careercoach-pro

5 Things To Put On Your Resume, No Matter the Job

mh@careercoachpro.com (Melanie Hamon) — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 04:53:45 GMT

Almost all professional jobs require a resume to get your foot in the door, making a resume one of the most important documents you will need at each step of your career.

What is a resume, anyway… and what do you need to put on it?

Read the full article at The Wyzant Blog .

Hiring Bias: Is Your Name Hurting You?

mh@careercoachpro.com (Melanie Hamon) — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 04:48:02 GMT

What is seen first on a resume influences how the rest of the information on the page is interpreted with both conscious and unconscious biases at play in the reader.

It is well-documented that resumes are treated differently by employers based on the race/ethnicity and gender inferred by applicant names. Research highlighted in this recent WSJ article adds an additional variable to the body of evidence on name-based employment discrimination: hard-to-pronounce names.

Read the full article on LinkedIn .

A Whole Different Chat: Best Practices for Job Interviews in 2021

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 20:15:00 GMT

It feels like a whole new world when it comes to job search and interviewing in 2021. Virtual interviews have become common practice for professional positions, with people sometimes being hired without ever having met their boss or co-workers in person!

Although social distancing rules resulted in the widespread move by employers to virtual interviews, due to the efficiency and cost-savings of virtual interviews, many employers were already moving in that direction prior to the global pandemic. We can expect virtual interviews to stick around post-pandemic.

That said, whether your interview is virtual or in-person, most of the interview preparation process is the same. And where things are different for virtual interviews, there are specific steps you can take to set yourself up for success for the new normal.

Interview Preparation Tips & Exercises for 2021

What is the purpose of an interview? From the employer’s point of view, interviews are used to assess the extent to which you can do the job, whether you will find the job motivating, and how well you fit with the team and organizational culture.

Interviewing does not come naturally to most people, and even people well into a successful career still get a case of the butterflies when it comes to interviewing. The good news is that interviewing is a skill that can be learned and improved on with time and practice.

You can also seek out a mentor or tutor with expertise in interviewing/ career development to accelerate your learning process and increase your interviewing confidence.

Here is a checklist you can follow when preparing for either a virtual or in-person interview.

Interview Preparation Checklist

To prepare for the interview, you will need to have a strong understanding of the job, the company, and your related strengths and qualifications. You will also need to understand what the interviewers are really trying to assess with the questions they ask. Then strategize in advance how to respond to a variety of questions in a way that addresses the question behind their questions. Practicing the delivery of your responses is the final step in the preparation process.

1. Know the Job

Start by learning as much as you can about the company, the job, and to the extent possible, the people who will be interviewing you. Review the company’s website, search for external news about the company. Read employee reviews of the company. Do you know anyone who works there? See if they are willing to talk with you about the company. What is the company’s mission, values, organizational structure, culture, and products? Who are their customers and competitors, what kind of challenges or growth opportunities do they have ahead of them?

Next, analyze the job posting. What can you infer from the posting about the kinds of problems and opportunities the person filling this position will encounter? What are the main job responsibilities and qualifications? If you were interviewing someone else for this position what would you want to know about them?

In most cases, you will be given the name and title of the person(s) interviewing you ahead of time. If not, don’t be afraid to ask for this information – it shows that you are interested, organized, and that you plan ahead. Take advantage of the company’s website and other sites such as LinkedIn to learn about your interviewers. What is their career progression, where did they go to school, do you have any common background or interests?

2. Know Yourself

Now that you’ve done your research on the company, the position, and your interviewers, take time to list out your strengths and assets. These are the unique personal qualities (e.g., attention to detail), hard skills (e.g., advanced spreadsheet skills), soft skills (e.g., the ability to mediate conflict), specialized knowledge (e.g., expertise in integrated circuit design), and experiences (e.g., 5 years working in the healthcare industry) you bring to the table.

Next, map your strengths and assets to what you have learned about the job and the company. What are your unique strengths and how have you used these strengths to add value to your work in similar roles and contexts? Write down specific examples of how you used your strengths in prior jobs or similar situations to achieve successes.

3. Anticipate Questions & Strategize Responses

While there is infinite variation in questions and the wording of the questions you may be asked in an interview, the information the interviewers are seeking to learn about you can be anticipated – making the interview preparation process a bit less daunting.

As mentioned earlier, what it all boils down to is this: employers want to know whether you are able to do the job, want to do the job, and if you will work well with their team. Keep this in mind when strategizing and preparing for job interview questions.

4. Are you able to do the job?

Employers often use Behavioral Interview Questions to determine whether you are able to do the job. Behavioral questions focus on your past behaviors to see how you handled situations that are similar to the job opening. These questions almost always begin with Tell me about a time when… or Describe a time when….

Looking back at your research on the company and job, you can infer what kind of past experiences and behaviors the interviewers will most likely want to know about you. For example, if the job involves customer service, they will want to know about your experience interacting with customers and may ask questions such as,

After identifying what the interviewers will want to know about you, think of specific examples where you were able to successfully demonstrate the characteristics they are looking for when you handled similar situations or tasks.

The STAR format

Use the STAR format to outline your response:

What was the SITUATION or TASK ? What ACTIONS did you take? And what was the RESULT ?

Also, what did you learn from that experience, and would you do anything differently next time (this shows self-reflection and the ability to learn from prior experiences).

5. Will you fit with the team?

Interviewers do not typically use direct questioning to assess how well you will work within their team or corporate culture. They usually infer this through your responses to other questions, your nonverbal communication, and informal interactions such as small talk when the interview is just getting started.

The best interviews are conversational rather than just interviewer question, interviewee response. Asking a few clarifying and insightful questions throughout the interview can help establish rapport and bring about a clearer understanding between you and your interviewers.

Also, look back to your research on the company and your interviewers. In what ways are you aligned with the company’s mission, values, and culture? Work this into the conversation and your interview responses where it makes sense. This information usually fits in well when responding to questions such as tell me about yourself or why you want to work for the company .

Likewise, during your research, did you find that you and your interviewer(s) have anything in common? Did you learn something about them professionally that genuinely interested you? There are sometimes opportunities before, during, and as the interview is wrapping up for casual conversation. Use these opportunities to make a personal connection with your interviewer(s).

For example, “I noticed on your company bio that you are involved with the LA Rescue Mission, I used to volunteer there when I was at student at USC.” Or, “I saw on your LinkedIn profile that your research is on neuroplasticity and aging, I would love to learn more about your work.”

And when it comes to inferences made from how you respond to other questions regarding “fit,” check in with objective observers as you practice your interview responses. Do you come across as overly talkative or quiet to the point of being unhelpful? Are you able to stay on point in your responses? Do you come across as having a big ego? Do you disparage former companies or supervisors? Ask your objective observers for their candid feedback and impressions of you.

6. Additional Opportunities to Sell Yourself

There are other questions that could be referred to as “softball questions” — these are questions that provide you with the perfect opportunity to promote yourself yet are so common that you can expect some form of them to come up in every interview. For example,

Each of these questions opens the opportunity to pitch yourself.

Here’s how to sell yourself: think back to the unique combination of assets you bring to the table as aligned with this particular position and prepare a compelling story highlighting why you are the right person for the job and why this job is a great career move for you. Keep it concise and to the point—think elevator pitch, not life story.

However, you want to come across as natural, so don’t memorize this (or any other interview response) word for word, just remember the main points you want to convey.

7. Other questions

Depending on your field and the job, employers may ask other types of questions around your technical knowledge and skills or give you case studies/scenarios to see how you think through a problem.

You can research what type of technical or case study questions to expect by asking mentors, tutors , and other people familiar with the field

8. Practice, practice, practice

Now that you have done the hard work of understanding the job, company, and yourself, and strategized on potential interview questions and responses, it is time to practice your delivery.

Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, practice with friends, family members, mentors, and tutors. Conducting a mock interview, where you simulate being in an actual interview setting with another person acting as the interviewer, is a great way for getting comfortable with the interview process before your real interview.

An Overview of Virtual Interviews

Now let’s take a look at virtual interviews and what kinds of additional preparation are needed. There are two common types of virtual interviews used by employers: live interviews and pre-recorded interviews.

Live Virtual Interviews

Live virtual interviews are conducted using videoconferencing or virtual meeting software such as Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc.

These interviews are more like a traditional in-person interview, with a two-way connection and real-time conversation between the candidate and interviewer(s). Many employers were already conducting some of their interviews virtually prior to the pandemic, because they reduce the amount of time needed to coordinate logistics and travel costs since multiple parties can participate from multiple locations.

Pre-recorded Video Interviews

Pre-recorded video interviews (also referred to as “on-demand” interviews) are one-way, asynchronous transmissions.

Employers typically provide all applicants or selected applicants with a link to a virtual interview software platform with a set of pre-recorded questions. Applicants are given a set amount of time to respond to each question while their responses are captured by their webcam or smart device. On-demand interviews often have a few practice questions to help candidates familiarize themselves with what to expect, and some allow for deleting and re-recording responses a few times.

Employers tend to use on-demand virtual interviews as an initial screen of applicants, often replacing the traditional practice of a real-time phone screen. On-demand interviews eliminate scheduling challenges by allowing candidates to record their interview at a time convenient to them, while allowing multiple interviewers to view the recordings at separate times unlike a virtual live interview when all parties need to be present at the same time.

Advice for Job Seekers on Virtual Interviewing

While the bulk of the work of preparing for an in-person and virtual interview is the same, here is another set of items to add to your preparation checklist for virtual interviews.

Virtual Interview Preparation Checklist Addendum

For the most part, the additional preparation needed for virtual interviews relates to your tech and interview setting.

9. Technology Setup and Hardware

Use a computer with a high definition internal or external webcam. Although you can use a smart phone or other wireless device, there is a higher chance of running into issues with video software compatibility, bandwidth and connection, lighting, and sound.

Position the webcam just above eye-level and adjust the angle slightly downward. If you are using an internal webcam, this may mean piling a stack of books under your laptop and tilting the screen down a bit. Set up the camera so that the top of your head is not cut-off and there is a little bit of space above your head. In order not to look like a floating head, make sure your shoulders and top of your chest are visible.

10. Internet Connection

If you are relying on WiFi, you will want to be as close as possible to the router and minimize WiFi use by others in your household. Better yet, use a network cable to physically connect your computer to the router and turn off your computer WiFi.

11. Software

Find out which video communication software the employer will be using to conduct the interview and whether you need to download the program.

Then check out the official website for the program and follow their instructions for downloading and setting up the program ahead of time. If your interview is the pre-recorded type, no need to worry about software.

12. Sound

Although webcams have microphones, using a headset can improve the quality of your voice and reduce ambient noise. If you use a headset, be sure to test it out ahead of time and adjust the settings as needed.

13. Lighting

Good lighting does wonders for making a positive first impression (consider the difference in lighting between professional vs. home videos). The goal is to evenly illuminate your face . This can be achieved using one or more of these low-cost methods:

Sit facing a window covered with a translucent shade or sheet to diffuse the light

Position a clip light about 3’ to your left and another on the right; use some type of translucent material to diffuse the light

Turn on additional monitors and open documents with an off-white tint

14. Location

Choose a private and quiet location for the interview. Make sure others around you know about the interview and are ready to help you keep external noise and distractions down (e.g., pets, children, lawn mowers, etc.).

15. Background

Choose or create a literal or virtual background that is professional looking and free from clutter. Ideally any wall behind you will be at least 3’ away to reduce unflattering shadows.

16. Desktop

Close all programs and tabs on your computer except those needed for the interview. This will free up computer memory and improve your system’s performance, and eliminate distracting email/app notifications. Have a bottle of water within easy reach during the interview.

17. Clothing

Dress professionally as you would for an in-person interview but avoid white, black, and super-bright colors that can interact negatively with the webcam and lighting. Also avoid anything with a busy pattern that can be distracting.

Even though the lower half of your body will not be in the camera’s view, it’s recommended to wear professional clothing in case you need to get up from your seat and forget the camera is on.

18. And Once Again, Practice, Practice, Practice

You’ve done the hard work of understanding the job, company, and yourself. You’ve strategized on potential interview questions and responses. You’ve set up your background and tested out the technology. Now practice your delivery virtually.

Now, set up a virtual mock interview or two with a tutor, mentor, family member, or friend. Confirm that they can hear you and that your lighting is good.

A Few More Tips Regarding Virtual Interview Etiquette

Breathe! Tips for Managing Interview Anxiety

In the end, keep things in perspective, it’s an interview, a conversation, not the Hunger Games competition!

Think of each interview as an opportunity to practice and build on your interviewing skills. Also, keep in mind that the interview is a chance for you to vet the employer; it’s not just about them liking you. Advance preparation and practice are the best ways to build up your confidence for an interview, but even after that, it is normal to get nervous before and during an interview.

Here are some methods for managing those nerves:

Take Deep Breaths

Sometimes when we’re nervous, we start breathing shallowly, even holding our breath, and our muscles tense up. Break the anxiety cycle by taking slow deep breaths. This will deliver more oxygen to your brain and your body will automatically start to relax.

Exercise

Set aside time earlier on the day of the interview to exercise. Even a simple walk can increase your endorphins, reduce anxiety, and help relax body and mind.

Accept & Channel

Remember almost everyone gets nervous when it comes to interviewing and if you are afraid, just acknowledge it. Say aloud to yourself, I am afraid but that’s normal, everything is just as it should be. Then channel the nervous energy into positive enthusiasm for the upcoming challenge.

During the Interview

Here are a few more tips for managing anxiety during the actual interview:

Are You Ready for Your 2021 Job Search?

Although interviewing in 2021 may feel like a whole new world, aside from preparation related to the use of virtual technology, the steps to prepare yourself for an interview have not changed.

Interviewing is a skill to be learned through preparation and practice, not an inborn trait that you either have or don’t have. It is a skill you can develop and apply as you prepare for and go through each unique job interview process. That said, job applicants with stronger or more desirable skills related to the job opening are going to have an advantage that all the interview preparation in the world will not change.

The labor market was already changing long before the pandemic of 2020 and continues to change at an accelerating pace. It is important to be aware of the knowledge, skills, and trends related to the current and future job market and to be continuously upskilling, that is, acquiring new knowledge and skills to stay relevant and marketable.

5 Things To Put On Your Resume, No Matter the Job

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:21:00 GMT

Almost all professional jobs require a resume to get your foot in the door, making a resume one of the most important documents you will need at each step of your career.

What is a resume, anyway… and what do you need to put on it?

What is a Resume?

A resume is a document used by employers to help them understand whether you have the knowledge, skills, and experience matching their job opening. Having a strong resume that clearly shows how you meet their desired job qualifications is essential for getting an interview, the next step of the hiring process.

Taking the time to learn how to write a resume that will stand out from the crowd is more important than ever during economic downturns when more applicants are competing for fewer openings.

What to Put on a Resume

Although resumes will vary by industry, experience, and other factors, here is an overview of the key sections and information every resume should include.

1. Contact Information

Provide your name and contact information at the top of the resume but not in the document header. Contact information should include an email address and phone number. Use an email address that is professional such as jaime.t.suarez@gmail.com rather than something like coolguy@gmail.com.

It is generally to your advantage to include your city and state if it is relatively close to the location the position you are applying to will be based. A street address is not necessary.

If you are in a field where an online portfolio is important, the link to these is typically listed alongside your contact information.

2. Summary

While a Summary is not technically “required,” it’s highly recommended that everyone include this section on their resume following their contact information. The Summary functions as introduction to your resume and gives the employer an overview of your most relevant qualifications for their job opening.

You can also include a brief explanation of your job interests, which is sometime called an objective (e.g., BSME, 3 ^rd year student, seeking summer engineering internship in the automotive industry).

This information in the Summary can be provided in a brief paragraph, bullet points, or a combination of both. You can also include a “headline” that describes your job target or key areas of expertise. Here’s an example:

3. Experience

The purpose of the Experience section is to demonstrate your relevant experience and accomplishments . This section is sometimes labeled as Professional Experience, Related Experience, or Work History.

This typically lists your work experience beginning with the most recent position and going backwards in reverse chronological order. For each employer, include the employer name, your job title, and your start and end dates.

Then include the highlights of what you did for the employer. Focus on your accomplishments rather than listing job responsibilities and tasks. Think about the ways you contributed to the goals of the organization; such as, problems solved, processes improved, clients satisfied, sales quotas met.

Use bullets of 1-2 sentences rather than paragraphs. For example:

If you are just starting your career and do not have paid work experience, you can include unpaid experiences such as school projects, extra-curricular leadership, and volunteer work to demonstrate where you used or gained knowledge or skills employers might be interested in such as organizing events, working with a team to achieve a goal, raising funds, or leading a project. For example:

4. Education/Professional Development

Whether you have multiple college degrees or none, all employers want to see what you have done to improve your knowledge and skills . The world of work is constantly changing, and the digital age has hyper-accelerated the pace of change.

Upskilling is a popular buzz word for acquiring knowledge and skills that keep pace with what is needed in today’s job market , particularly with regards to technology. So, for this section of your resume, be sure to list relevant training, certifications, and professional development courses you have taken to stay current, along with your more formal education.

Provide the name of the institution, your major (if applicable) and the degree/certificate attained, or relevant courses taken. Include the year of graduation for degrees completed within the past 5-10 years. If you are a current student, include the degree you are working towards and the expected graduation date (e.g., BA History & Political Science, Class of 2022).

If you have an advanced degree or degrees, list the highest degree first (e.g., PhD, MS, BS). You can choose whether to list the institution before or after the degree. I recommend listing what is most impactful first. The location of the institution is usually also included. Here are a variety of examples:

The Education section of the resume generally precedes the Experience section if you are a current college student or relatively recent graduate. Then as you gain more work experience, the Education section will typically follow your Experience section.

Also, no need to include high school information if you are a college student or graduate.

If you are still in school or recent graduate and have a GPA of 3.5 or above, you may want to include your GPA. You can also include academic honors and awards under education or create a separate section for this.

5. Skills

While your job relevant skills should be embedded in the Experience section of your resume to show employers where and how you applied these skills, it can also be helpful to have a list of your relevant skills following the Experience section where they are easy to scan. You might want to organize your skills into different categories. For example:

Additional Resume Sections

You may want to include a few additional sections on your resume. These will vary from person to person.

For example, if you have received many honors and awards, you could have an Awards & Honors section highlighting the awards. Alternately, these could be included under Education if they are academic awards and under Experience if they are recognition received from an employer. Having a section such as Volunteer Work or Hobbies can be used to show you are well-rounded.

Additional Experience can be a helpful section if you have experience (paid or otherwise) that is less relevant to your current career trajectory but speaks to your capabilities, versatility, or explains career changes or gaps. These sections should be at the end of your resume.

A Few More Resume Tips

A resume is not a laundry list of everything you have ever done. It should be focused, concise, and targeted to your career direction. Having excess words, sections, skills can end up obscuring the important content on your resume and making it difficult to easily scan.

When reviewing resumes, employers usually do a quick scan looking for key information before deciding whether to do a more in-depth reading. By creating an organized resume with clear section headings, you can help them more easily discover your relevant qualifications.

Also, make sure your resume includes the key words in the job advertisement.

Things Not To Include On A Resume

For jobs in the U.S., do not include any photos, and no need to list references either, employers will ask for them later in the process and they just take up valuable space on your resume.

Resume Templates

There are many free resume templates available online and in MS Word, but beware, some of the more visually appealing templates can be ineffective. Most large employers use Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to manage job applications.

These ATS systems are often not able to accurately read resumes with multiple columns, text boxes, and graphic images.

And Finally, a Word about the Importance of Career Development

Resumes aside, if you want to get the most out of your career, you will need to take the time to figure out what your career goals are; identify the skills, knowledge, credentials, and experience needed to get you there; and map out a plan for getting from point A to point Z. This process is sometimes referred to as Career Development or Career Management.

People who engage in Career Development have increased motivation, improved academic achievement, and greater career success and satisfaction. You may want to work with a career development specialist or mentor to help you craft a 5-year plan for your Career Development. Mentorship from someone in your desired career field can also be helpful to your career development.

And last, but not least, make sure to keep your resume updated. Take the time to refresh your resume every 6-12 months, adding new skills, experience, and achievements so that your resume is always ready for your next opportunity!

Do you need a resume writer?

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 16:02:07 GMT

Do you need a resume writer?

When your car is broken, you go to a mechanic,

When you are sick, you go to a doctor,

When you need a legal document, you go to a lawyer,

And when you need a resume…do you do it yourself???

Your resume is a document that represents the sum of your work experience and ability—essentially You on paper, to your next potential employer. Unless you are a resume expert, perhaps you should reconsider doing it yourself. It doesn’t mean you aren’t capable, it just isn’t something you do very often, and probably do not have insider knowledge of.

There are wide variety of reasons your resume can fail to get the attention you deserve for a job you are qualified for. Melanie Hamon of CareerCoach Pro will help you avoid those pitfalls by accurately representing you on paper, helping you to best position yourself to targeted employers, and ensuring the look and feel of your resume draws the readers attention to your most relevant qualifications.

A former corporate recruiter, Melanie has read thousands of resumes and knows which ones make it to the next step and why. She is an honors English graduate of U.C. Irvine, with professional writing and editing experience. Additionally, she has experience working in many different industries and recruiting and creating resumes for a wide variety of professions.

careercoach-pro

5 Things To Put On Your Resume, No Matter the Job

Almost all professional jobs require a resume to get your foot in the door, making a resume one of the most important documents you will need at each step of your career.

Hiring Bias: Is Your Name Hurting You?

What is seen first on a resume influences how the rest of the information on the page is interpreted with both conscious and unconscious biases at play in the reader.

A Whole Different Chat: Best Practices for Job Interviews in 2021

Interview Preparation Tips & Exercises for 2021

Interview Preparation Checklist

1. Know the Job

2. Know Yourself

3. Anticipate Questions & Strategize Responses

4. Are you able to do the job?

The STAR format

More examples of Behavioral Interview Questions:

5. Will you fit with the team?

6. Additional Opportunities to Sell Yourself

7. Other questions

8. Practice, practice, practice

An Overview of Virtual Interviews

Live Virtual Interviews

Pre-recorded Video Interviews

Advice for Job Seekers on Virtual Interviewing

Virtual Interview Preparation Checklist Addendum

9. Technology Setup and Hardware

10. Internet Connection

11. Software

12. Sound

13. Lighting

14. Location

15. Background

16. Desktop

17. Clothing

18. And Once Again, Practice, Practice, Practice

A Few More Tips Regarding Virtual Interview Etiquette

Breathe! Tips for Managing Interview Anxiety

Take Deep Breaths

Exercise

Accept & Channel

During the Interview

Are You Ready for Your 2021 Job Search?

5 Things To Put On Your Resume, No Matter the Job

What is a Resume?

What to Put on a Resume

1. Contact Information

2. Summary

3. Experience

4. Education/Professional Development

5. Skills

Additional Resume Sections

A Few More Resume Tips

Things Not To Include On A Resume

Resume Templates

And Finally, a Word about the Importance of Career Development

Do you need a resume writer?

Do you need a resume writer?