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.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
