Do I Need A Electronic Resume?

Have you ever tried to cut/paste your resume into the body of an email or paste it on a online application, only to find it looks unorganized and nothing like your resume?

With recent technological advances it is important to be sure you have a "Electronic Resume" on hand if an organization should request that type of resume. The reason they do this is because this format allows the organization to search, store and select from a large database of resumes by entering key words, experience and education they are seeking. Also, you will see many job search engines that allow you to paste your resume rather than allowing you to upload your document.

** I want to point out- if any organization or job search engine allows you to upload with a PDF - DO IT!! It allows the resume to be viewed exactly how you created it!

To make a electronic resume, you can create it in a plain text ( the file etension .txt) or rich text format (.rtf) . That way the document formatting can not be stripped out by e-mail readers and without formatting errors.

Words That Are In Your Resume Are Critical !

Make sure that you always have actions words in your resume such as: Spearheaded, Collaborated, Championed, Awarded, Facilitated..... rather than just writing words that are most common such as Participates, Handled, Provided.

This is a great site that shows thousands of Action Words that you can apply to your resume.

Avoid long sentences, shorten them with bullets.

Do not list references on a resume - most employers know that they are going to ask for these and that you will supply them once they get to that point in the hiring process.

Always have a title under your name header that uses the words that are described in the job description and PLEASE ensure that it matches your experience. An example would be to center the words: "Sales & Executive Business Operations Professional" or "IT Sales Management". This will ensure immediately, the first thing they see is what you can do!

Never put hobbies on your resume or personal information! Also, unless you are directly out of school without alot of experience, it is not necessary to include your GPA or sororities...etc....

PAY ATTENTION TO KEY WORDS

Whether you are writing your first resume or updating an older one, remember to stop and think about which key words to add to your resume. You could get lost in the sea of applications if you do not make your qualifications and key words pop out to the hiring managers.

To do this, focus on the open job announcement's "QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS and REQUIREMENTS". This may take some time because it is important to have the resume geared exactly for the open position!

Your resume needs to pass that initial scan test from hiring managers and recruiters. From my human resources and recruiting experience, the first thing that is looked at when scanning the resume is "the qualifications". Showing that you are qualified will help you make it to the next step in reviewing your resume - you do this with key words! You want to ensure the critical information jumps out off the page!

If you would like a free review of your resume, I would be happy to look at and give you feedback.

Thank You Follow Up Letter- Is It Necessary?

Now that you have succeeded with a phone interview/email interview/ or face to face are you wondering if you should send a thank you letter? YES...YES..YES....

The number one reason that you should send one immediately within 48 hours of the interview is because it BRINGS YOUR NAME and qualifications back in the frontline of the hiring manager!
Writing a thank you follow up letter also gives you an opportunity to clarify anything that you discussed and highlight any useful detals that you may have forgotten to mention.
It shows that YOU WANT THE JOB and it also puts you one step ahead of anyone who does not send one.

Sending a thank you letters shows initiative, follow through and professionalism- everything a hiring manager and organization want to see!

If you need additional assistance with this, please do not hestitate to contact me!

Resume Tip For Font Size

I can't tell you how many resumes I have seen and currently see when the font size is too small, thus making it challenging to read a resume. As a previous hiring manager in Human Resources, I typically only took about 5 seconds to first glance over the resume- sometimes 10 seconds MAX before I decided if it the candidate was going to go any further in the process. One of the largest mistakes people make is making their font size smaller to fit everything on the first page. As a rule of thumb font should never be smaller than 11. Ideal would be font size 12 as it is easy to read. Always keep your type of font the same such as all Arial or Times New Roman. I would recommend also making your name at the top stand out in 16 font size because it grabs the hiring manager's attention verses trying to make it jazzy or funky to stand out. Last but not least - do not use a lot of italics and underlining!

Submitting Resumes via Email

If you are seeking a new career and you do not see a position advertised online or in the paper, it is time to take the next step and proactively market your resume. I have a quick tip that will help you get started with this process if you are new to marketing your resume.

Always research online or call the company to get the name of the hiring manager for the department in which you would like to work with. Company websites usually have the "About Us" page with links to different departments and names of contacts. Once you have a name, type the name into a Google.com search. Most likely, you will find some contact information through one of the search results.

If you cannot get their email but you have their name, try to call the front desk and ask for their email. I also always recommend when you send your online application or resume electronically and if you feel "unsure" if the hiring manager received it, send it both via fax and regular mail!

Top Interview Tip

I want to encourage everyone who gets an interview to make sure you dress your absolute BEST! I always recommend wearing a pant suit (black, tan or navy) or if you can not, try invest in a plain pair of black wide leg dress pants for females and dressy black pants for men ( You can always wear them at other important functions in your life). Even if the work environment is not a "suit" type of place, you want to impress. I remember at an HR training course, they said when someone comes to an interview, that will most likely be the very best you will see them! If you think about it, that probably is true. Five years ago, maybe even 3 years ago it was always recommended to dress according to "the organizations dress code" for the interview. However, the economy has changed everything about the interview process. So once you get that interview...make sure you look nice, clean and dressed professionally. Another quick tip...always wear closed toe shoes and keep cologne to a minimum. As you meet the interviewer greet them with a warm smile, initiate a firm hand shake and look directly in their eyes! First impression is everything!

Chronological or Functional Resume?

Another tip I would like to offer everyone is the explanation of the different resume formats. There are three different resume formats. Chronological, Functional and a combination of both.

• A Chronological Resume will describe who you are but the main section of the resume will show your work history with the most recent position listed first. Most employers, recruiters and hiring managers prefer this type of resume because it is easy to read and clearly defines the type of positions you have held with dates.
  
• A Functional Resume will focus more on your accomplishments, experiences and skill set rather than the traditional format of listing job positions first. This type of format is excellent when you are changing careers or entering a new field.
  
• A Combination Resume will combine both formats above. This a excellent type of format but please be advised, if this is not done by a professional resume writer it can look messy and confusing so my recommendation when using this format would be to research samples and seek advice. It can make a very bold and creative statement, thus selling you and getting the interview, however it can be tricky.

I like to use all three depending on the clients situation. No matter which format you may choose, as I talked about below you do not just want to ever write your work history...always be creative and write all your accomplishments rather than your responsibilities!

I wanted to share with you an example of a quick success story in carefully writing a resume. My mom who is just re-entering the job market after essentially taking off 15 years to raise all her children asked me to write her resume for her last week. Of course the pressure was on...this was my MOM and I wanted it absolutely perfect!! All my heart and soul went into this. We really targeted all her past working accomplishments she had when working with GE and I also focused on the accomplishments and difference she has made in all her charity organizations she stayed active in. I felt we made a resume that sold who she really was and it was strategic. In her case it was a Chronological Resume. Her resume was finished last week and I am happy to report she had her first interview today with a bank in the finance department working on spreadsheets and administration! Keep your fingers crossed she gets the job!! I feel this goes to show, even in this market, whatever your experiences may be ..you can get a interview with the right resume!