The Next Chapter of Resume Advice

The Next Chapter of Resume Advice Since transitioning from a sourcing role into an advertising/marketing role six years ago, I don’t see nearly as many resumes as I used to. However, last year, I was asked to help out with a number of sourcing projects which have extended into this year, allowing me to revisit the sourcing world and sharpen some sleuthing skills that have lay dormant in the recruiting toolbox for a few years. Nearly every week, I see blogs providing resume tips, and for good reason. It’s amazing how many horrible resumes are uploaded to job boards expecting to result in job offers. But then again, most people don’t know what a truly bad resume looks like until they’ve seen hundreds of them. The typical resume blog usually includes the same advice: make sure there are no misspellings, make sure to include your updated contact info, make sure it fits on one or two pages, don’t include “references available upon request,” etc. Even though it’s a little redundant, publishing the same info over and over is warranted by job seekers ignoring the info again and again. We can’t help those who refuse to help themselves. As important as this advice is, I’ve come across a few more pointers in my sourcing efforts that I don’t see as often in a typical resume blog. If it prompts even one candidate to make a change in their resume, it will certainly make the recruiter assigned to source that candidate’s resume breathe a bit easier. Make Your Contact Info the First Thing on Your Resume One thing I see often is resumes with no contact info. The reason is most likely that it’s being uploaded into a job board like CareerBuilder or Monster, and those sites prominently display the job seeker’s contact info at the top of the page. However, this doesn’t help when a recruiter downloads the resume. I often find myself having to copy the candidate’s contact info from the top of the page and paste it into the downloaded resume before saving it. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the time that could be better spent sourcing more resumes. Never Construct Your Resume in Text Every now and then, I’ll come across a resume written in Text, most likely because the candidate doesn’t have Microsoft Word on their computer. I can’t stress how unprofessional this looks. If you don’t have Word, surely someone you know does. It’s worth the time and effort to borrow a few minutes on their computer in order to construct a professional-looking resume that doesn’t look like it was typed on a typewriter. Additionally, while many candidates opt to use Acrobat to construct their resume, Word is still preferable as many recruiters’ ATS systems often have trouble reading the info on Acrobat documents. Make Sure Your Resume Is Downloadable Many job seekers simply cut and paste their resumes into job boards without bothering to actually upload the resume document. This means if a recruiter wants to save their resume in order to forward to a hiring manager, they have to copy the resume from the site and paste it into a Word document in order to save a copy since downloading isn’t an option. The resulting copy never looks as good as a downloaded copy, and some info may be left off in the copy and paste process. Also, when the goal is to get your resume into a recruiter’s hands and ultimately receive a job offer, here’s a hint: make the recruiter’s job as easy as possible. View Your Resume Once It’s Uploaded After uploading your resume to a job board, make sure to check out how it looks. Did it upload properly? Are there formatting issues that are causing the text to appear too large or too small? Is the entire document visible or did some of it get cut off? Every recruiter sees resumes on a regular basis that cause them to question how a job seeker could expect to get hired representing themselves with such a document, but it’s especially frustrating when the inconsistencies are simply the result of a computer or software error. Regardless, it’s far easier to recognize the error when it happens and correct it than to try to explain to a recruiter or employer that it was the computer’s fault. Once You’re Hired, Delete It Once your resume has served its purpose and you’ve settled into your new job, don’t forget to delete it from the job boards to which you uploaded it. Remember how annoying it was when you applied to jobs only to find out that they were filled months ago but the employer never bothered to remove them from the job boards? Recruiters and employers feel the same frustration when candidates leave their resumes posted long after they’re no longer seeking employment. If you’re open to exploring new opportunities, you can always leave it posted to see what other offers may come your way. However, be aware that if your current employer sees your resume posted, they may consider it a sign of dissatisfaction with your current job and start preparing for your departure. Your resume could very well be the most important document you construct in your life. Depending on the priority an employer places on resumes, it can determine who you work for, which will in turn determine your income, who you work with, who you become friends with, possibly where you live, and these will determine future connections and employment. Are you willing to compromise all of these things simply because you don’t have the time to invest in your resume? Nearly all job seekers describe themselves as “detail-oriented.” Make sure you’re demonstrating this on the document that will serve as your introduction to your next stage of employment.

Personal Brands Need Personality - Just ask Rohit Bhargava - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Brands Need Personality - Just ask Rohit Bhargava - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Rohit Bhargava leads the interactive marketing team at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in Washington DC and is a founding member of the 360 Digital Influence team at Ogilvy. His current list of clients includes Intel, Johnson Johnson, Lenovo, and Unilever. He authors the popular marketing blog Influential Marketing and will be publishing his first marketing book called Personality Not Included in early 2008. Rohit is a celebrity in the personal branding world. He was named Personal Brand Of The Year in 2007 for his outstanding and highly influential online brand and featured in issue 2 of Personal Branding Magazine. We have a good relationship and have been helping out each other ever since. His book is coming out very soon and I would highly recommend it. The following is a 5-question interview between both of us recently. Me: Rohit, did companies always need a personality? Why is this even more relevant and significanat in a web 2.0 world? Rohit: Actually, there was a point in time when being faceless used to work. One of the ideas I share in my book is that many companies became faceless because there was a time when the more layers you put between you and your customers, the more official your organization seemed. That time is over, and social media (or what you might call Web2.0 technologies) have propelled its end. The reason why comes down to the speed and distribution of opinion. When we can share our opinions instantly with the world rather than our closed circle of friends, it means that more and more a companys brand is being defined by the perception about them. Me: What fraction of someones personal brand is his or her personality? Rohit: Your personal brand has very much to do with your personality, but is also about how you brand yourself. Your brand needs to demonstrate your personality but it doesnt take the place of strong branding. You need to have something to stand for, and then personality can help you to live up to it. Without a personality, you cannot have a strong personal brand. Me: What tips would you give to someone looking to exude their personality to others? (Note: This was a trick question) Rohit: I think you might be putting a bit of a trick question there, Dan! The idea of exuding your personality is not really the main idea. The formula to define personality that I share in the book is that it needs to be unique, authentic, and talkable. All of these are vital for a personal brand anyway. I think you define your personal brand well enough and manage to demonstrate it through your interactions, then it will come through loud and clear. Me: Could you please re-emphasize the importance of transparency, authenticity and reputation for companies, as well as individuals? Rohit: If you consider your brand a promise, then reputation is a measure of whether or not you live up to that promise. Authenticity and transparency are both big words in business today, but they are often used interchangeably. One of the points of view I share in the book is that transparency doesnt matter. My reasoning is that the idea is simply about sharing what you are doing (invented by lawyers and accountants to open their books so to speak). Whats missing is a measure of whether what you are doing is right or wrong. Authenticity on the other hand is a much better concept to focus on, because it means you do what you say and say what you mean. Which would you rather see in a company you are buying from or a person you are interacting with? Me: Do you believe the power of personality lies in pictures and videos? If so, how can we harness the power of this media to convey our brands in way that is attractive to others? Rohit:I think pictures and videos are just one tool, but not the only way to demonstrate a personality. If you mean online, those are certainly elements that can make a difference, but thats not to say you cannot demonstrate your personality through text either. One of my favourite examples is the error page that Digg.com uses. If you happen to visit the site and it is down, they will list their team members along with their contact details and a site they recommend for you to visit while youre waiting for Digg to be back up. I call this technique Fallibility Marketing in the book, and its an important personality moment that actually doesnt even need photos or videos to have an impact.

Why Not Use Unconventional Wisdom to Halt Competition

Why Not Use Unconventional Wisdom to Halt Competition Sometimes I have believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass I like this quote because it is full of promise and unconventional wisdom. You might ask why bother with what might be impossible. Wouldn’t it be easier to go after what is possible, known and familiar? Easier, maybe. Fruitful, rarely. So here are three ways that you can create an in-the-person moment to greet the exceptional opportunity waiting to happen! Be vigilant: This is being “more than” just prepared. Do you know how to create an emotional take-away for your reader and/or listener? When an opportunity beckons, how will you sift “what can be” from “what is” and “what could go wrong?” Consider: What are you the go-to person for? List topics, ideas, inspirations and initiatives that you can claim. The talent you have and can easily share matters to someone. Do you know who that might be? Are you a step ahead in thought leadership in your field? Have you created a trail of noteworthy questions, extraordinary answers and buzz-worthy dialogues? Be bold: Authenticity matters; show a little personality. How else will you be likeable and approachable? Be “more than” proactive about reaching out, follow-through and seeking out opportunities. Give people a reason to pursue you, become curious about you and want to introduce you to others: After a spectacular interview, write to someone within the senior leadership team, commenting on your experience and to share your excitement about a culture fit. It works! Ramp up all your conversations and follow-up with research â€"yes, having a tiny bit of geek in you does work wonders. Share an article, comment on a trend, shine light on someone or present a solution. Pick one or try all. The idea is to be credible, be visible and be exceptional, in each interaction. Be unstoppable: Do it anyhow and push through naysayers. Create enthusiasm with your words and actions. Be “more than” your competition. Challenge convention fearlessly by: Being clear about your message â€" how does what you do add spectacular value, each and every time? Become the brand people love to talk about, follow and invite into conversations. Trying something different you have never tried before in your search. For example, dress up and show up â€" to drop off your portfolio in person, pick up literature from the organization or introduce yourself to the administrative assistant who might introduce you to a potential colleague. Ideas exist so that we can try them. While it is true that not every idea will have an outstanding outcome, it is certainly true that without trying, there are NO outcomes. What are you waiting for? You are your own best friend. You are your own worst enemy. If you are to choose, why not choose the friend? RELATED:  I’d Rather Be Me NOT You… It’s the Only Way I Can Own My Success Image: Shutterstock

Should You Ditch Your Fitness Trainer

Should You Ditch Your Fitness Trainer According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 338,000 personal trainers in The United States alone. Just like any other field, you have “rock stars” who are the real deal, some above average people, some who are merely competent, and others who have no business training people.    We turned to Vince Sant, a certified fitness trainer and co-founder of the fitness platform Vshred.com to help you assess where your fitness trainer falls on the spectrum.  They Don’t Do Any Assessments on the First Session “The best trainers perform thorough and complete assessments when working with a new client, before doing anything else, states Vince.” He adds, “They don’t just hand you a dumbbell and ask you to copy them. On the training front, that means doing movement screening and even basic performance tests. And on the nutrition front, that means looking at the client’s current intake and assessing a host of lifestyle variables, including schedule, primary complaints/discomforts/allergies, willingness to change, and even blood pressure if a patient has issues. “  They look like they need a trainer You want a trainer who practices what he/she preaches.   This does not mean they need to look like an Adonis, but they should look like they are fit. They are walking billboards of their profession. If they can’t keep it together, how are they going to get you to your goals or preach to you about a lifestyle they cannot maintain themselves?  They entice you to book more sessions “If you are already working out 3 to 5 days per week correctly, you shouldnt have to work out more, “says Vince Sant. He adds, “If your trainer keeps telling you to work out more than five hours per week, not only do they have you on a poor workout plan, they also are not coaching you well enough on your eating habits. They may also be looking for you to spend more money with them.”    They Tell You to Stretch or Warmup on Your Own “This is absolutely crazy,” says Vince. “People dont generally know how to stretch on their own. that’s  part of why you pay a trainer!   A good trainer should show you what movements to do, which muscles to focus on, explain the when and why of dynamic stretches  over static stretching, and benefits of partner stretching.     If a client goes and warms up on a stationary bike but has a core- dominant training program, the time has been wasted.”  They Don’t Give You Work to Do Outside of Sessions Your personal trainer should be shown the door if they don’t give you work to do outside of your sessions together. If they charge you by the hour but don’t try to help you in the other hours in the week, that’s a red flag. Vince points out that, “What you do in your one-hour session should help you to achieve your goals outside of your session. Good personal trainers give you homework, with a purpose.”  They Look at Their Phone While You’re Training If your personal trainer is taking (non-emergency) texts and phone calls or checking social media in the middle of your session, they suck. There are no two ways about it. Vince adds, “You pay them good money to pay attention to what it is you’re doing. It’s not safe, it’s not professional and it’s a complete waste of your time and money. You wouldn’t let your physician do that with you. A trainer needs to have his/her eyes on you all the time!”  They Talk More Than You Train “If you want a companion, get a puppy,” Vince says bluntly. Your trainer should be maximizing the time with you, not gossiping or telling his/her tales of woe. It’s fine to chit-chat with a trainer before the “clock starts” or after the workout has ended.   The actual training time should be confined to instruction, supervision, coaching, your form and the workout you are doing. Vince says, “With the exception of reasonable rest/water intake periods, you should be in motion/activity for the duration of the session.”  They put you on a bike, treadmill, or stair-master and stand there and watch “Unless you need a bodyguard while you are on a machine you know how to operate, this is a complete waste of time, “says Vince.   He adds, “Your sessions are for being coached, strengthening your body and learning new techniques; not to be stood-by and watched for a complete hour doing the same thing.   A good trainer will make sure that multiple body parts are being used and include cardio, body weight resistance, free weights, bands, medicine balls, machines,  etc.”  They believe in “no pain no gain” There is nothing wrong with doing crunches until you “feel the burn.”   Pain is your body’s alarm to alert you that something is wrong: that you should, in fact, stop doing what you’re doing and figure out the problem. Vince stresses that “There is a distinct difference between legitimate pain and the soreness you get when you exercise.   If a muscle feels pulled, and you express that to your trainer, he/she should lay off training that muscle group until you are completely healed.” If you are beginning training with an existing injury such as a weak Achilles tendon, the trainer should be skilled enough to strengthen that area and avoid moves that will exacerbate it.  Body Shaming to Motivate A  good trainer should never use body shaming as a means to make you work harder.   He/she should never say something like, “give me 30 crunches to burn that flab off your gut,”  or  â€œkeep giving me those squats to burn the fat from your butt.”   Vince says that a trainer should motivate by focusing on the positive, with statements such as, “you’re so much stronger since we first began, your cardio has really improved, you’re becoming more flexible.” You must be empowered by your trainer, not belittled or  ashamed.  About Vince Sant: Vince Sant, 25, is the Co-Founder of V Shred, the fastest growing online fitness and nutrition portal in the world. As an ISSACertified Fitness Trainer, Former Model Turned Fitness Expert, Instagram Fitness Guru YouTube Sensation, Vince’s mission is to offer the masses a sustainable and transformative lifestyle-based  training program designed to put the fun back into fitness and nutrition. In 2015, Vince co-founded V Shred along with Nick Daniel, Roger Crandall, Kevin Pearn, who sought out to create a healthy fitness movement specifically designed to deliver profound changes in your body with the minimal amount of workout time.     Vince is responsible for creating some of the worlds most popular fitness and nutrition programs such as Fat Loss Extreme and Toned in 90 Days for women and men and Ripped in 90 Days for men. V Shred is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information visit  www.vshred.com  

How To Overcome Executive Job Search Inertia - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

How To Overcome Executive Job Search Inertia If youve been in a prolonged job search, sometimes inertia sets in. It may just be an inevitable part of the process. And during the holiday season, its even easier to give in to the urge to kick back and forget about your search for a few weeks. Heres some help to get you motivated, recharged and in the right frame of mind to keep moving forward any time of year. Nan Russell gives you 7 daily tips (one for each day of the week), in her Job-Hunt.org article, Recharge Your Week for Your Recovery from Job Loss. Heres her advice for Monday, often the hardest day of the week to get going: Monday: Not motivated to market yourself today? There were times you didn’t want to go to work when you had a job, but you still did. Now you’re working for yourself, so do something. Anything. Find something on your to-do list that you can accomplish quickly. Keep going. You’ll be glad you did. On the Work Coach Cafe blog, Ronnie Ann offered a long list of excellent re-energizing tips in 12 Ways to Stay Sane After a Job Interview, including Try putting your extra energy into doing extra things for people you care about. Hard to stay too obsessed about the interview when you’re obsessing about…I mean doing something wonderful for a loved one. In another Work Coach Cafe post, Handling Those Job Search Blues, Susan P. Joyce advised: Don’t job hunt in solitude. Find a local job search support group and join it . . . Misery loves company is an old cliché that is true, and with fellow (job seeker) sufferers around you, it will be obvious to you that you aren’t the only one struggling. You aren’t the only one who isn’t getting 100% (or even 50%) call-backs. And you may learn more about how to job search effectively â€" social media, job boards, local networking opportunities, etc. Related posts: 16 Ways to Stay Motivated in Executive Job Search 7 Ways To Stay Sane in Your Executive Job Search Say NO to Social Media . . . Sometimes 00 0

What Makes A Good Google+ Profile

What Makes A Good Google+ Profile Of course there is no single best answer to what makes a good Google+ profile, but lets start with these three questions: Does it convey who you are? Is it easy to read? Does it contain the right key words? Perhaps you will need to go back and answer these questions first! What do you want to be known for? How do you want to be perceived? What problems do you solve? What image are you trying to create? Here are Google+ profiles of people in my great thinkers circle on Google Plus.   They got here because I consider them to be thought leaders. Chris Brogan See how personal and concise this is! Chris uses links to other places on the web to tell the rest of the story. Guy Kawasaki This profile is also written in the first-person.   It gives it personality and a sense of reality! Writing a profile this way provides a more personal voice. Pam Moore Pam has truly proven she knows about social tools, see them all listed on the right of her profile! Christopher Penn Tell Your Story Tell the parts of your story that are important based on where you are going.   Historical data (baggage) isnt really relevant unless it pertains to where you are going! Make it reflect what you want people to see! Make it genuine (quirks and all!) And it better have a couple of solid key words thrown in for good measure! Are you using Google Plus?   What do you think makes a good profile?

How to Write a Resume For Beginners

How to Write a Resume For BeginnersSo you've finally landed a job in the Oshawa area, but you're still wondering how to write a resume. A resume is a document that your future employer will use as they review your resume along with a brief interview to determine if you are a good fit for the job. If your resume is handled right, your resume may get you the job even before you answer the phone.Oshawa is a busy community that has many employers within its boundaries. Therefore, your resume should reflect the work you have already done. It doesn't need to be perfect, but your resume is there to get you noticed, not to impress the employer!Resume writing will require a thorough understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. This is not an easy task to undertake, so consider hiring a professional resume writer to do it for you. The last thing you want is a poorly written resume that leaves you with no job opportunities and a bad impression. Try to take some time to design your resume in a way that reflects your ability and qualifications.Your resume should be focused on the position you are applying for. You should never think about what will make an employer want to hire you. Instead, concentrate on what your strengths are as a person and the role you are best suited for.Give a full description of your accomplishments and your teaching qualifications. You can also mention the positions that you have held as well as your special skills and experience that could enhance the job you are applying for.Remember to focus on the necessary qualifications to get the job rather than on your personality or qualifications. Employers are always looking for people who are self-driven and determined to succeed. People who are outgoing and personable are often viewed as a positive by employers. These traits are also a must for the job you are applying for.One important thing to consider when writing a resume is to try to show the employer that you're good at what you do. In other words, don't make it seem like you're just fluffing the facts and hoping you get hired!If you've got a resume, you've got a chance at landing that job you want. Make sure to focus on your strengths and show what you can do for the job. A resume is the first step in landing that dream job in Oshawa.