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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.
Résumé Help: A Quick Lesson on Education
Today’s candidate was educated in Mexico and is currently working in the United States. His goal is to continue his career in the U.S. However, his résumé has garnered few results. No worries; we are here to help. Please take a look at the “before” and “after” education section of today’s candidate’s résumé. Here is…
Résumé Help: How to Describe Your Current Position
You nailed the profile. You’ve done a terrific job of showcasing your top nine core competencies. Now, you must back up your promises by writing about the scope of your responsibility and showcasing your top achievement in each position. A big part of that is defining and quantifying that experience. Candidates often get confused when…
Résumé Help: Make the Most of Your Profile
I was in the movie theatre with a lively audience last weekend. As the coming attractions played, I could immediately tell which films the crowd loved and which ones would be soon forgotten. As the first preview played the crowd rode a wave of excitement. Then the second preview played…now I can’t remember the details…the…
Résumé Help: Déjà Vu
No, the sample above is not a copy and paste mistake on my part. This candidate actually has identical information for two jobs on her résumé. This issue is more common than one would imagine. It is especially common in technology-related occupations, in which a person may continue to do similar or the same functions…
Résumé Help: Modernize Your Résumé
Clara’s résumé is very outdated. The problem with an outdated résumé is that it brands you as someone who is not knowledgeable about how business is done in today’s world. This could lead to a perception that you are not technically current or adaptable. To avoid this negative image, modernize your résumé. Here are the…
Résumé Help: The Classic Undersell
The purpose of your résumé is to “get your foot in the door” of a potential employer. If you save your best selling points for the interview, you will likely not have an interview. You’ve got to come out with your strong selling points in the résumé so you can earn the interview invitation. Today’s…
Résumé Help: Tell Us Why We Should Hire YOU
When I first scanned this résumé, I thought that the formatting was the biggest issue. (We’ll address that in a separate blog post.) After I got past the formatting issues, I read the résumé carefully. The candidate did a poor job of showcasing her unique value. She included a couple of strong facts. The rest…
Résumé Help: Improving the Readability of Your Résumé
It is common sense that if someone can’t easily read your résumé, your résumé is not benefitting you. You may have adequate white space and a properly-sized font. That is important. It is also important to structure and format your résumé so that it facilitates a quick read. View the sample résumé below. I have…
Résumé Help: Out of the Running before She Started
Today’s résumé example demonstrates the importance of the beginning of a résumé. As a reader scans your résumé, he may eliminate you after finding one mistake. Even if she let’s one goof slide, as the errors and poor writing continues, he must eliminate you in favor of a candidate with stronger writing and presentation skills. You are…
Résumé Help: Y2K…Why Bother?
What is the lesson here? In the words of a Janet Jackson (a pop diva from Glen’s heyday), “What have you done for me lately?” Employers are interested in a candidate’s most recent ten years. Because of this, candidates should only show their most recent ten to fifteen years of relevant work history. By…