A resume is a condensed format of personal achievements and qualifications. It is the initial communication with a potential employer. A good resume is the first step in identifying and pursuing a career opportunity. The most important consideration when drafting a resume is to determine whether it will create the desired impression on a recruiter, enough for him to schedule an interview.
A resume is essentially a mode of communication between the candidate and the employer. It is expected to effectively communicate the candidate’s achievements and strengths. The resume should be planned and documented in such a way that it highlights every important detail that is relevant to the job at hand. It should make available, at a glance, a complete picture of the candidate and the special skills and abilities he has to offer the organization.
Differentiate Yourself
There is a difference between a resume for a sales job and one for a management position. In order to make the resume effective, the candidate should highlight his areas of interest, achievements, skills and abilities, in line with the job being applied for. While a salesperson should emphasize sales volume and targets achieved, an academic should emphasize his academic achievements and special honors received. The abilities and special achievements should be highlighted in a way that the candidate’s profile and the job requirements match perfectly.
Making An Impression
The most significant part of a resume is the top quarter. This part offers details on the identity of the candidate and his professional qualifications at a glance. A powerful headline helps in defining and distinguishing a candidate from others. The headline should be followed by information on special skills and expertise that makes him suitable for that particular position. The headline and details should be job specific and easily modified. The personal details furnished should be complete, leaving no room for a lapse in communication if you are chosen for the job.
Market Yourself
Marketing yourself and selling your ability to execute the duties assigned to the best of your ability is very important and should be kept in mind while drafting the resume. A candidate should be able to promote himself. After highlighting the academic and other achievements, you should sell personal achievements that distinguish you from the other contenders. Your efforts that highlight the leadership qualities in you should be mentioned. Knowledge of regional or foreign languages adds value, especially if the job involves national or overseas travel.
The Last Opportunity
The cover letter is an opportunity to impress the employer with your writing skills. The cover letter should be drafted in a way that it markets your abilities and suitability for the position. It should be a sincere effort to offer your services to the organization and should provide a brief snapshot of what you have to offer.
Your resume provides you with an opportunity for an interview with the employer. You should address your resume, complete with a cover letter, to a particular person rather than just a department. This ensures that the resume reaches the person in charge of recruiting, rather than in the in-box of a department. It is also the safest way of making sure that the resume and enclosed photocopies, if any, are not misplaced.
January 16, 2010
How To Strengthen Your Resume
December 14, 2009
Resources For Career Counseling Help
The most important step in finding a right job is to look for one that is most suitable to your requirements and most compatible with your personality. This may sound easy, but often we don’t have a clue about what each job provider has to offer and what would work best for us. Resources for career counseling can be a great help in this process of identifying the next career move.
Web Resources
The Internet is an exhaustive information source that allows us to select from a large list of options. Most organized online resources help job seekers find a viable job based on their personal preference and skill. An interested candidate needs to key in some specifications to narrow down the search that is applied to a massive job database. It is very important to know what to key in when checking online resources for career counseling as selecting the right keyword will get you the desired information.
Identifying What Is “Really” Important To You
There are many factors that may affect the kind of resource you can find on the web. Geographic preference can narrow down the response. Personal preferences such as amount of travel involved can further focus the results. Its important to note that if a user puts in too many preferences the result may be zero help, so its important to keep key factors in mind. This kind of “what if” analysis is possible when using automated resources and is generally not available when using counselors.
Too Much Information Can Confuse You
Web can be a boon or a curse to a person seeking career counseling. The curse of the information explosion can confuse rather than help. Therefore, for some, the old fashioned personal approach is more suitable.
Benefits
A beneficial aspect of career counseling resources is that they help job seekers understand their shortcomings and prepare accordingly. Most jobs that are posted online usually mention what an applicant’s ideal profile should be. This enables job seekers to see for themselves if they fit in or not. It can also spur self-development efforts such as enrolling for additional training, education, and certification or licensing.
Aside from this, resources for career counseling offer useful advice on career related issues. There are forums and message boards on most sites where one can post a query. A counselor answers these questions to help you choose accordingly. Some of the specialized career counseling companies evaluate your current earnings and analyze your potential to help you land a better job.
What Information To Look For
You could make a job choice based upon recommendations, reviews, write-ups, word of mouth or rankings, but the most important is personal need. The American School Counselor Association plays an important role in ranking or recommending job sites. Many graduate schools refer to these online career-counseling sites to build their own database.
Tools That Can Help You
Self-assessment and interests, values inventories, self-assessment tools, personality and IQ tests, and aptitude quizzes help analyze your true potential.
The Keirsey Temperament Sorter test helps gauge your personality profile. The Career Planning Process, Career Change, and Hoover’s Online are a few popular career- counseling resources. The Riley Guide, Resume Writing, Career Services and America’s Job Bank are helpful as well. A job seeker may also refer to Yahoo! Classifieds-Employment, Contract Employment Weekly, Jobs Online, UST Career Development Center, Monster.com, Job Web, and Career Mosaic.
If all this confuses you don’t hesitate to go to your local community college or university. They have career counseling centers that can provide a large amount of information and staff that is eager to help.
December 13, 2009
How Important Is Career Networking?
At the outset, let’s accept that there is no such thing as an ideal candidate, and there is no employer who is ideal for everyone. Still, every time we see someone change his or her career or make an upward move, we say or at least think that he/she is brilliant and was the ideal candidate for the position and that the company is lucky to have hired him or her.
But did the candidate really get lucky, or were they just smart?
Is Career Networking So Important?
Don’t have an iota of doubt about this in your mind: networking plays an important role in career moves. Despite having reasonably strong work experience and skills, lacking in networking abilities could jettison your chances in finding a good job. Your networking contacts can help you beat the competition and open the door to mostly unadvertised job openings through referrals. That the ‘Wall Street Journal’ claimed a couple of years ago that ‘94% of successful job seekers claimed that networking had made all the difference for them’ should go on to prove the point.
Let’s take a hypothetical case of a person in her middle age attempting a career change. The point of contention is not whether or not that person got a raise or a promotion. That worker was traveling to her job a distance of 12 miles every day for the last twelve years and she was beginning to develop frustrations about the employers and her job. However, she could not afford to just quit. She watched the classifieds of local newspapers and lodged her resumes with dozens of recruiters. She knew there were some companies closer to home, but she had been told that there were no vacancies that matched her job profile.
On a Sunday Mass at the local Church she bumped into her childhood friend. Sometime after a friendly exchange, the conversation tuned to her job situation. It turned out that her friend was working in one of those companies and she knew of one vacancy where she could fit in. What followed next is not of importance but this lady got a job at the company where she wanted to work.
In this day and age, savvy career networking is a must. By growing your network, you will have not only expanded your circle of friends but also work acquaintances who may be able to help you open new doors when you finally decide to change jobs or careers.
November 15, 2009
Career Change Do’s And Don’ts
People have plenty of decisions to make every minute of their lives. What dress to wear, what time to leave home, what color tie to wear, etc. Unlike these decisions, there are some that need a good deal of contemplation.
Everything in life might be going well; you might be able to lead a decent life with the salary you get, the children can go to school and even if your spouse doesn’t work the house still manages on your paycheck. But, deep inside there may be a voice that says something isn’t right. The current job you have isn’t the one you enjoy doing. Listen to that voice, especially if it starts affecting your work and you cannot concentrate.
Think of alternative jobs that you could do instead of your present one. The career change you decide on can turn out to be the most exciting in your life.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts to keep on mind when changing your career:
Do’s
-Planning a career change is difficult and it is best to have a plan. Think long and hard before making any decision, as this will affect your career in the long run.
-Since you are making a change, consider a job that is not similar to the present one. Also consider careers which make optimum use of your interests and skills.
-Network with people through friends and business associates. This is the best way of finding out about the industry you would like to join.
-Consult a friend or someone who has knowledge of the industry and can act as a mentor, advising you and helping you to focus on your goals.
-If your chosen field requires additional qualifications, think of ways you can do it and the course you could opt for.
-If possible, try to work part-time for the job you want. This can help you understand the intricacies of the new job.
-When you start working on the new job you should take time to adapt to the new surroundings and system of working.
-When you quit a job, leave on a positive note. Keeping good relations with your past employers will help you in the future.
Don’ts
-Don’t have too many expectations from the job; you could be disappointed if things don’t turn out the way you thought.
-Don’t discuss your plans for a change of career with your office colleagues until you have a solid offer in writing.
-Don’t be dazzled by the glamour and big money that some jobs offer. What you should to look for is job satisfaction and a secure future.
-Don’t expect a career change to be instant; it might take more time than you expect.
-Don’t leave your current job until you have another one in hand. You never know how long finding the job of your choice will take. If it takes longer than expected, you may have to consider paying bills from your savings.
Do away with all your inhibitions about making a successful career change. Your job and how you perceive it has an effect on you, your family and your future.
November 11, 2009
10 Steps To A Successful Career Change
The thought of changing careers will cross everyone’s mind at some point in time. Yet, not many think that they, confidently, can take that step. While there are many reasons that can be attributed to this noticeable phenomenon, we, for the moment, will confine ourselves to the major reason – lack of confidence.
Lack Of Confidence – A Major Drawback To Successful Career Change
It is not unusual to desire a change in career. However, proper & detailed planning and preparation is essential for a successful change in career. Many times, procrastinating over the matter not just develops the redundancy factor but also creates a sort of fear and hindrance.
10 Steps To A Successful Career Change
Here are the ten steps to changing your career successfully:
1. Preparing To Change: Gather information about your target organizations, job profile, etc. Get additional training and certifications as needed. Get your resume done professionally; highlighting areas to which you can contribute to and your past accomplishments.
2. Expect The Unexpected: Interviewers throw out surprises, sometimes unintentionally, which can catch you off-guard. It pays to know the questions that they might ask. Anticipate even the craziest questions.
3. Consult Those Who Are Already In Your Chosen Field: This gives you a wealth of information on the daily routine, responsibilities and challenges.
4. Changing A Line Of Career Isn’t Unusual: The need for cross-discipline skills is no surprise these days. Get across the point that you don’t lack all the skills required by the new job even you haven’t worked in a similar one. Interpersonal skills, organizational, personal skills are commonly required wherever you go.
5. Brush Up Old Skills And Add New Ones: Comparing your skill set with that required by the target job will tell you the areas you need to concentrate on.
6. Use The Internet: Use Internet job boards to post your resume, which should be carefully crafted specially for this purpose. By crafting, I mean using keywords that are industry-specific jargon.
7. Internet Helps Research A New Industry: Visit websites of organizations, forums or associations in that field which gives invaluable insight before short listing them. Researching job listings by company will definitely help you get an idea of what skills are most in demand.
8. Family Support: Draw confidence and support from your family. When you are down, use them as a sounding board. They may be able to help you come up with new ideas, and they will definitely boost your confidence.
9. Interview, Interview: Even if you are not perfectly suited for a particular position, you should still interview as much as you can. This way, you will know your strengths and weaknesses. It will also help if you do some informational interviewing. This is simply targeting people already working in your field and speaking with them about their jobs.
10. Network. Networking has been the time-tested method for a successful career change. Network with ex-employees and current employees of your target industry. Over 60% of all interviews come as a result of networking.
November 6, 2009
Do’s And Don’ts Of Career Change
A career change can be riddled with mistakes and ambiguity for many people, even those in mid-career. This, as a consequence, relegates them to where they are despite additions to their job and personal skill sets and the larger market scenario. This small but indicative list of career changes Dos and Don’ts will help to make things clearer.
Career Change Don’ts
-Never come out any job before you have another one. Don’t quit a job on impulse, only when you have a solid plan. Leaving a job too early will have obvious negative effects. You could easily find yourself without a job with no leads in sight.
-A career change cannot be spontaneous but must be the result of a well-planned and well thought out decision. Do not plan to change your career in just minutes.
-Don’t change your career just for the sake of big/instant money or glamour; rather, give some real thought as to whether you are really interested in switching to another career. Sure, the new career might seem great at first, but will you still enjoy it after several years?
-Don’t have unrealistic expectations from the career that you are going to choose.
-Don’t pay attention to rumors or gossip or even react to them during your job change process.
-Don’t spread the word about your leaving the job until it is confirmed in writing.
-Don’t leave your ’safe’ job until you know where and how you will be compensated.
-Don’t leave the job for until you have ensured that you will not have to pay your monthly bills from your savings
-Don’t ever spread misinformation about your past employer
The Dos of Career Change
-While still in your current job, you can gather information or rather work part-time for the career you have chosen. It will give you some idea of the scope and nature of your target job.
-While still in your present career, learn as much as you can and plan to take that knowledge with you.
-List your strengths and qualities in fields you that you already excel. Identify your need for a career change.
-If it is sheer frustration or stress and all other aspects are fine in your present job, then target these two problems rather going for a career change.
-Maintain a positive relationship with your present organization and leave the job on a positive note.
-As soon as you join your new employer, get down to business without wasting time; you will have lot to learn in a new environment.