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.
Has Your Resume Become Stale?
Are you sending out multiple resumes yet getting no response? Are you applying to positions for which you meet the qualifications, but you’re still not getting requests for interviews? It could be that your resume has gone stale. Just as you’re not looking for a job today using the same techniques and tactics that you…
The Hidden Cost of the New Job
You’ve been searching for months. You’ve been on countless interviews. You’ve had more Skype conversations with strangers than you ever hoped you would. Now you have it. Offer in hand. Congratulations! But, maybe not so fast. Before you accept the new offer, have you run through the costs of changing employers? There are both tangible…
Whatever you do, don’t use a functional resume.
If you are changing careers or fields, or if you have a significant gap in your work history, you might hear the advice to use a functional resume, rather than one that lays out your career experience in a chronological format. If you get this advice, you have my permission to ignore it. In fact,…
Not Getting Interviews? It Could Be Your Resume.
I talk to clients all the time about why they are not getting interviews. Almost invariably, they will insist that there is nothing wrong with their resume. Then I look; in nearly all cases, I see a problem. Remember, when your resume is in front of an actual human being, you have only about 12…
Deb’s FAQ for Job Seekers
I get a lot of questions about job seeking and interviewing from my clients and my readers. As you can imagine, the same few questions come up frequently, so I thought it was time that I did a FAQ for quick answers to some of my commonly fielded questions. Here you go! Do I…
How to Say No
It seems simple enough. Someone asks you to do something that you don’t want to do, or can’t take on at the moment. You should say no. But you don’t. All too often, we waffle. This is especially true of women, who have been socialized to be helpful and agreeable, often to the detriment of…
13 Reasons Why I Didn’t Consume Your Content
Are you looking for answers regarding why your intended audience is not reading your content? Here are “13 Reasons Why.” It’s not optimized for search. You didn’t use keywords, and your UX is garbage. I couldn’t find your content. Your content is all about you, your products, your services. I’m not interested in…
Keep It Simple
I recently had to have some work done on my car. When I picked it up, the mechanic told me what problems he found and what he did to fix them. He didn’t go into a lengthy discussion about how the air conditioning system works or the benefits of which particular parts he chose to…
Ode to a Catered Lunch
The cart is wheeled in All turn to look Sandwiches! Turkey, roast beef, grilled vegetables Speaker droning on Slide after slide But all attention is fixed on the buffet Finally! We break for lunch The line moves slowly Each sandwich scrutinized, the drones search for the perfect one No tuna? Too much mayo on…
High Pressure Hiring
Both job seekers and recruiters know that over the course of the last few years, the job market has gone from a buyer’s market to a seller’s one. The talent shortage is intensifying. Employers are finding it more and more difficult to fill open positions with top candidates. Time-to-fill rates are getting higher. Line managers…