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20
Sep

What Are The Key Ingredients To Preparing A Resume That Will Get You Interviews?

By RedStarResume No comments yet

I decided this week to bake a double chocolate chip cake. It was so delicious and cooked to perfection that I only managed one piece before my friends had collectively finished off the rest of the cake. Before I baked the cake, I prepared the ingredients and even added in a few “extra” items to make my cake as tasty as possible. When it comes to resume writing the exact same process is required:

Key Ingredients:

Strategic Keywords

Using strategic keywords throughout your resume is imperative for a number of reasons. Recent reports suggest 80% of companies use some kind of software or scanning program to search for candidate resumes.  In today’s society it is no longer good enough to target your job toward the role you are applying for – you also need to target your resume toward software programs that are now performing first rounds of candidate selections.  In this technological world where applying for a job can literally take a couple of clicks of a button, hiring managers are seeing hundreds of resumes (sometimes thousands) for one particular job. As much as we would like a hiring manager or recruiter to read through our entire resume, this rarely happens.  As such, using strategic keywords will help your resume rank higher and ensure that it passes the first test of being read by either a recruiter or hiring manager.

Highlighting Achievements

Resume writing and job seeking has changed a lot over the past couple of years. With new online networking sites such as LinkedIn being available and making it easier for a job seeker to network with a potential boss, highlighting your achievements on your resume and cover letter is more important than ever. When a boss or hiring manger decides to employ a new person to their staff, the first thing they want to know is how this person is going to add value to their organisation. Including basic duties and responsibilities is not enough to make you stand out as the perfect person for the job. You need to prove that you are the best person by highlighting your skills and achievements.

Presentation and Format

Your resume is the first impression a hiring manager will make about you. A well presented and structured resume that is written in a clean font will portray your resume in a professional manner and immediately give your resume application a higher ranking. Alternatively, a resume application that has spelling and grammar errors, different sized fonts, long sentences (as opposed to bullet points) and a lack of headings will not portray a positive image to the reader, and you won’t look like the right person for the job. A lack of professionalism may even lead to your resume being deleted without even being read. No matter how good your skills and experience may be, once your resume is deleted, it will never be read again.

In order to prepare the perfect resume follow these three main ingredients. Take time to prepare your resume and ensure that you give yourself every opportunity to succeed!

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

During the last decade, RedStarResume has successfully written hundreds of professional resumes for candidates across the globe. From the student or entry level position to the CEO, our unique, custom-made resumes are written specifically to match the goals and desires of our clients and to help them land jobs

Expert Resume Writer: #1 for Resume Writing and Cover Letter Writing

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17
Aug

Dressing professionally is one step to getting promoted

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Getting ahead in the workplace comes down to many different factors. Your skills and values you bring to the job are of the upmost importance. If you can’t deliver in your job it doesn’t matter how nice you are as the company won’t want to keep you on their payroll. There are, however, other things you can do to help maintain a professional image and make you stand out in your work environment.

Dressing for Success:

How you dress and how you look says a lot about the person you are. If you come to work with a shirt hanging out and dirty shoes, you present an unprofessional image of not caring. No Looking smart will create a positive image about the way you work.

One of my colleagues shed light on this point when he compared two employees under him that were competing for a promotion. One of them dressed every day in a nicely pressed suit with a tie and perfectly polished shoes. The other wore the same worn suit and same tie nearly every day. Furthermore, his shoes were not polished and his hair was in a mess. Both of them had equal skills and their work was first-rate. When my colleague needed to promote one of these men he went with the man who looked the more professional. As he told me, “Who I promoted was a reflection on me. At the end of the day, it was a pretty easy decision.”

First impression in the work environment:

First impressions count and in the work environment it is important that we portray the right impression every single day. Understanding your working environment is the key, and this should drive you in the right direction.

If you work in a professional organisation such as a law firm, for example, and you have large tattoos on your arms, rolling up your sleeves at work is probably not the best idea. Keeping your tattoos covered while at work would probably be advised. The same goes for piercings. The opposite is also true – if you work in a more creative environment, then showing off your tattoos at work would be acceptable and wearing a suit would be deemed inappropriate!

Conclusion:

The key to dressing professionally is understanding your working culture. Dressing for success will make you feel like a winner, but will also send the right image to those around you about your professionalism and attitude

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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12
Aug

Resume Writing Tips to Succeed in a Tight Job Market

By RedStarResume No comments yet

It’s an undisputed fact – today’s job market is tighter than ever before. During this period of economic strife and instability, competition for the best jobs is extremely stiff. Job stability seems practically non-existent. Turnover rates are at an all-time high, given the number of layoffs and agency closings. Millions of individuals are unemployed and clamoring for employment regardless of skill level. Whether you are a doctor, a chef, an engineer, a secretary, housekeeper or even a resume writer, individuals from all walks of life struggle to retain their current positions since the economic future is not promised.

But what route should you take if you yearn for a better opportunity or are even without a job right now? How can you ensure that your name is at least known to companies looking to fill positions? One way is to hire a resume writing expert to help ensure that your resume / CV goes to the top of the pile.

Let’s look at it in a simple way. If you want to build a new house, you can go online, research how to build a new house and go out and buy the materials to begin building your dream house. However, as building anything is probably not your expertise and you want the house built properly the first time, it makes sense to call in a professional builder who has all the expertise and experience in building homes. The same is true of the resume writer. You can easily pick up a pen and paper and write a resume, however a resume writer can do it a lot more effectively and professionally because they have the experience, knowledge and skills in the art of resume writing.

The first stage of building your professional resume includes starting off with supplying the information that you wish to have printed on your document. This includes the obvious, such as your basic information (name, address, phone number, city, state and zip code). You should also be prepared to have a chronological listing of your past and current employment (if applicable).

It is important to have an idea beforehand of how you’d like to word your list so that your job duties don’t sound mundane or discredit your actual tasks. Never simply state that you were just a “cook” if in reality, you were a culinary arts service person!

Make sure your resume includes targeted keywords that leave no doubt that your past employment was productive. Stay clear of the ordinary, eliminating redundant phrases such as “typed letters”, “filed documents” or “bussed tables”. Yawn!

Most importantly, you need to use achievements throughout your resume to highlight your skills. You need to turn your basic duties into “accomplishment statements” and, if possible, use quantifiable results to the duties you have performed. A successful resume will highlight achievements rather than focus on responsibilities.

Job seeking is a cut throat business and in order to succeed your resume needs to be 100% right, and it needs to be presented and formatted professionally and correctly. When you apply for a particular job you only have one chance to succeed. Make sure that you give yourself every opportunity to get that new job!

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

Expert Resume Writers: #1 for resume writing and Cover Letter Services

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31
Jul

How To Write An Impressive Resume – One Size Does Not Fit Everyone!

By RedStarResume No comments yet

 

Each job seeker can benefit immensely from tips on professional resume writing, even if you elect to use a specialized service to do the job. It still helps to have an idea of what you’d like imprinted on your document.

There are many companies online that can help you compose and print your resume using pre-set templates. Be careful when using a template. Resume formatting, presentation and layout have changed immensely over the years. In this competitive world where a hiring manager may receive upwards of 200-300 resumes for one particular role, it is important that your resume shines above the competition. By using an online template that can easily be found through a Google search, you risk using an existing template that is outdated and will actually be detrimental when applying for new jobs.

Think about it. If you are using a free template that you found online, how good can it actually be? Writing the perfect resume is different for every job seeker and each resume needs to be tailored and specific toward that job seeker.

When it comes to writing the perfect resume, there is no such thing as “one size fits all”

For those who are confident enough to embark on the task of writing their own resumes, the tips below will assist you in composing a quality, professional-looking document that will show employers you mean business, and it will ensure that your application goes to the top of the pile!

The most common form of a resume is a chronological resume. This type of resume should start with your current or most recent employment. Use bullet points to highlight your duties. Personal information is a no-no – skip the birth date, age, weight, height and other irrelevant factors. Include strong key/ action words to enhance your skills, duties and achievements. Some potent words to consider are words like “balanced”, “cultivated”, “assigned”, “edited”, and “displayed”.

Include an equally powerful, eye-catching qualifications summary at the top of your resume. This should be a brief summary of your goal tailored and customized to the position for which you are applying.

And most importantly – include achievements. The difference between a winning resume and a resume that is going to be deleted is based on including achievements throughout your resume. Providing achievements is the best way to stand out above your competition. You need to prove to the hiring manager through your resume that you are the right person for the job. Mentioning only duties and responsibilities will not make your job application memorable in the eyes of the hiring managers. The only way to prove you’re the best candidate is to highlight all the fantastic achievements you have performed throughout your career.

Today’s economy may be tough, but if your professional resume is written, formatted and structured correctly and highlights your achievements values you can bring to your next employer, you’re well on your way to finding success!

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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05
Jul

Professional Australian Resume Writing Targeting the Australian Job Market

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Do you need an Australian Resume Writer with an in depth knowledge of the Australian job market who can construct your professional resume specifically for the Australian job market?

At RedStarResume we have writers to suit every job candidate’s needs.

We can help you no matter where you are located in Australia. From working in the mines in Perth to working at an investment bank in Sydney, the team at RedStarResume will strategically target your resume to ensure that your application stands out from the crowd.

Why is the Australian Resume different?

All job markets around the world are unique in their own ways. The culture of a certain country plays a large part in how the job process works. In Australia, for example, it is neither necessary nor required to put a picture on your resume. Providing additional personal information such as date of birth, marital status, religion etc. is also very much discouraged. In order to write a good “Australian”, resume you need to have an understanding of what the Australian employer is looking for in a resume.

Highlight Achievements in your Australian resume.

Recent reports have indicated that recruitment agents and hiring managers will only spend up to 15 seconds reading your resume before deciding to either read on or delete. Once the resume has been deleted there is no way for the reader to give the resume a second chance. The number one rule with your resume is to highlight your achievements. When you apply for a certain job you can expect that a large percentage of the candidates will share relatively the same skills and education as you. In order to stand out above the competition you need to highlight your achievements and show the reader where you can specifically add value to their business.

Top 5 tips to ensure your new Australian resume is targeted toward the Australian Job Market:

Achievements are essential – Use examples to back up statements

Target your resume – Each time you apply for a job, ensure that your resume and cover letter is targeting that specific job.

Use correct “British English” – Words such as “realize” are spelt with a “z” using American English, but in Australia the “z” is replaced with an “s” – “Realise”

No picture or unnecessary personal information

Use strategic keywords (Strategic selection of keywords and phrases designed to highlight your resume and cover letter)


© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

RedStarResume the number 1 choice for resume writing services. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, we will be right by your side the entire journey until you have secured your brand new job.

The journey to finding your dream job starts with a brand new professional resume

RedStarResume have Resume Writers available in every major city throughout Australia

Click here to get started:

Resume Writers Australia

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19
Jun

Questions to ask in the Job Interview

By RedStarResume No comments yet

How to nail your job interview

As a job candidate what is the best question to ask in an interview? At some point in the interview (typically at the end) the hiring manager will turn to you and ask “Do you have any questions which you would like to ask me?”

There are two main benefits in asking the right questions. Firstly don’t forget the number one rule from chapter one. The interview is a two way process and you need to ensure that this organization is the right fit for you. If you are uncertain about certain aspects of the role or need greater clarification, than this is the time to ask those questions. Don’t be shy or intimidated. Secondly by asking clever questions will not just help you in deciding if this job is right for you but will impress the interviewer and leave a positive image as someone who comprehensive and professional.

What you need to do: 

  1. Prioritize your questions based on the interview situation – Is this the first interview or the second interview?
  2. The best questions you can ask are open ended questions
  3. Have 3-5 questions prepared (The more the better)
  4. Only ask questions that you are interested in knowing the answer!
  5. Only ask questions that are relevant to the job, department, management and organization

Sample 15 Job Interview Questions to ask:

  • How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured?
  • Do you provide any sort of professional development or training?
  • How do you measure performance and how often is it reviewed?
  • Who was in this job before and why did they leave?
  • Is this a new position? How long has this position existed?
  • Could you explain your organizational structure?
  • How many people work in this office/department?
  • How much travel is expected?
  • What’s the makeup of the team as far as experience?
  • With whom will I be working most closely?
  • Why do you enjoy working for this company?
  • How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured?
  • Can you describe the company’s management style?
  • What would be the goals of the department in the coming year?
  • What are the traits and skills of people who are the most successful within the organization?

Types of Job Interview Questions NOT to ask:

  • Salary and benefits
  • Questions that are clearly stated on the website
  • Generic / Obvious questions
  • Questions that the interviewer is unable to answer. Do not try to “outsmart the interviewer” Asking questions that appear to be challenging the interviewer or a question that the interviewer is unlikely to know will only create a negative vibe between you and the interviewer. Remember you are trying to build rapport with the interviewer not challenge the interviewer.
  • Questions that are irrelevant to the job or organization

Sample 15 Job Interview Questions NOT to ask:

    • How many sick days and holiday days do I get?
    • Do I still get paid for a sick day?
    • If I start next week how long until I will get a pay rise?
    • How long is the lunch break?
    • What is it that your company does?
    • Are the working hours flexible?
    • Am I able to have my own office?
    • Who are the “coolest” people on my team?
    • How many warnings do you get before you are fired?
    • Are there many coffee shops close by?
    • How financially sound is this company?
    • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
    • Will I be given an employee handbook?
    • What is the company policy on internet use?
    • Can I use Facebook?

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

RedStarResume the number 1 choice for resume and CV writing services. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, we will be right by your side the entire journey until you have secured your brand new job.

The journey to finding your dream job starts with a brand new professional resume

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30
Apr

Standing out in your Job Interview

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Interview Secrets Exposed

A true story…

A candidate was applying for a job at one of the large investment banks.

Out of 150 candidates the hiring manager had selected the top 10 best resumes to perform first round interviews. Every interview was 15-20 minutes long. The final question the hiring manager asked to each of the candidates was

“Tell me something about the company.”

Nine out of ten of the candidates rattled off information they had read from the company’s “about us page”, but one candidate stood out. After reading about the company’s strategic purchase of a new acquisition, the candidate was able to impress the hiring manager with his (somewhat different) knowledge.

The hiring manager later offered this candidate the role not because he was the smartest candidate, but because he showed his dedication by going the extra step in his interview preparation.

 

Check out Interview Secrets Exposed

Interview Questions Interview Samples Interview Tips and Advice

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25
Apr

Job Interview Questions

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Imagine going to your interview today and starting your new job tomorrow …. You Can

The Brand new Ebook from RedStarResume “Interview Secrets Exposed” is an insiders guide on everything you need to know in order to nail your job interview.

Follow our steps and make sure that you are well prepared to answer every possible interview question when the opportunity presents itself. This E-book is a compilation of many months of research and discussions with hiring managers and career experts in recruitment, career counselling and interviews.

The purchase of this E-book is your first step in ensuring that you get the job! Interviewing is all about research, confidence and creating a good rapport. The hiring manager needs to know that you are capable of performing the tasks of the job and also that you will be a good addition to the team. The interview is your time to shine. Don’t be intimidated because you don’t think you have all the skills that are wanted in the job specification. Most businesses will teach you as you go, so lacking a certain skill will not mean you can’t get the job. If you do lack certain skills or experience, you need to work twice as hard in your interview to portray what you do have that you can bring this job. It is a myth to think that the most skilled person will get the job. When it comes to hiring the right person, it is about the overall package – skills, personality, confidence and also the passion you show in your interview.

Did you Know – In less than 30 minutes you can have all the answers you need to quicklu and easily prepare yourself for your next important job interview. Rather than going into the interview feeling nervous and unprepared, you can stand out from the competition and force the hiring manager to take notice. This simple, powerful formula guarantees you will be prepared for any question that comes your way.

 

Check out Interview Secrets Exposed

Interview Questions Interview Samples Interview Tips and Advice

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15
Feb

The role of the resume writer

By RedStarResume No comments yet

The role of the resume writer has considerably changed over the past few years. With competition for jobs world wide greater than it ever has been before, it is more important than ever that a resume writer is able to properly identify the job role that a potential candidate is applying for and be able to write the resume accordingly.

20 years ago it was enough just to use a basic resume template that followed a predicable path. Education at the top followed by professional experience (including a few sentences about the duties and responsibilities), and a skills section at the bottom.

How times have changed. These days, a hiring manager will see on average 100 resumes for every job that is posted online (this is obviously lower for more specialised jobs and much higher for general administration jobs, but let us use 100 for our example).

Out of the 100 resumes that a hiring manager will see, at least 50% of the candidates will have similar skills, educations and backgrounds. With the remaining 50 other candidates let’s say that 50% of these candidates have greater experience, skills, education and 50% have less experience, skills and education. Now that you have an idea of the competition you are up against, have another look at your resume and see if it is going to be good enough to get you in the top 5-10%.

The role of the modern resume or CV writer is to understand first and foremost the current state of the economy and industry that the applicant is applying for.

The second role of the resume writer is to highlight your achievements in order to stand out against the competition. It is no longer acceptable to just list your day to day duties in your resume or list brief duties you performed. I see this every day and people wonder why they cannot get an interview.

For example:

Current Job: Sales Company

Date 2008 – Present

Duties:

  • Sales & Promotions
  • Customer Service
  • Cash Handling
  • Training
  • Courses Attended
  • Cold Sales
  • Face to Face

 

In today’s world this is no longer good enough. Hiring managers want to see how you have added value to your past jobs and what you can offer them going forward. The role the resume writer is to highlight these achievements and ensure that your resume opens the door for you to get an interview. At the end of the day that is what you want your resume to be able to do.

Good Luck!

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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26
Nov

10 Resume Tips To Follow

By RedStarResume No comments yet

How many times have you picked up a magazine while waiting for an appointment and flipped through the hundreds of pages of articles? How long did it take you to decide whether or not to turn the page? Studies show that most people make this decision in less than 5 seconds.

This is the exact same scenario with your resume—it can be discarded within a matter of seconds. An example I always use to highlight this reality came during my experience as a recruitment agent in London. I was to fill a new job opening as an equities trader for one of the most prestigious investment firms in the UK. I was asked to select the top 10 resumes to forward onto the hiring manager. I advertised the job on a Monday and by Thursday I had over 300 resumes sitting in my inbox. I did not have the time to sit and read through every line of each resume sitting there, let alone the hundreds more that would follow. I had to “scan” the resumes and eliminate the weak or moderate ones right away. This is a very typical scenario, especially in this current economic climate. Your resume needs to be convincing from the start.

When applying for jobs, you can bet that 50% of all the other applicants have similar skills and knowledge. So how do you make your resume stand out from the others? How do you ensure that you’re at least given the chance to present yourself in person?

Your resume is a marketing document, a convincing reason to want to meet with you for an interview. Without an appealing and marketable resume that contains information employers require, you will not get the job you want. Of course, never forget the complementary role a cover letter plays. A cover letter goes hand in hand with the resume.  Good resume and bad cover letter end up in the same place—the trash bin. 

Remember, your resume is the greatest asset you have—don’t forget this!

Find below a list of my top 10 resume tips:

  • Professional

Keep it professional. Your resume is a business document, so it must be professional. Your resume is no place for gimmicks, pictures, or funny email addresses. Although you may think you look great in your picture or that your email address is funny (yes, I have seen love_homersimpson@hotmail.com), this is not required on your resume. You may think it looks great, but your employer may disagree. Stick to the facts and keep it professional!

  • Targeted

The more targeted your resume is, the better you have at landing an interview. Employers want to know exactly what you can do for their company. It is important that you tailor each resume to each job (it will only take a few sentences to do this). Get rid of any information that is not required for a particular job. This will alleviate the tendency to overcrowd your resume with too much irrelevant information.

  • Well-written

A well-written, concise resume will make a greater impression with your employer than a long winded “padded” resume. Use positive action words such as: enhanced, influenced, restructured, and attained. This will add that extra boost to your resume. On the same hand, avoid everyday buzz words. Remember, your resume needs to focus on your key skills and achievements. Words such as “hard worker,” “reliable” and “ambitious ” can have a more detrimental effect on your resume as these words are seen as adding no value to resume.

  • Self-promoting

Your resume is a marketing document. Promote and sell yourself! Do not be scared to sell your skills, accomplishments, and abilities. If you don’t tell the employer, no one else will. Focus on what you can offer the business rather than what the business can offer you. Emphasise your skills, especially the ones the job is asking for. An employer wants to know that you have the relevant skills for that particular job. If a coffee shop is hiring a barista, and you’ve already worked as one, make your skills stand out and take centre stage. Just like with the example of skimming over the magazines, you need your employer to take one glance at your resume and want to read on.

  • Tailor your resume

Very important – one size fits all approach does not work here. Every job is different, and depending on what the job is, you need to make sure you tweak your resume (and cover letter) for that particular job. Ask yourself, “What job am I going for, and does my resume have the skills and strengths required to present to my future employer?” Tailoring your resume to the specific job you’re going for will show the hiring manager that you are serious about working for their organisation.

  • Quality, not quantity

Quality not quantity! Your resume is not a life story. Stick to the facts— using irrelevant data, waffling, and padding your resume are detrimental. Let your skills and experience do the talking for you.

  • Simplify

Forget about fancy fonts or clever uses of italics. Keep it simple. Your resume is not meant to be a work of art to be displayed on the wall. Not only can it be hard to read, but there are multiple scanning software programs that might be unable to read it, meaning it will end up being deleted before even being opened.

  • Spelling /Grammar/Punctuation

Every word program these days has spell check—USE IT! Poor spelling and grammar will immediately land your resume in the “deleted items” box. It is a hard enough to get an interview—do not let yourself down with basic spelling mistakes. Re-read every word yourself, and get someone else to read it as well.

  • Consistent

Be sure that your resume is written in a commonsense way—in order, logical, and easy to read. Be consistent throughout your resume with your margins, fonts, and line spacing. Don’t be scared to accentuate your skills or achievements with a different style of font or by using a bold font (but remember keep it simple. There is a fine line of going overboard when using different font styles). Consistency shows professionalism.

  • Do not mention money

Unless you are directly asked about money, do not mention it. Keep your cards close to your chest. Do not rule yourself out before you even begin because of money.

© RedStarResume Publications

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To view all “Tips from the Pros” Check out our website www.redstarresume.com

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