Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
2/22/13
Grant Writing for a Purpose: The Most Rewarding Career
While you may think that being assigned the task of writing a proposal is nothing different from handing relief goods to the needy, think again. The profession of grant writing for nonprofits is becoming more and more in demand as charities suffer from the economic downturn. They seek financial awards and they cannot do it without a professional who is good at persuading in black and white.
Before you turn down the idea of composing a proposal for others, you may reconsider it with these big advantages that always come along with the package:
1. There is Profit in Non Profits
Non profit is not synonymous to no money. The most common misconception that people put into the business is that picture of saintly men and women in white shirts who sacrificed their income and future just to hand food to starving children. While in some aspects, it might be true, remember that even the social workers are being paid for their time, and you guessed, even people who do the grant writing for these volunteers. For the record, proposal writers even have very competitive salaries compared to scribes of other genre.
2. Involving Yourself in a Cause Connects You To People
Being part of a group gives your life a bit of direction, especially if the group is dedicated to making a positive change. There is always something about belonging to a group with the same passion, and being able to speak for it. The type of work that the writers have takes you more than skin-deep corporate relationships. It develops genuine friendships open to self-expression.
3. It Keeps Your Physical and Mental Health in Good Condition
Not unless you're spending sleepless nights for 10 consecutive days just to finish the proposal. But mind you, if you strongly feel for the cause, you need not to stay up for too long to communicate your advocacy on paper. Whenever people expose themselves to humanity and the betterment of its condition, they tend to be less of the robotic, semi-cyborgs in the city. Imagine being part of a positive social change while you do something for a living. Now that is life.
4. It Develops Skills that can be Written on Your Resume
And what's more, preparing a funding application for nonprofits is never compulsory. Once you enter the job, it will be considered volunteering as well. And when you took the initiative to dedicate yourself for a cause, it adds up to your professional integrity. Credibility aside, you'll be exposed to different writing styles that can add up to your work history.
5. Nothing Tastes Better than Succeeding in Helping Others
Whichever makes you more stressed: in the office, crunching files and numbers; or outside, making humanity better. There is just something in feeling that the world has been a better place because of you. There is some high level of fulfillment upon making a charity project possible. Nothing is more rewarding to a person than making people's lives better despite the impossible circumstances.
If you think of it closely, grant writing for a noble cause can actually be a gold mine for your career and well being.
Erin Millano has always been passionate to improve the quality of life of marginalized, low-income individuals, and families. She is a lobbyist, freelance photojournalist, and proposal writer.
2/6/13
Career Change That Will Work For You: To Quit or Not To Quit
You just hate Mondays more passionately than ever. Sometimes you fancy leaving your office cubicle for an outside offer to do a job you really like. But then, you're grounded by the reality that it's not so easy to compete with younger and more experienced applicants out there. You find it hard to believe if there is such a career change that will work for you.
Pause there, you might be missing out the whole thing. The fact is that if you're not into the work you have now. You're only moving forward to a dead end. Whether you are climbing up the corporate ladder or not, chances are you will still end disappointed if you don't pursue a career you like.
So what to do? Ditch the baseless fear of not finding a suitable profession and start trying. There's no better way of dooming yourself than spending the rest of your days sitting in the same old cubicle and chewing the same old patch of grass. If you're still reluctant to leave your comfort zone (or is it?), take this short test and decide whether it's time to leave for good:
1. Do you find purpose despite your challenging tasks?
If you're all stressed up about your tasks, or if you just don't find the results of whatever you're doing as an employee, hang in there and keep trying. The desire to find another career may just be a mere reaction to all the pressure and frustration you're experiencing. On the other hand, if you're already plain worn out and uninterested in keeping your performance well, that is another case. Being unable to be concerned about the quality of your output may be a sign that you don't want the job anymore.
2. Do you think that you are being compensated according to your expertise?
The skills required to do your tasks simply do not match with what you earn - this a bad (and often common) case of lack of motivation. Don't believe if anybody says that it only means that you don't deserve your post and you're just up for the money of it. In the first place, you applied to make a living right? Whatever they tell you, there is a clear boundary between greediness and not being compensated accordingly. If it's the latter, seek for a change that actually works for you and ignore the risks.
3. Do you still find your work exciting?
What are the things you're looking forward to about your job? If you're still into the job, you will still find things to hope for even if you're going through a hard time. However, if the things you are excited about aren't related with your tasks, then, maybe, it's time to look for another adventure.
4. How many times have you thought of quitting your job and when?
Have you thought of it a few times when you're going through a really big trouble? Or is it too often and you just can't find happiness in every little thing you do? If you answered yes to the latter, then your case is a signal to find something more worthwhile to spend your days with.
Answering this four-way test is as easy as pie. However, the hardest part of it is finally doing something about an unhappy work life. The first step in finding the career change that will work for you is always the hardest to take.
Kate Ross-Myers works for a New-York based human resources magazine. She has a broad experience in preparing resource materials on hiring, recruitment, and training. Kate also speaks on forums and conventions on employee wellness and growth.
1/29/13
1/12/13
Engineering Resume Mishaps: Revising Your Career Blueprint
Aside from geeky tendencies, engineers have an unidentified common personality denominator that makes them unique as professionals. Whatever it is, one thing is evident: engineering applicants often repeat a certain set of resume mistakes and on the equal opposite, they also hit a particular set of application raves. Now what is left for them is to identify which job hunting habits should they retain and which should they improve.
If you're one of us techno-buffs and construction kooks, maybe being asked for an interview isn't so difficult when you start to take notice of these aspects of writing a job application copy:
1. Semantic details
We know your obsession with details; you need things to be perfect down to the last bolt. And that is understandable, because lives are at stake with the nitty-gritty in the blueprint. However, we can't comprehend why you always need to punish yourselves when it comes to English. Pay close attention to spelling and grammar. One error and your application will be rejected the next second.
2. Jargon clogs
Keep it simple, brood. While your friends may understand academic gobbledygook like "Done an Experiment on the Synergic effect of Different Types of Steel Fiber in Type B Concrete", imagine what an HR personnel will think when he reads a sort of that phrase. It's either he despise you for being such a smart aleck, or he dumps you without any second thought. Remember to keep your jargons low. Most of the times, it wouldn't be an engineering graduate who will read your copy. And even more, it wouldn't be someone who's too enthusiastic in your thing to understand such terms.
3. Information overload
The best engineering resumes are not always those that list every great project that the job candidate has been into. Sometimes it's a matter of customization. If you're applying to a project of horizontal construction, then include only the background projects that are relevant to the specialization. Never ever attempt to impress your employer by putting everything into your paper. Save the elegance of the details for the interview.
4. Sell positively
Retain this one. Most engineers bring out their accomplishments in a way that the prospective employer will think that they are enthusiastic of the job. Keep selling yourself like the employer will benefit greater from hiring you. Assert your key competencies instead of explaining your background. Most projects need people who are proactive, not reactive.
5. Separate the project list
This applies if really needed. When you have a project list that can add to your points for the specific job but is too long to be included in your engineering resume, then you may write it on a separate paper. Just make sure that everything listed on your background is worth knowing and is relevant to the assignment you're competing for.
Most of all, be consistent and confident with your application. Engineering is but a big, complicated business. Employers know who will mess up and who won't. Scaring aside, they have the knack of finding out truth from fibs from white lies from absolute whoopers. The best you can do to stand out is to be clean enough to be fit for the dirty work.
Melinda Edwards works as a career consultant and has been invited in many forums and events on human resource management. She is also a time management expert who effectively performs her roles both as a career woman and a mother.
11/5/12
Resume Objective Talks About Your Career Goal
Employers and recruiters are always busy doing the evaluation of hundreds of resume each day. As a result, they tend not to spend much of their time reviewing one's application. This is the reason why it is important to create an eye-catching document that will stand out from the crowd. It represents the job seeker and gives the employer the idea of who here ally is. If you're the applicant, keep in mind that you are not physically there to speak for yourself, and your application is your only medium to convey that you are the most qualified person to fill-in the vacant position.
Attention-grabbing pre-employment document will definitely increase aspirant's chances of receiving phone calls from the employers or companies and eventually opportunity in securing interviews. This document has a purpose to arouse the interest of the employer to meet you face to face and get the chance to be interviewed and finally bag the job post. Therefore, it is important that upon writing of the application summary, the applicant is convinced that it is his marketing tool to further promote himself. It must contain the needed sections and it needs to be carefully written and evaluated.
An Important Section
Resume is the most significant tool in every job application. It is a "snapshot" of who the job hopeful is. It represents him with the intention of capturing the interest of the employer by emphasizing the career objective. It is definitely the "way" to clearly elaborate the achievements, professional experience, skills, strengths, and the most important is the objective.
It is basically a line or two included in an application summary that sums up one's employment or career goals. It is placed right below the header of the document. Since it is at the upper portion of the paper, it is definitely the first thing that prospective employers look at. Serving as an introduction, it must stress the specific type of job being sought. It provides the employer an overview of the reason(s) why the aspirant is applying for the job, how the company will benefit out of the employment. It should be focused on what he can offer to the company and avoid talking too much about his wants or dreams, for this may cause the loss of interest of the reader.
A Piece of Advice
If you're the job seeker, always think that your goal is to instantaneously get the employer's attention. Provide a clear idea of the position you want to secure. Include the important details that are relevant to the post, for these will serve as excellent bait to the possible employer. Do not forget that your objective statement reveals what you know about what you're applying for.
Stating a well-defined application can capture the interest of the reader, for the reason that it can persuade the employer to consider your application and further convince to immediately call you for an interview. It is necessary that this statement is tailored specifically to the position. Remember, the more precise your resume objective is the better opportunity you will have. Through it, prospective employers will be given a good impression of you even before they start reviewing the rest of the details written on your summary.
Melinda Edwards works as a career consultant and has been invited in many forums and events on human resource management. She is also a time management expert who effectively performs her roles both as a career woman and a mother.
Starting From Scratch: Resume Writing for Career Change
Imagine this, you've worked being an engineer for more than a decade, and after the long hours of contemplating and debating with your kins, you finally persuaded them to support you in taking a big leap in your career life: you want to be a writer.
Dreamy is it? Because in reality, before finally getting to what you want, you have to face hard questions like "Are you really willing to give up your good salary to start a not-so rewarding job?" and "Who will hire you at your irrelevant professional experience?" And most of the time, the latter query stays and hits you longer.
But never get discouraged, the fact that you stood up with your decision is already a good sign for you. Your passion for your aspired position will not fail you in landing the occupation you want. Since you've gone this far, we're here to give you advices on resume writing for career change. So relax, because there's a lot in store for people like you who dare to change for their passion. Here are some techniques to bring out your best to an employer:
1. List any of your relevant past experiences
Have you attended seminars regarding the new profession? Are there any past activities in your past job where you are assigned to do some relevant task? How about awards you won? If there are, write them. Your past job might not match for the line of work you're applying for, but your experiences, even though not full-time, may give some reference about your ability to handle the job.
2. Widen your network
If there are people you know who are currently in the target industry, you're still luckier than the others. Give them as your reference and tell them to say something good about your related abilities in case the employer phones them. Another thing, be a member of various organizations that are related to your application. In that way, you can give the hiring manager some assurance that you are a certified enthusiast and not some desperate John who just applied for the sake of finding a job.
3. Choose your format wisely
A chronological copy might be the tradition in the job market, but if it doesn't seem right to you, then you don't have to insist using this format. In fact, the most recommended for job changers is the unconventional combination application. While this type allows the applicant to emphasize his skills and abilities, it also allows him to show his related but non-fulltime job experiences. Functional application will also look good for you.
4. Notify the employer you are on a career change
But this doesn't have to sink you as inferior to your competitors. You can tell about your decision to heed a calling without making yourself look less qualified. The keyword here is honesty. If you tell right away that you are just yet to acquire fulltime professional hands-on, chances are, the employer might give some consideration and base your job compatibility with your skills and not your experiences.
Lastly, believe that resume writing for career change is far different from developing the way you did on your past application papers. Start from scratch if you must.
Melinda Edwards works as a career consultant and has been invited in many forums and events on human resource management. She is also a time management expert who effectively performs her roles both as a career woman and a mother.
Do Good Looking People Get An Unfair Advantage In Career Advancement?
It just doesn't seem fair in our society which claims that everyone is equal under the law, that good looking people have a better advantage at work for higher pay and quicker advancement than all of us average looking people or in your case, just above average. Okay so, let's discuss all this and consider what's going on here, because maybe the discrimination charge is less than accurate.
There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on September 1, 2012 titled; "Pretty, Good Performance," which told of a research study that the old belief that better looking people get advanced quicker in their careers was indeed statistically proven, however as a caveat the study also showed that statistically they were also better qualified and achieved higher performance in tests. Now then, how can this be, how can those who have better looks be better than those with average looks.
Well, I have a few thoughts on why this may be. First, if you are good looking everyone is watching you all the time, so if you don't perform they'll notice and you know they are looking because you can sense this and see it. So, you have to always be doing as best you can in the workplace. Since those who care about their looks work to maintain their image for respect and attention, they also work to perform for the same reasons - it's one of their personality traits.
Next, those who appear to be better looking, often appear this way as the human mind likes symmetry. Those who are the most symmetrical are often considered more beautiful when side by side pictures are observed in preference tests. Those who are more symmetrical, perhaps also have a better combination of gene sets, thus, perhaps are also of benefit of better intelligence levels in the brain because of it.
Lastly, those who are better looking are more socially conditioned and read people better, also giving them a boost in working with others, which helps performance at work, and getting others to work with them when they are working in groups or delegating.
Now then, if someone is not good looking, or they happen to look perhaps less than average they may not be expected to do well, and no one may watch them to see that they are, thus, no need to perform at optimum or bother to impress anyone. See that point? So, maybe this is a nurture issue, which perhaps started as a nature issue? Please consider all this and think on it and maybe you should include a picture with your resume?
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Career Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/
9/28/12
Hate Your Job? How Do You Jump Career Streams?
Talk to a number of recruiters or human resource managers especially within business and there is a commonly held belief that if an individual holds the right attitude, professionalism and approach to the workplace then the majority of skills and technical capabilities can be taught. This highlights a significant issue with job seekers who feel they are pigeon holed into one career pathway.
So you have decided on a new career and now need to express your ability to work in this sector and learn new skills. Your resume is the first vital link to this process. The key to this process is to develop an opening section within your resume that clearly demonstrates your personal and professional transferable skills. In this section you will clearly demonstrate to an employer the attributes you possess that will assist creating a link between your current experience and the position.
How do you demonstrate this within your resume?
1. Look for similar tasks: Making the transition between different careers can be difficult. However in developing a set of transferable skills it is important to identify the tasks you currently complete that may demonstrate your ability. An example of this is seen through a trades person seeking employment as a plant operator. In this situation the important transferable skills include the capacity to apply practical problem-solving skills, use tools and equipment and meet safety requirements. It is important to include this information in your transferable skills summary. While the actual task completed may not exactly match the requirements for this position you clearly demonstrate a capacity to quickly learn. Additional skills that may be of benefit to multiple employers include the capacity to interact with customers or clients, using internal systems or computer applications and attention to detail when completing tasks.
2. Professional Qualities: Employers are seeking individuals that possess professional qualities resulting in long-term, reliable members of the team. It is important to clearly demonstrate and inform a potential employer on your capability to perform as part of a multidisciplinary team, deliver results under pressure, follow procedures and instructions and willingness to complete training or professional development. Demonstrating an ability and willingness to learn is important and indicates your flexibility and the ability within the workplace.
3. Personal Indicators: Your personal approach to the workplace is as equally important as professional and technical skills. Demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively, adjust to change, receive and implement feedback, remain reliable and work in similar conditions is vital. Within an opening transferable skills section employers are looking for individuals that have the appropriate attitude and approach that will result in becoming a valuable member of the team.
For each of the above sections it is important to create a link between transferable skills, professional development and employment history. Using a select number of employers indicates your reliability and demonstrates you possess qualities that are valued within the workplace.
Changing career pathways is achievable. If you possess the capability to adapt, willingness to learn and reflect the professional qualities sought by employers building and maintaining an appropriate resume will achieve results.
John Matthews from The Writing Wizards has assisted more than 10,000 clients seeking employment for over 10 years. This has been through preparing professional resumes, Government applications and interview coaching across all industries.
Maximise your chances of success and engage a professional. Visit our website and find a full range of services, information, tips and free downloads: The Writing Wizards page http://www.writingwizards.com.au/
9/5/12
Do Good Looking People Get An Unfair Advantage In Career Advancement?
It just doesn't seem fair in our society which claims that everyone is equal under the law, that good looking people have a better advantage at work for higher pay and quicker advancement than all of us average looking people or in your case, just above average. Okay so, let's discuss all this and consider what's going on here, because maybe the discrimination charge is less than accurate.
There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on September 1, 2012 titled; "Pretty, Good Performance," which told of a research study that the old belief that better looking people get advanced quicker in their careers was indeed statistically proven, however as a caveat the study also showed that statistically they were also better qualified and achieved higher performance in tests. Now then, how can this be, how can those who have better looks be better than those with average looks.
Well, I have a few thoughts on why this may be. First, if you are good looking everyone is watching you all the time, so if you don't perform they'll notice and you know they are looking because you can sense this and see it. So, you have to always be doing as best you can in the workplace. Since those who care about their looks work to maintain their image for respect and attention, they also work to perform for the same reasons - it's one of their personality traits.
Next, those who appear to be better looking, often appear this way as the human mind likes symmetry. Those who are the most symmetrical are often considered more beautiful when side by side pictures are observed in preference tests. Those who are more symmetrical, perhaps also have a better combination of gene sets, thus, perhaps are also of benefit of better intelligence levels in the brain because of it.
Lastly, those who are better looking are more socially conditioned and read people better, also giving them a boost in working with others, which helps performance at work, and getting others to work with them when they are working in groups or delegating.
Now then, if someone is not good looking, or they happen to look perhaps less than average they may not be expected to do well, and no one may watch them to see that they are, thus, no need to perform at optimum or bother to impress anyone. See that point? So, maybe this is a nurture issue, which perhaps started as a nature issue? Please consider all this and think on it and maybe you should include a picture with your resume?
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Career Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/
8/14/12
Hate Your Job? How Do You Jump Career Streams?
Talk to a number of recruiters or human resource managers especially within business and there is a commonly held belief that if an individual holds the right attitude, professionalism and approach to the workplace then the majority of skills and technical capabilities can be taught. This highlights a significant issue with job seekers who feel they are pigeon holed into one career pathway.
So you have decided on a new career and now need to express your ability to work in this sector and learn new skills. Your resume is the first vital link to this process. The key to this process is to develop an opening section within your resume that clearly demonstrates your personal and professional transferable skills. In this section you will clearly demonstrate to an employer the attributes you possess that will assist creating a link between your current experience and the position.
How do you demonstrate this within your resume?
1. Look for similar tasks: Making the transition between different careers can be difficult. However in developing a set of transferable skills it is important to identify the tasks you currently complete that may demonstrate your ability. An example of this is seen through a trades person seeking employment as a plant operator. In this situation the important transferable skills include the capacity to apply practical problem-solving skills, use tools and equipment and meet safety requirements. It is important to include this information in your transferable skills summary. While the actual task completed may not exactly match the requirements for this position you clearly demonstrate a capacity to quickly learn. Additional skills that may be of benefit to multiple employers include the capacity to interact with customers or clients, using internal systems or computer applications and attention to detail when completing tasks.
2. Professional Qualities: Employers are seeking individuals that possess professional qualities resulting in long-term, reliable members of the team. It is important to clearly demonstrate and inform a potential employer on your capability to perform as part of a multidisciplinary team, deliver results under pressure, follow procedures and instructions and willingness to complete training or professional development. Demonstrating an ability and willingness to learn is important and indicates your flexibility and the ability within the workplace.
3. Personal Indicators: Your personal approach to the workplace is as equally important as professional and technical skills. Demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively, adjust to change, receive and implement feedback, remain reliable and work in similar conditions is vital. Within an opening transferable skills section employers are looking for individuals that have the appropriate attitude and approach that will result in becoming a valuable member of the team.
For each of the above sections it is important to create a link between transferable skills, professional development and employment history. Using a select number of employers indicates your reliability and demonstrates you possess qualities that are valued within the workplace.
Changing career pathways is achievable. If you possess the capability to adapt, willingness to learn and reflect the professional qualities sought by employers building and maintaining an appropriate resume will achieve results.
John Matthews from The Writing Wizards has assisted more than 10,000 clients seeking employment for over 10 years. This has been through preparing professional resumes, Government applications and interview coaching across all industries.
Maximise your chances of success and engage a professional. Visit our website and find a full range of services, information, tips and free downloads: The Writing Wizards page http://www.writingwizards.com.au/
Career Changers: How to Write Skills-Based Resume
Making a career change is a tough decision for most people, especially if you are already mid-way or more into a career in another field. In some cases, it can feel like having to turn back time, starting at a level alongside interns or entry-level professionals with lower pay than what you already have going for you. But, it is a decision many of us go through to achieve satisfaction and balance in life and work.
This type of situation requires a different kind of resume which is skills-based instead of industry-focused. So when making a change, you need to demonstrate to the employer that you have the transferable experience and skills that will make you successful on the job.
The primary focus of your resume should not be about who you worked for and the types of responsibilities and projects you held. It may not be relevant. You need to hone in on particular experience and skills in a broader sense to show how it can apply to the new career track.
For instance, say a candidate was a successful intellectual property lawyer and now wants to make the transition to public relations. The PR employer could care less about the law practices the candidate worked at or that he was a top-earning partner at the firm. What they will care about are relevant skills he has to offer, such as writing and persuasive and effective communications.
To craft a skills-based resume, work the following tips into your resume:
Think about what skills and strengths the employer would desire from a candidate and where you have similar skills and strengths that can be supported by your previous work. To get a better sense of what skills and strengths are important to the employer, review the job posting for information on qualifications sought. Also look at job descriptions for the position from other employers on job boards. You will receive an overall sense of the highlights. Identify the top 5-7 skills that the employer seeks.Top your resume with points on relevant skills. After listing your contact information at the top of your resume, create a heading section called "Summary of Qualifications." Here you will outline the particular relevant experience and transferable skills you have to offer. This will help you make an immediate positive impression and show you are relevant.
You should still use the reverse chronological format. But now you will focus on the transferable skills that you demonstrated as opposed to the industry and functional-specific information. For example, if you are moving from managing construction projects to a broader role, then some your key skills would include the ability to manage field-based crews and subcontractors, the ability to meet aggressive deadlines and budges, and the ability to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations. These skills are relevant to a lot of jobs besides construction.
Include other relevant information. If you took courses or volunteered for work that is relevant to your new career, that can also help you make a positive impression. It shows the employer that you have taken initiative to continue to improve yourself for the particular career and have true interest in entering this track. There may also be skills you have, but ones that were not fully used in your previous career that are worth highlighting in your resume now. For instance, are you bilingual in Spanish and English? It is worth noting if the employer's client base happens to be multi-cultural.
In this market, many people are moving from depressed industries and the skills-based resume allows you to appeal to a much broader market. A skills-based resume is also an effective approach for those with employment gaps or who are just starting to enter the job market.
Don Goodman, President of About Jobs ( http://www.gotthejob.com/ ) is a nationally recognized Career Coach and Resume Writer. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University's Executive Program, Don has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Read his blog at www.GotTheJob.com/blog/ or contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at dgoodman@GotTheJob.com.
8/10/12
Hate Your Job? How Do You Jump Career Streams?
Talk to a number of recruiters or human resource managers especially within business and there is a commonly held belief that if an individual holds the right attitude, professionalism and approach to the workplace then the majority of skills and technical capabilities can be taught. This highlights a significant issue with job seekers who feel they are pigeon holed into one career pathway.
So you have decided on a new career and now need to express your ability to work in this sector and learn new skills. Your resume is the first vital link to this process. The key to this process is to develop an opening section within your resume that clearly demonstrates your personal and professional transferable skills. In this section you will clearly demonstrate to an employer the attributes you possess that will assist creating a link between your current experience and the position.
How do you demonstrate this within your resume?
1. Look for similar tasks: Making the transition between different careers can be difficult. However in developing a set of transferable skills it is important to identify the tasks you currently complete that may demonstrate your ability. An example of this is seen through a trades person seeking employment as a plant operator. In this situation the important transferable skills include the capacity to apply practical problem-solving skills, use tools and equipment and meet safety requirements. It is important to include this information in your transferable skills summary. While the actual task completed may not exactly match the requirements for this position you clearly demonstrate a capacity to quickly learn. Additional skills that may be of benefit to multiple employers include the capacity to interact with customers or clients, using internal systems or computer applications and attention to detail when completing tasks.
2. Professional Qualities: Employers are seeking individuals that possess professional qualities resulting in long-term, reliable members of the team. It is important to clearly demonstrate and inform a potential employer on your capability to perform as part of a multidisciplinary team, deliver results under pressure, follow procedures and instructions and willingness to complete training or professional development. Demonstrating an ability and willingness to learn is important and indicates your flexibility and the ability within the workplace.
3. Personal Indicators: Your personal approach to the workplace is as equally important as professional and technical skills. Demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively, adjust to change, receive and implement feedback, remain reliable and work in similar conditions is vital. Within an opening transferable skills section employers are looking for individuals that have the appropriate attitude and approach that will result in becoming a valuable member of the team.
For each of the above sections it is important to create a link between transferable skills, professional development and employment history. Using a select number of employers indicates your reliability and demonstrates you possess qualities that are valued within the workplace.
Changing career pathways is achievable. If you possess the capability to adapt, willingness to learn and reflect the professional qualities sought by employers building and maintaining an appropriate resume will achieve results.
John Matthews from The Writing Wizards has assisted more than 10,000 clients seeking employment for over 10 years. This has been through preparing professional resumes, Government applications and interview coaching across all industries.
Maximise your chances of success and engage a professional. Visit our website and find a full range of services, information, tips and free downloads: The Writing Wizards page http://www.writingwizards.com.au/
8/3/12
Hate Your Job? How Do You Jump Career Streams?
Talk to a number of recruiters or human resource managers especially within business and there is a commonly held belief that if an individual holds the right attitude, professionalism and approach to the workplace then the majority of skills and technical capabilities can be taught. This highlights a significant issue with job seekers who feel they are pigeon holed into one career pathway.
So you have decided on a new career and now need to express your ability to work in this sector and learn new skills. Your resume is the first vital link to this process. The key to this process is to develop an opening section within your resume that clearly demonstrates your personal and professional transferable skills. In this section you will clearly demonstrate to an employer the attributes you possess that will assist creating a link between your current experience and the position.
How do you demonstrate this within your resume?
1. Look for similar tasks: Making the transition between different careers can be difficult. However in developing a set of transferable skills it is important to identify the tasks you currently complete that may demonstrate your ability. An example of this is seen through a trades person seeking employment as a plant operator. In this situation the important transferable skills include the capacity to apply practical problem-solving skills, use tools and equipment and meet safety requirements. It is important to include this information in your transferable skills summary. While the actual task completed may not exactly match the requirements for this position you clearly demonstrate a capacity to quickly learn. Additional skills that may be of benefit to multiple employers include the capacity to interact with customers or clients, using internal systems or computer applications and attention to detail when completing tasks.
2. Professional Qualities: Employers are seeking individuals that possess professional qualities resulting in long-term, reliable members of the team. It is important to clearly demonstrate and inform a potential employer on your capability to perform as part of a multidisciplinary team, deliver results under pressure, follow procedures and instructions and willingness to complete training or professional development. Demonstrating an ability and willingness to learn is important and indicates your flexibility and the ability within the workplace.
3. Personal Indicators: Your personal approach to the workplace is as equally important as professional and technical skills. Demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively, adjust to change, receive and implement feedback, remain reliable and work in similar conditions is vital. Within an opening transferable skills section employers are looking for individuals that have the appropriate attitude and approach that will result in becoming a valuable member of the team.
For each of the above sections it is important to create a link between transferable skills, professional development and employment history. Using a select number of employers indicates your reliability and demonstrates you possess qualities that are valued within the workplace.
Changing career pathways is achievable. If you possess the capability to adapt, willingness to learn and reflect the professional qualities sought by employers building and maintaining an appropriate resume will achieve results.
John Matthews from The Writing Wizards has assisted more than 10,000 clients seeking employment for over 10 years. This has been through preparing professional resumes, Government applications and interview coaching across all industries.
Maximise your chances of success and engage a professional. Visit our website and find a full range of services, information, tips and free downloads: The Writing Wizards page http://www.writingwizards.com.au/
7/5/12
Career Changers: How to Write Skills-Based Resume
Making a career change is a tough decision for most people, especially if you are already mid-way or more into a career in another field. In some cases, it can feel like having to turn back time, starting at a level alongside interns or entry-level professionals with lower pay than what you already have going for you. But, it is a decision many of us go through to achieve satisfaction and balance in life and work.
This type of situation requires a different kind of resume which is skills-based instead of industry-focused. So when making a change, you need to demonstrate to the employer that you have the transferable experience and skills that will make you successful on the job.
The primary focus of your resume should not be about who you worked for and the types of responsibilities and projects you held. It may not be relevant. You need to hone in on particular experience and skills in a broader sense to show how it can apply to the new career track.
For instance, say a candidate was a successful intellectual property lawyer and now wants to make the transition to public relations. The PR employer could care less about the law practices the candidate worked at or that he was a top-earning partner at the firm. What they will care about are relevant skills he has to offer, such as writing and persuasive and effective communications.
To craft a skills-based resume, work the following tips into your resume:
Think about what skills and strengths the employer would desire from a candidate and where you have similar skills and strengths that can be supported by your previous work. To get a better sense of what skills and strengths are important to the employer, review the job posting for information on qualifications sought. Also look at job descriptions for the position from other employers on job boards. You will receive an overall sense of the highlights. Identify the top 5-7 skills that the employer seeks.Top your resume with points on relevant skills. After listing your contact information at the top of your resume, create a heading section called "Summary of Qualifications." Here you will outline the particular relevant experience and transferable skills you have to offer. This will help you make an immediate positive impression and show you are relevant.
You should still use the reverse chronological format. But now you will focus on the transferable skills that you demonstrated as opposed to the industry and functional-specific information. For example, if you are moving from managing construction projects to a broader role, then some your key skills would include the ability to manage field-based crews and subcontractors, the ability to meet aggressive deadlines and budges, and the ability to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations. These skills are relevant to a lot of jobs besides construction.
Include other relevant information. If you took courses or volunteered for work that is relevant to your new career, that can also help you make a positive impression. It shows the employer that you have taken initiative to continue to improve yourself for the particular career and have true interest in entering this track. There may also be skills you have, but ones that were not fully used in your previous career that are worth highlighting in your resume now. For instance, are you bilingual in Spanish and English? It is worth noting if the employer's client base happens to be multi-cultural.
In this market, many people are moving from depressed industries and the skills-based resume allows you to appeal to a much broader market. A skills-based resume is also an effective approach for those with employment gaps or who are just starting to enter the job market.
Don Goodman, President of About Jobs ( http://www.gotthejob.com/ ) is a nationally recognized Career Coach and Resume Writer. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University's Executive Program, Don has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Read his blog at www.GotTheJob.com/blog/ or contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at dgoodman@GotTheJob.com.
5/21/12
Career Changers: How to Write Skills-Based Resume
Making a career change is a tough decision for most people, especially if you are already mid-way or more into a career in another field. In some cases, it can feel like having to turn back time, starting at a level alongside interns or entry-level professionals with lower pay than what you already have going for you. But, it is a decision many of us go through to achieve satisfaction and balance in life and work.
This type of situation requires a different kind of resume which is skills-based instead of industry-focused. So when making a change, you need to demonstrate to the employer that you have the transferable experience and skills that will make you successful on the job.
The primary focus of your resume should not be about who you worked for and the types of responsibilities and projects you held. It may not be relevant. You need to hone in on particular experience and skills in a broader sense to show how it can apply to the new career track.
For instance, say a candidate was a successful intellectual property lawyer and now wants to make the transition to public relations. The PR employer could care less about the law practices the candidate worked at or that he was a top-earning partner at the firm. What they will care about are relevant skills he has to offer, such as writing and persuasive and effective communications.
To craft a skills-based resume, work the following tips into your resume:
Think about what skills and strengths the employer would desire from a candidate and where you have similar skills and strengths that can be supported by your previous work. To get a better sense of what skills and strengths are important to the employer, review the job posting for information on qualifications sought. Also look at job descriptions for the position from other employers on job boards. You will receive an overall sense of the highlights. Identify the top 5-7 skills that the employer seeks.Top your resume with points on relevant skills. After listing your contact information at the top of your resume, create a heading section called "Summary of Qualifications." Here you will outline the particular relevant experience and transferable skills you have to offer. This will help you make an immediate positive impression and show you are relevant.
You should still use the reverse chronological format. But now you will focus on the transferable skills that you demonstrated as opposed to the industry and functional-specific information. For example, if you are moving from managing construction projects to a broader role, then some your key skills would include the ability to manage field-based crews and subcontractors, the ability to meet aggressive deadlines and budges, and the ability to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations. These skills are relevant to a lot of jobs besides construction.
Include other relevant information. If you took courses or volunteered for work that is relevant to your new career, that can also help you make a positive impression. It shows the employer that you have taken initiative to continue to improve yourself for the particular career and have true interest in entering this track. There may also be skills you have, but ones that were not fully used in your previous career that are worth highlighting in your resume now. For instance, are you bilingual in Spanish and English? It is worth noting if the employer's client base happens to be multi-cultural.
In this market, many people are moving from depressed industries and the skills-based resume allows you to appeal to a much broader market. A skills-based resume is also an effective approach for those with employment gaps or who are just starting to enter the job market.
Don Goodman, President of About Jobs ( http://www.gotthejob.com/ ) is a nationally recognized Career Coach and Resume Writer. A graduate of the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University's Executive Program, Don has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Read his blog at www.GotTheJob.com/blog/ or contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at dgoodman@GotTheJob.com.
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