The purpose of the resume is to get you an interview, not necessarily to get you the job. Would you buy a car without a test drive? Companies want to test drive you too. Your resume should tell a story, from beginning to end and answer these questions:
Who are you?
What have you done?
What makes you special?
Why should we hire you?

How long should the resume be? As long as it needs to be, and as short as needed to keep the reader’s attention. Only give them enough information to make them want to keep reading. It can be very tempting to try and stuff in every bit of information about you and your achievements into your resume. Don’t. Your resume is a marketing document, not a “career obituary” of everything you’ve done and everywhere you’ve worked. Consider that in today’s world of smart phones and ipads, a shorter resume is more easily read by mobile devices.

Resumes help you by showing potential employers that you are the right candidate for the position. Stand out from the crowd with a stellar resume. Words have power. Make your resume more powerful by using action verbs in your accomplishment statements. Resumes should always focus on results. Don’t write job descriptions. Don’t just describe what you did, but actually give concrete results that you achieved. Use captivating titles and strong keywords to draw the reader’s attention and to create a standout impression of you as a job candidate. Yes, you often only get one chance to make a first impression. Your resume is your first chance to make a good impression on hiring manager.

Resume Tips:

 

Job search success. Everyone wants it. To find the perfect role at a good salary. Let’s keep a focus on that brass ring and review some of the newest tactics which lead to job search success. There is an old saying, “The devil is in the details” and that is certainly true here, for we’ll be reviewing some little-known tactics of using Linkedin for a successful job search. Today’s very brief lesson has to do with “tags”. … Read more

Today we celebrate our six year birthday/anniversary. The last six years have been a roller-coaster ride… it has been extremely fast, with highs and lows (although none of the lows were like the lows in my job search). When I realized the idea for this online job search organizer I got a second chance at a career.  I was depressed, my job search was going nowhere, I was losing hope, and didn’t see any end in sight. Then, this idea came, I pursued it, and we launched JibberJobber.com on May 15, 2006.  It was going to be a side project while I pursued my hunt for my dream job. The hunt failed, though.  Here’s a list of some things we’ve done in the last six years:     ... Read more

Mashable aricle: "In today’s digital world, your job search has to be as much online as it is on paper. Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook can help you establish your personal employment brand and connect with... ... Read more

You see on occasion television programs featuring Navy Seals training. I always wince a bit as I see these Seals in “hell week”. Inevitably there is the scene of them in full gear on their backs along a shore in what is typically Southern California.

That water is not remotely warm; I should know, as I’m from there. Seals (the animal version), children, and the occasional jaded person from Wisconsin visiting the area might tolerate that water, but no one else. You see the seals running, lifting logs, hauling their rafts, and competing in team events. And you begin to notice something not initially obvious: this is more of a mental “game” than anything else. … Read more

I recently watched a PBS documentary about former President, Bill Clinton and the show discussed his movie star like charisma and how it came so naturally to him. Clinton could capture the attention of a packed stadium while making you feel like you were the only person in the room since his charisma was so palpable and authentic. Some say Clinton had presence and was always fully in the moment and never distracted when talking with people. He clearly had ... Read more

I have stayed away from writing about acquisitions that LinkedIn does because of a few reasons. Either they didn’t make too much sense, or because the acquisition didn’t seem to add much/any value to the average user, or because I wanted to focus mostly on using LinkedIn, not so much what’s happening with the company. Speaking of happening with the company, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, aka, LinkedIn’s birthday! Back to acquisitions. LinkedIn acquired Slideshare for $119M, apparently (details here).  I find this really interesting. I think Slideshare was doing fine on their own.  And they are the #1 ... Read more

Write a funny caption or dialogue for this cartoon and you may win $50. You may also help someone in need of a good laugh! Youll also get your name in… ... Read more

Oftentimes people choose careers based on what is stereotypically associated with their gender.  It’s important that individuals be aware of all of their career options. Depending on your role, you may want to educate parents, students, or your clients on reasons to consider a nontraditonal career, i,.e., one that is male or female dominated.  … Read more

It is not always easy to establish an email address using your given name especially if your name happens to be John Smith or Jane Brown. When altering your name to acquire an available email address careful consideration should be given to avoid confusion.

After reviewing registrations recently for one of our monthly networking meetings, it was obvious that email addresses which varied greatly from a given name were not only a problem for us but seemed to be for the owners of the email address as well. On 2 separate registrations from the same individual one email address consisted of their first and last name and the other, their first and last name with the number 1 after it. Which one is the correct one?

... Read more