7 Resume Mistakes Candidates Probably Didnt Realize

7 Resume Mistakes Candidates Probably Didnt Realize If you’ve worked long and hard on your resume only to find that it’s not getting the response you hoped for, it may be because you have made one or more common mistakes. Over my career, I’ve seen tens of thousands of resumes and I’ve seen just about every mistake you can imagine. But some are more common than others. If your resume isn’t working for you, check whether you have made any of these frequently seen errors. 1. Focusing on Yourself Rather Than on the Employer Think of a resume as an advertisement for a product, only the “product” is you. Just like any other advertisement, positioning is everything. The person who receives your resume will scan it quickly â€" perhaps for no more than 20 seconds â€" to determine whether you can help her company. Your job is to say quickly, clearly and loudly that you can! Don’t just launch into a chronology of your career history. Instead, determine your own positioning by spelling out your message at the start of the resume and giving the reader your version of events upfront. For this reason, you should use the first 1/3 of your resume to create a compelling personal profile which highlights your key strengths in an attractive, easy-to-read format. 2. Starting with an Objective Don’t start with an objective. Recruiters and hiring managers don’t like them because they focus on the needs of the job seeker rather than the needs of the potential employer. Consider this objective statement: “Seeking a software engineer position with a progressive employer where I can contribute to the development of new technologies and work with bright, committed people.” This may be very honest but it is irrelevant to the reader, who does not care what you want and only cares what you have to offer. Instead of an objective, try using a positioning statement that clearly and concisely explains what you have to offer. “Senior Software Engineer with 10 years experience developing leading-edge technologies.” Now the reader can immediately see your value to the company. (For even greater impact, tailor this statement for each position so that the reader immediately sees a match between his/her needs and your skills.) 3. Focusing on Responsibilities Instead of Results Don’t provide a laundry list of responsibilities without showing what results you achieved. Most employers already know what the main responsibilities of your job were. They want to know what makes you different from all the other applicants. An effective resume summarizes job responsibilities in a few sentences and then provides details of quantifiable achievements. 4. Not Being Specific You must place your achievements in context by providing specifics. For example, don’t say something vague like “contributed to product design.” This tells the employer nothing about your actual contribution. Instead be specific about what you did: “Conducted market analysis for (name of product) to determine design and mechanics. Led changes to original design spec. despite initial internal objections. Received critical acclaim and sold over 4 million units.” See how being specific makes a difference? This level of detail shows the reader the contributions you have made in the past and therefore the contributions you can be expected to make in the future. 5. Poor Design and Layout At least 50% of the impact of your resume derives from design. A strong resume design will pull the eye through the document, making it easy to keep reading and will highlight your key strengths clearly. But if your resume is badly laid out, disorganized or hard to read, it will be discarded before the reader knows how qualified you are. To see examples of good designs, check out our sample resumes. Take time to understand how the page has been laid out and then apply what you’ve learned to your resume. 6. Writing about Everything (Including the Kitchen Sink) Think of your resume as a brochure, not a product catalog. It doesn’t have to tell your entire story â€" just the parts that will help you find your next position. So be selective about what to include. Don’t mention experiences and accomplishments that have nothing to do with your career goals. Don’t include outdated skills or computer knowledge. Also avoid including personal information. Don’t detail your marital status, age or the number of children you have. Don’t mention non-professional affiliations such as political or religious volunteer work unless it directly relates to the position you are applying for. Information like this runs the risk of turning the reader off. However proud you are of personal achievements, you should not run the risk of alienating someone before you even have your foot in the door. 7. Not Having a Clear Focus This is absolutely essential. You cannot appeal to a target audience until you know who that audience is. You must determine the types of positions you’re seeking and identify what is important to hiring managers filling those roles. If you have several different career goals, create several different resumes, each one carefully targeted to appeal to employers in that field. If you try to appeal to very diverse audience with one resume, you will simply wind up appealing to none of them. In Summary When you send your resume out, it must speak articulately for you. You can’t explain inconsistencies, clear up confusion or fill in things that are missing. Your resume has to make your sales pitch in a clear and compelling manner within 20 seconds. Invest the time to make it exceptional and you will see an immediate increase in the response rate. Related: 4 LinkedIn Mistakes that Could Damage Your Career. Louise Fletcher co-founded Blue Sky in 2002 after a career as an HR executive. She admits to being a ‘wordnerd’  at heart and loves to write. She developed the Blue Sky resume approach, has written two books, and has been a featured expert for sites such as Monster, The Ladders and HR Guru.

Forget TOWIE The Only Way Is Digital University of Manchester Careers Blog

Forget ‘TOWIE’ The Only Way Is Digital University of Manchester Careers Blog Amy Edwards, guest blogger from Bubble Jobs talks to us about the digital industry Want to get paid to post fabulous Facebook content or to come up with engaging messages in 140 characters or less? Maybe you’d like to lead the online presence for major brands like Clinique or Channel 4 or design and develop the next Angry Birds? It’s about time you took a closer look at the digital industry. But wait a minute, isn’t the digital industry only a good fit for web developers and graphic designers? That’d be a ‘no’. You see, the digital industry is extremely vast â€" and while it is a great fit for established web developers, there’s much more to it than just building and designing websites. Think about it; websites don’t just appear from nowhere â€" there’s a whole team behind them and the actual build of the website is just the beginning. From the words that appear on a website to the things a company tweets and the mobile apps you download, it’s all controlled by employees in the digital sector â€" and guess what? Only a small percentage of them have a ‘traditional’ technology degree like Web and Software Development or Graphic Design. History, English, Economics, Maths, Business â€"   they might not be the first degree subjects that spring to mind when you think about the digital industry, but the skills and experience that come with them are needed right across the sector right now. What am I talking about? I’m talking about skills and experience in things like qualitative and quantitative research, statistics, data, linguistics and business strategy â€" you name it, they’re all needed by the world’s biggest online brands, including Amazon, eBay, Google and Facebook (to name a few!), every day. The digital industry is big and it’s getting bigger by the day as the internet becomes more and more ingrained into our lives. This means there are lots of jobs available, not just in the UK, but in exciting places like California, Sydney, Amsterdam and Paris too. It’s an industry that is changing and adapting all the time as new technology evolves, so if you like the idea of a fast-paced environment it could be a good fit for you. Right, let’s give you a brief overview of what’s involved. Web Development What Is It? The process of building web pages, websites, online tools, software and applications (both mobile and web) for direct brands and clients. Key Job Titles: Web Developer, Mobile Apps Developer, Software Engineer, PHP Developer, Front End Developer, Web Programmer Relevant Degrees include: Web Development, Computer Science, Computing, Software Engineering, Mobile Computing, Web Applications Skills Experience: HTML, CSS, Android, iOS, XML, PHP, ASP.Net Online Marketing What Is It? The process of building a brand’s reputation online and driving traffic to a website, both organic (natural â€" not paid) and paid. Key Job Titles: Online Marketing Executive, Copywriter, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Executive, PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Account Manager, Content Manager, Digital Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager Relevant Degrees include: Marketing, English, Journalism, Media, Communications, History, Geography, Film Studies, Creative Writing, Drama and Theatre Studies Skills: Great people skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail. Experience: Using Twitter, Facebook and Google+ in a commercial setting, blogging, online copywriting, experience with paid and natural search optimisation. eCommerce What Is It? The process of buying and selling products and/or services online. Key Job Titles: eCommerce Manager, eCommerce Marketing Manager, Account Manager, Business Development Manager, Digital Sales Executive, Media Buyer, Media Planner Relevant Degrees include: Maths, Economics, Business Studies, Law, Accounting Finance, Business Management Skills: The ‘gift of the gab’, highly organised, can regularly hit targets/work to deadlines, outgoing. Experience: Experience selling and negotiating in a commercial environment, keeping up to date with the latest industry trends. Analytics Research What Is It? The process of analysing website performance using data and predicting future trends within the industry. Key Job Titles: Games Analyst, Website Analyst, Digital Analytics Lead, Data Analyst, Customer Insight Manager, Market Intelligence Analyst Relevant Degrees include: Maths, Economics, Physics, Engineering, Biology, Chemistry Skills: Highly numerate, great with statistics and sorting through large amounts of data. Experience: Analysing data, experience using Analytics software like Google Analytics So how do you get into the digital industry then? Well, just like any other industry at the moment, it’s not exactly easy but your existing skills and experience, along with the fact you’ve grown up with things like video-on-demand, social media and eCommerce should definitely put you in good stead. When it comes to digital careers, employers are looking for candidates who are keen to learn, enthusiastic and committed â€" and they’re also looking for candidates who have experience in their chosen field. From setting up your own blog or website to managing a local charity’s social media accounts, it’s fairly easy to pick up work experience in a non-commercial setting but it’s also a good idea to try and pick up some work experience within a digital agency (like Manchester’s Carat, Creative Spark or McCann) and with a direct brand (like Bupa, Google and the BBC) too. Keep your eye out for digital internships and don’t be afraid to approach digital businesses directly with your CV. My top tips? Do your research, be enthusiastic and be willing to take on anything you’re offered (remember, everyone has to start somewhere!). Just to clarify, I’m not saying the digital industry is the right fit for every student and graduate but it is definitely worth considering when assessing your future career options. To find out more about the digital industry visit the Bubble Digital Career Portal. Amy Edwards (Bubble Jobs) All Media digital industry digital sector media Options

7 Reasons The Best Thing You Can Do for Your Soul Is Travel

7 Reasons The Best Thing You Can Do for Your Soul Is Travel Does wanderlust call and you don’t answer because you’re too busy? It’s funny how your excuse to not travel is “life,” but you fail to experience life by remaining stuck and feeling trapped. How do you know what you want and need from life if you don’t live it? The best thing you can do for your soul is travel. Here are a few essential ways that travel heals the soul. Escape to Center People call traveling to get away because humans tend to crave escape. It’s not always a negative signal. It’s a call to escape to center and press the reset button. You spend life living out specific roles you play, and you forget what you mean to yourself. Find your center, and allow your inner child a moment of playtime. Step out of the 9-5 Grind You get caught up in the nine-to-five grind and become consumed with meeting the next deadline or achieving the next big win. You live your life from a quantitative experience, rather than a qualitative one. Not many workers take their allotted vacation time, but taking those vacation days makes you a more productive worker. 55 percent of workers don’t take their vacation days, and once your basic needs are met â€" including the need to reset â€" you feel less tired and ready to do your job. Generate Creativity Shaking up your routine and seeing new sites sparks inspiration. You generate creativity as your five senses take in a new environment. It makes sense. The more you brain gets exposed to new senses and activities, the more it generates new thoughts, feelings and innovations from the inspiration gained. Ernest Hemingway used experiences from Spain and France as inspiration to write much of his work. Lift Your Mood Many studies look at the mood-boosting high that getting away from it all gives you. One study found that vacationing significantly boosts mood and overall feelings of happiness and relaxation. Another study looked at the effects of leisure trips and found that taking a vacation reduces burnout and fortifies the mind against over-exhaustion once you return to work. Appreciate What You Have After enjoying the great wide world, you return home to appreciate what you have and let go of the little annoyances in life. Your patience and tolerance levels increase because you experience a different pace of life and practice these traits toward yourself as you travel and encounter differences in culture and linguistics. You may also witness poverty and other concerns as you travel, making you more aware of the world and those in it. You appreciate your privileges and don’t take them for granted. Widen Your Worldview, Deepen Your Trust Cross-cultural experiences increase faith in humanity, or what’s also known as generalized trust. Many people believe that all humans share an underlying essence. The effect can happen locally, too. Take a trip to a new neighborhood to experience a new culture, but if you want to shake up your worldview, travel far and wide. Feel moved by the different types of music in various countries. Wake up your taste buds with new spices and cuisines. See the joy and suffering in the world. Widen your worldview and deepen your trust. You’ll come to know yourself in new ways, too. Learn Travel encourages you to think on your feet because life happens â€" bags get lost. You get lost and need to ask for directions in Cuban Spanish or Mandarin. One study found that students aged 18 to 78 who took a one week course in Scottish Gaelic experienced higher levels of alertness than others who didn’t take the course. Additional research supports a better ability to multitask, make decisions and retain memories in those who spoke more than one language. You learn that you’re not as helpless as you think. You try activities you might never have back at home in your comfort zone. Traveling Frees You Travel Heals The Soul Humans are explorers and wanderers by nature, with inclinations toward joy, sharing, cooperation and learning. Traveling frees you from the nine-to-five grind and enables you to do your job better when you return. Traveling liberates your mind, body and soul from “busy” distractions and stress. So, next time wanderlust calls â€" answer.

Personal Branding Interview Mary C. Gentile - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Mary C. Gentile - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Mary C. Gentile, who is a Senior Research Scholar at Babson College and author of Giving Voice To Values: How To Speak Your Mind When You Know Whats Right. In this interview, Mary talks about brand integrity, the benefits of having a personal brand, personal branding risks, and more. What do you mean by Brand Integrity? Usually when people talk about brand integrity, they are talking about creating and maintaining a product identity that is consistent...so people know what theyre getting when they invest in it. But what if your personal brand WAS integrity? That is, what if people knew that when they worked with you, they would really hear what you thought; that you would bring your best gifts to any situation; that although you spoke with tact, you would not hold back if you thought there was a problem â€" practically and/or ethically â€" with the strategy or decision you were pursuing? It is this kind of personal reputation for having the courage of your convictions that I mean when I talk about Brand Integrity. What are the benefits of such a personal brand? To begin with, its a more comfortable and natural way to live your life. Rather than always trying to second guess your colleagues, your boss, or your customers, you can be yourself. I find that people are attracted to this kind of relaxed lack of affectation. But beyond that, the fact that you are not worrying about pretending to believe something you do not or to be someone that you are not, frees you up to really focus on what the other person has to say and wants/needs â€" enabling you to better address their concerns. And you can therefore focus your energy on helping them to see how your position can fit with their concerns. And finally, in a time when trust is at a premium in the business world, not to mention the rest of society, a reputation for integrity can be a real asset, both for those you deal with and for your own peace of mind. So what does it take to build personal Brand Integrity? Often when we talk about integrity and values, we focus on preaching about why we should behave in an ethical fashion, or we focus on the moral courage needed to do so. But instead, if we think of integrity as part of our identity, as our personal brand, then whats needed is neither some Herculean store of bravery nor some sanctimonious self-sacrifice. Instead, we simply need to focus on what our own values truly are, and to think about how to be more of who we already want to be. The approach I take, which I call Giving Voice To Values, is all about recognizing and playing to our strengths; anticipating the kinds of challenges we are likely to encounter in our chosen profession and industry; and then literally practicing crafting and delivering the scripts that we can use to respond to those values challenges. So for example, if I like to take risks and enjoy being assertive, then I am not going to be very comfortable with the idea that I may need to be more cautious and conservative. So for me then, I would want to frame my values positions as bold and creative. It can take nerve to be ethical! But on the other hand, if I see myself as more shy, more fearful in my interpersonal dealings, then I will want to frame an ethical position as the safer route. But regardless of how I frame and pursue the challenge, I will be seen as the person who walks her own talkThats personal Brand Integrity. Are there risks to this kind of personal branding? If you present your positions in self-righteous little speeches, you are not only less likely to make the impact on a decision that you hope for, you are also more likely to antagonize the very folks whom you want to influence. But is this really any different from any other position that you might want to take? So if you dont want to give the self-righteous little speech, what can you do? Just as you will benefit from playing to your own strengths and finding ways to use your best gifts in the service of your values â€" whether thats story-telling or financial analysisâ€"you will also want to consider what kinds of approaches have been more impactful on your target audience in the past. When have you ever seen this person change his or her mind? What made the difference? Does she or he tend to listen to certain people? If so, perhaps you should approach them first? Does your target audience respond well to visual arguments? If so, perhaps you can work to develop a graphic representation of the position you wish to take. And if that is not your strength, reach out to someone for whom this is easy! Just because you are taking a values-based position, that does not excuse you from using all the talents and tactics that you would use when making any other business case. In the end, developing this kind of personal Brand Integrity will enable you to take a stand and make an argument more effectively, because you will be acting from your center and freeing yourself to be who you really are at work. Mary C. Gentile, Ph.D. is Director of an innovative curriculum, Giving Voice to Values, launched by Aspen Institute and Yale SOM, now supported by Babson College . This pioneering approach to values-driven leadership has been featured in New York Times, Financial Times and Harvard Business Review and is being piloted in well over 100 business schools and organizations globally. Her book, Giving Voice To Values: How To Speak Your Mind When You Know Whats Right, is forthcoming from Yale University Press in August 2010. Gentile, educational consultant and faculty at Babson College, was previously at Harvard Business School. She is author of numerous books and articles, with her B.A. from College of William and Mary and Ph.D. from State University of New York-Buffalo.

No Law Degree No Problem! - CareerMetis.com

No Law Degree No Problem! Having a successful career in law requires determination and grit, an understanding of how law courts work, and a strong moral compass. One of the things it doesn’t require, despite what you may have heard, is a law degree.While becoming a lawyer or other legal professional required a strong academic background at one point, the landscape has changed a lot, and there’s now a whole generation of legal pros who have taken a more vocational path.Here are a few ways to start your career, without an impressive Law Degree.1. Legal Service ApprenticeshipsPhoto Credit â€" Pixabay.comevalLegal service apprenticeships were once a fairly small niche, but today they’re taking the sector by storm. Legal firms all over the western world are beginning to recruit promising school leavers and people looking for a career change.Some of these vacancies can pay a typical graduate’s entry-level salary, making them a fantastic way to get your foot in the door. Academic credit can help, but general ly isn’t required, provided you can show good literacy and numeracy skills.You’ll be employed by an active law firm, and will be able to put everything you learn into practice right off the bat. Seen as the company will be sponsoring you to undertake the apprenticeship, it’s very unlikely that they’ll let go of you easily, and will do everything in their power to help you towards a successful career.2. Become a ParalegalPhoto Credit â€" Pixabay.comThe role of a paralegal is the overarching goal for a lot of people working in law, despite the big salaries and sheer prestige that comes with being an attorney.Legal firms have plenty of need for them, it’s very rewarding work, and can pay extremely well. It’s also a great way to network with other legal professionals, in case you ever need some trusted advice or an experienced DWI specialist to defend your rights.Getting a job as a paralegal usually means that you have some legal qualifications under your belt, and a decent knowledge of the law in general, as you’d generally be working under a qualified lawyer, supporting them in the handling of their cases.At some law firms, paralegals can even take on roles that are very similar to a lawyer. Having said that, some places will have you focussing mainly on admin and secretarial work. This can be a very flexible job role, and lead onto a range of other great opportunities.3. Become a Legal SecretaryPhoto Credit â€" maxpixel.freegreatpicture.comevalLegal secretaries are the foundation of every smooth-running legal firm in the world, despite the tiny amount of limelight they get compared to other legal professionals. There are a lot of qualifications at various levels, but most of them can be taken without any demonstrable knowledge or experience in the legal sector.While some experience in admin and secretarial work can be advantageous, it’s not essential, and by the time you complete these qualifications you’ll have a sound understanding of whatev er practice area you have your eye on.After getting your foot in the door with this job, you may even have opportunities for further training and education, making you a valuable fee earner for your firm.

Small Branding Issues That Make a Big Impact

Small Branding Issues That Make a Big Impact Your branding is where people first begin to form an opinion of who you are, what you stand for and what your business is. Good branding might not happen overnight; it might be a progressional thing, But, when you have finally nailed it. It is time to invest in a few small items that will leave your clients and potential clients impressed. 1) Get an email signature built. If you happen to great at design and a bit of coding, this shouldn’t be a problem for you to do by yourself. You can play around with the layout until you get something that you think aligns itself with you and the message you are trying to get across. If you can’t build it yourself, you can use a free options WiseStamp or hire freelancers perhaps. Things to include are: Name Job Title Company Name Address (if in office space, think about whether a home address should be on there) Phone Number Email Address Website Include your professional social media links. Branded colors Logo Photograph of you 2) It is all too easy to let your single logo image be used on all of your social media platforms. However, each display picture and cover photo require different sizes. It looks much cleaner and professional to have each social media platform set up with the right sized images. Twitter has a theme colour option, so make use of this and make the page the same color as your primary color in the branding. 3) Now you have taken care of some of the online stuff; it’s time to move to offline. Take a look at the space you work it, does any of it represent your brand? If you had clients, would they be able to see a logo or branded colors anywhere? If not, then it’s time to consider your office aesthetic. Pick up some simple things like a branded mouse mat, brand color pen pots, custom labels, personalized pens. It doesn’t have to be expensive it just has to reflect you and your brand. 4) Once you have branded your surrounding, it is time to brand yourself. Although it has been more accepted in ‘creative’ office environments to wear a t-shirt and jeans, and while that is very comfortable, it isn’t always giving off the impression you might like. If you are a freelancer or in the middle of a start-up, what you wear and how you wear it can tell your potential clients a lot about you. Invest in a few staple pieces. Check out Pinterest for working wardrobe ideas. (men here and women here) 5)   Remember invoices, envelopes, letterheads, and most online project management software has the ability to have a logo added and some have space for a tagline too. Make the most of it and make some time to ensure you have your logo and brand colors everywhere possible. Those are a few small things that you should look to implement as soon as you can.

Company Resume Writers

Company Resume WritersA company resume is not as simple as it used to be. These days, it seems that everybody has a website with the only difference being the cover page. The big difference is that you have to find a professional company resume writer to help you write one.Company resume writers can get you the results you want, but the task is daunting. We've all heard how easy it is to put together an email to send to our contacts, but putting it on paper is another matter. Fortunately, it's easier than ever to find a professional company resume writer. The easiest way to find them is by searching online.You can find these writers through various professional directories. This is an excellent resource for finding someone who will help you write your resume. If you're searching for someone, make sure they list writing as a specialty of their services.Some people have a busy schedule that prevents them from sending out a traditional resume. It's possible to write a professional resum e yourself without the help of a professional. The key is to know what skills to emphasize when you are composing your resume.If you are having a hard time getting started, then consider hiring a writing service. You don't have to worry about plagiarism, because these writers are paid to get the job done. The best writers will present a concise resume that includes the information that you are seeking.Online websites provide assistance with your resume and cover letter. They will teach you everything from the basics to advanced skills. The best way to write a great resume is to practice at home or in the office. This way, you are able to produce a resume that is both professional looking.Company resume writing can be time consuming. It will be worth your while if you find a reputable writer. Get some practice in writing a resume. Then when you're done, check out some online samples to see what they look like before you hire one to do the job.Remember, company resume writers will hel p you put together a professional resume that will land you the job you're after. So, if you're not sure if you need one, get one today. It will pay dividends in the future.