Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts

7/5/12

Using Sample Resumes To Increase Your Interviews

In today's economy, getting a job can be tough. With so many business going under and thousands and thousands of people losing their jobs, unemployment rates are sky high. Getting a job interview can be extremely difficult being that the pool of potential candidates is often full of over qualified people eager for any position regardless of pay levels. With so many people fighting over very few job openings, how do you get your resume noticed? By following a few simple steps for and using sample resumes and other online resume building tools to help to perfect your resume and get you more interviews for the resumes your send out.

What Makes a Great Resume

Having the basic information necessary for a resume is a must for making sure that your resume is considered by your potential employer. You must provide a solid statement of objective, a few short sentences about why you want the position. Also, include information about your education and any relevant work experiences. To make yourself stand out, also include a few examples of awards and honors that you have received that may set you apart from other candidates. Finally, make sure that you have a series of reliable references to finish off your resume. Many people have good resumes. They are logically set up and contain great information about the job candidate. In order to make sure that you get invited to an interview, your resume needs to be better than good. Your resume needs to uniquely stand out without being over the top and it must contain the necessary information that the employer will be looking for. By doing a quick search on the Internet, you can find out not only how to write a logical and elegant resume, but you can also find ideas about how to make your resume stand out from the rest. For example, if your resume is to be submitted electronically, consider setting it up as a presentation or with an attractive format that shows off your unique style. Also, make sure to put your contact information in an easy to read and easy to remember format several places on your resume. This will help the person reviewing your resume to remember you after reading hundreds of resumes.

Online Resources

Online resources are often the best and easiest way to find out more information about how to perfect your resume. By comparing your resume to other sample resumes online, you can make sure that the information that you provided is listed in a logical order that makes sense when reading it. Also, online examples of resumes may give you an idea as to how to write a good objective statement or how to compose a compelling cover letter. Using online references may give you ideas for making your resumes professionally unique, though you should also use your own creativity to add spark to an ordinary application.

By being creative, you can make sure that the resumes that you send out turn into interviews and that those interviews turn into jobs. In the extremely competitive job market today, it is important to make sure that your resume is unique, complete, and logical.

Thomas Roberts is a professional who has studied resume writing to improve his own career, although he does not claim expertise. If you need help with your resume and want excellent sample resumes to guide you he recommends the e-book "101 Before-and-After Resume Examples." Download it now at http://www.before-and-after-resumes.com/

Read more ...

Changing Your Resume From a Chronological Obituary to a Dynamic Value Proposition Getting Interviews

JOB SEARCHING, NETWORKING/LinkedIN, & RESUME TIPS...That Get Interviews! Job Seekers can distinguish themselves from others & get the attention of hiring managers by converting the traditional "chronological obituary" resume format, to a powerful value proposition.

It is recommended that job seekers design a resume format that does not simply list tasks, duties, responsibilities, projects, & technical acronyms, much like anyone else's resume who has a similar job! One should highlight; Core Competencies/Areas of Expertise, Quantifiable Accomplishments (i.e. Productivity Improvements, Efficiencies, Cost Savings, Sales Increases, etc.), with as many percentages & dollars as possible. In other words, a resume that not only "tells" what has been done, but also "sells" the candidate's significant achievements & skills, versus others, to stand out from the crowd!

This 21st century approach has been proven to get the hiring manager's attention & get in the door for interviews, versus the traditional 19th century resume that most job seekers unfortunately utilize. Over 75% of jobs are filled by research & networking, namely the unadvertised job market. Thus, the challenge is how to identify the companies who are in the growth mode, management change mode, expansion mode, in growing & profitable industries, who are not necessarily advertising positions, where they often create, replace, or fill positions when candidates get their attention.

Employers & recruiters will search the Internet, especially LinkedIn, to find candidates for the unadvertised positions. Thus, it is essential that the candidate has an Internet presence, along with the appropriate keywords on the resume & LinkedIn profile, reflecting the position(s) desired, skills, achievements, & core competencies. LinkedIn Signal should be used to identify the people who are hiring & Word Cloud Technology should be used to more accurately identify the best keywords to include on your LinkedIn Profile, Resume, Cover Letter & elsewhere. Submitting relevant industry articles should also be done, to establish a more prominent & credible Internet presence when employers or recruiters Google you.

The job seeker must also do their homework, & then launch a strategic, proactive, & targeted marketing/networking (LinkedIn, etc.) campaign, with aggressive follow up. This approach is also more likely to help you identify the better "career" opportunities rather than having to settle for just a "job"! In summary, the search for a rewarding career must not only be a passive, reactive, chance-driven pursuit (e.g. posting a resume on the Internet). By utilizing a proactive networking-based campaign, better results & opportunities will be able to be identified, & sooner in most cases.

Robert P. Wolk, President
Top Career Coaches & Business Mentors
Career transition success coaches, LinkedIn & social media specialists, Six Figure Jobs resource. Franchising advisors.

Read more ...

6/30/12

Using Sample Resumes To Increase Your Interviews

In today's economy, getting a job can be tough. With so many business going under and thousands and thousands of people losing their jobs, unemployment rates are sky high. Getting a job interview can be extremely difficult being that the pool of potential candidates is often full of over qualified people eager for any position regardless of pay levels. With so many people fighting over very few job openings, how do you get your resume noticed? By following a few simple steps for and using sample resumes and other online resume building tools to help to perfect your resume and get you more interviews for the resumes your send out.

What Makes a Great Resume

Having the basic information necessary for a resume is a must for making sure that your resume is considered by your potential employer. You must provide a solid statement of objective, a few short sentences about why you want the position. Also, include information about your education and any relevant work experiences. To make yourself stand out, also include a few examples of awards and honors that you have received that may set you apart from other candidates. Finally, make sure that you have a series of reliable references to finish off your resume. Many people have good resumes. They are logically set up and contain great information about the job candidate. In order to make sure that you get invited to an interview, your resume needs to be better than good. Your resume needs to uniquely stand out without being over the top and it must contain the necessary information that the employer will be looking for. By doing a quick search on the Internet, you can find out not only how to write a logical and elegant resume, but you can also find ideas about how to make your resume stand out from the rest. For example, if your resume is to be submitted electronically, consider setting it up as a presentation or with an attractive format that shows off your unique style. Also, make sure to put your contact information in an easy to read and easy to remember format several places on your resume. This will help the person reviewing your resume to remember you after reading hundreds of resumes.

Online Resources

Online resources are often the best and easiest way to find out more information about how to perfect your resume. By comparing your resume to other sample resumes online, you can make sure that the information that you provided is listed in a logical order that makes sense when reading it. Also, online examples of resumes may give you an idea as to how to write a good objective statement or how to compose a compelling cover letter. Using online references may give you ideas for making your resumes professionally unique, though you should also use your own creativity to add spark to an ordinary application.

By being creative, you can make sure that the resumes that you send out turn into interviews and that those interviews turn into jobs. In the extremely competitive job market today, it is important to make sure that your resume is unique, complete, and logical.

Thomas Roberts is a professional who has studied resume writing to improve his own career, although he does not claim expertise. If you need help with your resume and want excellent sample resumes to guide you he recommends the e-book "101 Before-and-After Resume Examples." Download it now at http://www.before-and-after-resumes.com/

Read more ...

5/5/12

Changing Your Resume From a Chronological Obituary to a Dynamic Value Proposition Getting Interviews

JOB SEARCHING, NETWORKING/LinkedIN, & RESUME TIPS...That Get Interviews! Job Seekers can distinguish themselves from others & get the attention of hiring managers by converting the traditional "chronological obituary" resume format, to a powerful value proposition.

It is recommended that job seekers design a resume format that does not simply list tasks, duties, responsibilities, projects, & technical acronyms, much like anyone else's resume who has a similar job! One should highlight; Core Competencies/Areas of Expertise, Quantifiable Accomplishments (i.e. Productivity Improvements, Efficiencies, Cost Savings, Sales Increases, etc.), with as many percentages & dollars as possible. In other words, a resume that not only "tells" what has been done, but also "sells" the candidate's significant achievements & skills, versus others, to stand out from the crowd!

This 21st century approach has been proven to get the hiring manager's attention & get in the door for interviews, versus the traditional 19th century resume that most job seekers unfortunately utilize. Over 75% of jobs are filled by research & networking, namely the unadvertised job market. Thus, the challenge is how to identify the companies who are in the growth mode, management change mode, expansion mode, in growing & profitable industries, who are not necessarily advertising positions, where they often create, replace, or fill positions when candidates get their attention.

Employers & recruiters will search the Internet, especially LinkedIn, to find candidates for the unadvertised positions. Thus, it is essential that the candidate has an Internet presence, along with the appropriate keywords on the resume & LinkedIn profile, reflecting the position(s) desired, skills, achievements, & core competencies. LinkedIn Signal should be used to identify the people who are hiring & Word Cloud Technology should be used to more accurately identify the best keywords to include on your LinkedIn Profile, Resume, Cover Letter & elsewhere. Submitting relevant industry articles should also be done, to establish a more prominent & credible Internet presence when employers or recruiters Google you.

The job seeker must also do their homework, & then launch a strategic, proactive, & targeted marketing/networking (LinkedIn, etc.) campaign, with aggressive follow up. This approach is also more likely to help you identify the better "career" opportunities rather than having to settle for just a "job"! In summary, the search for a rewarding career must not only be a passive, reactive, chance-driven pursuit (e.g. posting a resume on the Internet). By utilizing a proactive networking-based campaign, better results & opportunities will be able to be identified, & sooner in most cases.

Robert P. Wolk, President
Top Career Coaches & Business Mentors
Career transition success coaches, LinkedIn & social media specialists, Six Figure Jobs resource. Franchising advisors.

Read more ...

2/27/12

Infographic Resumes - Essential to Get More Interviews or Tiger Trap?

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The Resume Red Flags of Death: Why No One Calls You for Interviews

If you are not getting calls for interviews, you need to review the documents and information employers are receiving from you. Those things are what employers are basing their decisions upon regarding which candidates they will hire. Usually, if you are not getting interviews, there are red flags deterring employers from considering you. These are the résumé red flags of death:

1. Gaps in your work history. Really, a few months do not matter, but more than six months is considered significant. If you can show on your résumé that you were doing something during this time such as freelance work or furthering your education, you will be better off. If you have gaps of years, if applicable, include Stay-at-Home-Mom or Caregiver as your job to show that you were doing something fruitful. Otherwise, employers imagine and don't want to gamble on the worst, like incarceration, serious illness, or laziness.

2. Lack of career progression. Career progression is not necessarily expected in all career fields, but in many it is projected that as the years go by, you will attain more important status by job title with increasing responsibilities. If progression is not there, employers could assume your work is not worthy of promotion to higher levels or that you lack ambition. You might address this in your cover letter, stating that you enjoy the particular level of the job you have been doing and include the reasons.

3. You were formerly a business owner. One would assume that with all the capabilities required by an owner that this would be a plus to your résumé, but not necessarily. The reason you are no longer an owner is the issue. Employers will not know from your résumé unless you include the reason, whether it is because you were an ineffective failure at your job or a victim of the economy or something else. An alternative job title for unsuccessful ventures would be Manager or Operations Manager, and if asked why you became unemployed, you can simply state that the business closed.

4. Career changer without experience or education in the new field. Employers may think you are grabbing at straws, desperate for any job you can get or that you lack direction. The reason for the career change is best addressed in your cover letter and should show a genuine interest in the new career field and reasons why the employer should choose you over experienced or educated applicants. Don't forget to throw in volunteer and hobby experience if appropriate.

5. You are old-ish. If your résumés states that you graduated from college in 1960, you will not likely get interviews. Age discrimination is illegal but is also in full swing with a candidate pool full of younger and assumedly healthier applicants from which to choose. Usually, the problem begins with applicants in their late forties. Take the year you graduated off the résumé and only include the last 10-20 years of experience, with the amount depending on the relevancy of your experience beyond the last 10-15 years. Tip for the interview: Do all you can to look up-to-date and younger than you are and be proficient in the latest technology in use in your field.

6. Lack of clear direction. You are a jack-of-all trades but master of none. You have worked in many industries or many different types of positions that do not relate to one another. Employers look for candidates who have a real interest in the job and industry and may question yours. This may be another case for a functional résumé.

7. Multiple jobs of short duration. Employers call this "job hopping", and assume you will also leave them quickly, wasting the time they spent searching for, interviewing, and training you. The best type of résumé format for this circumstance is a functional résumé; however, when employers receive functional résumés, they often wonder what an applicant may be hiding. If you were freelancing or a contractor, list all companies or persons for whom you worked under one section with your freelance or contractor job title as the heading.

8. You never completed a high school diploma or a GED. Employers presume this is evidence of lack of ambition or laziness. If you did not complete high school, leave the education section off your résumé completely, and it's never too late to look into getting that GED.

Go through your résumé carefully looking for red flags, and decide whether you need to have some re-vamping done. Then continue your job search with renewed energy and hope. Your new job is out there. It's time to claim it.

Krista Mitchell is a Certified Professional Resume Writer crafting resumes designed to showcase your qualities with maximum impact. She is also a leading job search industry expert. Her job is to provide you with your custom sales tool to generate job interviews. FREE comprehensive resume reviews are offered. http://www.composureresumes.com/

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11/1/11

Great Cover Letters That Sell You Are More Essential Than Ever To Earn Interviews

Why are great cover letters that sell you more important than ever today? Well, experts acknowledge there are still 60 million people out of work in America, and there is a true unemployment rate of 18%. With this huge glut of talent, employers can simply use a search engine like Google, Yahoo, Bing or Baidu to locate large resume databases like LinkedIn or ZoomInfo. Once there, for a modest monthly fee they can use advanced Boolean Searches with 10-15 keywords to pinpoint and download resumes from the best American talent in minutes. If you want to work for a most admired employer like Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs or Disney, you should know applying without a cover letter will sink your chances because you are not showing them proper respect.

The higher your annual compensation is or the more you want to advance your career or secure employment, the more essential it is to employ and optimize your cover letters, networking and follow-up letters. Resumes alone are not enough. Try not to exaggerate in your cover letters. Edit out most of the information that is already mentioned in your resume unless it is of paramount importance. While strategic repetition is a powerful way to get your message across, limit it to your primary motivational point. A hiring manager's time is precious, so use it wisely.

To be successful in earning interviews, you must remember that only people hire people. Thus, you must act accordingly in your job search. Did you know that, if you attach a cover letter to your resume (make it the first page) when you submit your resume online to an employer, you can likely double the amount of interviews you get due to keyword inclusion alone?

Employers today also want to know you will be loyal enough to think of them as a permanent employer because rehiring and retraining talent regularly drains an organization's profits. Thus, another advantage your amazing cover letters should include would be passion and enthusiasm for your line of work. People who love what they do have always performed better than those who just show up for work every day. Employers know this and appreciate the extra dividends employees pay when they exceed expectations.

The simple act of writing a cover letter and customizing it to a particular employer clearly demonstrates that you are making an investment of your valuable time and effort. Thus, your enthusiasm and diligence separates you from all others that do not. Dedicated people tend to be great employees, even if they temporarily lack some experience. Strategically targeting one employer with a cover letter shows you want to work for them, not just find a job any job. Finally, your cover letter should clearly show you have a fine command of English writing and editing because written communication skills are essential in many types of work and it shows your brain is in good working order.

National trade journals for Human Resources Managers confirm that including cover letters improve your chances of earning an interview by approximately 50%. Therefore, do not be lulled into thinking that an online submission is your chance to skimp on this proven strategy. Successful business professionals and executives know that when they receive multiple offers instead of only one their annual income improves by more than 10-15% on average. This is especially true during a recession when employers often give initial lowball offers for annual compensation and benefits because they know they can get away with it (it is only business after all).

Finally, do not even think of copying cover letter samples or example online as 95% of them are unsuitable, weak and lack any sales effort or customization whatsoever.

I write High Performance Resumes, Interview Bonanza Cover Letters and LinkedIn Professional/Executive Profiles, >95% of my clients are hired in 90 days.

Copyright 10/08/2011 by Darrell Z. DiZoglio of http://righteousresumes.com/ Would you like to finish your job hunt in half the normal time? Did you know professionally written resumes twice as many interviews? http://RighteousResumes.com/services.html You do know your resume is the sink or swim mission critical part of your job hunt right? (Free resume reviews by email too.)

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9/3/11

A Great Cover Letter Is Your Escort to More Job Interviews

Creating a compelling cover letter is a vital step in the job application process. Your letter should have a professional, yet naturally flowing conversational tone. Never underestimate the power of a cover letter to make or break your submission to a particular company, which is assessing your fitness as a candidate. Call it a resume cover letter; it's nearly as important as the resume itself. The cover letter can create either a favorable or sloppy first impression-it's up to you. Crisp, compelling and persuasive prose can make an enormous difference. Do you know what a cover letter looks like? If you can't do it right, then you should consider hiring a professional resume writer and professional cover letter writer to do it for you.

The functions of a cover letter are as follows:

? To not only introduce yourself to a potential employer, and reveal appealing aspects of your personality, but to sell yourself, just as if you were a product: You, Inc.

? Set you apart from other applying for this job. If your letter is impressive enough, it may be placed in the "to call first" pile.

? Demonstrate your effectiveness as a corporate communicator, which is an important skill to employers

? Explain why you are interested in a particular job.

? Complement your resume by intriguing the reader sufficiently to continue the process by perusing your resume.

? Display your intellectual prowess

? Demonstrate your knowledge of the company

While time consuming, it is also absolutely necessary to write a unique cover letter to each company. You should learn enough about the product or service, internal challenges, values and goals to be able to tailor each letter accordingly.

Here are some methods that wise job applicants use to turbo charge their cover letters:

? Make the appearance of your letter clean and simple. Do not right justify margins or make the letter look mass produced.

? Keep it to one page.

? Address your letter to a specific person, either the person mentioned in an ad, or the person that your research has demonstrated might make the hiring decision.

? Always write an employer-centric letter, concentrating on how you can meet a need, solve a problem and/or explain why you are the best candidate to join the corporate team. In other words, how can you be of service to them?

? Use your first paragraph to state the job that you are seeking, and how you found out about it. If someone within the company referred you, this is the place to give their name.

? Express an interest in the company's product, service and/or a specific project currently in the works.

? Consciously match your job experience, positive personality facets and transferable skills with those that the company is seeking. This step may require information that was not in the job announcement or want ad.

? Sketch any information in intriguing outline form-you want to whet the recipient's appetite to learn more by studying your resume.

? In the last paragraph of your perfect cover letter, directly ask for an interview to discuss the position further. Either include your contact information in the last paragraph, or in a block with your name and title. Thank the recipient for taking the time to consider your letter and resume.

Paul Freiberger is President of Shimmering Resumes, a resume-writing, interview preparation, and career counseling service with offices in Menlo Park and San Mateo, California. Paul is the author of several books and the winner of the Los Angeles Times book award. He worked for many years at McKinsey & Company, helping to bolster and improve the reputation of key executives. He offers resume writing services, job interview and job search campaign coaching nationwide. He can be reached at: Paul@shimmeringresumes.com, or, by phone at 877-796-9737.

Read more ...

A Great Cover Letter Is Your Escort to More Job Interviews

Creating a compelling cover letter is a vital step in the job application process. Your letter should have a professional, yet naturally flowing conversational tone. Never underestimate the power of a cover letter to make or break your submission to a particular company, which is assessing your fitness as a candidate. Call it a resume cover letter; it's nearly as important as the resume itself. The cover letter can create either a favorable or sloppy first impression-it's up to you. Crisp, compelling and persuasive prose can make an enormous difference. Do you know what a cover letter looks like? If you can't do it right, then you should consider hiring a professional resume writer and professional cover letter writer to do it for you.

The functions of a cover letter are as follows:

? To not only introduce yourself to a potential employer, and reveal appealing aspects of your personality, but to sell yourself, just as if you were a product: You, Inc.

? Set you apart from other applying for this job. If your letter is impressive enough, it may be placed in the "to call first" pile.

? Demonstrate your effectiveness as a corporate communicator, which is an important skill to employers

? Explain why you are interested in a particular job.

? Complement your resume by intriguing the reader sufficiently to continue the process by perusing your resume.

? Display your intellectual prowess

? Demonstrate your knowledge of the company

While time consuming, it is also absolutely necessary to write a unique cover letter to each company. You should learn enough about the product or service, internal challenges, values and goals to be able to tailor each letter accordingly.

Here are some methods that wise job applicants use to turbo charge their cover letters:

? Make the appearance of your letter clean and simple. Do not right justify margins or make the letter look mass produced.

? Keep it to one page.

? Address your letter to a specific person, either the person mentioned in an ad, or the person that your research has demonstrated might make the hiring decision.

? Always write an employer-centric letter, concentrating on how you can meet a need, solve a problem and/or explain why you are the best candidate to join the corporate team. In other words, how can you be of service to them?

? Use your first paragraph to state the job that you are seeking, and how you found out about it. If someone within the company referred you, this is the place to give their name.

? Express an interest in the company's product, service and/or a specific project currently in the works.

? Consciously match your job experience, positive personality facets and transferable skills with those that the company is seeking. This step may require information that was not in the job announcement or want ad.

? Sketch any information in intriguing outline form-you want to whet the recipient's appetite to learn more by studying your resume.

? In the last paragraph of your perfect cover letter, directly ask for an interview to discuss the position further. Either include your contact information in the last paragraph, or in a block with your name and title. Thank the recipient for taking the time to consider your letter and resume.

Paul Freiberger is President of Shimmering Resumes, a resume-writing, interview preparation, and career counseling service with offices in Menlo Park and San Mateo, California. Paul is the author of several books and the winner of the Los Angeles Times book award. He worked for many years at McKinsey & Company, helping to bolster and improve the reputation of key executives. He offers resume writing services, job interview and job search campaign coaching nationwide. He can be reached at: Paul@shimmeringresumes.com, or, by phone at 877-796-9737.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_A._Freiberger

Paul A. Freiberger - EzineArticles Expert Author
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9/2/11

Resume Writing - Guide to Win Interviews

In your resume writing always mention what is truth and never include any lie. Honesty is the key in getting great jobs; many forget that integrity is gauged when the day of interview arrives. If the candidate has mentioned a skill which he or she doesn't posses then in interview they feel ashamed in front of the employer when the employer asks any question related to that skill they lied about. You must know even if you are new that mostly the interviewers ask questions from the contents of the resume. You can pass those questions very easily if you have crafted that resume with complete honesty and mentioned stuff which you posses. Most of the time due to continuous dishonesty people forgets what they have included in their resume and at the end of the day they regret. Never craft your resume based on the job advertisement you saw, if someone does that, it means he/she is not the candidate they are seeking. If you come across a job for which you are not suitable then leave it for people who are really qualified for it, don't worry there are millions of jobs out there and you can eventually find one for yourself too.

Never make your resume writing lengthy because lengthy means boring to the employer, as they have to explore loads of resumes they don't have time to read lengthy resumes. So go by this rule, "the shorter the better". Whatever you craft in your resume, the important thing is it must be to the point and focused. Try to keep the resume within three pages, highlight the key qualities of you, and experience and the skills you have, in concise manner. Don't mention anything in detail because you can leave the detailing for interview and tell you story there. It has been noticed that mostly what people do is that they craft 5 to 6 pages short booklet and still end up with no interview call, which is very unfortunate for they have done such uphill struggle to craft that booklet. It is because mostly recruiters, shortlist to-the-point resumes seeing that the competitor has good writing skills and can make his/her point quite concisely.

In resume writing, together with conciseness use clarity in your resume. People are not shortlisted based on the complex vocabulary they used rather how much the prospective recruiter gets to understand you by the resume you presented. Remember that it is a resume and not a college essay or debate where you use big words to impress the teachers. In resume composing you must always use simple and clear English. It is not definite that each time only a manager of the company shortlists the candidates but sometimes they ask their employees, who are sometimes even less qualified than the candidates, to shortlist on the manager's behalf. So, use clarity and simple English in resume so even such persons can understand the resume better and shortlist it in the first go.

In the end also concentrate on the format of your resume. Use proper spacing after headings and fonts that can easily be read. A typist can craft the resume better than anyone else since they craft daily and thus, develop expertise on it.

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8/16/11

Attorney Interviews - What Do Hiring Partners Look For in an Applicant and the Legal Resume

Whether you just graduated from Law School or an LLM program, or have been practicing law for more than 20 years, there are certain key things that are important for you to keep in mind when searching for a new job. Here are a few tips to help you land and ace your next legal interview:

a. Submit a Stellar Resume: Until the Hiring Partner or Interviewer has had a chance to meet you and be dazzled by your incredible personality, they have to want to interview you. Unless you have been referred as a candidate, presumably the resume will precede your grand entrance. Therefore, make sure the resume is perfect. That includes reviewing the content, performing spell and grammar checks, double-checking the format, and then check it again. If one portion of the resume is justified, then make sure any similar sections are also justified. This will make the resume present well, and will show your attention to detail. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough - make sure you have a professional email. While there are ways to win over the hiring partner with some witty responses to interview questions, using an unprofessional "funny" email address is not one of them.

b. Wear a Great Suit: People like to hire people who present well. That does not mean that you have to wear a $2000 suit, but it does mean the suit you are wearing needs to be pressed and clean. The shirt should be crisp and the tie should match the suit. Beyond the suit, it is important that you are well-groomed. This means shave or trim your beard, keep your hair short, pop a breath mint before you enter, and shine your shoes. Also, I ALWAYS recommend wearing a nice watch (studies have shown that it has the underlying effect of showing you value being on time).

c. Practice your interview responses: Sure, you don't want to sound like a robot, but you don't want to sound like an idiot either. Practice your answers to general questions in front of the mirror. This way, you can flush out your responses, and you will be able to determine whether the statement you have practiced in your head sounds as good when you use it in response to a specific question.

d. Follow-up: Within 1 business day of the interview, send a simple email or thank you letter. It is professional and will show that either you are very interested in the position - or at least know what the proper protocol is after an interview, and that will impress upon the hiring partner.

Good Luck!!

Matthew S. is a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Former Practicing Attorney, and Member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and National Resume Writer Association. He is a nationally renowned resume writer, Career Consultant, and Talent Management Executive and has worked with top companies, Fortune 50 Executives and federal agencies. He is the owner of the http://www.bestattorneyresumes.com/ and http://www.bestparalegalresumes.com/

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7/14/11

How to Choose Your Resume Language to Get Interviews

How Do You Choose the Right Words for Your Resume and Cover Letter?

Your primary resource for resume vocabulary comes from the job posting. Let's examine a snippet from an actual job posting, taken from Indeed.com, from a company seeking a pharmaceutical sales representative*:

Representatives are responsible for all sales activity within their individual territories. This includes (but is not limited to) sales calls to physicians, pharmacies, wholesales and any medical professional (or organization), which may influence FPI promoted product sales.

Candidates should possess 1-2 years medical and/or sales experience with proven track record.

How to Choose Your Resume Language to Get Interviews

Now let's look at what the job description is actually requesting. The critical phrases are:

SalesTerritoriesPhysiciansPharmaciesWholesalesMedical salesProven track record

By examining the words that the hiring manager believes are critical to the position, you can increase your chance of being selected for an interview.

How Can You Use these Words in Your Resume to Get More Interviews?

Think about the Hiring Manager (Human Readers)

By reflecting the language that a job posting uses, you can incorporate the language that the hiring manager expects to read, demonstrating that you're attentive, sharp, and aware of what the hiring manager wants. You're reflecting corporate culture, and you're plugging into exactly what the hiring manager needs.

Additionally, when you use these phrases in your resume and cover letter, you're addressing the exact experience that you've had that will be necessary in the job to come. If you're not a sales professional, the likelihood of your being able to come up with relevant experience to amplify these topics is slender. However, if you're a sales leader extraordinaire, these phrases will naturally become a part of your resume, because your track record will reflect them time and again.

Think about the Applicant Tracking Systems (Machine Readers)

In large companies, hiring managers can one step removed from the process of selecting the initial stack of resumes to review. The team that accomplishes this first step will be in Human Resources; they'll take phrases from the job description and plug them into the ATS to get a good reasonable start. By using the exact phrases in your resume and cover letter, you'll have a better chance of coming strongly in the searches.

* Full job posting here: http://www.pharmadiversityjobboard.com/view_job.php?post_id=514777&tag=indeed&r=447620

I'm Amy L. Adler, MBA, MA, CARW, Career Search Strategist. Visit me at http://olympusresumes.com/about-us/ to learn how you can propel your job search with a resume package that gets interviews without breaking the bank.

Read more ...

7/6/11

Attorney Interviews - What Do Hiring Partners Look For in an Applicant and the Legal Resume

Whether you just graduated from Law School or an LLM program, or have been practicing law for more than 20 years, there are certain key things that are important for you to keep in mind when searching for a new job. Here are a few tips to help you land and ace your next legal interview:

a. Submit a Stellar Resume: Until the Hiring Partner or Interviewer has had a chance to meet you and be dazzled by your incredible personality, they have to want to interview you. Unless you have been referred as a candidate, presumably the resume will precede your grand entrance. Therefore, make sure the resume is perfect. That includes reviewing the content, performing spell and grammar checks, double-checking the format, and then check it again. If one portion of the resume is justified, then make sure any similar sections are also justified. This will make the resume present well, and will show your attention to detail. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough - make sure you have a professional email. While there are ways to win over the hiring partner with some witty responses to interview questions, using an unprofessional "funny" email address is not one of them.

b. Wear a Great Suit: People like to hire people who present well. That does not mean that you have to wear a $2000 suit, but it does mean the suit you are wearing needs to be pressed and clean. The shirt should be crisp and the tie should match the suit. Beyond the suit, it is important that you are well-groomed. This means shave or trim your beard, keep your hair short, pop a breath mint before you enter, and shine your shoes. Also, I ALWAYS recommend wearing a nice watch (studies have shown that it has the underlying effect of showing you value being on time).

c. Practice your interview responses: Sure, you don't want to sound like a robot, but you don't want to sound like an idiot either. Practice your answers to general questions in front of the mirror. This way, you can flush out your responses, and you will be able to determine whether the statement you have practiced in your head sounds as good when you use it in response to a specific question.

d. Follow-up: Within 1 business day of the interview, send a simple email or thank you letter. It is professional and will show that either you are very interested in the position - or at least know what the proper protocol is after an interview, and that will impress upon the hiring partner.

Good Luck!!

Matthew S. is a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Former Practicing Attorney, and Member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and National Resume Writer Association. He is a nationally renowned resume writer, Career Consultant, and Talent Management Executive and has worked with top companies, Fortune 50 Executives and federal agencies. He is the owner of the http://www.bestattorneyresumes.com/ and http://www.bestparalegalresumes.com/

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How to Choose Your Resume Language to Get Interviews

How Do You Choose the Right Words for Your Resume and Cover Letter?

Your primary resource for resume vocabulary comes from the job posting. Let's examine a snippet from an actual job posting, taken from Indeed.com, from a company seeking a pharmaceutical sales representative*:

Representatives are responsible for all sales activity within their individual territories. This includes (but is not limited to) sales calls to physicians, pharmacies, wholesales and any medical professional (or organization), which may influence FPI promoted product sales.

Candidates should possess 1-2 years medical and/or sales experience with proven track record.

How to Choose Your Resume Language to Get Interviews

Now let's look at what the job description is actually requesting. The critical phrases are:

SalesTerritoriesPhysiciansPharmaciesWholesalesMedical salesProven track record

By examining the words that the hiring manager believes are critical to the position, you can increase your chance of being selected for an interview.

How Can You Use these Words in Your Resume to Get More Interviews?

Think about the Hiring Manager (Human Readers)

By reflecting the language that a job posting uses, you can incorporate the language that the hiring manager expects to read, demonstrating that you're attentive, sharp, and aware of what the hiring manager wants. You're reflecting corporate culture, and you're plugging into exactly what the hiring manager needs.

Additionally, when you use these phrases in your resume and cover letter, you're addressing the exact experience that you've had that will be necessary in the job to come. If you're not a sales professional, the likelihood of your being able to come up with relevant experience to amplify these topics is slender. However, if you're a sales leader extraordinaire, these phrases will naturally become a part of your resume, because your track record will reflect them time and again.

Think about the Applicant Tracking Systems (Machine Readers)

In large companies, hiring managers can one step removed from the process of selecting the initial stack of resumes to review. The team that accomplishes this first step will be in Human Resources; they'll take phrases from the job description and plug them into the ATS to get a good reasonable start. By using the exact phrases in your resume and cover letter, you'll have a better chance of coming strongly in the searches.

* Full job posting here: http://www.pharmadiversityjobboard.com/view_job.php?post_id=514777&tag=indeed&r=447620

I'm Amy L. Adler, MBA, MA, CARW, Career Search Strategist. Visit me at http://olympusresumes.com/about-us/ to learn how you can propel your job search with a resume package that gets interviews without breaking the bank.

Read more ...

7/4/11

How to Choose Your Resume Language to Get Interviews

How Do You Choose the Right Words for Your Resume and Cover Letter?

Your primary resource for resume vocabulary comes from the job posting. Let's examine a snippet from an actual job posting, taken from Indeed.com, from a company seeking a pharmaceutical sales representative*:

Representatives are responsible for all sales activity within their individual territories. This includes (but is not limited to) sales calls to physicians, pharmacies, wholesales and any medical professional (or organization), which may influence FPI promoted product sales.

Candidates should possess 1-2 years medical and/or sales experience with proven track record.

How to Choose Your Resume Language to Get Interviews

Now let's look at what the job description is actually requesting. The critical phrases are:

SalesTerritoriesPhysiciansPharmaciesWholesalesMedical salesProven track record

By examining the words that the hiring manager believes are critical to the position, you can increase your chance of being selected for an interview.

How Can You Use these Words in Your Resume to Get More Interviews?

Think about the Hiring Manager (Human Readers)

By reflecting the language that a job posting uses, you can incorporate the language that the hiring manager expects to read, demonstrating that you're attentive, sharp, and aware of what the hiring manager wants. You're reflecting corporate culture, and you're plugging into exactly what the hiring manager needs.

Additionally, when you use these phrases in your resume and cover letter, you're addressing the exact experience that you've had that will be necessary in the job to come. If you're not a sales professional, the likelihood of your being able to come up with relevant experience to amplify these topics is slender. However, if you're a sales leader extraordinaire, these phrases will naturally become a part of your resume, because your track record will reflect them time and again.

Think about the Applicant Tracking Systems (Machine Readers)

In large companies, hiring managers can one step removed from the process of selecting the initial stack of resumes to review. The team that accomplishes this first step will be in Human Resources; they'll take phrases from the job description and plug them into the ATS to get a good reasonable start. By using the exact phrases in your resume and cover letter, you'll have a better chance of coming strongly in the searches.

* Full job posting here: http://www.pharmadiversityjobboard.com/view_job.php?post_id=514777&tag=indeed&r=447620

I'm Amy L. Adler, MBA, MA, CARW, Career Search Strategist. Visit me at http://olympusresumes.com/about-us/ to learn how you can propel your job search with a resume package that gets interviews without breaking the bank.

Read more ...

6/25/11

Attorney Interviews - What Do Hiring Partners Look For in an Applicant and the Legal Resume

Whether you just graduated from Law School or an LLM program, or have been practicing law for more than 20 years, there are certain key things that are important for you to keep in mind when searching for a new job. Here are a few tips to help you land and ace your next legal interview:

a. Submit a Stellar Resume: Until the Hiring Partner or Interviewer has had a chance to meet you and be dazzled by your incredible personality, they have to want to interview you. Unless you have been referred as a candidate, presumably the resume will precede your grand entrance. Therefore, make sure the resume is perfect. That includes reviewing the content, performing spell and grammar checks, double-checking the format, and then check it again. If one portion of the resume is justified, then make sure any similar sections are also justified. This will make the resume present well, and will show your attention to detail. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough - make sure you have a professional email. While there are ways to win over the hiring partner with some witty responses to interview questions, using an unprofessional "funny" email address is not one of them.

b. Wear a Great Suit: People like to hire people who present well. That does not mean that you have to wear a $2000 suit, but it does mean the suit you are wearing needs to be pressed and clean. The shirt should be crisp and the tie should match the suit. Beyond the suit, it is important that you are well-groomed. This means shave or trim your beard, keep your hair short, pop a breath mint before you enter, and shine your shoes. Also, I ALWAYS recommend wearing a nice watch (studies have shown that it has the underlying effect of showing you value being on time).

c. Practice your interview responses: Sure, you don't want to sound like a robot, but you don't want to sound like an idiot either. Practice your answers to general questions in front of the mirror. This way, you can flush out your responses, and you will be able to determine whether the statement you have practiced in your head sounds as good when you use it in response to a specific question.

d. Follow-up: Within 1 business day of the interview, send a simple email or thank you letter. It is professional and will show that either you are very interested in the position - or at least know what the proper protocol is after an interview, and that will impress upon the hiring partner.

Good Luck!!

Matthew S. is a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Former Practicing Attorney, and Member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and National Resume Writer Association. He is a nationally renowned resume writer, Career Consultant, and Talent Management Executive and has worked with top companies, Fortune 50 Executives and federal agencies. He is the owner of the http://www.bestattorneyresumes.com/ and http://www.bestparalegalresumes.com/

Read more ...

1/25/11

Resumes Don't Win Job Offers, Only Interviews Do

No wonder a resume can help in you in reaching an interview desk. A well written and well planned resume is very important and essential when one wants to get himself a job, but then again a resume's work gets over once you reach to the hiring manager now they are your interview skills that can actually get you the job. A resume for sure builds a first impression for you but to maintain your that good first impression you to be as good in your interview as you were pictured in your resume. A hiring manager will never ever hire you only on the basis of your resume. To impress an employer enough so that he let you in a person has to do extremely good at the interview too.

A mere piece of paper which undoubtedly is prepared to show cases all your abilities and achievements will never win you a job. An employer also observes your personality, communication skills and conduct before he finalizes anything. He makes sure you are flexible enough to fit in the work environment before he hires you.

Apart from being analyzed, interview is also your chance to analyze the company. Since a recruiter can't decide about you merely by reading your resume in the same way you can judge a work environment simply by reading the job posting. An interview is also your chance to get to know about the company and people you would be working with.

Normally everyone tries to jot down everything and anything he feels is important and relevant for getting the job in his resume but then again theses hiring managers have the habit of asking you about things you have already mentioned in your resume. This is you time to prove yourself, never tell them their required info is already mentioned in your resume. On the hand grab the chance to tell about yourself in more detail than you have already mentioned in your resume. You can't write everything in your resume especially your past experiences, now when an employer asks you about your work experience don't hesitate just because you have already written that in resume in spite of that tells the employer in detail about your experience, your abilities and accomplishments.

Your resume can come in handy when you tell something to your interviewer and make a reference from your resume in this way your interviewer will always remember what you said whenever he will again look back into your resume, you can use your resume while your interview for example for the answer of a question let's say the question is that what is your one achievement that makes you proud of yourself. To answer this question you might say "as you may see in resume I have mentioned that I have been a desirable change agent who can manage and make sure the smooth functioning of remunerative retail companies. For an example I can tell you about a time I with my hard work turned the whole previous scenario of our company's low efficiency level and mal production by guiding regional manager to change his mediocre strategies to modern techniques and approaches.

This included putting in practice the change-management solutions that centered on setting standards and evaluating results to achieve soaring performance levels." By expanding on the point you mention in your resume while you give interview, you are allowing background and solid details that will fascinate the interviewer.

Interview and resume both have to be exceptionally good to achieve your desired job. Loop holes in any one of them can cause you trouble and problems in your job hunt.

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1/23/11

Self-Speaking Lies About Job Interviews

Michael Neece is the CEO of Interview Mastery which is a guaranteed preparation service on Interview advice. His article on job interview where we make our self-made assumptions has been rephrased.

According to the writer among too many people he does presentations, there is small number of people who are briefed about interview skills in a job. The amount of lies people tell themselves during the job is amazing itself for the author and according to them that is harmful for their careers.

Most of us are certain about how a good resume could lead you in an interview process, but most of us don't realize the importance of a good interview for grabbing a job. In fact, minimizing the importance of job interview would mean less chances of getting hired unless an exceptionally well interview could only take you on the board.

When economy is going well, there are more job opportunities for candidates so let's say after having six interviews you get a job. Having being better prepared for job interviews would not take to go through six interviews to get a job. Below are some of the incorrect assumptions we make about ourselves before an interview.

1) I am awful in doing my jobs:

This is one of the wrong assumptions being made for a job interview. Giving a job interview is quite different from doing a job somewhere. In other words, set of skills which we require for a job is different from skills used in a job.

2) I am a good communication:

Being a good communicator is appreciated but we have to keep in mind that communication at a job is a unilateral process where we give directions or advice or respond to our daily routine but in a job interview the dimensions for communication are different. Here we may be interviewing to a panel of interviewer and being asked for different sort of job roles and skills based on our profile. Convincing interviewers about our abilities in a unique situation we are put in.

3) I have interviewed many people before:

This is one the assumptions which the interviewer makes about himself, although the skills and nature of vacancy could be unique in every aspect. There are couple of good candidates wrestle in to a particular job offer which then tests interviewer's abilities to evaluate candidates to get the best one out of it. During an interview, a good interviewer and interviewee are like two people involved in a dance, where every one is playing his/her part. When the job applicant has got skills, both of them facilitate each other, and applicant normally gets the offer.

4) I have had many job interviews:

It happens that a candidate who had previously many job interview exercises end up wasting his time with hit and trial methods for improving drawbacks, but doing ineffective interviews would not enable him to improve his interviewing skills a lot.

5) Interviewers have a required set of skills:

It is seen that interviewers all around the world are less capable to ask good questions from candidates. Asking things such "Tell me about your self" or "how do you think you are good for this job" shows the incapability of interviewer as he is unskilled to structure some interesting questions for a candidate.

6) The most qualified people are hired most of the time:

This is one of the assumptions which people make up; where as the reality is quite different. Most qualified people are never gets hired. The reason is who is the most qualified lies from the interviewer's view. This person who has authority to select or reject a candidate has his/her own opinion, assumptions personal bias. Another thing is the pre-requisite that the interviewer is looking for. A specific candidate has been selected because of his specific skills utilized again and again in his career in different organizations.

The central idea of the whole discussion is developing the interview skills. No matter how many interview programs we are registered in, how many interviews we appear in, it's all about using interviewing skills in the interview where it matters most.

Bryan Goldberg is a professional writer who has helped numerous applicants with their resumes, CVs and cover letters.He is a regular contributor to online article directories for instructional articles about resume, CV and cover letter writing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_W_Goldberg

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12/7/10

Top 10 Tips to Generate Interviews Through Your Resume

Resume is a key document that sells your credentials and abilities in the job market. Hence it should be convincing, captivating, and effective. When written well, it helps to generate more interviews and also helps get higher salary offers. In your career prospects you get what you deliver through your resume.

Here are top 10 resume writing tips to generate more interviews:

1. Use a captivating job title and skill heading to keep your resume stand out. There are hundreds of resume that an employer has to go through so they give only a glance to all resumes. Hence, your resume should be so captivating that it can convince the employer of your worth in just a glance.

2. Make sure that the overall appearance and look of the resume is perfect and there is no room for mistakes. Any kind of errors and mistakes can create a wrong impression and your resume will lose your value in the market.

3. Create a selling content with relevant work experience and related skills. Ensure that all the information that you put into the resume is someway or the other related to the prospective job profile.

4. Showcase quantifiable results for better feedback from the employers. When you quantify your experience your chances of getting an interview call increases because quantifying creates vivid images in our minds while reading. This persuades the employer to give more weightage to your resume when short listing the candidates for an interview.

5. Use power words like directed workflow, supervise, training accountant, accounts receivable, payable accounts, staff performance, and monitoring operations. These power words add more strength and value to your resume.

6. Use keywords that match the requirements of the applied job position. Be it any kind of resume; make sure to use effective keywords whilst maintaining its density. Keywords include relevant skills and experience. These you can also get from sample resumes and job advertisement.

7. Based on the given job description identify the hidden requirements of the employer. Then deliver what the employer wants in terms of skills, abilities, and qualifications.

8. When you list your skills and talents do mention how those can contribute to the success and growth of the company. Also mention how beneficial your skills have been to your previous company or organization.

9. Create a higher image of yourself if you desire a higher salary. Employer will pay you your desired salary package only if they feel that you are the perfect candidate who will make significant contributions to improve efficiency and productivity of the company.

10. Prioritize the content and make sure the quality is excellent. Prioritizing means listing the most relevant information on the top and others following it.

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