Paige is a certified HR professional and resume writer with a passion for helping her clients draft effective resumes that get results. Her resume critiques include examples and tips on how to improve a resume’s content, format, and grammar.
Where does my resume go after I hit submit? Do applicant tracking systems (ATS) reject you before a person has the chance to review your resume? Do HR professionals fail to look through every resume before they make hiring decisions? I hear these questions from my clients constantly. The good news is that there are some steps that you can take to ensure your resume has a better chance of being reviewed by the right person.
Continue readingMeet Jane: She is happy at her current position as an executive assistant at XYZ Shipping Company. She loves her boss and, through regular performance reviews, she feels that her boss is happy with her work. Together they have set up a long term plan for Jane to keep her challenged and interested in her current role. She gets along with all her co-workers and is completely happy with her compensation package. How often should Jane update her resume? How often should you update your resume? The answer is constantly.
Liz Ryan, CEO of Human Workplace, has written several articles supporting the idea of utilizing a ‘human voice’ when drafting your resume. You can click here for one her articles. Ryan encourages her readers to tell a story in their resume and make sure that their voice shines through in all application materials. Continue reading
As a Human Resource professional, I can’t tell you how many times I heard it or I said it: “I’m sorry; we only verify positions worked and dates of hire.”
It’s true that it’s a risk for a previous employer to give out detailed information about an employee’s performance to a prospective employer. Due to this risk, most companies have opted for the ‘less is more’ policy when it comes to employment references. What is a job seeker to do?
I love what I do. However, there can be a lot of opinions surrounding the topic of resumes. What makes a great resume? What should or should not be in a resume? What tricks are there to getting your resume to the top of the stack? Lately I’ve heard comments from friends, colleagues, and blog writers that the resume is no longer the best way to circulate your information to prospective employers. Is this true? Is the resume outdated? Is it dead?
A simple Google search will show you multiple articles, blogs, and interviews stating that the resume is obsolete and no longer necessary. These articles will claim that LinkedIn profiles, digital profiles, blogs, etc. are the new resume. I will agree that these items, when used appropriately, can enhance your application materials. There are some companies that require an electronic creative CV to showcase an applicant’s talents and accomplishments. However, I will not agree that the resume is dead.
YOU!!! A resume is the only part of the hiring process over which you have 100% control. Take that control by appointing yourself head writer of your resume. Does this mean I don’t think you should ask for help? No. In fact I know someone (namely me) who would be happy to review, edit and provide some well thought out suggestions to improve your current resume at a very economical rate. However, Continue reading
People always ask me what the exact formula is to submitting a resume that will stand out. Well, there is no secret formula. HR recruiters are people and people have preferences. In the initial screening of applicants, HR Professionals are looking for a reason to reject your resume rather than a reason to move forward. For that reason, it is crucial to avoid these ten resume pitfalls. It may just strengthen your application to get to that next level.