Sharpen your Resume or Create a New One!

Happy Ground Hog Day!

Whether the groundhog sees his shadow or not, you probably need to get your resume in shape! Here are some tips:

Content:

• Look at samples of resumes you like for content and appearance (I like the books by Martin Yate, Knock ‘em Dead Resumes, Knock ‘em Dead Cover Letters)

• Beyond what your responsibilities were, you want to include accomplishments—what did you do that will help this employer! Do that by quantifying your work. Every job can be quantified: What was the scope of the project? How many people did you manage? How large was the organization/department? How much money were you responsible for? How much money did you save? By what % did you decrease turnover?

Include:

• 7 to 10 years of work on your resume—the exception is if you want to return to work you’ve done prior to this time frame; then you will have to include those years and experiences.

• One to two pages is best

• Include your name and contact information on the 2nd page in case it gets separated

• You can include a separate Client List if you have been self-employed or worked as a contractor. Do this alphabetically.

• If responding to a job description, include words related to it. Read the job description carefully!

Omit:

• Graduation dates on schools (unless you are a recent grad)

• Hobbies and interests (unless it relates to this job)

• Marital status

• “References provided on request” This is a given.

• Be sure to spell check! This is important and if your resume is scanned for key words—misspellings will be ignored by the scanner!

Volunteer Work that uses your Skills:

• Choose these projects carefully—especially if you have a lot of time on your hands—organizations will all want you!

• It’s a way to keep your skills current and make a difference

• It’s a self-esteem boost!

Temporary Work that uses your Skills:

• You can register with one or more temp service companies—the general rule is go to an assignment, and do the best you possibly can in order to get more assignments.

• Some of these positions can turn into full-time (or temp to hire) positions.

Addressing Gaps in Employment:

• Be honest with yourself and an employer about the gaps—you don’t need to provide all the details if personal. Maybe you were a stay at home mom; maybe you were caring for an elderly parent; maybe there were health related issues.

• Volunteer & temp work are both legitimate work experiences to address some gaps in employment.

References:

• Include as a separate sheet, not in your resume.

• Be clear when you ask for references what you want them to emphasize. Check in advance that they will give you a good reference—don’t assume!

• Be sure to use the Recommendations in your Linked In to get and give referrals.

Review of your resume—by two different kinds of reviewers~

• Ask someone to review it who does resumes in general; Usually someone with an HR background is very good at this.

• Then have someone review it who is in your field of work or the work you want to get into! There might be key words or concepts you have missed, but they won’t.

• You have to like it! In the end analysis you make the call. If you are getting interviews, or you are getting good comments about your resume, it is working for you!

• It used to be you had one or two resumes and your Cover Letter was tailored to the job…that simply is not good enough in this job market! Your resume should be tailored to this job opening.

Style/Appearance:

• White space—leave margins and some white space—some hiring managers like to take notes on a hard copy of your resume

• Size of letters shouldn’t be too large or small

• Font (for a lot of text you want Times New Roman (anything with seraphs or ‘tails’ like a book or newspaper because it is easier to read).

• Arial or Verdana are sans seraph fonts and are better for headers or sections of your resume.

• If you are including a resume in an email, select plain text & use sans seraph fonts

Finally, use a good quality paper when you print it.

Perhaps my favorite quote on resumes is from Tom Jackson, who wrote Guerrilla Tactics in the Job Market: “Make it Beautiful!”

And so you should since your resume represents you!

New Year, New Attitude!

Recently, I asked a recruiter of a temporary employment agency what she thought was the single biggest mistake candidates were making on job interviews right now. Without hesitation she said, “Attitude!” (Yes, employers often ask the agencies to send them candidates to be interviewed instead of having the temp agency make the choice for them!)

The example she gave was a candidate being asked a question by the prospective employer. He replied with, “It’s on my resume!” Needless to say, this person did not get the job. I suspect this response might be indicative of frustration on the part of the candidate for what seems like the obvious: yes, it is on the resume.

Stepping back from this, it’s worth looking at why the employer might ask a question that seems so obvious to you as the candidate.

The employer–

1. Might not be very good at interviewing or didn’t review your resume in detail before the interview and is filling time by asking you this question.

2. Is interested in seeing how you answer the question and express yourself relative to what is on your resume.

3. May be looking to see that what you wrote in your resume is a match & is in sync with how you are answering the question!
   

 So here are some tips to develop the right attitude for your job search:

1. Refresh Your Job Search! Review the job description before you go on the interview and review your resume. Practice answering what seem like “it’s on the resume” type questions with a new approach. Try answering some difficult questions with a buddy or ask yourself these questions and say your answers while looking in the mirror. What does your face tell you about the attitude you are “reflecting” to the employer? Would you hire you?

2. Consider doing volunteer work related to the field you’d like to be in. It might boost your confidence and you might gain some new skills or use ones you already have. It will give you a “sense of purpose” while you do some good. Be careful not to devote too much time to volunteering if you can’t afford to do that!

3. Learn a new job-related skill—take a class in person or online. Check your library or Workforce Development Center for free courses or sign up at a local community college or your alma mater. Some temp services provide skills training, too.

4. Keep your spirits up—it’s likely the search may take longer than you’d like and maybe already has. Keep up your exercise and watch what you are eating…both of these will help keep depression at bay.

5. Learn to love your job rejects—they are a source of further contacts that few people use.

We’ll talk more about volunteering and handling rejects in upcoming blogs.

Here’s to You and a New Job Search Attitude in this New Year!

Don’t Stop Your Job Search in December!

Recently, a friend who was looking for work and a career change said, “I’m not going to do anything in December. I’ll wait until January when the  holidays are over and start then.” In the spirit of offering job search advice (I asked first!) I suggested there might be another way to look at this. While it’s tempting to take some time off, this is not the time of year to do it. This was confirmed this week by an HR Manager who mentioned she had just made job offers to 10 people who would be starting in January! Now that’s a nice present to give yourself– the start of some new beginnings! When I related my friend’s comment to the HR Manager, she said, “Tell people to look in December!”

Here’s are some of the reasons to continue your job search in December:

1. You can get some appointments that are ready to go after the first of the year rather than lose some precious time. You will feel a lot better about facing the New Year if you already have some irons in the fire!

2. People’s calendars are full! Yours should be, too. I connected with a colleague last week who said the earliest she could meet was February. So getting those calls made now will put you ahead of the game before you have a January calendar that has lots of open spaces!

2. If you are looking to do some informational interviews (see Richard Bolles, What Color is Your Parachute?) now is a good time to schedule those 20 minute interviews with an employer over a cup of coffee. They just might welcome the distraction (after all, you are asking for advice, and who doesn’t like to give that?). You, on the other hand, will have gained information about making a better career decision, may learn of some potential job openings, and you will have made some contacts as well!

3. If getting started on a career change is important to you, you could also use this time with your local library, Workforce Center, community college or alma mater and see what is available for free on career search testing. If you start to sort some of this out in December, you’ll be ahead of the game come the New Year.

I like to think of the job search process as similar to the way people need to dress for cold weather–in layers! Start the layers of your job search by setting time each day to look at what you are doing to get clear on what you want to do work-wise, make the contacts you need to make, and keep the momentum going in the month of December!

Australia

The Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Australia

Red Shoes in Slovenia

China

Lace Umbrellas

Meili Snow Mountain, One of the sacred mountains to the Tibetans

Yunnan Province, China. Photo by Arlen Cwir

The Middle East

www.lindasorrentoimages.com

Bhutan

From an email to Friends from Bhutan, April, 2008

Kuzugampola (Hello in Bhutanese) Friends!

Ever since I saw a PBS special on Bhutan (The Land of the Thunder Dragon) some years ago, I wanted to visit here. It is a magical place, often called the last Shangri La, for the beauty of its mountains and valleys. Often it looks like a story book picture! It’s about the size of Switzerland and about a half million people. Apparently, they said they were a million so they could get into the UN, but then, given their sense of humor (truly!) and that census counts are not accurate…Bhutan is nestled between China and India and has four climate zones, from cold in the Himalayan north to tropical in the very south. We were in the central, temperate region. It was lovely spring-like weather.

We had a 9 hour ride on the “Lateral Road” the only road in the country. We started in Paro where the airport is (two planes blessed by their monks called Druk (Dragon) Air). We arrived in Thimpu, the only capital without a traffic light…I have a photo of the one police officer directing traffic. They tried a traffic light (yes, one) and didn’t like it so they got rid of it!

The feel of this country is unbelievable…wonderfully friendly and hospitable people with the men dressed in traditional “ghos” a komono-type outfit and the women in long skirts of beautiful hand woven fabric. The Bhutanese are a handsome people! You may have seen the news on Bhutan’s recent elections as they moved to a constitutional monarchy. It is an interesting time for Bhutan, this Buddhist Kingdom coming into the 21st Century. Their new King, who at 27 is as revered as his father, will be coronated this year. The King’s Father is married to 4 sisters (apparently, one said no!) But having more than one wife or husband is not uncommon in Bhutan.

(Note: In fact the King is now 31, the youngest reigning King, and was just married in 2011. The new Queen, a commoner and 21 years old, is as beautiful as he is handsome!)

Today is our last day (of 11) in Bhutan (internet was not always available on the trip) and did they ever save the best for last! We hiked to Tiger’s Nest Monastery
nestled on the edge of a cliff. It is a trip that, like Mecca, they would like the Buddhists here to do at least once in their lifetime. It is about a 3 hour hike up and is a beautiful one on a good trail with lots of steps in places. Several beautiful viewing points as the rhododendrun are in bloom. Set with the the prayer flags, it is a stunning setting.

Young Monks, Bhutan

TAKTSHANG (The Tigers Nest Monastery), Bhutan

Ura Yackchoe Festival, Bhutan

Bhutan: Book Recommendations

I got the Lonely Planet Bhutan book (there weren’t many to choose from when I went I 2008, but I found it a good choice. Check around and see what you like). It gave a good history of Buddhism, I thought.
I went with a company in Boulder called Asia Transpacific Journeys.

Several books I’d recommend are:
So Close to Heaven, The Vanishing Kingdoms of the Himalayas, by Barbara Crossette–lots of history and will give you some context. Great writer.

Beyond the Sky and the Earth, a Journey into Bhutan, Jamie Zeppa; a Canadian who taught in Bhutan and then married one of her students. The marriage didn’t last, but the story of her experiences being in the culture is interesting.

Treasures of the Thunder Dragon by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Whangchuck who was one of the previous Queens–travelogue and memoir. I got a library copy. I loved this book, too.

The Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden (daily life and rituals from a woman’s perspective)

The Geography of Bliss, c. 2008. One more book that has a chapter on Bhutan and is just a great travel read. It’s written by NPR Correspondent, Eric Weiner:

A few DVDs:

Travellers & Magicians (Jamie Zeppa’s (see book above) Bhutanese husband is one of the actors.
The Cup (about Bhutanese monks and soccer)

I loved Tiger’s Nest (Taktshang). Do not be discouraged by guidebooks that say it is difficult. It isn’t. There is a path all along the way with lots of people.

Make sure you get to a Festival…anywhere. They are worth seeing and have a good blend of the sacred and the profane. Great photo opps, too.There is one main road that goes across the country and some of the highlights are: Paro, Thimpu, Punakha, and Trongsa. The architecture is lovely as are the people. Happy Travels. If you go to Bhutan, enjoy—I know you will. If you decide to arm chair travel this one, these books and DVDs should be a good start!

PS One book I read several years after my trip: It’s called Married to Bhutan, How One Woman Got Lost, Said “I Do” and Found Bliss, by Linda Leaming, a published writer, who apparently is mentioned in the Geography of Bliss book. She talks a lot about the culture and places. So it’s very thoughtful and chock-full of well-written information. The author lives there now (she’s American).

Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Hanoi, Vietnam

 

Thailand

I have been (happily) to Thailand on three occasions…here are notes from an April, 2008 email to friends and the only time I’ve been there in the spring of the year…read how they celebrate their New Year! This was a happier time for the Thais,  before the recent floods of 2011, the worst in 50 years…

Today I arrived in Bangkok about an hour by plane from Chiang Mai, the city in the north where I have been staying since I arrived on Feb. 22nd. Bangkok has a new airport…quite nice on the design, and I understand it is the biggest airport!

It is the Thai New Year, a 3 day riotous celebration April 13 – 15, revolving around going home to see family, respect for elders, Buddha and water splashing (read drenching) to celebrate the arrival of the spring harvest season. It is a sacred and secular holiday time. Most people have off from work.

It’s called Songkran, a Sanskrit word describing the change in the astrological signs from Pisces to Aries. (I thought Pisces was the water sign! But “Ma Pen Rai, “never mind” as they say in Thai). It signals the New Year. They do celebrate Jan. 1, but this is a more auspicious holiday for them. Yes, I got splashed, and that is considered a sign of good luck. They love to “get ” the farangs (foreigners).
The kids and adults ,armed with power water guns, have a good time,and it’s a good way to cool off from the heat; but there has been negative press because of traffic fatalities. A little too much celebrating. I stayed out of harm’s way and watched some from the 3rd floor of the guest house.

Tomorrow I leave for Bhutan for 11 days where we will be at a minimum of 4000ft. altitude (and up to 10, 000). This is the last of the independent Buddhist Kingdoms. It should be spectacular. I had this trip in mind ever since I saw a PBS special about 10 years ago. And so the seed was planted!

Me and My Shadow, Thailand

Water on Leaf, Thailand