Almost everyone has been told by their mothers to wipe their feet before coming inside. By that same token, almost everyone has forgotten to do so and left a trail of dirt and mess as they walked through the house. If you want to keep a truly clean home, wiping your feet on the doormat before entering is a big help.
However, we all know that doormats don’t get the bottom of your shoes completely clean. How do we know this? The floors need mopping and the carpet needs vacuuming all too soon, even in a house where feet are wiped upon each entry.
If you want to know that your floors are clean enough to eat off of, you need a tacky mat. Tacky mats are not your average door mat. These high tech mats actually remove all dirt and debris from your shoes and some are even equipped to sanitize your shoes.
As you can imagine, tacky mats were not invented for the obsessive compulsive home owner. Tacky mats are most often used in business, labs, and clean rooms in which the area needs to be kept completely clean and sanitary. Tacky mats keep those entering the area from carrying germs, dirt, and debris into the room along with their shoes.
But just how do these wonder mats work their magic? How Tacky mats work has remained a mystery for many, but it’s actually quite simple. In fact, the name ‘tacky mat’ is a big clue as to how tacky mats work to eliminate shoe bottom filth.
Also known as sticky mats, tacky mats are comprised of layer upon layer of adhesive film. The highly powerful adhesive on the film effectively removes dirt, grime, and even grease from the bottoms of shoes, bare feet, wheels, and even animal paws. The adhesive in tacky mats is not your average sticker glue. You might say that it’s adhesive on steroids!
Many tacky mat manufacturers also include anti-microbial germicide that also kills germs. Not only are floors free of dirt and debris, but you can feel confident that your floors and rooms are sanitary and safe.
Best of all, when your tacky mat is full of dirt and debris, a fresh layer of adhesive is just a few minutes away. Simply peel away the top layer to reveal a fresh mat of industrial strength adhesive. Many tacky mats have as many as thirty layers to ensure you never run out of cleanliness. You never have to wash, clean or maintain your tacky mat.
Tacky mats are even used in hospitals to ensure the highest levels of sanitation and cleanliness. When used in the home, tacky mats help you keep a fresh and sanitary home without additional cleaning time on your part.
For home owners and business owners that want to work smarter and not harder, but still want to maintain a clean and sanitary space, tacky mats are a very valuable tool. You’ll love knowing that your tacky mat is working on your behalf to keep your home and your business clean.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Resume Editing Tips That Get the Job Done
When you’re looking for a new job, your resume is arguably the most important part of your application process. Many job-seekers focus on interviewing skills, which are very important. But in order to land that coveted interview, your resume has to speak for you.
Your resume is your potential employer’s first impression of you. More than likely, an assistant or human resources professional will quickly scan your resume. If your resume doesn’t grab their attention in those few moments, they probably won’t be calling you. It’s sad, but it’s true.
Then why does it seem like so many job-seekers miss out on opportunities that are awarded to applicants who may or may not be more qualified? The secret is in the resume. Learning how to write a professional, impressive resume that highlights your qualifications is the secret to landing your next job.
If you’re editing your own resume for your next job-search, here are few resume editing tips to make your resume shine.
Resume Editing Tip #1: Use Proper Grammar and Spelling
It may sound obvious, but it’s important that your resume is well-written and grammatically correct. Always give your resume several proof reads, or better yet, have someone else read it, before sending it off to ensure there are no grammatical or spelling errors or run-on sentences.
Resume Editing Tip #2: Be Consistent
It’s also important to be consistent in the formatting of your resume. For example, don’t use bullet points in one section and numbers in another. Also, use a consistent format for dates. Don’t spell out the date in one section—September 9, 2007—and abbreviate it in another—9/9/07. Your resume should be pleasing to the eye.
Resume Editing Tip #3: Give them the Information They Want
If a potential employer has to thumb through your lengthy resume to find your qualifications, it may end up in the shredder. Present your best qualifications right up front. List your skills and experience in the first few lines
Resume Editing Tip #4: How Much is Too Much
We’ve all heard that resumes should only be one page in length. It’s okay to include a little extra information in there, but this is generally a good guideline to stick with. Multi-page resumes can be overwhelming. If you can find a way to fit all of your best information on one page, that’s the way to go.
Resume Editing Tip #5: Don’t Give Them Information They Don’t Need
In an effort to fill up space, job-seekers sometimes put unnecessary information on their resumes. High school information, personal information like your race or marital status, and interests or hobbies shouldn’t appear on your resume. Also, references should also be presented on a separate sheet that you’ll bring to the interview and not your resume.
Resume Editing Tip #6: State Your Objective
Let the employer know that you’re interested in their company for a very specific reason. Use the objective section of your resume to state your purpose for applying for this position. Sometimes this section alone can put you ahead of the pack.
In general, resumes should be prepared with care. They should be thoughtfully proofread, updated, and tailored to each position. If you put time and effort into your resume, the chances are good that your potential employer will take the time to give it careful consideration.
Review the top resume editing services on the internet.
Your resume is your potential employer’s first impression of you. More than likely, an assistant or human resources professional will quickly scan your resume. If your resume doesn’t grab their attention in those few moments, they probably won’t be calling you. It’s sad, but it’s true.
Then why does it seem like so many job-seekers miss out on opportunities that are awarded to applicants who may or may not be more qualified? The secret is in the resume. Learning how to write a professional, impressive resume that highlights your qualifications is the secret to landing your next job.
If you’re editing your own resume for your next job-search, here are few resume editing tips to make your resume shine.
Resume Editing Tip #1: Use Proper Grammar and Spelling
It may sound obvious, but it’s important that your resume is well-written and grammatically correct. Always give your resume several proof reads, or better yet, have someone else read it, before sending it off to ensure there are no grammatical or spelling errors or run-on sentences.
Resume Editing Tip #2: Be Consistent
It’s also important to be consistent in the formatting of your resume. For example, don’t use bullet points in one section and numbers in another. Also, use a consistent format for dates. Don’t spell out the date in one section—September 9, 2007—and abbreviate it in another—9/9/07. Your resume should be pleasing to the eye.
Resume Editing Tip #3: Give them the Information They Want
If a potential employer has to thumb through your lengthy resume to find your qualifications, it may end up in the shredder. Present your best qualifications right up front. List your skills and experience in the first few lines
Resume Editing Tip #4: How Much is Too Much
We’ve all heard that resumes should only be one page in length. It’s okay to include a little extra information in there, but this is generally a good guideline to stick with. Multi-page resumes can be overwhelming. If you can find a way to fit all of your best information on one page, that’s the way to go.
Resume Editing Tip #5: Don’t Give Them Information They Don’t Need
In an effort to fill up space, job-seekers sometimes put unnecessary information on their resumes. High school information, personal information like your race or marital status, and interests or hobbies shouldn’t appear on your resume. Also, references should also be presented on a separate sheet that you’ll bring to the interview and not your resume.
Resume Editing Tip #6: State Your Objective
Let the employer know that you’re interested in their company for a very specific reason. Use the objective section of your resume to state your purpose for applying for this position. Sometimes this section alone can put you ahead of the pack.
In general, resumes should be prepared with care. They should be thoughtfully proofread, updated, and tailored to each position. If you put time and effort into your resume, the chances are good that your potential employer will take the time to give it careful consideration.
Review the top resume editing services on the internet.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tips for Responding to Knowledge Skills and Abilities Factors When Applying for Government Positions
If you haven’t looked for a job recently, particularly in the government field, you may not be familiar with the term KSA. It is an acronym for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Federal job applicants are commonly required to complete a narrative statement on specified KSAs in order to be considered for a particular position. Such a statement is used to determine the proficiency of a candidate to perform the duties of a position. Therefore, in order to successfully compete for a position, it is important to understand how to fully explain on your knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through education, experience, and past employment. As with a resume, if you cannot effectively elaborate on why you are the best candidate for the position, applying for the position is a waste of the employer’s time as well as yours.
Carefully analyze the position description. There are several key tips to responding to questions on your knowledge, skills, and abilities successfully. The key to writing a solid response concerning your KSAs in regard to a particular factor is to carefully review and consider the job announcement for the position to which you are applying. Along with providing what KSA factors you need to address in a narrative statement, the announcement will give you specific clues about what language to use in your response. When you read the announcement consider what words stated in it are specific or common to the job and the field to which you are applying. Make note of these words and ensure when appropriate in your response that you use these words. Even if a previous employer used a similar, but slightly different word to describe the skill or ability you are addressing, use the word listed in the announcement. You will draw an immediate link between yourself and your capability to perform the job.
Include specific examples. Further, Federal job announcement instructions provide an important strategy to fully and properly responding to KSA factors. They indicate your KSA response should provide “examples and explain how often you used these skills, the complexity of the knowledge you possessed, the level of the people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc.” In essence, your response should be made up of several examples from previous experiences that demonstrate you have the requisite knowledge, skill, or ability sought. The examples you provide should be descriptive and quantitative. If your work at a previous employer saved the company time, money, or any other resource, when using this experience as an example to respond to a KSA factor, indicate what and how much of it (time, money, etc…) your work saved. However, even if you don’t have quantifiable results to give in your examples, ensure you provide the following four items for each example:
1. Provide a context of the situation. What did it require of you?
2. What about the situation made it difficult to solve or work through?
3. What steps did you take to resolve the issue?
4. What was the outcome of the action you took?
Follow directions completely. There are also several stylistic points to responding to KSA factors in your narrative statement. Each KSA factor should be addressed on a separate piece of paper and should be a half a page to a page in length. Arrange your response so that the most important and key information is at the beginning of your answer. Your submission will likely be scanned so keep this in mind as you lay out the information. Write your response in the first person. Finally, and most importantly, make sure that you carefully proofread your narrative statement prior to submitting it. Often communication is an important skill that is addressed in a narrative statement; therefore, it is vital that your grammar and writing are impeccable.
Even if you aren’t applying for a Federal job, it is important to learn about KSAs. If you can identify the key knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with your job or work field, you can think of examples from your education, experience, and past employment that demonstrate your work proficiency. These examples are prime responses to the behavioral based interviewing questions that many corporate employers use today. Therefore, having thought through your key KSAs and your examples to demonstrate them will make interviewing for jobs easier and likely more successful.
Final Tip: Begin your KSA writing by using a KSA sample. Your writing will go much faster and be more professional looking.
Carefully analyze the position description. There are several key tips to responding to questions on your knowledge, skills, and abilities successfully. The key to writing a solid response concerning your KSAs in regard to a particular factor is to carefully review and consider the job announcement for the position to which you are applying. Along with providing what KSA factors you need to address in a narrative statement, the announcement will give you specific clues about what language to use in your response. When you read the announcement consider what words stated in it are specific or common to the job and the field to which you are applying. Make note of these words and ensure when appropriate in your response that you use these words. Even if a previous employer used a similar, but slightly different word to describe the skill or ability you are addressing, use the word listed in the announcement. You will draw an immediate link between yourself and your capability to perform the job.
Include specific examples. Further, Federal job announcement instructions provide an important strategy to fully and properly responding to KSA factors. They indicate your KSA response should provide “examples and explain how often you used these skills, the complexity of the knowledge you possessed, the level of the people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc.” In essence, your response should be made up of several examples from previous experiences that demonstrate you have the requisite knowledge, skill, or ability sought. The examples you provide should be descriptive and quantitative. If your work at a previous employer saved the company time, money, or any other resource, when using this experience as an example to respond to a KSA factor, indicate what and how much of it (time, money, etc…) your work saved. However, even if you don’t have quantifiable results to give in your examples, ensure you provide the following four items for each example:
1. Provide a context of the situation. What did it require of you?
2. What about the situation made it difficult to solve or work through?
3. What steps did you take to resolve the issue?
4. What was the outcome of the action you took?
Follow directions completely. There are also several stylistic points to responding to KSA factors in your narrative statement. Each KSA factor should be addressed on a separate piece of paper and should be a half a page to a page in length. Arrange your response so that the most important and key information is at the beginning of your answer. Your submission will likely be scanned so keep this in mind as you lay out the information. Write your response in the first person. Finally, and most importantly, make sure that you carefully proofread your narrative statement prior to submitting it. Often communication is an important skill that is addressed in a narrative statement; therefore, it is vital that your grammar and writing are impeccable.
Even if you aren’t applying for a Federal job, it is important to learn about KSAs. If you can identify the key knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with your job or work field, you can think of examples from your education, experience, and past employment that demonstrate your work proficiency. These examples are prime responses to the behavioral based interviewing questions that many corporate employers use today. Therefore, having thought through your key KSAs and your examples to demonstrate them will make interviewing for jobs easier and likely more successful.
Final Tip: Begin your KSA writing by using a KSA sample. Your writing will go much faster and be more professional looking.
Friday, December 5, 2008
What is the Cost of a Toll Free Number?
Back in the days when land lines were the major component of communication, businesses used toll-free numbers to allow their customers to call at no personal cost. This was a big hit with the buying public, but the cost to businesses was very high. Fortunately, increased competition from cell phone companies with no long-distance charges brought the cost of toll-free numbers down significantly.
What is a Toll Free Number?
Whenever you call an 800 number, you are calling a number that is toll-free. The owner of the number is the one that gets billed for the call. Whenever we hear toll-free, we think of the 800 area code. While it is true that the area code 800 is always a toll-free phone number, there are several other area codes that are reserved for toll-free status as well. Other toll free area codes include: 888, 877, 866 numbers that are in use now. Other toll-free area codes are reserved for future use, and they include: 844, 833, and 822.
How Do You Know the Price?
Many years ago, you only had one choice for your 800 service. Things have changed these days. You can still choose to get service or your local phone company, or you can choose from a large number of telephone companies that offer toll-free service.
If you type the words “toll-free phone number” into any search engine, you will get many pages of telephone companies advertising their services. Many times right in the ad, the company will display costs for their services. Prices range from $9.99 per month and up depending on the numbers of perks that you want included in your plan.
The best way to find the best price is to talk to all of them. At least talk to several companies before you choose the right one for your business needs. Keep in mind that you need to compare all options offered with each company, as well as price to make up your mind. Once you decide which company you want, they can take care of getting your phone number and all of your service connected for you.
Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Phone Number?
Only you can decide if the benefits of having a toll-free number are worth it for your business. There are some advantages that are worth noting. The number is portable, so if you move, the number follows you around the country. You will get a better response to any advertising when you post a toll-free telephone number. Your customers like a business that doesn't charge them for telephone calls. Businesses that have toll-free numbers tend to have a better professional image and businesses that don't. It's all about credibility. A toll-free number will give you a little extra credibility with your customers.
To recap, do your research on several different companies to find the best deal for your toll-free telephone number. Compare prices, features, and benefits offered with all of the different plans. One site that posts customer ratings of the top toll free number providers is BestTollFree800Numbers.com.
What is a Toll Free Number?
Whenever you call an 800 number, you are calling a number that is toll-free. The owner of the number is the one that gets billed for the call. Whenever we hear toll-free, we think of the 800 area code. While it is true that the area code 800 is always a toll-free phone number, there are several other area codes that are reserved for toll-free status as well. Other toll free area codes include: 888, 877, 866 numbers that are in use now. Other toll-free area codes are reserved for future use, and they include: 844, 833, and 822.
How Do You Know the Price?
Many years ago, you only had one choice for your 800 service. Things have changed these days. You can still choose to get service or your local phone company, or you can choose from a large number of telephone companies that offer toll-free service.
If you type the words “toll-free phone number” into any search engine, you will get many pages of telephone companies advertising their services. Many times right in the ad, the company will display costs for their services. Prices range from $9.99 per month and up depending on the numbers of perks that you want included in your plan.
The best way to find the best price is to talk to all of them. At least talk to several companies before you choose the right one for your business needs. Keep in mind that you need to compare all options offered with each company, as well as price to make up your mind. Once you decide which company you want, they can take care of getting your phone number and all of your service connected for you.
Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Phone Number?
Only you can decide if the benefits of having a toll-free number are worth it for your business. There are some advantages that are worth noting. The number is portable, so if you move, the number follows you around the country. You will get a better response to any advertising when you post a toll-free telephone number. Your customers like a business that doesn't charge them for telephone calls. Businesses that have toll-free numbers tend to have a better professional image and businesses that don't. It's all about credibility. A toll-free number will give you a little extra credibility with your customers.
To recap, do your research on several different companies to find the best deal for your toll-free telephone number. Compare prices, features, and benefits offered with all of the different plans. One site that posts customer ratings of the top toll free number providers is BestTollFree800Numbers.com.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Choosing a Resume Service
There is no doubt that we are in some of the toughest economic times that we have seen in more than 70 years. Rather than looking for people to hire, companies are laying people off in numbers not seen in 25 years. The unemployment level is now over 6% nationwide.
How do you find a job in these tough times? One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to update your resume. Experts suggest having a professional writer resume rather than trying to do it yourself.
Why Do You Need a Professionally Written Resume?
Face it. There is a lot of competition for the job you're seeking. Computer job classifieds don't cater to just a few people; instead, they leave the job openings for the entire public to view. If you want your resume to stand out in the crowd, it needs to be the best of the best. Unless, you know what you're doing, you may spoil your chances for getting an interview.
You may be tempted to pass on the idea of hiring a professional, because writing a resume seems so easy. Your word processing software has several different templates that you can modify for your own use. It seems like a good idea until you consider that everyone else has the same templates you want to use.
How Do You Find the Right Resume Company?
There a lot of individuals operating freelance businesses that will write your resume for you. In addition to the individuals, there are also a lot of professional companies that produce professional resumes. How do you sort through all the propaganda offered by these services to find the gem at the bottom of the pile? Here are some strategies that should help you find the right service to produce your new resume.
• Does the professional have a website? If they are serious about producing resumes, then they should have a website detailing their credentials and the services that they provide. Look it over carefully. Does it impress you? If it does, then research further. If it turns you off, then look elsewhere.
• Is the professional a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers? While it is not required to produce a quality resume, anyone who has the designation CP RW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) is serious about the resume business. If they care enough to maintain membership in the PA RW, then they will understand the latest and best information on how to make your resume stand out.
• Do they have samples of their work? Ask to review some samples of previous resumes on which they have worked. Ask if they have any testimonials from previous clients.
• Do they guarantee their work to be error-free? Any serious professional will guarantee that their work will be delivered error free.
• Price is important too. How much do they charge for their services, and what services do they provide for the price they charge? Will they provide you with a CD copy of your resume? Is the cover letter included?
• You should always read resume service reviews before choosing a resume service. This is an excellent way to determine other customers satisfaction and yours is likely to be with the resume service.
Even though you find the best resume writer, you will still need to have the ability to adjust your resume on every job that you apply for. The changes you make will only need to be minor, but these days, you need to target your resume specifically for every job. That is one way to make it stand out from the crowd.
How do you find a job in these tough times? One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to update your resume. Experts suggest having a professional writer resume rather than trying to do it yourself.
Why Do You Need a Professionally Written Resume?
Face it. There is a lot of competition for the job you're seeking. Computer job classifieds don't cater to just a few people; instead, they leave the job openings for the entire public to view. If you want your resume to stand out in the crowd, it needs to be the best of the best. Unless, you know what you're doing, you may spoil your chances for getting an interview.
You may be tempted to pass on the idea of hiring a professional, because writing a resume seems so easy. Your word processing software has several different templates that you can modify for your own use. It seems like a good idea until you consider that everyone else has the same templates you want to use.
How Do You Find the Right Resume Company?
There a lot of individuals operating freelance businesses that will write your resume for you. In addition to the individuals, there are also a lot of professional companies that produce professional resumes. How do you sort through all the propaganda offered by these services to find the gem at the bottom of the pile? Here are some strategies that should help you find the right service to produce your new resume.
• Does the professional have a website? If they are serious about producing resumes, then they should have a website detailing their credentials and the services that they provide. Look it over carefully. Does it impress you? If it does, then research further. If it turns you off, then look elsewhere.
• Is the professional a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers? While it is not required to produce a quality resume, anyone who has the designation CP RW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) is serious about the resume business. If they care enough to maintain membership in the PA RW, then they will understand the latest and best information on how to make your resume stand out.
• Do they have samples of their work? Ask to review some samples of previous resumes on which they have worked. Ask if they have any testimonials from previous clients.
• Do they guarantee their work to be error-free? Any serious professional will guarantee that their work will be delivered error free.
• Price is important too. How much do they charge for their services, and what services do they provide for the price they charge? Will they provide you with a CD copy of your resume? Is the cover letter included?
• You should always read resume service reviews before choosing a resume service. This is an excellent way to determine other customers satisfaction and yours is likely to be with the resume service.
Even though you find the best resume writer, you will still need to have the ability to adjust your resume on every job that you apply for. The changes you make will only need to be minor, but these days, you need to target your resume specifically for every job. That is one way to make it stand out from the crowd.
Where to Post Your Resume
Finding a new job during a recession can be a difficult undertaking. Employers are reluctant to hire new people when they may be facing layoffs down the road. Whether you are one of the people that may be subject to a lay off, or if you just want to find a different job, posting your resume in the right place can make the difference between getting a job or not.
The first thing to do is to make sure that your resume is updated and looks professional. Consider your resume to sales page about your qualifications or specific job. As with all forms of advertising, finding the right place to get your personal ad about you seen is important. Here are some great places to post your resume.
• This one should be fairly obvious. Post your resume on any of the online classified job boards. Employers search frequently for qualified people before they post their ads online. If your resume is already online, an employer can find it more easily.
• If you don't have one already, get a MySpace page. While they are supposed to be for personal networking and social experience, more and more employers are searching MySpace pages for information about potential new hires. Just make sure that you don't have anything embarrassing on your site that may keep you from being considered for a good job. Post your resume on any of the other social networking sites that you are a member of, such as Facebook.
• If you're looking for an administrative job, register with the temporary agencies, and give them a copy of your resume. Many clerical positions are placed as temporary to permanent assignments.
• Post your resume on the website of every company that has a job for which you apply. Many companies have their own internal application process online. If they post a job, they typically ask for your resume. Go ahead and upload a copy for them to review. Again, make sure it stands out from the crowd of other people applying for the same job.
• An ideal place to post your resume is with your local Department of Labor. This department has a lot of contacts with local employers. Most states now have the ability to have online resumes. Post your resume here so employers can see it.
• Post your resume on your blog site. This may seem strange at first. However, if your site pulls in a lot of visitors, this is a great way to network.
• There are a variety of professional resume distribution services that send your resume to recruiters and employers in your industry. Some of them offer their services for no charge and others charge a small fee.
• If you do happen to have your own webpage, post your resume there. Many employers search the names of applicants to see if they do have websites of their own.
These are just a few of the many options available to post your resume. You will want to use some old-fashioned methods as well. Hand out your resume to everyone that you know. Ask them to put in a good word for you, if they hear about the job. Resumes are great at selling you, but networking still works better than anything else.
Learn how to post your resume online.
The first thing to do is to make sure that your resume is updated and looks professional. Consider your resume to sales page about your qualifications or specific job. As with all forms of advertising, finding the right place to get your personal ad about you seen is important. Here are some great places to post your resume.
• This one should be fairly obvious. Post your resume on any of the online classified job boards. Employers search frequently for qualified people before they post their ads online. If your resume is already online, an employer can find it more easily.
• If you don't have one already, get a MySpace page. While they are supposed to be for personal networking and social experience, more and more employers are searching MySpace pages for information about potential new hires. Just make sure that you don't have anything embarrassing on your site that may keep you from being considered for a good job. Post your resume on any of the other social networking sites that you are a member of, such as Facebook.
• If you're looking for an administrative job, register with the temporary agencies, and give them a copy of your resume. Many clerical positions are placed as temporary to permanent assignments.
• Post your resume on the website of every company that has a job for which you apply. Many companies have their own internal application process online. If they post a job, they typically ask for your resume. Go ahead and upload a copy for them to review. Again, make sure it stands out from the crowd of other people applying for the same job.
• An ideal place to post your resume is with your local Department of Labor. This department has a lot of contacts with local employers. Most states now have the ability to have online resumes. Post your resume here so employers can see it.
• Post your resume on your blog site. This may seem strange at first. However, if your site pulls in a lot of visitors, this is a great way to network.
• There are a variety of professional resume distribution services that send your resume to recruiters and employers in your industry. Some of them offer their services for no charge and others charge a small fee.
• If you do happen to have your own webpage, post your resume there. Many employers search the names of applicants to see if they do have websites of their own.
These are just a few of the many options available to post your resume. You will want to use some old-fashioned methods as well. Hand out your resume to everyone that you know. Ask them to put in a good word for you, if they hear about the job. Resumes are great at selling you, but networking still works better than anything else.
Learn how to post your resume online.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
SES Resume Writing Tips
The Senior Executive Service (SES) is a group of federal employees who serve at the top levels of the U.S. government. These individuals fill federal managerial, supervisory, and policy positions above GS-15 that are not filled by presidential appointment. In order to be considered for these positions, an individual must submit an SES resume to be reviewed by an independent Qualifications Review Board who evaluates it utilizing criteria established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
The majority of SES positions are filled by those already in government service often for 5 or more continuous years. Further, previous leadership often at a specified series and grade is required. Therefore, most applicants requiring an SES resume have a basic federal resume to build from. However, for SES positions, it is crucial to ensure that leadership and supervisory skill is demonstrated. Therefore, it is important to revise and adjust a federal resume to reflect these attributes and skills from previous positions. The most effective manner in which to demonstrate this information is to provide a situation or example, describe the problem you faced in the situation, and then how you resolved it. Utilize key words from the job announcement to ensure that the examples in your resume meet the qualifications for the position. Anticipate your resume to be long – on average 3 to 5 pages.
Once your federal resume is updated, an addendum that addresses the “Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ’s)” must be attached. Successful candidates must demonstrate their competency in each of these five executive skill areas. The five basic ECQ’s are:
1. Leading Change
2. Leading People
3. Results Driven
4. Business Acumen
5. Building Coalitions
These ECQ’s are further broken down into 22 competencies that have been identified as needed to successfully perform in these federal positions. Additionally, there are 6 additional overall competencies that are designated as important to all five ECQs. These competencies are interpersonal skills, oral communication, integrity/honesty, written communication, continual learning, and public service motivation.
While each ECQ statement covers a separate ECQ, the competencies that are applicable to all can be addressed in general terms as warranted in the statements. The overall main focus of these ECQs is leadership and these statements should reflect this fact.
Similarly to creating content for your resume, ECQs should follow a format in which an applicant describes the situation and its context, explains the action taken to address it, and then provides the result of the action taken. Each ECQ statement should contain at least one specific job related example from the last 10 years that integrates the competencies that are linked to it. As applicable, highlight awards and recognition, volunteer experience, and training that are related to the ECQ. Finally, each ECQ statement is typically a page to a page and a half.
Together an applicant’s resume and ECQs should demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in federal leadership role. Ultimately those tasked with filling SES roles are seeking applicants who can foster a culture that is results driven, customer oriented, and capable of creating successful teams inside and outside an organization.
Final Tip: Start writing your ECQ statements with an ECQ sample. It makes writing ECQ factors faster, easier, and more professional looking.
The majority of SES positions are filled by those already in government service often for 5 or more continuous years. Further, previous leadership often at a specified series and grade is required. Therefore, most applicants requiring an SES resume have a basic federal resume to build from. However, for SES positions, it is crucial to ensure that leadership and supervisory skill is demonstrated. Therefore, it is important to revise and adjust a federal resume to reflect these attributes and skills from previous positions. The most effective manner in which to demonstrate this information is to provide a situation or example, describe the problem you faced in the situation, and then how you resolved it. Utilize key words from the job announcement to ensure that the examples in your resume meet the qualifications for the position. Anticipate your resume to be long – on average 3 to 5 pages.
Once your federal resume is updated, an addendum that addresses the “Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ’s)” must be attached. Successful candidates must demonstrate their competency in each of these five executive skill areas. The five basic ECQ’s are:
1. Leading Change
2. Leading People
3. Results Driven
4. Business Acumen
5. Building Coalitions
These ECQ’s are further broken down into 22 competencies that have been identified as needed to successfully perform in these federal positions. Additionally, there are 6 additional overall competencies that are designated as important to all five ECQs. These competencies are interpersonal skills, oral communication, integrity/honesty, written communication, continual learning, and public service motivation.
While each ECQ statement covers a separate ECQ, the competencies that are applicable to all can be addressed in general terms as warranted in the statements. The overall main focus of these ECQs is leadership and these statements should reflect this fact.
Similarly to creating content for your resume, ECQs should follow a format in which an applicant describes the situation and its context, explains the action taken to address it, and then provides the result of the action taken. Each ECQ statement should contain at least one specific job related example from the last 10 years that integrates the competencies that are linked to it. As applicable, highlight awards and recognition, volunteer experience, and training that are related to the ECQ. Finally, each ECQ statement is typically a page to a page and a half.
Together an applicant’s resume and ECQs should demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in federal leadership role. Ultimately those tasked with filling SES roles are seeking applicants who can foster a culture that is results driven, customer oriented, and capable of creating successful teams inside and outside an organization.
Final Tip: Start writing your ECQ statements with an ECQ sample. It makes writing ECQ factors faster, easier, and more professional looking.
Writing Great KSA Factor Responses
In addition to providing a resume, federal job applicants are typically required to complete narrative statements on specified knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) factors. These statements, which accompany an applicant’s cover letter and resume, are required to be considered for employment. This portion of the selection process is based on the premise that past behavior is a predictor of future performance and behavior. Therefore, in order to successfully compete for a federal position, an applicant must be able to relate relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through education, experience, and past employment to the relevant position.
Although the KSA process may seem daunting at first, much of the information you need to complete these statements is in job announcement. This announcement provides the KSA factors must be addressed as part of the application process as well as specific clues about what language and examples you should use in your response. By selecting and using key terms from the announcement in a KSA response, you can demonstrate a fit for the position to which you are applying. Tailor the terms you use in your response to the job announcement and position being applied to and not the vernacular of a previous employer. Further, when possible address a KSA factor with an example of a time when you successfully resolved a problem or worked on a project that is the same as the position of interest. This approach will make it as easy as possible for a recruiter/hiring manager to see a direct connect between you and the position for which you are applying.
Once the key terms and relevant examples to utilize in KSA factor responses have been selected, the information needs to be organized and a strong statement drafted. The statement should be approximately one to two pages in length, and each KSA factor should be addressed in a separate response. Begin your response statement by providing a context for the situation, task or problem that you dealt with. Provide details around what your job was, who you were working for, and why the situation was significant or problematic. Next, explain the action you took to address the situation. If applicable, highlight initiative or actions above and beyond the call of duty that you took to resolve the situation. Finally, describe the outcome or resolution of the situation. To the extent possible, make your explanation of the situation and its resolution quantitative. If you saved an employer time or money, ensure that your statement clearly highlights this important outcome. By making your statement as descriptive and quantitative, you assist the recruiter in putting the situation you faced and the outcome in context.
Although the KSA statement process can be time consuming, it can make the difference between being viewed as a qualified or unqualified candidate. Therefore, take some time to review the job announcement and reflect on your background. You will then be in a good position to craft KSA statements that demonstrate your proficiency in several key skill areas for the position to which you are applying.
One more tip I've learned over the years for writing great KSA factor responses is to begin my writing with a sample KSA factor. It makes the writing much easier, faster, and more professional looking.
Although the KSA process may seem daunting at first, much of the information you need to complete these statements is in job announcement. This announcement provides the KSA factors must be addressed as part of the application process as well as specific clues about what language and examples you should use in your response. By selecting and using key terms from the announcement in a KSA response, you can demonstrate a fit for the position to which you are applying. Tailor the terms you use in your response to the job announcement and position being applied to and not the vernacular of a previous employer. Further, when possible address a KSA factor with an example of a time when you successfully resolved a problem or worked on a project that is the same as the position of interest. This approach will make it as easy as possible for a recruiter/hiring manager to see a direct connect between you and the position for which you are applying.
Once the key terms and relevant examples to utilize in KSA factor responses have been selected, the information needs to be organized and a strong statement drafted. The statement should be approximately one to two pages in length, and each KSA factor should be addressed in a separate response. Begin your response statement by providing a context for the situation, task or problem that you dealt with. Provide details around what your job was, who you were working for, and why the situation was significant or problematic. Next, explain the action you took to address the situation. If applicable, highlight initiative or actions above and beyond the call of duty that you took to resolve the situation. Finally, describe the outcome or resolution of the situation. To the extent possible, make your explanation of the situation and its resolution quantitative. If you saved an employer time or money, ensure that your statement clearly highlights this important outcome. By making your statement as descriptive and quantitative, you assist the recruiter in putting the situation you faced and the outcome in context.
Although the KSA statement process can be time consuming, it can make the difference between being viewed as a qualified or unqualified candidate. Therefore, take some time to review the job announcement and reflect on your background. You will then be in a good position to craft KSA statements that demonstrate your proficiency in several key skill areas for the position to which you are applying.
One more tip I've learned over the years for writing great KSA factor responses is to begin my writing with a sample KSA factor. It makes the writing much easier, faster, and more professional looking.
Writing a Great Federal Resume
A federal resume is a tool for gaining or advancing one’s career in the government arena. At its core, it is similar to the standard private sector resume. However key differences exist in the type and amount of information provided. Therefore, in order to be successful with federal employment, it is necessary to be mindful of these differences.
Unlike the private sector, federal resumes are reviewed by people rather than software. Further, these individuals are seeking information that demonstrates that the application has direct knowledge or experience of the position he/she has applied for. Therefore, it is necessary to review the specific job announcement for the skills and knowledge required. A resume that speaks directly to the skills and duties of the position and uses key words related to the position is most effective. It should use previous experiences, often accompanied by quantifiable results and accomplishments, to directly show that a candidate can perform the duties of the position being applied for.
Information in a federal resume is most commonly presented in chronological format. However, a candidate’s educational history should be listed prior to the individual’s work history. The highest level of education attained should be listed first followed by earlier schooling including high school. If college coursework has been completed, but a degree was not received, the number of course hours completed should be indicated. Further, the work history should be listed in reverse order with most recent experience listed first. Finally, the resume should cover the candidate’s work history for at least the last 10 years.
Once the content of the resume is drafted, it is necessary to ensure that it is properly formatted. The resume is usually in a commonly accepted font such as Times New Roman or Arial with the main text in 11 point type. The margins of the document should be no less than 1 inch. Given the amount of information to be conveyed, a federal resume, which averages 3 to 5 pages in length, is typically longer than the private sector resume.
There are several key pieces of information that must be included on a federal resume that are not typically utilized on a private sector resume. The first of these is the placement of the announcement number, title, and grade of the job being applied for at the beginning of the resume. Additionally, it is necessary for the candidate to include his/her social security number and veteran’s preference. For each position listed on the resume the number of hours worked per week and the hourly or annual salary of the position should be indicated. Further, if it was a government position, the GS numbers and grades for current or past federal jobs. Finally, the supervisor’s name, phone number, and address for each position on the resume should be provided; whether the recruiter has the candidate’s permission to contact the supervisor must also be indicated. If a candidate specifies that a recruiter does not have permission to contact a supervisor listed on the resume, it is suggested that this issue be addressed in the cover letter that accompanies the resume.
In addition to the formal resume above, candidates for federal employment typically need to address knowledge, skill, and abilities (KSA) factors indicated in the job announcements on separate attachments submitted with the resume.
By observing a few stylistic and information differences, candidates for government employment can create a resume that speaks strongly to their abilities to perform the duties of the job to which they are applying.
Unlike the private sector, federal resumes are reviewed by people rather than software. Further, these individuals are seeking information that demonstrates that the application has direct knowledge or experience of the position he/she has applied for. Therefore, it is necessary to review the specific job announcement for the skills and knowledge required. A resume that speaks directly to the skills and duties of the position and uses key words related to the position is most effective. It should use previous experiences, often accompanied by quantifiable results and accomplishments, to directly show that a candidate can perform the duties of the position being applied for.
Information in a federal resume is most commonly presented in chronological format. However, a candidate’s educational history should be listed prior to the individual’s work history. The highest level of education attained should be listed first followed by earlier schooling including high school. If college coursework has been completed, but a degree was not received, the number of course hours completed should be indicated. Further, the work history should be listed in reverse order with most recent experience listed first. Finally, the resume should cover the candidate’s work history for at least the last 10 years.
Once the content of the resume is drafted, it is necessary to ensure that it is properly formatted. The resume is usually in a commonly accepted font such as Times New Roman or Arial with the main text in 11 point type. The margins of the document should be no less than 1 inch. Given the amount of information to be conveyed, a federal resume, which averages 3 to 5 pages in length, is typically longer than the private sector resume.
There are several key pieces of information that must be included on a federal resume that are not typically utilized on a private sector resume. The first of these is the placement of the announcement number, title, and grade of the job being applied for at the beginning of the resume. Additionally, it is necessary for the candidate to include his/her social security number and veteran’s preference. For each position listed on the resume the number of hours worked per week and the hourly or annual salary of the position should be indicated. Further, if it was a government position, the GS numbers and grades for current or past federal jobs. Finally, the supervisor’s name, phone number, and address for each position on the resume should be provided; whether the recruiter has the candidate’s permission to contact the supervisor must also be indicated. If a candidate specifies that a recruiter does not have permission to contact a supervisor listed on the resume, it is suggested that this issue be addressed in the cover letter that accompanies the resume.
In addition to the formal resume above, candidates for federal employment typically need to address knowledge, skill, and abilities (KSA) factors indicated in the job announcements on separate attachments submitted with the resume.
By observing a few stylistic and information differences, candidates for government employment can create a resume that speaks strongly to their abilities to perform the duties of the job to which they are applying.
Consider Applying for a Clean Room Job
Having a job in a clean room does not mean you worked hard to clean your room at home. A clean room is an environment that is set up to be free from dirt, germs, and other contaminants. A variety of industries use these facilities to manufacture and assemble items that must be produced in a specific and precise manner.
Types of Jobs in the Clean Room
Large computer manufacturers use clean rooms to manufacture semiconductors. These are silicon chips and discs that are paired with electronics and placed in many types of computers and machines.
The jobs that are available in a computer electronics firms vary from lower skilled jobs all the way up to engineers. Low skilled jobs usually involve some type of on the job training. Employees are required to wear protective gear over their clothes and feet to avoid contamination of the area.
Most jobs listed on the internet are for manufacturing assembly in clean rooms. The industries vary. Some list a need for workers in a medical technology manufacturing company. The only requirements are the ability to work various hours, a college diploma, and freedom from a criminal history. These jobs may involve using microscopes to assemble tiny electronic parts. The job typically requires the employee to work in a clean room inspecting the materials throughout the manufacturing process. Data is collected to ensure machines and the processes are running smoothly. Employees will also set up and take down equipment needed for the manufacturing process.
Other duties in assembly plants include setting up equipment, checking supplies, and watching schedules. One job frequently listed on the internet is the assembler/inspector. This job requires pre-inspection of circuit boards and packages before they enter the clean room environment. Once the product comes out of the clean room, the employee performs tests on the equipment and labels it for use. Inside the clean room, an assembler puts together electronic assemblies and cleans and inspects the equipment at each stage of the manufacturing clean room process.
Despite the fact that these jobs are usually entry level, they require a high level of skills in handling detail work and working with skilled tools. Employees are expected to be self motivated and have the ability to work both with teams and without supervision. Self starters are more likely to be eligible for promotions.
Supervisory roles are available in clean room environments. These jobs involve managing employees and processes. The workload for a supervisor depends on the company they work with. Large companies require team level supervision of subordinate employees and making sure that the processes and equipment run smoothly. Leads may be given the responsibility of hiring and scheduling employees if they work for a small company.
Before undertaking a clean room job, people need to know that the work is strenuous. You have to stand on your feet for long periods of time. Make sure that you are able to work in these environments before you apply for a job working in a clean room.
Types of Jobs in the Clean Room
Large computer manufacturers use clean rooms to manufacture semiconductors. These are silicon chips and discs that are paired with electronics and placed in many types of computers and machines.
The jobs that are available in a computer electronics firms vary from lower skilled jobs all the way up to engineers. Low skilled jobs usually involve some type of on the job training. Employees are required to wear protective gear over their clothes and feet to avoid contamination of the area.
Most jobs listed on the internet are for manufacturing assembly in clean rooms. The industries vary. Some list a need for workers in a medical technology manufacturing company. The only requirements are the ability to work various hours, a college diploma, and freedom from a criminal history. These jobs may involve using microscopes to assemble tiny electronic parts. The job typically requires the employee to work in a clean room inspecting the materials throughout the manufacturing process. Data is collected to ensure machines and the processes are running smoothly. Employees will also set up and take down equipment needed for the manufacturing process.
Other duties in assembly plants include setting up equipment, checking supplies, and watching schedules. One job frequently listed on the internet is the assembler/inspector. This job requires pre-inspection of circuit boards and packages before they enter the clean room environment. Once the product comes out of the clean room, the employee performs tests on the equipment and labels it for use. Inside the clean room, an assembler puts together electronic assemblies and cleans and inspects the equipment at each stage of the manufacturing clean room process.
Despite the fact that these jobs are usually entry level, they require a high level of skills in handling detail work and working with skilled tools. Employees are expected to be self motivated and have the ability to work both with teams and without supervision. Self starters are more likely to be eligible for promotions.
Supervisory roles are available in clean room environments. These jobs involve managing employees and processes. The workload for a supervisor depends on the company they work with. Large companies require team level supervision of subordinate employees and making sure that the processes and equipment run smoothly. Leads may be given the responsibility of hiring and scheduling employees if they work for a small company.
Before undertaking a clean room job, people need to know that the work is strenuous. You have to stand on your feet for long periods of time. Make sure that you are able to work in these environments before you apply for a job working in a clean room.
Where to Post Free Classified Ads
When you need to post a classified ad, you may think that your only option is your local newspaper. It was once true that classified ads could cost an arm and a leg when you post them with newspapers or other specialized advertising venues. You could pay up to $100 or more for a week of advertising.
How Do You Find Free Classified Advertising?
The Internet has opened up an entire new world and has changed the way we live. The younger generation uses newspapers much less frequently than older generations. Why use a newspaper when you can get everything for free on the Internet?
If you have something the world needs to know about, use a search engine to search for free classified sites. You will get several pages of responses back. The top few results will be the most popular on the Internet. It is more likely that your advertisement will receive more responses if you use one of these first few companies.
Click on one of the advertised companies and visit their website. You can choose to place your ad immediately, or you can look at the website to see what they have to offer. Once you decide which company you want to place your ad with, and ad can be up and running within about 30 seconds.
Be careful when considering some of the different companies that offer classified services to make sure that there are no hidden fees. These companies may seem to offer free ads at first, but have costs hidden in the fine print. In some cases, you first have to pay for a set of ads, and then earn a free ad and a later date. This is not free advertising.
Monitor Your Results
Although there is no cost for any ad that you place, it is still wise to monitor any results that you get. You want to get the exposure that you need to achieve the goals that you set for yourself.
Other Free Venues
New businesses need exposure without high costs. If you have just opened a business, and you want to get the word out, use every free option open to you. Social networking through pages like Facebook and MySpace can help get the word out about your business. You can make your own short video commercial and post it on YouTube. You will just want to make sure that the headline matches your commercial content.
Create a blog on one of the free blogger sites. Post interesting content every few days. Visit Internet forums that have topics related to your business. Post your comments to the forums, making sure that your signature has a link to your business. Encourage visitors to subscribe to your blog. This will give you the opportunity to gradually build up a mailing list of potential customers all at no cost to you.
Free ads give business owners the opportunity to create exposure to their business without breaking their budgets. Do everything you can to keep the interest high in the people that visit your site. Eventually, they will buy your product.
How Do You Find Free Classified Advertising?
The Internet has opened up an entire new world and has changed the way we live. The younger generation uses newspapers much less frequently than older generations. Why use a newspaper when you can get everything for free on the Internet?
If you have something the world needs to know about, use a search engine to search for free classified sites. You will get several pages of responses back. The top few results will be the most popular on the Internet. It is more likely that your advertisement will receive more responses if you use one of these first few companies.
Click on one of the advertised companies and visit their website. You can choose to place your ad immediately, or you can look at the website to see what they have to offer. Once you decide which company you want to place your ad with, and ad can be up and running within about 30 seconds.
Be careful when considering some of the different companies that offer classified services to make sure that there are no hidden fees. These companies may seem to offer free ads at first, but have costs hidden in the fine print. In some cases, you first have to pay for a set of ads, and then earn a free ad and a later date. This is not free advertising.
Monitor Your Results
Although there is no cost for any ad that you place, it is still wise to monitor any results that you get. You want to get the exposure that you need to achieve the goals that you set for yourself.
Other Free Venues
New businesses need exposure without high costs. If you have just opened a business, and you want to get the word out, use every free option open to you. Social networking through pages like Facebook and MySpace can help get the word out about your business. You can make your own short video commercial and post it on YouTube. You will just want to make sure that the headline matches your commercial content.
Create a blog on one of the free blogger sites. Post interesting content every few days. Visit Internet forums that have topics related to your business. Post your comments to the forums, making sure that your signature has a link to your business. Encourage visitors to subscribe to your blog. This will give you the opportunity to gradually build up a mailing list of potential customers all at no cost to you.
Free ads give business owners the opportunity to create exposure to their business without breaking their budgets. Do everything you can to keep the interest high in the people that visit your site. Eventually, they will buy your product.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Top Mistakes Job Hunters Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Many job seekers think that whether they land a new position is a matter of luck: it’s good luck if they’re hired, and it’s bad luck if they’re not. The truth is that what separates successful job hunters from unsuccessful ones often is a question of preparedness, persistence, and hard work. A little common sense never hurt, either. Below are the biggest mistakes that people make when looking for a new job—and how you can avoid them:
• Leaving your current job before lining up something else. This isn’t a good idea even in a thriving job market, but it’s an especially bad idea in an uncertain economy. No matter how irritating your co-workers are or how obnoxiously your boss behaves, stick it out until you land something new. Just think of your daily grind as motivation to find a great new gig. The caveats: if something illegal is going on or your office is toxic to your health, get out now and wait tables for a while if you have to.
• Not taking the search seriously. Too many people who say they’re looking for a new job take fail to approach it as the serious endeavor that it is. They send out an “okay” resume that they’ve had for 10 years, don’t bother to proofread their cover letter for errors, or flake on sending a thank-you note after an interview. A job hunt is important, and you don’t want to burn bridges with potential employers because you’re too lazy to put in some effort. The solution? Get serious! Print out your resume and cover letter on high-quality paper, update your resume every few months, and contact the people you plan to list as professional references so they aren’t caught off guard when a hiring manager calls them.
• Lying on paper or in an interview. You were just a few credits shy of graduating from college, but that’s close enough, right? Wrong. Most of us don’t fudge on the big stuff—like fabricating degrees or places of employment—but many job hunters blur the line of truth when it comes to responsibilities they’ve had or skills they’ve mastered. Don’t risk it. If you don’t have the experience you need to land the job you want, work on getting it, rather than making it up.
• Not keeping your network up to date. The worst time to realize you’ve let your network disappear is when you want (or need!) to look for a new job. Think of your network of contacts, associates, and mentors as a sort of life raft for those unexpected moments that pop up in everyone’s career. When you tend to those relationships with periodic phone and email check-ins, coffees, and the occasional lunch, you’re maintaining a valuable pipeline that can come in handy when you need to know where the jobs are—fast. If you’ve let things slide in that area, pick up the phone and ask a few people if they’ll have coffee with you. They may be able to help you, but if they can’t today, don’t make the mistake of letting the relationships lapse again. You never know when you might need their help.
• Not telling the employer what’s in it for them. You’ve got a car payment due in two weeks. You want a better title. You need health insurance. All of these are great reasons to look for a new job, but they aren’t great reasons for someone to hire you. See the difference? An employer wants to hear what kind of value you’ll bring to the company and why she should take a chance on you, rather than the other 50 candidates. Think about what you bring to the table, and then sell it.
• Leaving the rest up to fate. Your great resume got you an interview, and the interview went well. While you may be tempted to simply wait by the phone until you hear from the company, there’s still plenty you can do. First, send a thank-you note to everyone you talked to (within one day of the meeting). Thank them for their time and let them know that you’re available if they want to meet with you again. Second, follow up with anyone who may still have influence over whether you get the job. Let your references know they may be getting a call and thank them for agreeing to put in a good word for you. If you have a professional contact within the company, thank them for their help in learning about the opening, securing the interview, etc. Lastly, if you haven’t heard from the company in a while, it’s okay to place a brief phone call letting them know you’re still very interested in the job.
Learn the best interview tips and other job search strategies at JobGoRound.com
• Leaving your current job before lining up something else. This isn’t a good idea even in a thriving job market, but it’s an especially bad idea in an uncertain economy. No matter how irritating your co-workers are or how obnoxiously your boss behaves, stick it out until you land something new. Just think of your daily grind as motivation to find a great new gig. The caveats: if something illegal is going on or your office is toxic to your health, get out now and wait tables for a while if you have to.
• Not taking the search seriously. Too many people who say they’re looking for a new job take fail to approach it as the serious endeavor that it is. They send out an “okay” resume that they’ve had for 10 years, don’t bother to proofread their cover letter for errors, or flake on sending a thank-you note after an interview. A job hunt is important, and you don’t want to burn bridges with potential employers because you’re too lazy to put in some effort. The solution? Get serious! Print out your resume and cover letter on high-quality paper, update your resume every few months, and contact the people you plan to list as professional references so they aren’t caught off guard when a hiring manager calls them.
• Lying on paper or in an interview. You were just a few credits shy of graduating from college, but that’s close enough, right? Wrong. Most of us don’t fudge on the big stuff—like fabricating degrees or places of employment—but many job hunters blur the line of truth when it comes to responsibilities they’ve had or skills they’ve mastered. Don’t risk it. If you don’t have the experience you need to land the job you want, work on getting it, rather than making it up.
• Not keeping your network up to date. The worst time to realize you’ve let your network disappear is when you want (or need!) to look for a new job. Think of your network of contacts, associates, and mentors as a sort of life raft for those unexpected moments that pop up in everyone’s career. When you tend to those relationships with periodic phone and email check-ins, coffees, and the occasional lunch, you’re maintaining a valuable pipeline that can come in handy when you need to know where the jobs are—fast. If you’ve let things slide in that area, pick up the phone and ask a few people if they’ll have coffee with you. They may be able to help you, but if they can’t today, don’t make the mistake of letting the relationships lapse again. You never know when you might need their help.
• Not telling the employer what’s in it for them. You’ve got a car payment due in two weeks. You want a better title. You need health insurance. All of these are great reasons to look for a new job, but they aren’t great reasons for someone to hire you. See the difference? An employer wants to hear what kind of value you’ll bring to the company and why she should take a chance on you, rather than the other 50 candidates. Think about what you bring to the table, and then sell it.
• Leaving the rest up to fate. Your great resume got you an interview, and the interview went well. While you may be tempted to simply wait by the phone until you hear from the company, there’s still plenty you can do. First, send a thank-you note to everyone you talked to (within one day of the meeting). Thank them for their time and let them know that you’re available if they want to meet with you again. Second, follow up with anyone who may still have influence over whether you get the job. Let your references know they may be getting a call and thank them for agreeing to put in a good word for you. If you have a professional contact within the company, thank them for their help in learning about the opening, securing the interview, etc. Lastly, if you haven’t heard from the company in a while, it’s okay to place a brief phone call letting them know you’re still very interested in the job.
Learn the best interview tips and other job search strategies at JobGoRound.com
Preparing for Your Review at Work
Most people look forward to job reviews about as much as they do a root canal. No matter how well you think you’re doing, there’s always the possibility that your supervisor will see things differently and call you on the carpet for your actions—or inactions. But there are steps you can take before, during, and after your evaluation to boost your career and actually help you look forward to reviews in the future.
Before the Review
• Get on the boss’ calendar. While most people don’t enjoy a performance review, they are crucial to your career. So if your boss doesn’t conduct them on a regular basis (annually or semi-annually), the best thing you can do is ask for one. Why? First, you really do need to know what your supervisor thinks of your performance so that you can continue the good stuff and change the bad stuff. Unless you want to spend the rest of your career exactly where you are, that is. Second, reviews are typically when employers hand out raises and promotions. Not a bad incentive to schedule one today.
• Come prepared. Sure, performance evaluations mostly consist of your manager telling you how she thinks you’re doing, but it should include some two-way communication. You should be prepared to share important information—such as your sales numbers, praise from satisfied clients, and projects you’ve spearheaded—so that you can lay out the positive contributions you’ve made.
During the Review
• Stay calm. You may feel as jumpy as a kid in the principal’s office, but you need to force yourself to stay cool and professional at all times. And if the boss turns the conversation into a list of all the ways you’ve fallen short over the past year, don’t argue. It is okay, however, to respectfully point out the strengths you’ve brought to the organization. This is where your list of accomplishments comes in handy. And remember to never, ever take what your supervisor says personally. It’s business.
• Iron out a plan for the next year. To avoid any surprises in future reviews, you need to know how your success will be measured. Ask your boss to work with you on a plan for the coming year (or six months) so that you both know how your progress will be measured. If there are markers in place—and you meet them—you’ll never fear a review again.
• Ask for her input. You want to make sure your manager knows how committed you are to doing a good job for her. It may become crystal clear what skills she thinks you need to work on, but if not, ask her to share with you the areas in which she believes you need to improve. You’ll not only score major points for asking, but this may be the most valuable information you get out of your review.
• Thank him. Especially if you feel like you’ve been raked over the coals, you may not want to express gratitude. But think about it this way: your boss has just given you very powerful information. He’s told you where he believes you have room for improvement, and, assuming you can make changes in those areas, you’re on your way to serious career growth. More money, more responsibility, a new title—it all starts with knowing where you stand with the head honcho.
After the Review
• Determine a course of action. You should come out of your review with an action plan for the coming months, and there’s no time like the present to begin working on your goals. If your boss indicated that you need to acquire more skills to advance, begin looking into that computer or marketing class now.
• Start looking around. If your review was more of a blood-letting than a constructive conversation between employer and employee, you may have to face the fact that your boss either doesn’t like you or doesn’t like the work you’re doing. If you think you can change one or both of those things, by all means, give it a try. If you don’t think that’s a possibility, start putting out discreet feelers for other opportunities.
Need a new job? JobGoRound.com offers the best job search engine on the internet.
Before the Review
• Get on the boss’ calendar. While most people don’t enjoy a performance review, they are crucial to your career. So if your boss doesn’t conduct them on a regular basis (annually or semi-annually), the best thing you can do is ask for one. Why? First, you really do need to know what your supervisor thinks of your performance so that you can continue the good stuff and change the bad stuff. Unless you want to spend the rest of your career exactly where you are, that is. Second, reviews are typically when employers hand out raises and promotions. Not a bad incentive to schedule one today.
• Come prepared. Sure, performance evaluations mostly consist of your manager telling you how she thinks you’re doing, but it should include some two-way communication. You should be prepared to share important information—such as your sales numbers, praise from satisfied clients, and projects you’ve spearheaded—so that you can lay out the positive contributions you’ve made.
During the Review
• Stay calm. You may feel as jumpy as a kid in the principal’s office, but you need to force yourself to stay cool and professional at all times. And if the boss turns the conversation into a list of all the ways you’ve fallen short over the past year, don’t argue. It is okay, however, to respectfully point out the strengths you’ve brought to the organization. This is where your list of accomplishments comes in handy. And remember to never, ever take what your supervisor says personally. It’s business.
• Iron out a plan for the next year. To avoid any surprises in future reviews, you need to know how your success will be measured. Ask your boss to work with you on a plan for the coming year (or six months) so that you both know how your progress will be measured. If there are markers in place—and you meet them—you’ll never fear a review again.
• Ask for her input. You want to make sure your manager knows how committed you are to doing a good job for her. It may become crystal clear what skills she thinks you need to work on, but if not, ask her to share with you the areas in which she believes you need to improve. You’ll not only score major points for asking, but this may be the most valuable information you get out of your review.
• Thank him. Especially if you feel like you’ve been raked over the coals, you may not want to express gratitude. But think about it this way: your boss has just given you very powerful information. He’s told you where he believes you have room for improvement, and, assuming you can make changes in those areas, you’re on your way to serious career growth. More money, more responsibility, a new title—it all starts with knowing where you stand with the head honcho.
After the Review
• Determine a course of action. You should come out of your review with an action plan for the coming months, and there’s no time like the present to begin working on your goals. If your boss indicated that you need to acquire more skills to advance, begin looking into that computer or marketing class now.
• Start looking around. If your review was more of a blood-letting than a constructive conversation between employer and employee, you may have to face the fact that your boss either doesn’t like you or doesn’t like the work you’re doing. If you think you can change one or both of those things, by all means, give it a try. If you don’t think that’s a possibility, start putting out discreet feelers for other opportunities.
Need a new job? JobGoRound.com offers the best job search engine on the internet.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Which resume services are the best?
In today's competitive job market, many people are looking for any and all advantages to get the job they need. One way to give yourself an edge is to have the best possible resume. Of course even a perfectly worded and formatted resume will not get you an interview if you are not qualified. But all things else being equal, applicants with better resumes do tend to get more interviews. This leads some to consider hiring a resume service. But which resume services are the best?
There are so many resume services available out there it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. Every time I search for a resume service on Google I find one or two more. Luckily, I recently found a website that made my decision a lot easier. JobGoRound has reviewed hundreds of professional resume writing services and posted a list of the best ones on it's site. They considered factors such as resume cost, resume preparation time, and the reputation of the service (including number of years in business). They selected only services that are listed with the BBB, employ only certified resume writers, and offer satisfaction guarantees. They also did one more thing: they collected customer reviews of the best resume services so that others could ascertain the average satisfaction level of former customers. This should make choosing a resume service much less of a headache. You can see the list for yourself and compare resume writing services directly.
There are so many resume services available out there it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. Every time I search for a resume service on Google I find one or two more. Luckily, I recently found a website that made my decision a lot easier. JobGoRound has reviewed hundreds of professional resume writing services and posted a list of the best ones on it's site. They considered factors such as resume cost, resume preparation time, and the reputation of the service (including number of years in business). They selected only services that are listed with the BBB, employ only certified resume writers, and offer satisfaction guarantees. They also did one more thing: they collected customer reviews of the best resume services so that others could ascertain the average satisfaction level of former customers. This should make choosing a resume service much less of a headache. You can see the list for yourself and compare resume writing services directly.
Do you need a resume editing service?
If you've already written your resume but need it reviewed and revised by a professional resume writer before you apply for a job you really want - you should consider hiring a resume editing service. Having this done is much more affordable than having your new resume prepared from scratch. And the right editing service will generate a fantastic resume ready to compete fully with anyone else's applying for the same job.
Some of the topics covered by a resume editing service include:
Grammar and spelling. Even though Word has a grammar and spell check function, many basic errors are not caught because the checking algorithm is not perfect. It takes a real person reading your document to ensure that these most basic aspects of your resume are flawless.
Capitalization. There are some rules of capitalization that most people are not aware of. For example, do not capitalize a job title when it comes after the name as a description, but only when it precedes a person's name. (Example: Mr. Smith, the president of XYZ Corporation -- President Smith)
Punctuation. One of the main guidelines to follow with respect to punctuation is simply to be consistent. Of course you you want to be proper as well. Professional writers actually studied and learned the reference manuals the rest of us dreaded.
Run-on sentences. Everyone's been guilty of this resume error at least a few times. They are difficult to read and comprehend, and sometimes can be difficult to catch. If you have two or more sentences that have been joined together without proper punctuation, it must be revised.
Format. You simply must be consistent with your number usage, plurals and abbreviations. The reader will be confused and frustrated otherwise. Again, Microsoft Word can correct individual instances of errors, but it cannot provide consistency within the same document.
These are just a few of the types of issues professional resume editing services will consider and correct within your resume. So if you are not completely comfortable with these issues and others, you should consider hiring one. And remember, 84% of executives say just one or two typographical errors in a resume removes a candidate from consideration. JobGoRound has reviewed all resume editing services and narrowed the list to just a few reputable services.
Some of the topics covered by a resume editing service include:
Grammar and spelling. Even though Word has a grammar and spell check function, many basic errors are not caught because the checking algorithm is not perfect. It takes a real person reading your document to ensure that these most basic aspects of your resume are flawless.
Capitalization. There are some rules of capitalization that most people are not aware of. For example, do not capitalize a job title when it comes after the name as a description, but only when it precedes a person's name. (Example: Mr. Smith, the president of XYZ Corporation -- President Smith)
Punctuation. One of the main guidelines to follow with respect to punctuation is simply to be consistent. Of course you you want to be proper as well. Professional writers actually studied and learned the reference manuals the rest of us dreaded.
Run-on sentences. Everyone's been guilty of this resume error at least a few times. They are difficult to read and comprehend, and sometimes can be difficult to catch. If you have two or more sentences that have been joined together without proper punctuation, it must be revised.
Format. You simply must be consistent with your number usage, plurals and abbreviations. The reader will be confused and frustrated otherwise. Again, Microsoft Word can correct individual instances of errors, but it cannot provide consistency within the same document.
These are just a few of the types of issues professional resume editing services will consider and correct within your resume. So if you are not completely comfortable with these issues and others, you should consider hiring one. And remember, 84% of executives say just one or two typographical errors in a resume removes a candidate from consideration. JobGoRound has reviewed all resume editing services and narrowed the list to just a few reputable services.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
How to Evacuate Your Data From Your Damaged Hard Drive
A damaged hard disk drive is one of the most unpleasant types of hardware failure. No, I don't mean that a burned processor or a damaged memory block are more enjoyable. Not at all – they are also disasters and in terms of money generally it is more expensive to replace a processor than to replace a hard drive but damaged hard drives have one very irritating property – you lose not only your hardware but also all or some of your data. Data is priceless and if you don't have a backup copy of it, then you are lost.
However, not all hard drive damages are that bad. There are cases when the hard drive is damaged but the data on it is alive. So, if your hard drive crashes, don't panic but hope for the best – i.e. the drive might have become an obsolete piece of machinery but at least your data is not buried inside. There are different strategies for evacuating data from a damaged hard drive and which one you can use depends on the sort of damage, as we'll see next.
What Is a Damaged Hard Drive
A damaged hard drive come come in many flavors. In addition to that, there are many cases when the drive is not damaged but due to some reason the data can't be accessed. For a non-specialist all these cases might look the same – I can't access my files, so my hard drive must have gone off, while in reality the hard drive is perfectly OK but your data is unaccessible because of some prosaic reason.
Without getting into technical details, the shortest (and hardly most precise) explanation of a completely damaged hard drive is that this hard drive can't be accessed with any means even by a qualified PC technician. So, unless you are a PC technician yourself, you can't determine on your own if the hard drive is totally dead or not. However, since there are many cases when a drive is still alive but it can't be accessed due to a variety of reasons (most frequently software issues) you can try some of the approaches in the next section and see if they work. Even if they don't work, they will do no harm, but this does not mean you shouldn't be cautious when applying them.
What You Can Do on Your Own
One of the cases when the hard drive is not physically damaged but is unaccessible due to software reasons is when the partition on which the data resides is inaccessible, or at least not from your operating system. In this case you can use an alternative operating system, for instance a Live CD with a Linux distribution and see if you will have more luck accessing the partition. This will work, if the partition table on your computer is not totally messed up. If you see that the data is still unaccessible, don't attempt to mess up with the partition table because you can make things worse. Instead, hurry up and find a PC technician and pray that he or she will be able to recover your data for you.
Another case when the data might still be alive is when the drive has been formatted on a high level. If the drive has been formatted on a low level, the extraction techniques will not work because the data has been physically destroyed. There are many tools to unformat a formatted drive and you can have a look at the ones listed here: http://recovery-review.com/unformat-tools/. Most of the tools are paid ones but you can find free as well. Hiren's Boot CD comes with a bundle of data recovery tools and I generally prefer to use them than any other tools.
Software problems are common but hardware problems – I.e. bad sectors or a damaged controller are also not an exception. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do about them. If data is sucked by a bad sector, then in 99% of the cases it is gone for good. The 1% stands for the rare chance that you have made copies of exactly this file and the copy is not on a bad sector but this is really a lucky exception. You can take the hard drive to a service but it is unlikely that they will be able to do much.
Another technique you can try on your own without risk to make the damage more severe is to go to your HDD manufacturer's site and see if they provide retrieval tools. Usually hard drive manufacturers provide diagnostic tools but if you are lucky, chances are that you will find a data retrieval tool as well. Very often the diagnostic tools themselves not only check for problems but they also can fix some issues, so they could help you save your data as well.
The above mentioned techniques to extract data from a damaged hard drive are only a small fraction of what can be done. However, many of the other techniques are more complicated and they do require some knowledge about a hard drive's architecture, so I wouldn't recommend you to apply them because you can make a lot of damage. Some of the techniques that require opening the computer case or messing with the parts of the disk itself are too dangerous to try at home. No, you will hardly destroy your home but you can surely further damage the hard drive, making it impossible even for a technician to help you. Additionally, you can void the warranty for the computer system, which is hardly what you want to achieve.
Take the Hard Drive to a PC Technician
If you have tried to rescue the data from your hard drive on your own to no avail, you have no choice but to take it to a service. A PC service has more equipment than the standard user and there is a chance they will be able to help you but still, don't expect miracles. In some cases data extraction services could be free of charge, especially if you have bought the hard drive from them and the warranty has not expired yet but in other cases you will have to pay.
As you probably guess, fees vary. As a rule, the cost depends on the volume of data that needs to be extracted but generally it does not cost a fortune – you might be able find somebody to do it for around $200. Still, if your drive has serious physical damages, even if you go to a more expensive data rescue lab, there is no guarantee that your data can and will be restored.
Skilled PC technicians have more tools and techniques and their disposal. If you are interested in contacting a reputable company, try the service listed below. If you would like to learn more about hard drive data recovery techniques, here are two good articles: www.wikihow.com/Recover-a-Dead-Hard-Disk and www.networktutorials.info/datarecovery.html. Some of the information in these articles might be useful to diagnose the problem, but don't even think of applying the techniques on your own. It is really risky!
You can find data recovery services and data recovery software at DataRecoveryAgents.com.
However, not all hard drive damages are that bad. There are cases when the hard drive is damaged but the data on it is alive. So, if your hard drive crashes, don't panic but hope for the best – i.e. the drive might have become an obsolete piece of machinery but at least your data is not buried inside. There are different strategies for evacuating data from a damaged hard drive and which one you can use depends on the sort of damage, as we'll see next.
What Is a Damaged Hard Drive
A damaged hard drive come come in many flavors. In addition to that, there are many cases when the drive is not damaged but due to some reason the data can't be accessed. For a non-specialist all these cases might look the same – I can't access my files, so my hard drive must have gone off, while in reality the hard drive is perfectly OK but your data is unaccessible because of some prosaic reason.
Without getting into technical details, the shortest (and hardly most precise) explanation of a completely damaged hard drive is that this hard drive can't be accessed with any means even by a qualified PC technician. So, unless you are a PC technician yourself, you can't determine on your own if the hard drive is totally dead or not. However, since there are many cases when a drive is still alive but it can't be accessed due to a variety of reasons (most frequently software issues) you can try some of the approaches in the next section and see if they work. Even if they don't work, they will do no harm, but this does not mean you shouldn't be cautious when applying them.
What You Can Do on Your Own
One of the cases when the hard drive is not physically damaged but is unaccessible due to software reasons is when the partition on which the data resides is inaccessible, or at least not from your operating system. In this case you can use an alternative operating system, for instance a Live CD with a Linux distribution and see if you will have more luck accessing the partition. This will work, if the partition table on your computer is not totally messed up. If you see that the data is still unaccessible, don't attempt to mess up with the partition table because you can make things worse. Instead, hurry up and find a PC technician and pray that he or she will be able to recover your data for you.
Another case when the data might still be alive is when the drive has been formatted on a high level. If the drive has been formatted on a low level, the extraction techniques will not work because the data has been physically destroyed. There are many tools to unformat a formatted drive and you can have a look at the ones listed here: http://recovery-review.com/unformat-tools/. Most of the tools are paid ones but you can find free as well. Hiren's Boot CD comes with a bundle of data recovery tools and I generally prefer to use them than any other tools.
Software problems are common but hardware problems – I.e. bad sectors or a damaged controller are also not an exception. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do about them. If data is sucked by a bad sector, then in 99% of the cases it is gone for good. The 1% stands for the rare chance that you have made copies of exactly this file and the copy is not on a bad sector but this is really a lucky exception. You can take the hard drive to a service but it is unlikely that they will be able to do much.
Another technique you can try on your own without risk to make the damage more severe is to go to your HDD manufacturer's site and see if they provide retrieval tools. Usually hard drive manufacturers provide diagnostic tools but if you are lucky, chances are that you will find a data retrieval tool as well. Very often the diagnostic tools themselves not only check for problems but they also can fix some issues, so they could help you save your data as well.
The above mentioned techniques to extract data from a damaged hard drive are only a small fraction of what can be done. However, many of the other techniques are more complicated and they do require some knowledge about a hard drive's architecture, so I wouldn't recommend you to apply them because you can make a lot of damage. Some of the techniques that require opening the computer case or messing with the parts of the disk itself are too dangerous to try at home. No, you will hardly destroy your home but you can surely further damage the hard drive, making it impossible even for a technician to help you. Additionally, you can void the warranty for the computer system, which is hardly what you want to achieve.
Take the Hard Drive to a PC Technician
If you have tried to rescue the data from your hard drive on your own to no avail, you have no choice but to take it to a service. A PC service has more equipment than the standard user and there is a chance they will be able to help you but still, don't expect miracles. In some cases data extraction services could be free of charge, especially if you have bought the hard drive from them and the warranty has not expired yet but in other cases you will have to pay.
As you probably guess, fees vary. As a rule, the cost depends on the volume of data that needs to be extracted but generally it does not cost a fortune – you might be able find somebody to do it for around $200. Still, if your drive has serious physical damages, even if you go to a more expensive data rescue lab, there is no guarantee that your data can and will be restored.
Skilled PC technicians have more tools and techniques and their disposal. If you are interested in contacting a reputable company, try the service listed below. If you would like to learn more about hard drive data recovery techniques, here are two good articles: www.wikihow.com/Recover-a-Dead-Hard-Disk and www.networktutorials.info/datarecovery.html. Some of the information in these articles might be useful to diagnose the problem, but don't even think of applying the techniques on your own. It is really risky!
You can find data recovery services and data recovery software at DataRecoveryAgents.com.
How to write your KSA answers to get that government job
Today’s volatile economic environment and expected layoffs means that many people will be searching for a new job. For many of you, a U.S. government job can offer security, excellent benefits, and interesting work. But be aware: competition for these jobs is intense and you have to stand out from all the other applicants to get a placement – that is where the KSA becomes a key opportunity you can use to get that government job.
What is a KSA?
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management maintains a searchable database, called USAJOBS that lists government job openings. Once you have signed up on line, you will find that specific position openings often require completion of a detailed description of your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) in addition to your resume.
Each job that requires a KSA will have specific KSA questions for you to answer usually in about a page of written content. This is not an optional task. You must do it and you must do it well. Each KSA answer is scored by human resources personnel on a 0-20 scale that reflects how closely your knowledge, skills, and abilities match the complexity, impact, variety, circumstances, and interactions that characterize the job for which you are applying. KSAs are frequently the deciding factor in your evaluation for employment in the U.S. government. So, what are KSAs? According to the CDC’s Help Page on KSAs:
Knowledge statements refer to an organized body of information usually of a factual or procedural nature which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible. A body of information applied directly to the performance of a function.
Skill statements refer to the proficient manual, verbal or mental manipulation of data or things. Skills can be readily measured by a performance test where quantity and quality of performance are tested, usually within an established time limit. Examples of proficient manipulation of things are skill in typing or skill in operating a vehicle. Examples of proficient manipulation of data are skill in computation using decimals; skill in editing for transposed numbers, etc.
Ability statements refer to the power to perform an observable activity at the present time. This means that abilities have been evidenced through activities or behaviors that are similar to those required on the job, e.g., ability to plan and organize work. Abilities are different from aptitudes. Aptitudes are only the potential for performing the activity.
How should you answer KSA questions to improve your chances of getting a government job?
The most effective answers to the KSA questions reflect your understanding of the job requirements based on detailed analysis of the job description and typical tasking. You should pay careful attention to the key words used in the job description and use those words in describing your knowledge, skills and abilities.
In general, knowledge is more abstract than skills and therefore can be generalized over many different tasks and responsibilities. Knowledge comes from academic and life experiences including, but not limited to, education and employment. Any knowledge that you possess that is pertinent to the job you are seeking is something you should include in your the KSA response.
It is a good idea to brainstorm by yourself and with others, what “knowledge” you should claim because you can demonstrate it via your written answers. For example let’s say the position requires “being able to organize a project”. Although your work experience did not provide the opportunity to manage a project, your experience running the PTA’s funding raising for a year, although an unpaid activity, could legitimately be claimed as “experience managing a project”. It is up to you to describe the knowledge you acquired in a way that translates to the job for which you are applying.
Think of skills as capabilities that can be tested i.e., understanding how a spreadsheet program can help manage a budget is knowledge; being able to create an Excel spreadsheet to track expenses is a skill. Extract skill requirements from the job posting and offer evidence that you possess those skills. For example, the position of Pharmacy Assistant requires knowledge demonstrated by certified training and skills acquired from previous experience handing drugs and working with customers.
How to write an effective KSA response
In responding to KSA questions, you are making assertions about your knowledge, skills, and abilities. You must then backup those assertions with believable evidence. You need to develop your KSA responses with an eye on two key variables: relevance of content and quality of presentation. The National Forest Service provides an excellent tutorial on do’s and don’ts of writing effective KSA responses.
Describe your knowledge, skills, and abilities in terms that tie directly to the job using keywords that you extract from the job posting. Then “prove” by specific examples what you can do because of what you did in the past and the context in which you did it. Put your compliance with key job requirements at the beginning of the appropriate KSA answer or the beginning of a paragraph. For example: If the job requires a degree in accounting, the first place you can say clearly, “I completed my accounting degree at XYZ University” do it; then continue to describe your experience in accounting tasks.
Numbers can be your friend when it comes to providing proof to your reviewers. Instead of saying, “I wrote reports” consider saying, “I prepared monthly reports on six field trials with a lead time of two days”.
Knowledge and skills can also be demonstrated by using an overview of your previous responsibilities with examples of specific tasks, by describing training or certifications you received, and by citing awards or recognition for accomplishments. Reviewers like to see action words in your KSA answers and that requires that you write in an active versus a passive voice. You should say: “I analyzed data …” not “Data was analyzed”. You can find a great list of action verbs at Job Skills - Power verbs.
In conclusion your KSA answers must:
• Be concise
• Be relevant
• Be specific
• Have quantitative examples
• Make it easy for reviewers to find your compliance with key job requirements
• Be action and accomplishment oriented
• Be well written with NO TYPOs and good sentence construction. It is a good idea to have someone else look over your answers before you send them because it is sometimes difficult to see your own mistakes.
Remember, KSA answers separate those who are qualified for a job from those who are most qualified.
KSA Doctor specializes in government job application assistance including KSA writing, federal resume writing, and sample KSAs.
What is a KSA?
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management maintains a searchable database, called USAJOBS that lists government job openings. Once you have signed up on line, you will find that specific position openings often require completion of a detailed description of your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) in addition to your resume.
Each job that requires a KSA will have specific KSA questions for you to answer usually in about a page of written content. This is not an optional task. You must do it and you must do it well. Each KSA answer is scored by human resources personnel on a 0-20 scale that reflects how closely your knowledge, skills, and abilities match the complexity, impact, variety, circumstances, and interactions that characterize the job for which you are applying. KSAs are frequently the deciding factor in your evaluation for employment in the U.S. government. So, what are KSAs? According to the CDC’s Help Page on KSAs:
Knowledge statements refer to an organized body of information usually of a factual or procedural nature which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible. A body of information applied directly to the performance of a function.
Skill statements refer to the proficient manual, verbal or mental manipulation of data or things. Skills can be readily measured by a performance test where quantity and quality of performance are tested, usually within an established time limit. Examples of proficient manipulation of things are skill in typing or skill in operating a vehicle. Examples of proficient manipulation of data are skill in computation using decimals; skill in editing for transposed numbers, etc.
Ability statements refer to the power to perform an observable activity at the present time. This means that abilities have been evidenced through activities or behaviors that are similar to those required on the job, e.g., ability to plan and organize work. Abilities are different from aptitudes. Aptitudes are only the potential for performing the activity.
How should you answer KSA questions to improve your chances of getting a government job?
The most effective answers to the KSA questions reflect your understanding of the job requirements based on detailed analysis of the job description and typical tasking. You should pay careful attention to the key words used in the job description and use those words in describing your knowledge, skills and abilities.
In general, knowledge is more abstract than skills and therefore can be generalized over many different tasks and responsibilities. Knowledge comes from academic and life experiences including, but not limited to, education and employment. Any knowledge that you possess that is pertinent to the job you are seeking is something you should include in your the KSA response.
It is a good idea to brainstorm by yourself and with others, what “knowledge” you should claim because you can demonstrate it via your written answers. For example let’s say the position requires “being able to organize a project”. Although your work experience did not provide the opportunity to manage a project, your experience running the PTA’s funding raising for a year, although an unpaid activity, could legitimately be claimed as “experience managing a project”. It is up to you to describe the knowledge you acquired in a way that translates to the job for which you are applying.
Think of skills as capabilities that can be tested i.e., understanding how a spreadsheet program can help manage a budget is knowledge; being able to create an Excel spreadsheet to track expenses is a skill. Extract skill requirements from the job posting and offer evidence that you possess those skills. For example, the position of Pharmacy Assistant requires knowledge demonstrated by certified training and skills acquired from previous experience handing drugs and working with customers.
How to write an effective KSA response
In responding to KSA questions, you are making assertions about your knowledge, skills, and abilities. You must then backup those assertions with believable evidence. You need to develop your KSA responses with an eye on two key variables: relevance of content and quality of presentation. The National Forest Service provides an excellent tutorial on do’s and don’ts of writing effective KSA responses.
Describe your knowledge, skills, and abilities in terms that tie directly to the job using keywords that you extract from the job posting. Then “prove” by specific examples what you can do because of what you did in the past and the context in which you did it. Put your compliance with key job requirements at the beginning of the appropriate KSA answer or the beginning of a paragraph. For example: If the job requires a degree in accounting, the first place you can say clearly, “I completed my accounting degree at XYZ University” do it; then continue to describe your experience in accounting tasks.
Numbers can be your friend when it comes to providing proof to your reviewers. Instead of saying, “I wrote reports” consider saying, “I prepared monthly reports on six field trials with a lead time of two days”.
Knowledge and skills can also be demonstrated by using an overview of your previous responsibilities with examples of specific tasks, by describing training or certifications you received, and by citing awards or recognition for accomplishments. Reviewers like to see action words in your KSA answers and that requires that you write in an active versus a passive voice. You should say: “I analyzed data …” not “Data was analyzed”. You can find a great list of action verbs at Job Skills - Power verbs.
In conclusion your KSA answers must:
• Be concise
• Be relevant
• Be specific
• Have quantitative examples
• Make it easy for reviewers to find your compliance with key job requirements
• Be action and accomplishment oriented
• Be well written with NO TYPOs and good sentence construction. It is a good idea to have someone else look over your answers before you send them because it is sometimes difficult to see your own mistakes.
Remember, KSA answers separate those who are qualified for a job from those who are most qualified.
KSA Doctor specializes in government job application assistance including KSA writing, federal resume writing, and sample KSAs.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Tips on Getting an 800 Number
With small businesses springing up everywhere, the desire for a cheap 800 number has increased. Toll free numbers give your business a professional appeal and they allow you to separate your personal life from your business life. But how do you get a cheap 800 number? Do you need a separate phone line in your home or office? All of these questions and more will be answered in these quick tips on finding and setting up a cheap 800 number.
Tip #1—Find a good server. There are many companies on the web claiming to be the best toll free service providers. Do your research. Some companies charge flat rates while others bill you only for the minutes used. Think about how much money you are willing to spend for the service and go from there. For example, RingCentral is a fully operating Internet phone service. You get an 800 number and a voice mail system with your monthly package. For $9.99 you can enjoy 100 minutes of phone time and a rate of 6.7 cents per additional minute. You can also listen to your voicemails on line and see a clear history of calls. With many other features such as call forwarding, music on hold and live call transfer, RingCentral is a handy and comprehensive plan.
Alternatively, a site like kall8 can offers a low per-minute rate. For $2 per month plus 6.9 cents per minute, you get attractive features such as voicemail, call waiting, and caller ID. If you’re looking for a truly cheap 800 number, this is the way to go.
Tip #2—Know what you want. For some people, all of the added features are desirable. Call waiting, repeat dialing, click-to-call, call blocking. These handy add-ons can be useful if you have the time and the will to learn how to use them. Often, voice mail and mailbox set up can be done over the phone and is the most popular feature of nearly every phone plan. For others, these features are not necessary and can even be confusing or frustrating for new users. Many people just want a toll free number and that’s it. For these users, a flashy plan with many extras might not be a good choice. A simpler plan with perhaps only a voicemail option would be more ideal. Decide what sort of plan you want and search for the features that you know you will take advantage of.
Tip #3—Pick a Number. One of the most difficult parts about getting an 800 number is actually coming up with the number. With so many toll free numbers in existence, there are few genuine 800 numbers left for availability, and often companies like Toll Free Max charge a fee for a true 800 number, $25 at their website. More typically, you will end up with a non-800 toll free number, one that begins with the digits 866, 877, 888. Although these numbers are not true 800 numbers, they are still toll free and serve the same purpose. There is always an option to have a number assigned to you, giving you a random, insignificant number that may be hard to remember, but it won’t cost you any extra. Or, if you are willing to pay a fee of up to $25, you can sign up for a vanity number, a number that you choose on your own. Often, people like to use the letters on the phone buttons to spell out something that is significant to them or their business. For example, if you were a pet grooming company, you might want to try to get the number 800-GROOMER. Try to think of a number that has meaning to you and is easy to remember. A vanity number can be a great way for a business to reach out to its target audience.
Tip#4—Look for customer service. At times, toll free number setup can be frustrating. There are often many options, features and add-ons that can be overwhelming to new users. Check with your site before purchasing to see that they have accessible and friendly customer service. Whether you need help with voicemail setup or call forwarding, it is important that your cheap 800 number provider is there when you need them to walk you through the steps of setup and use. The teleconferencing giant Freedom Voice offers 800 numbers as well as a click-to-call feature. If you need help, you simply click on their 800 number logo and enter your number. They will call you within minutes with customer service advice. Likewise, many companies like AllCom, offer help via e-mail, phone or fax, as well as posting easy-to-use user guides on their websites. Often, these user guides will walk you step-by-step through the setup and usage of their phone functions. Be sure that the company you decide to go with has all of the handy customer service features you desire.
Tip #5—Use trial periods. If you are weary of getting a cheap 800 number and finding the right company for you, be sure to sign up with one that has a free trial period. This way, you can test out the service, learn the ins and outs, and decide if you really want to use them. Internet phone company Ring Central offers a plethora of services from toll free voice and fax numbers to Internet fax to voicemail. They have a free 30-day trial period in which you can use the system and decide if it’s really right for you. The amount of time that your free trial runs can vary from one week to one month, but if you are unsure about what company to go with, a trial period can be a great way to narrow down your choices without spending a ton of money to check each place out.
Tip#6—Check for fees. After you have decided which company to use, you’ve chosen your number and you know you have a week-long trial, be sure to read the fine print. There can often be setup fees, cancellation fees and minimum usage fees attached to toll free number accounts. Be aware of these fees and make sure that you are getting the deal that you thought you signed up for. Pay attention to your first few bills and make sure your billing rate is what you had originally agreed upon.
Having a cheap 800 number can give your business a competitive edge and a boost. People are far more likely to call an 800 number than a local number. Likewise, you can conceal your location with a toll free number and target a national audience rather than just your region. If using a cheap 800 number for personal use, it can be a great way to allow friends and family to keep in touch with you without having to foot a huge bill. Whatever you decide to use it for, an 800 number can be a cheap and easy way to keep in touch and stay connected.
Interested in starting a home internet business? Learn how in this easy to follow guide.
Tip #1—Find a good server. There are many companies on the web claiming to be the best toll free service providers. Do your research. Some companies charge flat rates while others bill you only for the minutes used. Think about how much money you are willing to spend for the service and go from there. For example, RingCentral is a fully operating Internet phone service. You get an 800 number and a voice mail system with your monthly package. For $9.99 you can enjoy 100 minutes of phone time and a rate of 6.7 cents per additional minute. You can also listen to your voicemails on line and see a clear history of calls. With many other features such as call forwarding, music on hold and live call transfer, RingCentral is a handy and comprehensive plan.
Alternatively, a site like kall8 can offers a low per-minute rate. For $2 per month plus 6.9 cents per minute, you get attractive features such as voicemail, call waiting, and caller ID. If you’re looking for a truly cheap 800 number, this is the way to go.
Tip #2—Know what you want. For some people, all of the added features are desirable. Call waiting, repeat dialing, click-to-call, call blocking. These handy add-ons can be useful if you have the time and the will to learn how to use them. Often, voice mail and mailbox set up can be done over the phone and is the most popular feature of nearly every phone plan. For others, these features are not necessary and can even be confusing or frustrating for new users. Many people just want a toll free number and that’s it. For these users, a flashy plan with many extras might not be a good choice. A simpler plan with perhaps only a voicemail option would be more ideal. Decide what sort of plan you want and search for the features that you know you will take advantage of.
Tip #3—Pick a Number. One of the most difficult parts about getting an 800 number is actually coming up with the number. With so many toll free numbers in existence, there are few genuine 800 numbers left for availability, and often companies like Toll Free Max charge a fee for a true 800 number, $25 at their website. More typically, you will end up with a non-800 toll free number, one that begins with the digits 866, 877, 888. Although these numbers are not true 800 numbers, they are still toll free and serve the same purpose. There is always an option to have a number assigned to you, giving you a random, insignificant number that may be hard to remember, but it won’t cost you any extra. Or, if you are willing to pay a fee of up to $25, you can sign up for a vanity number, a number that you choose on your own. Often, people like to use the letters on the phone buttons to spell out something that is significant to them or their business. For example, if you were a pet grooming company, you might want to try to get the number 800-GROOMER. Try to think of a number that has meaning to you and is easy to remember. A vanity number can be a great way for a business to reach out to its target audience.
Tip#4—Look for customer service. At times, toll free number setup can be frustrating. There are often many options, features and add-ons that can be overwhelming to new users. Check with your site before purchasing to see that they have accessible and friendly customer service. Whether you need help with voicemail setup or call forwarding, it is important that your cheap 800 number provider is there when you need them to walk you through the steps of setup and use. The teleconferencing giant Freedom Voice offers 800 numbers as well as a click-to-call feature. If you need help, you simply click on their 800 number logo and enter your number. They will call you within minutes with customer service advice. Likewise, many companies like AllCom, offer help via e-mail, phone or fax, as well as posting easy-to-use user guides on their websites. Often, these user guides will walk you step-by-step through the setup and usage of their phone functions. Be sure that the company you decide to go with has all of the handy customer service features you desire.
Tip #5—Use trial periods. If you are weary of getting a cheap 800 number and finding the right company for you, be sure to sign up with one that has a free trial period. This way, you can test out the service, learn the ins and outs, and decide if you really want to use them. Internet phone company Ring Central offers a plethora of services from toll free voice and fax numbers to Internet fax to voicemail. They have a free 30-day trial period in which you can use the system and decide if it’s really right for you. The amount of time that your free trial runs can vary from one week to one month, but if you are unsure about what company to go with, a trial period can be a great way to narrow down your choices without spending a ton of money to check each place out.
Tip#6—Check for fees. After you have decided which company to use, you’ve chosen your number and you know you have a week-long trial, be sure to read the fine print. There can often be setup fees, cancellation fees and minimum usage fees attached to toll free number accounts. Be aware of these fees and make sure that you are getting the deal that you thought you signed up for. Pay attention to your first few bills and make sure your billing rate is what you had originally agreed upon.
Having a cheap 800 number can give your business a competitive edge and a boost. People are far more likely to call an 800 number than a local number. Likewise, you can conceal your location with a toll free number and target a national audience rather than just your region. If using a cheap 800 number for personal use, it can be a great way to allow friends and family to keep in touch with you without having to foot a huge bill. Whatever you decide to use it for, an 800 number can be a cheap and easy way to keep in touch and stay connected.
Interested in starting a home internet business? Learn how in this easy to follow guide.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
SES Resume Writing
No matter how many resumes you've prepared during the course of your career, your Senior Executive Service (SES) resume will be the trickiest--but perhaps the most important. This resume is unlike any other because SES jobs are some of the most elite and competitive in the country. Your resume must combine the outstanding qualifications needed to secure an executive job with the unique qualifications needed to obtain a government job. Those doing the hiring are looking for proven leaders who can interact successfully with the loftiest members of the federal government. And your first step into that world is a great resume.
1. Forget what you learned in college. About resumes, that is. You were probably advised to keep bullet points to one or two lines and to limit your resume to one page in length (more on that below). But you need to remember that you're in line for an executive position at the federal level, so the rules that apply to an entry-level accountant don't apply to you. You've probably been out of college for more decades than you care to think about, so your "education" section should be near the end. Your resume needs to be focused on the hard-core, get-it-done examples that will win you this next lucrative gig. And if you use bullet points, make them as long as necessary to adequately illustrate the people, places, and circumstances that have made up your career and prepared you for this next challenge.
2. Go long. It's normal--even expected--that your SES resume will be three pages long. Being qualified for an SES position means that you will have extensive experience, and your resume needs to outline that experience. That takes up some space! But if you're looking at a resume that's more than four pages, you need to consider a different way to get your points across. If you simply can't condense any copy without losing impact, attach a separate list of your projects after your resume. A long resume is fine--a document that rivals War and Peace is not.
3. Name names. By this point in your career, you've undoubtedly worked for some bigwig companies, so don't be afraid to provide details. Give a brief overview of the company (what they do, what they're worth, number of employees, etc.). Even if it's a household name corporation like McDonald's or Reebok, most people don't know the numbers associated with them. Being vague will make the hiring manager wonder if you're hiding something, so don't generalize.
4. Give a before-and-after. It's also important for you to describe the challenges and expectations you've met at each new level of your career. If you came into your current position with the expectation that you'd dig an auto company out of $220 million in debt--and you did--that needs to be fully explained. Describe where the company was when you arrived, what steps you took to achieve success, and what the company looked like when you left.
5. Illustrate results with stories. Securing the right candidate for a top-level government job is a huge investment of time and money, so the people doing the hiring are willing to read through resumes carefully. Take the time to sketch out story examples of how you achieved bottom-line results in your past or current position. Just make sure your stories aren't fairy tales. Lying to the government (even "stretching the truth") isn't a good idea.
6. Be precise. Give them a yardstick to measure your success, rather than just numbers. If the company achieved $800 million in revenues while you were president, tell them why that's so great. Compare it to the year before you arrived, when revenues were at $400 million.
7. Highlight success through growth. It's imperative that you effectively describe your forward-thinking capabilities, and that means showing how you've innovated in the past. SES positions are all about leading change, so help them understand that you're a candidate who can successfully evolve and adapt to changing circumstances--and guide others to do the same.
8. Show them the big picture. The devil may be in the details, but a top-level government executive has to have the big picture in mind at all times. Point out how you've developed strategic visions in the past--in as many different environments as possible. A federal position means dealing with diverse people in diverse environments, so showing how you've handled strategic thinking in unique situations is a one-way street to a job offer.
9. Don't forget your ECQs. Make sure to include the Executive Core Qualifications as an addendum to your resume and cover letter. You may also be required to submit Technical Qualifications, Managerial Technical Qualifications, or Professional Technical Qualifications. Don't miss out on a job that's perfect for you simply because you didn't research all of the mandatory paperwork.
Visit KSADoctor.com for more guidance with federal job applications. Learn more about SES resume writing, ECQ writing, and download ECQ samples at KSADoctor.com.
1. Forget what you learned in college. About resumes, that is. You were probably advised to keep bullet points to one or two lines and to limit your resume to one page in length (more on that below). But you need to remember that you're in line for an executive position at the federal level, so the rules that apply to an entry-level accountant don't apply to you. You've probably been out of college for more decades than you care to think about, so your "education" section should be near the end. Your resume needs to be focused on the hard-core, get-it-done examples that will win you this next lucrative gig. And if you use bullet points, make them as long as necessary to adequately illustrate the people, places, and circumstances that have made up your career and prepared you for this next challenge.
2. Go long. It's normal--even expected--that your SES resume will be three pages long. Being qualified for an SES position means that you will have extensive experience, and your resume needs to outline that experience. That takes up some space! But if you're looking at a resume that's more than four pages, you need to consider a different way to get your points across. If you simply can't condense any copy without losing impact, attach a separate list of your projects after your resume. A long resume is fine--a document that rivals War and Peace is not.
3. Name names. By this point in your career, you've undoubtedly worked for some bigwig companies, so don't be afraid to provide details. Give a brief overview of the company (what they do, what they're worth, number of employees, etc.). Even if it's a household name corporation like McDonald's or Reebok, most people don't know the numbers associated with them. Being vague will make the hiring manager wonder if you're hiding something, so don't generalize.
4. Give a before-and-after. It's also important for you to describe the challenges and expectations you've met at each new level of your career. If you came into your current position with the expectation that you'd dig an auto company out of $220 million in debt--and you did--that needs to be fully explained. Describe where the company was when you arrived, what steps you took to achieve success, and what the company looked like when you left.
5. Illustrate results with stories. Securing the right candidate for a top-level government job is a huge investment of time and money, so the people doing the hiring are willing to read through resumes carefully. Take the time to sketch out story examples of how you achieved bottom-line results in your past or current position. Just make sure your stories aren't fairy tales. Lying to the government (even "stretching the truth") isn't a good idea.
6. Be precise. Give them a yardstick to measure your success, rather than just numbers. If the company achieved $800 million in revenues while you were president, tell them why that's so great. Compare it to the year before you arrived, when revenues were at $400 million.
7. Highlight success through growth. It's imperative that you effectively describe your forward-thinking capabilities, and that means showing how you've innovated in the past. SES positions are all about leading change, so help them understand that you're a candidate who can successfully evolve and adapt to changing circumstances--and guide others to do the same.
8. Show them the big picture. The devil may be in the details, but a top-level government executive has to have the big picture in mind at all times. Point out how you've developed strategic visions in the past--in as many different environments as possible. A federal position means dealing with diverse people in diverse environments, so showing how you've handled strategic thinking in unique situations is a one-way street to a job offer.
9. Don't forget your ECQs. Make sure to include the Executive Core Qualifications as an addendum to your resume and cover letter. You may also be required to submit Technical Qualifications, Managerial Technical Qualifications, or Professional Technical Qualifications. Don't miss out on a job that's perfect for you simply because you didn't research all of the mandatory paperwork.
Visit KSADoctor.com for more guidance with federal job applications. Learn more about SES resume writing, ECQ writing, and download ECQ samples at KSADoctor.com.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
How to Choose an Online Resume Writing Service
Believe it or not, you may not be the best person to write your resume. Sure, you know your background and experience better than anyone, but translating that information into a successful resume that nets you an interview isn’t an easy task. Think about what you’re good at: graphic design, managing people, selling real estate, etc. Do any of your professional strengths have anything to do with composing a stellar resume? Probably not.
Resumes are about more than simply listing your past jobs and responsibilities. Ferreting out your distinctive strengths, determining how to apply your experience to the unique needs of a specific job, and wording it so that the hiring manager is blown away is tricky. A high-quality online resume writing service does exactly that, and professionals who are serious about landing a great job quickly should explore the possibility of engaging one. But how do you weed through all of the companies? The tips below are a good starting point to help you find the perfect online resume writing service.
• Show me the money…er, examples. You need to feel confident that these professionals know what they’re doing, right? Well, the only way to judge is to see examples of past resumes and resume add-ons that they’ve completed. When reviewing their past products, make sure you’re seeing demonstrations of their ability to craft specific resumes for specific people and careers. The samples should look markedly different from one other.
• Special service for special needs. Not all resumes are right for all types of jobs. For example, if you’re in a niche field or are applying for a high-profile career, make sure you choose a resume writing service with a lot of experience creating the kind of resume you need. Current or former military members have specific needs, as do executives who must supply certain supplements with their resumes. Those who need a senior executive service (SES) resume; must answer knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) questions; or need to supply executive core qualifications (ECQ) statements need to be extra careful to verify that the service they’re considering has a proven track record in those areas.
• Get a guarantee. It’s tough to get a guarantee that has to do with you snagging a job; after all, no matter how great of a resume they produce for you, they can’t control how you behave in an interview. What they can guarantee are results like how often you get called in for an interview. The great companies promise that if you don’t experience success after a certain period of time (preferably a short period of time), they’ll redo your resume for you—for free, of course.
• Communication is key. It’s an “online” company, which means that most of your contact will be electronic, but you should be provided a toll-free number that allows you to access your writer when you need to. Sometimes you just need to talk something over, rather than send an e-mail, and the resume service should make that possible.
• Submission should be a piece of cake. They don’t know anything about you, which means that you’ll have to fill them in. That’s almost always done through an online form. Check to be sure that submitting your information—education, work experience, skills, talents, etc.—is easy. The point in hiring a resume writing service is to make things easier on you, not harder.
• Compare prices. It might make you cringe to fork over money for a resume when you’re out of a job or will be soon. But it’s small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, so try to think of it as a very small investment in your future success. That doesn’t mean that you should pay thousands or even hundreds of dollars. Compare the prices of different online resume writing services so you can get a feel for what’s standard. And make sure you’re comparing apples to apples in terms of what you get for the money. Be careful of the outfits that advertise prices that are far below what others charge, however. There may be hidden costs that will bite you down the road, or you’ll discover later that they’re just not very good. Either way, it can be a costly mistake to go too low.
Read resume writing service reviews and resume distribution service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Resumes are about more than simply listing your past jobs and responsibilities. Ferreting out your distinctive strengths, determining how to apply your experience to the unique needs of a specific job, and wording it so that the hiring manager is blown away is tricky. A high-quality online resume writing service does exactly that, and professionals who are serious about landing a great job quickly should explore the possibility of engaging one. But how do you weed through all of the companies? The tips below are a good starting point to help you find the perfect online resume writing service.
• Show me the money…er, examples. You need to feel confident that these professionals know what they’re doing, right? Well, the only way to judge is to see examples of past resumes and resume add-ons that they’ve completed. When reviewing their past products, make sure you’re seeing demonstrations of their ability to craft specific resumes for specific people and careers. The samples should look markedly different from one other.
• Special service for special needs. Not all resumes are right for all types of jobs. For example, if you’re in a niche field or are applying for a high-profile career, make sure you choose a resume writing service with a lot of experience creating the kind of resume you need. Current or former military members have specific needs, as do executives who must supply certain supplements with their resumes. Those who need a senior executive service (SES) resume; must answer knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) questions; or need to supply executive core qualifications (ECQ) statements need to be extra careful to verify that the service they’re considering has a proven track record in those areas.
• Get a guarantee. It’s tough to get a guarantee that has to do with you snagging a job; after all, no matter how great of a resume they produce for you, they can’t control how you behave in an interview. What they can guarantee are results like how often you get called in for an interview. The great companies promise that if you don’t experience success after a certain period of time (preferably a short period of time), they’ll redo your resume for you—for free, of course.
• Communication is key. It’s an “online” company, which means that most of your contact will be electronic, but you should be provided a toll-free number that allows you to access your writer when you need to. Sometimes you just need to talk something over, rather than send an e-mail, and the resume service should make that possible.
• Submission should be a piece of cake. They don’t know anything about you, which means that you’ll have to fill them in. That’s almost always done through an online form. Check to be sure that submitting your information—education, work experience, skills, talents, etc.—is easy. The point in hiring a resume writing service is to make things easier on you, not harder.
• Compare prices. It might make you cringe to fork over money for a resume when you’re out of a job or will be soon. But it’s small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, so try to think of it as a very small investment in your future success. That doesn’t mean that you should pay thousands or even hundreds of dollars. Compare the prices of different online resume writing services so you can get a feel for what’s standard. And make sure you’re comparing apples to apples in terms of what you get for the money. Be careful of the outfits that advertise prices that are far below what others charge, however. There may be hidden costs that will bite you down the road, or you’ll discover later that they’re just not very good. Either way, it can be a costly mistake to go too low.
Read resume writing service reviews and resume distribution service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Tailoring Your Resume in the “Scanning” Age
Every job seeker wants his or her resume to stand out from the crowd. But achieving this goal isn’t as easy as it was several years ago. Today, you not only have to make your resume reader-friendly for humans, but you also have to tailor it so that when it’s scanned for key words and phrases, a machine likes it too. What exactly is scanning? It’s essentially a process in which employers take your hard copy resume and turn it into a computer file. If you’ve ever tried to convert a document from one computer program to another, you know how tricky it can be to get everything transferred correctly. It’s the same principal with scanning your resume; you’ve got to know some tricks to make your resume translate well. Below are some helpful hints to get you started.
• Go for the hits. Create a list of key words and phrases from the job ad that you think are important, and then make sure you include them at least once in your resume. More than once is good, especially if it makes sense to do so. It’s kind of like writing for search engine optimization: you want the computer to pick up on the fact that your resume has all of the “ingredients” to rank it highly, but you don’t want to stuff it so full that a pair of human eyes will toss it because it doesn’t make sense.
• Format for success. If you’re certain that your resume will be scanned, you may want to consider a slightly different format. Much like with a functional resume, list your general skills and experiences at the top of your resume (those that incorporate the key words and phrases). Why? The computer will immediately be impressed. You can expand on your greatest hits later in your resume.
• Word it well. After the third time you’ve used verbs like “managed,” “designed,” or “operated,” you’ll probably be looking for more creative ways of saying the same thing. That’s fine, as long as you don’t get so creative that the computer doesn’t register your task. If it’s scanning for “managed”—as in how many people you managed in your last position—and you decide to say something such as, “I saw to the professional needs of five staff members,” the computer will skip right over it. Some sophisticated scanning systems are programmed to look for synonyms, but don’t gamble a possible career on it.
• Skip the fancy stuff. When you suspect (or know for certain) that your resume will be scanned, pass on the colored paper or decorative fonts. Use plain white paper and a basic 11- or 12-point font such as Ariel or Times New Roman. Fancier fonts may come across as unintelligible to the scanning device. Other things to skip: bold, underline, and italics—all of which will likely be ignored by the computer. Also, resist graphics, colored ink, and bullet points. Make sure all of your text is left-aligned (no centering), and as with any other kind of resume, don’t staple pages together.
• Snail mail (or e-mail) is best. The job posting may specify which means of delivery you should use, but when in doubt, use the good old U.S. Postal Service. Faxing isn’t a good idea, as it lowers the quality of the document, making it even more difficult to ensure successful scanning.
• Make sure humans will think it’s top-notch. Lastly, remember that your resume also has to impress people. Either before or after the computer scans your resume, a human will probably glance through it as well—especially if the computer gives it a thumb’s up. Tailoring your resume for today’s electronic age doesn’t give you a green light to skip the editing process. Read it through carefully several times to catch any grammatical or spelling errors, and then have a friend take a look.
Read resume service reviews and resume distribution reviews at JobGoRound.com.
• Go for the hits. Create a list of key words and phrases from the job ad that you think are important, and then make sure you include them at least once in your resume. More than once is good, especially if it makes sense to do so. It’s kind of like writing for search engine optimization: you want the computer to pick up on the fact that your resume has all of the “ingredients” to rank it highly, but you don’t want to stuff it so full that a pair of human eyes will toss it because it doesn’t make sense.
• Format for success. If you’re certain that your resume will be scanned, you may want to consider a slightly different format. Much like with a functional resume, list your general skills and experiences at the top of your resume (those that incorporate the key words and phrases). Why? The computer will immediately be impressed. You can expand on your greatest hits later in your resume.
• Word it well. After the third time you’ve used verbs like “managed,” “designed,” or “operated,” you’ll probably be looking for more creative ways of saying the same thing. That’s fine, as long as you don’t get so creative that the computer doesn’t register your task. If it’s scanning for “managed”—as in how many people you managed in your last position—and you decide to say something such as, “I saw to the professional needs of five staff members,” the computer will skip right over it. Some sophisticated scanning systems are programmed to look for synonyms, but don’t gamble a possible career on it.
• Skip the fancy stuff. When you suspect (or know for certain) that your resume will be scanned, pass on the colored paper or decorative fonts. Use plain white paper and a basic 11- or 12-point font such as Ariel or Times New Roman. Fancier fonts may come across as unintelligible to the scanning device. Other things to skip: bold, underline, and italics—all of which will likely be ignored by the computer. Also, resist graphics, colored ink, and bullet points. Make sure all of your text is left-aligned (no centering), and as with any other kind of resume, don’t staple pages together.
• Snail mail (or e-mail) is best. The job posting may specify which means of delivery you should use, but when in doubt, use the good old U.S. Postal Service. Faxing isn’t a good idea, as it lowers the quality of the document, making it even more difficult to ensure successful scanning.
• Make sure humans will think it’s top-notch. Lastly, remember that your resume also has to impress people. Either before or after the computer scans your resume, a human will probably glance through it as well—especially if the computer gives it a thumb’s up. Tailoring your resume for today’s electronic age doesn’t give you a green light to skip the editing process. Read it through carefully several times to catch any grammatical or spelling errors, and then have a friend take a look.
Read resume service reviews and resume distribution reviews at JobGoRound.com.
HOW TO ASK FOR A RAISE
Do you feel that you deserve a higher salary and need to ask for a raise? Let’s look at the facts: You’re long overdue for a raise. Your boss hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with one. And sitting around waiting for him or her to give you a raise hasn’t really been of much help.
So what are you waiting for? It’s definitely time to ask for a raise. And with the following tips, you’ll be able to do just that.
1. Access How Much Others Working in Your Field are Earning: The first thing you should do before you ask for a raise is learn about typical salaries in your field. You can get this information by using salary calculator tools like Salary.com and even looking at salary surveys. If you belong to a professional association, check with it to see if it has salary information available.
2. Evaluate Your Worth: Make a list of your accomplishments, skills and contributions. Figure out how much you can earn. Salary calculators and surveys generally present you with a range of salaries. You must determine where you should fit into this range. And to do this, consider the number of years you’ve been working in the field and the length of time you’ve worked for your current employer.
3. Prepare Your Argument: You really shouldn’t approach asking your boss for a raise as an argument, but you may have to make your case. Arm yourself with information. Know what a normal raise is for someone with your experience and occupation. Think of it as selling yourself just as you would do if you were trying to get a prospective employer to hire you. That’s why it is imperative to make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished for your employer.
4. Set Up an Appointment to Talk to Your Boss: You need to show your boss how serious you are about asking for a raise. Treat this as a business meeting and set up a time to meet with your boss. The most important thing is to choose an appropriate time of day, like an end-of-business-day meeting. Also, assess his or her mood and outlook that day. Is he or she ready to consider your request?
5. Present Your Case: Your boss may agree to give you a raise immediately with you having to do nothing more than ask him or her for one. But if that doesn’t happen, you may have to do more to convince your boss you should get a raise. Present the material you gathered earlier, including the typical salaries in your field and your accomplishments. But be flexible. Would you consider a supplement in perks, time off, flextime or vacation time in lieu of a raise? The key is to negotiate.
6. Have a Backup Plan Ready: Before you walk into your boss’s office to ask for a raise, think about what you will do if he or she says no, or agrees to give you a raise that is much smaller than the one you want. Will you quit your job or will you wait a while and then ask for a raise at a later date? Your answer will solely depend on what your boss says. For example, has your boss turned you down because of your performance? If so, ask yourself if his or her criticisms are valid. If they are, think about what changes you can make. If they aren’t, then you may want to go where you are appreciated.
With these tips in mind, you will be able to ask for a raise in a jiffy and also expect immediate and favorable results.
Read resume writing service reviews and resume writing tips at JobGoRound.com.
So what are you waiting for? It’s definitely time to ask for a raise. And with the following tips, you’ll be able to do just that.
1. Access How Much Others Working in Your Field are Earning: The first thing you should do before you ask for a raise is learn about typical salaries in your field. You can get this information by using salary calculator tools like Salary.com and even looking at salary surveys. If you belong to a professional association, check with it to see if it has salary information available.
2. Evaluate Your Worth: Make a list of your accomplishments, skills and contributions. Figure out how much you can earn. Salary calculators and surveys generally present you with a range of salaries. You must determine where you should fit into this range. And to do this, consider the number of years you’ve been working in the field and the length of time you’ve worked for your current employer.
3. Prepare Your Argument: You really shouldn’t approach asking your boss for a raise as an argument, but you may have to make your case. Arm yourself with information. Know what a normal raise is for someone with your experience and occupation. Think of it as selling yourself just as you would do if you were trying to get a prospective employer to hire you. That’s why it is imperative to make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished for your employer.
4. Set Up an Appointment to Talk to Your Boss: You need to show your boss how serious you are about asking for a raise. Treat this as a business meeting and set up a time to meet with your boss. The most important thing is to choose an appropriate time of day, like an end-of-business-day meeting. Also, assess his or her mood and outlook that day. Is he or she ready to consider your request?
5. Present Your Case: Your boss may agree to give you a raise immediately with you having to do nothing more than ask him or her for one. But if that doesn’t happen, you may have to do more to convince your boss you should get a raise. Present the material you gathered earlier, including the typical salaries in your field and your accomplishments. But be flexible. Would you consider a supplement in perks, time off, flextime or vacation time in lieu of a raise? The key is to negotiate.
6. Have a Backup Plan Ready: Before you walk into your boss’s office to ask for a raise, think about what you will do if he or she says no, or agrees to give you a raise that is much smaller than the one you want. Will you quit your job or will you wait a while and then ask for a raise at a later date? Your answer will solely depend on what your boss says. For example, has your boss turned you down because of your performance? If so, ask yourself if his or her criticisms are valid. If they are, think about what changes you can make. If they aren’t, then you may want to go where you are appreciated.
With these tips in mind, you will be able to ask for a raise in a jiffy and also expect immediate and favorable results.
Read resume writing service reviews and resume writing tips at JobGoRound.com.
How to Handle Resume Flaws
An effective resume is a key tool when you are trying to land a job. However, most resumes fail to capture the attention of potential employers for very predictable, but definitely curable, reasons. These are listed below:
1. Lack of Focus – An Unorganized Resume: Most resumes one comes across have a never-ending list of everything the person has done in his or her career. There are also endless lists of skills, personal characteristics and accomplishments, verbs, and unnecessary detail. What you need to do instead of making everything on your resume stand out as equally important, is to point out a dominant focus, a clear sense of purpose and direction. This will help you getting the exact job that you are looking for.
2. Too Much Detail - Not Written for a “Skimmer”: Potential employers do not read resumes in detail at first. They just ‘skim’ it, usually taking perhaps only 15 to 30 seconds to see if it is worth reading in detail. When your reader is skimming, his or her eye will naturally start at the top center, and then quickly scan down the left side of the page. The left side of the page is where the battle for your reader’s attention is fought. And, by trying to make everything ‘stand out’, you lose control over your reader’s eye. Therefore, you should put the most important words, items, and information on that left side.
3. Fails to Ask the Two Fundamental Questions: The two most important questions in deciding what to emphasize in your resume are: 1) What does the employer want to see first? 2) What do you want the reader to see first? In answer to the first question, what most employers want to see first in a resume can vary. Most of them are looking for key factors like academic degrees, certification and licensing, job titles, or key skills related to the job. Others may look first for gaps in employment, school activities, recent training, or other factors. So keep these details handy when making your resume. Secondly, emphasize what you want your employer to see first. Make sure your prospective employer can find all of these ‘firsts’ without having to read in detail.
4. Not ‘Tailored’ for the Type of Position Being Sought: Even if your resume makes it clear what type of job you are applying for, most resumes do not emphasize in the body of the resume the factors that relate to that job title. While it is necessary to emphasize your technical knowledge and experience, you also need to emphasize those responsibilities and accomplishments in your career that would be of value in the job that you are seeking. A potential employer should be able to tell immediately what you are interested in and where your skills would yield the maximum productivity.
5. Unique Strengths Not Marked Out: No two people are alike. Each one of you has your unique strengths, a distinctive combination of experiences, an individual career path, or even specialized knowledge and expertise. Most of you do not emphasize what is unique about your background in a resume. But very often, this is what determines whether your resume will be thrown out or you will be asked in for an interview. Which is why, you should place these unique qualities prominently in your resume.
The most simple solutions to all these resume flaws lie in recognizing your strengths and weaknesses while understanding what a prospective employer is looking for. Only by doing that will you ensure that your resume is in the ‘less than five percent’ that are not immediately discarded.
Read resume service reviews at JobGoRound.com. Discover the best resume writing tips.
1. Lack of Focus – An Unorganized Resume: Most resumes one comes across have a never-ending list of everything the person has done in his or her career. There are also endless lists of skills, personal characteristics and accomplishments, verbs, and unnecessary detail. What you need to do instead of making everything on your resume stand out as equally important, is to point out a dominant focus, a clear sense of purpose and direction. This will help you getting the exact job that you are looking for.
2. Too Much Detail - Not Written for a “Skimmer”: Potential employers do not read resumes in detail at first. They just ‘skim’ it, usually taking perhaps only 15 to 30 seconds to see if it is worth reading in detail. When your reader is skimming, his or her eye will naturally start at the top center, and then quickly scan down the left side of the page. The left side of the page is where the battle for your reader’s attention is fought. And, by trying to make everything ‘stand out’, you lose control over your reader’s eye. Therefore, you should put the most important words, items, and information on that left side.
3. Fails to Ask the Two Fundamental Questions: The two most important questions in deciding what to emphasize in your resume are: 1) What does the employer want to see first? 2) What do you want the reader to see first? In answer to the first question, what most employers want to see first in a resume can vary. Most of them are looking for key factors like academic degrees, certification and licensing, job titles, or key skills related to the job. Others may look first for gaps in employment, school activities, recent training, or other factors. So keep these details handy when making your resume. Secondly, emphasize what you want your employer to see first. Make sure your prospective employer can find all of these ‘firsts’ without having to read in detail.
4. Not ‘Tailored’ for the Type of Position Being Sought: Even if your resume makes it clear what type of job you are applying for, most resumes do not emphasize in the body of the resume the factors that relate to that job title. While it is necessary to emphasize your technical knowledge and experience, you also need to emphasize those responsibilities and accomplishments in your career that would be of value in the job that you are seeking. A potential employer should be able to tell immediately what you are interested in and where your skills would yield the maximum productivity.
5. Unique Strengths Not Marked Out: No two people are alike. Each one of you has your unique strengths, a distinctive combination of experiences, an individual career path, or even specialized knowledge and expertise. Most of you do not emphasize what is unique about your background in a resume. But very often, this is what determines whether your resume will be thrown out or you will be asked in for an interview. Which is why, you should place these unique qualities prominently in your resume.
The most simple solutions to all these resume flaws lie in recognizing your strengths and weaknesses while understanding what a prospective employer is looking for. Only by doing that will you ensure that your resume is in the ‘less than five percent’ that are not immediately discarded.
Read resume service reviews at JobGoRound.com. Discover the best resume writing tips.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Best Sites to Download Sample KSAs
There are a lot of great aspects about government jobs—which is probably why there’s such stiff competition for them—but one thing you may not enjoy is the application process. In addition to sweating over the usual resume and cover letter, you’ll probably have to tackle at least one KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities). It’s kind of the governmental equivalent of the essay portion of the SATs. If you’re looking into a federal job for the first time, you may wonder whether KSAs are required—or whether they apply to you. The answer is yes. They’re not optional, at least not if you want to land the job.
But unlike the SAT, help is available with writing your KSA response. There are KSA writing services that will utilize the information in your resume, together with expert knowledge of the government hiring process, to craft KSA answers for you. These services can be fairly expensive, however. Another option is to download a sample KSA response that has previously been written for someone else applying for a similar government job. KSA samples are much more affordable than custom written KSA answers yet contain the same style of professional writing and formatting. Of course you will need to tailor the sample KSA to your particular background, but doing this is much easier than starting your writing from scratch.
Having written dozens of KSAs over my government career, I have utilized sample KSAs many times and have found that the best ones are available from the following sources:
KSA Doctor. Site has dozens of sample KSAs from all position types and levels. The sample KSAs were professionally written for previous clients, and are now made available to as samples. The quality is high and they can be immediately downloaded for a small fee.
ResumeEdge. Great samples give an excellent idea of the type of detail to provide when answering KSA questions.
Aspirations. Another excellent source of KSA samples that are expertly written and formatted.
CDC website. Several government website include helpful tips for writing KSA responses. The Centers for Disease Control website is among the best. http://www.cdc.gov/hrmo/ksahowto.htm
Internet search. You can find many KSA samples by simply doing a Google search for “KSA samples”.
Using KSA samples is a great way to obtain high quality KSA responses without spending lots of money. Just be sure to revise them by including details from your own education, training, and experience. Remember, KSAs separate those who are qualified for the job from those who are best qualified. So there’s a lot of weight given to how you answer these questions. Be sure to provide specific examples of how you meet the KSA being asked for. And of course be very meticulous with your spelling, grammar, and editing.
But unlike the SAT, help is available with writing your KSA response. There are KSA writing services that will utilize the information in your resume, together with expert knowledge of the government hiring process, to craft KSA answers for you. These services can be fairly expensive, however. Another option is to download a sample KSA response that has previously been written for someone else applying for a similar government job. KSA samples are much more affordable than custom written KSA answers yet contain the same style of professional writing and formatting. Of course you will need to tailor the sample KSA to your particular background, but doing this is much easier than starting your writing from scratch.
Having written dozens of KSAs over my government career, I have utilized sample KSAs many times and have found that the best ones are available from the following sources:
KSA Doctor. Site has dozens of sample KSAs from all position types and levels. The sample KSAs were professionally written for previous clients, and are now made available to as samples. The quality is high and they can be immediately downloaded for a small fee.
ResumeEdge. Great samples give an excellent idea of the type of detail to provide when answering KSA questions.
Aspirations. Another excellent source of KSA samples that are expertly written and formatted.
CDC website. Several government website include helpful tips for writing KSA responses. The Centers for Disease Control website is among the best. http://www.cdc.gov/hrmo/ksahowto.htm
Internet search. You can find many KSA samples by simply doing a Google search for “KSA samples”.
Using KSA samples is a great way to obtain high quality KSA responses without spending lots of money. Just be sure to revise them by including details from your own education, training, and experience. Remember, KSAs separate those who are qualified for the job from those who are best qualified. So there’s a lot of weight given to how you answer these questions. Be sure to provide specific examples of how you meet the KSA being asked for. And of course be very meticulous with your spelling, grammar, and editing.
Monday, May 12, 2008
How to Write a Career Transition Resume
Congratulations! You’ve made the difficult yet rewarding decision to change careers. The good news? You’re in for an exciting adventure as you blaze a trail down a career path that perhaps you’ve always wanted to explore. The bad news? First you’ve got to get someone to hire you into this new field.
A traditional resume—most likely the resume that you have now—isn’t the best tool to maximize your talent and experience. If you’re transitioning to a closely related field—a hospital nurse to a private nurse, for example—a combination resume format serves you well. It’s like a chronological resume, except that you begin with a summary that outlines your qualifications and certifications, proving that you’re a great candidate for this new role.
If you’re making a larger leap between careers, a functional resume is the right choice because it highlights your skills while downplaying your work history (which undoubtedly has little, if anything, to do with your new career). Since this is the hardest transition to make, we’ll focus on putting together a functional resume.
A couple of tips before you get started on your resume:
• Do your homework. If you’ve made a life-altering decision about pursuing this new career, it’s probably safe to assume that you’re familiar with what the job entails on a day-to-day basis. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you know what employers are looking for in potential employees. You may think you’re perfect for a marketing or PR position because you’re a great writer, but did you know what many employers are looking for marketing staff with sales ability? You can get some information from the Internet, but a better solution is to meet with an employer within your desired industry to pick her brain about what specifically she looks for in a candidate.
• Think like an employer. If your resume can’t demonstrate years of direct experience within this field, what would show an employer that you’ve got what it takes to make it in this new profession? Think through all of your potential transferable skills. Did a volunteer project incorporate a related skill? Does your hobby use a transferable skill?
Crafting a new resume from scratch can be daunting—especially if you’re unfamiliar with a functional format. But the tips below will take you through the creation of your new resume step by step.
• Step 1: Begin with a clearly-stated Objective. This is important on most resumes, but it’s absolutely crucial in a transitional resume. You must tell the hiring manager exactly which position you desire because she probably won’t be able to determine that you’re applying for a graphic design job if all she sees is teaching-related skills. Example: “Graphic design job where 10 years of demonstrable creativity, adaptability, and communication skills will ensure that clients are fully satisfied with their design projects.”
• Step 2: Include a Profile. This is where your knowledge of what an employer in this field is looking for begins to come in handy. In this section, you’ll list who you are in a nutshell—as it relates to your intended position, of course. Example: “Creative, self-motivated professional who can adapt to any situation with ease. Talent for conquering new technology and software application, while retaining creative flair. Trained in cross-cultural communication and fluent in two foreign languages.”
• Step 3: Make a Skills Summary. In this section, simply list all of your skills—column format is easiest to read. Include technology, languages, and hard and soft skills. List everything from “project management” to “Dreamweaver” to “French fluency.”
• Step 4: Create functional categories. Depending on your experience and the job for which you’re applying, your functional categories could be “Sales Experience,” “Organizational Experience,” and “Customer Service.” Under “Organizational Experience,” for example, list all of your organizational-related achievements throughout your career. Example: “Created new system that tracked a 68-employee firm’s compliance with new federal regulations.” This is the most difficult aspect of a functional resume for many people because it can be hard to identify skills, rather than just job descriptions. Sometimes an outside source—a spouse, friend, or family member—can help you brainstorm ideas.
• Step 5: End with a brief employment history. You’ve already plucked all useful skills and experience from your work history and distilled them into your functional category sections. So all you need to list here is the company name, address, your job title, and the dates of your employment. Don’t elaborate on your job descriptions.
It’s a little time-consuming, but writing an effective functional resume is the first step toward the career that you’ve been dreaming of.
Read resume service reviews of the top resume writing services.
A traditional resume—most likely the resume that you have now—isn’t the best tool to maximize your talent and experience. If you’re transitioning to a closely related field—a hospital nurse to a private nurse, for example—a combination resume format serves you well. It’s like a chronological resume, except that you begin with a summary that outlines your qualifications and certifications, proving that you’re a great candidate for this new role.
If you’re making a larger leap between careers, a functional resume is the right choice because it highlights your skills while downplaying your work history (which undoubtedly has little, if anything, to do with your new career). Since this is the hardest transition to make, we’ll focus on putting together a functional resume.
A couple of tips before you get started on your resume:
• Do your homework. If you’ve made a life-altering decision about pursuing this new career, it’s probably safe to assume that you’re familiar with what the job entails on a day-to-day basis. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you know what employers are looking for in potential employees. You may think you’re perfect for a marketing or PR position because you’re a great writer, but did you know what many employers are looking for marketing staff with sales ability? You can get some information from the Internet, but a better solution is to meet with an employer within your desired industry to pick her brain about what specifically she looks for in a candidate.
• Think like an employer. If your resume can’t demonstrate years of direct experience within this field, what would show an employer that you’ve got what it takes to make it in this new profession? Think through all of your potential transferable skills. Did a volunteer project incorporate a related skill? Does your hobby use a transferable skill?
Crafting a new resume from scratch can be daunting—especially if you’re unfamiliar with a functional format. But the tips below will take you through the creation of your new resume step by step.
• Step 1: Begin with a clearly-stated Objective. This is important on most resumes, but it’s absolutely crucial in a transitional resume. You must tell the hiring manager exactly which position you desire because she probably won’t be able to determine that you’re applying for a graphic design job if all she sees is teaching-related skills. Example: “Graphic design job where 10 years of demonstrable creativity, adaptability, and communication skills will ensure that clients are fully satisfied with their design projects.”
• Step 2: Include a Profile. This is where your knowledge of what an employer in this field is looking for begins to come in handy. In this section, you’ll list who you are in a nutshell—as it relates to your intended position, of course. Example: “Creative, self-motivated professional who can adapt to any situation with ease. Talent for conquering new technology and software application, while retaining creative flair. Trained in cross-cultural communication and fluent in two foreign languages.”
• Step 3: Make a Skills Summary. In this section, simply list all of your skills—column format is easiest to read. Include technology, languages, and hard and soft skills. List everything from “project management” to “Dreamweaver” to “French fluency.”
• Step 4: Create functional categories. Depending on your experience and the job for which you’re applying, your functional categories could be “Sales Experience,” “Organizational Experience,” and “Customer Service.” Under “Organizational Experience,” for example, list all of your organizational-related achievements throughout your career. Example: “Created new system that tracked a 68-employee firm’s compliance with new federal regulations.” This is the most difficult aspect of a functional resume for many people because it can be hard to identify skills, rather than just job descriptions. Sometimes an outside source—a spouse, friend, or family member—can help you brainstorm ideas.
• Step 5: End with a brief employment history. You’ve already plucked all useful skills and experience from your work history and distilled them into your functional category sections. So all you need to list here is the company name, address, your job title, and the dates of your employment. Don’t elaborate on your job descriptions.
It’s a little time-consuming, but writing an effective functional resume is the first step toward the career that you’ve been dreaming of.
Read resume service reviews of the top resume writing services.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
