May
17

Your Professional Value

by admin

Effective resumes clearly demonstrate value.

Simply stating that you’re a good communicator doesn’t have the same value as noting that you developed new relationships that boosted market share and revenue. Saying that you’re dedicated or organized isn’t the same as mentioning that you led a team to increase efficiency or that you exceeded all goals and completed all projects on time and within budget. Responsibilities aren’t that persuasive and skills don’t mean as much unless we know how they’re applied. Try to think of the impact of your efforts and your resume will become more employer focused. The more you show the results of your efforts, the more clearly you’re answering the most important question in a resume: Why should a prospective employer hire you?

 

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May
03

Confident Interviewing

by admin

Even if you’re terrified on the inside, there are a couple ways you can appear more confident on the outside during an interview. Wait for the interviewer to sit down before you sit. Lean forward in your chair and be sure to use good eye contact. Don’t forget to smile, and try to speak clearly and enunciate properly when you talk.  If necessary, take a moment to collect your thoughts before you speak and be sure to display positive body language when the interviewer is talking to demonstrate your enthusiasm, attentiveness, and energy. Looking confident can be the first step towards feeling confident. Be sure to contact Precision Resumes concerning your interview strategy or resume questions.

 

Click here to receive your free resume critique prepared by certified professional resume writers.

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Apr
19

A couple salary negotiation tips…

by admin

The later in the hiring process you talk about money, the more time you have to demonstrate your value to an interviewer before salary negotiations begin. This is why you don’t typically want to discuss money in a phone interview, unless the interviewer pressures you to do so. Also, it’s important to keep a couple of numbers in mind when you start to negotiate pay: How much do people in similar roles make in your location? How much does the company pay employees in similar roles? If you search online, you may be able to find some compensation numbers that will help you roughly define what someone should make in a similar role, in a similar location. Lastly, you must know how much money you need to make. If you have all of those numbers at the ready, salary negotiation will become a more manageable task.

It may even be advantageous to prepare a response that forces the interviewer to “tip his hand” first when it comes to salary. This sort of response will help when an interviewer asks you how much money you want and you want to see what he’s willing to offer first. Practice a reply similar to this so you’re prepared when money comes up during the interview process:

“I’m not going to tell you that money doesn’t matter. However, the most important thing for me right now is finding the right fit and a great opportunity. I’ve been impressed by everything I’ve learned today and in my research about your company. If you believe I would be a good fit for this opening, I would be eager to hear your best offer.”

Click here to receive your free resume critique prepared by certified professional resume writers.

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Apr
12

Tell me a little about yourself…

by admin

Have you ever been to an interview where the interviewer asks you to tell him a little about yourself? This broad-sweeping dig for information terrifies many job seekers. Oftentimes job candidates are caught off-guard and draw a blank, causing them to lose confidence and composure which can be detrimental.

The truth is this should be an empowering question for the interviewee; the interviewer is giving you the chance to control the direction of the interview for the next 30 or 60 seconds. If you don’t know what you would say in this case or if you don’t have a brief prepared statement about how you can create value for a company, then you haven’t done enough prep work for an interview. If you don’t know how to articulate your top five professional assets to a prospective employer, then your interviewing strategy probably needs some development and refinement.

Click here to receive your free resume critique prepared by certified professional resume writers.

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Apr
03

Is your resume free of typos and errors?

by admin

Just this morning a colleague of ours told us she received a resume for an editorial opening at her company in which the applicant had several typos, including an incorrect phone number at the top of the document. Again, this was for an EDITORIAL position! You would be amazed how often job seekers send resumes to hiring managers and then realize after clicking “Send” that there’s a glaring typo or error.

You MUST to proofread your resume…and more than once. Read your resume aloud to yourself to make sure it flows well and is error free. Your resume has the power to change your life, so take 10 or 15 minutes to ensure a clean, accurate, and well-organized presentation of your background. When in doubt, ask a trusted mentor to review your resume as added protection. Ultimately it’s up to you to make sure that your first impression is on point. Consulting a professional resume writer is another way to make sure you’re presenting a high-impact resume to potential employers.

Click here to receive your free resume critique prepared by certified professional resume writers.

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Mar
27

Quality versus Quantity in a Resume

by admin

When it comes to resumes, quality often beats quantity. Some job seekers try to include every single detail from every job in their resumes. Many candidates include every single software they’ve ever used or every process they’ve ever been involved in. More effective resumes identify the most important qualifications the job seeker has and use the candidate’s career history to reinforce those key differentiators and skills. Breadth is important when it comes to applicant-tracking systems, but focusing on the most important assets a job seeker has to offer is usually a better way of delivering a tight, employer-focused resume.

Click here to receive your free resume critique prepared by certified professional resume writers.

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Mar
09

Results, results, results!

by admin

A good ending can make a bad movie decent. However, a bad ending can absolutely kill a good movie. The reason is because we care most about the ending—the results, the outcome. This is not only true in movies; it is also true in resumes. It is imperative to demonstrate and highlight the results of your efforts. “Improving customer service by conducting training” is more powerful than simply “performing training.” There is no specific outcome in the latter. “Generating buzz and client growth by driving integrated marketing activities” is more impactful than simply “developing general marketing materials.” Whenever possible, look for the end game or result of the things you do in your career. This will help you build a strong, value-focused resume.

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Feb
22

What differentiates you from other job seekers?

by admin

Many people are single-issue voters. When they’re choosing between candidates, many voters make decisions based on one issue that’s most important to them. While they may consider all the major issues and topics, people typically make a final vote based on the one issue that matters most to them. This concept can also apply to resumes. Try to determine what’s most important to the company you want to work for—cutting costs, boosting revenues, improving operations, building positive customer rapport, etc. What’s the prospective employer’s primary business pain point? How can you help them evolve? Overall, what’s the one thing you can do to significantly and positively impact a potential employer? If you can identify your “single-issue” or primary differentiator from the competition, you can set the foundation for a more streamlined and value-focused resume.

Click here to receive your free resume critique prepared by certified professional resume writers.

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Feb
14

Separate Yourself From the Competition With Specific, Quantifiable Achievements

by admin

A good salesperson and a bad salesperson both try to build relationships and close deals. So, in terms of responsibilities, they may possess the same or similar skill sets. However, a good salesperson should be able to show that he has boosted revenues, profitability, or market share. That’s why, regardless of job field or industry, specific, detailed, and tangible achievements are vital to incorporate into your resume. Unlike daily responsibilities, accomplishments and quantifiable metrics delineate the best job seeker from the rest of the candidates vying for the same position.

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Feb
07

Keep the resume reader in mind…

by admin

Be sure when writing your resume that you’re mindful of the resume reviewer or hiring manager’s time. Most HR personnel skim resumes in less than 30 seconds before committing to reading them fully. If your document is more than two pages long, it will need some high-impact details to carry interest from page to page. The bottom line is if you can say something in one sentence that you’d otherwise say in two, go for the shorter option. Focus on your skills and offer quantifiable metrics if possible to demonstrate your tangible value and differentiate yourself from the competition, but be mindful of content length and the reader’s limited time.

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