Archive for Resume
How to network AND get work experience at the same time
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Struggling to find a job in your industry? Don’t discount the benefit of volunteering. If you volunteer your time in the field of work you are interested in, you still have the option to work a part-time position and make money outside of that industry if needed. This really helps fill gaps in your resume and allows you to network.
Two key benefits of volunteering:
Networking – While you are volunteering you are able to network and make connections within the industry. Knowing people at your ideal place of work can increase your chances of landing an interview down the road. Not only are you meeting people at the company, they get the chance to see how you are taking the initiative to get your foot in the door.
Work Experience – Volunteering is a great way to get experience in your ideal field of work. This will really help build up your resume and help you decide what you like and don’t like about the industry.
Companies like to see people who are proactive in their job search while being unemployed, not just someone who sits on the couch checking job boards. Get out there and do something.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
Online submitting is not DEAD
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You might think that when you submit to an online application your resume is going into a deep black hole. While it might feel that way, it’s not always the case.
I’ve had two career coaching clients recently who submitted to online jobs. One client got a phone call within 2 hours to set up an interview. He didn’t get that particular job but through that person he heard about another job and was able to secure a job within 3 weeks of submitting to an online job.
My other client received a call almost immediately. Although the job didn’t end up being a fit, he was again able to build a networking contact who put him in contact with a department that would be a good fit. He is actively pursuing that contact now.
So yes you do want to be cautious about ONLY submitting to online applications and job boards, but you don’t want to completely forget them.
It’s like investing when you need to balance your portfolio with different investment choices; you need a good mix of tactics to land your dream job!
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.
Darcy Holoweski
Certified Career Coach
Don’t throw your computer out the window
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I hear this all the time from career coaching clients, “I submitted my resume online and when I copied and pasted it to the form, the formatting was completely lost and it looked like junk.” I know what this is like. This has happened to me before too, and it can drive you nuts!
You need to realize that employers knows this happens. I imagine they give some leeway when it comes to formatting when you have submitted your resume online. It still can be frustrating. You want to get noticed and be seen as someone who’s on the ball and savvy in their job search. Here are two ways to overcome this obstacle:
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Create a PDF version of your resume and attach that, or email it if possible. You can find free PDF translators online if you don’t have the software on your computer.
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Create a notepad version of your resume. Notepad (on PC’s, I’m sure there’s a version for MAC as well) removes all formatting in a document. So if you have a notepad version of your resume on file, you can copy and paste that instead and it will look the same when you insert into the online job boards.
Remember that every little thing you do to make an impression counts in your job search. Good luck!
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
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.
Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach
Create effective job applications in three proven steps
Posted by: | CommentsA problem that I come across a lot when working with my career coaching clients is their ability to position themselves effectively when applying for a job. Last week I was working with a client, Susan. We were putting together her cover letter and resume for a position she was very excited about. Her problem was that she could only focus on the area that she felt did NOT fit the job. This very talented, highly educated professional was focusing all her energy on the one part of the job description where she was not a perfect match. And she was obsessing over that one area.
This insecurity had her completely blinded from all the areas where she was an EXCELLENT fit for the job, and it affected her ability to market herself in her application materials. This is where I stepped in and held up the mirror so she could see how damaging this perspective was. Instead of looking at it from the angle of what she did not have, I turned the tables and explained how much she did have that matched the position.
I was able to language the transferable skills she had into a direct match for what the position was looking for and cover all the requirements, including the area she thought she was missing. Susan was amazed and even more excited about applying for the position right away!
Here are three proven ways to focus on your strengths instead of your insecurities:
- Prior to concentrating on one job description in particular, write out a list of your professional accomplishments. What are you particularly proud of in these scenarios?
- Next pull out the strengths that these examples highlight. For example if you are proud of an award you received at work, what talents and skills did you showcase to win the award? What expertise won you this award?
- Now look at the job description and find where these strengths fit what the job is looking for. If the position is looking for experience with a particular software that you do not directly have, but one of your strengths is to learn technology quickly, highlight that skill in your materials, and provide a concrete example. You obviously cannot make up experience you don’t have, but you can highlight to the employer that you have the underlying skills to be successful.
By accomplishing this you’ll feel more confident that you are marketing yourself effectively in each application. If you are having trouble pulling out your strengths and need an objective expert to lend a hand, contact us for a job search strategy session.
Darcy Holoweski
Certified Career Coach
Volunteering: Gain work experience and exposure
Posted by: | CommentsVolunteering your time is a great way to get experience in a new career field you haven’t worked in before. What is even better, it’s a wonderful way to give back to your community. One of my group coaching clients sent me this update recently:
This Friday is my first scheduled presentation for the North Georgia Goodwill and there are three others later in the month. Next Monday is my first formal speech with the Gwinnett Harbingers Toastmasters Club. I continue to find this is an excellent development and networking tool. I went from 19 “umms” the first time I spoke for two minutes, down to 2 “umms” for a table topic speech, plus an eight minute evaluation “speech” for another speaker
-Group Coaching Client
This client is brilliantly fine tuning his speaking skills to apply for more positions as a trainer. He’s been in the process of interviewing for his dream job for the past several weeks and is in the last round of the process! He’s found several ways to give back, and at the same time gain experience and exposure to what he wants to do long term. It’s a path towards his dream job and he’s walking the talk. Consider volunteering. It’s a great way to gain experience, fine tune your skills, network, and all while giving back!
Hallie Crawford
Career Transition Coach
5 Steps to Re-Inventing Your Career
Posted by: | CommentsSTEP ONE: Define your talents:
Uncover what your unique talents are, how you stand out from your peers in industry, and identify your transferable skills. Transferable skills are those that can translate to other industries.
- Action steps:
- Take 30 mins with your resume this week, with someone else alongside, identify unique skills
- Spend an hour interviewing a friend, a family member, a former co-worker about “your greatest strength” ask them what they think it is
STEP TWO: Brainstorm additional career ideas:
Research and brainstorm other career paths you can take with your talents and experience. Examples: if you’re an architect you could look into green construction, if you were a banker who investigated and researched fraud cases you could look into police work or becoming a lawyer (both things that involve research and uncovering facts).
- Action steps:
- Spend an hour this week searching the ONET database (online.onetcenter.org) using keywords and skills
- Search monster and careerbuilder for job postings in specific industries to get a feel for what’s out there in those industries and if they would be a fit for you. Indeed.com is another useful site
- Talk with friends and family members at social events this week; ask them to brainstorm career ideas with you
