Expert Interview with Colleen Georges on Resumes and Hiring

Expert Interview with Colleen Georges on Resumes and HiringDr. Colleen Georges is a professional psychologist who has focused herbei career on job seeking and writing the perfect resume. Shes a certified counselor, time management consultant, career coach, leadership expert, and if that werent enough, she runs Colleens Career Creations, a resume writing and job coaching service. Somehow, she found the time to speak with us about how to write the best possible resume. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) What are some common problems you see on resumes, and why do you think they persist?The two most prevalent issues I encounter with resumes are lack of a clear job target or career focus and documents that read like job task descriptions, rather than career achievement highlights. Fortunately, I see fewer and fewer resumes that begin with objective statements, which are generally unfocused and do little to separate one candidates value from ale idher. However, I still see many resumes with summary of qualifications sections that are too vague or broad, or resumes that have no summary at all.What makes a strong resume?A strong resume needs to effectively brand professionals in their field of practice, and immediately showcase their professional title/job target, years of experience, specific expertise/hard skills and unique value propositions. Often, professionals believe that since this information is spread throughout their resume, there is no need to summarize and present it at the beginning. However, most recruiters and hiring managers today are flooded with hundreds of resumes and lack the time to read through every line of each document to determine which candidates have the requisite skills for the job. Thus, candidates can make recruiters and hiring managers lives easier by summarizing this information in a strong branding statement right at the beginning of the resume in a 10- to 15-second read.More importantly, jo b seekers can do themselves a wealth of good by following their branding statement with a section that showcases five to seven of their proudest career achievements. Such a section should highlight accomplishments that demonstrate a broad spectrum of skill platzdeckchens that are relevant to their target field. This can be done by underscoring the quantitative and qualitative results of their work, such as costs cut, revenue generated, time saved, customer satisfaction increased, errors decreased, manuals written, policies and procedures developed, training instituted and so forth.Even more effective, a career achievements section can outline the story behind the outcomes, in a bite-sized, bulleted Challenge, Actions, Results format. By nature, people learn and understand people best through their unique stories, which is why interviewers often ask candidates to discuss times when they have performed a parteicular action. Articulating stories, both on a resume and in an interview, d emonstrates to an employer that the candidate is purposeful in their actions and both understands and can articulate their process. Furthermore, this section backs up the skills the job seeker presents in their branding statement.Many job seekers do not include career achievement sections because they believe the time to share this information will be during the interview. In this competitive job market, however, without sharing these successes on a resume, an interview may never come. Yet most commonly, the reason for this lack of information on job seekers resumes is because from the time we are children, we are taught not to brag about our accomplishments, as others may find us obnoxious. Over the years, this lesson makes it progressively more challenging to acknowledge our accomplishments to ourselves, nonetheless an audience. However, when job seeking, emphasizing our unique talents and successes is critical, and thus we must unlearn the lesson, at least in this arena.What can job boards do to help job seekers write a better resume?A number of job boards are already providing resources to job seekers, such as resume critiques and tips. However, a wonderful resource would be to not only suggest providing branding statements and achievement stories, but to offer suggested skills required by various career fields, as well as common deliverables for these fields. For example, an accountant might need skills like variance analysis, bank reconciliation, and audit preparation, and common deliverables may be decreasing risk exposure, diminishing accounting errors and automating processes. Sometimes the hardest part of resume writing is getting started in figuring what skills and accomplishments to highlight. Resources like this may help job seekers brainstorm.What are some red flags we might accidentally put up on a resume or say during an interview?The most common red flags on resumes are generally items that point to age, which can unfortunately lead to age dis crimination in some cases. I typically suggest that my clients represent that last 15-20 years of their career and leave off college graduation dates that go further back than 20 years. Furthermore, computer skills that are very dated, like DOS for example, should be left off. I also suggest eliminating AOL email accounts as well, since it is remembered to be a part of the advent of the internet, and the dial-up days. I typically advise clients to get a Gmail account. It is most certainly the in email, forever evolving in its capabilities.In both resumes and interviews, I also advise my clients not to draw attention to job gaps by stating that they were terminated or took a leave due to illness, an accident or a family-related situation. This information can inadvertently lead to fear that such issues may arise again in the future and negatively impact employment if hired.How can employers write job postings to let employees know what theyre looking for? Is it just some requirements , or can they convey a culture in a posting?I am always of the belief that with job postings, the more detail, the better. With detail, the employer is less likely to attract candidates who lack the requisite experience and skills. As a resume writer, I love job postings that break tasks into umbrella categories and provide the specific accountability within them. This enables me to pull out the candidates relevant skills and accomplishments and match them to the posting. When utilized by employers, applicant tracking systems are scanning for this schriftart of skill match, so it works to both the employers and candidates advantage for employers to offer detailed job descriptions in postings.Conveying corporate culture would be a fantastic advantage to both employer and candidate. Employers can weed out receiving resumes from candidates who may not be a great fit, and candidates can avoid wasting energy applying for a job that will not suit their work style and values.What do you wi sh everyone, from recruiters to job seekers, knew about resumes?This is a great question, and not an easy one to answer. I would say that I wish recruiters, employers and job seekers recognized that a resume is meant to be a job seekers marketing document. Like any marketing collateral, it should showcase the best of who the candidate is. Sometimes, recruiters and employers get frustrated because they later learn that a candidate left off a short-term job, for example. Similarly, candidates occasionally fear leaving off a short-term position because their omission may be caught. There is a staunch difference between omitting a career blip and, say, creating a position you never had on your resume. Candidates should never lie on a resume this is a matter of ethics and integrity. absatzwirtschaft documents are created to describe a products attributes. No product or person is perfect, but all have their own uniquely fantastic qualities. With this said, the resume is the prelude to th e interview. The interview is where candidate and employer see if those unique attributes and the companys position, team and culture collectively create the right synergy.How will technology change the resume? Will we see more links? Videos? Gimmicks?Technology is absolutely changing resumes in a wonderful way. We can now make our resumes come alive by linking them to our erreichbar articles, interviews, features, video presentations, documents, artistic endeavors or similar media. We can also create web resumes and create social media profiles that give recruiters and employers a wider window into who we are, not just what we have done. We can now show employers, in action, what we bring to the table.Yet technology has indeed amplified the pressure for job seekers. I now tell my job-seeking clients that they must be on LinkedIn. Its not a luxury anymore for recruiters and hiring managers in most industries, its seen as a necessity. Those who are not on LinkedIn can be viewed as l acking social media savvy, which is a career no-no. But its not just about being on LinkedIn, its about using all its resources. Recruiters and hiring managers can gather additional information about candidates from LinkedIn through recommendations and group membership and activity. I do a lot of one-on-one client coaching and group workshops on optimally leveraging LinkedIn and other social media like Twitter and Facebook. Some of this coaching involves what to post and what not to post, how to set privacy settings and simply how to use all the features of the various social media to the job seekers advantage.

What To Do When Your New Job Isnt What They Promised

What To Do When Your New Job Isnt What They Promised Each month, three million Americans decide to take a new job hopeful and confident about their future.In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent version of the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), an average of 3.5 million Americans quit their jobs every month in 2018. And theyre doing so mostly in search of opportunities that pay better or offer more prestigious titles.Unfortunately for some of these people, however, elend all companies live up to their promises. While you may take a job that sounds enticing because it offers you unparalleled benefits like unlimited paid time off, for example, you may come to find out that the company culture actually intimidates people out of using that time off, and so no one actually benefits from it anyway. Likewise, you may take a job because of promises of future opportunities with the company, but you may work for the company for just a few weeks before rea lizing that its actually a sinking ship.If you find yourself in a position in which the company you just started working for isnt at all what youd anticipated, here are some steps you can take for a quick and seamless exit.Give it some time to think over.If you feel like quitting your job, give it some time to think about. You may even want to talk to your manager about how youre feeling to landsee if theres anything they can do to rectify the situation thats causing you to want to quit. If its about money, maybe you can negotiate a raise. If its about status, maybe you can negotiate a title change. If it has to do with a lack of support, maybe your manager has been unaware of the problem and is happy to get you the resources you need to be successful.Whatever the case, take time for yourself to think and dont make any rash decisions before talking it out in our own head and, if you want, also with your manager.Make a decision to stay or to go.If leaving immediately is an option and the company is unbearably toxic, every expert says go. Career coach, motivational speaker and media executive, Heather Monahan said, it is always a risk to leave one position without another. But, if things are so bad that you cant fathom going back to the office, you may need to take that chance.There is no doubt that it is less risky to stay. If you stay, there are two options try to fix the company or start looking. You should and can pursue both. Tawanda Johnson, Principal of RKL Resources, a Virginia-based recruiting firm, recommends meeting with your immediate supervisor to make them aware of the differences between your expectations and the reality. There is no harm in asking if changes to your job duties or the work environment can be made, said Johnson. In fact, you can use the companys actions and answers to your questions as additional rationale for your decision.Give a sincere explanation, as sincerity is very important.Whatever your choice, you need clear reasons as to why you are considering leaving or have left the company when interviewing for a new role. Johnson recommends just stating, I am fortunate to recognize very early on that the position at ABC Company is not the best match for me, based on my qualifications and what I am seeking in a position at this stage in my career. Monahan explained its important to come up with reasons that others can empathize with and understand. Monahan said, make it as positive as possible while being honest.See what else is out there.You may want to see what else is out there even before you quit your current job. We actually recommend taking a look at what else is out there before you make any decisions to leave your current role for something better, in case better doesnt exist. But, if you feel that its necessary to leave before finding a new job, now is the time to start hunting around. Take a look at what else is out there and start applying to new jobs.List your work experience on your resume accurat ely.Honesty plays into how you update your LinkedIn profile and resume. Johnson says its important to list your work experience accurately and not erase the position. If you dont and the gap is discovered, you instantly lose credibility as a candidate. Most experienced recruiters understand that life happens and sometimes a job change is outside of your control. Reasons that Johnson finds perfectly acceptable? Caring for an elderly or sick parent, maternity leave, furthering your education, taking a mission trip or sabbatical, that the company downsized, your position was eliminated and that the job just wasnt the right fit.Believe in yourself.Changing jobs is one of lifes top stressors. To have it go astray can be a serious bummer, but dont let it get the best of you. Monahan believes you can spin anything. I have seen talented people spin leaving multiple companies and still land on their feet. Bottom line The universe is abundant, and you are deserving of reaching your full poten tial. FAQsPeople also ask the following questions about quitting.1. How do I say I left my job because of management?Tons of people quit their jobs because of a toxic culture that management tends to perpetuate or, at least, not address. Women and millennials, in general, quit for these reasons. All you have to do is be honest about why youre quitting your job or why you had quit a job (to a new prospective employer) without burning bridges.2. What is a good reason to put for leaving a job?There are tons of good reasons to leave a job unfair pair, unequal treatment, a toxic company culture, no work-life balance, no room for growth, negative coworkers who bring you down, little to no support, a bad boss, an unfavorable commute, an illness or health complication that prohibits you from doing your work, etc. Here are the best reasons for leaving a job.3. What are good reasons to quit a job?If you feel like quitting your job, its probably because it is indeed time to go. But whats he lpful in figuring out some good reasons to quit is understanding all the wrong reasons to quit. Here are some reasons you shouldnt quit your job and everything else is likely justifiable.--Jennifer Bewley is the founder of Uncuffed which provides detailed researchintoprospective employers. Jennifer has an unhealthy love of financial data and speaking her mind and she uses each to help candidates choose the company they work for wisely.

All About Resume Writing Services Website Template

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