Blog
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.
Resume Help: How to Create Positive Energy on Your Resume
Today’s resume example is very bland. It does not compel the reader to take action. One of the most common resume mistakes is to list one’s career history using very bland descriptions for each job. Some candidates take a short cut by copying and pasting a job description provided by the candidate’s former employer. A…
Resume Help: Bullets Lead to Boredom
Today’s resume for review is an experienced, credentialed tax accountant. The biggest problem with the resume is that each section consists of a long list of bullets. There are several reasons why a resume heavy with bullets is not effective. Aesthetically, it resembles a shopping list. Secondly, when a resume is heavy with bullets, readers…
Resume Help: How to Make a Long Story Short
There is an adaptation of a well-known expression that says, “He knows how to make a short story long.” That is a great way to describe today’s resume example. We’ll focus on just a few excerpts of the resume so we can dig deep and make big changes. This resume has a series of long…
Resume Help: Education Quandaries
In today’s Resume Help example, we examine the education portion of this resume. Normally, the education portion of the resume is the easiest to write. The candidate notes the name of the college, degree, field of study, and honors. It can get tricky when a candidate has incomplete degrees or studies not related to their…
Resume Help: Catching up with the Times
Today’s resume example illustrates a common issue. The candidate is using a very outdated resume strategy. The problem is twofold. It brands the candidate as “behind the times.” Secondly, by using an old-fashioned resume format, the candidate is missing valuable chances to market herself. We’ll focus on just the top section of the resume. Let’s…
Resume Help: Profile Power
Today we are reviewing Clark’s resume. His resume could be excellent, if the profile was not a total turn-off. Clark is a highly-qualified program manager with nearly twenty years of experience handling multi-million dollar information systems projects. His employers and clients include Fortune 100 companies. However, the profile fails to pitch Clark for the top-tier…
Resume Help: Finance Executive
One of the most common resume issues is underselling or not selling at all. Today’s candidate has climbed the ladder to hold highly-responsible senior-level positions. However, each of the job descriptions on her resume is nothing more than a list of duties. Hiring managers know the basic duties associated with a particular job title. What…
Resume Help: How Blatant Errors Can Cost You the Job
Today’s candidate has been sending a resume to dozens of potential employers with no response. He asked me to review his resume and offer suggestions for improvement. Not everyone is an eagle eye when it comes to proofreading documents. Perhaps this candidate has spent so much time on his document that he is overlooking errors…
Resume Help: Showing Skills & Education
Today’s candidate has the skills and education required to excel in a graphic design career. His resume is holding him back for several reasons. All of the items can be easily corrected. 1.) Always use the actual name of the certificate or degree. Instead of saying vocational certificate, state the actual program, such as “Certificate: …
Knocking Down the Wall of Words
Andrew sent me his resume for review. My first impulse was to knock down his “wall of words.” He has so many wonderful accomplishments, but they are buried within long narratives under each job. Additionally, he has used a tiny 10-point Arial font and very thin margins. It is tough on the eyes and only…