For most job-seekers, the resume is the only way to get your foot in the door. Unfortunately, the employer probably gets so many resumes, that he barely has time to read through them all. This makes getting a foot in the door extremely difficult.
What usually happens is that human resources will do an initial screening of all resumes sent in. Those that pass the initial HR screening may go to the hiring manager, who will scan the resumes and pick out the ones that seem to be a good fit for his needs. After this process, a more thorough screening will be done to select candidates that might be called for a phone interview.
Once a job-seeker gets that phone call, the importance and weight of the resume starts to drop in comparison with the more personal communications. Therefore, the goal of creating a resume should be to pass through the initial screening process. Some tips to help you be impressive on paper are listed below.
Make it a marketing tool
A resume is a tool for you to use to market yourself. An employer lists a job because there is an unmet need. Therefore, your resume should address how you can meet that need better than anyone else.
There is nothing wrong with creating multiple versions of a resume, so long as you are truthful. Target your resume to the employer either by creating a resume for different industry verticals or targeted job titles.
Make it highlight results
Too many people simply write down job titles and dates without giving good examples of what type of previous results were achieved. When writing your experience, make sure you highlight your biggest achievements. Use action words like, “I managed”, “I led”, “I developed” and then in a very short sentence, state what the result was.
A great example is “I led a 4 million dollar project which resulted in a 50 million dollar profit.” This is short and to the point, but also gives the employer something very real and practical to work with.
Make the summary meaningful
When creating a summary, avoid generics at all cost. Be specific about who you are, what you have accomplished and what you wish to do.
A sentence that states you are a professional seeking a challenging position doesn’t have any meaning. Instead, a summary that states you are a sales management professional with ten years success in increasing profits wishing to find a position in the automobile sales industry gives the employer more information to work with.
Make it look good
Last but not least is how your resume looks. Use bullet points, keep the same font and format throughout the resume and make good use of white space. Realistically, you probably have 30 seconds to make it into the follow-up pile instead of the throw-away pile.
In addition, check spelling and grammar. Then, you should check spelling and grammar. Finally, you should have someone else check your spelling and grammar. One misspelled word or unreadable sentence could label you as incompetent.
In conclusion, remember that a resume is not intended to be a complete job history and is not intended to list every accomplishment you have ever had. A resume should be used to show the employer why you are worthy of an interview. You must address the employer’s needs, target the employer’s industry and make it look eye-catching and professional.
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Writing an Effective Legal Resume
Law school taught you plenty, but it probably didn’t teach you how to write a resume that will secure you an interview with the firm of your dreams. It can be daunting to create or even update a resume because there’s so much pressure to be unique. The best advice, however, is not to strive for “different” but for “best.” Legal resumes aren’t the venue for getting creative or artsy. You want to blow them away them with your incredible successes and winning attitude. How do you do that? By putting your experience in the best possible light (no lying) and expressing your desire to do great work for them.
Below are more tips on creating a winning legal resume:
Pick a format. In some professions, it’s easy to determine whether you should submit a chronological resume or a functional resume. For attorneys, however, the choice isn’t as clear cut. First, think about the goal of your resume. Are you changing fields? Do you change jobs a lot? Are you new to the legal profession? A functional resume is probably your best bet. Are you submitting your resume in hopes of a promotion? Are you applying for a senior-level position? Are you changing cities but sticking to the same area of law? Choose chronological. The final factor in the format debate is the firm to which you’re applying. If it’s a young, hip firm, they may conclude that you’re not up-to-date on current legal matters if they see 25 years of experience on your resume. So opt for a functional rather than chronological resume. But if you’re applying to an old-school firm, they may think that 25 years is just a launching point, so chronological is fine.
Include an objective—or not. Again, whether you include an objective at the beginning of your resume depends on a couple of factors. It’s only considered necessary if the firm to which you’re applying is active in a number of legal fields or if your resume includes experience in a variety of areas. If you’re a family law attorney applying to a family law firm, it’s assumed that your objective is to work in family law.
Move your education to the bottom. Unless you’ve been out of law school for fewer than five years, format your resume so that the details of your education are at the end of your resume. And the longer you’ve been out of school, the shorter your education section should be. It’s your experience talking now—not your GPA.
Keep it clean. It’s tempting to throw everything into your work history in hopes that something in there will impress a potential employer, but resist the urge to “kitchen sink” your resume. Make sure every detail is somehow relevant to the job you want. When you’re applying for an environmental law position, mentioning your 82 percent success rate in personal injury law is fine (it shows your winning history), but mentioning the number of hits per game that you average on your slow-pitch softball team is just bizarre. And, yes, it happens more often that you’d like to believe.
Spell it out. There’s a significant amount of legal jargon and acronyms that you’d hope potential employers would know, but you can’t be sure that the person reading your resume first is an attorney. Lots of firms farm out their human resources needs to companies who sift through resumes from doctors to garbage collectors. When in doubt, spell it out. And definitely spell out your job titles. If you were an assistant state’s attorney, for example, spell out “assistant.” One exasperated hiring manager mentioned that if she saw any more “ass. attorneys” on a resume, she would simply toss it.
Consider a transaction sheet. Depending on the area of law for which you’re submitting a resume—and if you have enough years of experience—you may want to include a transaction sheet as part of your resume. For an even cleaner look, make it a supplement to your resume. Rather than list transactions chronologically (you shouldn’t use dates anyway), group them by area of law. Also, keep the sheet simple, using bullet points to illustrate your successful transactions. Finally, make sure you’re legally able to disclose any information you include on the sheet—dollar amounts in particular.
Proof and proof again. While it’s never a good idea to make a grammatical or spelling mistake on a resume, nobody wants to hire an attorney who doesn’t know the difference between “there” and “their.” Run your resume past a friend who does know the difference.
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Below are more tips on creating a winning legal resume:
Pick a format. In some professions, it’s easy to determine whether you should submit a chronological resume or a functional resume. For attorneys, however, the choice isn’t as clear cut. First, think about the goal of your resume. Are you changing fields? Do you change jobs a lot? Are you new to the legal profession? A functional resume is probably your best bet. Are you submitting your resume in hopes of a promotion? Are you applying for a senior-level position? Are you changing cities but sticking to the same area of law? Choose chronological. The final factor in the format debate is the firm to which you’re applying. If it’s a young, hip firm, they may conclude that you’re not up-to-date on current legal matters if they see 25 years of experience on your resume. So opt for a functional rather than chronological resume. But if you’re applying to an old-school firm, they may think that 25 years is just a launching point, so chronological is fine.
Include an objective—or not. Again, whether you include an objective at the beginning of your resume depends on a couple of factors. It’s only considered necessary if the firm to which you’re applying is active in a number of legal fields or if your resume includes experience in a variety of areas. If you’re a family law attorney applying to a family law firm, it’s assumed that your objective is to work in family law.
Move your education to the bottom. Unless you’ve been out of law school for fewer than five years, format your resume so that the details of your education are at the end of your resume. And the longer you’ve been out of school, the shorter your education section should be. It’s your experience talking now—not your GPA.
Keep it clean. It’s tempting to throw everything into your work history in hopes that something in there will impress a potential employer, but resist the urge to “kitchen sink” your resume. Make sure every detail is somehow relevant to the job you want. When you’re applying for an environmental law position, mentioning your 82 percent success rate in personal injury law is fine (it shows your winning history), but mentioning the number of hits per game that you average on your slow-pitch softball team is just bizarre. And, yes, it happens more often that you’d like to believe.
Spell it out. There’s a significant amount of legal jargon and acronyms that you’d hope potential employers would know, but you can’t be sure that the person reading your resume first is an attorney. Lots of firms farm out their human resources needs to companies who sift through resumes from doctors to garbage collectors. When in doubt, spell it out. And definitely spell out your job titles. If you were an assistant state’s attorney, for example, spell out “assistant.” One exasperated hiring manager mentioned that if she saw any more “ass. attorneys” on a resume, she would simply toss it.
Consider a transaction sheet. Depending on the area of law for which you’re submitting a resume—and if you have enough years of experience—you may want to include a transaction sheet as part of your resume. For an even cleaner look, make it a supplement to your resume. Rather than list transactions chronologically (you shouldn’t use dates anyway), group them by area of law. Also, keep the sheet simple, using bullet points to illustrate your successful transactions. Finally, make sure you’re legally able to disclose any information you include on the sheet—dollar amounts in particular.
Proof and proof again. While it’s never a good idea to make a grammatical or spelling mistake on a resume, nobody wants to hire an attorney who doesn’t know the difference between “there” and “their.” Run your resume past a friend who does know the difference.
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
How to Write a Great Engineering Resume
You’re talented and experienced, so any old resume should be able to secure that dream job you’re after, right? Wrong. Whether you’re writing a new resume or revising an existing resume, you can’t assume that the standard rules apply. After all, you’re an engineer! And while you’re undoubtedly a very good engineer, there will be dozens—perhaps hundreds—of talented engineers applying for the same desirable job.
What works for most professionals won’t necessarily work for an engineering resume. For instance, resumes are typically structured in a chronological format, but because the field of engineering is very project-oriented, it’s better to list important (read: impressive) projects, achievements, and skills first. Below are more tips on creating an engineering resume that will lead to those all-important interviews.
• Be specific. By the very nature of the work, most engineers are able to think outside the box, juggle multiple projects, and a variety of other resume clichés. So don’t bore potential employers with those generic phrases. If you list your ability to successfully work on multiple projects simultaneously, provide a one- or two-line example from your past work history to back up your claim.
• But not about your salary. Depending on your area of specialization and experience, engineers can expect to make quite a handsome living. So it’s not unusual for employers to request a salary history or salary range from engineering applicants. While you may not be able to avoid the issue altogether, it’s important to try to skirt it as much as possible. You may think you absolutely need X amount of dollars to consider a position, but the truth is that there are a lot of variables: a great benefits package can make up for a lot, as can perks such as flexible hours or ample vacation. So always provide a range—not an exact number—if explicitly asked. And if you’re required to provide a salary history, try to insert a range as well. If you started out your last job at $80,000 but left making $100,000, assign $80,000-$100,000 to that job, rather than simply $100,000. Otherwise, you might price yourself out a job that you really want.
• Use keywords. Though it’s important that your resume be written in reader-friendly language that makes sense to hiring managers, it’s also very possible that your resume will be scanned for specific keywords. Scanning is becoming increasingly common—especially in technical professions such as engineering—and if your resume is found lacking, it may not move on. Make sure you weave in qualifications, certifications, and experience that are outlined in the job posting, mimicking the posting’s language where it makes sense.
• Give the good stuff. Cover letters are important, but ask any hiring manager, and they’ll tell you that they skip cover letters more often than they read them. So don’t hold back any of your accomplishments from your resume, thinking that you need something fresh for the cover letter. Always list the most important information on your resume.
• Define your objective. If you include an objective at the top of your resume, make sure it fits with the job you’re applying for. If you’re submitting a resume for an aeronautical engineering position, but your objective details your aspiration to move into environmental engineering, your resume won’t get a second glance. Not only does it broadcast the fact that you don’t know or don’t care what the job listing said, but employers will assume that you don’t intend to stick around for the long haul. Also, don’t write a one-size-fits-all objective stating your desire to “utilize my extensive skills to benefit your company.” That could fit any company from McDonald’s to NASA!
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
What works for most professionals won’t necessarily work for an engineering resume. For instance, resumes are typically structured in a chronological format, but because the field of engineering is very project-oriented, it’s better to list important (read: impressive) projects, achievements, and skills first. Below are more tips on creating an engineering resume that will lead to those all-important interviews.
• Be specific. By the very nature of the work, most engineers are able to think outside the box, juggle multiple projects, and a variety of other resume clichés. So don’t bore potential employers with those generic phrases. If you list your ability to successfully work on multiple projects simultaneously, provide a one- or two-line example from your past work history to back up your claim.
• But not about your salary. Depending on your area of specialization and experience, engineers can expect to make quite a handsome living. So it’s not unusual for employers to request a salary history or salary range from engineering applicants. While you may not be able to avoid the issue altogether, it’s important to try to skirt it as much as possible. You may think you absolutely need X amount of dollars to consider a position, but the truth is that there are a lot of variables: a great benefits package can make up for a lot, as can perks such as flexible hours or ample vacation. So always provide a range—not an exact number—if explicitly asked. And if you’re required to provide a salary history, try to insert a range as well. If you started out your last job at $80,000 but left making $100,000, assign $80,000-$100,000 to that job, rather than simply $100,000. Otherwise, you might price yourself out a job that you really want.
• Use keywords. Though it’s important that your resume be written in reader-friendly language that makes sense to hiring managers, it’s also very possible that your resume will be scanned for specific keywords. Scanning is becoming increasingly common—especially in technical professions such as engineering—and if your resume is found lacking, it may not move on. Make sure you weave in qualifications, certifications, and experience that are outlined in the job posting, mimicking the posting’s language where it makes sense.
• Give the good stuff. Cover letters are important, but ask any hiring manager, and they’ll tell you that they skip cover letters more often than they read them. So don’t hold back any of your accomplishments from your resume, thinking that you need something fresh for the cover letter. Always list the most important information on your resume.
• Define your objective. If you include an objective at the top of your resume, make sure it fits with the job you’re applying for. If you’re submitting a resume for an aeronautical engineering position, but your objective details your aspiration to move into environmental engineering, your resume won’t get a second glance. Not only does it broadcast the fact that you don’t know or don’t care what the job listing said, but employers will assume that you don’t intend to stick around for the long haul. Also, don’t write a one-size-fits-all objective stating your desire to “utilize my extensive skills to benefit your company.” That could fit any company from McDonald’s to NASA!
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Writing a Great IT Resume
Information technology jobs are popping up in unheard-of numbers all over the world. After all, everyone uses computers today, which means everyone needs help figuring them out and fixing them when things go awry. But just because more IT jobs are available than ever before doesn’t mean that you can slap together a so-so resume and assume you’ll be hired. Why not? Because there are also more applicants than ever before. So it’s crucial that your resume is both eye-catching and informative. Below are some tips that will help you stand out from the IT crowd and land an interview for your dream job.
• Target your resume to the job. Your resume will be given more weight if it’s clear that you’ve created it especially for the IT job that’s been posted. Look through the requirements for the job and make sure your corresponding skills and experience are the first things listed on your resume.
• Use the skills section. Most people have a skills section on their resume, but they include two or three “skills” such as two years of college French or the ability to create PowerPoint presentations. For the IT resume, however, the skills section is one of the most important and should be placed before your work history. This is where you can really put yourself head and shoulders above the competition by listing all of your experience with and knowledge of hardware and software. Just make sure your lists are organized into easy-to-read segments.
• Give certifications and experience equal weight. IT is one profession where experience counts at least as much as any certifications you have. Don’t get me wrong; certifications are important. They show that you’ve put in the time to learn important programs and procedures. But if you’re light on certifications, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker. Most companies would rather hire someone with three years of the experience they need than someone with a dozen certifications but no hands-on experience.
• Demonstrate problem-solving abilities. At its core, information technology is all about problem-solving—finding a problem, identifying its cause, and correcting the problem. Make sure your resume reflects the most impressive ways you’ve used your problem-solving skills in the past to help your company or clients resolve their IT issues.
• Avoid jargon and acronyms. Information technology uses more jargon and acronyms than just about any other field, so IT applicants need to be especially careful when it comes to abusing them on a resume. Don’t assume that someone familiar with IT terms will be reading your resume—at least not at every step in the process. Depending on the company, your resume may go through a general hiring manager first, and if he or she can’t decipher your resume, it may get tossed.
• Don’t exaggerate. Stretching the truth, exaggerating, outright lying—call it what you will, but playing fast and loose with your experience or credentials will most likely come back to haunt you. Companies aren’t going to entrust their precious IT infrastructure to just anyone and usually do more extensive checking on IT candidates. Put your experience in the best light, but stick to the truth.
• Identify your value. Clearly state the value that you will bring to your potential employer. Don’t assume that your skills, experience, and certifications are saying it for you; spell it out. “I am able to single-handedly support your mainframe needs, as evidenced by (insert experience)…” says a lot more to employers than a simple fact or number. Companies want to get the most bang for their buck, and you need to prove that hiring you is the best decision they could make.
Read resume writing service reviews and ratings, resume distribution advice, and interview tips at http://www.JobGoRound.com.
• Target your resume to the job. Your resume will be given more weight if it’s clear that you’ve created it especially for the IT job that’s been posted. Look through the requirements for the job and make sure your corresponding skills and experience are the first things listed on your resume.
• Use the skills section. Most people have a skills section on their resume, but they include two or three “skills” such as two years of college French or the ability to create PowerPoint presentations. For the IT resume, however, the skills section is one of the most important and should be placed before your work history. This is where you can really put yourself head and shoulders above the competition by listing all of your experience with and knowledge of hardware and software. Just make sure your lists are organized into easy-to-read segments.
• Give certifications and experience equal weight. IT is one profession where experience counts at least as much as any certifications you have. Don’t get me wrong; certifications are important. They show that you’ve put in the time to learn important programs and procedures. But if you’re light on certifications, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker. Most companies would rather hire someone with three years of the experience they need than someone with a dozen certifications but no hands-on experience.
• Demonstrate problem-solving abilities. At its core, information technology is all about problem-solving—finding a problem, identifying its cause, and correcting the problem. Make sure your resume reflects the most impressive ways you’ve used your problem-solving skills in the past to help your company or clients resolve their IT issues.
• Avoid jargon and acronyms. Information technology uses more jargon and acronyms than just about any other field, so IT applicants need to be especially careful when it comes to abusing them on a resume. Don’t assume that someone familiar with IT terms will be reading your resume—at least not at every step in the process. Depending on the company, your resume may go through a general hiring manager first, and if he or she can’t decipher your resume, it may get tossed.
• Don’t exaggerate. Stretching the truth, exaggerating, outright lying—call it what you will, but playing fast and loose with your experience or credentials will most likely come back to haunt you. Companies aren’t going to entrust their precious IT infrastructure to just anyone and usually do more extensive checking on IT candidates. Put your experience in the best light, but stick to the truth.
• Identify your value. Clearly state the value that you will bring to your potential employer. Don’t assume that your skills, experience, and certifications are saying it for you; spell it out. “I am able to single-handedly support your mainframe needs, as evidenced by (insert experience)…” says a lot more to employers than a simple fact or number. Companies want to get the most bang for their buck, and you need to prove that hiring you is the best decision they could make.
Read resume writing service reviews and ratings, resume distribution advice, and interview tips at http://www.JobGoRound.com.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Writing Great ECQ Statements
Ah, the joy of applying for government jobs. As you’ve probably learned already, there are more hoops to jump through when Uncle Sam is doing the hiring. And if you’re applying for an executive job at the federal level, one of those hoops is the ECQ—Executive Core Qualifications.
These statements, which should accompany your resume and cover letter, are simply an additional method to evaluate your candidacy for a job. ECQ statements address five core areas: leading change, leading people, results driven, business acumen, and building coalitions. Your response to each ECQ area should be at least one page long, but generally not longer than two pages. Below are explanations of the different ECQ areas.
• Leading Change. Change is a constant in business, and when you stop changing, you stop growing. This ECQ is designed to demonstrate how you’ve handled and even promoted change in the past. You should also reveal how you keep your eye on the big picture and give an example of how you’ve used your creativity to lead change in your company.
• Leading People. Executives today are increasingly called upon to use “soft skills” such as successfully interacting with people. Replacing good employees costs companies millions of dollars, so a great working environment with strong leadership and committed team members is the gold standard. Describe your successes in such things are promoting development among your subordinates, reducing turnover, and integrating diversity.
• Results Driven. The government is no different than a private sector company in this regard: they want results, and they want to know that you’re capable of achieving their desired results. For this ECQ, it’s important to demonstrate clear results you’ve produced in the past—whether that’s related to the bottom line, customer service, plan implementation, ability to problem-solve, or another area. Provide concrete evidence that shows you’re accustomed to getting things done, are comfortable with being the final word on things, and are willing to take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions.
• Business Acumen. If you’re hoping to move into an executive position within the government, you need to prove that you have the high-level business acumen needed for the position. What’s important in the business world? Success in managing people, the company’s finances, and the company’s direction. Give examples that display your excellence in these areas.
• Building Coalitions. There are some lone ranger companies out there, but the government wants to hire people who appreciate the value of working with other companies and governmental bodies to get a job done—or to simply build good working relationships that benefit both entities. In this ECQ, provide examples of how you’ve successfully partnered with other organizations, and describe your role in influencing the results of the partnership.
When crafting your ECQ statements, keep these tips in mind:
• Avoid generalizing. Gear your responses and examples toward the job you want or the job posting that you’re responding to. Don’t make them guess which job you’re applying for, and don’t give the impression that your ECQs are one-size-fits-all.
• Be concise. Stick to the one- to two-page rule. This gives you enough room to illustrate your brilliance and cite examples, but it keeps your response easy to digest for the reviewer.
• Show measurable results. It’s easy to say that you improved the bottom line or that you reduced turnover in your last job. Those statements don’t mean a thing unless you include numbers and statistics—things that can be measured and that answer the question, “how much?” Make sure to note that your sales plan increased revenues by 12% in the first quarter or that during your time as manager, you reduced turnover by 50%.
• Use appropriate examples. Usually, any past experience that demonstrates your ability in a given area is a plus—from the bake sale you organized for the PTA to the accounting you did for your fraternity’s Kiss-a-Pig fundraiser. But with ECQ responses, you need to be careful when choosing examples. Remember that you’re applying for an executive-level job, so include examples that reflect executive-level experience.
• Use an ECQ sample. Start your ECQ writing with an ECQ sample to make your writing much smoother and save yourself lots of time.
These statements, which should accompany your resume and cover letter, are simply an additional method to evaluate your candidacy for a job. ECQ statements address five core areas: leading change, leading people, results driven, business acumen, and building coalitions. Your response to each ECQ area should be at least one page long, but generally not longer than two pages. Below are explanations of the different ECQ areas.
• Leading Change. Change is a constant in business, and when you stop changing, you stop growing. This ECQ is designed to demonstrate how you’ve handled and even promoted change in the past. You should also reveal how you keep your eye on the big picture and give an example of how you’ve used your creativity to lead change in your company.
• Leading People. Executives today are increasingly called upon to use “soft skills” such as successfully interacting with people. Replacing good employees costs companies millions of dollars, so a great working environment with strong leadership and committed team members is the gold standard. Describe your successes in such things are promoting development among your subordinates, reducing turnover, and integrating diversity.
• Results Driven. The government is no different than a private sector company in this regard: they want results, and they want to know that you’re capable of achieving their desired results. For this ECQ, it’s important to demonstrate clear results you’ve produced in the past—whether that’s related to the bottom line, customer service, plan implementation, ability to problem-solve, or another area. Provide concrete evidence that shows you’re accustomed to getting things done, are comfortable with being the final word on things, and are willing to take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions.
• Business Acumen. If you’re hoping to move into an executive position within the government, you need to prove that you have the high-level business acumen needed for the position. What’s important in the business world? Success in managing people, the company’s finances, and the company’s direction. Give examples that display your excellence in these areas.
• Building Coalitions. There are some lone ranger companies out there, but the government wants to hire people who appreciate the value of working with other companies and governmental bodies to get a job done—or to simply build good working relationships that benefit both entities. In this ECQ, provide examples of how you’ve successfully partnered with other organizations, and describe your role in influencing the results of the partnership.
When crafting your ECQ statements, keep these tips in mind:
• Avoid generalizing. Gear your responses and examples toward the job you want or the job posting that you’re responding to. Don’t make them guess which job you’re applying for, and don’t give the impression that your ECQs are one-size-fits-all.
• Be concise. Stick to the one- to two-page rule. This gives you enough room to illustrate your brilliance and cite examples, but it keeps your response easy to digest for the reviewer.
• Show measurable results. It’s easy to say that you improved the bottom line or that you reduced turnover in your last job. Those statements don’t mean a thing unless you include numbers and statistics—things that can be measured and that answer the question, “how much?” Make sure to note that your sales plan increased revenues by 12% in the first quarter or that during your time as manager, you reduced turnover by 50%.
• Use appropriate examples. Usually, any past experience that demonstrates your ability in a given area is a plus—from the bake sale you organized for the PTA to the accounting you did for your fraternity’s Kiss-a-Pig fundraiser. But with ECQ responses, you need to be careful when choosing examples. Remember that you’re applying for an executive-level job, so include examples that reflect executive-level experience.
• Use an ECQ sample. Start your ECQ writing with an ECQ sample to make your writing much smoother and save yourself lots of time.
Answer KSAs Successfully
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.
KSAs are necessary because government employers want to determine how your specific knowledge, skills, and abilities lend themselves to a specific job posting. It separates 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. How do you successfully tackle these KSAs and get called in for that elusive interview? Follow these tips.
• Read the instructions carefully. That may sound elementary, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t follow the directions. If the posting asks for a three-quarter to one-page response, don’t give them one-quarter of a page. Right away, you’re telling them that either you don’t care what they want or you’re not paying attention to what they want—not exactly a plus with the government.
• Brainstorm your answers. After reading the KSA question—most of which are fairly vague—it’s time to brainstorm how your past experiences translate to what the KSA is asking. If you need to discuss your ability to communicate in writing, for example, brainstorm all of times you’ve successfully communicated an idea to one person or a group of people in writing. Did you develop a newsletter to keep staff up to date on new policies? Even your idea to pass out an agenda at staff meetings to keep everyone on track counts.
• Answer the question they’re asking. If a KSA asks about your interpersonal skills, don’t veer off course into another area. Also, don’t include random information that the scorer must interpret. If you include “I’m a secretary” in your response, you may think that conveys your ability to relate to a variety of different people. But it’s not up to the scorer to analyze your responses for possible meanings; spell it out for them. “I’m a secretary, so I come into contact with dozens of people on a daily basis and have developed top notch interpersonal skills as a result. For example…”
• Write clearly and professionally. Don’t rush through your KSA responses. You may be tempted to just “get it done,” but because these responses can make or break your chances at a job, you’ll want to spend the time it takes to get it right. Don’t attempt to dazzle them with complex sentence structure or five syllable words. What they’re looking for is a fit between their job and your demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Use examples, example, and more examples. The best way to express your skills on paper (or online) is by including examples of past accomplishments in your KSAs. And don’t worry about repeating yourself. Each KSA is taken as a separate unit, so using the same example to demonstrate different abilities is fine.
• Provide concrete numbers. Don’t say you did a job “well.” If your KSA asks about supervision skills, give specific percentages of increased productivity, decreased waste, or number of people you trained.
• Avoid acronyms. Spell everything out. Those reading your KSAs could probably figure out the acronyms, but why would you want to make them do so?
• Request an edit. Ask a friend with great grammar or editing skills to take a look at your responses before you submit them.
• Start with a sample KSA. This makes the writing process much smoother than starting from scratch.
Find lots more KSA tips and advice at http://www.ksadoctor.com.
KSAs are necessary because government employers want to determine how your specific knowledge, skills, and abilities lend themselves to a specific job posting. It separates 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. How do you successfully tackle these KSAs and get called in for that elusive interview? Follow these tips.
• Read the instructions carefully. That may sound elementary, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t follow the directions. If the posting asks for a three-quarter to one-page response, don’t give them one-quarter of a page. Right away, you’re telling them that either you don’t care what they want or you’re not paying attention to what they want—not exactly a plus with the government.
• Brainstorm your answers. After reading the KSA question—most of which are fairly vague—it’s time to brainstorm how your past experiences translate to what the KSA is asking. If you need to discuss your ability to communicate in writing, for example, brainstorm all of times you’ve successfully communicated an idea to one person or a group of people in writing. Did you develop a newsletter to keep staff up to date on new policies? Even your idea to pass out an agenda at staff meetings to keep everyone on track counts.
• Answer the question they’re asking. If a KSA asks about your interpersonal skills, don’t veer off course into another area. Also, don’t include random information that the scorer must interpret. If you include “I’m a secretary” in your response, you may think that conveys your ability to relate to a variety of different people. But it’s not up to the scorer to analyze your responses for possible meanings; spell it out for them. “I’m a secretary, so I come into contact with dozens of people on a daily basis and have developed top notch interpersonal skills as a result. For example…”
• Write clearly and professionally. Don’t rush through your KSA responses. You may be tempted to just “get it done,” but because these responses can make or break your chances at a job, you’ll want to spend the time it takes to get it right. Don’t attempt to dazzle them with complex sentence structure or five syllable words. What they’re looking for is a fit between their job and your demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Use examples, example, and more examples. The best way to express your skills on paper (or online) is by including examples of past accomplishments in your KSAs. And don’t worry about repeating yourself. Each KSA is taken as a separate unit, so using the same example to demonstrate different abilities is fine.
• Provide concrete numbers. Don’t say you did a job “well.” If your KSA asks about supervision skills, give specific percentages of increased productivity, decreased waste, or number of people you trained.
• Avoid acronyms. Spell everything out. Those reading your KSAs could probably figure out the acronyms, but why would you want to make them do so?
• Request an edit. Ask a friend with great grammar or editing skills to take a look at your responses before you submit them.
• Start with a sample KSA. This makes the writing process much smoother than starting from scratch.
Find lots more KSA tips and advice at http://www.ksadoctor.com.
Choose the Best Resume Writing Service
Resume writing services are everywhere. Every time I search for one, I find five new ones. There are so many to choose from, how do you find the right resume writing service for you? Well, fortunately, you're not the first one to be in this situation. Several resources have sprung up lately to help you find the right resume service. The best I've found is JobGoRound.com. This website posts user reviews and ratings of the top professional resume writing services on the internet. And what's better than customer reviews of resume services, right?
JobGoRound posts reviews of the top seven resume services. The best services, at least according to former customers, is ResumeWriters.com
. This service has a fantastic record of performing excellent service for a very reasonable cost. It includes, as do the other services, a money back guarantee, just in case you are not satisfied. Other great services include ResumeEdge.com, and Employment911.com. JobGoRound.com only lists services that use certified resume writers and offer guarantees on their work, so you would be safe going with any of the services listed.
Finding a great resume writing service is a critical part of your overall job search strategy, so be sure to take it seriously. Be sure to read the customer reviews of resume writing services posted on JobGoRound.com to help do your research.
JobGoRound posts reviews of the top seven resume services. The best services, at least according to former customers, is ResumeWriters.com
. This service has a fantastic record of performing excellent service for a very reasonable cost. It includes, as do the other services, a money back guarantee, just in case you are not satisfied. Other great services include ResumeEdge.com, and Employment911.com. JobGoRound.com only lists services that use certified resume writers and offer guarantees on their work, so you would be safe going with any of the services listed.
Finding a great resume writing service is a critical part of your overall job search strategy, so be sure to take it seriously. Be sure to read the customer reviews of resume writing services posted on JobGoRound.com to help do your research.
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