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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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What to do when an interviewer doesn't let you speak?

Dear Deb: Best yet on how to have a successful phone interview. Yet, I need guidance on an issue I have never seen addressed anywhere: While this article advises the interviewee to neither interrupt nor drone on, what does the interviewee do if the interviewer is guilty of one or both? I was recently on…

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Professional Branding Debra Wheatman Professional Branding Debra Wheatman

Branding in a 24x7x365 Environment

What’s your brand?  We’re not talking clothes or soda.  Your personal brand.  If you have not defined your brand, others are doing it for you.  How would your associates describe you?  Those descriptions are your brand attributes. As best you can, you want to control your brand.  If you see yourself as a passionate, motivating…

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Resume Help Debra Wheatman Resume Help Debra Wheatman

Résumé Help - Technical Operations Professional

Today’s résumé is that of an IT Operations professional with mixed experience doing a combination of project management, program management, and engineering. The first challenge this résumé has is the poor use of space. There is an unusual amount of white space at the top of the first page and the overall visual appeal of…

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Résumés for college students looking for part time work

Dear Deb: My daughter is in college at UNLV and applying for a part-time job at a local coffee shop.  I offered to help with her résumé, but she insists that she only needs to complete an application.  Is this true? Linda M., Las Vegas, NV  Dear Linda: Giving advice to teens and young adults…

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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…

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Job Market Trends Debra Wheatman Job Market Trends Debra Wheatman

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…

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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…

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Interview Tips Debra Wheatman Interview Tips Debra Wheatman

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…

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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…

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