RÉSUMÉS & CAREER TIPS
Job Search…or Record Updating
Are you anticipating a career change? Are your education and training, professional skills and experience appropriate to reeling in the job you seek? Within the first few seconds of an interview, most Human Resource [HR] professionals know whether or not they are interested in a job applicant. Regardless of whether your background is first rate and your recommendations superb, finding an optimal position is not assured in today's complex marketplace!
Research Everything!
CAREER CHANGES ARE CHALLENGING. Even if you are fortunate to be shifting positions or careers willingly, it requires time and energy to research your options and go through the most appropriate steps in the process.
BEGIN BY ASKING YOURSELF… Do my education, skills, and experience match the standards of my chosen field of work?Determine how your profile compares to your competitors and the expectations of potential employers. Consider individual study or institutional retraining to overcome any gaps. If you find inconsistency in your reflections on these issues, determine is there is another more appropriate field for you to consider? Perhaps you have a colleague or friend who can help you with this process. Ideally, you might have access to someone who has knowledge of the firms you are considering…
RESEARCHING EMPLOYERS. Research potential employers that are in need of your special talents, as well as education. Beyond posted job ads in print and online, research leading firms in your industry, or those that are large enough to have a department that relies on your skill set. By looking into the founder(s) of a firm, the longevity and developmental history of an organization, you may learn that they are ideal, or wholly inappropriate to your unique skills, goals, and personality. Check your social networking, email contact lists, and even your neighbors and financial contacts for anyone who can help you. It might take a long time to find a job yourself; hiring a headhunter may prove cost-effective. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to inform your employer of your desire for a career change. This begs another question--Are there opportunities to consider within your current employer's organization?
EXAMINE ALL ASPECTS OF A JOB ADVERTISEMENT. Compare each aspect of an ad with the general needs and goals of the employers you will be contacting. Compare your skills with the employer's job description and balance this information against industry standards.
REMEMBER TO RESEARCH YOURSELF. Be prepared for questions that may arise in an interview. Run a Web search on yourself--including social media and your credit rating. Correct any errors you may find. Consider changing or eliminating any social networking websites that contain inappropriate information or images that a potential employer might see. Remember that photos you…or anyone else…may have uploaded to the Internet may be remain online for eternity...
Preparing a Solid Résumé…PLUS any Needed documentation
Remember, Human Resource specialists must be satisfied prior interviews
CREATE A SUMMARY OF YOUR BACKGROUND. This should include your education, training, skills, work history, awards, volunteerism and other community involvement. Continually update this master list of life experience in reverse-chronology layout. This can be updated periodically to generate personalized submission materials as job opportunities (or award arise; this may mean generating a traditional résumé, or filling out a form unique to the human resources departments of companies, organizations, or governmental agencies.
FOLLOW ALL REQUIREMENTS STATED BY EACH POTENTIAL EMPLOYER…They are your target audience. In most situations, this will mean submitting a one or two-page reverse chronology resumé or curriculum vitae [CV] for positions emphasizing education and/or work history. But don’t be surprised if you need to create multiple résumés because of the need to emphasize different aspects of your background. There may also be one or more required forms to complete. If you are a creative professional, you may need to submit artist descriptions of your work history as well as a description of how you would approach an artistic project, or lengthy position. Since a cover letter or application form will provide the opportunity to state your goals, open your résumé with a bulleted list of the skills and unique knowledge you possess that parallel those required for the position you are seeking. Consider this opening like a recipe’s list of ingredients: Avoid acronyms, abbreviations, and jargon unfamiliar to a generalist in the HR department…but you do not need to use full sentences.
WRITE CLEAR AND CONCISE COVER LETTERS. Verify the names, titles, and any other pertinent details when submitting either hardcopy or electronic submissions of required material. Express knowledgeable interest in the potential employer, demonstrating that you have done the appropriate research to be a worthy addition to their team. Conclude by saying you will call to verify receipt of your materials and to learn if further information is required. In general, use language that is appropriate to the position you are seeking. Remember that
regardless of the contents of each document you generate, readability is key to demonstrate your suitability to any position!
PREPARE A WORK SAMPLE FOR EACH MAJOR WORK PROJECT. If you are a creative professional, you are probably accustomed to presenting a portfolio that not only shows samples of artistic designs and descriptions of projects you have done, even if it is not directly related to the position you are seeking, because it may inspire the firm to consider a new direction. If you have worked with an author, that includes book covers and other images. Depending on the size and layout of an abridged portfolio, you should state any awards you may have received as an individual or member of a team. Keep in mind that that your talents and the position you are seeking might motivate an interviewer to request a demonstration of your skills. While this may sound intimidating, this will allow you to demonstrate the difference between you and other applicants. If you are a recently graduated applicant, even examples of course project "dummy" samples will show what you are capable of producing.
PROOFREAD AND REVIEW THROUGHOUT YOUR PREPARATION. Run software spell-check repeatedly; determine whether industry-specific jargon can be replaced with generic terms HR staff will understand easily. Have colleagues as well as non-specialists review all your submission materials.
Submitting Résumés and Application Forms
QUALITY CONTROL IS VITAL. Print everything on quality printers or copiers, for hardcopy mailings or personal delivery, as well as email transmission. I have found that by printing materials intended for email sometimes demonstrates that there are flaws in the layout, such as the use of fonts and even paragraphing, Off-white paper is acceptable if it has high reflectivity (allows clear copying); use plain linen paper without artwork (unless you have a personal logo) and do not use screened backgrounds that prevent ease in reading. For electronic delivery, a PDF file (Portable Document Format) is usually acceptable, but many government agencies and large companies may insist job applications be executed through website forms. Keep in mind that electronic requirements continue changing and that is why you need to ensure that you are following the current standards of electronic coding a firm may expect and require.
Interviewing
Despite a potential employer’s stated needs for the position you seek (or corporate style), present yourself professionally in every contact with a potential employer. While you can always remove a jacket to demonstrate compatibility with a casual work environment, you have only one chance to make a first and hopefully best impression! If the firm is noted for staff dressing in aloha wear or even T-shirts, you could put a jacket over a shirt or blouse that is artistic and includes their corporate colors.
~ Eat a nourishing, light meal before interviews and drink enough water to ensure alertness, without a need for awkward trips to a restroom. Have fresh breath and clean hands.
~ Carry copies of the job listing, your cover letter and resumé or CV, plus two pens and a pencil, and examples of your creative and technical abilities. Be prepared to leave copies of sample materials, if you are not concerned about copyright issues. This can be in the form of a two-sided flier that presents miniature samples from your portfolio…
~ Be focused, confident and respectful; follow directions. Use good posture and shake hands firmly, but not hard. Smile and make easy eye contact.
Listen. Speak in a well-modulated voice; rephrase difficult questions.
~ Show active interest with opening remarks demonstrating research about the firm. Ask a few questions—NOT about salary or benefits. Interviewers will specify aspects of employment, like pay and benefits.
~ Demonstrating your interest in the firm is more than showing you have good manners. Even if you do not get the job you seek, each contact expands your knowledge of your industry and introduces potential colleagues. So go beyond the polite handshake and take the time and effort to write a sincere-thank you card. This affirms your interest in the firm, which may help in a future hiring opportunity--or even referrals to other firms that are well-matched to you.
Finally, if you are young, or shifting fields, a sequencing of lesser jobs can help you reach your goal for the one that will compensate you fully for the varied skills and talents you now possess and may be developing.
Practice interviewing in front of a mirror or with a friend.
For more practice, apply for a job you don't want simply for the
experience of going through the process.
Best wishes on your advancing career!
Aloha nui nui, Jeanne
