Results tagged “Randall S. Hansen” from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Marcey writes:

I’ve heard that writing a summary of qualifications or summary of skills section on the resume is important, but I can find almost no in-depth, informative information on why this is so or how to do it. The sources I have been able to find seem to have contradictory information — bullets vs. paragraph, etc. Can you provide some information and some clarification?

The Career Doctor responds:

First, remember that there are very few agreed-upon rules of resume writing. Just about everyone has a pet thing they love or hate related to resumes. Thus, your best bet is to follow the generally agreed-upon rules of resume development — and these are the rules I talk about in this column and on my Website.

The qualifications summary — sometimes also referred to as your professional profile or summary of accomplishments — has become a pretty widely accepted element for resumes. I love them because it sharpens the focus of the resume and gives the reader a quick overview of your most important qualities. I think of the qualifications summary as the executive summary of your resume. And when employers only have 10 seconds (or less) to make a decision about your resume, a well-written qualifications summary can be your edge.

The qualifications summary should include the three or four attributes that make you unique and best qualified for the job you seek- your key selling points.

I personally prefer a bulleted list in the qualifications summary because the bullets make it much easier (and faster) to read. However, it is not wrong to have it as a short and concise paragraph.

Finally, you can use a job objective and qualifications summary together to give your resume an even sharper focus.

Read more of my suggestions for resumes in key elements and rules of resumes, published on Quintessential Careers.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Anna writes:

I just wanted to say a big thank you for creating such a brilliant website. I don’t know what I would do without it — it’s my source.

I’ve been sending out cover letters which (at the time) I thought were very good, but I then came across a job ad where they said they are expecting high volumes of responses. It was a job where I didn’t have the exact experience they required so I thought I would change tactics and try out your 2-column dynamic cover letter and see whether I would get offered an interview.

Well, I DID and as soon as I sat for the interview, the first thing he said was that he was very impressed by my cover letter and that all the information was in front of him easy to read.

Quick question for you. I just had the interview yesterday… how soon should I follow-up?

The Career Doctor responds:

Our mission in everything we do at Quintessential Careers — including this blog — is to empower job-seekers like you and help you succeed, and I am so happy that you were able to use the information on our site to help obtain the interview.

So many job-seekers seem to think that most of the work is done once they get the interview — and I guess I see the logic of that because so much focus is put on obtaining the interview — but really the interview is just an interim step because your goal should be the job offer.

Did you send a thank-you note? A short note thanking the interviewer and reminding him/her of your key selling point is your first line of follow-up, and should be completed as soon as possible after the interview.

Your next follow-up partly depends on the information you received at the interview. If the company is close to making a final decision, then I would follow-up sooner than later. Typically, job-seekers should follow-up once a week by politely contacting the hiring manager and expressing your continued interest in the position and the company.

Read more about following-up after job interviews in this article published on Quintessential Careers: The Art of the Follow-Up After Job Interviews.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Vince writes:

I have a question about resumes. I am a manager with several years of experience with one company. I have been approached about a couple of interesting job opportunities that I want to explore, so I am working on my resume. I am having a hard time keeping my resume to one page and I was wondering if you could tell me whether it was OK to go to two pages. Thanks.

The Career Doctor responds:

It used to be there was a hard-and-fast one-page resume rule, but no longer — and especially not for someone with your experience.

Better than cramming all your information on one page, go to a second page. I recently saw a resume that was written in 9 point type (very small) with almost no margins… it looked like some densely worded document (which it was) that no one would want to read.

So, revert those page margins back to standard levels, and push that type size back up to normal viewing (typically 10-12 pt.), and go to a second page. Just remember two rules about doing so. First, make sure you have a header on the second page that identifies that is your resume (Vince Smith, p. 2) and make sure that you use at least half of the second page.

In fact, some resume experts now say that a resume should be as long as necessary, and the more senior a job-seeker, the longer the resume.

Other resume tips:

• If you are a seasoned job-seeker, remember that you should really not include work experience older than 12-15 years. While the experience is valuable, the process to do the work has probably changed dramatically in that time.
• You do not need to include every single work experience you’ve ever had; instead, showcase the experiences that best showcase the skills/accomplishments for the job you are seeking.
• Always focus on accomplishments and how you contributed to the employer rather than on your duties and responsibilities. And quantify those accomplishments whenever possible.
• If you’re a new college grad, a two-page resume is acceptable if you have a lot of internships and other work experience, although I still prefer to see most new grads with a one-page resume.

You can find lots more suggestions, tools, and helpful advice about resume preparation in this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume and CV Resources.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Katina writes:

I was just wondering: How can I integrate transitioning to a new career onto my resume? I am currently in customer relations, but am trying to into human resources.

However, a lot of employers do not want to bother if you only have education and no previous experience. How can I present myself to get my foot in the door because if I get the opportunity I know I can become an asset for a company? I appreciate any information or suggestions you can provide.

The Career Doctor responds:

Changing careers takes a lot more effort than simply changing jobs, and at times the process is often quite frustrating, so hang in there. You’ve conquered the first step — which is deciding you need to make a career change and determining the new career you seek.

The next step is to identify the skills you currently use in customer relations and how they apply to human resources. (We call these transferable skills.) Once you have the new skill set, rewrite your resume, showcasing your education and skills.

While you are currently working in customer relations, you might also try and gain human resource experience through volunteering or temping. You should also consider joining a professional organization such as SHRM and building a new network of contacts.

Since you work for a large employer, you might also be able to make a move to human resources without leaving the company. If you have a mentor within the organization, talk with him/her about doing so.

Since career change often takes a while to implement, remember to reward yourself for every small step you make in the transition to your new career. Good luck!

For more detailed advice, please read this article published on Quintessential Careers: The 10-Step Plan to Career Change.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Theresa writes:

I am a high-school student in my senior year. I was wondering if you had any examples or formats of resumes for high-school students entering college. If you do it would be greatly appreciated.

The Career Doctor responds:

Resumes for high-school students are definitely a little different from adult resumes, so I am glad to offer some assistance. Let me say that just having a resume as a high-school student will make you stand out — both for college applications as well as for part-time or summer jobs.

Some of the basics are the same: the top part of the resume contains all your contact information (name, address, phone(s), email). If you use an email address, just make sure it is professional and not something like “prettyprincess.”

Because you may not have much work experience, I think you should focus your resume with both an objective and summary of qualifications. For example, if you are attempting to get a job in retail, a simple objective is: “Seeking part-time retail sales clerk/cashier position with XYZ Company” — where you replace XYZ with each company’s name.

The summary of your accomplishments should be attributes that will help sell you to a potential employer or college… such as soft skills (writing, talking, listening), level of responsibility and maturity, and any hard skills you have. An example would be: “Energetic achiever and communicator, with strong listening skills”

The remaining parts of your resume should deal with your education — and awards and honors you have received — and any previous work experience you have, including jobs like babysitting.

Finally, remember the cardinal rules of resume-writing: no lying or exaggerating and no spelling errors or typos.

Find lots of resources for teens in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Resources for Teenagers.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

This posting is a guest entry from The Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen

Mauro writes:

I read an article of yours — Resume Critique Worksheet for Job-Seekers — and found it very interesting. I have been applying for quite a few jobs recently and have not had much luck getting interviews, and I think this has a lot to do with my resume. I know it can be improved a lot and was wondering if you could provide me with some critique given your knowledge and experience. I sincerely appreciate any help you can provide.

The Career Doctor responds:

I’m sorry for your lack of job-searching success, but pleased that you have taken the time to analyze your situation and recognize that your resume is probably the problem. Anytime you are not getting job interviews, the problem generally lies with your resume or cover letter. (It could also be that you are applying for positions for which you are not qualified — or overqualified, but let’s assume that is not the case.)

I was kind of stunned recently when the results of a recent online poll revealed that almost 50 percent of business professionals thought their resume needed improvement. I can only imagine how high that percentage would be for all job-seekers.

Your resume is one of the most — if not the most — crucial career-marketing tool a job-seeker uses, and yet, as evidenced from the thousands and thousands of resumes I have seen over my career, many job-seekers just do not get either the importance of the resume or simply do not put the time in that is necessary to produce a resume that results in employer interest.

Sometimes, all it takes is some tweaking and minor adjustments, but other times, it is best to start from scratch. How do you decide? Get your resume professionally critiqued. If you are a college student or alum, go to your college’s career services office. Or, hire a professional resume writer (many will critique your resume at no cost). Or, even just ask some of the people in your network to critique for you.

Here are some suggested links for mastering the resume-preparation skills you need:

• Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Resume
• Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers
• Resume Tutorials for all Job-Seekers
• Why Hire a Professional Resume Writer?

  A career change gives you the opportunity to sharpen the focus of your resume toward the new career or industry. Study ads and job postings in your desired new field, and frame your resume bullet points so that your skills and accomplishments in your current career can be seen as directly applicable to your new career. Use copious keywords that relate to your new career, and tailor your profile, headline, branding statement, or objective statement to your aspiration. Read more in our Frequently Asked Questions About Resumes: The Complete Resume FAQ.

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  Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

  

Today’s posting is a guest entry from the “Career Doctor,” Randall S. Hansen, PhD

Tanya writes:

I saw your web site while searching for advice on cover letters. Someone told me that cover letters are really obsolete, yet I find a lot of stuff written about them. So, what’s your advice? Should job-seekers like me really still be concerned with writing cover letters?

The Career Doctor responds:

I wonder where some of these ideas come from, but I can tell you as directly as I can that cover letters play a vital role in the job-search process when done correctly. Cover letters should entice the reader, draw him/her into your story — enough so to turn the page and review your resume.

Is that all, you may ask? Yes, that’s the function of a cover letter — to get your resume reviewed a little more carefully than without it, which in turn, ideally, leads to an invitation to a job interview.

A cover letter specifically addresses the job you are seeking and how your unique attributes make you the ideal candidate — the perfect fit — for the job and the organization.

Here’s a quick rundown of what your cover letter should entail.

First, the length. Always err on the side of being brief, so no more than one page, and really about four paragraphs total. If it’s an email cover letter, it should be even shorter.

Second, the content. The first paragraph must engage the reader. Make it dynamic. Make it weave the reader into the rest of the letter. Don’t waste it with some boring formulaic sentence. The second and third paragraphs give specific details that highlight your qualifications and your fit with the position and the organization; if possible, use some of the employers own words here. Your last paragraph should thank the reader and request an interview. You should also say you plan to follow-up the letter at a later date — you must be proactive.

Third, the follow-up. Sending out the cover letter and resume is an extremely important step, but only the first of many. Job-seekers must follow-up by contacting the employer shortly after they expect the letter to arrive — to show your interest and enthusiasm for the job and organization.

For more cover letter tips, please visit this section of Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources for Job-Seekers.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

Cover letters play a vital role in the job-search process when done correctly, says the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD. Cover letters should entice the reader, draw him/her into your story — enough so to turn the page and review your resume. Is that all, you may ask? Yes, that’s the function of a cover letter — to get your resume reviewed a little more carefully than without it, which in turn, ideally, leads to an invitation to a job interview. For the complete lowdown on cover letters, see our Cover Letter Tutorial.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

Here’s a quick rundown of what your cover letter should entail, says the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD.

First, the length. Always err on the side of being brief, so no more than one page, and really about four paragraphs total. If it’s an email cover letter, it should be even shorter.

Second, the content. The first paragraph must engage the reader. Make it dynamic. Make it weave the reader into the rest of the letter. Don’t waste it with some boring formulaic sentence.

The second and third paragraphs give specific details that highlight your qualifications and your fit with the position and the organization; if possible, use some of the employer’s own words here. Your last paragraph should thank the reader and request an interview. You should also say you plan to follow-up the letter at a later date — you must be proactive. For the complete lowdown on cover letters, see our Cover Letter Tutorial.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

A cover letter specifically addresses the job you are seeking and how your unique attributes make you the ideal candidate — the ideal fit — for the job and the organization, says the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD. For the complete lowdown on cover letters, see our Cover Letter Tutorial.

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.

Your resume must showcase your accomplishments, says the Career Doctor Randall S. Hansen. Employers like specifics. They don’t want to know you saved your former employer money; they want to know exactly how much money you saved. They want to know the exact size of the staff you managed, the amount you increased revenues, the level of customer satisfaction you delivered. Learn more in our Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers

Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.