Video Resumes are here to stay! Changing times, better technology and widespread internet access have changed recruiting practices. Paper resumes are passé and video resumes are the next generation of making employee selections by providing better understanding of the prospective candidate before a face to face interview. Video resumes are a great option for candidates to showcase their skills rather rely on their impersonal paper-based versions.
Do you want to create a better impression on a potential boss or recruiter or stand out from the crowd when applying for a job?
Make a video resume which is effective, entertaining and provides a medium for you to show all that you have in you for that particular position. However a video resume will not get you your dream job instantly, but is a medium that can provide you a chance to impress a recruiter. This is a great tool if you are able to market yourself well, otherwise the video resume can also backfire.
But how do you create a successful video resume? Creating an impressive video resume is not as difficult as you may think.
How to Create a Video Resume
• There are digital graphics designers who do good video work in preparing your video resume for you, but for a fee.
• Video resumes can be done for free, by doing it yourself.
• The video resume can be easily created through short video bites interspersed with stills. This is the video resume format chosen most often, because of the allowance for the required information of the paper resume to go further. This is a method that is able to be seen and heard with the personalized characteristics that you want to portray.
Smart tips on creating a video resume:
• Make a high quality video resume that makes you look professional.
• Keep it short. Stick to a 1-5 minute video by putting in your video testimonials of past employers, promoting your special skills like conducting a seminar/conference or anything that showcases your achievements.
• Look directly in the camera for that eye to eye contact not look below or sideways.
• Speak at a normal pace and keep your speech clear and easy to understand.
• Stick to the basic rules of keeping to the point so enumerate your educational qualifications, past job experience and any special skills.
• In a video resume, the receiver will be able to see you so look your best. Dress up for a real interview and shoot the video against a neutral color so that the potential employer can concentrate on you and not the background.
• The main advantage of a video resume is that you can showcase your personality but don’t overdo it. Just be genuine and act like yourself.
• The use of appropriate humor will usually catch attentive listening by the hiring personnel.
• Discuss why you should be considered for the post or why you would be the right candidate and what you can contribute to the company.
• At the end, thank the prospective recruiter for watching the video.
Now how will you show the recruiters your video resume?
There are many job sites where they allow you to upload a video resume or you can even upload it on your own website and provide links when applying for jobs. But keep in mind the pitfalls of a video resume and many recruiters advice on sending a paper resume along with a video resume for better chances at the job market.
Before sending out a video resume check out the pitfalls to ensure yours works for you and not against you.
Pitfalls of video resumes:
• While paper resumes can be transported and read over in a train or while commuting, video resumes require specific mediums and time allowances as they can be from 5 minutes to 15 minutes. A 4 page paper resume contains a lot of information while putting the same amount of information might require a lengthy video, which the recruiter may not have the time to see. You need to pick and choose carefully what you want to really highlight in a video resume supported by your paper-based version.
• Sometimes, video resumes contain too much irrelevant information which the recruiter may not be interested in but cannot usually skip either. Keep it simple and get friends and acquaintances to view and review it for you.
• Recruiters may not always be tech savvy and may not be able to load media players that support the videos. So, it’s best to send in a paper resume with a video resume.
• Sometimes the rehearsed video resume may make you look more professional and poised than you actually are and that can be a setback in the real time interview. Ensure you portray yourself in a genuine manner or at least one that you can sustain in an interview where you are answering questions on the spot.
• Video resumes may help in playing on the bias factor depending upon the recruiter’s personal beliefs and choices- age, race, gender, looks etc.
Advantages of Video Resumes
• The video resume has flare and really can give a well rounded glimpse of the potential employee's work history, achievements, and personalized characteristics.
• Three dimensional reviews instead of the cut and dry two dimensional paper reviews will tell so much more.
Create an impressive video resume and increase your chance of getting that dream job by impressing the recruiter or employer with your special skills.
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Do You Need a New Resume?
Maybe you haven’t updated your resume since your first job out of college—10 years ago. Or perhaps you haven’t been called in for any interviews despite sending out dozens of resumes. Those are just two of the signs that you probably need a new resume, but there are many more.
You need a new resume when you:
1. Graduate from college.
2. Change careers.
3. Haven’t gotten a good response from potential employers with your current resume.
4. Are retiring from the military.
5. Re-enter the workforce after an absence (to raise children, for example).
6. Change jobs within the same career.
7. Change jobs within the same company.
8. Haven’t updated your resume in more than 3 years.
9. Intend to look for a new job.
10. Finish job training or complete a class.
11. Earn a new or advanced degree.
12. Have achieved a significant honor at work or in the community.
13. Want to approach your boss about a raise.
Updating Vs. Rewriting
There are times when you don’t need to completely scrap your current resume—just a few simple tweaks and updates are needed. But other times, you need a complete rewrite. How do you know whether an update or rewrite is in order? First, determine where you fit into the list above. If you identify with any of the reasons in numbers 1-5, you probably need a complete rewrite; reasons 6-9 could go either way, depending on the situation; and with reasons 10-13, simple updates will probably work well for you.
Let’s delve a little deeper into the process of updating your resume. If your resume is accurate and you want to add an achievement or honor to it, it’s an easy task to locate the section of your resume that would best house the update. If you’ve successfully completed a high-profile assignment at work, add it to your list of descriptive items related to your current job. If you’ve earned a new degree or certification, list it with your educational information. When preparing to meet with your boss regarding a raise, it’s a good idea to spend some extra time with the section of your resume dealing with the results you’ve achieved in your current job.
When you realize you need a complete rewrite of your resume, just the thought of it might send shivers of dread down your spine. But it doesn’t have to be painful. After all, you’ve got a great place to start: your current resume. You can keep things like your educational history, timelines of your jobs/careers, and your skills and honors. What happens next depends on why you need to rewrite your resume. If you’re re-entering the job market after years of being gone, for example, you need to fill in the missing years with skills you’ve honed and volunteer contributions that produced results.
Probably the biggest reason people need a complete resume overhaul is if their resume isn’t generating interviews. Most likely there’s nothing wrong with your skills or experience; the problem lies in how those things are being presented to potential employers. The first thing to do is ask a trusted (intelligent!) friend or family member to look over your resume—not for grammatical errors, but for a sense of how your resume is coming across to employers. Does it have too many details that make it difficult to read? Are you using words instead of numbers and results to make a point? Are there parts that are confusing? If it’s long-winded or confusing, potential employers aren’t going to read much of it. Keep it short, easy to understand, and results-driven.
When you fall in the murky areas between rewriting and updating your resume, you’ll need to be scrupulously honest with yourself. If you haven’t updated your resume in 3 years but you’re still in the same job as you were back then, you can simply update it with new skills you’ve acquired. However, if you intend to look for a new job and haven’t touched your resume since the Reagan Administration, you’ll need a complete reworking. Being candid with yourself is key; your career and financial future could be at stake!
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
You need a new resume when you:
1. Graduate from college.
2. Change careers.
3. Haven’t gotten a good response from potential employers with your current resume.
4. Are retiring from the military.
5. Re-enter the workforce after an absence (to raise children, for example).
6. Change jobs within the same career.
7. Change jobs within the same company.
8. Haven’t updated your resume in more than 3 years.
9. Intend to look for a new job.
10. Finish job training or complete a class.
11. Earn a new or advanced degree.
12. Have achieved a significant honor at work or in the community.
13. Want to approach your boss about a raise.
Updating Vs. Rewriting
There are times when you don’t need to completely scrap your current resume—just a few simple tweaks and updates are needed. But other times, you need a complete rewrite. How do you know whether an update or rewrite is in order? First, determine where you fit into the list above. If you identify with any of the reasons in numbers 1-5, you probably need a complete rewrite; reasons 6-9 could go either way, depending on the situation; and with reasons 10-13, simple updates will probably work well for you.
Let’s delve a little deeper into the process of updating your resume. If your resume is accurate and you want to add an achievement or honor to it, it’s an easy task to locate the section of your resume that would best house the update. If you’ve successfully completed a high-profile assignment at work, add it to your list of descriptive items related to your current job. If you’ve earned a new degree or certification, list it with your educational information. When preparing to meet with your boss regarding a raise, it’s a good idea to spend some extra time with the section of your resume dealing with the results you’ve achieved in your current job.
When you realize you need a complete rewrite of your resume, just the thought of it might send shivers of dread down your spine. But it doesn’t have to be painful. After all, you’ve got a great place to start: your current resume. You can keep things like your educational history, timelines of your jobs/careers, and your skills and honors. What happens next depends on why you need to rewrite your resume. If you’re re-entering the job market after years of being gone, for example, you need to fill in the missing years with skills you’ve honed and volunteer contributions that produced results.
Probably the biggest reason people need a complete resume overhaul is if their resume isn’t generating interviews. Most likely there’s nothing wrong with your skills or experience; the problem lies in how those things are being presented to potential employers. The first thing to do is ask a trusted (intelligent!) friend or family member to look over your resume—not for grammatical errors, but for a sense of how your resume is coming across to employers. Does it have too many details that make it difficult to read? Are you using words instead of numbers and results to make a point? Are there parts that are confusing? If it’s long-winded or confusing, potential employers aren’t going to read much of it. Keep it short, easy to understand, and results-driven.
When you fall in the murky areas between rewriting and updating your resume, you’ll need to be scrupulously honest with yourself. If you haven’t updated your resume in 3 years but you’re still in the same job as you were back then, you can simply update it with new skills you’ve acquired. However, if you intend to look for a new job and haven’t touched your resume since the Reagan Administration, you’ll need a complete reworking. Being candid with yourself is key; your career and financial future could be at stake!
Read resume writing service reviews at JobGoRound.com.
Military-to-Civilian Resume Tips
When you’re separating from the military after years of service, it can be daunting to look for a civilian job. Sure, you’ve got experience that most other job seekers don’t. (Has any other applicant jumped out of an airplane in the middle of the night? I don’t think so.) But the question is, how do you get potential employers to look past “military” and see how your incredible experiences will benefit their company?
It’s not such a difficult task, but it does require more finesse than the typical job seeker has to put into a resume. There are several mistakes that many former military personnel make when writing a resume designed for civilian jobs. Fortunately, the tips below will help you understand what potential employers are looking for and how to design your resume to meet those needs.
• Play up the discipline factor. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when most civilians think of military service? Discipline, a strong work ethic, or perhaps loyalty. And what characteristics are employers looking for today? Discipline, a strong work ethic, and loyalty. One of the biggest complaints that employers have today is that employees job hop frequently and don’t have the work ethic that they did 20 years ago. This is one area where your military experience will work to your advantage, so highlight your work ethic and ability to self-start.
• Stick to the point. As the commercial says, you probably did more before 9 a.m. than most people do all day, but don’t put it all in your resume. Outline your military jobs and the transferable skills applicable to the job you’re applying for. If you worked in communications, for example, and are now searching for a communication job outside the military, focus on how you developed a new information system. The honors you received for shooting accuracy isn’t going to interest them.
• Don’t deluge with details. Similar to the tip above, when you’re describing the finer points of your job or skills, a good rule of thumb is to avoid using more than one line to do so. Leave out why you did something (ie: a personnel shortage prompted you to volunteer) or details that would only matter to the military (ie: the make or model of aircraft). For greater effectiveness, keep it simple: “My retention program resulted in a 20% increase in re-signings.”
• Learn a new language. The military has its own language and terminology that people on the outside don’t necessarily understand. And since the point of a resume is to clearly communicate your skills and strengths, you need to research the non-military way to phrase your skills. Also, never use acronyms or abbreviations. Make your resume as easy to understand as possible.
• Include relevant courses and programs you’ve completed. Remember those IT or management classes the military made you take? Those are very transferable into the private sector. Employers won’t care that the military paid for them; they care about the knowledge you gained. So list all of the classes you completed that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
• Take advantage of your documented evaluations. In the military, you receive constant evaluations of how you’re doing in your job—unlike most civilians. You’ve got proof that you met or exceeded expectations, so don’t forget to include that data. Use more than words, though. Highlight the numbers and percentages that prove your point: how many personnel you supervised or how much you slashed a budget.
• Separate your skills from your achievements. You undoubtedly have many of both as a result of your military career. For a more readable resume, don’t try to include both in the same section, or it will become too wordy. Hiring managers want easy-to-digest information bullets, so give it to them.
Read resume writing service reviews from JobGoRound.com.
It’s not such a difficult task, but it does require more finesse than the typical job seeker has to put into a resume. There are several mistakes that many former military personnel make when writing a resume designed for civilian jobs. Fortunately, the tips below will help you understand what potential employers are looking for and how to design your resume to meet those needs.
• Play up the discipline factor. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when most civilians think of military service? Discipline, a strong work ethic, or perhaps loyalty. And what characteristics are employers looking for today? Discipline, a strong work ethic, and loyalty. One of the biggest complaints that employers have today is that employees job hop frequently and don’t have the work ethic that they did 20 years ago. This is one area where your military experience will work to your advantage, so highlight your work ethic and ability to self-start.
• Stick to the point. As the commercial says, you probably did more before 9 a.m. than most people do all day, but don’t put it all in your resume. Outline your military jobs and the transferable skills applicable to the job you’re applying for. If you worked in communications, for example, and are now searching for a communication job outside the military, focus on how you developed a new information system. The honors you received for shooting accuracy isn’t going to interest them.
• Don’t deluge with details. Similar to the tip above, when you’re describing the finer points of your job or skills, a good rule of thumb is to avoid using more than one line to do so. Leave out why you did something (ie: a personnel shortage prompted you to volunteer) or details that would only matter to the military (ie: the make or model of aircraft). For greater effectiveness, keep it simple: “My retention program resulted in a 20% increase in re-signings.”
• Learn a new language. The military has its own language and terminology that people on the outside don’t necessarily understand. And since the point of a resume is to clearly communicate your skills and strengths, you need to research the non-military way to phrase your skills. Also, never use acronyms or abbreviations. Make your resume as easy to understand as possible.
• Include relevant courses and programs you’ve completed. Remember those IT or management classes the military made you take? Those are very transferable into the private sector. Employers won’t care that the military paid for them; they care about the knowledge you gained. So list all of the classes you completed that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
• Take advantage of your documented evaluations. In the military, you receive constant evaluations of how you’re doing in your job—unlike most civilians. You’ve got proof that you met or exceeded expectations, so don’t forget to include that data. Use more than words, though. Highlight the numbers and percentages that prove your point: how many personnel you supervised or how much you slashed a budget.
• Separate your skills from your achievements. You undoubtedly have many of both as a result of your military career. For a more readable resume, don’t try to include both in the same section, or it will become too wordy. Hiring managers want easy-to-digest information bullets, so give it to them.
Read resume writing service reviews from JobGoRound.com.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Having the Right Business Plan
When your business is starting up, you are busier than a one-armed paperhanger. You do many tasks yourself, you make-do with limited equipment and office space; you may have to short-change development or testing because of costs, and you often try to substitute effort for money - exhausting yourself and your employees. You know that your business would be more viable if you had capital to underwrite your small business start up costs and let you focus on making your vision a reality. But, getting capital from a bank, a venture capitalist, a granting institution or government organization requires that you have a sound, well-written business plan. You have to prepare a business plan that convinces skeptical lenders and investors that your start-up business can succeed.
For the majority of start-up businesses, a formal business plan is the price of admission to capital markets. A good and believable business plan is the vehicle to successfully gain funding for start-up, for expansion, and for new products. If you do not need additional capital – an unlikely scenario for a start-up business; as a leader and manager, you should want a business plan to organize your success strategy, guide your operations, measure your accomplishments against your expectations, and share your vision with employees. It is not just investors who feel more secure if they believe the organization will succeed.
Key questions to be answered by your business plan
What does your organization expect to accomplish in the next three to seven years
In qualitative and quantitative terms, why do you believe in the marketability of your product or service
What are your organization’s qualifications that justify the belief that you can accomplish your objectives
How will the money you are requesting be used to help accomplish your objectives and reach your goals
Using a multi-year, quarterly projection, how to you see the money you receive generating a return for investors or the organization. (It is essential that your financial projections be based on real data and believable extrapolation based on market and competitor analysis and costs).
What are necessary components of an effective business plan?
An attractive cover page with your company’s logo, location, contact information, and title
An executive summary that includes current status, products or services, market, financial forecast, over-all objectives, how much money is required, return on investment schedule. This portion of your business plan should be no more than two pages.
Table of contents that gives your reviewers a clear roadmap to the contents of the remainder of the document.
Detail on the company or organization, its objectives and management team
Projected market and your expected market share based on real data
Analysis of your products, discriminators and competition
Your marketing/selling strategy – how will you gain sales, customers, market share
Financial data - income, cost of sales (material, labor, overhead), operating expenses, assets (including equipment and intellectual property), cash flow forecast, and liabilities.
The final essential step for a start up business preparing its business plan is to proof the document for grammar and typos, check for readability, and clarity. Then package your business plan in a folder or as spiral bound document for presentation.
Consider using a business plan sample when beginning to write your business plan. Having a template will get your writing up to speed much faster than starting from scratch.
For the majority of start-up businesses, a formal business plan is the price of admission to capital markets. A good and believable business plan is the vehicle to successfully gain funding for start-up, for expansion, and for new products. If you do not need additional capital – an unlikely scenario for a start-up business; as a leader and manager, you should want a business plan to organize your success strategy, guide your operations, measure your accomplishments against your expectations, and share your vision with employees. It is not just investors who feel more secure if they believe the organization will succeed.
Key questions to be answered by your business plan
What does your organization expect to accomplish in the next three to seven years
In qualitative and quantitative terms, why do you believe in the marketability of your product or service
What are your organization’s qualifications that justify the belief that you can accomplish your objectives
How will the money you are requesting be used to help accomplish your objectives and reach your goals
Using a multi-year, quarterly projection, how to you see the money you receive generating a return for investors or the organization. (It is essential that your financial projections be based on real data and believable extrapolation based on market and competitor analysis and costs).
What are necessary components of an effective business plan?
An attractive cover page with your company’s logo, location, contact information, and title
An executive summary that includes current status, products or services, market, financial forecast, over-all objectives, how much money is required, return on investment schedule. This portion of your business plan should be no more than two pages.
Table of contents that gives your reviewers a clear roadmap to the contents of the remainder of the document.
Detail on the company or organization, its objectives and management team
Projected market and your expected market share based on real data
Analysis of your products, discriminators and competition
Your marketing/selling strategy – how will you gain sales, customers, market share
Financial data - income, cost of sales (material, labor, overhead), operating expenses, assets (including equipment and intellectual property), cash flow forecast, and liabilities.
The final essential step for a start up business preparing its business plan is to proof the document for grammar and typos, check for readability, and clarity. Then package your business plan in a folder or as spiral bound document for presentation.
Consider using a business plan sample when beginning to write your business plan. Having a template will get your writing up to speed much faster than starting from scratch.
Online Backup – Lose the Stress, Not Your Files
Online backup has become the logical choice for people at the forefront of technology when they want the best data backup option available.
Do you ever think about what would happen if disaster strikes? In the blink of an eye all your important computerized documents, pictures and client data would be gone. It can happen. Lightning strikes, floods, theft, hard drive failure, computer viruses and more can result in a loss of information that can be difficult and expensive or even impossible to recover.
Maybe you already backup your data, documents, and photos. But where do you keep the backups? Are they at your home or business, in the same building as the computers you use? The same disaster that might destroy your computers could also destroy the backups. If a large-scale natural disaster such as a hurricanes, large flood, wild fire, etc. occurs, even storing your backups in the same city could lead to losing both.
There is a solution, it’s called online backup and it comes highly recommended by professionals from all fields, even from IT support people, the same people you would pay thousands of dollars to should you need data recovery. Even when you take great care in backing up your systems on a daily basis, there is always the factor of human error to consider. Someone forgets to do the backup, does it wrong, or stores the disks or tapes incorrectly. Online backup automates your data backup so those concerns are no longer relevant.
As more and more of us try to eliminate the need for paper files in our homes and offices, it is becoming even more important to have good backup systems for our important information. Online backup eliminates the problems that can be encountered due to human error, natural and grand scale disasters, theft and technological failures. With online backup, your information will be securely stored off-site and the systems can be easily set to automatically back up as often as you need.
Online backup is typically a very cost-effective solution for small and large businesses. They do not need to devote a portion of an employee’s workday to backing up documents. They do not need to purchase CDs and other storage medium, and no portion of the company’s physical premises is lost to storage space. Online backup also protects companies against the future cost of IT services for data recovery. For many businesses, the loss of personal client or patient data could mean the end of the business. This is one reason it is so important to make your online backup choice wisely. The use of online backup will also help healthcare providers in following the guidelines of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and the strictest of privacy practices in any industry.
On a personal level, any number of things could also happen to your personal documents and it would be devastating. More and more of us are taking digital photos and storing them on our computer. If something happens to your computer and the data cannot be recovered, there go possibly years of family photos. These and other important files should be backed up outside your home to ensure your peace of mind.
Don’t be one of those people who frets and cries over lost computer data or who spends too much money on data recovery, which may or may not work. Make the best choice now and protect the files and photos that you can’t do without. Put online backup to work for you today.
Compare customer ratings of online backup services.
Do you ever think about what would happen if disaster strikes? In the blink of an eye all your important computerized documents, pictures and client data would be gone. It can happen. Lightning strikes, floods, theft, hard drive failure, computer viruses and more can result in a loss of information that can be difficult and expensive or even impossible to recover.
Maybe you already backup your data, documents, and photos. But where do you keep the backups? Are they at your home or business, in the same building as the computers you use? The same disaster that might destroy your computers could also destroy the backups. If a large-scale natural disaster such as a hurricanes, large flood, wild fire, etc. occurs, even storing your backups in the same city could lead to losing both.
There is a solution, it’s called online backup and it comes highly recommended by professionals from all fields, even from IT support people, the same people you would pay thousands of dollars to should you need data recovery. Even when you take great care in backing up your systems on a daily basis, there is always the factor of human error to consider. Someone forgets to do the backup, does it wrong, or stores the disks or tapes incorrectly. Online backup automates your data backup so those concerns are no longer relevant.
As more and more of us try to eliminate the need for paper files in our homes and offices, it is becoming even more important to have good backup systems for our important information. Online backup eliminates the problems that can be encountered due to human error, natural and grand scale disasters, theft and technological failures. With online backup, your information will be securely stored off-site and the systems can be easily set to automatically back up as often as you need.
Online backup is typically a very cost-effective solution for small and large businesses. They do not need to devote a portion of an employee’s workday to backing up documents. They do not need to purchase CDs and other storage medium, and no portion of the company’s physical premises is lost to storage space. Online backup also protects companies against the future cost of IT services for data recovery. For many businesses, the loss of personal client or patient data could mean the end of the business. This is one reason it is so important to make your online backup choice wisely. The use of online backup will also help healthcare providers in following the guidelines of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and the strictest of privacy practices in any industry.
On a personal level, any number of things could also happen to your personal documents and it would be devastating. More and more of us are taking digital photos and storing them on our computer. If something happens to your computer and the data cannot be recovered, there go possibly years of family photos. These and other important files should be backed up outside your home to ensure your peace of mind.
Don’t be one of those people who frets and cries over lost computer data or who spends too much money on data recovery, which may or may not work. Make the best choice now and protect the files and photos that you can’t do without. Put online backup to work for you today.
Compare customer ratings of online backup services.
ECQ Statement Writing
If you are applying for a Senior Executive Service (SES) position in the government, you will need to submit a special application package. The SES package includes:
• A cover letter
• Your federal resume
• ECQ statements
• MTQ statements
This article explains how to write your ECQ statements.
What are ECQ Statements?
ECQ stands for “Executive Core Qualifications.” As the name suggests, your ECQ statements demonstrate your qualifications for the job. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has divided these qualifications into five major groups: Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions.
Each ECQ statement should be between one and two pages long, and should provide specific examples from your work history that demonstrate your qualifications in the area.
ECQ 1: Leading Change
In your first ECQ statement, Leading Change, you should focus on examples in your executive work history that demonstrate your creativity and adaptability as a leader. A company’s goals and standing in the industry are always in flux, and a good executive meets these challenges creatively and flexibly. Your examples should also demonstrate your vision and awareness of the big picture, both inside and outside the company.
ECQ 2: Leading People
Your second ECQ statement, Leading People, should demonstrate your abilities as a leader in an executive environment. Examine your work history for challenges that demonstrate your ability to manage conflicts, build a team-oriented workplace, support the professional development of individual team members, and use diversity to your advantage.
ECQ 3: Results Driven
Results are always important in business, but at the executive level they are especially so: The results you have achieved as a high-level manager are essentially your calling card. Therefore, the goal of your third ECQ statement is to demonstrate the abilities that make you a results-driven manager. These include customer service skills, problem-solving skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to make a decision and be accountable for it.
ECQ 4: Business Acumen
Your fourth ECQ statement, Business Acumen, shows your potential as a businessperson. Quite simply, the examples in this statement should demonstrate your skill at managing people, finances, and technical assets efficiently and effectively.
ECQ 5: Building Coalitions
Businesses don’t evolve in a bubble – they need to interact with other businesses and government agencies on a regular basis. Your fifth ECQ statement, Building Coalitions, demonstrates how well you function in the larger arena. Choose examples that show your ability to work together with other institutions to achieve specific results, including negotiating, influencing others, partnering, and even politicking when necessary.
How to Write ECQ Statements
• Use the CCAR approach. CCAR stands for challenge, context, action, and result. This is the format that you should follow for every specific example you give in your ECQ statements: Explain the challenge you were faced with, the context in which it occurred, the action that you took to resolve it, and the end result.
• Use executive level examples. Your ECQ statements need to demonstrate your leadership abilities at the executive level, so be sure to use examples that are appropriate to the level of the position you are applying for.
• Write your ECQ statements with the specific job in mind. Your ECQ statements should always be tailored for the specific job you are applying for. Choosing examples similar to situations you may face in the new position will best demonstrate your abilities as they relate to the specific job.
• Use specific examples with quantifiable results. The biggest mistake people make in writing their ECQ statements is being too vague. Don’t just say you have experience with something; find an example of an incident in your executive work history that demonstrates said experience. Examples that have measurable results, such as percentages or dollar amounts, are usually the most impressive.
• Make each ECQ statement between 1 and 2 pages long. Shorter than one page will make you look inexperienced, and more than two pages will make you sound like a windbag. Choose your examples carefully and don’t use more space than you need to get your points across.
Getting Your Dream SES Job
Like any other part of the application package, the purpose of the ECQ statements is to convince the hiring manager that you are the best person for the job. Keep this in mind when writing your ECQ statements. Choose the most impressive examples in your executive work history in order to state your case in the best light possible. Your writing style should be clear, eloquent, and sparing – write as much as you need to fully describe your abilities, but not a single word more.
With the right combination of experience, confidence, and writing skill, your ECQ statements are sure to shine.
One last note, consider beginning your ECQ writing with ECQ samples. Having a template to start with will get your writing up to speed much faster.
• A cover letter
• Your federal resume
• ECQ statements
• MTQ statements
This article explains how to write your ECQ statements.
What are ECQ Statements?
ECQ stands for “Executive Core Qualifications.” As the name suggests, your ECQ statements demonstrate your qualifications for the job. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has divided these qualifications into five major groups: Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions.
Each ECQ statement should be between one and two pages long, and should provide specific examples from your work history that demonstrate your qualifications in the area.
ECQ 1: Leading Change
In your first ECQ statement, Leading Change, you should focus on examples in your executive work history that demonstrate your creativity and adaptability as a leader. A company’s goals and standing in the industry are always in flux, and a good executive meets these challenges creatively and flexibly. Your examples should also demonstrate your vision and awareness of the big picture, both inside and outside the company.
ECQ 2: Leading People
Your second ECQ statement, Leading People, should demonstrate your abilities as a leader in an executive environment. Examine your work history for challenges that demonstrate your ability to manage conflicts, build a team-oriented workplace, support the professional development of individual team members, and use diversity to your advantage.
ECQ 3: Results Driven
Results are always important in business, but at the executive level they are especially so: The results you have achieved as a high-level manager are essentially your calling card. Therefore, the goal of your third ECQ statement is to demonstrate the abilities that make you a results-driven manager. These include customer service skills, problem-solving skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to make a decision and be accountable for it.
ECQ 4: Business Acumen
Your fourth ECQ statement, Business Acumen, shows your potential as a businessperson. Quite simply, the examples in this statement should demonstrate your skill at managing people, finances, and technical assets efficiently and effectively.
ECQ 5: Building Coalitions
Businesses don’t evolve in a bubble – they need to interact with other businesses and government agencies on a regular basis. Your fifth ECQ statement, Building Coalitions, demonstrates how well you function in the larger arena. Choose examples that show your ability to work together with other institutions to achieve specific results, including negotiating, influencing others, partnering, and even politicking when necessary.
How to Write ECQ Statements
• Use the CCAR approach. CCAR stands for challenge, context, action, and result. This is the format that you should follow for every specific example you give in your ECQ statements: Explain the challenge you were faced with, the context in which it occurred, the action that you took to resolve it, and the end result.
• Use executive level examples. Your ECQ statements need to demonstrate your leadership abilities at the executive level, so be sure to use examples that are appropriate to the level of the position you are applying for.
• Write your ECQ statements with the specific job in mind. Your ECQ statements should always be tailored for the specific job you are applying for. Choosing examples similar to situations you may face in the new position will best demonstrate your abilities as they relate to the specific job.
• Use specific examples with quantifiable results. The biggest mistake people make in writing their ECQ statements is being too vague. Don’t just say you have experience with something; find an example of an incident in your executive work history that demonstrates said experience. Examples that have measurable results, such as percentages or dollar amounts, are usually the most impressive.
• Make each ECQ statement between 1 and 2 pages long. Shorter than one page will make you look inexperienced, and more than two pages will make you sound like a windbag. Choose your examples carefully and don’t use more space than you need to get your points across.
Getting Your Dream SES Job
Like any other part of the application package, the purpose of the ECQ statements is to convince the hiring manager that you are the best person for the job. Keep this in mind when writing your ECQ statements. Choose the most impressive examples in your executive work history in order to state your case in the best light possible. Your writing style should be clear, eloquent, and sparing – write as much as you need to fully describe your abilities, but not a single word more.
With the right combination of experience, confidence, and writing skill, your ECQ statements are sure to shine.
One last note, consider beginning your ECQ writing with ECQ samples. Having a template to start with will get your writing up to speed much faster.
Share Digital Photos
Pictures are priceless! And with families and friends usually spread far apart in terms of geography, pictures are the way to keep up with the latest news. With digital photography, you can see the new baby in the family, check out the latest fencing project that Uncle Jeff finished and see where Grandma is spending her summer vacation.
It used to be that when you took a picture, you wouldn’t develop any pictures until the roll of film was full. Then – the development process meant visiting a local photo shop, waiting a week for development and getting prints back. Sharing these prints usually involved the US Mail or a personal visit. The options today are so much more user-friendly and you can pick the one that fits you and your sharing needs best!
The key to understanding options is to understand that there are very few rules anymore. You can take just one picture before “developing”, you can crop and remove redeye yourself or you can merge pictures together. But – before getting into advanced options, let’s review some of the basic options for sharing your precious photographs.
Special Delivery!
You can still hand-deliver those photos today, but the options for doing so have increased ten-fold. You can now print digital pictures from your home computer whenever it’s convenient for you. Some of the other options include taking your camera memory (check the user’s manual) into a local super center or pharmacy chain. These stores usually have photo kiosks where you can insert your memory, select your print option and place your order. You can usually get calendars, postcards, shirts or cups with your pictures on it if you’d like.
Or – you can create a collage of pictures and load to a CD. The software that came with your camera should have instructions on how to copy the pictures from your camera to your PC. Then – follow the instructions with your picture software to create your collage and copy to disk. This option is especially helpful when you want to share the pictures with a larger group of people, such as an entire Pee Wee football team or all of the cousins who show up at the family reunion.
Upload and share
There are so many photo sharing sites available that it’s oftentimes hard to choose between the options. However, for those that are somewhat new to digital photography, these are a few of the free sites that make it easy on the new user, but still provide a bevy of choices and options:
• Shutterfly
. This site has earned rave consumer reviews. It has free unlimited storage of pictures and when sharing the pictures, also allows for users to add comments! What’s great with this site is that it allows you to create keepsake photo books, all types of printing options including picture borders, cards or photo gifts.
The biggest drawback is that the only pickup option when choosing a hard copy print is at a local Target store. Although Target stores are popping up all over, there are still many places in the US that don’t have a Target for miles! However, Shutterfly does provide mailing options.
• Flickr. Flickr is another great online photo management and sharing application. Show off your favorite photos to the world, securely. Easily upload, organize, join groups, and discuss photos from all over the world. Also create books, prints, cards, calendars, and more from your pictures.
• Picasa. Most users rate this site very high as it’s easy to use and after loading your pictures onto your PC, it sometimes only takes one click to upload to the web. It’s easy to organize pictures into photo albums, share with as many or as few people as you wish and do some basic photo edits.
The only drawback is that you have to download the proprietary software, so if you are someone who doesn’t like to download software from the web, this option may not be for you.
• Kodak Gallery. Of course – what option for sharing photos would be complete without Kodak being involved somehow? Kodak provides some great options that go beyond just sharing the photos online. You can order prints, edit photos, share photos and organize in albums. Some of the user options at Kodak Gallery do involve a subscription and of course – hard copy prints cost money. The option where the new shutterbug can create their own webpage featuring their own pictures is really neat and easy to use.
One drawback to this service is that for anyone to view your pictures, they must also have a login to the site. So – sharing is not just as easy as just sending a link.
• Snapmor. This site is a little different from the rest. It allows you to create digital slideshows from your photos. Just upload your pictures, and they weave them together with music and dynamic transition effects into a really interesting way of sharing photos. Your photo slideshow “movies” will be put onto a DVD, which makes it really easy and convenient to enjoy, since you can just watch it on your TV. It’s truly amazing what effect adding accompanying music to your photos has. It must be tried to be appreciated.
Print out for pickup
Just about anyplace nowadays that still develops rolls of film will also have an option for printing your digital photos. Other options for printing out pictures include publishing stores and pharmacy chains. Check out their online store and look for the option that links you to their photo center.
This is a great option when someone you love doesn’t have a computer or really just likes having the picture in her own hand. You can upload your pictures and instead of picking your local store for pickup, you can choose the store closest to your loved one. This is more like the old time process of getting your pictures developed and mailing them out, but eliminates several inconvenient steps.
Just try it out
The greatest aspect about digital photography is that no one has to be a professional to take or share great pictures! Just keep your camera on and snap pictures until your memory chip is full. If a picture is truly bad, just delete it and take some more until you get the one you want. If a picture is close enough to being good, but is off-center or has a strange background, just perform some edits to change the background or center the faces. Then – get ready to share with all your loved ones.
For friends and loved ones that are computer savvy – impress them with your ability to create beautiful photo albums, enter captions and share with all - no matter how far away they live. For family at Christmas, create personalized albums or calendars as a fancy stocking stuffer. And – for those that love to frame pictures or create scrapbooks, order some prints for them and let them be surprised when the prints show up at their front door! Check out your options and find the one that’s right for you!
It used to be that when you took a picture, you wouldn’t develop any pictures until the roll of film was full. Then – the development process meant visiting a local photo shop, waiting a week for development and getting prints back. Sharing these prints usually involved the US Mail or a personal visit. The options today are so much more user-friendly and you can pick the one that fits you and your sharing needs best!
The key to understanding options is to understand that there are very few rules anymore. You can take just one picture before “developing”, you can crop and remove redeye yourself or you can merge pictures together. But – before getting into advanced options, let’s review some of the basic options for sharing your precious photographs.
Special Delivery!
You can still hand-deliver those photos today, but the options for doing so have increased ten-fold. You can now print digital pictures from your home computer whenever it’s convenient for you. Some of the other options include taking your camera memory (check the user’s manual) into a local super center or pharmacy chain. These stores usually have photo kiosks where you can insert your memory, select your print option and place your order. You can usually get calendars, postcards, shirts or cups with your pictures on it if you’d like.
Or – you can create a collage of pictures and load to a CD. The software that came with your camera should have instructions on how to copy the pictures from your camera to your PC. Then – follow the instructions with your picture software to create your collage and copy to disk. This option is especially helpful when you want to share the pictures with a larger group of people, such as an entire Pee Wee football team or all of the cousins who show up at the family reunion.
Upload and share
There are so many photo sharing sites available that it’s oftentimes hard to choose between the options. However, for those that are somewhat new to digital photography, these are a few of the free sites that make it easy on the new user, but still provide a bevy of choices and options:
• Shutterfly
. This site has earned rave consumer reviews. It has free unlimited storage of pictures and when sharing the pictures, also allows for users to add comments! What’s great with this site is that it allows you to create keepsake photo books, all types of printing options including picture borders, cards or photo gifts. The biggest drawback is that the only pickup option when choosing a hard copy print is at a local Target store. Although Target stores are popping up all over, there are still many places in the US that don’t have a Target for miles! However, Shutterfly does provide mailing options.
• Flickr. Flickr is another great online photo management and sharing application. Show off your favorite photos to the world, securely. Easily upload, organize, join groups, and discuss photos from all over the world. Also create books, prints, cards, calendars, and more from your pictures.
• Picasa. Most users rate this site very high as it’s easy to use and after loading your pictures onto your PC, it sometimes only takes one click to upload to the web. It’s easy to organize pictures into photo albums, share with as many or as few people as you wish and do some basic photo edits.
The only drawback is that you have to download the proprietary software, so if you are someone who doesn’t like to download software from the web, this option may not be for you.
• Kodak Gallery. Of course – what option for sharing photos would be complete without Kodak being involved somehow? Kodak provides some great options that go beyond just sharing the photos online. You can order prints, edit photos, share photos and organize in albums. Some of the user options at Kodak Gallery do involve a subscription and of course – hard copy prints cost money. The option where the new shutterbug can create their own webpage featuring their own pictures is really neat and easy to use.
One drawback to this service is that for anyone to view your pictures, they must also have a login to the site. So – sharing is not just as easy as just sending a link.
• Snapmor. This site is a little different from the rest. It allows you to create digital slideshows from your photos. Just upload your pictures, and they weave them together with music and dynamic transition effects into a really interesting way of sharing photos. Your photo slideshow “movies” will be put onto a DVD, which makes it really easy and convenient to enjoy, since you can just watch it on your TV. It’s truly amazing what effect adding accompanying music to your photos has. It must be tried to be appreciated.
Print out for pickup
Just about anyplace nowadays that still develops rolls of film will also have an option for printing your digital photos. Other options for printing out pictures include publishing stores and pharmacy chains. Check out their online store and look for the option that links you to their photo center.
This is a great option when someone you love doesn’t have a computer or really just likes having the picture in her own hand. You can upload your pictures and instead of picking your local store for pickup, you can choose the store closest to your loved one. This is more like the old time process of getting your pictures developed and mailing them out, but eliminates several inconvenient steps.
Just try it out
The greatest aspect about digital photography is that no one has to be a professional to take or share great pictures! Just keep your camera on and snap pictures until your memory chip is full. If a picture is truly bad, just delete it and take some more until you get the one you want. If a picture is close enough to being good, but is off-center or has a strange background, just perform some edits to change the background or center the faces. Then – get ready to share with all your loved ones.
For friends and loved ones that are computer savvy – impress them with your ability to create beautiful photo albums, enter captions and share with all - no matter how far away they live. For family at Christmas, create personalized albums or calendars as a fancy stocking stuffer. And – for those that love to frame pictures or create scrapbooks, order some prints for them and let them be surprised when the prints show up at their front door! Check out your options and find the one that’s right for you!
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