We were approached recently by ASAE (the association for association people) to spend some time on the phone with their job seeking/ career transitioning members. It was advertised to the members as "20 minutes with an executive recruiter at no cost to them". (Wow, what a deal!) We were asked to counsel them on their resume, job search strategies, salary negotiations, and how to deal with "headhunters" like us, among other things.
While we are retained by employers to find employees, from time to time we get these "critiquing" requests. Most of the individuals I spoke with had ties to the association/ not-for-profit world. It was easier, based on experience, to give them advice and potentially have them as candidates for a search down the road. Others I spoke with were with corporations, so my advice was more general and off the cuff based on their resume. Below are a few suggestions/ pointers I found myself giving...some new, some standard.
1. Consider adding your profile to LinkedIn if you are not already there. It's free and you can join interest groups. Also, recruiters have profiles on there and I know they look for candidates on there as well.
2. Become more active in a committee/interest group in those professional associations/ volunteer organizations you list on your resume. Consider a committee where you can learn new skills or enhance the ones you have. Be strategic about it.
3. Use the phone. If you see a job listing you are interested in that looks old or you have a general question about it, call the organization, ask for someone in HR (or the recruiter) and ask. Be curious and you will get to tell them your name. Don't forget to get their name as well. Bonus points if you get direct contact information. Best to call in the morning or towards COB.
4. Though you should have a 30 second elevator speech prepared, everyone else has one too. Add something interesting about yourself or something cool you've done lately to it (raised $5,000 for a 2 Day walk to support breast cancer, attended South by Southwest Festival, had a purple ticket to the inauguration AND got in, etc.). Chances are you will be better remembered.
5. Have multiple resumes. (I prefer them written in chronological order w/ most recent first) At least one should be geared towards your current industry/line of work. Another should place more emphasis on your skills in the event you are applying for a position in a different industry. And do have one comprehensive ("master") resume for historical purposes. The one you send to recruiters/hiring managers should be a shorter version of this. Remember, you only get ~30 or so seconds of review time. Make it count.
6. Consider adding no more than 2 to 3 sentences at the top of your resume that summarize your qualifications. They usually begin with something like "Industry professional with X years of experience in....Proven track record of..."
Implement some of these and hopefully results will follow!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Tips for Writing a Good Resume
As executive recruiters we see thousands of resumes, some generic and some for specific searches we're working on. However, only once in a while do we come across a resume that has all the desired information. Consequently, with the competition heating up for jobs [lots of applicants; few openings], it's even more important to make sure that your resume has all the pertinent information that a potential employer or a recruiter would need.
Below are some suggestions that we feel are the essentials of a good resume. According to statistics, the average resume gets approximately 30 seconds of read time, so your goal should be to make the most of the few seconds that your resume is being reviewed.
Complete Contact Information
We consistently receive resumes that do not have complete contact information. If you are looking for a new position, whether it is at an executive, middle management, or entry level, it would be smart to make it as easy as possible for a potential employer to contact you. Include the best email address and phone number to reach you. Ask for discretion when leaving a message if the best way to reach you is via a work email or phone number.
Education/Credentials
Include the name of the school, city and state and the degree (years optional). Include any other pertinent information such as subject matter or major accomplishments (i.e. Deans List, sports, student government, etc.) if you feel it relevant to the position you are seeking.
Work History In Reverse Chronological Order (Dates MM/YY Preferred)
Some resumes are laid out by subject matter expertise (financial skills, communications, strategic, management, etc.). This might be helpful in some instances, but the people reviewing your resume want to clearly see your job history and career progression and what you did in each position. Present your detailed experience in reverse chronological order dating back at least 10 years or as far as the “years of experience required” calls for in the job description.
Length and Style
Limit your initial resume to 2 pages. It is always a good idea to have a more detailed, multi page document ready should a recruiter or potential employer ask for it. We have found that the ideal resume is in a bullet format which is the easiest to read. Remember, the longer it takes to read and decipher, the less of a chance that it will get picked up again after the initial review.
Content
Focus on your achievements and strengths versus the day-to-day tasks you were required to perform in the job. Think of the things you have done that you are most proud of. Try to include a few bullet points that highlight those achievements/strengths under each job title. Use “action” verbs such as: improved, created, launched, increased, etc. If you have managed budgets or staff, make sure you include that too.
Pay Attention To Directions
Carefully read the job description or advertisement. If you are applying for a specific job, please pay close attention to the experience required portion of the job listing. Add anything to your resume that you’ve done that relates to the job description. Remember, you have to get the attention of the person initially reviewing your resume. On the other hand, if a job requires “certain“ industry experience and you don’t have it, please don’t apply for that job unless everything else you have done throughout your career is completely relevant to what the company is looking for. Receiving a resume that is not relevant shows that you did not pay attention to the directions.
Spelling and Grammar
Make sure that the document you submit is free of typos. You do not want to give the wrong first impression.
Below are some suggestions that we feel are the essentials of a good resume. According to statistics, the average resume gets approximately 30 seconds of read time, so your goal should be to make the most of the few seconds that your resume is being reviewed.
Complete Contact Information
We consistently receive resumes that do not have complete contact information. If you are looking for a new position, whether it is at an executive, middle management, or entry level, it would be smart to make it as easy as possible for a potential employer to contact you. Include the best email address and phone number to reach you. Ask for discretion when leaving a message if the best way to reach you is via a work email or phone number.
Education/Credentials
Include the name of the school, city and state and the degree (years optional). Include any other pertinent information such as subject matter or major accomplishments (i.e. Deans List, sports, student government, etc.) if you feel it relevant to the position you are seeking.
Work History In Reverse Chronological Order (Dates MM/YY Preferred)
Some resumes are laid out by subject matter expertise (financial skills, communications, strategic, management, etc.). This might be helpful in some instances, but the people reviewing your resume want to clearly see your job history and career progression and what you did in each position. Present your detailed experience in reverse chronological order dating back at least 10 years or as far as the “years of experience required” calls for in the job description.
Length and Style
Limit your initial resume to 2 pages. It is always a good idea to have a more detailed, multi page document ready should a recruiter or potential employer ask for it. We have found that the ideal resume is in a bullet format which is the easiest to read. Remember, the longer it takes to read and decipher, the less of a chance that it will get picked up again after the initial review.
Content
Focus on your achievements and strengths versus the day-to-day tasks you were required to perform in the job. Think of the things you have done that you are most proud of. Try to include a few bullet points that highlight those achievements/strengths under each job title. Use “action” verbs such as: improved, created, launched, increased, etc. If you have managed budgets or staff, make sure you include that too.
Pay Attention To Directions
Carefully read the job description or advertisement. If you are applying for a specific job, please pay close attention to the experience required portion of the job listing. Add anything to your resume that you’ve done that relates to the job description. Remember, you have to get the attention of the person initially reviewing your resume. On the other hand, if a job requires “certain“ industry experience and you don’t have it, please don’t apply for that job unless everything else you have done throughout your career is completely relevant to what the company is looking for. Receiving a resume that is not relevant shows that you did not pay attention to the directions.
Spelling and Grammar
Make sure that the document you submit is free of typos. You do not want to give the wrong first impression.
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