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Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.

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Résumé Help: Uncovering Achievements

In today’s example, we are reviewing a résumé that could be improved by adding achievements. In this example, the candidate listed many of his job functions.  We dug a little deeper to show the scope of his responsibilities and how his functions improved business operations.  We have discussed this topic in other blogs.  However, in…

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Résumé Help: Don’t Bury the Lead

Your résumé should be constructed and written so that it showcases your relevant skills, knowledge, and achievements.  If you scan a great résumé, those items should be apparent and memorable.  That is not the case with Natalie’s résumé.  One thing that I retained from a high school journalism class was this: “Don’t bury the lead.”  …

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Résumé Help: Creating a Compelling Profile

Terry is off to a nice start.  He has noted key skills and knowledge on his résumé.  To make an excellent impression, Terry should build upon this information and format the information on the first third of page one into three categories.  The first category is a brief headline of five to seven words that…

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Résumé Help: Converting a Mexican CV to a U.S. Résumé

A great résumé or CV in another country may not translate well in the U.S. market.  This is the case with Antonio.  Let’s first look at the structure of his CV.  A standard U.S. résumé includes these categories: summary (also called a profile), core competencies, professional experience, education, professional development, affiliations, languages, and computer skills. …

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Résumé Help: Career Change Strategy

Anna is aiming to shift from an analyst role to that of a corporate diversity program director.  She has attempted to make this change by copying and pasting the job posting content into her summary.  She’s also skipped over the core of her actual professional experience and started with her role on a corporate diversity…

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Résumé Help: Clean Up Your Résumé

It was challenging to sort through the cluttered presentation to find Gary’s skills and accomplishments. The first step is to clean up this résumé!  With two fonts, three font sizes, inconsistent tabbing, and many other issues, it is tough to read this document quickly.  Overall, this résumé is visually unappealing.  Not only does not this…

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Résumé Help: Excellent English Skills Are Essential

If the reader notices numerous grammar errors and sentences that do not flow well, it will give the impression that the candidate does not have command of the English language. English is the predominant language in the United States.  If a candidate cannot communicate in the language that the company uses in business, he will…

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Résumé Help: Easy on the Eyes

Once again we have an accomplished job seeker who has a résumé that is holding her back.  There are several issues.  The biggest issue is readability.  We are showing a section of her résumé to focus on readability.  If the screener has to strain to read the document, it simply won’t be read.  The test…

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Résumé Help: From Never Read to Get Ahead

If I had dozens of résumés to review online or on paper, Marcella’s résumé would not be read.  It would take me too much time to sort through the dense language to uncover her skills and achievements. Marcella’s C+ résumé  could be transformed into an A+ résumé  in three simple steps.  Step One:  Make it…

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Résumé Help: Categorizing Skills and Achievements

At the bottom of his résumé, this candidate placed a section, “Professional Development and Achievements.”   Included was a mixture of skills, software, a Toastmaster’s educational achievement, and the word, “Book author.”   There are a couple of issues with this strategy.  Firstly, there is no logic as to why this mismatched list is in the same…

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