Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog

DEFINITELY Leave High School Off Your Resume!

on July 3, 2009 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Anonymous writes: If I am 40 years old. Should I leave my high school off my resume and just keep the college and special education? Or should I keep the name of the high school and just leave the year graduated off? Thanks.

The Career Doctor responds:

I have a former student — a college graduate — who was valedictorian of her high school. Quite an accomplishment — years ago — but no one cares about it anymore, yet she still clings to it on her resume (partly because her college career was less than stellar). Even in her case, I recommended removing the high school stuff as soon as she was a college student.

So, here’s the rule. If you made it into college, one can assume that you completed your high-school education in some fashion, so drop it off your resume. Why should you waste precious space on your resume on an accomplishment that is inconsequential to most employers. Note to non-U.S. job-seekers: The norm for curriculum vitaes in many countries outside the U.S. is to list your high school education, but if you’re applying for a job in the U.S., leave it off.

Why are you clinging to that high school degree? Take it off your resume!

But, you also raise an interesting question for all older job-seekers — we baby boomers and older job-seekers. At some point — probably in your 40s — I would remove dates from college degrees as a preemptive strike against the possibility of age discrimination. (Be careful, though, as some employers, and especially recruiters want to see all dates from college on.) While you’re a little young to be worrying about age discrimination, others might be interested in our growing section of Job and Career Resources for Mature and Older Workers.

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Incorporating Nontraditional Experience in Resume

Katharine

on July 2, 2009 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Julie writes: I have been unemployed for a little over a year, but I have been doing all the paper work for my husband’s business he has on the side. I also live on a farm. So I really haven’t been employed. How would I add this in my resume? If I leave it off they will think I haven’t been working.

The Career Doctor responds: You have to remember, Julie, that you determine how you frame your experience — both on your resume and in job interviews. The employer is not a mind-reader, so unless you showcase your experience, skills, and accomplishments, you are not going to get many interviews.

So many job-seekers are in a similar situations as yours. Perhaps they worked for a family business, perhaps it was volunteer work, or perhaps it was taking a year off to go back to school…But what you and all these other job-seekers don’t understand is that all these things add up to your specific mix of skills and abilities. Employers are more interested in job-seekers that have been doing something during a hiatus from full-time, paid employment than job-seekers who appear to have been doing nothing,

What’s the answer? Don’t discount any of the year that you’ve been working on the farm and helping your husband’s business. Instead, embrace that experience. Find experience, skills, and accomplishments that you can pull from the past year’s work. If you find the experience doesn’t quite fit into a neat career path, then consider experimenting by supplementing your conventional chronological resume with a chrono-functional style. What’s the difference? Chronological resumes focus on your job history while chrono-functional resumes focus on specific (transferable) skills sets you’ve mastered. Read more in these articles published on Quintessential Careers: Should You Consider a Functional Resume? and Strategic Portrayal of Transferable Skills is a Vital Job-search Technique.

You can also find many more resume-related articles and tutorials in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.

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Quantifying in Resume Despite Unquantifiable Job?

Katharine

on July 1, 2009 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Tad writes: What if your job doesn’t involve numbers, dollars saved. I’m a security officer. How do I write a compelling resume?

The Career Doctor responds: Tad, kudos to you for understanding the importance of quantifying on your resume. Job-seekers must show prospective employers your accomplishments rather than simply telling them — and quantifying results is one method to do just that.

But now you have to take that understanding to the next level, because you can quantify and showcase your accomplishments in just about any job. For example, can’t you quantify the number of hours, days, weeks, etc. without incidents; the number of hours of training and professional development; the number (and types) of security devices/technology you’ve mastered; number of security investigations successfully closed; commendations (or other records of achievement) you have received.

There are really two keys to writing successful resumes and cover letters. The first key, as you know, is stating your accomplishments (rather than job duties). For an in-depth review of this issue, please read our article, For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments.

The second key is researching and using job-specific keywords in your resumes and cover letters. Employers are increasingly turning to keywords to conduct searches of resume databases, and if your resume doesn’t contain those keywords the company is using, then you are pretty much dead in the water. So, how does a job-seeker know what keywords to use on his or her resume? Good question. The quick and dirty answer is that you need to study job postings and job descriptions and find the pattern of words employers use and then be sure to insert them into your resume. The longer — and better — answer is to read the very detailed article (and sidebars) from my partner, Katharine Hansen, published on Quintessential Careers: Tapping the Power of Keywords to Enhance Your Resume’s Effectiveness.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.

De-emphasizing 7 Jobs in 7 Years

Katharine

on June 30, 2009 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

D. A. writes: There is no way for me to hide the fact that I’ve had 7 jobs in last 7 years. Although I have great credentials, no one will hire me — I actually have a job paying 1/3 less than what I’m used to making. Do I stick it out for a year? Do I try to finish my CPA license in this state (varies from state to state). Do I go back to school at night for IT? Thanks.

The Career Doctor responds: You actually have a couple of problems. First, you need to figure out why you’ve had seven jobs in the last seven years — not only for your own well-being, but because employers are going to be asking you that question — and then you need to determine how to stop the job-hopping. Second, you need to determine why you are working at a job that pays a third less than what you’ve been making — and whether you should continue to do so. Third, you need to determine your career interests — do you want to be a CPA or work in IT…or do something entirely different? I suggest you sit down and determine what you want to do for the next five years or so.

Once you’ve determined the root of your restlessness and have zeroed in on a career goal, then you can start with your career and job-search strategies. If you don’t already use one, I strongly suggest considering a resume in a chrono-functional format. Read more in this article: Should You Consider a Functional Resume? Keep in mind, though that many employers dislike any kind of functional format, so you’ll want to also have a chronological version in case the chrono-functional isn’t working for you (many employers don’t like them). You’ll also need to have an answer for your job-hopping — one employers will believe. You can find help in the interviewing resources section of Quintessential Careers.

Be sure to take the time to really address — for your sake — the reasons for your restlessness. You will be much happier (and healthier) when you are in a career field and job that challenges you and one which you enjoy doing.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.

Will Her Education Compensate for Lack of Pharma Sales Experience?

Katharine

on June 29, 2009 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Deb writes: I am a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree, currently working on my master’s degree. I am interested in a career in pharmaceutical sales. However, all the ads state previous sales experience required. My question is whether my RN degree would carry enough weight to offset the previous sales requirement? Secondly, would it be best to apply to the companies directly or to go through a recruitment agency? Thank you for your time in replying.

The Career Doctor responds: Logically, you would assume that a medical background is a plus in pharmaceutical sales…but the bottom line is that it is a sales job, not a medical job — and many companies want previous sales experience. Can you sell your nursing education and experience as a critical benefit you can bring to the position as a pharmaceutical sales rep? Of course you can — and in fact, some companies require some kind of medical background or education — but you will also need to examine the traits of successful salespeople and determine if you have those skills from previous experiences.

First, in what field are you pursuing your master’s degree? If it is nursing — and you know you don’t ever want to work as a nurse again — I would seriously consider withdrawing from graduate school. But before you make such a major decision, I would suggest conducting several informational interviews with sales managers in pharmaceutical companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Eli Lily, and GlaxoSmithKline, among others, to better understand what these managers want in the field representatives they hire.

Second, you need to identify the skills that make salespeople successful. Obviously, they need superior communications skills — especially persuasive communications skills; they need to be “people” person — able to build and maintain relationships; they need to be highly-motivated self-starters; they need to be well-organized. You’ll be able to glean all this information from looking at job postings and from your informational interviews.

Third, you’ll need to develop a resume that portrays your mix of medical and sales skills and experiences in such a way as to identify you as an ideal candidate for a pharmaceutical sales position. You may want to try a chrono-functional resume. Read our article, Should You Consider a Functional Resume? Be aware, though, that many employers dislike any kind of functional resume, so have a chronological version ready if the chrono-functional isn’t working for you.

Best of luck in achieving your goals.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.

Use Cover Letter to Give Context to Your Accomplishments

Katharine

on June 28, 2009 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don’t repeat your resume. Instead, use your cover letter to give context to the achievements and job functions listed in your resume. Frame your accomplishments with the journalism questions — who, what, when, where, why and how — and do it succinctly. Use paragraphs to tell the story (the context) and bullets for achievements (results). You can write about each experience with the formula: situation, action and results.

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Difficulty Landing Job After Relocation

Katharine

on June 27, 2009 6:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Orlando writes: I have recently moved to New York City. I have 4 solid years of web development/programming and design experience. I have also worked 2 years, out of the 4 years, as a web-development consultant. On top of my experiences and skills, I am still pursuing my first bachelor’s degree in computer information systems.

For some reason, I am experiencing difficulties in finding a job in New York. I have been sending resumes for more than a month now and generated only one interview, but another candidate was selected. I was wondering if this is because I don’t have my degree yet or is it my resume? How long does it usually take, on average, for someone to hear from companies?

Please help me. I would really appreciate any suggestions you can give me on how to get interviews with companies.

The Career Doctor responds: Job-hunting is all about marketing and selling — and being more aggressive in hunting down job opportunities than other job-seekers. One of your biggest problems is a common one among job-seekers — applying for jobs and then sitting back waiting for the phone to ring. And as you have discovered, job-hunting just does not work that way. You need to get on the phone (or via email if you applied for jobs using email) and call every company you have not heard from and see what the status of your application is — and ask for interviews where appropriate.

I don’t know what method you are using to find job leads, but if you are relying only on job ads — either job postings on Web sites or in help wanted ads in New York area newspapers — you need to move your job search up quite a few gears. Have you joined any professional or social organizations since you moved to New York? Do you have friends or family in New York? I ask because networking is the best method to find strong job leads.

Learn more about networking by going to Quintessential Careers: The Art of Networking.

Don’t get discouraged, but don’t sit at home waiting for a phone call. Pound the pavement. Make your own opportunities.

Finally, one other great source for understanding the importance of marketing in job-hunting is my article: Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.

Reader Should Be Able to Read Entire E-Mailed Cover Letter on One Screen

Katharine

on June 26, 2009 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The same rules that govern cover letters don't apply to their e-mailed counterparts. With e-mail cover letters, the goal is to write so the reader can see the entire letter when he or she first opens the email, which means your message must be shorter than a printed letter. Give a brief (few sentences) introduction of yourself and why you're writing. Follow with 3-5 relevant accomplishments or qualifications in bullet-point format.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.

How to Handle Short Job Stay

Katharine

on June 25, 2009 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Anonymous writes: How is a short job stay (5 months) addressed, or do you address this aspect of a job history? I recently separated from the military to start a civilian career after 13 years and obtaining my degree. I was enticed by a job based on money and benefits offered. The company could not come through with the benefits, so I resigned. I feel like I am being overlooked by employers because of this short stay. What do I do?

The Career Doctor responds: Without knowing enough about your background, my best advice is to bury the job in your resume by taking advantage of a chrono-functional resume format, where you stress your key skill sets, putting your employment history at the end of your resume. You can read more about constructing chrono-functional resumes by reading this article: Should You Consider a Functional Resume?

Do I think some employers might be wary? Yes. Not necessarily because of the short stint at your last job, but because of that stint in combination with a long stint in the military. There may be a concern that you are having a hard time handling the transition from military management and culture to civilian management and culture. Once you start going on interviews, you should be prepared to address the issue.

What job-hunting techniques are you using? I recommend taking a spin through our Job Search 101 tutorial. The tutorial is really designed for new college grads, but because you have been out of the job market for so long, it might be a great refresher for you in developing and executing a job search plan that will lead you to the job and career you seek.

Finally, you can find some good resources and job sites especially for transitioning service people at: Job Transitioning for Vets & Former Military.

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Use Keywords in Cover Letter, Not Just Resume

Katharine

on June 24, 2009 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Keywords aren’t just for your resume. Companies often scan both your resume and cover letter for keywords, especially if you’re submitting the documents online. Pepper industry buzz words and keywords throughout your cover letter, as well as your resume.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by CareerPerfect.