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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.
Resume Writing Solutions for a Career Change
Resume writing is a challenge for many. It can be a very frustrating experience if you are planning a major career change. It does not have to be frustrating. With the right approach you can craft a resume that paves a path to your new career. Whether you work with a professional resume writer or write…
Resume Help: Improving Your Profile
Today’s candidate presents a very bland resume. That can easily be corrected with more sophisticated formatting. The biggest improvement that she could make is to revamp the top third of her resume. You guessed it! A new profile would take her from unnoticed to “in demand.” Let’s look at three major updates for this candidate. Objective…
Music Experience on Accountant’s Résumé?
Dear Deb: I was a concert pianist in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I had to start a career in accounting to make ends meet. My husband said that I should omit my musical experience from my résumé. I had ten years in my adult life during which I played in regional concerts with…
Job Search Letter Help: Letter of Recommendation
Today I heard from a college student, Sarah, who is concerned about the letter of recommendation her college professor wrote. Sarah thought that she had a nice rapport with the professor and was surprised the letter was so impersonal and short. Below is the letter that he wrote. She is correct to be concerned. The…
Resume Help: Overcoming Short Term Jobs and Career Gaps
Today’s candidate, Ben, has sent his resume to dozens of firms over the last six weeks and has not had a single response. He asked me to assess his resume. My first reaction was that these were just rough notes and not an actual resume. The multiple short-term jobs and career gaps are one…
Dueling Bosses
Hi Debra, I have recently taken on a dual role within my company; reporting to two different bosses on two different jobs. While everyone was admittedly nervous about this split, it had been working. Until about two weeks ago. The two people I report to are having issues and I feel stuck in the middle;…
Resume Writing is Important; Your Communication is Important Too
If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you probably have an understanding of the importance of a proper appearance for work, presenting an impeccable resume, and maintaining a professional social media presence. The fact that you are reading this tells me that you are dedicated to your career. How much time do you…
Cover Letter Help: Call to Action
We received a cover letter from Carrie. Her letter started with a punch and she included great examples of why she would be successful as a project manager for a construction company. As you can see in a snippet from her letter below, the last paragraph of the cover letter fell short. Carrie’s Closing Paragraph…
When to Disclose Pregnancy
Dear Deb, After applying for a job recently I found out I'm pregnant. I was 7 weeks along when called for an interview then after a great interview I was told an offer is on its way. I'm struggling with when to disclose my pregnancy. I have a history of miscarriage so ideally I wouldn't…
Dealing with a Jealous Co-worker
Workplace jealously is common. Many issues can trigger jealous feelings in co-workers, such as promotions, salary differences, office location, awards, or praise from a senior manager. How do you know you are the focus of a jealous co-worker? In most cases you will notice that they treat you differently. They may be aggressive or uncooperative. …