| CAREER RELATED TIPS |
Bryan Thorby
Publisher
webmaster@career-related.com
http://career-related.com |
| Date: February 23, 2005 |
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| In This Issue: |
| Thoughts of the Day |
Article : What Recruiters Hate About Resumes And Cover Letters
By Kevin Donlin |
Article : De-Bunking The "Follow Your Bliss" Myth
By Patricia Soldati |
Article : How to Give Job-Winning Answers at Interviews
By Bonnie Lowe |
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| Three more great articles today to read and think about. |
I hope you are working towards your goals and aspirations and
seeing some tangible results. |
Today I'm giving a brief comment on an important aspect when
sending your resume. |
As you can appreciate, employers receive a lot of resumes when
they advertise a position. Some employers will not bother
reading resumes and cover letters that are not addressed
personally to the person to whom they should be addressed. |
If the job ad did not give a name to send the resume too, get
on the phone and find out. This little bit of initiative
could pay big dividends when you get the job. |
| Keep up your energy and enthusiasm. |
| Regards |
| Bryan |
| Sponsor |
Wanting to know more about job interviews?
Learn about job interview questions, job interview follow ups,
job interview advice, job interview tips, sample job interview
questions, preparing for the job interview, questions to ask at
a job interview, and how to prepare for a job interview,
Read my eBook "Your Basic Guide to Acing ANY Job Interview"
Go to http://career-related.com/interview |
| Thoughts of the Day |
"In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first
victory they won was over themselves ... self-discipline
with all of them came first."
-- Harry S Truman |
| Article |
"What Recruiters Hate About Resumes And Cover Letters"
copyright (c) by Kevin Donlin |
Today, I'm going to share with you the awful truth about
resumes and cover letters. |
| Here it is: Most of them stink. |
That's not just my opinion, although I've read nearly 15,000
resumes and cover letters over the years and found glaring
mistakes in about 85-90% of them. |
It's also the opinion of most of the hiring professionals I've
spoken to over the years. |
Where do most resumes and cover letters go wrong? And how can
you avoid the typical mistakes that most job seekers make? |
To find answers, I spoke with two experienced recruiters.
Their candid advice can help you avoid typical pitfalls, and get
hired faster |
| Here it is ... |
Don't Use The Same Resume For Every Job
Would you grab any old suit off the rack and rush off to church
to get married? No. First, you get the suit tailored, so it
fits. That way, you won't look ridiculous. |
Unfortunately, job seekers can look ridiculous when they rush
to apply for jobs without tailoring their resumes. It's a real
pet peeve of most hiring professionals, including Larry Harris,
a Minneapolis-based recruiter and President of American
Consulting (americanconsultingcompany.com) |
"Why don't candidates customize every resume they send out, to
fit the job they're applying for? That makes my job a lot
easier when I forward that resume to my client, the hiring
manager." |
According to Tony Haley, Director of UK-based Fenton Chase
International (fentonchase.com), most resumes come across as
generic, with no consideration about a particular position or
company. |
"The most surprising group of candidates who do this is Sales
Managers and Sales Directors. These people spend their days
reviewing resumes from candidates and yet when it comes to their
own, they cannot sell themselves," says Haley. |
| Solution? |
| Customize, customize, customize. |
Every company, every position, every manager reading your resume
-- they're all different. So tailor your resume for every
position you apply for. Bring out the details of your experience
that are most relevant to each opportunity and company. |
Don't Be Boring
One of the worst sins you can commit with a resume is to be
boring. The rule of thumb is simple: If they snooze, you lose
(because your resume will go in the trash). |
Resumes get boring when you fill them full of jargon, or dry
job descriptions, or a lack of specific results, according to
Haley. |
"Consider the reader. Remember, the people reading your resume
might not be that proficient at it. If they cannot see what
they are looking for almost immediately, they might reject it,
and if it's full of technical jargon, they might not
understand it," says Haley. |
| Solution? |
An easy way to eliminate dull wording from a resume is to read
it aloud to 2-3 friends. If eyes glaze over or brows furrow,
you've likely lost your audience. Revise the resume until it
holds your friends' attention all the way through. |
Haley offers another way to create a compelling resume:
"Use the 'So, what?' test. Any sentence on a resume that causes
a reader to think 'So, what?' probably means it's waffle. Reword
it or take it off." |
Don't Forget The Cover Letter
You wouldn't want to alienate anyone who could help you get
a job, would you? |
Yet, that's just what you do when you forget to send a cover
letter with your resume. Because a missing cover letter
creates extra work for busy hiring professionals, as they try
to figure out what job you're applying for and how you heard
about it. |
| Solution? |
Write and include a cover letter with every resume, including
those you send by email. |
Even a one-line cover letter in an email is better than nothing,
according to Larry Harris: "You could simply write, 'I'm
applying for your telemarketing software sales position. I spent
five years doing that exact job. I'd be perfect for it!" |
Here's hoping these tirades and tips from hiring professionals
will help you write a better resume and cover letter next time
you apply for that dream job. |
| Now, go out and make your own luck! |
Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1996,
he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online
job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23
countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today,
CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business
Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others. |
For more information,
http://career-related.com/apm/gresumes.htm |
| Article |
| De-Bunking The "Follow Your Bliss" Myth |
| By Patricia Soldati |
I don’t know about you... but I’m pretty tired of hearing about
how you can "follow your dream" in three or four easy steps.
I’ve seen plenty of people leap before they sufficiently looked
--and end up dissatisfied or broke, or both. I’ve also had
clients come to me after reading a hot, new book or attending a
workshop. And they still can’t figure out what it is they want
to do for a living. |
Of course not! You can’t think your way to a new career or, at
least you can’t 99% of the time. |
The truth is that career change is no walk in the park. It takes
focus, a smart strategy and guts. |
Focus Anyone can start their career change effort with vigor.
But keeping your fires burning for the duration of your journey
is another story. Given the roadblocks and the absence of any
hard deadlines, it’s just the kind of "priority" that can fall
through the cracks of your busy life. |
The key is to create an environment of accountability. Here are
four ways to do this: |
1.Schedule your career change activities into your weekly
calendar. As Steven Covey would say, make it a "big rock"
priority. 2.Register for a class or workshop that keeps you
engaged and focused for an extended period of time. 3.Career
change can’t be done in a vacuum. Work with a mentor or coach
who has a good business head and market perspective. 4.Know
exactly what you hope to gain from your career change. A clear
and compelling personal benefit is your secret weapon to hanging
in there for the duration of your journey. |
A Smart Strategy The old adage "look before you leap" is perfect
advice for prospective career-changers. Keep your day job and
let your paycheck enable you to take all the time you need to
discover new work options and test them out. Once you are clear
that a particular path is right for you craft a good plan to
get there. At a minimum, your plan will include new training
requirements and timing, building a new network, and a
communications strategy for leaving your current employer. |
Guts Successful career-changers know two things: First, how
critical the courage factor is to their ultimate success; and,
second, that it’s not possible to feel courageous 100% of the
time. By its very nature, the career-change journey is a wiggly
road. When your courage is on the wane, try these approaches: |
1.Don’t confuse uncertainty with disaster. Avoid the mental
"drama" that takes you to the worst possible outcome. These
projections are not your present reality. 2.Focus on your gifts
and talents. Acknowledge yourself deeply, and at the feeling
level -- for the experience and skills you have gained. Write
them down as a reminder of your abundance. 3.Trust in Divine
Presence. As long as you continue to pursue your career change
smartly, and take solid, active steps (i.e., do your part!),
providence will support you as well. |
Finally, remember that we are indeed, a ‘free agent’ nation.
Safe, smart career change is possible and thousands of people
just like you have successfully re-invented their working lives.
Without question, you can, too |
About the author:
Patricia Soldati is a former President & COO of a national
finance organization who re-invented her working life in 2001.
As a career strategist, she uses her considerable business savvy
to guide burned out corporate professionals into soul-satisfying
work, safely and smartly. For more about her background and
approach, visit www.findworkyouloveandthrive.com |
| Article |
| How to Give Job-Winning Answers at Interviews |
| By Bonnie Lowe |
Human Resources personnel, professional recruiters and various
other career experts all agree: one of the best ways to prepare
yourself for a job interview is to anticipate questions, develop
your answers, and practice, practice, practice. |
There are plenty of websites that offer lists of popular job
interview questions, and knowing the types of questions to
expect can be very useful. But knowing how to answer those
questions can mean the difference between getting the job and
getting the "reject letter." |
| HOW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS |
| First, know these important facts: |
1. There is no way to predict every question you will be asked
during a job interview. In other words, expect unexpected
questions--they'll come up no matter how much preparation you do. |
2. Treat any sample answers you find, such as in discussion
forums, books or on Internet job sites, as GUIDES only. Do not
use any sample answers word for word! Interviewers can spot
"canned" answers a mile away, and if they suspect you are
regurgitating answers that are not your own, you can kiss that
job goodbye. You must apply your own experiences, personality
and style to answer the questions in your own way. This is
crucial, and it will give you a big advantage over candidates
who simply recite sample answers. |
3. Job interview questions are not things to fear, they are
OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEL. They allow you to show why you are the
best person for the job, so instead of dreading them, look
forward to them! The key is to give better answers than anyone
else, and that's where your preparation comes in. |
| Now, take these actions: |
1. Make a list of your best "selling points" for the position.
What qualifications, skills, experience, knowledge, background,
personality traits do you possess that would apply to this
particular job? Write them down and look for opportunities to
work them into your answers. |
2. In addition to any sample job interview questions you find
through various resources, you absolutely must develop your OWN
list of probable questions based specifically on the job for
which you are applying. Put yourself in the hiring manager's
shoes... what kinds of questions would you ask to find the best
person for this job? |
3. Write down your answers to likely questions. Study the job
announcement carefully. (If you don't have one, get one!) Note
the phrases they use when describing the desired qualifications.
You'll want to target these as much as possible when developing
your answers. For example, if the announcement says they want
someone with "strong customer service skills," make sure you
include "strong customer service skills" in at least one of your
answers. That will make a better impression than saying "I
helped customers." |
4. Review and edit your answers until you feel they are "just
right." Read them over and over until you are comfortable that
you know them fairly well. Don't try to memorize them; don't
worry about remembering every word. Practice saying them out
loud. If possible, have a friend help you rehearse for the
interview. |
| Be A (Short) Story Teller |
Make use of this old marketing tip: "Facts tell but stories
sell." During a job interview, you are selling yourself.
Whenever possible, answer questions with a short story that
gives specific examples of your experiences. Notice I said
"short." You don't want to ramble or take up too much time; you
want to be brief but still make your point. |
For example, imagine two people interviewing for a job as a dog
groomer are asked, "Have you ever dealt with aggressive dogs?"
Candidate Joe answers, "Yes, about 10% of the dogs I've groomed
had aggressive tendencies." Candidate Mary answers, "Oh yes,
quite often. I remember one situation where a client brought in
his Pit Bull, Chomper. He started growling at me the moment his
owner left, and I could tell from his stance he wasn't about to
let me get near his nails with my clippers. I think he would've
torn my arm off if I hadn't used the Schweitzer Maneuver on him.
That calmed him down right away and I didn't have any problems
after that." (NOTE: I know nothing about dog grooming; I made
the Schweitzer Maneuver up for illustrative purposes.) |
Don't you agree that Mary's answer is better? Sure, Joe answered
the question, but Mary did more than that--she gave a specific
example and told a quick story that will be remembered by the
interviewers. |
In today's job market where there are dozens of highly qualified
candidates for each opening, anything you do that will make you
stand out and be remembered will greatly increase your odds of
getting hired. |
Keep the Interviewer's Perspective in Mind; Answer His "What's
in it for Me?" Question |
While many questions asked during job interviews appear to focus
on your past accomplishments, here's an important tip: they may
be asking about what you did in the past, but what they really
want to know is what you can do NOW, for THEM. |
The key is to talk about your past accomplishments in a way that
shows how they are RELEVANT to the specific job for which you
are interviewing. Doing advance research about the company (such
as at their website or at www.hoovers.com) and the position will
be extremely helpful. |
Here's another example with Joe and Mary. The interviewer asks,
"What is the most difficult challenge you've faced, and how did
you overcome it?" Joe answers with, "In one job I was delivering
pizzas and I kept getting lost. By the time I'd find the
address, the pizza would be cold, the customer would be unhappy,
and my boss was ready to fire me. I overcame this problem by
purchasing a GPS navigation device and installing it in my car.
Now I never get lost!" Mary answers, "In my current job at
Stylish Hounds, management ran a special promotion to increase
the number of customers who use the dog-grooming service. It was
a bit too successful because we suddenly had more customers than
we could handle. Management would not hire additional groomers
to help with the workload. Instead of turning customers away or
significantly delaying their appointments, I devised a new
grooming method that was twice as fast. Then I developed a new
work schedule. Both efforts maximized productivity and we were
able to handle the increased workload effectively without
upsetting our customers." |
Joe's answer shows initiative and commitment (he bought that GPS
gadget with his own money, after all). But Mary's answer relates
specifically to the job they are applying for (dog groomer). And
Mary had done research about the company and discovered it was
about to significantly expand it's dog-grooming operations. So
she picked an example from her past that addressed an issue the
interviewer was likely to apply to a future situation in his
company. See the difference? |
Here's one more example. Joe and Mary are asked, "What's your
greatest accomplishment?" Joe answers, "I won two Olympic Gold
Medals during the 2000 Olympics in the high-jump competition."
Mary answers, "I was named Stylish Hounds's Dog Groomer of the
Year in 2003 for increasing productivity in my section by 47%." |
Joe's accomplishment is pretty spectacular. But remember the
interviewer's perspective. He might be impressed, but he's
thinking "What's in it for me? What does being a world-class
high-jumper four years ago have to do with helping me to
increase sales in my dog-grooming department?" Mary's answer is
much less spectacular than Joe's, but it's relevant to the
position and indicates that she has what it takes to be
successful in this particular job. It tells the interviewer, "I
have what you're looking for; I can help you with your specific
needs." |
| Looks like Mary has a new job! |
| Do Not Lie |
Last but not least, tell the truth. It's sometimes very tempting
to "alter" the truth a bit during a job interview. For instance,
say you quit instead of being fired. But the risk of being
discovered as a liar far outweighs the potential benefit of
hiding the truth. |
If you are thinking about telling a lie during the interview,
ask yourself these questions (this technique has helped me make
many major decisions): "What is the BEST thing that could
happen? What is the WORST thing that could happen? Is the best
thing WORTH RISKING the worst thing?" In this instance, the best
thing would be getting the job. The worst thing would be getting
discovered as a liar, which could lead to getting fired, which
could lead to unemployment, which could lead to more job
searching, which could lead to another interview, which could
lead to the stress of deciding whether to lie about just getting
fired, and so on.. a cycle that can go on indefinitely. Is all
that worth getting the one job, perhaps on a temporary basis? |
| Always consider the consequences of your actions. |
In Summary, Here's What You Need To Do When Preparing To Answer
Job Interview Questions: |
| 1. Study the job announcement. |
| 2. Research the company. |
| 3. Anticipate likely questions. |
4. Prepare answers to those questions that are relevant to the
position and the company. |
5. Promote your best "selling points" (relevant qualifications,
capabilities, experience, personality traits, etc.) by working
them into your answers. |
| 6. Practice. Practice. Practice. |
About the author:
Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular "Job Interview Success
System" and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times."
Find those and other powerful career resources at her website:
www.best-interview-strategies.com |
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| Career Related Tips newsletter |
And, although all of the articles have been selected for
their content, the publishing of such articles within
this newsletter does NOT constitute a recommendation of
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those articles. |
Be responsible! Always do your own Due Diligence before
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