{This article originally appeared on Monster}

Hit some kind of milestone? A resume update is in order.

Since you’ve been gainfully employed for a good stretch of time (score!), an updated resume might seem low on your to-do list. We get it: It’s no longer a priority. But if you don’t update a resume promptly and let it go stale, you put yourself at a disadvantage.

“You never know when you may get laid off or when a job opportunity might present itself out of the blue,” says Dawn Bugni, a professional resume writer in Atkinson, North Carolina.

For many people, “updating their resume feels like going to the dentist—they avoid it at all costs,” says Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, executive resume writer and owner of Dallas-based coaching firm Career Trend. Granted, a constantly updated resume isn’t realistic, but there are benchmarks in your career when your resume needs a tune-up.

5 Times to Update a Resume

1. When you start a new job
The best resumes highlight quantifiable achievements—not job responsibilities. But when you’re a new employee, you don’t have any real accomplishments yet. Instead of copying and pasting snippets from the job posting onto your resume, tell the story of why you were hired, says executive resume writer Louise Kursmark, co-author of Modernize Your Resume. Got recruited? Say so.

Now is also the time to update your career summary section. Coming off the job search circuit, you should tweak this part of your resume while your value proposition is fresh in your mind, says Robin Reshwan, professional resume writer and founder of Collegial Services, a consulting and staffing firm in the San Francisco area.

2. When you get promoted
Take the opportunity to celebrate, but don’t forget to update your resume, which should always include your current position. Don’t just slap on your new job title though; explain why you earned the promotion (e.g., “promoted for outstanding performance to spearhead new project”), and “don’t be afraid to brag,” says Bugni.

3. When you complete a big project
Did you close a major transaction? Wrap-up development on a new product? These accomplishments need to be reflected on your resume. “Any time you finish a successful project, make sure it goes directly onto your resume,” says Barrett-Poindexter. Citing quantifiable results is crucial (e.g., “implemented new accounting system that saved the company $50,000 in annual operating costs”). Include such details as how many people worked on the team, what your role entailed, and the hurdles you crossed, says Barrett-Poindexter.

4. When you get laid off
Yes, it stinks to have to update a resume when you just lost a job, but do it anyway. Getting fired is one thing (in which case, you’ll need to do more than update your resume); getting laid off as part of downsizing is a different story. “Unemployment isn’t a black mark if it’s a result of the company’s performance,” says Tiffani Murray, an HR professional and resume writer at Atlanta-based resume service Personality On a Page.

Part of bouncing back, though, involves working on an updated resume. And rather than try to hide the fact that you’re unemployed—a strategy that could put off prospective hiring managers—include in your summary section why you were terminated (e.g., “laid off as part of a 20% reduction in staff”).

Additionally, you’ll want to update your work experience to reflect what it is you’re currently doing. Yet, putting that you’re now a “job seeker” isn’t very appealing to prospective hiring managers. The better move: Join a professional association and take on a volunteer position, such as an events coordinator, that you can add to your resume.

“Showing that you’re actively involved with an industry organization clears up any assumption that you’re just sitting there twiddling your thumbs while you look for a job,” says Bugni.

5. When you acquire new skills
Whether it’s an accreditation, certification, or new proficiency (e.g., learning a second language), skills strengthen your resume, so keep yours current. Industry-specific credentials can also serve as keywords to help your resume pass through application tracking systems, says Kursmark.

Do a quarterly assessment of your resume and remove any outdated skills or obsolete software, advises Reshwan. Look at job postings in your field to determine what skills are in demand.

The post 5 Times in Your Life You Should Update Your Resume appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

You’ve written an amazing intro and compelling body copy that perfectly highlights your achievements, but you’re having a hard time making it through the final stretch — “How in the world do I end this cover letter?” you might be thinking to yourself. The truth is, closing a cover letter is a difficult task for many job seekers. There’s a lot of pressure because, sometimes, the cover letter is the only piece the recruiter will read.

If you want to land an interview with your cover letter, you don’t want to sound vague or wishy-washy. Your cover letter should illustrate why you are the best fit and how you will help the company or organization reach success. However, when writing the closing paragraph of your cover letter, it’s easy to have a passive voice, because you don’t want to appear overconfident. For example, if you say, “I look forward to hearing from you,” that’s great — but that alone doesn’t seal the deal. The closing paragraph of your cover letter must be one of the strongest elements because it is the last impression you leave in the reader’s mind.

Here are five phrases to include in the final paragraph of your cover letter that will help you seal the deal for your next interview.

Examples for How to End a Cover Letter

1. “I am very excited to learn more about this opportunity and share how I will be a great fit for XYZ Corporation.”

Strong cover letter closings are enthusiastic and confident. You want the reader to have the impression you are truly passionate about the position and working for their company. This statement will also illustrate your ability to fit into the company culture and how your personality and work ethic is exactly what they’re looking for.

2. “I believe this is a position where my passion for this industry will grow because of the XYZ opportunities you provide for your employees.”

It’s always a good idea to explain what you find attractive about working for the company and how you want to bring your passions to the table. By doing this, you can illustrate how much thought you dedicated to applying for the position and how much you care about becoming a part of the company.

3. “If I am offered this position, I will be ready to hit the ground running and help XYZ Company exceed its own expectations for success.”

By adding this piece to your conclusion, you will be able to add some flare and excitement to your cover letter. The reader will become intrigued by your enthusiasm to “hit the ground running.” Employers look for candidates who are prepared for the position and are easy to train. Therefore, this phrase will definitely raise some curiosity and the reader will want to discover what you have to offer for their company.

4. “I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how my qualifications will be beneficial to your organization’s success.”

Remember, you want to make it clear in your cover letter how the employer will benefit from your experience and qualifications. You want to also express how your goal is to help the organization succeed, not how the position will contribute to your personal success.

5. “I will call you next Tuesday to follow up on my application and arrange for an interview.”

The most essential part of your closing is your “call to action” statement. Remember, the purpose of your cover letter is to land an interview. Don’t end your cover letter saying you’ll hope to get in touch. Explain to the reader the exact day and how you will be contacting them. When you state you will be following up with the employer, make sure you do it!

Remember, the closing of your cover letter is the most important element that will help you land your next interview. By crafting a strong, confident and enthusiastic closing paragraph, you will leave the reader feeling like you would be the best candidate for the position.

The post How to End the Perfect Cover Letter appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

With the rise of online learning, there’s no shortage of classes you can take that offer you a certification in a particular trade, skill or software program. But outside of positions that require certifications — pilots, emergency medical technicians and insurance agents, for example — do any of these make a real difference in a job application? We reached out to recruiters and HR professionals to get the answer.

The consensus: Certifications certainly can make a difference, but not all certifications are created equal. Below are some of the ones that recruiters say actually move the needle in their decision to hire a candidate — if one of them is relevant to your field, consider looking into it!

Role-Specific Certifications

1. Human Resources Certifications (PHR, SPHR, SHRM)

While not a requirement, many recruiters agree that job seekers in the HR field can benefit greatly from professional certifications.

“If I’m hunting for an HR professional, I’ll want to be sure they have certification from SHRM,” says Laura Handrick, Senior Workplace and Careers Analyst at Fit Small Business.

“I am going to be more interested in seeing certifications (or formal degrees) related directly to their career progression (e.g., PHR, SPHR for Human Resources),” adds Dawn D. Boyer, CEO of D. Boyer Consulting.

2. Project Management Certifications (PMP)

“Anyone can claim to have the leadership and organizational skills of a Project Manager, but a certification in this field really adds value to a candidate’s resume,” says Ashley Riedesel, Technical Recruiter at OakTree Staffing & Training.

“Employers love to see this since employees with the PMP certification tend to have a more sophisticated approach to taking projects from inception through to completion across different methodologies,” adds Bryant Vargas, Director of Recruiting, Information Technology at Atlas Search.

Bonus: While this certification is especially helpful for those in the Project Management field, the knowledge you gain can also be broadly applied to other fields at the manager and leadership level.

3. Sales Certifications (Challenger Sales, Spin Selling, Sandler Training)

“Selling skills are often gained from experience, but candidates can stand out by including formal training or certification from a well-known sales philosophy on their resumes. A few examples: MEDDIC, Challenger Sales, Spin Selling, Sandler Training, etc.,” says Jordan Wan, Founder & CEO of CloserIQ. “This shows the candidate has the discipline to back up their raw skills with learnings from sales experts to improve their selling ability.”

4. Help Desk/Desktop Analyst Certifications (A+, Network+)

A caveat here: recruiters say these certifications aren’t quite as impressive for more senior roles, but if you’re in an entry-level position, they can help your resume stand out.

“An A+ cert looks great for a lower-level position like help desk or desktop. It’s a really good starting point and will definitely help you find your footing in the IT industry,” says Chase Wagner, Technical Recruiter at OakTree Staffing & Training.

Recruiters may also like to see Network+ certifications, says Senior Technical Recruiter Kamron Cox, also of OakTree Staffing & Training. “These are easier to get but do look good for those types of roles,” Cox shares.

5. Network Certifications (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE)

If you want to be a network engineer or admin, Cisco offers a variety of certifications that can boost your application.

“A good network engineer/admin typically would have a CCNA or CCNP, and for the heavy hitters, you’re looking at different levels within CCIE,” Cox says.

The CCIE in particular “is a series of the highest level of Cisco Certifications offered for Network Infrastructure Leaders who design, build and implement enterprise networking systems,” Vargas says. “Candidates must first pass a written exam and then pass a hands-on lab exam. When employers see that you’ve dedicated yourself to passing the written and lab portion of their CCIE it shows not only subject matter expertise, but also dedication and perseverance.”

Software Certifications

1. Salesforce

From sales to marketing to customer service and more, many departments in a corporate setting rely on customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and Salesforce is one of the most popular choices.

“It’s like the Google of CRM systems… most everyone uses [it],” says Wes Lieser, Executive Recruiter & Practice Director of Demand Generation & Marketing Technology at Versique. “If someone is Salesforce.com certified, then I know they’re going to be well-versed in analytics.”

2. Hubspot’s Inbound Certification

Hubspot is primarily a tool for marketers, but it encompasses many different functions within that field — odds are, if you have a role within marketing, a Hubspot Inbound Certification can only help.

“There are only a select few certifications that actually move the needle forward when assessing a candidate… The first is Hubspot’s Inbound Certification,” says Keith Johnstone, Marketing Manager at Peak Sales Recruiting. “It provides a framework and methodology for basic inbound marketing strategies and tactics like SEO, blogging, email marketing and social media.”

3. Google Certifications (Publisher,  Analytics, AdWords, etc.)

Google has a tremendous range of products and services, and almost as many certifications. Whether you’re in digital marketing, data science or software engineering, there’s likely a Google certification that you can benefit from.

“We look for candidates that have the Google Publisher University certificates. There is one for each of Google’s flagship supply-side products: DoubleClick Ad Exchange and DoubleClick for Publishers,” says Kean Graham, CEO of MonetizeMore. “It’s rare to see candidates that have these certificates but when we do see them, we snap them up. We have found these candidates tend to be at a consistently higher level than the others.”

Johnstone looks for candidates with Google Analytics certifications under their belts. “These courses allow students to learn everything about Google Analytics from how to analyze reports, set up goals, campaign tracking to data collection, processing and configuration and more complex analysis and marketing tools,” he says.

Rachel Lehn, Manager of Business Operations at Perfect Search Media, says her company “[looks] for current certifications in Google AdWords… As an agency, almost all of our employees have those certifications,” she shares. “If a candidate has current certifications, we know that they have at least a basic understanding of Google AdWords and Google Analytics, which are core platforms for our service offerings of paid search advertising and search engine optimization.”

The post 8 Certifications That Actually Impress Recruiters appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Honesty isn’t the best policy, at least according to some job seekers. People often stretch the truth on their resumes and cover letters in an attempt to land work, new research by OfficeTeam has revealed.

Nearly half of workers surveyed by the staffing company say they know someone who lied on their resume. That’s a 25% increase from 2011. Fifty-three percent of managers have a sneaking suspicion that candidates are often dishonest, and 38% have said no to an applicant after discovering their lies.

Employers are clearly clued into the fact that some applicants are either exaggerating their experience or handing over resumes that are more fiction than fact. But that doesn’t appear to stop some people from telling a few whoppers as they attempt to weasel their way into a job. Giving in to the temptation to lie when applying for a job is risky though. You could miss out on a job offer, damage your reputation, or even get fired once your fibs are revealed.

Plus, it’s easier than ever for a hiring manager to discover you’re not telling the truth about your past.  Here are 10 ways employers discover the truth behind your resume lies.

1. Your alma mater can’t confirm you graduated.

Claiming to be a Harvard graduate when you really have a degree from a no-name state school is one of the worst things you can lie about on your resume, according to hiring managers surveyed by Hloom. And while some employers will take you at your word when you say you went to a fancy school, others will check on your educational background by calling the school directly or using a service, such as the National Student Clearinghouse.

Sometimes, it’s interested third parties who clue an employer into a lie, such as the student journalists at a Kansas high school who discovered their new principal had inflated her educational credentials.

2. You can’t pass a skills test.

It’s easy to say you’re proficient in everything, from conversational French to coding, on your resume. But proving you actually have those skills is another thing entirely. Employers realize how simple it is for people to exaggerate their skill set, so don’t be surprised if you’re asked to demonstrate your talents.

An interviewer might ask you a question in the language you claim to be fluent in or give you an on-the-spot quiz. Failing such a basic test is a sure sign that you’ve either stretched the truth or overestimated your abilities, both of which are likely to take you out of the running for a job.

3. Dates don’t add up.

Roughly a quarter of resume liars are fibbing about their employment dates, according to OfficeTeam. If you’re tempted to cover up a resume gap by fudging employment dates, don’t do it. A quick call to your past employer is all it takes for someone to find out that you got laid off back in January, not June.

Trying to cover a gap by listing your job history by year, rather than month and year, is also suspicious and might prompt a hiring manager to do some further digging. If you’re worried about a resume gap making you look like a slacker, fill it with volunteering or consulting work, not lies.

4. Your resume and cover letter don’t match.

A sparkling, error-free resume paired with a messy cover letter is a red flag that a candidate is not being totally honest. Such a discrepancy suggests you got a helping hand with your C.V. or maybe even stole another person’s work history to pass off as your own. Being unable to recall key details of your past experience and jobs during an interview is another huge giveaway that you’ve fabricated your past employment.

5. Your job titles are too good to be true.

Two years out of college and already sitting in the C-suite? Expect an interviewer to ask some pointed questions about your responsibilities to make sure you’re actually telling the truth about your title. Inflated job titles will also come to light if the prospective employer calls your ex-boss to confirm your past employment. That’s when the promotion you gave yourself from marketing intern to senior marketing manager is going to be revealed.

6. You’re vague about your skills and experience.

Job candidates might stretch the truth by using vague terms to describe their skills and experience. Perhaps they reason that as long as they’re not spouting an outright lie, it’s OK. But savvy interviewers will spot people who aren’t quite as knowledgeable as they initially appear. “Using ambiguous phrases like ‘familiar with’ or ‘involved in’ could mean the candidate is trying to cover up a lack of direct experience,” noted OfficeTeam. In other words, claiming to be familiar with event planning because you sometimes pick up doughnuts for the weekly staff meeting isn’t going to fly.

7. Your body language betrays you.

You might think you’re an impeccable liar. But subtle body language cues in the interview could be giving away your resume lies. “A lack of eye contact or constant fidgeting may suggest dishonesty,” noted OfficeTeam, though those behaviors aren’t guarantees of dishonesty.

Touching your nose, looking down when you’re answering a question, and turning your body away from the interviewer are other ways you might inadvertently signal that you’re not telling the truth, according to the Los Angeles Times.

8. Your references don’t back you up.

If you’re a skilled liar, you might get away with embellishing your skills or past responsibilities in an interview or on your resume. But you won’t necessarily be able to count on your references to back you up. An honest reference will reveal the real extent of your job responsibilities or the truth about your so-called accomplishments.

Even if you find a reference willing to go along with your charade, the interviewer might do some extra digging on their own, reaching out to mutual connections or independently contacting your old boss or co-workers to find out what you’re really like. And remember, there are no laws restricting what an ex-employer can say about you, despite what some job seekers might think.

9. A Google search reveals the truth.

Seventy percent of employers snoop on candidates before offering them a job. You better hope that what HR finds on social media or as part of a basic Google search matches what you have on your resume. Of employers who decide not to hire someone after researching them online, 27% did so because they discovered the candidate had lied about their qualifications, CareerBuilder found. A little Nancy Drew-style sleuthing is all it takes to discover that your alma mater is a diploma mill or that the company you claimed to work for last year went out of business a decade ago.

10. The employer conducts a background check.

Not all employers conduct formal background checks. But if you encounter one that does, it will sink you if you’re being untruthful. If a prospective employer conducts a background check and discovers you’ve lied (either directly or by omission) about your work history, criminal past, education, professional certifications, or other key facts, don’t expect a job offer.

The post Lying on Your Resume? Here’s How You’ll Get Caught. appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Honesty isn’t the best policy, at least according to some job seekers. People often stretch the truth on their resumes and cover letters in an attempt to land work, new research by OfficeTeam has revealed.

Nearly half of workers surveyed by the staffing company say they know someone who lied on their resume. That’s a 25% increase from 2011. Fifty-three percent of managers have a sneaking suspicion that candidates are often dishonest, and 38% have said no to an applicant after discovering their lies.

Employers are clearly clued into the fact that some applicants are either exaggerating their experience or handing over resumes that are more fiction than fact. But that doesn’t appear to stop some people from telling a few whoppers as they attempt to weasel their way into a job. Giving in to the temptation to lie when applying for a job is risky though. You could miss out on a job offer, damage your reputation, or even get fired once your fibs are revealed.

Plus, it’s easier than ever for a hiring manager to discover you’re not telling the truth about your past.  Here are 10 ways employers discover the truth behind your resume lies.

1. Your alma mater can’t confirm you graduated.

Claiming to be a Harvard graduate when you really have a degree from a no-name state school is one of the worst things you can lie about on your resume, according to hiring managers surveyed by Hloom. And while some employers will take you at your word when you say you went to a fancy school, others will check on your educational background by calling the school directly or using a service, such as the National Student Clearinghouse.

Sometimes, it’s interested third parties who clue an employer into a lie, such as the student journalists at a Kansas high school who discovered their new principal had inflated her educational credentials.

2. You can’t pass a skills test.

It’s easy to say you’re proficient in everything, from conversational French to coding, on your resume. But proving you actually have those skills is another thing entirely. Employers realize how simple it is for people to exaggerate their skill set, so don’t be surprised if you’re asked to demonstrate your talents.

An interviewer might ask you a question in the language you claim to be fluent in or give you an on-the-spot quiz. Failing such a basic test is a sure sign that you’ve either stretched the truth or overestimated your abilities, both of which are likely to take you out of the running for a job.

3. Dates don’t add up.

Roughly a quarter of resume liars are fibbing about their employment dates, according to OfficeTeam. If you’re tempted to cover up a resume gap by fudging employment dates, don’t do it. A quick call to your past employer is all it takes for someone to find out that you got laid off back in January, not June.

Trying to cover a gap by listing your job history by year, rather than month and year, is also suspicious and might prompt a hiring manager to do some further digging. If you’re worried about a resume gap making you look like a slacker, fill it with volunteering or consulting work, not lies.

4. Your resume and cover letter don’t match.

A sparkling, error-free resume paired with a messy cover letter is a red flag that a candidate is not being totally honest. Such a discrepancy suggests you got a helping hand with your C.V. or maybe even stole another person’s work history to pass off as your own. Being unable to recall key details of your past experience and jobs during an interview is another huge giveaway that you’ve fabricated your past employment.

5. Your job titles are too good to be true.

Two years out of college and already sitting in the C-suite? Expect an interviewer to ask some pointed questions about your responsibilities to make sure you’re actually telling the truth about your title. Inflated job titles will also come to light if the prospective employer calls your ex-boss to confirm your past employment. That’s when the promotion you gave yourself from marketing intern to senior marketing manager is going to be revealed.

6. You’re vague about your skills and experience.

Job candidates might stretch the truth by using vague terms to describe their skills and experience. Perhaps they reason that as long as they’re not spouting an outright lie, it’s OK. But savvy interviewers will spot people who aren’t quite as knowledgeable as they initially appear. “Using ambiguous phrases like ‘familiar with’ or ‘involved in’ could mean the candidate is trying to cover up a lack of direct experience,” noted OfficeTeam. In other words, claiming to be familiar with event planning because you sometimes pick up doughnuts for the weekly staff meeting isn’t going to fly.

7. Your body language betrays you.

You might think you’re an impeccable liar. But subtle body language cues in the interview could be giving away your resume lies. “A lack of eye contact or constant fidgeting may suggest dishonesty,” noted OfficeTeam, though those behaviors aren’t guarantees of dishonesty.

Touching your nose, looking down when you’re answering a question, and turning your body away from the interviewer are other ways you might inadvertently signal that you’re not telling the truth, according to the Los Angeles Times.

8. Your references don’t back you up.

If you’re a skilled liar, you might get away with embellishing your skills or past responsibilities in an interview or on your resume. But you won’t necessarily be able to count on your references to back you up. An honest reference will reveal the real extent of your job responsibilities or the truth about your so-called accomplishments.

Even if you find a reference willing to go along with your charade, the interviewer might do some extra digging on their own, reaching out to mutual connections or independently contacting your old boss or co-workers to find out what you’re really like. And remember, there are no laws restricting what an ex-employer can say about you, despite what some job seekers might think.

9. A Google search reveals the truth.

Seventy percent of employers snoop on candidates before offering them a job. You better hope that what HR finds on social media or as part of a basic Google search matches what you have on your resume. Of employers who decide not to hire someone after researching them online, 27% did so because they discovered the candidate had lied about their qualifications, CareerBuilder found. A little Nancy Drew-style sleuthing is all it takes to discover that your alma mater is a diploma mill or that the company you claimed to work for last year went out of business a decade ago.

10. The employer conducts a background check.

Not all employers conduct formal background checks. But if you encounter one that does, it will sink you if you’re being untruthful. If a prospective employer conducts a background check and discovers you’ve lied (either directly or by omission) about your work history, criminal past, education, professional certifications, or other key facts, don’t expect a job offer.

The post Lying on Your Resume? Here’s How You’ll Get Caught. appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

One recruiter shares her go-to checklist for the types of resumes that catch her eye.

In my eight years as a recruiter at an investment bank, I reviewed thousands of resumes. I’ve seen and learned a lot, from the importance of proofreading to the art of formatting. It’s enough to know that there isn’t one acceptable format or approach to creating an awesome resume.

There are, however, a few key strategies that can make your resume more effectively do what you intend it to: Catch someone’s eye, clearly communicate your qualifications, and help move you on to the next stage of the hiring process. You’re selling yourself and the value you can bring to an organization. Here are my top tips for using your resume as a marketing tool that will help you catch a recruiter’s eye.

1. It’s All One Page

You’ve likely heard this one before, and for good reason: It’s real! Recruiters review very large numbers of resumes and will likely make an initial determination about your fit for a role based on a quick scan. If locating the relevant information about your background requires turning the page, we very well might miss it and move on.

Note: There are a few exceptions. If you hold a PhD and need to cite relevant work (like published papers), for example, there may be an argument for a second page. No matter what, though, strive to keep your resume short, clean, and relevant to the position for which you’re applying.

2. The Formatting Fits (And Shows Off) The Content

If the one-page rule is proving challenging, start by making some simple formatting changes. Narrow your margins, restructure your header to span fewer lines, and reduce the indentations of any bullet points. Speaking of which, to make sure your key skills and experiences jump off the page, organize your content into brief, bulleted sentences or phrases instead of paragraphs.

While you’re at it, proofread and proofread again. Ask yourself: Are all fonts and font sizes uniform? Are all dates abbreviated the same way? Do titles and positions line up properly? Your resume is a sample of your work product and your attention to detail. Be certain that you are representing yourself well.

3.There’s Nothing There You Can’t Discuss In Depth

Often, the biggest challenge is deciding what to actually include on your resume. Use the job description of the position you’re applying for to guide you, and don’t be afraid to make tweaks for each application. Your resume should highlight your relevant education, skills you’ve learned on the job, and the value you’d bring to the target organization.

For each role you include, highlight projects in which you demonstrated leadership or accomplished something significant, being as specific and quantitative as possible. Did you lead an initiative that resulted in a 10% reduction in annual marketing spend? Or develop a program that led to doubling the growth in membership to an employee resource group?

Most importantly, do not exaggerate. Anything on your resume is fair game for an interviewer to grill you about and to ask your references to back up. The quickest way to end your chances of getting a job is to give a recruiter a reason to question your integrity.

4. Your Personality Comes Through

Beyond your education and professional experience, personal interests can help your resume stand out. For one, organizations want to work with interesting, passionate people, so whether you’re an avid soccer player, mountain climber, Eagles fan, or trombonist, don’t be afraid to show some personality. If you’re involved with any organizations, highlight those experiences as well, noting any relevant leadership positions. Interests can also help you connect with interviews on a personal level – which matters!

Finally, interests can serve as real estate for you to demonstrate those often harder-to-gauge qualities companies may be looking for. Curate your list wisely, and if think you don’t have room to include hobbies and interests, take a closer look at the other skills and attributes you’ve chosen to highlight. While hard skills like Advanced C++, SQL, and fluency in a foreign language are crucial, soft skills like being “hard working” and “a team player” don’t add much value. Revert back to the golden “show, don’t tell” rule and swap out those adjectives in favor of experiences and commitments that help tell the story of who you are and what you bring to the boardroom table.

The post I Review Thousands of Resumes – Here’s What I’m Really Looking For appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

How do you choose who to put down as a reference? It’s an important choice you’ll have to make when you’re putting together your job application. One wrong word from a less-than-enthusiastic reference can quickly knock you off an employer’s list of candidates.

On the other hand, a strong endorsement from the right reference can convince an employer that you have the right skills and experience to excel in the job.

References are such a powerful tool because you can promote yourself all you want in a cover letter, resume or portfolio, but you have less autonomy over your references. Whereas you can’t control what your references say about you, you can control who you select as a reference. And, it’s a crucial choice to make, with serious consequences to your job search.

Here are thirteen tips for choosing the best references to use in a job application.

13 Tips for Selecting the Best References

1. Ask your manager or a past boss, but be careful. In an ideal world, a direct manager or supervisor would act as your reference, and would be willing to discuss specific examples as to how you excelled in your role, and added to value to the team, department or company while in your position.

The absence of a supervisor in your group of references can incite questions about your performance on the job.

Employers will understand if you leave off a current supervisor because you don’t want to jeopardize the job you have already. In that case, you might say a reference from a current supervisor can be provided if an offer is pending. It is then more important to include a past boss.

2. When to ask anyone other than your manager. If you had any issues with your manager or supervisor, you shouldn’t include them. “Issues” means anything serious, that is. Everyone makes little mistakes sometimes, but if there were any instances during your previous job in which you were disciplined or given a warning – anything that you wouldn’t want a new employer to hear about – then you shouldn’t ask anyone involved in that situation, managers or coworkers, to act as a reference.

3. Ask a colleague or coworker. References don’t necessarily have to be someone you worked under. You can also ask coworkers who you have a good relationship with to act as one of your references.

4. Get several references. Try to gather a group of multiple potential references, more than you think you’d need for one job. Employers will rarely ask for more than three references, but having a larger pool will allow you to choose references strategically based on the different requirements of each job.

5. Get both networking and job references. Distinguish between references for job applications and references for networking purposes. Networking references don’t need to have the same insight into you as a productive individual in order to make some introductions or ask their employer to take a careful look at your application. However, you should meet face to face with networking references and show them your resume so they can speak first-hand about your personal and communication skills if making a referral.

6. Know what your references will say about you. Always choose references who have agreed to provide positive recommendations. The last thing you need when job searching is a negative reference, so be sure you are clear on how your references will endorse you. Whenever possible, ask references to compose written recommendations in advance of forwarding their name to employers, so you have a clear sense of how they will represent your background.

LinkedIn recommendations provide an excellent opportunity to pre-screen your references. Try writing one for them before you ask them to submit a LinkedIn recommendation. At minimum, make sure a reference has verbally agreed to make a positive recommendation.

What to Ask: You can say, “Are you comfortable or in the position to make a positive or enthusiastic recommendation given your exposure to my work?”

7. Make sure your references can focus on your best achievements. References who will take the time to prepare and deliver specific recommendations are often the most powerful. Your best references will be able to speak concretely and anecdotally about your skills, work ethic, and achievements on the job, in the classroom, or in your community.

8. Match your selection of references to the requirements of the job at hand. Ask yourself which of your references can provide the most compelling evidence that you have the assets to excel in the job you’re applying for.

9. Pick and choose depending on the job. Think of your reference selections as a group. One reference may be able to speak to a critical strength like problem-solving while another might be able to endorse another key qualification like presentation skills. Make sure your roster of references for a particular job can cover as many of core job requirements as possible.

10. Internal references have a high impact on hiring. If you have any connections within the company you’re applying to who you think would be able to speak to your abilities, then you should certainly ask if they would be willing to stand as one of your references.

If you don’t have too much of a work history with them, then you might want to supply three other references, and then ask your internal connection to informally “chime in” on your behalf if they believe you’d be a good fit for the job. Here’s how to ask for a referral for a job.

11. Remember to update your reference selections periodically. Add new supporters and move individuals off your list if they seem less than enthusiastic, or if a lot of time has passed since you’ve worked with them.

12. Recommendations don’t just have to come from your paid, professional positions. If you have any involvement in continued education, volunteering or community work, supervisors or peers in those roles will be able to provide references, too. However, avoid using acquaintances or family friends who haven’t had any exposure to you in a work-related setting.

13. Recent graduates should tap as many faculty members as possible as long as you excelled in their courses. Faculty can provide an excellent bridge to former students who will often have fond memories of the professor and great respect for their judgment.

Give to Get

Giving to get works really well when you’re lining up employment references. Take the time to offer to provide a reference to the people who are giving you one. Even a boss can use a good recommendation from an employee. Your colleagues, clients and coworkers will also appreciate the offer.

The post 13 Tips for Choosing the Best Job References appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Job seekers, give yourself an edge with some modern touches.

“In today’s job market, your resume needs to immediately stand out,” says Dawn Bugni, a professional resume writer in Wilmington, N.C. Attention spans are at an all-time short, with hiring managers spending just six seconds looking at a resume before deciding whether the applicant is worth further consideration, a recent study by TheLadders found. (That’s if a human looks at it at all; before your application even reaches a hiring manager, it usually has to make it past an automated applicant tracking system.)

As hiring continues to increase, job seekers will face stiff competition this year. Follow the tips below to make your resume shine in 2016.

1. Enhance your contact information.

Put simply: hiring managers are busy; make their job easier by hyperlinking your email address so that you’re only one click away, says Wendy Enelow, co-author of Modernize Your Resume: Get Noticed…Get Hired. Bear in mind that you expose yourself to identify theft if you include your full mailing address, says Enelow, so only put your city, state, and zip code on your resume. Also, use active links to your LinkedIn profile and any other social media accounts that are fit for recruiters.

2. Make the page “pop.”

Depending on the industry, you can distinguish your resume by punching up the design, but exercise caution: a graphic artist, for example, has more creative leeway than an accountant.

Enelow’s co-author Louise Kursmark recommends using color to make your resume unique. To stay professional, consider making only section headers blue, for example, and leaving the rest in black, Kursmark suggests. And replace the outdated Times New Roman with a more modern font such as Cambria, Calibri, or Georgia, Enelow says. (As standard typefaces, they translate well between operating systems.)

3. Ditch the objective statement…

Today’s hiring managers aren’t concerned with what is it you’re looking for—they’re focused on finding the right hire. Thus, “the objective statement has become obsolete,” says Tiffani Murray, an HR professional and resume writer at Atlanta-based Personality On a Page.

…and lead with a summary.

To capture the hiring manager’s attention, start your resume with a short professional synopsis that states your years of experience, job history, and big career achievements. Instead of labeling the section a “summary,” use the header to highlight your area of expertise, says Enelow.

4. Guide the reader’s eye.

The Internet has changed reading behavior, says Kursmark: “People don’t read top to bottom anymore. They’re constantly skimming and looking at different parts of the page, and if you don’t structure your resume to appeal to that, a lot of good material will get overlooked.” Therefore, use bolded text to ensure your achievements stand out.

5. Beat the robots.

Many medium and large companies use software to weed out candidates. Your resume will need the right keywords to get through, so mirror the language of the job posting, advises Bugni, and pay attention to detail. “Changing something as simple as ‘customer service’ to ‘client relations’ can get your resume approved or rejected,” she says.

6. Forgo a “skills” section.

Weave your talents into your work experience. “Employers are looking for more than a list of skills,” says Murray. “They want to know how you’ve applied them.” The exception: It’s beneficial to have a designated section when applying for a skills-based job that requires specific qualifications, such as an IT specialist.

7. Maximize your real estate.

Despite what you may have heard, you don’t necessarily need to limit your resume to one page. “A resume is as long as it needs to be to convey value. And not one word more,” says Bugni. That said, a two-page resume may be appropriate for someone with 30 years’ experience — not for a recent college graduate. To conserve space use bullet points, active verbs, and industry-specific acronyms, and don’t state the obvious (e.g., including “references available upon request”).

The post What Your Resume Should Look Like in 2016 appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

When you’re working in a job where your achievements are quantified, including numbers on your resume is the best way to get your application noticed. For example, if you’re in sales listing how you exceeded your goals is a sure fire way to impress a prospective employer.

Showing what you achieved in a quantifiable way is important for other types of jobs, as well. Even if you aren’t in a role where you are evaluated on your quantifiable achievements, numbers on your resume can help you get the interview.

Incorporating numbers into your resume shows employers, at a glance, what you have accomplished at work.

It’s All in the Numbers

Adding numbers to your resume is a great way to prove to employers that you have legitimate accomplishments in your work history. Of course, not all of your achievements will be quantifiable, but many of them will be.

Review these tips to find your achievements that can be quantified, along with the best language to use to frame those accomplishments.

Tips for Including Numbers on Your Resume

What’s the best way to include numbers on your resume? Start by identifying any outcomes for your department which would be considered key indicators of success. Ask yourself, and colleagues if you are unsure, what the bottom line considerations are for your department.

For example, your department’s success might be measured by one or more of the following factors:

• New clients acquired
• Sales revenue
• Cost reduction
• Cost savings
• Increase in page views
• Increase in profits
• Increase in user engagement
• Level of donations
• Number of cases closed
• Client retention
• Customer ratings
• Customer satisfaction
• Complaints resolved
• Billable hours
• Number of safety violations
• Audit findings
• Reduction in overtime costs
• Retention of employees
• Loss prevention reduction
• Staff morale
• Credentials of a class of recruits
• Test scores by students
• Response time

Next, select the bottom-line areas that are most impacted by your individual work. Quantify the change over time resulting from your actions.

Establish a baseline for any of the bottom line indicators that you have chosen. The baseline might be tied to the calendar such as the beginning of the year or a business quarter. If you have implemented a new initiative, then the baseline would be the state of things right before that activity began.

Use Action Words

Select action words which imply change to start out your phrases like increased, reduced, enhanced, expanded, eliminated, added, compressed, minimized, pruned, lessened, shrunk, downsized, augmented, grew, elevated, enlarged, diminished or shortened. Here’s a list of action words to get your started.

How to Quantify the Change

Quantify the change by selecting a figure to represent the change that you have helped to generate. For example:

• Shortened wait time for new customers by 20%
• Increased billable hours in the third quarter by 15%

If you have trouble assigning an exact number, then you might use some language that frames the change as an approximation or range. For example:

• Increased test scores by at least 10 points
• Increased test scores by 10-20 points

Include How You Got the Results

Include some reference to how you were able to generate the results that you are quantifying to increase the impact of your statements. For example:

• Increased sales by 15% after implementing a referral incentive program
• Elevated the average customer rating from 4.0 to 4.5 after instituting a new customer service training program

More Options for Including Numbers on a Resume

Another way to incorporate numbers into your resume is to represent the magnitude of your output or responsibilities regardless of whether you can cite a change in key indicators.

For example:

• Generated an average of 110 billable hours each month over the first six months of the year
• Taught mathematics to over 120 sixth-grade students including 12 students who had been diagnosed with learning disabilities

You may include numerical indicators of commitment to your work if you are willing to perpetuate that pattern with a new employer. For example, you could say:

• Worked 17 consecutive days to complete project on time and under budget
• Worked an average of 55 hours a week to complete the audit before the year-end

Back Up Your Resume With Facts

Make sure the numbers that you incorporate into your resume are accurate and will be supported by your references.

Share your resume with references so they are aware of your specific assertions. Save any documents like performance appraisals or sales reports that confirm your numbers.

The post Why and How to Include Numbers on Your Resume appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Before you send or upload a resume to apply for a job, it’s important to proofread it so it’s perfect. A typo or grammatical error can cost you a job interview.

Resume Proofreading Checklist

Review this list of common resume mistakes to make sure that your resume is well-written and error free.

Spelling Mistakes

• Don’t use words with which you aren’t familiar.
• Use a dictionary as you write.
• Perform a spell check on your finished resume.
• Carefully read every word in your resume. If you write “from” instead of “form,” your spell check will be unable to detect your mistake.
• Have a friend or two proofread your resume for you.

Punctuation Mistakes

• Check for periods at the end of all full sentences.
• Be consistent in your use of punctuation.
• Always put periods and commas within quotation marks (i.e., Won awards, including the “John H. Malcom Memorial Service Award.”)
• Avoid using exclamation points.

Grammatical Mistakes

• Do not switch tenses within your resume – be sure they are consistent for each job you list. The duties you currently perform should be in the present tense (i.e., write reports), but ones you may have performed at past jobs should be in past tense (i.e., wrote reports).
• Capitalize all proper nouns.
• When expressing numbers, write out all numbers between one and nine (i.e., one, five, seven), but use numerals for all numbers 10 and above (i.e., 10, 25, 108).
• If you begin a sentence with a numeral, spell out that numeral (i.e., Eleven service awards won while employed.).
• Make sure your date formats are consistent (i.e., 11/22/14 or November 22, 2014, or 11.22.14. Choose one and stick with it.).

Check for Word Usage

• Be on the lookout for the following easily confused words:

       1. accept (to receive)
       2. except (to exclude)
       3. all right (correct)
       4. alright (this is not a word)
       5. affect (to bring about change)
       6. effect (result)
       7. personal (private)
       8. personnel (staff members)
       9. role (a character assigned or a function)
       10. roll (to revolve).

• Use action words (i.e., wrote reports, increased revenues, directed staff).

Check Dates, Contact Information, Abbreviation and Spacing

• Check dates of all prior employment.
• Check your address and phone number – are they still current and correct?
• Check the number of spaces separating your categories: are they consistent?
• Check abbreviation of state names. All state abbreviations are two letters – no periods. For example, New York is abbreviated NY, California is CA, and Florida is FL. Look up other state abbreviations.

Resume Design Is Important

• Don’t overcrowd your resume; allow for plenty of white space.
• Keep your resume to one page whenever possible.
• Keep the number of fonts you use to a minimum — two at the most.
• Use a font that is easy to read. Do not justify the lines of type on your resume. Allow the right side of the page to “rag.”
• Do not overuse capitalization, italics, underlines, or other emphasizing features.
• Make sure your name, address, phone number and email address appear on your resume and all correspondence, preferably at the top of the page.
• For paper resume, print your resume on white or cream paper using a good-quality printer. Print on one side of the paper only.

What To Omit From a Resume

• Salary history.
• Gender, age, race, marital status, or other similar personal information.

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