Whether you’re looking to find a job or change your career path be prepared!
No matter what role you are looking for, do your research and make sure you’re ready to nail your job interview
18
Nov
24
Oct
When Is The Best Time to Apply For Online Jobs?
The job application process is no doubt tedious and tiring for everyone. We’ve all been there – sifting through the various job ad postings, sending through resume after resume, and all we want to do is get the application process over with as fast as possible. Everyone tells you to at least take a few minutes to tailor your resume and cover letter to each job you apply for.
Personalizing your application materials no doubt increases your chances of getting a call back, but I’m also going to let you know that there is another way to increase your chances at getting that interview call, and it has absolutely nothing to do with who you are or with the quality of your resume and cover letter – it simply has to do with when you send through your materials.
I recently had a friend complain to me about getting no call backs at all. She had sent through personalized resumes and cover letters dozens of times and had not received one interview invitation. Sure, the job market is extremely tough in some areas at the moment, but to receive zero phone calls out of dozens was a bit alarming to me.
I asked her to show me her resume, and everything looked great. She told me about the sites she was applying through, and I saw no problem with that either. But she then told me about the application process itself, and this is where an important detail stood out – the time she was sending through her resumes.
Many job seekers, especially the already employed, use nights and weekends to send out the bulk of their applications, and this can sometimes put them at an immediate disadvantage. Anyone who’s worked in an office environment knows that Mondays are usually extremely hectic. Everyone’s trying to catch up on their emails and phone calls, and there usually isn’t a lot of time to spare, especially on things that are not urgent, like reading resumes. The first thing most people do when reading emails is prioritize and figure out what needs to get done sooner rather than later – resumes, especially ones sent days ago, usually fall into the “later” pile.
The point is that you want to be sure that your resume and cover letter are noticed. Sending them through on the weekend not only puts your email toward the back of the line chronologically, but it also puts it among the spam messages that have filled up the inbox, and you don’t want to accidentally get deleted.
Ideally, try to respond to job advertisements during the day, when someone is most likely to see it, let alone read it. If your only time to apply for jobs is on the weekend, at least try to send through your cover letters and resumes toward the later part of the weekend, preferably on Sunday evenings. You want your resume and cover letter to be one of the first things the hiring manager sees, not something that they see toward the bottom of their inbox that they will “get to later.”
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume
04
Oct
Looking for an Internship?
Monster College
MonsterCollege helps recent grads and college students find their first career http://college.monster.com/
Internship Programs:
Career advice for undergraduate students seeking top internships, internship opportunities with top companies, and how to get hired from an internship http://www.internshipprograms.com/
Rising Star Internships
A database of national internship openings for students. Prospective interns can post their resume on the site http://www.rsinternships.com/
Intern Inc
Intern Inc. provides a user-friendly platform for high school and college students and professionals to connect directly with organizations, mentors and employers http://www.interninc.com/
InternJobs.com
Intern jobs and internships for students, recent graduates and seasoned workers http://www.internjobs.com/
Internweb.com
Internship Search Tools for Students and 100% FREE Internship Posting for Employers. Find Paid Internships and Summer Internships.http://www.internweb.com/
Intern Abroad
Programs at GoAbroad.com: Comprehensively organized directory of international internships for international education http://www.internabroad.com/
Internship Downunder
International Internships abroad, in Australia and New Zealand http://www.internshipsdownunder.com/
Summer Internships
Fall Internships and Spring Internships available when you select an internship program in the city you choose http://www.summerinternships.com/
25
Jul
Instant Resume Killers
Want to cause a recruiter to toss your resume instantly? When an employer is faced with several – possibly hundreds – of applications, he or she will try to narrow this list down quickly. Making one of the following mistakes can get your resume tossed in just a matter of seconds.
1. No cover letter attached
This is not a good start to any job application. Failing to include a cover letter instantly means that you have failed to put in that extra 10 minutes of effort, and this is never a good thing. A lot of recruiters delete their first round of applicants simply because they have not included a cover letter.
2. Applying for the wrong job
It happens all the time – candidates get so caught up in applying to as many jobs as possible that they accidentally send their resume sand cover letters to the wrong people. When a recruiter sees that a cover letter has been accidentally addressed to the wrong company, it will get tossed immediately.
3. A bad picture on a resume (especially an inappropriate one)
It’s true that different resume standards apply to different countries. That being said, some countries are more accepting (and encouraging) of pictures on resumes than others, however please stick to professional-looking photos only – you are applying for a job after all. There is no need to include a picture of yourself posing in a tank top or drinking with friends. Better to stick to no picture at all.
4. Providing little to no details about your work experience
Employers want you to be as specific as possible with regards to your qualifications, and therefore you should provide an adequate amount of information. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people list their job titles ONLY under “work experience”, and that will just not cut it. Once an employer sees that you’ve provided little to no detail on your experience, they will immediately delete your resume.
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
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Laura is the Marketing Coordinator for RedStarResume, a business that provides resume and cover letter writing services for students, graduates and young professionals. http://www.bestresponseresume.com |
30
May
Listing Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume – Should You Or Shouldn’t You?
I frequently come across resumes that include a section for “hobbies and interests” or something similar. Many people think it’s necessary to include something like this, however I can assure you that it’s probably best to avoid doing so. There is a limited amount of space for content on your resume and just a small amount of time for the reader to look over your information. That being said, you should use it strictly to highlight your professional qualifications and achievements, not your personal hobbies and interests.
Hiring managers are looking to see how you can specifically help them and their companies, not whether you enjoy skiing or bike riding. This sort of information is often times seen as “fluff” – in other words, irrelevant information that is used solely to take up space on a resume to make it seem longer. If you’re concerned about your resume looking too short, there are lots of ways to increase the content without having to lists your hobbies and interests. Think about substituting them for something more work-related, like a section for your professional qualifications or computer-related skills. Or maybe try adding some achievements onto your professional experience section.
While I feel I make a strong point against listing these on your resume, people are always going to be adamant about using them. So, if you absolutely must include your hobbies and interests, try to at least make them pertain to the job you are applying for. Do any of your hobbies involve using your leadership skills, for example? Do they show a pattern of long-term commitment? The most important thing to remember is to keep the content on your resume professionally relevant.
© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com/
Laura is the Marketing Coordinator for RedStarResume, a business that provides resume and cover letter writing services for students, graduates and young professionals.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume
26
Apr
How to Avoid Spelling and Grammar Mistakes on Your Resume
It’s common knowledge that spelling and grammar mistakes can be extremely damaging to your resume’s chances of landing you a job interview. Everyone seems to be aware of this fact, and this is why they are constantly reminded to check and then recheck their resumes.
So then why are these mistakes found all the time on resumes? A lot of times, people are reluctant to share and have their resumes edited by others, and failing to do so can result in small errors going undetected.
Showing your resume to someone else benefits you in more ways than one. For one, it provides an extra pair of eyes to look for any spelling of grammar mistakes. While you may be absolutely positive that there are none, especially since you’ve edited it numerous times, it can’t hurt! I can tell you from experience that 7 out of the 10 resumes I read contain some sort of spelling error, and I’m willing to bet that most of these people did several edits on their resumes.
Have you ever read something so many times that you started memorizing and reciting it more than actually reading it? This happens a lot with resumes. We get so caught up in what we think it says that we sometimes forget how this translates onto paper. I notice a lot of times that people write things like “… responsible updating data…” or “…selected represent the company at various trade shows.” If you just read that for the first time, you probably noticed that a few words are missing there. Obvious, right? Read it a few more times and you might find yourself automatically inserting the missing words. This is what happens quite often with people who write and then edit and re-edit their resumes.
Showing your resume to someone else eliminates the chances of this happening as they will be more likely to catch small mistakes like these. They can also provide an objective critique on your resume.
While you clearly know more about your past experience than anyone, translating this onto paper for a stranger to understand is sometimes very difficult, and the person critiquing it can point out any job descriptions that don’t make sense or aren’t very clear.
Overall, having another person or two look at your resume before you send it off can do nothing but help you. The job market out there is tough at the moment and you want to give yourself the best chance possible – don’t let small errors that you looked over damage your chances of landing an interview.
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume
07
Apr
Tips on how to get your resume noticed
One of my friends recently posted an available position within her company on a major job search website, and she instantly received tens of applications in her inbox. She works for a small business – she is not exclusively a hiring manager – so filling this vacancy was just an added responsibility on top of everything she had to do already. In other words, she had very little time to waste.
Her decision to read or discard a resume was made within seconds- and based simply on the length of the resume. “I simply don’t have enough time to read each person’s resume all the way through,” she says. “In order to give everyone a chance, I need to skim, and I need to skim through only the important information – I don’t have time to look for it. One resume I came across was 9 pages long, another was 7. One resume listed a retail position in 1976 as the top position under ‘work experience’ and another opened with a page-long biography. Who has time to read that?”
The answer is probably no one. You need to be mindful about the length of your resume – a reader can discard your resume without even looking at your name the second he or she sees that it is too long. Make it easy for them – they don’t want to hunt for the most relevant facts.
So how do you cut down the length? Keep some of the following in mind:
Objective statement:
Some people tend to get a little carried away here and it adds to the length of their resume. This is not supposed to be a paragraph or, even worse, a page. A sentence or two is plenty.
Professional experience:
This tends to be a problem for people with a lot of work experience. Make sure you provide the most information on the positions relevant to the job you are applying for. Keep dates in mind as well – unless absolutely necessary, you do not need to list positions you held 15 years ago.
References:
Do not provide these unless asked. Sometimes this can take up a lot of resume space.
While the ideal length of a resume is entirely debatable, you generally do not want to exceed 2 pages. Stick to the most important facts and try to incorporate some of my tips into cutting down the length – it will increase your chances of getting read!
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
Laura is the Marketing Coordinator for RedStarResume, a business that provides resume and cover letter writing services for students, graduates and young professionals. Contact laura: laura@redstarresume.com
29
Mar
Just How Important is Your Resume?
When the time comes to looking for a job, your resume is by far the most important link between you and your potential new job. Once you interview and are given the two greatest words of “you’re hired,” your resume becomes a worthless document. That is, until years later when you decide you want a new challenge, and you reach back into the drawer, dust off the resume and start again.
In a recent college poll, over 90% of college students said they had no idea about how to write a good resume. Even more alarming was that 95% of the students interviewed did not list achievements on their resumes.
In the current economic climate, it is imperative that your resume is not only structured and formatted correctly, but that it is also easy to read and pleasing to the eye. For every single job you apply for, there are potentially 100, 200, and maybe even 300 other people with similar skills who are applying for the very same position. With so many applications it’s no wonder that a candidate who has written an incorrect resume is not getting the interview requests.
In my experience, the main reason candidates finds their applications continually rejected has nothing to do with their skills or experience (or even with the lack of skills or experience) – it is because their resumes are just not good enough to get them an interview.
Don’t let this happen to you. If writing your resume is stressing you out, think about using a professional resume writer. Many applicants these days use professionals to help them get a leg in front of their competition. Remember – your resume is the most important tool you have to get a job. A professional writer knows how to highlight your strengths and portray this on your resume. In the competitive world we live in, you need to be one step ahead of your competition. A professional writer can help take your resume to the top of the pile.
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedStarResume
25
Mar
Is your resume being screened?
Believe it or not, but your resume has probably been screened by a hiring manager at some point. One of the most common ways to screen a resume is through an applicant’s address. Technically, hiring managers are not supposed to do this, but it happens more often than not.
Why does this happen?
Hiring manages are always looking for the best candidates, of course, but they also want the interview process to be as efficient and easy as possible. They usually prefer candidates who live in nearby areas so they can meet with them in person, as soon as possible, and at no extra cost to the company. Out of state applicants are difficult and expensive. Interview arrangements can take days or weeks, and sometimes the company will have to pay for the applicant’s travel arrangements. Let’s just say it’s not the ideal situation for a hiring manager.
Hiring managers tend to make assumptions based on where people live and while this is by no means right, it happens all the time. A candidate can be considered to be too much of a hassle to interview if they live far away, or they may be assumed to be unreliable if they don’t live close enough. I was once asked to hire sales representatives for a retail shop, and I was told specifically to “only” focus on applicants who lived within a few miles of the store location. The manager was convinced that the reps had to live close to the business because he believed a commute meant they would show up late every day.
If you find that you’re not receiving interview requests for positions considered to be “far away,” you might want to consider removing your address from your resume. You are not physically mailing in your application, so it is not an essential part to your resume. Removing your address might prevent this initial screening and at least get you to the phone interview where you can then “sell yourself” further.
Remember to keep these ideas in mind – you want to give yourself the best shot possible every time!
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
21
Mar
Top 10 Resume Mistakes
Resume Killers
My philosophy is simple: Stick to the facts. If in doubt, leave it out!
- Abbreviations
Avoid abbreviations! They are unprofessional and not universally accepted. Trust me; nothing looks worse on a resume than seeing sentences resembling the following: “duties included answering the fone and going 2 c clients.” This is a resume, not a text message. Make sure you use correct words and proper sentences.
- Personal Information
Leave off anything related to hobbies or personal interests. If it doesn’t relate to employment it doesn’t belong on a resume. Information such as weight and height is irrelevant (unless of course you’re trying out for basketball team). I have seen resumes where people include their eye colour and comments about their skin (“glowing skin”). Do not give the reader a reason to eliminate you because of your personal characteristics. Again, stick to the formula – if it does not relate to the job it doesn’t belong on the resume.
- Graphics / Artwork
People feel that in order to be noticed they need their resume to look like a piece of artwork. This perception is wrong and has the opposite effect of appearing unprofessional and amateur. At the end of the day, the employer only wants to see skills, duties, and achievements. He or she is not interested because your resume is shaded yellow with a butterfly in the top right-hand corner.
- Negativity
Never, never, never be negative on your resume or cover letter (and most importantly, in your interview). If you left your previous job because you hated your boss, keep it to yourself. Do not try to explain this on your resume because you cannot explain those reasons in writing. Remember, a resume’s job is to promote and sell. Do not get eliminated immediately for being negative.
- No Dates
DO NOT MAKE THE READER HAVE TO GUESS! This is such a killer on any resume. INCLUDE DATES. What years did you go to high school? How long did you go to university? When did you graduate? How long did you work at your current job?
Do not make the person reading your resume have to ask these questions. The minute this happens, your resume is going to one place—the trash bin! Make sure your resume flows and you have no gaps in your dates. If you took a year off to go travelling, include this. When you include dates DO NOT just include years. For example, “I worked at McDonalds from 2006-2008”– what does this mean? Did you work for 3 from January 2006 to December 2008, or for a little over 1 year from December 2006 to January 2008.
- Long-winded
Long long long long long resumes are boring!!!! If an employer sees an extremely long resume, they will immediately develop a negative frame of mind. Remember, resume readers tend to have little patience, especially when they need to read 100 resumes. You do not gain extra brownie points for writing the longest resume—enough said!
- Lack of achievements / highlights
I never understand how people get this wrong, but so many times people fill up their resumes with irrelevant information, and they leave off the most vital part of a resume—showing off your highlights and achievements. Think about it—most people who apply for the same job can all do the standard day to day duties. So what separates the good resume from the bad resume? It’s the one that includes achievements and highlights. It includes how they were an asset at their previous job. Employers want to see not that you just worked and did a good job, but that you added value to the company. Leaving off your achievements is the best way to get your resume tossed in the bin. Alternatively, including value-added achievements is the best way to get your resume put on the top of the list.
- Irrelevant information
Everyone is proud of achievements they have accomplished throughout their life. Finishing second place in the 100 metre sprint final in my first year of high school was a great thrill, but is it relevant on my resume? Does it add value to it? Use common sense when including “extra information.” Receiving your CPR certificate is relevant when you’re applying for a job that requires this, such as a lifesaver or swimming instructor. It isn’t so relevant if you received your CPR certificate 10 years ago, and now you’re going for a job as a CEO.
- Grammar mistakes and typos
People read this point and think, “Obviously my resume isn’t going to have spelling mistakes and typos.” I can tell you from experience that 1 in 5 resumes will make this vital mistake. When an employer has 100 resumes, the first 20 are eliminated because of grammar mistakes or typos. These mistakes are glaringly obvious on a resume. Make sure you use spell-check, but more importantly, re-read your resume. Even give it to someone else to read over.
- Trying to sound “Too Clever”
You may think that using words such as “meticulous,” “scrupulous” or “industrious” to describe yourself may make you sound smart, unfortunately they can have the opposite effect. Your resume is a representation of you. Don’t forget this!
© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com
