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.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
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.
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