Unlike past scenarios, job interviews have become harder and harder. Employers have an abundance of very qualified applicants, many of them working with interview coaches to elevate their interviewing skills. The outcome is that it raises the bar for everyone. There are many books available to job seekers to read and brush up on interviewing skills, but the problem associated with that is that many of those books are old and reflect the thinking of the era in which they were written.
Employers have become sophisticated in the area of interviewing candidates. In the past, after snail mailing a cover letter and résumé to a target company, a job applicant would receive a phone call invitation for an interview with the hiring manager. Nowadays there’s very little personal interaction at the front end of the process. The résumé submittal is electronic and goes directly into a database. The résumé gets buried there until its resurrection via the appropriate keywords a recruiter is interested in. Then comes the initial screening-out phone interview, and only if that goes well is a candidate invited to a series of interviews with often large numbers of people. There are a number of reasons for these changes.
Today’s employers react to the current economic condition by focusing on higher productivity through the application of various technologies, new and better software, and outsourcing in order to reduce staff and associated staff costs such as office space, pensions, and health care.
The hiring process today is also significantly more selective than in the past. Companies need people who can quickly learn constantly new technologies, can adapt to continuous changes, can reinvent their own jobs, and can function while changes occur at faster and faster rates.
When employers select new employees, they’re looking for those types who can provide solutions resulting in increased efficiency and, at the same time, reduced costs. Otherwise, jobs will move offshore.
Nobody’s job is safe anymore. The past paradigm of building a solid career is no longer valid. People out of work need information and intelligence about growth opportunities and must adapt their skills to meet employers’ requirements. This is a challenging proposition for job seekers—and especially for those who are more advanced in age than other job seekers. Waiting for things to happen is often futile and certainly demoralizing. Career counselors can be of great assistance, but the majority of the burden is on the job seeker.
I LOVE THE BELOW ARTICLE! Anyone else talk to themself besides me? I also talk to my computer screen. During the 22 years I was a recruiter, and the 2.5 years I’ve been a career coach, I’ve also talked to resumes (or rather, the person to whom the resume belonged) because I’ve seen easily over half a million of them. It’s easily the primary place where most job searches go off track.
I love this article because I’ve been saying this stuff for years. Well – except for the comment on the glitter. I kinda think that ought to go without saying.
I’ve cut and pasted it with attribution so I can add some comments.
10 Resume Red Flags
by Erin Joyce
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Searching for a job is not always easy, no matter what state the economy is in. And when you’re on the hunt, your best weapon is your resume. This document must emphasize the best of your experience, education and skills and sell you to your future employer. It’s a lot to ask, but it is possible to get your CV into fighting shape. Don’t let your effort go to waste by having these glaring red flags on your resume.
1. It’s Covered in Glitter — Literally.
Yes, it has been done. In an effort to make your resume stand out, you may find that it gets thrown out. Less extreme attempts such as including image files or using non-traditional symbols or fonts should also be avoided. While it may be a nice break for a recruiter reading through hundreds of Times New Roman documents, you run the risk of the fonts or images not loading properly. And you can bet that busy recruiter isn’t going to contact you for a simplified copy.
MY NOTE: No company logos, no different colors, and actually use arial because it’s a standard font and translates well. In addition it’s sans serif and is easier to read.
2. There Are References.
Listing your references on the resume is a definite no-no. References should always appear on a separate page, and should only be produced when asked for. Also, be sure to delete the “References: Available Upon Request” line. It’s understood that you will, so save some space and your potential employer’s time
MY NOTE: They shouldn’t be listed because references are sacred. They can make or break whether you receive and offer. If there are two candidates, references can be a deciding factor. Listing them on your resume invites anyone with your resume at any stage of the game to contact your references. In fact, when it’s time to contact them, the company should let you know, so that you can contact your references and make them aware of who will be calling and why.
3. It’s Written in Full Sentences.
The headhunter has likely received dozens if not hundreds of applications — help them out! Your resume should be short and sweet and bulleted. You aren’t writing a novel, you are trying to catch a skimming employer’s eye and prove you are worth a second look — and an interview.
MY NOTE: No paragraphs. Someone told me last week the new thing was “narrative resues.” I don’t know what they are but they don’t sound good. Many experts – usually with little experience from which to speak – are trying to come up with the next best thing. Narrative resumes aren’t it. Resumes are made to be read easily. CONSUMABLE. That’s why you do bullets.
And along with that, no full sentences – literally. Full sentences force the brain to read, rather than skim. Use fragments.
4. There Are No Numbers.
One of the worst things you can do on a resume is be vague. Don’t just list your accomplishments in a general way — have the quantitative data to back it up. If you exceeded a goal, by how much did you exceed it? If you created and distributed company performance reports, how many did you do? Adding numbers concretizes your accomplishments and paints a better picture of what you actually did.
MY NOTE: Some people don’t have numbers becasue what they do doesn’t involve numbers. So not everyone can improve or reduce things by a percentage. But in the spirit of that, resume bullets are about you, specifically – why you’re better and how you’re different from everyone else that holds the same title. It needs to be about how you benefited the organization, the difference you made while you were there, the impact you had.
So you whatever you increased, reduced, created, implemented, revised, grew, took iniative to do, etc is something you want to look closer at. Anything you managed, were responsible for, or oversaw needs to by your title – where your job description goes.
Also, make sure you are answering the “how” question. If you completed five projects this year instead of the expected four, how did you do it?
5. It Includes the Words “Duties” or “Responsibilities.”
When you are writing your current or former job description, focus on your accomplishments, not what you had to do. As an alternative to “duties” or “responsibilities,” flip your tasks into achievements. For example, instead of being “responsible for the sales team,” consider “directed the sales team to beat their repeat client objective by 10%” — remember that number thing!
MY NOTE: See above.
6. It Lists an Objective.
For the most part, objectives sound insincere and, worse, can limit your options. Let your cover letter do the talking when it comes to why you want that particular job. And remember, each cover letter and resume should be individually tailored to a specific job posting — not just a specific field. Taking an interest in the specifics of the job makes you look professional and focused and not like you are mass-emailing anyone who might hire you. Desperation is no more attractive to an employer than it is to a date.
MY NOTE: The similarities between dating and finding a job are numerous. I was making those when I was a recruiter and they’re very appropriate. Further more, desperation doesn’t breed objectivity either, so you’re likely to end up in a job you don’t like.
But in keeping with “no objective,” an objective is “me” focused, and this is about the company. Further more it gives no indicaton of your personality traits that contribute to your success or your skills. Better a profile or summary with a few bulleted strengths and skills indicative of your function.
7. It Contains Spelling or Grammatical Errors.
We all know to avoid this one. It makes you look sloppy and negates the part of your resume that proudly describes you as “detail-oriented.” The best thing you can do for a resume is send it to a professional resume service or a professional editor. If you are a student, your career center likely offers free resume counseling or at least free information to help you fine tune your CV before sending it out. At the very least, have a friend look it over and check for basic language errors — spell check just doesn’t cut it.
MY NOTE: Look at each word as a unit rather than reading it. Your eyes see what your brain wants to see. The only thing even more amusing? egregious? is when there are typos or grammatical mistakes along with “attention to detail.”
8. It Lists an Unprofessional Email Address.
In a world where email is free, and most of us have multiple addresses, make the effort to have a professional email address. Keep it simple — using your name is best. Just make sure you leave the sparklebaby@hellokitty.com for personal use. One more tip? Don’t use your current work email unless you are self-employed.
9. It Includes a Picture.
The ONLY time this is appropriate is if you are applying to be a model or an actor, and in both cases, a separate portfolio is preferable. Including a self-portrait could exclude you for not being serious and may make you appear unprofessional. Let your skills and experience speak for you.
10. It Is Too Personal.
Resumes should demonstrate how professional you are — that means the anecdote about the time you met Britney Spears is not appropriate. That being said, let your personality come through in your resume by including volunteer experience or a (very) short section about your interests.
MY NOTE: Don’t put a Personal Interests category on the bottom either. Some people say it’s a good conversation starter. But the resume is a business document. Besides, you’re taking your cue from the interviewer and if he wants to know about who you are as a person, he’ll ask.
The Bottom Line
When times are tough, getting a job is a stressful undertaking. Don’t sell yourself short. Instead, make sure your resume is the best example of you as a potential employee and before you know it, you’ll be employed once again.
MY NOTE: Well, at least it will help you get in the door!
The market is down, foreclosures are up, your bank account is emptying, and you’re becoming increasingly desperate. With fewer companies hiring and more people competing for the same spots, your future doesn’t look too rosy. But if that’s true, why are people still getting hired? How come they are…..and you aren’t?
It has nothing to do with what you did or didn’t do in your last job. It has nothing to do with why you left – even if you got fired. And it doesn’t hinge upon your age, either.
But it does take doing things a bit differently than you’ve probably been doing them, and these techniques work even better in a market where job seekers – instead of employers – have the edge. This isn’t the time to be passive. You need to step outside your comfort zone and be assertive about the process. And “good enough” doesn’t cut it.
Most likely you’ve been sitting at the computer, trolling the job boards and submitting your resume to anything that looks good. “I can do that,” you say. But the question is, “Does the company think you can do that?” If you don’t have at least 80% of what the ad says the company wants, don’t bother applying, because it will up your rejection rate. Rejection increases dejection which increases pessimism which increases rejection which…… Not a productive pattern.
Pro-active means following up with the company. This is a hotly contested point and I’m very firm on doing it. Contrary to popular belief it does not make you look desperate. Companies value people who are attentive to detail (that’s probably in your resume summary) and know how to communicate (that’s probably in there too). What better way to demonstrate those skills?
It also makes you stand out from the pack. Who wants to be a faceless name in a pile of resumes? Forge a relationship and attach your personality to the application. And yes, there’s a difference between polite, professional follow up and annoying persistence. The first is good. The second is not. Call about every other day. Don’t leave more than three messages. Don’t email. It’s creative avoidance. Pick up the phone, and smile when you talk.
Your resume. Are you a victim of one-page-itis? If you are, it’s invariably cramped with tiny print or missing relevant information. Or are there deserts of white space, hence it’s four pages long? Make use of those margins and bring it in a page or two. Do your bullets say what you did instead of how well you did it?
If your cover letter talks endlessly about your accomplishments (which are probably missing from your resume) then you haven’t told the company how they’ll benefit. You’ve let them figure it out; point it out to them so they don’t have to think…because they won’t. Does your letter regurgitate your resume? Is it generic? You should be using the words from the ad and providing examples that connect to what that ad says they want.
Are you networking? Finding groups that meet regularly? Do you have a personal business card with a few lines of your skills and what you want? Are you carrying around resumes? You also need a ten-second speech. It’s a pithy, informal, synopsis of the norm. Note the long sentence: “I’m in IT. I do a lot of project management. I just finished up with Buzbee Consulting who does IT projects for large retail companies, but I’ve done quite a bit of manufacturing projects too with very successful outcomes. Know anyone that needs my talents?”
Contacting companies cold works well, and I can quote you quite a few people who have found something this way, including clients, a few of my friends, and……me. Although a company may not be actively looking, companies are always in flux. You might be in the right place at the right time. Make sure you follow up on these letters. Read the business journals. New management frequently makes changes, and any new hire has created an opening somewhere. Access your reference librarian for directories. The internet is great, but the library is much easier – and free!
here’s the bottom line: if you want to work, you’ve got to work.
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You feel like you’re submitting your resume to every possible job under the sun, but you just can’t get any traction. In the back of your mind is this nagging suspicion that it’s not them, but your resume that could be the problem. But what should a good resume have? You’ve got your past jobs on there with dates, shouldn’t that be enough?
No.
A resume needs to be an attractive, readable, interesting document that makes the employer want to get to know you more. Think of it like an enticing description of a dish on a menu. When you go to a restaurant for the first time, you have no idea what you’re going to order. You have to rely on the descriptions to entice you and steer you in one way or another—ideally for the restaurant toward the highest priced item. They don’t just list the ingredients of the dish, but the description pulls the whole thing together and makes it sound appetizing.
Is your resume enticing to an employer? Here’s what turns them on.
RESULTS: Employers have GOT to see that you get results for the work you do. How effective are you? There’s a difference between not increasing sales at all, and seeing a 34% increase–so put that on the resume! How have you affected the company since you’ve been there?
CAREER SUMMARY: This takes the place of the Objective at the top of your resume. A career summary should give an employer a thumbnail view of who you are as an employee—think of it as a thesis statement on your old high school research papers. DO NOT simply provide a shopping list of qualities such as: hard working, dedicated, loyal, or the phrase attention to detail. They are on EVERYONE’s resume—trust me, I’ve seen my fair share. Instead paint yourself as if you’re an enticing dish on a menu and write something truly descriptive like this: “Syndicated/qualitative research professional with in-depth, customer service experience across a variety of industries. Successful track record of client retention, strong contract negotiation skills and increased sales through up-sell opportunities and new product development. Specialized experience in analytical category analysis, internal data management and written/verbal client presentations.” This describes the person behind the resume and paints a detailed picture of her experience in a short period of time.
BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTIONS: Under every company, job title and dates (and yes, in most cases, you should include months as well as the years), you should provide one or two sentences to describe what the company does (in case the name isn’t well known), and the basics of your job description. That’s it. Employers need to understand the industries you worked in, and the basic responsibilities of your past positions. They do not need to see your duties spelled out—your accomplishments will answer those questions in their mind.
So take a look at your resume. Does it pass the test? If not, email it to me for a FREE 10 minute critique and we can strategize where you should go from here.
Isn’t it worth it to have that nagging “is it my resume?” question answered?
Today more and more resumes I receive have one major flaw. One that I would like to discuss which happens to be the topic of age. Who out there is advising job candidates to hide their age? Has hiding your age on your resume ever worked for someone? Listen it’s stupid to broadcast that you have 20 plus years experience, because all that’s saying is “hey don’t look at me”. Hiring authorities aren’t dumb so listing your first job as being the Controller isn’t tricking anyone to call you. What do you think goes through their head about that? “Oh the dude must be a prodigy” “WOW right out of school he was hired as the controller”. And oh yeah, the big kahuna is when you glance down at the education and the dates are missing. What’s that all about? Perhaps it was just an oversight? Certain dates we don’t forget LIKE WHEN YOU GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL!!! I am aware that there is a recession but this tactic is not going to help you.
So guys and gals listen UP because you are wasting your time. If you happen to get lucky because the HR person is brand spanking new and they call you to come on in for an interview. The gig is up when you fill out an application, or its when you trip over your cane in the interview room.
Listen, I know this is a serious issue and I’m trying to make light of it by pointing out the obvious that doesn’t seem to be obvious to some.
Age discrimination is without question a real issue, however it goes both ways. There are companies out there that want to hire older workers. In fact they prefer it! So use it to your benefit. Don’t play into it by leaving things out.
Tom Watson last week almost won the British open at age 59. I must admit I couldn’t believe that his age was all they talked about. I understand that competitive sports is dominated by the young, but Golf on the other hand??? Granted when you get older your not as strong and you lose some flexibility but after all it’s just a game. He can drive the ball as far as anyone he just needed to sink that 8 foot put. When these guys turn 50 they enter into the senior tour. Perhaps the work force needs a senior tour. Something beside being a Wal-Mart greeter or shelling out samples at Costco.
I personally believe that experience in the work force is more valuable than what a newbie has to offer, except a newbie comes at a cheaper price. Remember that your desire to earn more comes at a cost to the company you work for. From day 1 you and your company have different and conflicting goals when it comes to your income.
So what can you do about this situation?
Keep your resume short to no longer than 2 pages. You don’t want people falling asleep reviewing your resume so keep it relevant to your most recent jobs. Put your dates on your resume including your undergraduate degree. Be aggressive with following up on your resume with phone calls. Make sure that you have high energy when speaking with someone live. If your having resume tracking issues go sign up for MyJobCAST.com and start using it for FREE!
Stop making your age an issue. Make it your strength. Stay current with technology and all it has to offer. Do not avoid CHANGE! Embrace it and be flexible. Lastly, you need to understand that not every new job comes with a raise! You might want to start thinking about cutting your personal expenses and figuring out how to make ends meet with less. I would have to say that 99 out of 100 people do not realize how short careers are. More and more people think that their pay will continue to increase and all I can tell you is it doesn’t. Control what you can control and plan! Unless you work for yourself corporate America does have short term problems for long term careers.
