Goal Setting in 2013 - Closed Captioned

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

In my experiment with new media, I've captioned this video, so that if you can't get audio on your computer or you're hard of hearing, this is an excellent alternative. Please let me know what you think about the videos, and whether I should continue making them in the future!

Goal Setting in 2013 - Narrated

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

As an experiment in new media, I have created a video slideshow. This one was made with a computer-generated voiceover, so you'll have to use headphones or enable your speakers in order to listen to this presentation. Let me know what you think in the comments, Facebook, or Google+!

Combination Resume - Keywords are Essential!

Use this template to start developing your combination resume.

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

OK, so we've discussed the pros and cons of using a chronological resume and a functional resume in previous posts, and how each is good for certain types of job applications and seekers.  I'm sure that you've thought to yourself, “I wish I could combine these two, because this part would be really good to have on my resume, and so would this one.”  Well, you're in luck!

The combination resume is the best of both worlds.  It's really easy to put together (especially if you've been working on the other two formats), and is an adaptable format for many types of job seekers.  We'll get into who would benefit most from this type of resume in a minute.

Begin the combination resume with your name, your address, a working phone number, and an e-mail address you access regularly.  This information will help employers get in contact with you for an interview.

 

To begin the combination resume, you want to list your skills and qualifications, like you did for the functional resume format, but in a paragraph form.  If you have great customer service skills, a proven sales record with numbers to match, and the ability to create complex Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, this is the section to write those skills and qualifications down.

Make sure to read the job description carefully and match your existing skills to what the employer has written for the description.  This is what is known as keyword matching, and it will help the person reviewing your resume to determine if you have the skills that the employer is looking for and would be a good fit for the position.

The next section is a detailed employment history.  List your former employers, the dates you worked for them, where the employer was located, and a short description of your accomplishments in reverse time order.  If you can show increasing responsibilities or positive career experiences, that's good too.

Finish up with your education and any awards or certifications that you have received.  Include any additional training courses that would be useful in the position that you are interested in.  This is a good ending, because it shows your starting point and that you've considered the job description that you're applying to and have customized your resume to it.

So, who can use this format to their advantage?  Pretty much everyone can benefit from using this format, from entry-level job seekers who have just graduated, to people reentering the job market after a long absence, to older workers.  The emphasis of this format isn't on your employment history as much as it is on the skills that you bring to the table, which is what you're trying to achieve.

If you would like a free resume review to see if the one you've done on your own is good for a position that you're applying for, let us know! We'd love to hear from you!

Functional Resumes - Making a Change

This is a functional resume template.
Feel free to use this to create your functional resume!

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

Every job adds to your skills list, but not every job is a good fit for your resume.  If you have gaps in your work history, or you want to change your career path, then you might want to think about using a functional resume.  This format actually allows you to highlight your skills rather than your work history.

Let’s pretend that you want to apply to an insurance claims adjuster position with a local insurance agency.  You’ve worked as a grocery store stocker and as an administrative assistant for a realty agency.  What skills do you have from those two previous jobs that would be valued in the position that you’re applying for?  Look at the job description – there are skills they are looking for in applicants that could be used as keywords for your skills section (see our previous blog post for a definition of keywords).

Let’s try these: organizational skills, data management, and customer service.  You could write these into your resume and highlight how use used those skills during your previous jobs.

·         Organizational skills – Developed a new canned goods sorting process that increased my efficiency at stocking the shelves by 20%.  Produced a daily agency calendar specifically for the showing of listed properties that allowed agents to plan their day more effectively.

·         Data management – Able to take complex spreadsheets listing inventory and separate them by department and by shipped inventory.  Created weekly reports for real estate agents showing their listed properties, sorted from most shown properties to least shown properties, allowing them to become more effective with their time.

·         Customer service – Assisted customers to find products during stocking shifts.  Received existing and new customers with a smile; created a welcoming environment while the customer waited for their agent.

The key is to demonstrate how your skills were used in the workplace.  Feel free to use percentages and statistics that show how valuable those skills are, just make sure that they’re accurate percentages and statistics. You don’t want to lie on your resume! 

In the section after your skillset, list your work experience with the most recent employer listed first, going backwards in time.  Include any training classes or certifications you received here, because they’ll make sense in context of where you were working at the time.

The last thing to list is your education.  Generally speaking, this is why a functional format for a resume is a good one to use if you are an older worker and are looking for ways to downplay your age. 

Look at the template we’ve added as an image, and let us know if there’s a way we can help you make this resume shine!

Resume Series - Chronological Resumes



A chronological resume template.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 By Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

If you’ve spent any time applying for jobs online, you’ve discovered just how helpful it is to have a resume written and ready to upload, copy and paste, or otherwise submit to a job posting.  But have you given any thought to the format and content of the resume that you’re submitting?  In the next few posts, we’ll discuss the different types of resumes, what each is good for, and when to use it – starting with the chronological resume.

First off, what is a chronological resume (CR)?  A CR is a document that shows your work history, current or recent employment first, and listing your experience backwards in time from there.  It’s easy to read and understand from a hiring point of view because each position you have held is building up to the one to which you’re applying.

Generally speaking, you will want to start with an objective statement that briefly describes how you imagine yourself filling the position, and then include your work history in a separate section.  Any other skills you have that aren’t listed under your work history can be listed in another section, which is helpful if you have soft skills (like active listening, take direction well, typing 60+ words per minute) that you feel will qualify you for the position, or even hard skills (website development, inventory sorting) that aren’t outlined in your work history.  Any relevant training and/or coursework that you’ve had will also be good for you to list after your skills section.

A chronological resume needs to show you off to your best advantage, so when is it not a good idea to use this format?   If you’ve been out of the workforce for a long time, you don’t want to have your work history as the first thing human resources sees.  This can be a mental black mark that immediately disqualifies you. 

The same goes for if you have been in a lot of different positions for very short periods of time, known as “job-hopping.”  If you don’t have a good explanation for this in your application or in your cover letter, this can also be a black mark in the eyes of a hiring manager.  The whole point is to make you look good!

Make sure that you include percentages and numbers when you can (like “increased sales of product X by 20%”), because those highlight how valuable you can be to the company.  Don’t just list your job duties – list the things that made you a great coworker or a wonderful employee, like perfect attendance.  Scan the job description that you’re applying for, and use the words and phrases that stand out.  Most organizations are using software that scans resumes for those keywords, so using them will make yours rise to the top of the heap.

Try to keep your resume to a single page.  Most hiring managers and human resources professionals spend less than twenty seconds on reviewing a resume that makes it through all of the pre-screenings online, so keeping it short can really make yours shine.

If you need any help at all in building your resume, or if you would just like for a pair of eyes to look over it for you, give ERS a call.  Your career coach will be more than happy to help you get that job!