Creative job titles are becoming normal. I’ve come across job seekers with the title of “Chaos Manager,” “Strategy Partner,” “Growth Hacker,” “Sustainability Advocate” or “Director of Corporate Responsibility.” Many of those titles reflect recent business trends, such as those toward disruptive technology, collaboration, social responsibility, and marketing with stories (“Chief Storyteller”). Others are simply misguided att...
Every so often, a list appears of the 100 Best Words for Your Resume or The Most Powerful Resume Words. Those lists might as well start with “abracadabra.”The most powerful words on your resume are the words that specifically describe what you accomplished in your career. Those are the words that differentiate you from other job applicants and that grab the attention of hiring managers and recruiters.It is true that strong...
Today you should declare your independence from three types of resume mistakes that prevent you from ever receiving an invitation to interview.Mistake #1: Bury Important InformationThe most important information in your resume or cover letter, aside from your name, is your contact information, the type of job you are applying for and your qualifications for that job. You want your contact information to appear at the top of...
If you want to live and work at a foreign location—whether outside the United States for a U.S. citizen or within the United States for a citizen of another country—your resume has to meet certain special criteria.You will want the hiring manager or recruiter to know that you are familiar with the language of the country where you want to work. It is also important to mention if you have citizenship or dual citizenship in t...
In honor of Father’s Day, let us discuss a few ways that resumes and the job market have changed since 1966, 50 years ago.For example, switching jobs is now an indication of flexibility and dedication to getting ahead, though it was once considered a symptom of disloyalty or poor performance. You still want to establish a career for at least a year or two before looking elsewhere. But job changes are expected.In your father...
One of the qualifications for a professional resume writer is a love of English and knowledge about how to put words together to make a good impression. Sometimes I am baffled by the mistakes I see in do-it-yourself resumes, but the following DIY mistakes are common and easy to catch if you look for them:• Numbers: The first DIY resume writer listed all his jobs in reverse chronological order. Good so far. But when he put d...
Even perfect resumes—perfect in format and content—can fail to gain you the interviews you hoped for. Here are the four biggest reasons why resumes go wrong:1.You are targeting the wrong job. As I’ve mentioned often, one-size-fits-all resumes (or generic resumes) have no value in the marketplace. Employers want to know that you understand and meet their specific requirements. Your resume may be perfect, but it has to match...
When you are ready to change careers, to a new field, a new position in your existing field, or a new industry, make sure your resume is ready for the change. By thinking ahead, you will be prepared to create a resume that is attractive to hiring managers and recruiters in your new career.First, find out if you will be a more attractive candidate with certifications or classes in your new career. Someone moving from hands-o...
Because so much information appears on social media and professional sites such as LinkedIn, and because many job applicants are creating their own websites, I am often asked if a resume is still needed.My response is to ask: Where is the content coming from, for the social media, professional sites, and websites?In every case, the job candidate is working from a job history, with associated accomplishments, education, and...
Resume clients often give me a copy of an outdated resume to serve as a starting point for creating a new, more powerful resume targeted to their current job search. Lately, some preventable writing and proofreading mistakes have been cropping up in those old resumes crop over and over again.For example, Marine Corps has appeared in more than one resume without the “s” in Corps. The word “corp.” is an abbreviation for “corp...