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.
Professional Blogging for Personal Brands
To blog or not to blog? That is the question! You are a busy executive with lots of daily responsibilities. So why on earth would you want to blog in addition to all of your regular duties? I get it, believe me! As a professional in the career industry who is committed to providing my…
Resume Help - CPA job transition
Today’s résumé critique is for a candidate who was in the financial investments sector and wants to transition. He has just completed training to become a full fledged accountant and is CPA eligible. We will call him Jim. Jim has 8 years of solid work experience, but he has made the mistake of positioning himself…
Interview Preparation to Highlight Success
Dear Deb, I am a fairly modest person and I was wondering how much information I should give interviewers about my successes when I meet with them. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable, sort of like I am bragging, when I talk about the great job I did; but my recruiter says I should do all I…
Resume Help - Sales Executive
Below is the first half of a résumé written by a sales candidate. We will call him John. John’s résumé is substantially sub standard. It is unlikely that John will be able to secure the right types of interviews despite the fact that he is well educated and has a fairly good track record of…
US Department of Labor Employment Report
December's unemployment number shows improvement with the nominal rate dropping from 9.8% to 9.4%, but those numbers might be misleading for a variety of reasons. In order to see why they might not be the great news some of our more ebullient analysts might make you believe, some basic discussion of how the rate is…
Changing Jobs in a Bad Economy
Dear Deb, Q. I am currently working, but really unhappy with my job. The company has low morale and the senior management seems to be lacking direction. I also feel I deserve more money. Do you think it makes sense for me to start looking for another job, or is the economy still too weak?…
Social Media Recruiting Growing
As the economy recovers, corporations are planning their strategy for adding new employees to the payroll, albeit slowly. As they hunt for the best possible candidates, they must consider the cost and the return on investment for each tool they use to find the most qualified workers. In terms of cost effective candidate sourcing, more…
Resume Help - Sales Manager
Today we are going to look at the bottom half of a résumé for a mid-level sales candidate. We will call her Eve. Eve has made several mistakes that could cost her dearly when she submits her résumé to hiring managers and recruiters. The first mistake Eve has made is to create a section called…
Skype and Video Interview Preparation
Q. I just got a call from a recruiter and she told me the company she represents wants me to have a Skype interview. I have never used Skype before, but I do have a web-cam on my laptop computer. Can you give me some pointers to prepare for the interview? JH, Chicago, IL A.…
Resume Help - Senior Technology Executive
Today’s résumé critique will focus on a senior level professional in the software industry. This particular candidate, we will call him George, is looking for a role focused on sales management, although you can hardly tell this from his résumé. George has had a varied background that also includes business process optimization, so his experience…