprised she even listed us on her work history.”

There are some professional references that make one simply wonder how a candidate would ever consider this person for a reference:

“No comment, he could not do anything correctly in the position he held with us.”

“Let’s save everyone some time. Basically, you could rank him inadequate in all areas.”

“Inadequate would be a positive word for him!”

“If a person is struggling to find a job, there’s a good chance a reference influenced them negatively and, once that’s happened, it’s often too late to resolve the situation,” Allison said. “We tell clients, don’t let this happen to you. We encourage them to work with us to check their references in advance and see if they’re positive. If not, there are several steps – some legal – that can be taken to rectify the situation.”

Pay Me With A Chicken - A New Bartering Website

2009-11-16T12:43:00.004-06:00

Pay Me With a Chicken has just launched. Its a 100% free website for people who “love to barter.” It allows traders the option to upload a video (like YouTube), or just a description and still photos of their items or services. And there’s a category for everything you can think of:

Here’s a member who wants to swap his condo> http://paymewithachicken.com/TradeDetails.aspx?trade=165

Here’s a band that will perform for barter> http://paymewithachicken.com/TradeDetails.aspx?trade=193

Here’s an artist who’ll swap her paintings> http://paymewithachicken.com/TradeDetails.aspx?trade=210

The site has just been activated and the founders have started spreading the word through social networking. But very soon – once they have enough postings to demonstrate its functionality – they’ll roll out a full blown media blitz online, in print and in news stories on select cable networks and TV affiliate stations nationwide. So if you join now, your listing will be seen by tens of thousands of visitors when www.paymewithachicken.com goes viral … which they predict that it will.

Since the economy isn't as strong as we would like it to be right now bartering could be a great option for getting what you want without paying a lot of cash. I think this site is a great idea...it will be interesting to see how it fares.

3 Reasons Your Resume Fails to Impress

2009-11-12T11:37:00.001-06:00

Today's post is a guest post from Donna Mitchell. Thanks Donna!

3 Reasons Your Resume Fails to Impress

A resume is much more than a simple piece of paper; in fact, it is the pivot on which your entire career revolves. In a world that is filled with cutthroat competition, it is your weapon that helps you find your place in the industry of your choice, which is why you must hone it to perfection. It is a missive that employers see even before they set eyes on you, so you must ensure that it hits your target accurately. If employers fail to call you for an interview after reading your resume, you can assume that it has failed to impress them and failed you in the process. A few reasons why this could have happened are:

· Lack of experience: I don’t mean your lack of experience in writing a resume, but your lack of anything substantial to put down in the space marked for experience. Employers are not too keen on taking on greenhorns who have to be trained for the job – this costs them time and money. So experience matters. So what do you do if you’re a college graduate who’s on the lookout for a job? You’re going to claim that it’s practically impossible for you to have gained any experience. Au contraire, if you know what you want to do with your life early on in college, you could gain experience through internships and volunteer programs in the industry of your choice. You may not get paid, but at least you gain in experience and enhance your prospects of landing a good job.

· Lack of organization: A resume that’s all over the place is going to find its way straight to the trash can. If you haven’t bothered to put some time and effort into creating your resume and making sure that prospective employers are able to gain a glimpse of your abilities by just looking at it, then your resume is not worth the paper it is written on. You must organize your information in the right order and in the right sequence so that it is easy for people reading it to grasp who you are and what your abilities are in the least possible time. Employers do not have time to waste on complicated resumes that are all frills and no substance.

· Too much information: You may have an achievement list that is a mile long, but that does not mean they should all find their way into your resume. Put down only what is relevant to the job you are applying for and don’t exaggerate your skills, talents, abilities or accomplishments. List what you have actually done rather than the positions you’ve held. And focus on the requirements and qualifications that are needed for the job you’re applying for.

When you know why your resume fails to impress and take the necessary action to correct your errors, you can rest assured that you will have better luck at finding a job that you love.

By-line:

This guest post was contributed by Donna Mitchell , who regularly writes on the topic of paralegal schools online . She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: donna.mitchell@rediffmail.com

Your Clients Will Lift You Up

2009-11-05T14:49:00.004-06:00

I have been writing resumes for a long time now (20 years in fact) and for the past 3 years I have been making my living doing this. One thing I have learned over the past 20 years is that if you treat each client like he/she is gold and if you invest in their success you won't have to spend a penny on marketing because business will come to you. That is right, your clients will do the marketing for you if you provide a great service. Presumably this principle holds mostly true for most small businesses.

I have been thinking about this lately because I am about to redo my website again and because I just put my Ultimate Book of Thank You and Sympathy Notes on Amazon.com as a Kindle download. I was thinking that I probably should have done these things long ago because a great website and book sales help to promote and support my business. But those things haven't been a priority because I have been so busy writing resumes for clients who were referred to me by former clients.

Don't get me wrong, I make some mistakes and there have been a handful of clients over the years who have gotten annoyed with me for one reason or another. For the most part, however, I believe I have been providing great service to my clients and they reward me with referrals. I am so grateful for their kindness that it makes me want to pay it forward to all the new clients who are referred to me. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world that I have such amazing clients (I am not blowing smoke) who continue to lift me up and ensure my success. Thank you to all of you.

Ten Rules of LinkedIn Etiquette for Business Professionals

2009-10-26T17:00:00.002-06:00

Following is a guest post from Adrienne Carlson who writes for ExecutiveMBAPrograms.org If you want to read the post on that site click here.

Unlike Facebook and the like, LinkedIn is strictly a social network for professionals with over 48 million members in over 200 countries. Working like a sophisticated online business card, members from those new to the workforce all they way to CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies utilize the free service. However, there is a right and wrong way to do it, and below are the top ten rules of LinkedIn Etiquette for Business professionals.

Bad Profile Picture
Professionals who choose to post a picture of themselves on LinkedIn should keep the same frame of mind. Although everyone loves to see pictures of children, it can send the wrong image when looking for a professional online. Other mistakes, such as bad lighting, posing, misleading shots, and others can be fairly obvious, but still manage to happen. It may even be worth hiring a professional photographer to make sure it is done right.
Honesty
It may be tempting to embellish that resume or bio on LinkedIn, but it is important to remember that anyone can see it. This includes both current and former colleagues and bosses, who can shine a light on any inconsistencies. It is much easier to erase a little white lie before you post, rather than after it has been exposed.
Catch Them With a Headline
Ever passed on an article because the headline didn’t grab you? The same rules apply to LinkedIn etiquette. Taking the time to craft a catchy and memorable summary can make all the difference. This site can help with headline guides, formulas, and more.
Status Updates
Walking a fine line between too many and too few status updates on any social networking sites can be difficult, and LinkedIn is no different. A good rule to have in mind is to keep updates professional. Whether discussing a project, event, etc. these can actually be helpful and show your network that you are engaged. However, updating several times a day can be annoying and have connections dropping you in no time. If confused, try looking at a profile you like and emulating how many times they update their status.
Utilize Links
Although LinkedIn allows you to post a link to up to three websites, many users simply title them My Company or My Blog. Because neither is tantalizing, get creative when naming the sites you link back to and entice the viewer to click on them. There are also widgets such as The Profile Widget or Company Insider to help even more.
Get Recommendations
Whether from a supervisor, colleague, subordinate, or even client, positive recommendations can make a big difference. As with most things, having too much can turn off possible connections and make you seem too needy. When asking for them, be sure to include a personal note as to why and what you would like to avoid the standard, boring recommendations.
Introductions Are In Order
As a LinkedIn member, you may receive or send requests for introductions to other members. When receiving them, be sure you trust whoever is sending them or ask a follow up question before accepting to avoid spam and scams. If sending a request for an introduction, be sure you ask your connection prior so that they know why and be more inclined to accept your request.
App It Up
LinkedIn has added nine different applications, similar to those on other social networking sites, to help your profile stand out some more. When used correctly and in the right doses, they can help you with travel, blogging, workspaces, and more. There is even a Google and SlideShare presentation app to help you share your work straight from your profile.
SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, can help others find a profile such as “sales” or “real estate.” By repeating these words, you can increase the chances that a search engine such as Google will retrieve your profile. However, using the same words over and over can be confusing once you do get the traffic you desire. Try and keep a balance when utilizing SEO.
URL
This is a little harder if your name is John Smith, but those with unique and unusual names can grab an easy and memorable URL on LinkedIn. It is very useful if the contact you are speaking with doesn’t have anything to write with or if someone wants to see your LinkedIn profile without having to paste in a long link. If your name is John Smith, try a URL such as JohnAtBlankCompany.

Useful for both a job search or building a network with a broad reach, LinkedIn can be a massively useful tool when used correctly and utilizing these top ten rules of LinkedIn etiquette for business professionals.

How to Develop Yourself as a Nonprofit Leader

2009-10-13T13:19:00.001-06:00

Bridgestar.org, one of the best websites that focuses on not for profit jobs and related issues, posted a great article about developing yourself as a not for profit leader. I cut and pasted it below but if you want to read it from the Bridgestar site just click here.

Many people who are working within the ranks of nonprofit organizations could become great senior nonprofit leaders. However, in part because of budget constraints, few organizations in the sector have formal professional development programs to prepare mid-level managers for senior roles. As a result, most mid-level nonprofit professionals must take responsibility for their own career development.

One way to begin the process is to tap the experience of senior leaders who already have worked their way up within the sector. To that end, we spoke with six senior nonprofit leaders—all of whom have spent much if not all of their careers working in the nonprofit sector—about their career paths and the lessons they learned along the way. We also asked what advice they would give to mid-level managers looking to move into senior nonprofit leadership roles.

Their reactions are synthesized in this article. These professionals’ varied paths cannot serve as precise blueprints for others to follow. Rather, their insights are meant to help others begin to craft their own individual roadmaps to the senior leadership ranks.

Volunteer, inside or outside of your organization

Helen Davis Picher, director of evaluation and research at the William Penn Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region, said one of the factors that helped her advance, after coming on board in 1983 as a program associate, was her willingness to pitch in wherever needed. “We’re pretty small, so you can get organization-wide experience just by being involved,” she said. “I was happy to be part of keeping things moving.”

Other leaders we spoke with agreed, noting that volunteering to help with an event or a special project—particularly those that cut across functional boundaries—can help provide the sort of well-rounded experience that leadership roles require.

“There’s a great opportunity in this [sector] to take on more responsibility if you want to… If someone comes to me and says, ‘I have an interest in X,’ I try to accommodate that,” said Maureen Curley, president of Campus Compact, a Boston-based national coalition dedicated to promoting community service by college students. For example, when one of her administrative assistants asked to get involved with public policy work, Curley had the assistant do research, visit legislators, and help draft legislation. Another employee, a program associate, volunteered to coordinate the organization’s 2008 move from Providence, RI, to Boston to gain administrative experience with an eye towards becoming a chief operating officer (COO). “Step forward with what you want to do,” Curley said. “[But know] that you will have to do that on top of whatever you’re supposed to do for your regular job.”

Maureen Salkin, a director on the Bridgespan Group’s executive search team in Boston suggests that people in program roles seek out volunteer opportunities that touch the entire organization, such as human resources or firm-wide-event planning committees. “Senior operations people have to have a broad knowledge of the organization,” said Salkin. Her own experience volunteering while an administrative assistant to the theater department at the State University of New York, Albany, helped Salkin take on new roles in her organization. Volunteering to help students publicize theater productions helped her land her next role as the department’s business manager and publicity director, where she oversaw staffing, booking, and scheduling operations for six buildings (including a theater). She then became performing arts director. “You’ve got to watch for opportunities and raise your hand,” Salkin said. “Don’t wait to be tapped on the shoulder.”

Gaining fundraising experience also can help mid-level executives with their career advancement. Richard Tagle, chief executive officer (CEO) of Higher Achievement, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that provides enrichment programs for underserved middle school students, got his first experience with fundraising when he worked as a program manager at Public Education Network (PEN). The organization had no centralized development function, so in addition to running their projects, all the program managers were responsible for lining up the necessary funding. “The network I created helped me open doors,” he said.

If fundraising is not part of your job description, Stephen Pratt, CEO of MY TURN, Inc., a Brockton, MA-based youth development agency, recommended joining an organization’s fundraising committee, volunteering for a black-tie gala committee or a strategic planning committee, or working on a political campaign. Such volunteer work can expose you to the mechanics of fundraising while allowing you to take on a wider range of operational duties. It may even raise your profile with the senior management team. “I’m impressed when people in my organization get involved in political campaigns—even if I don’t agree with the cause,” Pratt said. “Getting some exposure to fundraising is the biggest feather [junior executives] can put in their cap.”

Pratt said that staff roles are becoming more specialized at many nonprofits, which can make it nearly impossible for mid-level program professionals to gain organization-wide experience as part of their day jobs. In addition, it can sometimes be difficult within their own organizations for managers to be considered for volunteer roles that fall outside of their specialties. “I think moving from a programmatic role to an administrative role is getting more difficult as time goes on and roles become more specialized,” Pratt said. “There’s a view sometimes that a great teacher or a great social worker will not be a great administrator.”

However, if you are a mid-level manager who is having difficulty finding the right kinds of volunteer experiences within your own organization, Pratt said that there are still plenty of opportunities available if you cast a wider net. He recommended looking for volunteer roles at other nonprofits whose missions closely match your values, and considering opportunities as diverse as direct service, event planning, committee work, or even a position on a board of directors.

Seek out both formal and informal professional development opportunities

Mid-level professionals can utilize many diverse avenues of learning to gain the skills they need to become senior managers. For example, advanced degrees or certification programs, informal peer networking, professional networking groups, and professional associations all provide vital professional development opportunities.

On informal connections, Curley said: “Join any group that can put you in touch with people you can network with or learn from. If I were in a junior role, I’d seek out people like me at other organizations.” She noted that professionals can often gain valuable insights by talking with peers about the ways they have tackled particular challenges at their organizations and how they are building their own managerial skills. The key is to make genuine connections with people where there is real give-and-take in the relationship, rather than only contacting them when you have an ulterior motive. And once synergy is established with a set of peers, nurture it.

Doing so can be as simple as sending along news articles or reports that have helpful information or forwarding a job listing that you think might interest the person. As Tagle noted, the key is to make sure that you are bringing something valuable to the relationship. “You never know who’s going to open the next door for you,” he said.

Salkin suggested that one way to expand your network beyond your peers is through informational interviews. Sitting down with a person who is doing what you would like to do in your next job can teach you about that job’s specific responsibilities and reveal skills you may yet need to develop to earn that type of role. However, Salkin noted, it is important to prepare for an informational interview as thoroughly as you would a job interview, by deciding ahead of time exactly what you want to get out of the conversation. Before setting up any informational interviews, Salkin said, it can also be helpful to look at the resumes and biographies of a few people who hold positions that interest you to see what experiences led up to those jobs.

Several of the leaders we spoke with noted the importance of continuing education—including everything from certification classes to full degree programs. For example, when the William Penn Foundation adjusted its strategic plan to put greater emphasis on measuring the results of its programs, Picher enrolled in courses about evaluation. The additional training helped her broaden her range of skills and expand her responsibilities in the organization. And Tagle said that early in his career, he continuously took classes and workshops to hone his finance and forecasting skills. “An aspect of growing in any organization is to keep sharpening the saw,” he said. “Just keep informing yourself and maintaining avenues for growing your skills.”

Increasingly, most of the people we spoke with agreed, formal degrees provide a distinct advantage for those aspiring to leadership roles.

Pratt said he continues to use the skills he gained while earning his 1988 Master’s in Education at Harvard University. “You need to have a full quiver of arrows to run a nonprofit,” Pratt said. “I can think of several great nonprofit leaders who don’t have advanced degrees, but it’s an increasingly indispensable attribute.” He noted that there are increasing numbers of Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs that focus specifically on the nonprofit sector, which had not existed when he earned his degree. Frequently, these programs offer nonprofit leaders a chance to step back from the daily pressures of their jobs and look at the big picture, to learn new skills, and to build their professional networks.

Sandra Gutierrez, COO at Latin American Youth Center, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that serves youth and their families, said the rigor and discipline required to complete a master’s degree program give nonprofit professionals a big edge. For example, at her organization, the people responsible for launching any pilot program must develop and oversee every aspect of it, including the content, the philosophy, the budget, the duration, and the expected outcome. She said program managers who have completed—or who are enrolled in—an advanced degree program often bring to the table a deeper understanding of business management techniques and tools, the ability to juggle numerous responsibilities, plus an expanded network of peers they can tap for advice. This combination of assets often can mean better results for the pilot program and, ultimately, more growth opportunities for the manager. “You see a really big difference in people who come into a program manager role with a master’s degree compared to an undergraduate degree,” said Gutierrez, who also noted that most of the people she hires complete their master’s while working.

Curley, who earned her Master’s in Human Service Administration at Antioch College, said that the program’s experiential learning approach exposed her to peers who were also working in the sector. “That experience for me was so important,” she said. “All the students were still working while taking classes. I could pick their brains about specific issues that came up and I could learn from them.”

Think “big”

A big-picture view of one’s career is another boon to people who aspire to become nonprofit leaders. As Tagle put it, “A big part of career growth is looking at a broader landscape of where your skills can be applied… and being able to see the dotted lines that connect different fields.”

Tagle’s own career is a perfect example of someone leveraging skills learned in one field to succeed in another. In his position as a program officer at the Conference of Mayors, Tagle focused primarily on financial analysis and forecasting for HIV prevention health programs. But in 1994, he authored a report on children’s health, which concluded that health is a big factor in children’s success in school. The report came to the attention of some people at PEN, who asked Tagle to coordinate the organization’s new school reform program. He took the job, and eventually became PEN’s chief of staff. When he saw the job description for the CEO position at Higher Achievement, Tagle said he saw an opportunity to take his public education policy skills to a national stage.

“In every position I’ve taken, I didn’t limit myself to what I was bringing to the position,” Tagle said. “I said I’m interested in this position because I’m going to learn a lot. There’s this notion of not being afraid to bring the skills you have to the position, but also being very clear about what you want to learn from it.”

Gutierrez also leveraged learning to expand her leadership role. She said that when she first started out as a youth worker she had no long-term career goal other than working with children. But her first job in the field entailed extensive training in facilitation, followed by a requirement that the workers practice what they had learned. Her ability to facilitate sessions with the children in the program caught her boss’s attention. “I really enjoyed running these sessions, and he saw my potential as a leader,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez continued to take training classes and to conduct training sessions for other staff members while working as a senior program manager (and in other program roles) at various child-serving nonprofits. She said the nature of training, which includes constant outcomes measurement, gave her a unique perspective on her organizations and their programs. As a result, Gutierrez often led meetings with funders. “I knew how things fell together at the organization, and I knew in the greatest level of detail what was going on with a particular program,” she said.

Move up by moving on

It is possible to stay at one organization for the bulk of one’s career and rise to the top. Picher, for example, has worked in every program area at the William Penn Foundation, and that experience uniquely qualified her for the oversight role she now holds. But the leaders we spoke with said that it is also important to be willing to change organizations, or even locations, in pursuit of greater responsibility.

Curley won her first executive director position at age 26 when she moved to Vermont to join a six-month-old daycare business for adults. “Small pond, big fish—I think that’s a really good strategy,” she said. “At larger organizations, you may have more opportunities to move up, but you may be more siloed. At small organizations, it’s all hands on deck… If people show they’re enthusiastic and they’re going to go beyond their regular jobs, they’re going to go a lot farther.”

Pratt agreed, noting that his work experiences at various nonprofits have helped him in his current job. “I think I’m a stronger leader at MY TURN for having served at a number of different nonprofits,” he said. “I have all these case studies I can draw from.” However, he cautioned that switching jobs too often can be a red flag to potential employers, who may worry that their organization will be just another career stepping stone. “One does need to be careful about moving around too much—that has certainly been a danger in my own career!” said Pratt, who by age 46 had been a nonprofit CEO five times and had founded six different nonprofits. “You need to balance out the opportunities that present themselves elsewhere with a need to stick it out where you are and create a legacy that the organization is better off for your having been there.”

Ultimate Resumes Receives 2009 Best of Chicago Award

2009-10-01T08:06:00.000-06:00

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ultimate Resumes Receives 2009 Best of Chicago Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- Ultimate Resumes has been selected for the 2009 Best of Chicago Award in the Business Consulting category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org
URL: http://www.us-ca.org

###

Artistic and Creative Resumes

2009-09-24T15:40:00.003-06:00

I just found a cool website with some very cool and visually pleasing resumes which are appropriate for professionals in gaming, graphics, or other creative or artistic jobs.

30 Artistic and Creative Resumes

Resume Formatting and Content - Liz Handlin's Perspective

2009-09-10T06:38:00.005-06:00

I have worked with a lot of clients over the years and most of them tend to land jobs pretty quickly after they have a completed resume. But times are tough and it tends to take longer for almost anyone to find a job and when people don't find jobs as quickly as they would like they tend to second guess nearly every aspect of their job search.

Am I wearing the right kind of interview suit? Did I offend the interviewer? Why won't the recruiter call me back? How do I make sure my resume is reviewed by a hiring manager? Does my resume need to be redone? These are just a few of the questions that job seekers have asked me. Many times a job seeker can make some changes which rapidly alter the course of their job search. Other times, however, they are over thinking the search process particularly when it comes to their resume.

There is more than one way to write a good resume. There, I said it. I would like to believe that my way of doing this is the only way or the best way but I know that there is more than one way to get the job done. The key is to format simply, include relevant content, and emphasize accomplished backed by metrics. The resume should be easy to read and should not exceed 3 pages. Beyond that there are several different ways you can create a great resume.

Following are a few questions that clients often ask me about and my rationale for doing things my way.

1. Should I include a list of core competencies at the top of my resume?

Liz's Answer: Generally no. The term "core competencies" became popular in 1990s corporate America (I think I remember when we started using the term frequently) to refer to the core skills required in any job. The problem with creating a list of "core competencies" is that you are taking a series of words out of context and expecting someone else to figure out your level of expertise.

Many clients have said to me, "but Liz, I want to list core competencies so that my resume will be selected by search engines looking for marketing people". My answer is that if you are truly a marketing expert you should be able to list enough metrics based accomplishments that include the word marketing that you don't need to include a list of words at the top of your resume.

Having said all of that, I have seen good resumes with lists of core competencies at the top and as long as it doesn't take up a lot of space that you could use for high impact accomplishments it probably won't do you any harm unless you are a senior executive. Senior executives who list core competencies or lists of skills at the top of a resume make themselves look tactical and junior level so I always advise senior clients to skip the core competencies.

2. Do I need a summary section that lists the best of my accomplishments?

Liz's Answer: No. I polled some of the top retained recruiters in the U.S. on this very topic. The top of the first page of your resume is valuable real estate so make wise use of it. Reiterating information that can be found in the body of the resume is not a good use of that space. If you include a short statement of some kind it is very likely that a recruiter will read it but if it's more than a few sentences they will probably skip it and move on to the meat of your resume. I think of that section as your "30 Second Elevator" pitch. You should list the statement you would give to the CEO of your dream employer if you were alone in an elevator with him/her for 30 seconds. If you don't have a 30 second elevator pitch and you are a job seeker you need to create one.

See the post from last year about my conversation with Austin based recruiter Marc Davis on this topic.

3. Should I include a skills section on my resume?

Liz's Answer: It depends on whether or not the skills section is relevant to your job. I can't tell you how many accountants I have met who list "proficient with Quicken, Excel, Quickbooks, and Microsoft Word" on their resumes. If you are a junior level accountant it is OK to include this but if you are a senior accounting professional or a CFO it should go without saying that you know how to use the basic tools of your trade. Especially if you are a CPA or have worked in a large public accounting firm.

If you are a technical professional, say for example, a software engineer, it can be helpful for recruiters to be able to see, at a glance, what technologies or coding languages you have expert knowledge of. I usually recommend you include that section at the end of the resume but there are cases where including it on the front page make sense. Your unique situation and job search tactics are factors in deciding how and where to list this information.

I could go on and on about why I write resumes the way I do but instead of making this the longest blog post in the world I think I will add links to other posts I have written in the past that are relevant to this topic so I am going to link to them here.

Don't Try to Be Clever On Your Resume

Leave Subjective Statements Off Your Resume

You Might Get A Rejection Letter If...

Seven Things You Need to Know About Recruiters

Prepare Your References to Give You A Glowing Recommendation

Potentially Very Cool Tool for Job Seekers

2009-08-19T15:13:00.005-06:00

I just found a new website today that is still in it's "Beta" phase called JobSpeaker. It is a site that lets job seekers rate recruiters and find out more information about recruiters, career coaches, and others in the industry. It also appears that both employers and recruiters will be able to post information for job seekers. It's still a new site but if it really takes off I think it could be really helpful to job seekers. It kind of reminds me of Yelp but limited only to the job search/recruiting universe.

Should You Distribute Your Resume At A Trade Show?

2009-08-18T15:44:00.004-06:00

A client of mine told me that he is planning to attend a big trade show in a major city in a few weeks and that he is planning to take his resume and pass it around to his contacts there. I can't help but feel that approaching a job search in that manner seems a little bit desperate. This particular client is not, in fact, desperate for a job but handing out a resume in a non-hiring environment like a trade show doesn't seem "right" to me.

I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer to the question but my advice to job seekers would be to use the trade show to make contacts but wait until after the show to follow up and send resumes. Most vendors at trade shows are very busy promoting their products or services and even if you know them well your resume probably won't get the attention you want it to at the show. And its possible the document could be lost or misplaced on the way back to the office.

Use trade shows and events as great opportunities to meet new contacts and to express an interest in their companies, products or services. Exchange business cards with your new contacts and wait until a few days after the show to follow up. Give your new contacts a chance to get settled back in the office before you approach them about what you want: a job. In fact, I would probably recommend that you exchange a couple of emails before you send your resume along unless your conversation at the trade show specifically addressed job openings at your new contact's employer. You can sell yourself without being inappropriately pushy and handing out a resume too quickly can seem pushy, desperate, or just obnoxious.

The exception to this is, obviously, if you meet a contact at a trade show and if he/she says, "Hey you are in luck, my company is looking for someone just like you right now. Do you have a resume I can show my boss? If he likes what he sees maybe we can meet for breakfast tomorrow." It wouldn't hurt to have a few copies of your resume with you at a trade show (or an electronic version) with you but don't hand it to anyone who hasn't asked for it first.

Just The Facts Please

2009-08-01T09:33:00.002-06:00

Do you want to drive a recruiter or resume writer crazy? Then be sure and give long rambling monologues as answers to simple questions. Just like in the movie, "Dragnet", resume writers and recruiters are looking for. "Just the facts, ma'am".

If you hire a resume writer you should be prepared for an interview (some use questionnaires instead of personal interviews) in which you will be asked questions like "what kind of budget did you manage", "how many employees did you manage", "what was the scope of your job", and "what did you accomplish in the job". And of course, we need metrics to demonstrate that you achieve what you say you did. Those are the facts and that is the information that we need to help you create a great resume and to prepare for job interviews.

What we don't need are diatribes about how unfairly the company treated you. We don't need to hear the entire company history and how some minor aspect of that relates to how you were hired 20 years ago. We don't need to hear excuses for why you didn't keep any records of your sales numbers or sales quotas 10 years ago.

If you hire a resume writer think about the relationship as preparation for a job interview. A great resume anticipates the questions an interviewer will ask and answers them in advance. If you work with a resume writer, like me for example, you can expect to be asked to "prove" that you are as good as you say you are at every turn. If tell me that you were the number 1 salesman at your company I will ask what metrics you have to prove that. Some clients don't like questions like that. Some of them get very frustrated and angry that I don't take it at face value that they were the best salesperson in the history of their employer.

But guess what? I don't care if you were or if you weren't the best - I just need information from you can that I can use to craft a resume that makes you look like a star. If you can't give me enough information that I can do my job then I guarantee that no recruiter worth his or her salt is going to give you the time of day. Recruiters won't waste time with people who can't answer their questions - they will just put your resume in the "round file" and move on to a candidate who is polished, professional, and who can prove their value by utilizing metrics and specific examples.

Rambling and unfocused answers to any question asked in an interview or resume writing situation are a symptom of a larger problem: disorganized thinking. Sometimes the rambling answers are also a sign that the interviewee is not a good listener - if you listen carefully to the questions you are asked you should be able to craft concise and specific answers. If you want to ace an interview with either a recruiter or hiring manager you need to present yourself as someone who is an intelligent high achiever with clearly organized thought processes.

Tips for preparing to work with a resume writer:

1. Gather facts, numbers, and information on projects related to each job you have held.
2. Think about how you plan to approach your job search once the resume is complete and discuss this with the resume writer.
3. Think about what kind of jobs you want to apply for and communicate that upfront.
4. Talk to the resume writer about how information on your resume can be used to enhance your social networking profiles since recruiters often use Facebook, LinkedIn, and other online tools to target talent.

If you hire someone who can create a great resume for you the interview process for jobs should be a breeze because you should have already been asked almost every question a good recruiter will ask. The resume writing process can be great preparation for your job search - just make sure you use the resume writer's time wisely. If too much time is spent on long rambling stories you won't get the resume you want and you won't be as prepared for interviews as you should be.

A job search is about the wise use of resources - those who remember that have much shorter searches and find great jobs quickly.

I Don't Owe You Anything.

2009-07-20T12:47:00.004-06:00

Normally I tend to write blog posts that attempt to be positive and informative. This is not one of those posts so if that is what you are looking for you should probably skip this one because it's a bit of a rant.

Do you remember that line in the movie, Pretty Woman, when Richard Gere, driving his friend's Lotus, gets lost in Hollywood and asks a prostitute, played by Julia Roberts, for directions? She told him it would cost $20 for directions. He was shocked and outraged by the high price for directions and asked Julia Roberts how she could charge him just to point him in the right direction. Her response was, "Well, I ain't the one who is lost now am I?" Sometimes that is what I feel like saying to potential clients who try to negotiate a lower resume writing fee, question what I charge to write a resume, or just plain lie about the amount of experience they have. I feel like many people just don't understand the skill and time it takes to create a great resume and, therefore, undervalue the price of a really good writer.

I have had it with clients and/or potential clients who misrepresent the amount of experience they have in order to qualify for a lower resume rewriting fee. It's ridiculous, disrespectful, and rude. Don't they realize that I am going to figure it out once I start interviewing them?

I have a current client who initially told me that he had less than 20 years of work experience and since his old resume had his work experience beginning in 1994, I believed him. The fee I currently charge for someone with less than 20 years of work experience is $375. I found out, once he had paid me and I began work on his resume, that he graduated college in 1982 but he just doesn't list his work experience prior to 1994 on his resume. Had this client been honest with me he would have paid between $500 and $650 for the resume because that is what I charge for someone with that much experience.

The problem with this particular client is that he is taking up a lot of my time as do most clients with a lot of experience. Whether a new client believes it or not at the outset of the process, the more experience you have the more there is to discuss. It doesn't matter if you include all of your work experience on your resume or not -- inevitably the past comes up in conversation and takes up more of my time. Furthermore, clients with more experience also have more revisions than clients with fewer years of work experience. I would imagine this is because the longer you have been in the workplace the more opinions you have which is why I charge more to write resumes for people with more experience.

I have many terrific clients but there are also those like the one I mention in this post who seem to think that I owe them work at no charge. Or maybe they think my time isn't valuable. I really don't know what they think but I am getting fed up with folks who attempt to take advantage of my generosity. Once I agree to work with a client I give 110% to make sure that he/she looks like a rockstar on the resume no matter how long it takes or how many conversations we need to have to clarify information. I don't think it's too much to ask that clients pay for the time I spend working on their behalf.

I go out of my way to give free advice to people whom I know cannot afford to pay for a resume and/or who are connected to individuals in my network simply because I have always felt that if you are kind to others it will come back to you in a positive way. Sometimes that is true but there are some people really seem to go out of their way to take advantage of those who are kind to them and it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.

Writing is a skill and resume writing is a particular niche within the writing field. Just because you are a good technical writer or journalist doesn't mean you are a good resume writer. There are a lot of resume writing services in the world but very few are particularly good at it. I have a lot of respect for a very few resume writers like Barbara Safani, Louise Fletcher, and Susan Ireland.

Anyone who really knows how to write a resume knows that it takes more than a pretty format and a list of key words to create a compelling document that will be noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.

If you hire a resume writer just remember that it's hard work and nothing is for free. I don't owe you anything just because you don't feel like paying the full fee. If you want a discount or a cheap product please take your business someplace else. If you want a great resume and you are willing to pay for it I am happy to help you but please don't lie to me or take advantage of my good nature.

To paraphrase Julia Roberts: just remember, I am not the one who lost.

Interesting and Innovative Job Search Resources

2009-07-15T09:28:00.004-06:00

I have recently heard about some really interesting online job search resources and tools that I thought might be helpful to job seekers.

15 Second Pitch is a free website that guides you through the creation of a 500 word pitch for you/ your services. I think this is a great tool for any job seeker because you need to have your elevator pitch ready whenever someone asks you why they should hire you. I heard about this tool from Susan Ireland and posted my 500 word pitch in the comments section of her blog as did many other people if you want to see what others' pitches look like.

Alliance Q is a job board created by and for large corporations. Don't put your resume on Monster if you want to work for ADP, Hewitt, or Avery Denison to name a few. Post your resume on Alliance Q instead.

I recently met a CPA/VP Finance job seeker who swears by RiteSite as a job search tool. I gave it a cursory glance but don't know much about the site. One thing he liked about it was that you can create resumes without your name on it that are searchable by recruiters so if you don't want your employer to know you are looking you can get your resume posted anonymously.

Liz Ryan recently wrote a post on Yahoo! Savvy Networker and I wish I had written it myself. She listed some key phrases to NOT include on your resume. And these are:

Results-oriented professional
Cross-functional teams
More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
Superior (or excellent) communication skills
Strong work ethic
Met or exceeded expectations
Proven track record of success
Works well with all levels of staff
Team player
Bottom-line orientation

And finally, I want to address Video Resumes which haven't really taken off but some companies pitch to job seekers. While I can appreciate the benefits of a video resume for some people I can't imagine busy recruiters taking the time to load and watch a bunch of videos when its faster to just skim resumes. Also I read an interesting article about the legal pitfalls of video resumes which makes it pretty clear that if recruiters at large corporations listen to their attorneys they wont be watching video resumes to make hiring decisions.

Who Should You Listen to for Resume Advice?

2009-06-29T17:12:00.006-06:00

Once you embark upon a job search your resume, perhaps previously gathering dust in a file drawer, will become the most important document you own. Job seekers have a tendency to show everyone they know a copy of their resume; many of them seem to weigh each opinion equally and continuously edit the resume based on the most recent "great advice" they have been given.

It seems like everyone has an opinion about what you need to do to create a good resume. In fact, if you do a quick Google search you will find that there is no shortage of resume writers in this country. If you look in your local yellow pages you will also probably find "resume writers" who a really typists who can format information for you. So, whose opinion counts when it comes to resumes? How do you know if you are getting good advice or not?

First of all if you are going to ask for advice on your resume you need to make sure you know what questions to ask. Are you asking for input on the formatting and general appearance? Do you want input on the content and appropriateness of the language used to describe your jobs? Or do you want to know if the resume does a good job of selling your unique skills and accomplishments? If you just ask someone, no matter how knowledgeable they are, "what do you think of my resume?" you aren't asking the most useful question. Make sure to ask very specific questions in order to elicit the most specific and helpful responses.

If I were going to ask for an opinion on my resume one of the most important criteria would be the knowledge, education, and qualifications of the person whom I asked to review the document. Here are a few thoughts on whom I would recommend that you ask and whom you should not ask for opinions on your resume.

Good Sources of Resume Critiques:

Hiring Manager in your field or desired employer. These can be some of the best people from whom to get feedback on your resume. These are the people who will make the final decision about whether or not they want to consider asking you to join their team. Their feedback on content is especially helpful. You will find that hiring managers are most interested in reading about your specific skills and accomplishments in areas that affect their bottom line. If that information isn't in your resume you need to do some edits.

Human Resource Professionals (in-house recruiters) in your field. These are the ultimate resume reviewers because they read, screen, and decide the fate of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of resumes every day. They want to see clearly written information about your jobs and accomplishments that is formatted in an easy-to-read but not overly fancy manner. They need to be able to rapidly assess whether or not its worthwhile to screen you for possible interviews with the hiring manager.

Elite Retained Recruiters: If I were going to ask for an opinion on my resume the first person I would ask would be one of the few really top recruiters I know. Some of the best recruiters in the country are well educated, have been in the business for years, and are trusted partners of their Fortune 500 and/or Private Equity backed clients. These recruiters are the best of the best and they know exactly what they and their clients want to see and how they want to see it presented on a resume. In my opinion these people offer some of the best resume feedback you can get.

NOT So Good Sources of Resume Feedback:

Your spouse. Unless your spouse has unique knowledge of the recruiting/hiring industry it is good to get an outside opinion on the overall content and look of the resume. On the other hand, your spouse or significant other can be very helpful in reminding you of key accomplishments or projects that you have forgotten about but should be listed on your resume. Use your spouse's knowledge and expertise wisely.

Junior Level Contingency Recruiters: "Contingency" recruiters get paid only if they fill a position within a client company. Many contingency recruiting firms will literally hire just about anyone with a pulse because they are paying them 100% commission; if they fail they get fired and if they make money for the company they can stay. These people often get no special training and are not required to have any particular level of industry knowledge, education, or background for the job other than a willingness to relentlessly cold call any company that might have a job opening they can try to fill. If you have a friend who just started a recruiting job they may not have really learned what hiring managers want to see in resumes yet. Weigh their resume feedback carefully before making changes.

Employees of your dream employer who don't know what you do and don't work in the area in which you are seeking employment. Just because you have a friend at Dell (for example) does not mean that he/she knows anything about resumes, your unique background, the department you seek to become employed by, or how to you should present yourself on paper. However, you should absolutely network with anyone you know at your dream employer - you just may not want to change your resume based on his/her feedback. Again, weigh feedback carefully before starting to edit.

Large resume writing companies that employ junior writers and who ask you to fill out comprehensive surveys. Resumes are personal. They are the ultimate marketing material for the most important product in the world: You. The experience, education, and background of the resume writer you choose to assist you is what matters most if you are going to pay someone to help you write your resume. A good resume rewrite involves in depth conversations between you and whom ever is creating the document for you. No surveys or questionnaires are needed.

Resumes should be clearly written, simply formatted, and should describe each of your jobs and accomplishments along with relevant dates. You should list your education, board memberships, volunteer positions, patents, publications, media appearances, and anything else that appropriately demonstrates that you are a star at what you do. Keep it simple and remember that this document only has to do one thing for you: market your skills in such a way that you get an interview. Once it lands you the interview the new "most important" document will become the paycheck you receive from your fabulous new job!

5 Things Humans Can Learn From Puppies

2009-06-25T14:44:00.004-06:00

Boy, its been awhile since I posted. I have been extremely busy and have really let the blog slide so I need to get back on track!

I just got a new puppy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel whom I named Oliver. He is so adorable and sweet. He spends most of his day keeping me company on a pillow that I have placed next to the computer on my desk. When he isn't sleeping he is running around the house, playing with my other dogs, exploring, sitting on laps, and generally spreading joy and fun wherever he goes. As I watch him grow and learn it occurred to me that adult humans can learn a thing or two from puppies.
1. If you fall down, get back up and keep going.

Oliver is very quick and spry; sometimes I don't even hear or see him coming until he has smashed into a door I am opening. The other day he ran head-on into a door just as I was opening it. I don't know how he didn't get a concussion. He didn't cry or whine. He just got up, wagged his tail and followed me out the door. As we get older I think most of us indulge ourselves in some time to complain or be upset about things that go wrong - maybe we should try to bounce right up and keep going instead of wasting precious time feeling sorry for ourselves. Easier said than done of course.

2. Enthusiasm is contagious.

Oliver pops out of bed every morning with an excitement and enthusiasm that makes me smile even though I am in desperate need of caffeine before I can start my day. I can't help it. He is excited about the day so I start my day with a smile. People who walk into a room with a genuine (not fake) smile and who seem happy tend to elicit the same attitude from those with whom they interact. It can be difficult sometimes but happy spreads happy.

3. Forgive and forget.

Oliver and my two other dogs, Rusty and Kodiak, are adjusting to each other. There is a lot of toy and rawhide stealing going on in the house now. Sometimes Kodiak, who weighs about 90 pounds, just walks right up to Oliver and takes a toy out of his mouth. Oliver always looks confused but he doesn't get mad and he continues to try to become friends with Kodiak. And Kodi is warming to him and is spending less time playing with Oliver's toys and more time playing with his own. I am not a believer that anyone should take a lot of crap from anyone else but in certain situations taking the high road is a really good way to go.

4. Every day brings the possibility of new adventures.

Every time we try a new activity like riding in the car, walking to the park, or meeting a new person, Oliver reacts with all the enthusiasm you would expect from a puppy. It's just good to remember that every day we are alive we have the option to enthusiastically take on new adventures, challenges, and activities with a positive attitude.

5. Showing those you love how you feel is a good thing.

What can I say? Puppy hugs and kisses are fantastic and make every day better. Make sure the people you care about realize their importance in your life every day because life is short. Oliver's obvious love for me makes me so happy every day even when I am having a crummy day.

This One Is For The Troops: Translating Your Military Experience Into Civilian Terms On Your Resume

2009-05-25T15:33:00.006-06:00

Happy Memorial Day! I hope that you were all able to have a wonderful and relaxing day and that you remembered that it was made possible by all the soldiers who, since the Revolutionary War, have been making sure that the U.S. is a safe and free country where we can live our lives in peace. I am very grateful to all the members of the U.S. Armed Services and, over the years, I have also had the opportunity to help many former soldiers to create resumes for use in the civilian world.

So, today, in honor of our soldiers I thought I would list a few tips for describing military service in terms that make sense to civilian employers.

1. Explain the military acronyms on your resume.

Instead of assuming that a civilian will know what FOB, PB, or JRTC means write out the entire word and follow it with the acronym in parentheses. Forward Operating Base (FOB), Patrol Base (PB), Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).

2. Where possible explain your military duties in simple terms that make sense to civilians.

If in doubt, describe what you did to your grandmother; if she can't understand what you are saying you need to go back to the drawing board and simplify.

3. Be specific about results; don't just list your duties.

All resumes (military or non-military) should describe the scope of your jobs and should emphasize your accomplishments. Every job is about delivering results in one form or another but the trick is to try to describe your military results in terms that are applicable in the civilian world.

For example:

Accountable for the readiness of four highly sophisticated Bradley fighting vehicles, associated weapons systems, and experimental equipment.

Responsible for the training, discipline, health, and morale of a 36 member Brigade Combat Team

The above bullets describe a few basic duties but they have little to do with most civilian jobs. So you need think about what kind of skills might be important in the civilian world while also demonstrating that you were good at your job in the military. Everyone wants to hire superstars. If you were to expand on those bullets you could write the following which demonstrates you held a responsible job (managed a staff and expensive equipment/budget), that you have knowledge of strategy and logistics, and the ability to remain calm under pressure:

Led a 36 member Brigade Combat Team with full responsibility for the training, discipline, and morale of a team responsible for staying prepared to deploy on global missions in a wartime environment. Responsible for combat readiness for 4 Bradley fighting vehicles, weapons systems, and experimental equipment valued at more than $8 million.

Developed and led one of the most effective platoons in the Brigade as defined by senior officers observing combat training exercises at the Joint Readiness Training (JRTC) in Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Led a 36 member mechanized infantry platoon which supported the 101st Airborne Unit during combat simulation exercises at the JRTC.
Led team through an assault training mission which required team to travel long distances on foot and in combat vehicles and required numerous real-time modifications to strategy and formation.
Methodically analyzed, communicated, and accounted for multiple variables affecting mission logistics including terrain, unique skills of individual team members, weather, and enemy capabilities.

Another example:

Planned major training exercises, force modernization and transformation, and integration of a Chemical Battalion, a pipeline company, and fire fighting detachments into the Brigade’s organization.

What we don't know is what is a "major training exercise"? In other words how many soldiers are involved. What does "transformation" mean? How many people were integrated from the other battalions?

Led, planned, and executed operations for the 1,200 member Engineer Brigade. Planned training exercises, led force modernization, and merged other units into the Brigade. Merged and integrated 150 soldiers in the following units into the Brigade: a chemical battalion, a pipeline company, and a fire fighting detachment.

By enhancing the description you can demonstrate that you have managed a large number of people and that you understand how to merge and integrate other divisions into an existing team. Integrating and training new employees is a skill that all managers need.

4. Describe the reason(s) you received medals, awards, promotions, or special assignments.

Most civilians have no idea what the criteria is to be awarded a Bronze Star, Silver Star, or to be selected as an aid to a General. They all sound impressive but I have found that sometimes the underlying reason for a special award or assignment is what helps demonstrate your unique skills or attributes.

5. Use words like logistics, procurement, supply chain, and distribution to describe obtaining and moving equipment and supplies.

At times I have seen military resumes that say "planned and executed the relocation of equipment during a deployment". I don't think that really does justice to the amount of work involved with transporting large numbers of soldiers, equipment, food, and fuel either overseas to across domestic bases.

This is an example of an effective description:

Managed procurement, supply chain, distribution, and utilization of more than $20 million in building materials to support general construction and force protection in

Iraq

.

The military offers incredible training and experience that is very relevant to many jobs in the private sector. The key is to learn how to translate your military experience into meaningful phrases that those of us non-military folks can understand and that will help you to land a fantastic job.

Are You Gracious?

2009-05-11T18:17:00.004-06:00

According to Merriam Webster dictionary the word gracious means "marked by kindness and courtesy; marked by tact and delicacy; characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding."

At times I am shocked and appalled by the lack of graciousness that some people demonstrate and at other times I am just as surprised when someone is unexpectedly polite, kind, or generous. I hope that I am always gracious and well mannered to everyone I know but I have no doubt that I make mistakes sometimes when I am in a hurry or not just not paying attention. I think that being well mannered and kind pays dividends in every part of your life and, certainly, when you are searching for a job.

Lately I have personally witnessed and, in other cases, heard from friends some amazing stories about selfish and self centered individuals who demonstrate few, if any, manners. These clueless souls are burning bridges and destroying relationships but they are too self centered to realize it. So, I have put together a short quiz about graciousness:

Do you send thank you notes or, at a minimum, emails to a colleague, co-worker, or potential business associate when he/she pays for your lunch?

Do you remember say thank you (note, phone call or email) when someone you know professionally recommends you for an honor, award, speaking engagement, writing assignment, or something similar?

Do you follow up with colleagues of whom you have asked professional favors if/when you decide you no longer need the favors? Or do you forget about it and let them work on your behalf and then say something like, "Oh, I forgot to tell you I no longer need that."?

Do you send thank you notes and, if appropriate gifts, for professional referrals?

Do your thank-you methods reflect the size of the professional favor or courtesy you have been given?

If someone performs a random act of kindness from which you benefit do you show your appreciation in an appropriate and timely way?

Do you RSVP to both social and business events and follow through by either showing up or not showing up depending on what you said you would do?

It should be obvious that if you answered "no" to any or all of these questions that you need to work to increase your graciousness quotient. Don't be so self absorbed...do what you say you will do, say thank you frequently, and show appreciation. The person to whom you have just been rude may be angry with you or have gotten his/her feelings hurt and rudeness that results in hurt feelings is almost always avoidable.

When in doubt show more rather than less appreciation. No one has ever lost friends by being too gracious but poor manners ruin relationships every day.

Fascinating Yet Depressing Blog - Real Layoff Stories on How I Got Laid Off

2009-05-01T11:43:00.004-06:00

The guy who writes this blog, How I Got Laid Off, got in touch with me awhile back and asked if I wanted to write about his blog. I said yes and so that is what I am doing now. This blog has some personal stories that are real bummers but if you want to hear stories that will make your personal situation seem less awful this is the blog for you. I have heard some sad stories about layoffs but this blog has posts from folks all over the country and some of them will really shock you, make you sad, or make you want to boycott certain companies. Also, if you want to share your layoff story you can do so on this blog.

Crummy employers beware: How I Got Laid Off is exposing your nasty ways of laying people off. Whatever happened to treating people with dignity and respect?

It Takes More Than a Resume to Get a Great Job

2009-04-30T11:43:00.005-06:00

I write resumes for a living, so obviously, I am a big believer in the importance of job seekers having powerful and well written resumes. With that said, I have been amazed recently at some conversations I have had with folks who have strong resumes yet who aren't finding jobs. Remember that we are in a down-economy so every job seeker needs to be on his or her A-game or the job search will not be successful.

A resume isn't the only tool you need in your arsenal to get a job. In fact, I have known some uber-talented folks who have crummy resumes and who keep landing great jobs because of the strength of their networks, educations, accomplishments, interpersonal skills, and ability to market themselves. Each of these elements is important to job seekers - some more than others depending on the relative strength of some areas of your background. A great resume will help you to get noticed but it is by no means the only thing you need to prepare for a successful job search in an economic downturn.

I have a few tips/thoughts/reality checks based on some recent conversations I have had with various job seekers:

If you do not have a college education it may be harder for you to find a job than someone with an education. If you haven't started or finished your college degree I recommend that you seek out a program that will allow you to get a degree. There are many inexpensive state schools and online programs to choose from these days. Fair or not people with degrees have an advantage. Candidates with advanced degrees or diplomas from prestigious schools have an added advantage particularly when there are many candidates for a particular job.

If you have unexplained periods of unemployment on your resume you may have trouble finding a job. If you chose to take a sabbatical starting in 2007 (pre-economic downturn) and you haven't worked since then it may be difficult for you to land a job right now when competing with people who have worked consistently since then. Sorry, but that is a fact. Come up with a compelling story which explains your time off from work and it may make the search easier.

If you make it through 3 or 4 rounds of interviews and you don't land the job, guess what? It's not the resume that caused you to miss the opportunity. It could be your interview skills, fit with the culture, poor references, or maybe, they just plain liked another candidate better. Be honest and reflective when analyzing your interactions with potential employers. You may need some one-on-one interview coaching or to learn to prepare more effectively for interviews. I am always surprised when former clients call me and want to know why they aren't getting hired even though their resume is getting them interviews. A resume gets you an interview and should speak to your accomplishments when you aren't present to do so yourself. But a great resume doesn't guarantee you a job - you have to close that deal yourself.

If you have been a lifelong entrepreneur and your company has gone out of business because of the economy you may have trouble convincing an employer to hire you right now. I have run across several folks recently (most in the real estate industry) who had their own companies that have recently gone under and who are having a hard time landing a job. My theory is that employers are often skeptical of entrepreneurs because they aren't sure if they can work for someone else or they worry that as soon as the economy turns around the former-entrepreneur will quit and start another company. Create a compelling sales pitch for each employer you apply to which also addresses your ability to fit the culture. Also you might consider taking the time to create a 6 week business plan that you would use to hit the ground running in your new job. Actually I give this advice to all of my clients but it's especially true when you are a non-traditional candidate.

If you have uneven social skills or a difficult personality it may be harder for you to find a job in a difficult economy than someone gifted with smooth social graces and a reputation for workplace "niceness". I am sure we have all known odd but gifted technologists, mad scientists, nutty professors, cranky-yet-efficient secretaries, or other folks who may have been difficult to work with but were so talented that management let their quirks slide. In a tough economy employers often tend to hire people they like more than the "most talented" individuals. Play nicely with others - it will pay off. If you have already spent your career developing a reputation as an a-hole you may pay the price in a tough economy and I really have no advice to help you with your current situation. I suppose you will have to take your lumps, learn from your mistakes, and start being nicer to your co-workers when you get some.

If you have never bothered to build a network of friends and colleagues it may be more difficult for you to find a job. I am amazed at all the people who are coming out of the woodwork right now and are just starting to build a network in the hopes they will land a job quickly. Waiting until you are laid off to start building a network is bad timing. The time to begin building and maintaining a network is when you don't need anything from anyone. If, however, you weren't far sighted enough to realize this, the best way to network is to start attending events and meeting people without asking for anything right away. Start your new relationships by offering your help rather than asking for job leads; you will find that your new friends may offer assistance before you even ask. If you need networking tips check out Thom Singer's website - he has some great books, seminars, and tips that are effective for everyone. Also Keith Ferrazzi's Book's, "Never Eat Alone" and "Whose Got Your Back?" are very helpful.

Conduct a job search - don't just dump your resume online and expect to find a great job. Amazingly many people seem to think the internet is magic and that if they post their resumes on Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com and don't do anything else they will find jobs. Probably not going to happen. The internet is a great tool that you can use to research job openings or companies that would be a good fit for your skills but it's not the best way for a hiring manager to find your resume in this economy. Posting your resume online but failing to actually seek jobs is pretty much like putting a message in a bottle and throwing it in the ocean and hoping someone will rescue you from your deserted island. Research companies, write cover letters, use your social networking profiles wisely, and network - that is how you find a job. There are some great tools to help you manage your job search and the one I recommend is Jibber Jobber. Check it out at www.jibberjobber.com

If you need help with your resume or your job search strategy feel free to email me at liz@ultimate-resumes.com

Bridge ATX Fun Event on April 21, 2009 5 - 9 pm Downtown Austin

2009-04-19T12:31:00.005-06:00

If you live in Austin I hope you can join us for the first annual Bridge ATX networking event. This is not a traditional networking event - its really more of a party - so even if you don't consider yourself to be a natural "networker" you should feel comfortable and welcome at this fun outdoor event. There will be drinks, free food, and live music. Ultimate Resumes is proud to sponsor this event which is hosted by Kim Brushaber, the founder of Bridge ATX.

Since most of my work takes place via telephone I often don't get to meet my clients in person. So if you are an Ultimate Resumes client and you live in the Austin area please stop by Union Park between 5 - 9 pm on Tuesday and introduce yourself in person! (Union Park is between 6th & 7th streets and between Rio Grande & Neuces)

Look forward to meeting you and enjoying an Austin-tastic event. Click here to register for the event.

What Do Employers Really Say About Their Former Employees?

2009-04-16T15:27:00.002-06:00

Thinking about your prospects for landing that new job? You should think first about what your former boss and other references will say about you. While many employees believe that a former employer can’t, or won’t say anything negative about them, Allison & Taylor, Inc. says they might be unpleasantly surprised at the truth…

Isn’t it corporate policy that an employer will only confirm the dates and title of employment?

Allison & Taylor, Inc. has found (since their inception in 1984) – that most managers and HR representatives will ultimately offer them some information about former employees beyond the normal purview of confirming dates and titles of employment. Note that there is absolutely nothing illegal about A&T's consultants asking your references for additional input on their employment experience with you.

How common is it that past bosses will badmouth former employees?

Over 50% of the reference checks we conduct come back as negative in scope (sometimes, significantly negative). Clearly, many of our clients have lost good job offers due to bad or mediocre comments from previous employers.

I have a separation agreement with my previous employer saying that neither of us will say negative things about the other. Should I have any cause for concern?

Having such an agreement in place is no guarantee that your previous employer will necessarily honor it. Unfortunately, we have seen countless instances where prior employers did not honor their written agreement with their employees.

This information was submitted to Ultimate Resumes by Jeff Shane, Vice President of Allison & Taylor, the nation's oldest professional employment verification and reference checking firm. If you want to find out more about their services contact www.allisontaylor.com or 800-651-2470.

Don't Try to Be Clever on Your Resume

2009-04-10T15:30:00.005-06:00

Resumes are straightforward documents. They should list information that describes your education, the companies for which you have worked, what your jobs were, and what you accomplished in those jobs. In addition you can include lists of certifications, patents, affiliations, and board memberships. There are some variations on this formula but that is pretty much what a resume should contain. Do you know why?

Because that is what hiring managers, recruiters (retained or contingent), and human resources professionals want to see.

It amazes me that many people do not think about their intended audience when they put together a resume. I have had a couple of clients, both of whom had more than 20 years of work experience, who have asked me to do "clever" things to their resumes. For example, one client wanted to put her salary history at the top of her resume because she felt that it would demonstrate that she had excelled in her most recent jobs.

Salary is inappropriate information to include in a resume and if you list your salary on your resume it will appear that you don't know what information should and should not appear on this document. Not only that but this particular client wasn't making very much money compared to others in her industry. She seemed think that she was making a lot of money but she clearly didn't know what others in the industry were earning. If she were to put those numbers on her resume she would not only look out-of-touch but a good recruiter wouldn't even consider her for the type of job she was interested in pursuing. Keep your salary to yourself until its appropriate to talk about it.

Another client wanted to put together a data sheet which listed no specifics about her jobs and which just spoke in general terms about her ability to manage projects. Her goal was to change careers so she didn't want a potential employer to immediately be able to tell where she had been employed because she felt they would assume she wasn't right for the new career. She seemed to think that if she just talked in general terms about her skill set she would generate interest based on subjective statements. Wrong.

I told both of these clients the same thing: clever doesn't work on a resume. You aren't fooling anyone when you deviate from the types of information that recruiters want to see.

Recruiters get suspicious when they can't quickly look at a resume and determine what companies you worked for, what your jobs were, and when you worked there. If you want to change careers you can say so in a cover letter or summary statement. You can emphasize experiences you have had in previous jobs that are similar to the new career or job that you want. But what you cannot do is try to fool the reader into picking up the phone and calling you based on subjective generalizations or by adding information that is inappropriate on a resume.

Don't overthink your resume - straightforward and clearly articulated information will always be more attractive to recruiters than cute, clever, or "unique" formatting or phrasing.

You Might Get A Rejection Letter If….

2009-03-23T20:08:00.004-06:00

Did you know that Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most successful comedians of all time? His album, “You Might Be a Redneck If…” has sold millions of copies and inspired all sorts of similar comedy. Including this post.

So, in honor of the very funny Jeff Foxworthy, I would like to present, You Might Get a Rejection Letter If…

If your resume is 4-pages or longer and is comprised of large paragraphs of information that require the reader to fully read each one in order to understand what you did – you might get a rejection letter.

If your job history is peppered with small companies that few people have ever heard of and you don’t bother to include some company background to help the reader – you might get a rejection letter.

If you include your photo on a resume (unless you are an actress or a model applying for acting or modeling jobs) – you might get a rejection letter.

If you include a “hobbies” section on your resume and list any of the following:
watching TV
drinkin’ beer and fishin’
smoking weed
surfing the net for porn
meeting with my parole officer
taking care of my 37 cats
cooking meth
snake handling
collecting lint
– you just might get a rejection letter.

If your resume is written in a font size that requires recruiters to use a magnifying glass to read it – you might get a rejection letter.

If your resume has inconsistent or confusing dates – you might get a rejection letter.

If you are a professional with more than 5 years of experience and your resume is mostly comprised of lists of job duties rather than meaningful accomplishments – you might get a rejection letter.

If your resume includes your personal motto, life or religious philosophy, and you aren’t applying for a job in the ministry, you might get a rejection letter.

If you spell your name incorrectly on your resume – you might get a rejection letter.

If you list a generic job title such as “analyst” or “engineer” or “project manager” and you don’t provide some kind of context about what kind of analyst/engineer/project manager you were – you just might get a rejection letter.

OK, some of the above was exaggerated in an attempt to make a point and to be humorous. With that said, if your resume is messy, hard to read, requires the reader to read closely and really try to interpret what your job was, or contains weird or inappropriate information you will get a rejection letter. If the economy were great and the U.S. was at 100% employment maybe a shoddy resume would stand a chance but in a competitive market your resume needs to be sharp and polished.

Remember that when you aren’t standing in the room to (hopefully) impress interviewers the resume is a stand-alone impression of you. Even if you got a first interview through your network and the first meeting went well you should know that most interviewers will pass your resume around the office and to their superiors before they invite you back for a second interview.

I have known senior managers to overrule junior managers/recruiters who recommend a candidate with a poorly written resume for a second interview. The higher up the food chain you go, the higher the expectations will be regarding your written communication skills. If you are a job seeker, your resume is the most important piece of written work you will ever create. Make it good or don’t be surprised when that rejection letter arrives in your email or mail box.

Is Social Media Like Reality TV for Everyman? How Much Information is Too Much?

2009-03-16T18:34:00.003-06:00

I am still trying to figure out how to make the best use of Twitter and Facebook for both my personal and business use. I am amazed at how adeptly some folks navigate these social networking tools and how oddly others use them. Have you ever heard that saying, “Better to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt?” – that was one of my dad’s favorite things to say to us when we were kids. That and, “Don’t tell everything you know.” Dad’s not a really chatty guy but, then again, he never says stupid things in public or documents things that could put his reputation at risk.

If you think about it, social media takes those truisms and tosses them out the window. We live in a day and age where technology has made all of us voyeurs to varying degrees and social media is a way for us to express our every thought, feeling, and experience with legions of observers. If you have access to someone’s Twitter, Linked In, and Facebook pages and that person updates his/her social media pages frequently (not to mention MySpace) it can be like watching a reality TV show. You can read about their thoughts and feelings, see their personal photos and videos, know where they are going to hang out, who their friends are, who they voted for, and where they work. That is a lot of information if you ask me and sometimes too much familiarity breeds contempt - as you can see anytime you watch a reality TV show. When a camera follows reality show stars around 24 hours a day none of them look too impressive on TV.

There are clearly some individuals who use social media to adroitly advance their careers without embarrassing themselves. Guy Kawasaki is one such example.

When speaking at PubCon South 2009, Guy Kawasaki described his approach to using Twitter as the blending of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and QVC television channels. He posits that if PBS only broadcast documentaries on one channel and its fund-raising telethons on different station that no one would donate to PBS’s documentary channel and neither channel would obtain funding. By combining the two types of Twitters, Guy Kawasaki’s 80,000+ Twitter followers allow him to promote his business to them as long as he shares other interesting information.

Kawasaki seems to be able to walk the line between promoting his business, AllTop, and sharing ancillary information that isn’t too personal. On the other hand I am baffled by Penelope Trunk’s following. She has 9,700 followers on Twitter and a very successful blog, Brazen Careerist. What shocks me about Ms. Trunk is the level of personal information she is willing to share in order to draw attention to her site. She talks, at times, in graphic detail about her divorce, personal relationships, and sex life. None of which has anything to do with career advice although she does make an attempt to link those topics.

Obviously Ms. Trunk’s technique works for her but I could never get that personal on the internet. For one thing I wouldn’t want to hurt or embarrass anyone that I care about but for another, it just isn’t my personal style to share extremely intimate details of my life with anyone other than my closest friends. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article I was trained not to tell everything I know. But maybe I am not managing social media as well as I could? Maybe in order to sell your services you need to share more about yourself? I just don’t want to be uncomfortable with the level of detail I share about my personal life online nor do I want to be one of those annoying people who sends out Tweets every 5 minutes about every little thing they are doing.

The other thing I am trying to figure out is how people decide who to “follow” on Twitter. When you “follow” someone you get to see every single update he/she writes in Twitter. Every single one. So if you follow a lot of people the sheer volume of information you sort through can be unbelievable. I only follow about 50 people and I know most of them or have another compelling reason for caring about their updates. On the other hand, there are several people who follow my updates whom I have never met and have no idea why they care what I am doing. It makes me kind of “camera shy” about what I post on Twitter.

I am not sure that perfect strangers need to know my thoughts on random issues or who I am meeting for lunch. Consequently I update Twitter much less frequently than the social media experts say I should and I am probably not getting as much out of it professionally as I could be. I Twitter links to each new blog post I do but beyond that I am always careful about what I put out there. Not to be paranoid or anything but couldn’t a stalker figure out your Twitter handle and literally follow you around town to lunch or your errands or wherever you announced you would be?

Facebook is more intuitive to me because you have to request and accept friendships so, presumably, you are only connecting with actual friends. When I type status updates into Facebook I am more inclined and comfortable in writing about what I am actually doing, where I am going, and who I am socializing with because I am communicating to actual friends with whom there is some level of interest and trust. But Twitter updates are different because anyone can “follow” you and find out what you are up to and I am just not sure I see how that is beneficial to me and my business.

I would love to hear from anyone who has figured out how much information is too much to share on Twitter or Facebook. As for me, I am still trying to figure out what works best for me as I slowly wade into the social media world and try to avoid becoming a one-woman social media reality show.