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.
Résumé Help - Investment Risk Professional
Overall, in contrast to many résumés that I get across my desk, I would say that this one is fairly well written. It makes good use of verbs and points out strengths in a concise way. When it comes to résumés in the investment world, while it is optimal to keep them to one page, there…
Skill Up To Step Up Your Career Future
This blog is a special post prepared for Job Action Day 2011 Despite the relatively high rate of unemployment that exists in today’s US labor market, there is a growing demand for skilled talent in the workforce. In fact, according to ManpowerGroup's 2011 Talent Shortage Survey, nearly 52% of employers surveyed report having trouble filling…
Interviewing to Find a Full Time Job
Dear Deb: Q. I have been doing temporary consulting work since 2000. I returned to school for my Master’s degree and graduated last year with the idea that I would return to full-time permanent employment. I have gotten first interviews, but nothing beyond that. It is very frustrating. I want to be back at work at a full-time…
5 Success Secrets for Better Phone Interviews
Nearly all senior- and executive-level jobs today require a phone interview as a preliminary step in the hiring process. Sometimes there may even be multiple telephone conversations before you ever setfoot in the company’s office. While phone interviews can be a huge time saver for both employers and candidates alike, they also present their share of…
Résumé Help - Senior Technical Development Professional
Today’s résumé help is for a candidate that we will call Ed. He has great technical skills, but his résumé is 10 pages long and filled with errors. He uses the first person, has some redundancies, and has made multiple word usage and punctuation errors throughout the document. I appreciate the challenges that a technical…
Addressing a prior felony conviction when job hunting
Dear Deb: 14 years ago, while in college, I was intoxicated and disorderly at a football game. It was a stupid incident that I regret and it resulted in a felony conviction. I earned my degree in engineering. I am a husband and father of two. Each summer I go on a two-week mission to…
Best Time to Job Search
I had a friend who was always starting a new exercise program, right after the (fill in the blank) holiday, right after the (fill in the blank) party, or when the weather gets (select: cooler, warmer). Alright, that friend could be me. The point is that if you analyze it, there is always very compelling rationale…
Résumé Help - Senior Network Engineer
A résumé is a reflection of you. It represents your personal brand. For this reason, it is extremely important to make sure your résumé is aesthetically pleasing, well organized for ease of readability, and most of all, accurate. You can’t afford to make errors on your résumé. If you do, hiring managers will think you…
How many years of experience should be included on a Résumé?
Dear Deb: I worked as a systems analyst and project manager for IBM from 1984 to 1994. After that, I shifted into a sales engineering role. I still lead projects, but my main role is relationship building. I have read that I should only show 10 to 15 years of experience. However, I want to…
Are Job Fairs Worth the Time?
We are in one of the high seasons for job fairs. Generally, we see a rise in job fairs in September and October, and again in January through April. Is it worth the effort of dressing up, taking time off from work, parking or cab expenses – not to mention giving your pageant smile muscles…