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: From Never Read to Get Ahead
If I had dozens of résumés to review online or on paper, Marcella’s résumé would not be read. It would take me too much time to sort through the dense language to uncover her skills and achievements. Marcella’s C+ résumé could be transformed into an A+ résumé in three simple steps. Step One: Make it…
Losing a Job Due to Absenteeism
Dear Deb: My former manager told me that I was fired due to absenteeism related to a health issue. He even said that I was a “joke” in the office because of my absenteeism. However, he used the official reason as “budget cuts.” I am working on resolving that issue and am currently looking for…
Get Ready! The Layoffs Continue.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers carried out 1,434 mass layoff actions in January 2012 that affected 129,920 employees. This number is slightly up from December 2011. If your company is the next to lay off employees, are you ready? It reminds me of way we prepare for potential natural disasters. Even…
Résumé Help: Categorizing Skills and Achievements
At the bottom of his résumé, this candidate placed a section, “Professional Development and Achievements.” Included was a mixture of skills, software, a Toastmaster’s educational achievement, and the word, “Book author.” There are a couple of issues with this strategy. Firstly, there is no logic as to why this mismatched list is in the same…
Should computer skills be included if looking for a non-technical job?
Dear Deb: If I am not applying for a technical job (commercial real estate agent), do I need to show my computer skills on a résumé? Fernando Dear Fernando: Yes, you should show the computer skills relevant to your target job. (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, as well as industry-specific computer applications) If computer skills are…
Writing a Unique Cover Letter
One reason so many job seekers hate writing cover letters is because they find it difficult to write something unique. There is a lot of pressure to write that one-in-a-million killer cover letter, especially in a crowded job market. So, how do you write something original and captivating? Write a hook in the opening paragraph. Start…
Résumé Help: Style Points
There are several ways we can improve Clara’s résumé. In the mark-up of Clara’s original résumé, I have shared a few comments. If we corrected all of those items, Clara would have a good résumé. Would it be a great résumé? Would it stand up to the scores of résumés from fellow engineering students? Possibly,…
Bound by a confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement
Dear Deb: I signed a confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement with my current employer. I am not allowed to share information about clients, value of client contracts, or products under development. That really limits how I can show accomplishments on my résumé. Is there a way around this? Lily Dear Lily: It does limit you, however, you can…
Is Your Resume Ready for ATS?
ATS refers to Applicant Tracking Systems. These systems help recruiters and employers automatically scan resumes. In years past, experts advised candidate to include keywords on a resume so the ATS could pick up keywords. The early systems were based on semantic search functionality that facilitated the identification and counting of keywords. Due to advancements in ATS,…
Résumé Help - Profile Polish…No Pronouns Please!
The first several lines of Ben’s résumé could be putting his job search on hold. If Ben made changes using basic résumé guidelines, he could overcome this problem. Résumé guidelines are not arbitrary. They are based on an understanding how the human brain receives written communication and how recruiters and employers select candidates for an…