Membership isn’t growing, but it’s not for a lack of trying. You put a strategic plan into place, are starting new initiatives, and your organization has a positive reputation. Still, the numbers aren’t increasing as much as you’d hoped, or, they might even be dropping. The answer you hear over and over again? “It’s the economy.”

It’s not news that with high unemployment and budget cuts, people are trying to reduce costs in any way possible – unfortunately, that can include association dues. While this can be a valid reason for declining membership, how can you present yourself as a strong leader despite the lack of results?

1) Remember that hiring managers are well aware of the challenge association leaders are facing: the economy and your industry may even speak for themselves. If you’re leading an association which focuses on architecture or construction, it will likely come as no surprise that membership is down.

2) Mention accomplishments that have nothing to do with membership: For example, did you build a strong team your first few months on the job? Did you reduce costs by eliminating services with a low-ROI?

3) Consider including case studies in your executive profile: Case studies give you an opportunity to tell a broader story than your resume will allow. For example, stagnant membership might not be something you’d want to highlight. However, if it had been consistently declining for the five years before you came on board, and you were able to stop it (or even slow it), explain your approach. If you’ve developed a long-term plan that should show results as the economy improves, outline your strategy and include your anticipated results.

Obviously, it’s important to do all you can to keep your association healthy. However, during tough economic times, there are limits to what can realistically be accomplished. If you’re concerned about how this will look to a future employer, use the above strategies to highlight all that you are doing to strengthen the organization.

Based on two North American studies, it is clear that many executives are still opting to follow templates rather than creating a distinctive, strategic resume. Historically, professionals have been told to list their career history in a chronological format, presenting their career progression in reverse sequential order. Functional resumes, on the other hand, have been used to disguise career issues by categorizing the career history under competency headings. There are other strategic options. Executives rarely choose to implement those.

As a leader and innovator in the Canadian resume writing industry, Graham Management Group (GMG) actively keeps a finger on the pulse of the market. In the largest research study of its kind, we evaluated 1000 randomly selected resumes that we received in 2009. These resumes were sent to us from senior executives, managers, and other six-figure professionals across Canada. The survey found that 25% of resumes were structured in a format that did not position the candidate most effectively. Practitioners often debate which format to use: chronological or functional. However, typically, many completely ignore a third option – a strategic combination resume format that may be a hybrid of the two.

There is a strong argument for applying a reverse chronological strategy whenever possible. A survey recently conducted by an independent research firm on behalf of Accountemps suggests that hiring managers veer away from functional resumes. 150 senior executives from 1000 of the largest North American companies were asked if they prefer a chronological resume versus one organized by job functions and skills. 75% of the respondents interviewed said they prefer the chronological format. Only 17% indicated that they prefer functional and 8% had no preference.

Hiring managers dislike functional resumes because the skills and relevant accomplishments are separated from the employment history. This makes the resume difficult to follow, as the reader cannot connect the candidate’s accomplishments with the position they held at the time.

Career Professionals of Canada, the national Canadian association administering the Certified Resume Strategist Credential, suggests that “while it is true that recruiters prefer the reverse chronological resume, there are occasions that call for other formats. Whenever possible, give preference to the reverse chronological format to keep the individual‘s responsibilities and accomplishments under the respective job titles. If you must, use a hybrid combination of functional and reverse chronological that will strategically minimize your client’s obstacles while meeting the employer’s needs.”

Based on the research, it may be best to avoid the functional or skill-based format. Since most recruiters prefer resumes to be formatted in a reverse chronological format, unless there is a major career barrier to address, there is no reason to veer from this strategy.

In many circumstances, a hybrid combination of functional and reverse chronological will strategically minimize obstacles and meet the prospective employer’s needs. If the candidate is attempting to transition into a new industry or role, or is addressing a major career lapse such as a lengthy sabbatical or career gap, then such a strategic option should be considered. Whichever format you choose, ensure that you mitigate all career barriers and present a compelling and readable story to draw in the hiring manager.

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. You can download the groundbreaking research report from Graham Management Group here >> Research Study: How Does Your Resume Compare?

Canadian Resume Research Study: 96% of resumes from six-figure candidates appeared to come from templates commonly found on the Internet.

These days, with the economy just starting to rebound, the Canadian labour market is flooded with executive resumes for senior-level professionals looking for work. The current market has created an unfortunate situation for thousands of job seekers. Many of them are highly experienced and successful – and yet they find themselves in need of a new position.

In the largest Canadian research study of its kind, Graham Management Group evaluated 1000 randomly selected resumes received in 2009. These resumes were from senior executives, managers, and other six-figure professionals across Canada. The study found that 96% of all resumes assessed appeared to come from templates commonly found on the Internet.

The competition for executive positions is fierce. These days, everyone seems to be applying for the same positions because there aren’t many available. If you are in an executive search, you’ll need to design a resume that is unique and cannot be missed. You need to stand out from the rest and be seen in the pile of hundreds of executive resumes submitted for the position.

It may have been years since you have written an executive resume and you aren’t sure where to start. Chances are good you have pulled out your old resume updated it. Or, worse, you are using a resume template provided from your word processing application to design an executive resume! The problem you’ll encounter is that the job you are applying for most likely has hundreds of other applicants too. When the recruiter reviews all of the executive resumes, they will all look the same.

Executive resume writing can be very difficult, and most successful people transitioning in Canada are submitting a perfect document. You must design a resume that is not from a template. Your document must stand out from the rest. An executive resume that is not from a template shows the organization you are not afraid to step outside of the box.

This is your career and you don’t want any mistakes. If you are a Canadian professional who is looking of a senior-level job, the best thing you can do for yourself today is to hire a resume service based in Canada to design an outstanding executive resume for you. A strong executive resume writer will know exactly how to design a high-impact resume that will prominently focus on your accomplishments and successes.

Venturing into the Canadian job market during this economic turmoil does not need to be a scary prospect. In Canada, you have the advantage of foresight and a strong support base. Ensure that you have the best chance of success; consider a Canadian professional executive resume writer to help you achieve your goals.

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. You can download the groundbreaking research report from Graham Management Group here >> Research Study: How Does Your Resume Compare?

When I first entered the careers field as an executive talent agent a decade ago, I asked those with expertise and experience for their words of wisdom and advice. Universally, at some point in the conversation, the colleague offering advice about executive careers would say that the candidate’s resume could make or break their campaign. I carefully researched and discussed differing resume writing styles with experts and soon found out what made some writers better resources, in my opinion, for my executive clients. Along the way, I learned to recognize different stylistic preferences and grew to respect, even revere, various approaches.

During the intervening years, the world of executive career management including recruiting, and in turn the role the resume plays in a job search has been changing. I think it is not an exaggeration to remark that we are living a revolution. Dramatic changes in communications, technology and the economy all have shifted the relationship between prospective employee and potential employer which in turn, are forcing career industry professionals to adapt. The Career Thought Leaders Consortium is one fine example of this trend

Many in our profession have recognized this sea change and have polished their skills, updated their knowledge, added new services and transformed their businesses.  They  continue to push our field forward and provide the high quality  services that more sophisticated clients demand. Executive clients today are more knowledgeable.  They can get information via Internet search, through virtual communities and online discussions.  Unfortunately for some,  they master this arena by spending their own time in the job market while in transition.

What I am getting around to is that today we are light years away from the olden days of paper resumes and are living with a complexity beyond the days of broadcast faxes and mass emails. Today, a candidate’s competitive advantage is not just a great (but static) resume documenting a fantastic track record of accomplishments. Their future career success stems from how an individual communicates and distributes and makes available their reputation and unique problem-solving capabilities to those who can hire them and offer them additional opportunities to learn and grow their success.  Sounds like a networking process doesn’t it?  Sure, the individual has to have the goods, but just putting it in writing is not enough, just communicating this in one well-crafted document is too little and just sharing this when asked is usually not enough to ensure  a career.

The best possible resume is a good starting point for discussion; a better strategy is not only to build a strong reputation (good resume content,) but to also be visible.  Achievements have always been necessary and still are necessary, but are not sufficient for success.  How an individual communicates their value has broadened from just a “dam good resume” occasionally distributed when the candidate was actively looking or asked to submit their credentials to being a full time, non-stop personalized PR campaign.  This means being visible and searchable online.

We’ve been learning that having a personal website or online portfolio or Linkedin profile alone seldom attracts enough attention or generates enough desired contacts from prospective recruiters or hiring managers. These online pieces are major parts of a larger effort that includes an online resume, a marketing presence that is vibrant, updated regularly and contains relevant data differentiate those who get noticed. Think: what did you do today, what will you be doing tomorrow that demonstrates your abilities. It is said that past performance is no guarantee for the future. To be competitive, executives have to prove themselves, visibly speaking, in real time. In addition to producing results, they engage others.  They develop new connections. They interact. They give to others. And when the timing is right, they learn about a new position and make a move. In other words, the resume is now an important part of the overall marketing plan implementation process.  There is an intention to attract attention and pull opportunities towards the candidate.  Contrast this to when all career marketing/job searching efforts were designed to push the candidate to potential employers.

Today’s environment means game-changing strategy and a new style for executing an effective search for candidates and the modern career industry professionals who support them.  The best solution is for every employee to always have the mindset and behaviors of a potential candidate:  maintain their visibility with up to date information and messaging. There’s no worry about anyone discovering they are looking for a new job because they are always open to new opportunities that are able to find them even when they are not actively looking for leads to a new job. They never are out of “job search mode” but their standard MO is inviting connections, sharing  ideas and being approachable.

As career professionals, we spend a great deal of time listening to client stories.  Mining these stories for value can improve our delivery of services.

For example, what does it mean when a client says, “I am a people person”? (You may have used the same phrase; after all, we work in a helping profession!)  However, this is a general and vague statement until we probe more deeply to determine its real meaning.

Try getting your clients to tell some stories not related to work.  Ask them to talk about times in their lives when they are doing what they enjoy most and doing it well.  Individuals will often gravitate to what they most enjoy when they are free to do so, especially during their discretionary time.

Remember, it’s not what they CAN do; we all acquire competence with skills through training or experience.  A natural strength, as opposed to a can-do skill, is something we do effortlessly; something that energizes us; and something that gives us innate satisfaction–in short, when we do it, we make it look easy; when we use it, we are often in a state of flow.

As they focus on those events and activities, listen actively. By doing so, we learn more about our clients, their priorities and preferences.  This can help us better position and package a client’s value proposition, or better coach them to reach their career goals.

Subject Matter

When a client says they are a people person, are they commenting on a preferred subject matter? That is, are they telling us something important about what they enjoy working with and through on a daily basis?

Listen for specific clues to the configuration of their fascination with people. Do they prefer working with individuals one-on-one? Or, working with or among teams?  Or, are they interested in broader groups of people, such as people of a particular culture or religion? populations with particular needs or interests? Or, are they interested in the traditions, beliefs, languages, and habits of other cultures? Or, are they people watchers, fascinated by human behavior, by what “makes people tick,” by the way people think or feel, and the psychology behind what causes people to say or do something?

Try drilling down into the I-am-a-people-person statement with a few specific questions :  How did you get involved with that? What did you do exactly on your own (or as part of a team)?  What was particularly enjoyable or consistently satisfying about that?  Listen carefully for clues that reveal their natural inclinations, strengths, preferences.

Natural talents

Perhaps it is not people as a subject matter that motivates them; instead, they have a natural helping talent–they enjoy tutoring individuals; or, helping others complete their goals or projects; or,  giving advice to others; or, reassuring and supporting others.  Do they have a knack for stepping into situations where they see shortages to fill or needs to be met? Do they actively seek out situations to be useful or helpful (if not indispensable) as they step in and aid others with assistance, guidance, support or tangible resources–not as a job requirement but in their own time because it energizes them.  This helping talent could be leveraged into certain helping professions, or highlighted in their resume and value proposition.

Perhaps they are using an intuitive talent that is only triggered by contact with people. For example, they might have a knack for discerning people’s character quickly and accurately, and usually read people accurately, or are rarely fooled by anyone.  Again, this could have a bearing on the kind of work they are suited to do (e.g. credit loan officer, immigration official, police detective, recruiter, counselor, probation officer), or the job skills that should be highlighted in their resume or brand.

Conclusion

You may find a reservoir of revelations behind the simple statement: I am a people person.  By using the skills we already have for listening, questioning, analyzing, and synthesizing, we can better position, package and coach our clients for success.  They are more likely to succeed if they are motivated, and they are more likely to be motivated when aligning their key success factors with a job that will recognize and reward them for what comes naturally and easily to them.  Each successful client is our best source of new and growing business.

In my next Blog, I will look at what is revealed through personal stories in terms of  Relationship Building and how that correlates with job choices and job search strategies.

If you are targeting a position in Canada, you don’t want a recruiter to discount you just because you don’t know the country’s norms when it comes to spelling and grammar. After all, in Canada, there is no such thing as a paycheck. Your goal is to secure a position and get a paycheque.

To overcome the Canadian recruiter’s scrutiny, you’ll need to make some subtle, but important changes to your resume. By showing that you have impeccable spelling and grammar, you’ll pass the first test with flying colours.

Canadian employers regularly run into the issue of “Canadian English” versus “American English” when they are assessing resumes that come in from applicants around the world. If you submit a resume with a glaring mistake, the recruiter may feel that you do not care enough to do your homework. This could be just enough to eliminate you from the running.

Canadians have a way with words. Although Canadian English is not exactly the same as American English, it is not British English either. We employ subtle differences in spelling and grammar, which are unique to our country.

Canadian spelling takes on influences from our British and French ancestry, with a touch of Americanism. For example, in Canada, just as in the United Kingdom, we insert “u” in “labour market.” Yet, we opt for a “z” in “organize” just as our American friends do. A hint of French comes out when we use “centre” instead of “center.”

Here are some examples of words that are sometimes spelled incorrectly in resumes and cover letters:

When you write your resume, targeted to the Canadian market, make sure that you change the default language on your Microsoft Word application to “Canadian English.” This will help ensure that the spelling and grammar you employ conforms to Canada’s standards.

Don’t rely solely on your computer as many Canadian words are spelled correctly when you mean to say one thing, but may be incorrect in another scenario. For example, you may want to indicate that you practise a certain technique, and now you are opening a practice to start teaching others that technique. Note in the first sentence “practise” is a verb. In the second, “practice” is a noun. Your computer would not be able to catch this difference, so you must be diligent in your proofreading.

To pass the detailed review, your resume and cover letter must have no errors at all. If you still are unsure of the spelling of a word, use a good Canadian dictionary such as the Canadian Oxford Dictionary to verify your work. For acronyms and abbreviations, refer to The Canadian Dictionary of Abbreviations. If you are unsure of grammatical requirements, refer to a Canadian style handbook such as The Canadian Press Style Book. If you need help with your Canadian career documents, check out Best Canadian Resumes and Best Canadian Cover Letters.

Modern technology and the speed of communication have influenced how we use language. The Internet has exposed us to inconsistencies, differences, and mistakes from all over the world, making it more difficult to ensure correct use of language. Whatever you do, employ consistency in your use of language and you will earn that Canadian paycheque.

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist