Your Resume Can Survive a Lost Job!

There’s a reason that businesses hire employees for a “probation period.” It usually takes a few months for new workers to learn the ropes and start adding value. Employers use this time to determine whether you’re worth the long-term investment.

If the manager likes your performance after the first 90 days or so, consider yourself gainfully employed. If your performance wasn’t up to par, you know what happens next: you’ll lose the job. But let’s turn the tables for a moment.

Getting fired is not always a bad thing.

Losing a job can lead to new opportunities. It can shake up a stagnant career. It can even remind you that you aren’t following your dreams, and provide motivation to get back on track.

If you were dismissed due to poor performance, you probably stayed too long.

During the probationary period, you surely noticed that something wasn’t right. The hours, the paycheck, the culture. Or the job responsibilities didn’t match your expectations.

Here’s the thing. Sometimes you need to quit your job in order to save your career.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard job seekers say they stayed in bad jobs to protect their résumés! Employers don’t like “job hopping,” they told me, so they sacrificed job satisfaction for what they hoped was a better-looking work history. They didn’t realize that short-term positions aren’t the end of the world, and there are ways to navigate this issue in résumés that actually strengthen your candidacy.

Here’s something else. If you find yourself feeling more concerned about your résumé than your happiness, your priorities are out of order.

Of course, every situation is different, so weigh the pros and cons carefully. And if you choose to quit, do it with professionalism. Think of it like this: job interviews open new doors, and exit interviews make sure the old doors don’t close too tightly. If done right, your leave-taking will sustain relationships, foster respect, and support your career progression.

Now, let’s fix that choppy resume.

Remember that your résumé is designed to land interviews. So it’s important to create a powerful brand and streamline the document. Include only the most impressive and pertinent details about your career. Cut everything else out. This may mean combining several short-term roles, removing irrelevant jobs, or showcasing the transferrable skills from fast-turnaround positions.

Let’s say your background includes 10 years in non-profit administration but recently you tried a short stint in sales that didn’t work out. Before moving forward in your job hunt, determine if the sales role strengthens or weakens your resume presentation.

Are you targeting sales opportunities? Switching to the corporate sector? Keep it in! But if you wish to return to your former career, make your non-profit expertise jump off the page instead.

Life doesn’t always unfold as we expect. If you need to leave a job to protect your health, happiness, or well-being, by all means. Leave. You can revise your resume once you’re out the door.

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Top Tips to Staying Stress Free in the Workplace

Although this might not be a thought that pops into your head when you’re swamped with work – humans are happiest when they’re kept busy. ​ However today’s average workplace has never been more stressful.

We naturally like a challenge to experience purpose and fulfillment, however it’s not so easy on those days with looming deadlines or tensions among your colleagues. Instinctively these situations trigger stress in the workplace, which we all know isn’t pleasant and can have a significant impact on your health and quality of life.

Our digitally enhanced world might be to blame, especially with demand for innovation and early business success. After extensive research and comments from selected industry professionals we have collated this comprehensive infographic to teach you all about work-related stress and top tips on how to deal with it.

Here are the top tips to staying stress free in the workplace:

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Why a Personal Brand Isn’t Just a “Nice-to-have”

Don’t have a brand? Think again!

Everyone has a brand. The only real question is what they are doing to cultivate it? Just because you do not have your logo or have your own company, doesn’t mean you do not have a personal brand.

However, what is a personal brand and why should you care about it?

Some define a personal brand as the set of characteristics and values that immediately come to mind when people see or hear about you. However, if you stop there, what you have described is more a reputation and not a brand. An effective personal branding does not just describe your characteristics and values. It ALSO defines the promises you make to employers and the value you bring to their organization.

The reality of employment today is that recruiters and hiring managers are turning to the internet to look for and find out information on the people they might employ.

According to data reported by CareerEnlightment.com, even five years ago, 94% of recruiters and some hiring managers were turning to social media as a new source for qualified candidates.

Let’s face it, the queues of people lined up to get in the traditional doors of opportunity are worse than the lines at Ben & Jerry’s on Free Cone Day! Your chances of being a successful applicant through these methods are slim.

Furthermore, for hiring managers, they are labor intensive as for each job posting they put out they contend with hundreds of résumés.

Job seekers and hiring managers would far rather “bump into” each other on the internet via their networks than sifting through hundreds of people they do not know.

 

 

But, I’m not even on Social Media!

Even if you have made a personal decision to stay off social media and don’t post information on the internet, monitoring and maintaining your online presence is essential.

Your brand lives both online and offline. Just because you don’t interact with social media does not mean you do not have a brand. Social media is only one source for people to find and discover more about your brand, but it also exists in the employment reviews and personal experiences of those who know you and work with you.

For those who chose to engage in the online world, digital networking is playing an ever-increasing role in identifying and creating new opportunities. Those who think their CV, a newspaper and maybe a few company job posts via gumtree, career boards or company websites are the best or only tools available for career management are selling themselves short.

Branding…The bare minimum

The most effective personal brands will align with who you are AND be relevant to your target organization. The trick comes in figuring out how to break it down and concisely explained it across multiple media sources including social media, personal conversations, and your CV.

Since you already have a brand, you don’t need to create one. What you can do is manage your personal brand so that what people see about you is what you WANT them to see.

  • Start by identifying your values. What are the things you stand for, no matter what. What are your pet peeves? The things that irritate you if they aren’t done right? These questions might help you point to what you find important in life and work.
  • Next, identify your strengths. What do you do better than others?
  • Take the time to research the perspectives of others. Ask friends, family members, and employers for feedback on your character, personality, and performance. In fact, Performance Reports can be a valuable source of external information that will help you to identify where you excel and where you don’t
  • Finally, research the needs of your ideal employer or client. Take the time to consider the challenges that they are facing and how your brand would offer them value.

Final Thoughts

Monitor your Online Reputation by frequently Googling Your name

Don’t think that because you haven’t posted anything that there isn’t information about you available on the internet. So, what do you do if something unsavory comes up in your search?

The simple answer is to bury it.

While it is challenging to remove something once it is online, frequent posts about brand-oriented content will help to keep quality information on your brand high in the search engines and minimize anything that might not be so complimentary.

Invest in Building a Quality, Concise Brand

There are several great resources available both online and off. One of the best investments you can make is in your career. The small price you’ll pay compared to your annual salary will pay itself off multiple times over. Consider working with a qualified career coach or certified résumé writer who can help you to identify and articulate your personal brand on paper and via social sites.

Many people feel like they can do this by themselves, but the intensely personal nature of the work can make it difficult to be objective. If you do decide to DIY your career, then at a minimum get the advice and feedback of friends, family, and coworkers who may have unique insights and perspectives on your value that you might not have considered.

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Does this Resume Make My Butt Look Old? (Or How to Age-Proof Your Resume in 3 Easy Steps)

You’re considering a new opportunity—good for you! So, you pull out the old resume and think, “I just need to add my last job, and it’s ready to go, right?”

…Um…not so much…It probably needs a lot more work…first, you’ll need to age-proof that resume!

“Come on…” you may be thinking, “They can’t see my wrinkles on a resume!” Well, they sort of can…

Here are three items you’ll need to review, to ensure they don’t imagine the scent of Bengay wafting from your resume pages.

1) Dusty Dates

Let’s start with the major dead-give-away: Dates! If you write that you graduated from Columbia University in 1977, the person reading your resume might think you graduated with Alexander Hamilton (Columbia’s class of 1777.) Yes, I know you’re proud of that fine institution, and you can (and should) keep your degree on your resume—including your major (only if relevant) and “Magna Cum Laude” (if earned.) Just delete that darned date!

The same can be said for other dates on your resume. Let’s say you’re pleased to have worked at IBM back in the 90’s. But probably anything you did for the prestigious Big Blue involves an obsolete technology, process or practice. Instead, consider lumping all of your jobs prior to 2000 under the heading of “Related Prior Experience.”

2) Fossilized Formatting 

Remove the following from your header right now: street address, home phone and any email address that ends with aol.com or Hotmail.com. While you’re at it, scratch the section called “Objective” and the disclaimer at the bottom that reads, “References Available Upon Request.” Now, here’s what you need, instead:

Contact Information

The Header of your resume should list Your Name (Large, Loud and Proud,) your cell phone, your email address (which should be yourname@gmail.com; not CoolGranny1960@sbcglobal.net.)

Professional Summary

On a modern resume, this section replaces what used to be the Objective. As with any executive summary, you will write this last, and will not use “Professional Summary” as the section title—that’s like titling your top section, “Header.” Instead, use your targeted job title such as “Registered Nurse,” “Information Technology Leader” or “Operations Manager.”

Reference

These are a waste of valuable space on a resume. Save this separate document for the interview.

3) Old-School Skills and Technology

Remove any references to technologies that will show you worked in the dark ages. These might include the words “typing” (now “keyboard skills”) or Lotus 123 (Yes—I miss it too—but you now have mad Excel skills, don’t you?) Don’t mention your COBOL knowledge, either. As with everything on your resume, if it’s not currently relevant, it should not be there.

Following this check-list can help you present yourself as a ‘Thoroughly Modern Madison’! And although a great resume cannot get you the job, it can help you garner that first phone call—and hopefully, a face-to-face interview. And, yes, there are ways to age-proof that interview meeting as well, but first things first.

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Common Networking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Networking is rightfully touted as the magic bullet in a job search. Overwhelmingly, when my clients land positions they covet, they first learned of a role through someone they know – often a weak tie rather than someone from a long-term relationship – instead of an online job listing.

Those of us who are introverts (and often extroverts, too) tend to be hesitant about reaching out to people we know and we’re often paralyzed at the idea of expanding our networks to include people we want to connect with but don’t want to impose upon. The good news is there are some useful techniques available to you that are best explained as what to avoid, including:

Steer around trite phrases such as “I’d like to pick your brain.”

Simply ask for help and let your contacts know that you’re in a job search while making it clear that you’re simply asking for their advice.

Don’t ask “what can I do for you in exchange for your help?”

You’re building a relationship, if you introduce the idea that you want a transactional connection with them – one where each of you is mentally keeping a spreadsheet about who has given more – that degrades the genuine connection you’re developing. Definitely, seek ways to support them and offer them intel, access to your connections, and the benefit of your experience and knowledge, but do it organically without the “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” mentality.

Don’t confine your engagement to just one meeting.

Here’s where you DO need a spreadsheet so that you can track the dates and substance of your conversations with specific people. If you’re serious about launching a job search, you’ll begin to lose track of who you talked to when and what you discussed, so take notes. Also, mark your calendar to loop back to people with updates and individualized emails so that you stay on their radar. Remember that brevity goes a long way in these follow-up touch points.

Avoid pinning your hopes on one or two people and/or companies.

Desperation is a natural emotion in a job search. Much is at stake, and, of course, it matters that you land a job quickly. When panic bleeds into these conversations, people instinctively back away out of fear that they won’t be able to deliver what you need. To keep those emotions at bay, it’s important to have many avenues and opportunities so that one doesn’t topple under the weight of expectations that are too strong. Job opportunities fall away for many reasons that have nothing to do with your fit and qualifications, so guard against that agony by pursuing multiple opportunities and connections at the same time.

Trust your gut as you navigate networking conversations, and remember that people want to be helpful. If you structure your conversations in ways that make it easy for people to offer their advice and support, you’ll soon be welcoming offers for positions that you’re targeting.

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Understanding Applicant Tracking Systems

Question: How do I know if a company uses applicant tracking system software?

More than one-fourth of all companies use some kind of an applicant tracking system to manage applications and candidates, and this number continues to grow. ATS software is more likely to be used in large companies (more than 100 employees) and certain types of industries — technology, healthcare, and government organizations. Unless you’re personally handing your resume to the hiring manager, it’s possible an ATS might be used in the applicant screening process. (And even then, the resume may be scanned in!) When in doubt, submit an ATS-friendly resume. You can always follow-up with a hard copy of a more formatted (non-ATS-friendly) resume or bring the formatted version with you to the interview.

Question: What is an ATS-friendly resume?

An ATS-friendly resume is formatted in such a way that it can be easily imported and read by the ATS. However, because there is no industry standard, the general guidelines are: No charts, graphs, or special formatting. Use only keyboard characters (*, >, /, etc.) to separate information. Save the file in .DOC or .TXT format (do not upload a PDF, RTF, or JPG).

Question: If I’m given the chance to upload my resume or copy-and-paste it in, which should I do?

If you’re given the choice, upload a Word file with your ATS-friendly resume. Larger companies are likely using newer ATS software that will keep formatting mostly intact. For smaller companies, copy-and-paste an ATS-friendly text file into the application form.

Question: How do I know which keywords will be used in the ATS search?

Many times, you can identify the keywords that will be used by reviewing the job posting for the position and job postings for similar roles. Also check out skills and other qualifications in resources like the Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/) and O*Net (www.onetonline.org).

Question: How does the length of the resume fit into this?

Resumes that will initially be screened through an ATS can be longer, because the computer file generally doesn’t show pages, only characters. Some ATS software has character lengths — but you’ll generally only see that if the resume is copied-and-pasted into an online form. In those instances, it will list a character limit (for example, “Submissions are limited to 20,000 characters.”). But not many systems have that limitation.

Question: How can I bypass the ATS?

Remember: People hire people. Ultimately, if you can get your resume in the hands of the hiring manager, recruiter, or company owner directly, you don’t have to worry about making it out of the applicant tracking system in order to get an interview. Research shows that approximately 75 percent of jobs are never formally advertised or posted, and only about 5 percent of candidates are hired from job postings. So focus on getting your resume to the right person in order to land an interview. It’s especially important to bypass the ATS if you don’t have the “perfect” qualifications, as outlined in the job posting.

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How to Work Effectively With Recruiters

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T / find out what it means to me” is a line made famous by Aretha Franklin, and one that recruiters have adopted as their mantra. This is probably because there is a love-hate relationship between candidates and recruiters. Specifically, candidates love what recruiters can do for them, but at the same time, aren’t fond of the fact that they need their services.

One can hardly blame candidates, since over the years recruiters have been branded as uncaring, money-hungry vultures who have their eyes set only on the bottom line. Whether there is a grain of truth to that belief or not, I can’t say for sure. However, what I do know is that recruiters have been, and will continue to be, a viable resource for candidates. For this reason, recruiters shouldn’t be dismissed, but instead appreciated for the role they play in the career services industry.

Many recruiters suggest that job seekers don’t fully understand what a recruiter’s function is in the job search process, and that this is where the lack of respect originates. In an effort to educate job seekers, below are some pointers that recruiters want every job seeker to know.

 

Respect what recruiters do. Although recruiters don’t work for you, the good ones will work with you. With a hiring company in mind, a recruiter will make recommendations on how you should change your resume, the way you interview and/or the way you dress. If this is the case, heed his or her advice. Recruiters have insider information on the specifications the hiring organization is searching for, and the clues they provide are based on that knowledge.

Respect what recruiters can’t do for you. The recruiter’s allegiance is to the hiring organization. Therefore, he or she is going to spend his/her time and resources on scouting a candidate that fits the hiring organization’s specifications, not on finding you a job. That’s why it is important to realize that recruiters are just one source of getting interviews. Your job search plan should include other methods of gaining employment such as networking, answering want ads and responding to Internet postings.

Respect the interview with a recruiter. Save your war stories for your local bartender. When you contact recruiters, be discriminating about the type of information you provide. A meeting with a recruiter is an interview. Don’t allow the informality of the conversation to convince you otherwise. During a meeting with a recruiter you will be judged on your performance; therefore, be professional at all times.

Respect a recruiter’s time. When a recruiter has recommended you for a position, that means he or she has invested time in your career; therefore, respect their time, return their phone calls, and provide them feedback on the company after any interview. Recruiters are especially interested in knowing your interest level, your thoughts about the interviewer, the rundown of the interview process, and the next step agreed to by you and the company.

Respect a recruiter’s reputation. Recruiters aren’t just out to fill a job order. Their credibility is dependent on the caliber of candidates they send on interviews. As a result, recruiters look for candidates who know what they want, present themselves professionally, and are out to win job offers.

 

When working with a recruiter, a partnership is formed; and in order for the relationship to be successful, there must be a mutual respect between the two of you. Recruiters want to work with candidates who want to work with them, not candidates who are having difficulty finding a job and want to be rescued. If you can effectively convey to a recruiter that you have a sincere interest in working with him or her, you’ll find yourself in turn treated with respect.

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Handling Illegal Interview Questions

Jim, 48, is sitting in an interview, which has been going well. He’s confident that his qualifications match those of the position, and he believes he’ll fit into the corporate culture. As the interview is winding down, the interviewer casually asks: “Will your family mind the relocation from New York to Texas?”

How should Jim answer this question?

There are several questions that employers may not legally ask applicants. Federal law attempts to ensure that candidates are hired on job qualifications and not by prejudicial criteria. Questions structured to obtain information on race, gender, religion, marital status, age, physical and/or mental status, ethnic background, country of origin, sexual preference, or any other discriminatory factor are generally illegal as grounds for making employment decisions.

With few exceptions, these factors contribute nothing to your ability to perform a job, and an employer must substantiate those cases where a direct relationship is thought to exist.

Anything that is not a bona fide occupational qualification may not be covered directly, although the interviewer may seek the information indirectly.

So, how do you handle an illegal interview question?

First it is important to assess the intentions of the interviewer.

Most illegal interview questions are asked in true innocence — or, better stated, in true ignorance: ignorance of the law, ignorance of what questions are proper, and ignorance of how the information could be used by others in a discriminatory way.

Ironically, most illegal questions are asked when the untrained interviewer is trying to be friendly and asks a seemingly innocent question about your personal life or family background.

Therefore, any attempt by the candidate to assert his or her constitutional rights will merely throw up the defense shields and put an end to any future consideration for employment. Warning lights go on, sirens sound, and the interviewer begins backing down from what otherwise may have been a very encouraging position.

So what is the proper response?

Any response depends on the particular situation and the personalities and motives of those involved, but overall you have three basic options:

(1) Answer truthfully if you feel your response will not hurt you;

(2) Inform the interviewer that the question is illegal and risk offending them and ending your chances for the position;

(3) Base your answer on the requirements of the job and your ability to perform it.
Here are a few examples of casually asked illegal questions and suggested responses:
Q: Does your family mind the travel required for this position?

A: I am accustomed to significant business travel. In fact, I find being on the road invigorating, and my track record has been very consistent under these conditions.

Q: Are you religious? Will your religion prevent you from working extra hours or on weekends when we have a big project?

A: I suppose everyone is religious in their own way. I do not foresee any circumstances that would interfere with the quality or commitment of my performance.

Q: You have a very unusual last name. What is its origin?

A: It really is a mouthful, isn’t it? I’ve always used my first name and last initial in my business e-mail address, as it is easier.

Q: Are you planning a family in the near future?

A: Currently, I am focused on my career and although having a family is always a possibility, it is not a priority at the moment.

Q: How many more years do you see yourself in the work force (before retiring)?

A: In today’s world people don’t retire like they used to; some can’t. My career and my need to earn an income are priorities that I do not foresee changing in the near future.

How you choose to handle these types of questions depends on the perceived motivation of the interviewer as well as your desire to have the position. However, no matter how badly you want or need a position, always keep in mind that if a company is capable of asking illegal questions before you are an employee, there is a greater potential for mistreatment after you are hired.

Your best bet is to try and keep the interview focused on the qualifications of the position and your qualifications as a candidate.

Blatant discrimination does take place. If it does and you are offended, you have the right to end the interview immediately (“I don’t think we’re a good match. Thank you for your time.”) — You never wanted to work there in the first place!

So, how did Jim in our example above answer the question? He could have said, “It’s none of your concern,” which likely would have quickly ended a promising interview.

But Jim thought about the underlying intent of the company in asking the question, which was “Will relocating an employee who likely has a family be so troublesome that he/she will be unproductive for months?” Considering that, he might have responded, “My family and I are committed to my career, so relocation is absolutely not a problem.”

But Jim’s family of five was used to moving every several years because of his ascending career, so Jim responded: “I’ve moved my family every three years, and they always consider it a great adventure. I’ve talked to them about the possibility of this move, and they’re very excited.”

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