Critical Steps in Your Career Transition

On June 29, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
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One of the toughest challenges job seekers face is figuring out how to make a career transition. Sometimes transition is forced; maybe jobs in your industry or area are dwindling. Other times, you want to do something different – explore new options. Whatever the situation, HOW to transition is a critical sticking point. Having worked with clients at various levels of their careers, transition is an area that comes up time and again. Here are some things I continuously hear about and address as job seekers lament, question, and concentrate on during their ‘transition’.

There is no doubt that a transition is a tough thing. Perhaps you don’t know anyone in the field that is the focus of your transition or you don’t know even where to begin. Overcoming FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) is a first step to putting yourself on a path to success. Consider the following as you foray into something new and exciting. Your initial steps should include the following:
• Research your interests. Consider taking a personality assessment (e.g. Myers Briggs, DISC) to help you uncover and understand more about what your strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes are. This exercise will allow you to learn more about yourself and promote increased self awareness.
• Research the industry. How do you even know what you think you are interested in is a real interest? Doing some preliminary (at first) and then more in-depth industry research will give you a sense of how companies in that space operate. You will learn about key players and emerging trends. From there you can…
• Research specific positions. Since this is a time of change, evaluating positions will help you understand where your background fits into the broader picture. You can then prepare your action plan.
Action: Your successful transition is largely predicated on the research you do (see above) and also establishing a strong action plan. Your action plan sets the tone of your search and keeps you on track to manage the application process. It is a well known fact that if you write something down, you are more than likely to focus your energies on achieving your desired outcome. Your action plan will consist of the following:

List of target companies. After completing your industry research, it will be time to create a list of companies that hold your interest. Again, more research is involved. In fact, the entire job search process is one that is centered on research: research about your interests; research about opportunities, companies, cultures, positions, and situations that will fulfill your personal and professional needs. Of course, this will be balanced by your ability to meet the needs of the company.

Create a spreadsheet where you will include the following to keep you organized:
• Company name
• Position title and description
• Date of your application
• Name of person to whom you addressed your application
• Date of interview
• Follow-up
Marketing Materials: Your marketing materials (aka résumé and cover letter) are perhaps the most important part of your search. This is because these documents are the first thing people see about you. You want to project a positive personal brand. Your documents should match in terms of font selection, layout, and style. Making a transition might require you to highlight relevant experience from earlier in your career. If this is the case, consider a hybrid style presentation.

Online Presence: If you don’t have an online presence (e.g. LinkedIN, Twitter, online profile) you should fix that immediately. Hiring managers ‘Google’ the names of people they are interviewing and those they are considering interviewing. An online presence (with positive information about you) is a great way to get exposure while allowing someone to learn a little bit about you before they meet with you in person. Your online presence is an extension of your personal brand. If you really want to take it to a new level, you can create an online folio – your “Professional-ME” where your résumé, key traits, competencies, and other discerning information will help the reader gain a broader understanding of who you are.

No doubt making a career transition is challenging. What about job search isn’t, though? It is up to you to make sure that your strategy and resulting plan is well thought out. Your clear understanding of industry and opportunity will put you on a path to realize your goal of making an effective transition.

Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.

Debra can be reached at DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
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A Cover Letter is NOT Optional!

On June 14, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
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What’s the value of writing a cover letter? Why do you need that if you are going to submit your résumé? Does that not tell the entire story? NO WAY. Simply sending a résumé is not enough. A cover letter IS important. No cover letter with your résumé is like leaving your house with a shirt and no pants. You wouldn’t do that, would you?

Here are some valid reasons why a cover letter is a very important complement to your résumé:

1. Your cover letter demonstrates your ability to put together a cogent sentence, or in this case many sentences about what you offer in a new position and how you can add value for a potential employer.

2. Your cover letter serves as your introduction. You don’t expect to walk into someone’s house through their kitchen, right? The cover is your entranceway. Here, you can enter with grace, set the tone of what the reader should expect to see on the résumé.

3. Your cover letter is an opportunity for you to highlight certain things that you might not have been able to include in the résumé. For example, perhaps you have been designing model houses since childhood, but have worked in another industry and now want to enter architecture. A cover letter would be the optimal place to discuss such information and provide specific examples of what you have designed. Or, maybe you have been cooking gourmet meals and regularly have dinner parties at your house and your friends’ houses. If you were applying for a position in a test kitchen, the cover letter would be the appropriate place to reveal this information – especially if you currently work in a more traditional business role.

4. Your cover letter is part of the résumé package. The ‘package’ is not complete without the cover. Will everyone read the cover? Probably not. While I haven’t done a full study of how many hiring managers read them vs. those that don’t, I can tell you this: when I worked in human resources I ALWAYS read them. I gained a better understanding of the candidate, what underlying skills he possessed and how he might contribute in the organization I represented.

Here’s a good tip: If you want to increase the chances that your cover letter will be read by a potential hiring manager, include it in the body of your email and attach the résumé. By doing this, the hiring manager will only have to open one attachment and can quickly read the cover letter when opening your email.

Here’s to your career success!

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Resume Proofreading Tips

On May 30, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
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We all know how important it is to ensure the final résumé product is perfect. This is one area that cannot afford to be overlooked. Oftentimes, you review the document so many times it starts to blur and you can miss something glaring. Having someone else check your résumé and cover for you is a great way to make sure everything is perfect. Before you do that though, here is a checklist for you to follow on your own:

Spelling and Grammar: Perhaps the most egregious mistakes are made in these two areas. The following is some guidelines to make sure you are delivering a error free document:
- Use a dictionary / thesaurus when you write. If you are not certain of how something is spelled, look it up. I also recommend getting a copy of the Little Blue Book of Grammar.
- Be careful of tenses on your résumé. Your current experience should be in the present tense. If you are using a combination paragraph / bullet format the paragraph portion of the current role should be in the present tense; make all of your bullets in the past tense.
- Be sure to capitalize all proper nouns.
- Make sure you write numbers and dates in a consistent manner. Numbers one through nine should be spelled out. 10 and above should be written in numeric format.
- If you start a bullet with a number, that number should be spelled out.

Punctuation: Punctuation is another area where people seem to make a lot of errors. All punctuation should be consistent throughout the document.
- Whether or not you choose to use periods at the ends of the bullets in the résumé is not the issue. The issue is that if you use them, they need to be present throughout the document. CONSISTENCY IS KING.
- When writing quotes the punctuation goes inside the quote – not outside.

Consistency: Whatever you decide to do on your résumé you must present it in a consistent format.
- If you bold a title, all of the job titles should be in bold. If you write a date in the following manner: November 2007-December 2009, all dates should be written the same way.
- Make sure that the spacing of your document is the same throughout. Font size and style should also be the same to avoid the résumé looking scattered and disorganized.
- When using acronyms, first spell out the words and put the acronym in (parentheses). You can then use the acronym going forward.

Design and Layout: If you think that the design and layout of your document is not that important – you are wrong.
- Do not use a tiny font that people cannot read except with a magnifying glass.
- If you have enough compelling and relevant content to fill two pages, go for it. There is no law on the books dictating how long your résumé should be. My old college professor said a written document should be like a bikini – long enough to cover the topic, but short enough to remain interesting.
- Do not over use italics, underline, bold or other features that will make your résumé distracting.
- Put your name, phone, email and address at the top of the page. On page two your name, phone and email should appear. If the two pages are separated, the reader will know that the second page is yours.
- For physical copies you should use a high quality linen or bond paper in cream or white. The cover and résumé should be printed on the same paper.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.

Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com

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Common Job Search Mistakes

On May 15, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
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Many job search candidates spend innumerable hours pursuing employment opportunities; yet many do not achieve the desired results. Having worked with thousands of people trying to obtain positions of increased responsibility in their chosen industry or field, I have encountered the following common mistakes, resulting in failure to achieve optimal outcomes:

No organized search strategy: You need a plan. Keep yourself organized with a list of things that you need to do on a daily basis. This list will allow you to focus your efforts in the areas that require your full attention. Would you go to the supermarket without a list of things you need? If you do, I will guarantee that you forget to buy something or purchase things that you don’t need. Your job search works in a similar fashion. The list will allow you to plan for a successful campaign.

No record keeping: It is important to keep a list or spreadsheet of some kind so you can review to whom you have sent your resume or the contacts made. There is no possibility of your being able to recall all of the companies or people that you have contacted – let alone those that may have contacted you. Without a record, you might miss an opportunity, or worse be unprepared when someone does reach out to you. Make sure you keep names, dates, and details of discussions you had. Your records will allow you to follow-up when appropriate and supports your organized approach (see above.)

No use of diverse search methods: You cannot simply apply online and think that the calls are going to roll in. A job search requires far more effort than the use of the Internet. The following must be done to ensure a successful campaign:
• Identifying specific companies where you might be interested in working. Once you have a list, you should do some research to get the name of someone internally to direct your correspondence.
• Conducting research regarding the names of people in senior level positions. Use trade publications and the Internet to uncover names of people. Trade publications can be a great source of information, including providing you with movement within your targeted industry.
• Leveraging your network of friends and family members. Your network should also include people you meet at local networking events. You will not be able to join every group so choose wisely. Engage with people that you meet to establish relationships that can be reciprocal.
• Identifying a few niche job boards where you can post your resume. You should not broadcast it on every board out there. You will look desperate.
• Establishing a relationship with a few key recruiters. Like any relationship, you will need to work at maintaining contact. Recruiters definitely know the market and have contacts within the companies where them make placements. You cannot work with everyone. Make sure you choose wisely; be prepared to conduct a fair amount of follow up to keep communication lines open.

Failure to maintain a positive outlook: One of the best, and most important things you can do for yourself and your search is to develop and maintain a positive approach. Every person you meet or interact with represents an opportunity. Given that people are drawn to those that are positive, a strong finish necessitates that you give positive vibes. Under no circumstances should you complain or be the picture of doom. It will take time; you will work hard – BUT in the end, the person who can remain engaged and willing to embrace a proactive and positive focus will generate results.

Failure to follow-up: Your search requires that you reach out to people on an ongoing basis, including people that you have already spoken with. To remain top of mind, it is imperative that you have a plan to conduct follow-up. This doesn’t mean that you should constantly call or email people. Following-up is a strategy too. If you are keeping your notes and remain organized, you will have the dates that you contacted people and can space your interactions so that you remain memorable without being overbearing.

Failure to prepare for your interviews: Preparing for your interviews is important to ensure you are successful. You should be reviewing information about the company and position, and studying your resume so you are prepared to discuss the information in detail. Do some research on commonly asked interview questions so you can answer appropriately if someone throws you “What is your greatest weakness?” question. Make sure you are able to connect your achievements to how you will make an impact in a new role.

Poor appearance and grooming: You should dress to impress during your job search. This means that you should be dressed in a suit when you interview. Even if the company has a dress down policy, you are not yet part of the group. First impressions are lasting ones. If you go into the interview looking sloppy and unkempt, you are not going to make a positive or lasting impression on your audience – except that you did not look the part.

You have the power to establish a strong job search strategy. With a plan, you can and will achieve your goals. Preparation is half the battle; your winning is entirely predicated on how you establish and implement your program!

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.

Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com

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Writing a Resume that Matters

On May 12, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
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Writing your own résumé can be a real challenge. Most people find it difficult to glorify themselves, and even when they do, they reread it and think to themselves, “Am I this good?” “No way – this sounds totally pompous and overblown!” Why is it then that when you read another person’s document, you are impressed (sometimes)? They did not seem to have a problem providing examples and winning details that make them shine.
Why does your résumé matter? There are a few reasons, not the least of which is that this all-important document should do a few things for you:
1. Engage your reader
2. Give someone enough compelling information to help them understand your capabilities
3. ***Get you the interview***

Getting the interview is the goal. Your résumé won’t get you the job – you still have to ace the interview. (http://resumesdonewrite.blogspot.com/2009/10/interviewing-tips-you-have-interview.html) But a résumé that is boring, blasé, and plain won’t get you the interview. You will not get the interview with a document that only references your responsibilities; it is the results of your work that people want to see.

Here are some tips to help make your Résumé Matter:

1. Start with a strong headline to help the reader understand your focus / what you want to do.
2. Draft a short but compelling introductory section – this should be a complement of overarching skills / abilities peppered with an example to set the tone.
3. Write a core competency section with key words that speak to your strongest set of skills.
4. Consider what you are trying to achieve. Are you transitioning or staying in the same career? Pick the appropriate presentation tailored toward your goals.
5. Don’t be afraid to be a little self-promoting; I don’t mean lie! Present yourself in a capable manner. It’s ok to market yourself!
6. Include things that make you stand out: e.g. Board positions, volunteer work, language proficiency or other things that set you apart. Make sure they are relevant.
7. Reference certifications or licenses. They serve as a point of differentiation.
8. Don’t worry about the length. There is NO RULE. If you have enough meaningful information to fill two pages, go for it.
9. Put a second page header with your name and contact details. How will the reader know a second page is yours if there is nothing at the top to connect it to the first page?
10. Last, but not least: PROOFREAD IT! Errors will make your résumé NOT MATTER.

Your résumé will matter, but only if you make it so. Consider your goals, and get to know your audience. Getting the interviews is largely dependent upon how much you can make your résumé matter to others.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.

Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com

Connect to me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter

 
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