5 Essential Tips for Building a Standout Resume

5 Essential Tips for Building a Standout Resume 5 Essential Tips for Building a Standout Resume No two jobs are exactly alike and for that reason, your resume shouldnt stay the same from application to application. Your resume needs to vary from job to job if you are going to prove to an employer that you are the right fit for theirspecific role.However, that doesnt mean you have to write a brand new resume for each job you apply to. You can get a step up on the competition by building a strong foundational resume that you then tweak according to each jobopening.To help you in that effort, I offer this list of five essential things that you need to include in your foundational resume. Follow this advice, and youll stand out from the crowd and gain a series advantage over the other job binnenseekers vying for the role1. EducationThere is always some question about where to place your educational experience on your resume. To some degree, the weight of your education and, therefore , its position on the page is slightly dependent on the industry youre in. In general, however, the most important thing to remember is that your resume should be written with the reader in mind.The takeawayMy golden rule is, if you graduated less than 12 months ago, you should list your education at the top. More than 12 months? Your work experience since graduation is likely mora important to a hiring manager, so list that beforeyour education.2. HonestyLying isnt uncommon on resumes, but that doesnt mean its a fruitful way to advance your career. Hiring managers were not born yesterday, and a single question about one of your resume lies might be all it takes to bring the whole bewerbungsgesprch crumbling down.Education, employment dates, job titles, and skills are the biggest problem areas when it to comes to stretching the truth. Conveniently, theyre also the easiest to verify hiring managers, like the rest of us, do have access to the Internet, after all.Keep it real, because even if your false credentials land you the job, it will most likely come back to haunt you in the future.The TakeawayHave a gap in your employment history? Its more than likely you werent sitting around doing nothing. Speak to the time you may have spent volunteering, leading your own projects, or participating in skill-training activities. Be creative with your time, and present your skill set in a powerful way.3. LengthA lot of people think the one-page resume rule is dead, so if youve been stressing about squeezing your experience into a single sheet, you canbreathe easy.However, there is one giant exception to this If you have less than five years of experience, its best to stick to one page.The TakeawayYoure not going to get passed on simplybecause your resume is two pages long, but its important to remember that resume length does play into the hiring managers perception of you as a candidate.Its also important to remember that the longer your resume is, the less likely it is that the hiring manager will see what you want them to see. A longer resume doesnt automatically mean the hiring manager is going to spend more time reading it. On the other hand, a clear and concise resumemeans that the hiring manager is more likely to focus on the most important bits.4. ConsistencyIts important to establish a simple and pleasant reading experience for hiring mangers after all, these people are often looking at hundreds of resumes each and every day. The easiest way to do this is to be consistent when formatting your content.For example, if you use bold, centered text to title the first section of the resume, then use that same style for the remaining section titles, too. If youve used a one-inch space between your first and second sections, continue with that spacing for the remainder of your resume.The takeawayAgood-looking resume on its own isnt going to land you the interview. The information on your resume still needs to be first-rate. But by displaying the content in a visually appealing and digestible way, you are most likely to get the attention you want from hiring managers.5. PersonalityIts no secret that hiring managers look for indicators of your potential cultural fit by examining your hobbies and interests. Placing a little personal information on your resume will help set you apart from other candidates and give hiring managers a glimpse into how youll fit in with the company.The takeawayAt the end of the day, hiring managers are human too take advantage of the fact that they might share similar interests. Look at it as a way to show your potential employer what you can do and what unique skills you can bring to the table.For example, if you mention that youre active in a sports league, prospective employers may see that as a sign that you know the value of teamwork. Hobbies canbe a powerful way to present your skills and cultural fit to employers.Make sure your basic resume contains these five things, and then tweak it as n ecessary for each job posting. The result will be a powerhouse document that helps you tower above the competition.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

3 Reasons to Keep Job Searching Through the Holidays

3 Reasons to Keep Job Searching Through the Holidays3 Reasons to Keep Job Searching Through the Holidays3 Reasons to Keep Job Searching Through the HolidaysTrue or false It makes no sense to look for a job during the holidays because every company slows down or stops hiring until the new year.FALSE Its really one of the best times of the year to look for a job.Take it from personal experience During one of my own job searches, I inquired about a lokalitt right after Thanksgiving. I was interviewed two weeks later and hired the week before Christmas. It can happen Here are three reasons why you shouldnt put your job search on hold over the holidaysBudgets Reset on January 1. A company that plans to expand its payroll budget in the first quarter of 2016 will be looking for qualified candidates today. So, dont sweat the holiday shopping Sending your resume and cover letter is more importantMost Job Seekers Take a Break for the Holidays. Most job seekers slow down their job searches unti l January. If a company needs to fill a position as soon as possible and theyre getting fewer resumes, youll stand a better chance of getting noticed and getting an interview.Decision Makers May Be Easier to Reach. Its not uncommon for workers to put in extra face time in the office to finish up projects that are due by the end of the year. Some may even forgo business travel and stay in the office.Even if there arent any vacancies, you might be able to land an informational interview and find out about opportunities that may come up in 2016. If the hiring manager is in a holiday mood and not too focused on getting the work done, you might leave a memorable impression so that when they do have a suitable opening, youll be top of mind.Also, if youre a college senior and looking into a full-time job after graduation, the holidays may especially be a good time to get on some hiring managers radargert screens. Making a memorable impression in December can lead to an offer before May.

C-C-A-R for ECQs

C-C-A-R for ECQsC-C-A-R for ECQsC-C-A-R for ECQsBy Diane Hudson, Co-Author, The New SES ApplicationThe C-C-A-R format stands forCHALLENGE CONTEXT ACTIONS RESULTS.The C-C-A-R format is required of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and used by the Qualifications Review Board (QRB), when reviewing Executive Core Qualification statements (ECQs) for final SES selection. The C-C-A-R is also reviewed in Technical Qualifications (TQs) and during the interview processThe C-C-A-R format forms the outline of an essay. Each ECQ category, and there are five categories Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, geschftlicher umgang Acumen, and Building Coalitions requires two essay stories in the C-C-A-R format.By writing ECQ essay stories in the C-C-A-R format you are using a set standard formula that easily forms a short essay, with a beginning, middle and end. The hiring staff (Agency Executive Resources Board (ERB)) and the QRB want to easy-to-read short-story-essays they wan t to read compelling stories that express leadership competencies. I have spoken to members of the ERB and the QRB, and many have stated that is quite clear when a candidate has submitted a well written ECQ and TQ package in the C-C-A-R format, versus someone who did not apply for C-C-A-R formula. The QRB will review the ECQ stories and look for the C-C-A-R format. If the stories are disapproved, the QRB letter may state that the C-C-A-R was not found in certain essays.How to Use C-C-A-RTo best apply the C-C-A-R, use each identifier as a separate paragraph write one story per page (two stories per ECQ), and soon you will have 10 fully developed essay stories in the C-C-A-R, based on the leadership competencies for each ECQ. For example, as you begin to draft a story, outline the one page essay into four short paragraphsCHALLENGE Describe the challenge that you faced. What did you have to fix, launch, overcome resistance and pushback to, or negotiate?CONTEXT Describe the circumstance s of the situation, the timeline, story horizon, your job title and organization, the people, finances, and who and how you had to lead through the situation. Describe the who, what, where, why and how.ACTIONS Describe the actions you took to create action. Describe the high-level actions, not the in the weeds, project management details. Talk about whom you collaborated with, by amtsstube or level what actions you took to resolve a problem by creating a new program, policy, or negotiating a deal.RESULTS Describe the results. Quantify and qualify the results. Use numbers, percentages, dollar figures, and comparisons. Ask yourself, what was it like before I began the initiative, and what it is like now? Use a ripple-effect result, and describe how the story effected organizational performance.Use this format to begin to outline your stories, and slowly fill in the stories so that each paragraph is eight to 10 lines, which then creates a full page (using 12 point Times New Roman font and one inch margins). Think through the stories, and even speak the stories. Sometimes, speaking the stories brings more important details, then trying to struggle to write the stories. Use a smart phone or recording device to speak the stories, and then transfer to paper.CHere is an example story outline (based on a Results Driven essay example, found on page 92 in The New SES Application)CHALLENGE I was challenged to turnaround a geschftliches miteinander that was hemorrhaging cash and CONTEXT In my role as a business leader and military officer, with leadership oversight for formulating and managing operational plans for large organizations, I ACTIONS To resolve the problems, I developed a strategy to address personnel and business issues, align the organization behind key business processes focused on the development of the business market, initiated a hiring and sales training program, and RESULTS Achieved transfer to my control of the high-margin premium brands, creating reco rd high sales volume and The Many Uses of C-C-A-ROnce you write the C-C-A-R, then you have crib notes to study for the interview process, which may be scored on the C-C-A-R format. The C-C-A-R format is also used in mini-essays in the five-page SES resume-based application, in GS-level interviews, and in many GS-level resumes.Free Writing ToolGet started writing C-C-A-R with our easy-to-use CCAR Accomplishment Builder. Its FREEMore InfoIf you need additional assistance, check out the followingur upcoming SES Writing Application Webinar Training starting Sep 16www.resume-place.com/training/ses-training/Our book, The New SES Applicationwww.resume-place.com/books/the-new-ses-application/Our SES Writing Serviceswww.resume-place.com/senior-executive-service/Our SES ECQ Training for Government Agencieswww.resume-place.com/training/government-agency-training/ses-workshop/Future blogs will cover the leadership competencies, mapping, and the specific ECQs.GET THE BOOK2nd Edition available De c. 2015$21.95 (includes postage)