Archive for Resume/Cover Letters
Don’t forget the job search basics
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Here is a great Huffington Post article that I wanted to share, Getting Organized: The Key to a Successful Job Search. Job seekers often obsess about their resume and cover letter. You have to pay attention to these things, but even if you have the best resume ever, it doesn’t matter if you’re not timely and efficient when you send it out.
I recently spoke to my career coaching client, Justin, and it reminded me again of how important it is to remain organized in your job search. He and I talked about creating a job search spreadsheet which he hadn’t yet done it. As a result, he was overwhelmed in his job search because he had gotten lost in who he was supposed to follow up with and when.
Don’t forget the basics for your job search. Sit down and get organized if you haven’t already, and then be sure to stay organized! Don’t let your career transition fall by the wayside.
If you’d like help with your resume or cover letter, contact us today!
Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach
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Truth or dare on your resume (Tell a white lie?)
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I can’t tell you how many times we have career coaching clients come to us wondering what is ok to put on their resume and what is not. I find that most people we encounter fall into the category of not of wanting to lie on their resume (a good thing!!) but as a result they end up selling themselves short. They are so worried about telling the truth on their resume that they go to the other extreme, and aren’t fully comfortable selling themselves.
Your resume is a marketing or sales piece and you need to understand that first. It’s not about lying or exaggerating, but it is about promoting yourself and putting your best foot forward in everything you say on there. Include anything that would be relevant to the position you’re applying for, including volunteer work, serving on a board, seminars you’ve attended. Don’t be afraid to promote yourself!
On the flip side, the answer to the question“Do I tell a white lie?” is no. If you’re hesitant to put something on your resume because you’re being modest and you are afraid to promote yourself or “toot your own horn” that’s one thing. You need to get over that. If you’re hesitant to put something on your resume because it feels wrong, like you’re not being honest or you’re exaggerating the truth, draw the line.
The short and long term impact of lying on your resume is obvious and not pretty. I’ve had career coaching clients who didn’t have a college degree who were wildly successful in the corporate world but they could not put they had a degree on their resume. They just had to work around it. You can too.
If you’re interested in more help with your resume or cover letter, contact us here.
Hallie Crawford
Career Search Coach
P.S. For more help with your career journey, check out our Free Newsletter to help you today!
Two new resources to help you with your job search
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This summer we added two new associate coaches to our team, Katie Weiser and Jasmine Marchong, to help you with your job search and crafting a winning resume. Before you approach a recruiter or resume writer you have to remember to be prepared. You need to know exactly what you’re looking for. Some people make the mistake of thinking a headhunter can help them with their career direction. They can’t necessarily – That’s not always their area of expertise.
Before you approach either, make sure you have a clear idea of the jobs you’re interested in, and also bring job postings with you. They need these in order to help place you, and resume writers need this to help you craft your resume.
One of our new team members, Jasmine Marchong, is a professional resume writer and has been writing resumes for approximately eight years. She offers a complimentary resume review to help you get started with ideas on what to do next to improve your document.
Contact Jasmine to get help with your resume here: http://www.halliecrawford.com/contact-resume.html.
Hallie Crawford
Ideal Career Coach
P.S. Are you in the ideal career for you? Find out if you’re in the right career with our Ideal Career Quiz.
Applying for jobs? Remember QUALITY versus QUANTITY
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This is a great article from a Google recruiter. One of the points I want to highlight is quality versus quantity regarding the number of applications you send out.
It is much better to spend more time applying for positions you truly want and that you are most qualified for. This should be done in addition to submitting your resume and spending time networking your way into the organization. It is much better to take extra time making your application the best it can be, than sending out a mass of resumes that aren’t tailored to the positions, and for which you may not be a fit.
Yes the job search game can be a law of numbers, but you’ll increase your odds if you spend more time on each one.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
P.S. Are you in the ideal career for you? Find out if you are on the right track with this quick Ideal Career Quiz!
Do you know who you’re writing to?
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One of my career coaching clients recently sent me a copy of his sample cold cover letter to inquire with companies about possible openings. These are companies where he doesn’t know anyone so it’s very cold. This process is still worth doing though! Remember you need to diversify your job search strategies. You never know what will help you get your foot in the door.
His cover letter had one possible problem however; it said “Dear hiring manager”. We all know this isn’t ideal. Sending a cover letter with a generic greeting can easily be thrown into the circular file (a.k.a. the wastebasket.) You have to do everything you can to find out who the hiring manager is before you send your letter. Pick up the phone and ask the receptionist at the front desk. Look on LinkedIn. See if there’s a company directory online. Do whatever it takes to get that name.
It is always beneficial in the long run to go the extra mile to make an impression. It will be worth your time and effort. Do what it takes to stand out from the crowd!
If you’d like more help with your job search, contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
P.S. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my Career Audio Series for powerful advice and tools to help you identify your ideal career, navigate your job search and enhance your work performance
Get your online resume ready and get connected!
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I really enjoyed speaking to the Kennesaw State EMBA students, alumni and fraternity members last night at Lenox. Thank you everyone for attending. It was a great group of motivated, committed people.
One of the topics that came up during Q&A was creating an online resume and online PowerPoint for yourself to showcase your skills and experience. It’s a great way to use technology to make it easier for employers to connect with you and understand what you bring to the table. *Be sure to link to your LinkedIn profile.
Here’s a great article about creating an online resume: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/onlineresumes/a/onlineresumes.htm
Connect the dots with your cover letter
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In my career coaching practice I consistently hear from clients that they hate writing cover letters. They don’t understand what to include, they are annoyed they have to write one, and they don’t see the point. In our work together, I help them see how the cover letter is really their friend, and how they can use it to their advantage. There is one key reason why:
A cover letter is how you connect the dots for the employer of why you’re a good fit for the job.
The resume doesn’t always connect the dots clearly of how you have the experience and skills to be successful in the job you’re applying for. You do the hiring manager a great service by clearly describing how you are a good fit for their particular job in your cover letter.
Therefore, the best strategy for your cover letter is to follow these two steps:
1) Explain the top 3 reasons you are a perfect candidate for the position. Look through the job description, pull out the skills and experience that you have that match what they are looking for, and highlight these areas in your cover letter.
2) Include quick examples that confirm your experience and skills, so you gain trust and believability that you have the skills you list.
By keeping these two steps in mind, you will create compelling cover letters that grab attention instead of going immediately to the recycling bin. If you’d like more help with writing your cover letter, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
Get your foot in the door: Snail mail your resume
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My career coaching client Tracy shared a story with me that was somewhat successful regarding physically mailing in her resume to a potential employer. She successfully landed an interview she wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.
Tracy had a phone interview with the company and unfortunately, someone else who had more relevant experience landed the position. The success is that she got her foot in the door when she wouldn’t have otherwise.
It can be a risky; you don’t always know how a potential employer will respond to you being assertive. Follow their instructions. If potential employers say to send in your resume via email, do exactly that. If they don’t specify though, I think it’s worth it to do something a little different, like sending a hard copy of your resume in order to make a good impression. It may not always work, but you only need it to work a few times.
Think outside the box when it comes to applying for jobs, many times it will pay off and be worth it.
