3 Keys to Customize Your Resume

1. Utilize Proper Language

The first rule of customization is to ensure your resume contains the same language found in the job advertisement. Many companies use junior human resources staff as the first reviewers for the resumes they receive. Since HR staff typically know a lot about HR and less about the business of their company, they often look to match your resume with the keywords used in the job ad. This is why it’s important to customize your resume for an untrained eye; generally, the first person (or software program) looking it over is not discerning enough to know what you mean unless you use the exact same language.

2. Optimize Your Resume With Keywords

For a job seeker who is looking at several different industries, matching keywords can be the most time consuming part of the process. For instance, someone with a background in nonprofit development may be looking at various nonprofit positions as well as opportunities in sales.

Although both jobs essentially involve bringing in money for the employer, the nonprofit industry talks about “fund-raising” while the sales industry talks about “market share.” In order to save herself the hassle of changing the language of her resume every time she applies for a job, this job seeker would want to design both a standard nonprofit resume and a sales resume as the basic documents to work from for either type of job.

3. Put Important Details First

Another way to customize your resume for a specific job opening is to construct the various sections of your resume in the same order as the items listed in the ad. For instance, if an advertisement says, “Seeking licensed master’s level social worker for clinical supervisor,” then your resume should display your academic degrees and social work license near the top. Employers generally use their ads to tell you what they’re looking for—so don’t make it hard for them to find it!


Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/3-keys-customizing-resume/#8GiqYFZCztmv2tzy.99

5 Things You Can Do To Help Recruiters Find You on LinkedIn

1. Update Your Profile

If you want to be visible, you need to make your profile public. This also means completing all parts of your profile. A completed profile is given more preference over those that are incomplete in the search engine’s ranking of results. Your profile should also include a photo, but one that is professional – you want to appear dressed for the job.

2. Include Keywords

When a recruiter searches for candidates, it often means using keywords like a job title, the name of an employer, or common terms used in the field. If your profile does not appear with any of these keywords, it’s not going to show up in search results. Make sure your profile is updated with the proper keywords, including them in your sub-header (the headline right below your name), summary, description of work experiences, and under specialties. If you want to be thorough on keywords, also look at job postings you’re applying to for common terms and phrases. It’ll help build up your profile’s searchability.

3. Obtain Recommendations

A LinkedIn profile with recommendations informs recruiters that you are active in the workforce, and have the support of others vouching your skills and talent. It also encourages recruiters to want to click on your profile to read further into what your experience, skills, and talents are.

4. Make Connections

The more relevant connections you have, the greater the likelihood your profile will show up. For instance, if your profile is connected to five other contacts the recruiter is also connected to, it makes your profile more favorable than someone with no related connections.

5. Have A Voice

When you stay active on LinkedIn, your profile will get in front of more contacts. Think about sharing relevant articles with your contacts, joining group discussions – particularly industry and job specific ones recruiters comb through, commenting on shared content, and so on. The more interaction, the greater visibility your profile will have.


Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/linkedin-recruiters-help-find/#ofZpb4qmEjSu1CpB.99

Yes, Resume Formatting Matters

You are putting together your resume in the hopes that it will reflect the awesomeness that is you, your work experience and skills. That's great!

Let's put content aside and talk strictly about the nuts and bolts of formatting for a moment...

In today's job market unless to you are going into a very creative field, it's a great idea to stay away from the following:
• Text boxes with various icons and lots of changes in the fonts and colors
• Graphics that over power the resume or distract. One simple line at the top to delineate your name if you must is sufficient
• Too many dots, dashes, roman numerals, and numbering. Bullet points are great for each position to highlight accomplishments.
• Always include your name, address (city & state are sufficient) a contact phone number and email address
• There is no need to label your contact information such as email address: janedoe@yahoo.com simply type the email address. It will be apparent that it’s an email address. The same with phone numbers, etc... You can indicate (C) for cell (H) for home phone if needed
• Choose a straightforward professional format with your contact information at the top. It’s a good idea to make the contact information larger than the remaining resume content so it jumps out at your reader.
• There is still plenty of room for individuality in what font(s) you use, how you format the resume content and even how you lay out your contact information. Experiment with different looks and templates, being sure you stay in the guidelines of “clean, straightforward, and easy to read”

This advice goes against the long standing accepted practice of resume design. That was before the introduction of technology that changed the way a resume is seen, evaluated and processed. Today many HR Managers, Hiring Managers and Recruiters are using ATS (applicant tracking systems) so reducing the amount of formatting “fluff” will be greatly appreciated when they are viewing, and trying to upload your resume to their company’s data base. Bear that in mind when constructing your resume and it will be the right reflection you are looking for. Good Luck to You!

33 Questions You May Hear in an Interview

1) If you had the option, would you change your college career?
2) How do you go about deciding what to do first when given a project?
3) What are the most important rewards you expect in your business career?
4) Provide an example of how you are a risk taker.
5) If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
6) Why do you want to work for us and not for our competitor?
7) What did you think of your previous manager/supervisor?
8) What did you do in your last job to increase value?
9) What are some of the things that bother you?
10) Tell me about the last time you felt anger on the job.
11) Do you need other people around to stimulate you or are you self-motivated?
12) What management style gets the best results out of you?
13) How can our company offer you what your previous company could not offer?
14) How long do you think it would take before you were making a significant contribution to our business?
15) How ambitious are you? Would you compete for my job?
16) What do you like and dislike about the job we are discussing?
17) Why did you choose a career in… ?
18) What do you think is the most important dilemma facing our business today?
19) How much does your last job resemble the one you are applying for? What are the differences?
20) Why did you decide to join your previous company? Did the job live up to your expectations? Why are you leaving now?
21) Explain the organizational structure and hierarchy in your last company and how you fitted into it. Did this suit you?
22) Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large company?
23) What interests you about our company, product or service?
24) You have not done this sort of job before. How will you cope/succeed?
25) Do you consider yourself successful in your career to date?
26) What was your greatest success in your professional career? How did you achieve it?
27) What has been your biggest failure in your professional career?
28) Did you feel you advanced and progressed in your last job?
29) How do you handle criticism?
30) What would you like to avoid in your next job?
31) How did you get on with your previous manager, supervisor, co-workers, and subordinates?
32) What will your references say about you?
33) Fantasy question… what would you do if you won the lottery? Would you come to work tomorrow?

Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/questions-employers-ask-interview/#trMQBDUGRcrMtEvg.99

Take Your Best Professional Selfie & Use on Your LinkedIn Profile etc...

1. Examples. Review some headshots of professionals you admire and look for elements you’d like to use in your selfie. For example, if you like action shots that show professionals at work, then use that theme. Or if you prefer pictures of people sitting at their desks, use a similar style.
Tip: Don’t stray too far from the norm. Unless you’re a creative professional, you want to stand out because of your professional achievements, not because your selfie is an amazing work of art.

2. Setting/background. Brainstorm settings that support your polished and professional profile. For example, if you work in government, use a government building as a backdrop. If you’re a PR specialist, take a photo of yourself at a conference. If you’re a techie, make sure your computer’s in the shot. It’s also advisable to make sure nobody else is in the photo, especially if you intend to use the selfie on your social media accounts. If the image does include others, don’t simply crop them out, since the results could look messy and unprofessional. Instead, invest some more time and re-do your photo shoot in a place where you won’t be disturbed.
Tip: Avoid photo bombers… unless it’s Kevin Spacey! Seriously, it’s impossible to control your environment if you choose a public setting. So don’t just snap a pic and upload it directly to your profile. Instead, carefully review it on a large screen to ensure there aren't any unexpected surprises.

3. Color palette. Colors play an important role in the balance of an image. Lots of bright colors can be overwhelming, while predominantly subdued tones can be boring. Make sure to stand out in a good way by choosing contrasting colors. For example, in an urban setting with predominantly gray tints, select bright tones of blue, red or green. In an outdoor setting like a park, avoid greens, browns and blues and instead, choose reds, pinks or yellows.
Tip: Think twice before you wear something with a pattern. Dots, stripes and prints can distract the eye away from the focal point of the image: your face.

4. Attire. With the above tips on colors in mind, select clothes that are appropriate for your professional setting.
Tip: Remember that most selfies involve holding your camera at arm’s length while taking the picture. This physical position can alter the way your clothes fit to your body. For example, a shirt and tie might get scrunched up around the neck or a V-neck sweater can become too revealing. Do a test run in your chosen outfit to make sure your clothes won’t spoil the shot.

5. Lighting. Professional photographer Rodnesha Green advises using natural light, preferably in the morning or evening. You want to avoid hard illumination such as bright sunlight, indoor lighting or built-in flashes. The softer the light, the more flattering it is for your features.
Tip: Schedule your selfie shoot for the next cloudy day. Clouds naturally diffuse sunlight and offer a much softer effect.

6. Angles. The angle of your head relative to the lens can make or break a selfie. Taking a picture straight on will result in unflattering distortion, while looking down into the lens can give you the appearance of having a double chin. For the best angle, hold your device at arm’s length, then move it up approximately 45 degrees. This aligns your body and reduces distortion.

Read more at: www.kellyservices.us/US/Careers/Candidate-Resource-Center/Career-Tips-and-Tools/How-to-Take-a-Professional-Selfie/?sid=xSocial+Content+Career+Tips+B2C#.U5B0YvldUu8

Some Great Mental Hacks to Help on an Interview

I personally have done these two and they helped me tremendously!!

Cognitive Reframing:
Cognitive reframing is a psychological technique used to identify negative thoughts, and then dispute or reframe those thoughts into more positive challenges. Recent research reveals that people perform better when they look at difficult situations as a challenge instead of a threat — and a job interview presents a prime opportunity to turn a difficult situation into a challenge.

When you think about it, interviewing is a solo activity. Research has found this solo status can be extremely stressful, because it increases visibility and performance pressure. When all eyes are on you in the interview, the implications for making a mistake are much higher. It’s no wonder going on a job interview can feel so threatening.

However, research has found that cognitive appraisal, or how you view a situation, has a big impact on how well you perform in these instances. If you see the interview as a challenge to tackle and overcome instead of a threatening and scary situation, you increase your odds of success. Before the interview, create a little mantra for yourself so you can remember that this is a challenge to overcome — not a frightening experience. Reframing how you interpret the interview gives you a better chance of success.

Chewing Gum:
Can chewing gum contribute to interview success? The answer might just surprise you. Researchers at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom found that workers who chew gum have lower levels of occupational stress. The same research team also found that students who chewed gum regularly reported lower stress levels and the ability to complete a greater load of academic work.

Meanwhile, researchers from St. Lawrence University found that gum-chewing benefits working memory, episodic memory and general information-processing speed. The chewing motion gets blood flowing to the head, leading to neural arousal and making it easier for you to focus and concentrate.

Chewing some gum before a big interview may help you focus on your talking points, remember important information and rid some of the troublesome stress that's bringing down your performance. Popping in a stick of gum doesn’t just ensure minty-fresh breath, it might also improve your interviewing skills. Just don’t forget to get rid of the gum before the actual interview! No interviewer wants to see how many bubbles you can blow or how loudly you can pop your gum.

Find out more at: http://mashable.com/2014/06/03/interview-mental-hacks/

7 Ways to Stay Positive in the Job Search

Here are seven ways I have seen professionals lead purpose-driven job searches. These are the practices that turn a transition from a lowlight to a highlight in their careers.

1. Be social. Relationships are one of the best times to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. Meet with as many people as you can and use the conversations to uncover opportunities. Try to meet at least one new person and reconnect with another everyday during your search.

2. Be generous. Rather than focusing your relationships on serving you, focus on serving others. Ask people you meet about their needs and challenges and see how you can help. It isn’t easy to do when you are feeling anxious about finding work, but being generous will bring you purpose and make your network more likely to help you in the end.

3. Be curious. There are few times you can meet with so many people from different fields and industries. Use your job search to learn about the world and broaden your horizons.

4. Be courageous. Don’t confine your search to jobs that are similar to your last. Explore some career paths that would stretch you and expose you to new thinking and challenges. You might find a new path that is much better than the one you are traveling.

5. Be self-aware. Use the time during a job search to become clearer about what drives purpose for you. There are 24 different purpose patterns that determine what we need to have purpose at work. Find yours on Imperative.com to help inform your search.

6. Be authentic. Using your purpose pattern, think back to all your previous jobs and how you found purpose in each one. What were your purpose moments? What really matters to you in a job? Use these insights to define what you are seeking in your next job. During interviews tell employers about what drives purpose for you at work. It will help ensure that you have the right conversations about the job fit.

7. Be visionary. Don’t just focus on thinking about your next job. Set goals for your next ten years and then do a work back plan for how to get there including your next step. This will also make you more compelling to potential employers.

Excerpted from: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140602135657-201849-8-ways-to-stay-while-finding-a-job?trk=nus-cha-roll-art-title