Avoiding Resume Quick Sand

There's probably nothing more frustrating than getting your resume all "prettied up" to send to a company via an online source, only to realize that when you hit the send button, you don't know where in the world it's going. This can be compared to sending your resume in quick sand. It's being sucked into an unseen, unknown world and you don't know if it will ever return some type of response for you.

So how can you avoid resume quick sand? It's easier than you think. Here is a bit of advice to take advantage of so you won't become the quick sand's next victim.

Tailor Your Resume for Each Employer

Employers recognize generic resumes a mile away. The generic resume is the one that you pull off of a template website then change only a little bit to match your specifics. If you want to let an employer know that you're serious about the job you're applying for, you have to do better than that. It's your job to conduct research on the company and position to learn exactly how you feel you qualify. If you can't do that then you have no business applying. At least that's how the employer will feel as they dump your resume into the pool of quick sand.

Make Your Resume Keyword Heavy

Often times, resumes get lost in the quick sand because they have been run through scanning software meant to catch certain industry-specific keywords. If your resume doesn't include some of these keywords then it may be filtered to the "quick sand" section of the program and be readied for deletion. To avoid this from happening to you, it's a good idea to conduct a good amount of research on the company, as well as the industry as a whole, to learn what words should be included in your resume.

Let Your Cover Letter Say What the Resume Doesn't

Another way to help avoid resume quick sand is to have your cover letter tell the story your resume can't. For instance, if you have a major gap in your employment because you chose to take time to raise the family, you can explain this in your cover letter. Also, you can utilize this tool to highlight any experiences you acquired during your time off that might be relevant to the position you're applying for.

If You're Not Qualified ... Don't Apply

Sometimes we set ourselves up to have our resumes tossed into the quick sand. That's right, if you didn't apply for the job you were grossly under-qualified for, you may not have found yourself in this position. So if you know that you can provide absolutely no proof that you qualify for a position, it's best not to apply. And while you're at it, stop sending resumes to the same recruiters. If they're interested, they'll likely contact you. Repeatedly sending your resume to a recruiter is neither necessary nor appropriate.

The job search world is a tough one, but not an impossible one. If you play your cards right, you can not only avoid the resume quick sand, but actually secure a great position.

- Heather Eagar

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare the top resume writing services in the industry at www.resumelines.com.

Boston Globe printed an article by Michelle Singletary:

Dear sir or madman.

Oops, I meant to write, dear sir or madame (as opposed to the madam who manages a brothel).

If I had made that mistake on my cover letter, should that disqualify me for consideration for a job? Should someone's resume get tossed if he or she mistakenly wrote "Graphic designer seeking no-profit career'' under career objective?

Well, it appears that in this tight job market, those tiny mistakes could leave you jobless, according to a survey by Accountemps, a staffing services firm.

In interviews with 150 senior executives from the nation's 1,000 largest companies, 40 percent of the respondents said that just one typo on a resume would kick a job candidate out of the queue for consideration. Thirty-six percent said it would take just two mistakes before the resume was discarded.

"The way we see it, there's so much competition out there. There's no room for error,'' said Natasha Melgar, branch manager of the Washington, D.C., office of the staffing firm Robert Half International. "The resume is the first opportunity to present yourself.''

Bottom line: in a deluge of revenues, the employer is going to call 3-5 people for phone screens. If your resume has mistakes, you are giving off the impression that you will also make mistakes at work. Think you are going to get that call?

Singletary offers some good advice:

But how do you avoid getting your resume pushed to the side? Accountemps offers the following tips:

■ Find another pair of eyes. Get someone to proofread your resume.

■ Put the resume down and come back to it later with your own fresh eyes.

■ Print a copy. It's easy to overlook errors after staring at a computer monitor for a long time.

■ Read your resume aloud.

There's a website you should visit: www.resumania.com. Robert Half has posted resume and cover letter errors its clients have found and solicits authentic examples. Here are some resume blunders submitted to the site:

■ Education: Studied public rations.

■ Work History: Faxed documents to attorneys over sees.

■ Additional Skills: Computers and off ice machines.

[Article by Kevin Fogarty. Interestingly, it answers why I see 'strategic vision and attention to detail' in the same job post these days]

Just a year ago, a job seeker might have found he had 12 out of the 14 requirements listed for a job posting and applied. He stood a good chance of obtaining an interview and even a job offer.

But the faltering economy has filled the job market with candidates who possess all 14 requirements and put the onus on the job seeker to possess the credentials required for the job.

In boom times, employers might list a set of certifications on a job posting more as an aspirational list than a set of firm requirements. It was icing on the cake, said Shane Cox, manager of talent acquisition at Harvard Business Publishing, who spent more than a decade in financial services before switching to publishing.

But in bad economies, when there are many qualified candidates out of work, a list of certifications is one more way for overburdened hiring managers to filter candidates who don't fit the ideal profile.

Knowing how recruiters see certifications and credentials and knowing which ones are mandated, which ones are required, which ones are just beneficial and which ones are useless can help you guide your job search or retraining strategy.

Required, "required" and optional

Recruiters look at two categories of "hard certifications": those mandated by law to perform a job and those not required by law but considered beneficial. They also consider "soft credentials," another term for specific work experience.

During this recession, Cox said, more candidates are being judged on the basis of soft credentials - those not mandated by law but considered beneficial.

Little has changed in certifications required by law, she said. In financial services, for example, job descriptions list the credentials a candidate must have to perform the job legally, and that hasn't changed, Cox said.

In less-regulated industries, by contrast, optional certifications show dedication to continued study and the energy to move ahead, not to mention the additional knowledge or skills involved, according to Sharon Jautz, an HR consultant specializing in online and digital media. However, those certifications once considered a plus are all but required now, Cox said.

What does this mean for job seekers weighing the benefits of optional certifications? Priority One is to determine which ones carry the most weight in your industry and specialty (and which are considered all but required), Jautz said. A certification is unlikely to get you onto a short list if the skills involved don't reflect the kind of job for which you're applying.

Soft credentials

Recruiters also consider soft credentials: your level of experience in specific tasks and responsibilities. Don't be misled by the "soft" moniker, however; demonstrating the level of experience an employer wants for a specific task is as important as holding a required credential or certification.

But just meeting the volume of years required isn't enough.

"It's not how long you've been in a job that matters, it's what you've been doing there," Cox said.
Even if the titles are similar, 10 years' experience in a job with significantly different responsibilities from the one you're pursuing won't hold water with discerning employers.

"Employers really are looking for practical experience; they want to know not just what was accomplished by a team you were on, they want to know what you actually did besides 'leadership,' " Cox said. "They want to see executives who are willing to get their hands dirty."

And being able to play just one role doesn't cut it anymore, either.

"Everyone's had to do more with less over the last two or three years, so they can't afford to hire someone who does strategy really well but just does strategy," Cox said.

"A lot of times, it's the details of the project work people did that makes a difference. It's the detail that shows what you did on a team and how effective that was," Cox said. "When you do that in some specific detail without coming up with a 10-page resume, people will pick you up very quickly."

Therefore, your resume must describe how your leadership or strategic skills set the company up for a great result, Cox said, then describe what part of the work you did yourself to make it happen.

Generalists vs. specialists

If you don't have the time or money to invest in hard certifications, there are ways you can beef up your soft credentials while you're on the job. Employers want to see that you have practical experience with many aspects of a position, not just that you led the team and handed off the details, Cox said.

"It's kind of unfair in some ways," she said. "For the last 10 years, we've been looking for specialists; now we're looking for people who are specialists but also have generalist skills and management skills."

Jautz said new technologies, including the Internet, have changed the way businesses work. Employers now expect senior executives to be able to work directly with a variety of digital tools.

Rather than just outline a Web-based marketing plan on paper and hand it off to production managers, for example, a marketing executive must demonstrate enough practical understanding of design software, search-engine optimization and other technologies to guide it to completion.

"You don't have to do all of it yourself," Jautz said, "but you have to be up on the technical skills and be able to understand how it gets done in order to do it."

A hiring manager's suggestions from Boston.com's Job Doc blog:

1. Do not use "Resume", "Resume2," or even "Biotech Resume" as the name of your attachment. An employer will receive many such attachments: how can they expect to locate yours easily? The attachment folder in our email program contains multiple files with such titles. It is much better to use "Name_Resume" or a title that will be unique to you.
2. Do not send a resume in the latest version of Word from Vista (acutally, they mean Word 2007, the.docx format--Javed). Save it as an earlier version of Word and then send the attachment, because many companies do not use Vista. Although my company does not use Word for everyday use, we do have it on our email program. However, we cannot open up ".docx" attachments. An alternative may be to send the attachment in two different versions and let the employer open whichever version is best for them. With so many resumes being sent, do not make it difficult to see your resume.
3. Put some kind of statement in the email, with a line saying how you know about the opening and that your resume and/or cover letter is attached. I never open attachments unless I have an idea of what is in them. I have received supposed applications with no email text - only attachments - which I immediately send to the trash.

Some of you may know that my day job is information security, and we absolutely drum it into people that attachments from unknown people should not be opened without reviewing the context of the email.

I have Word 2007, and have occassionally saved files in .docx format by mistake (since it is the default format) and heard back from people who could not open it.

And what can I say about #1.. in a sea of resume.doc, if you want to be picked, use your name in the filename. I recommend firstname_lastname_resume.doc. With modern operating systems the "_" are not strictly necessary, but old habits die hard for me.

So if you are making these mistakes, stopping will increase your chances right away.

Good luck!

As a job seeker, and as your own resume writer, you have probably created what you feel is a masterpiece resume that can be sent anywhere and get you a job. But if you really think about it, if your resume was that fabulous, you would probably have a job by now, right?

Sometimes it's hard to see what needs to be changed when you don't have the advantage of being your own third-party eyes. However, if you follow a resume-critique checklist, you have a better chance of wrapping your mind around some obvious changes that may need to be made to turn your resume into the true masterpiece it can be.

Think about First Impressions

The first item on your checklist which you should consider when looking over your resume is whether it will make a great first impression. Does it look like it is based on a template that other job seekers are using, or is the resume writer, that would be you, original? Is it cluttered with words or does it offer clear sections with ample white space? Does the design have a professional appearance, or does it look like you asked your 10-year-old sibling to type it for you? It's good to consider all of these questions when exploring what type of first impression you're making with your resume.

Are Your Resume Sections Appropriate?

As you continue to critique your resume, it's important to look through your resume sections to ensure they're appropriate. In other words, you want to make sure that they are all clearly labeled. You also want to make sure they are listed in the best order possible to highlight your strongest credentials. When you list work history, you want to ensure it is listed in reverse chronological order so that your most recent job is listed first.

Are Your Career Goals Clearly Defined?

As you review your resume, check your career goals to make sure they are clearly defined. This means you want to make sure your career objective is toward the top of the resume. It's also a good idea to make sure that your objective, as well as the remaining resume content, is targeted to a specific career goal rather than being so general that it would fit a job as a plumber just as easily as that of an insurance underwriter.

Are You Using Action Words and Keyword Phrases?

In order to highlight your accomplishments, it's important that you, as the resume writer, create a resume that is action-driven rather than duty-driven. This means using action words rather than words that focus on the responsibilities you had. So instead of writing that you were responsible for organizing the office, write that you developed an organizational system for the office. Also, you want your resume to be rich with keyword phrases that define your industry, like "trade shows" if you're in marketing.

As you see, it takes a lot of work to create a "masterpiece" resume. But you can do it with ease if you go over it line by line, word by word, and make sure that it includes every element it should contain and, of course, is error-free. If you do, you will find your title changing from "job seeker" to "employee" before you know it.

- Heather Eagar

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need a resume writing service? Compare the top ones in the industry at www.resumelines.com.

Resume Keywords Are Necessary

Hiring managers, recruiters, and business owners conduct numerous searches on career sites each day. The words they use to search for possible candidates are known as keywords. If your resume doesn't include these keywords, it can't be found very easily.

The bad news is that there are as many, if not more keywords as there are job openings. You can find many different keyword lists online with possible words that are highly searched for, but that doesn't necessarily mean those particular keywords will match the position for which you are seeking. Just like performing a search on an internet search engine, no one person, or hiring manager, searches for the exact same phase each time.

So, what can you do to increase the chances of getting your resume found? Here are a few suggestions to help you find the right keywords to include in your resume.

Put Yourself in the Hiring Manager's Shoes

When trying to decide what keywords will provoke the best response, think as if you are the one doing the hiring. What would you search for if you wanted to hire someone for the opening you are applying for?

Here's another idea. If you know anyone who works in a hiring or human resources department or someone who owns their own business, ask them what they look for when searching for potential employees. Professional resume writers can also offer a good deal of insight into how employers think.

Pay Attention to the Ad

This is probably the best way to determine what keywords will get you noticed.

Look at the advertisement for the position you are applying for. Chances are the person doing the hiring is the one who wrote the ad and you will find the most important keywords right in the ad. Does the ad list specific qualifications, software knowledge, or experience that is required? If so, add those words to your resume where appropriate. Don't forget about ads for similar positions, even if you are not applying for them. Those ads may highlight other important keywords that might be missing from other ads.

Resume Banks

If you add your resume to resume banks or employer databases with hopes of landing the perfect job, you must include certain keywords to get your resume in front of hiring managers.

No matter how qualified you are, if your resume doesn't pop up in their search list, the hiring company may not even know you exist, let alone that you are interested in a position with their company. Do your research and make sure you have as many of the appropriate keywords included in your resume as possible for each job you apply for.

- Jennifer Anthony

Jennifer Anthony is the Director of ResumeASAP, an Online Resume Service, offering professional and affordable resume writing services. If you have comments about this article, or if you are interested in learning more about professional resume writing, please contact Jennifer Anthony by e-mail (resumeasap@gmail.com).

Does your resume stand out? Will employers quickly see you are the one to do the job? Your resume has less than 15 seconds to capture an employer's attention according to our national survey of 600 hiring managers published in the book, Winning Resumes. You must also incorporate effective keywords or the electronic search tools will never put you on the hiring manager's screen. Resume writing is a critical skill to advancing your career so here are some of the top survey results to follow.

1. EMPHASIZE RESULTS! This was #1 with all surveyed employers. Accomplishments get attention, not just job descriptions. State the action you performed and then note the achieved results. Include details about what you increased or decreased. Use numbers to reflect, how much, how many, and percentage of gain or reduction. Stress money earned or time savings. For example: Managed the project implementing a new tracking system that resulted in a 17% decrease in cost overruns, saving $200,000.

    

2. SPECIFICS SELL. Vague, general resumes don't cut it, employers say. Target each resume to the job sought. Incorporate only the information pertinent to doing that specific job title in the resume. This will alleviate the tendency to crowd your resume with too much non-related information, or too much detail on jobs more than ten years in your past. Start each sentence with a descriptive action verb such as directed, organized, established, created, planned, etc. as they add powerful impact to your sentences.

    

3. DO NOT LIE! A USA TODAY survey of executives stated that over 50% tried to exaggerate their skills, which was almost always uncovered during interviews and reference checks. Lying resulted in candidates not getting the job, or worse, being fired once the fraud was revealed. Employers are on the lookout for this misrepresentation so be as positive as possible without exaggerating or misstating the truth.

    

4. BIG MISTAKES MUST BE AVOIDED. The TOP mistake annoying every manager and HR person in our survey was spelling mistakes and typos. Many said: "I stop reading when I find spelling mistakes." Typos scream: "Don't hire me." Proofread -- you cannot trust computer spell checkers. Cramming too much into a resume and using microscopic fonts can result in your resume never being read. Make your resume visually appealing on paper with fonts sizes in 11 or 12 points. Use concise sentences and adequate white space between points. Many online resume-posting programs incorrectly read boxes and graphic designs causing unintentional page breaks, so be sure to avoid using these. Also, many home computers use a mini-word processing program called WORKS, which is not compatible and can't be read by many employers' business computers that use MS WORD. Be certain you only use WORD in any communications you send on to employers.

    

5. THE FINAL TEST -- IS YOUR RESUME GETTING RESULTS? Are employers calling on appropriate jobs you are qualified for (not over or under) to perform? If not, rework your resume, or get professional help to improve it, since a great resume is the prelude to landing a terrific job.

- Robin Ryan

Career Counselor and Best-Selling Author

America's most popular career counselor, Robin Ryan, is the author of four bestselling books: 60 Seconds & You're Hired!, Winning Resumes, Winning Cover Letters, and What to Do with the Rest of Your Life. She's appeared on over a thousand TV & radio shows including Oprah, Dr. Phil, and has been published in most major newspapers and magazines including USA Today & the Wall Street journal. Contact her at 425.226.0414; email: info@robinryan.com.

Copyright 2009 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

Pardon me while I put on my sarcasm hat, because the following gem is from an "alleged" expert--someone who has apparently helped 20,000 people with his resume writing skills.

Oh my, wake up the kids; why didn't I think of this? Let me ask you, Mr. Expert, how exactly is one supposed to find WHO the hiring manager is? It's not like job postings say "this position reports to Jane Smith in Production, and her mailstop is B16"!

When are people going to stop giving out this type of advice that is not actionable?

We actually show ways to find out who the hiring manager is, how to find out her contact information and how to decide whether to contact her or not. You can read more about these "actionable intelligence" methods in our book, The Laidoff Ninja.

If you are within drivable distance of North TV, 93 South Washington Street North Attleborough, MA 02760, come by this Tuesday, June 8 any time between 5-7 PM for a 2-minute video resume. Hopefully this will become a regular program-- we will keep you posted.

There is no cost: the video resume will be free, and it will be broadcast on North TV, North Attleboro's public access channel.

If you are too far away, still read this post for useful tips on making your own video resume.

If you have any questions, contact Karen Ross at 617.417.0886, or email her at NorthJobFocus@aol.com. If you bring a CD, they will also give you the video on the CD.

Things you should do before you arrive:

1. Prepare what you are going to say. 2 minutes may not sound like much, but when you are talking for 2 minutes about yourself in a professional way, it will feel like an eternity. So write a script, practice reading it, make sure it is between 90-110 seconds when spoken in a measured tone
2. When writing the script, remember: a video resume is not your resume read aloud in a video. This is your elevator-pitch, only longer (you do know what an elevator speech is, right?)
3. Include at least the following elements:
   • A greeting. Do not say "good-morning" or "good evening". A "hello" will do nicely
   • State your name and profession: "My name is Joe Smith, and I am an accountant"
   • Follow up by your experience: "I have __ years of experience as ________ at ______________. While there, I (include instances of how you saved them money, or made them money, etc."
   • Remember: Do not embelish your video resume. Once it goes to the Internet, there is no going back, so just the facts, please
     
4. Dress accordingly. Remember: the employer will see you and will develop an impression of how you will be at the workplace. So unless you want to be a bartender in a tropical resort, shorts and flip-flops will be a bad career move. You don't have to wear a suit (unless your profession demands you do) but dress as if you are going to your new job on your first day.
5. You would be surprised what a professional camera and bright lights can do to a face. If you are male, shave (or groom your facial hair). Fix your hair. In short, look presentable, because that's what you want people to think.
   

Of course, if you wish, you can display your video resume right here. We will take care of uploading it to Youtube with the right tags.

Good luck.. I hope the video resume will help you land a job.

Boston Globe has an article about people dumbing down their resume to avoid the dreaded "overqualified" response.

Hmm.. I am not sure rebranding a "Marketing Director" position into a "Marketing Manager" is ethical, despite what the article says.