Resume tips and tricks & getting an interview
The best book I've seen on resumes is an old one called, "Don't use a resume: use a qualifications brief" by Richard Lathrop. It's a book on skills oriented resumes. I'm sure there are others out there, but I haven't found one I like. It's super skinny book- 64 pages.
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Use-Resume-Richard-Lathrop/dp/0898150272
Positioning
When going for a new job title that is based on your skills you have developed, you need to position yourself. Focus on the practical job experience and skills no matter where you have gained that experience. That means highlighting your education and skills you have learned on your resume. Lead with your end result in mind. Put them at the top of your resume and focus on those for all to see.
Resume:
To make a career shift go skills oriented resume. Think of your resume as a conversation on "What I can do for you". You are there to help them fix their _________ problem. You are excellent at ________ problem solving. Offer to solve their problem!
Use bullet points/boxes to highlight skills words and break it up visually. For resumes submitted online, remember people will scan your resume to take in information. What are the most important words you need to jump out and grab them?
State your new job title at top of your resume under your name. Claim the job you want. This makes it clear what you want. Then your whole resume is providing evidence to support that and convey your personality.
State your professional/personal brand message. Being clear about who you are, what you offer and what makes you special is powerful and memorable. Be specific. The more specific, the more powerful.
Use your skills list, your values list and pull words from the company website (or job description) and put them on your resume. Use examples or metrics from your experience or education to illustrate how you fit into the job you are asking for. Check out your dream job descriptions on Indeed (or the like) and use the words they are using. You don't have to reinvent the wheel here. Connect with the company and industry you are targeting.
Use your experience and skills from any where if they contribute to your new job. Things like skills from volunteering, internships, hobbies, classes, trainings, whatever it is- it's valuable. This shows you are involved in your community and have cultivated more skills. In the book I referenced at the top, one of the kick butt resume in there is 2 full pages, describing a woman's experience in managing people, taxes, finances, teaching, organizational skills, etc. At the end you discover she was a stay at home mom that managed the family like a small business! She ends with her proudest accomplishments is contributing to her 3 successful children of which I think 2 were doctors and one an engineer. She positioned her experience to be valuable to the job she was going for.
Your cover letter should reinforce your experience, skills and speak to the position you want. I have used the cover letter as a place to sell my knowledge of the company or industry that I'm targeting. It shows I've studied, done my homework and I'm ready for the job I want.
Add in any awards, recognitions, ways you've made things better in any job you've had. Do you have any metrics you could cite of ways you helped the biz grow or customer satisfaction, mentoring/training others, you took all the difficult customers, etc? "I specialized in the difficult customers and increased customer satisfaction on my team by 20%" or something along those lines.
Cover letter: identify or anticipate the company's problems and how by hiring you, you can fix that for them. For example, if the company just got some new contracts or is merging and they need to hire and train new people- you can be the answer to their problems!
Target your cover letter to the person/s that needs the help in the company. This is your primary target. By all means, submit to HR, but don't miss the importance of connecting with person that needs your help desperately. This way too, you have an actual person to talk to when you call and follow-up with. I recommend targeting at least 2-3 people in one company at a time. The person that needs the help, the person above them and maybe a VP or regional director, etc too.
80% + jobs people get hired for are never posted or advertised or they don't even exist- yet. Here you come along and offer your help to solve their problem and you get an interview/ job offer. This is often called "the hidden job market". HR has limitations. They are often living by keywords and you can get rejected because of some random missing keyword. By connecting with the person that needs the help NOW, they are more likely to call you sooner and directly. They will loop HR back in. You are making it easy for them to say yes by stepping up and offering your help.
How can you bring your full authentic self to your resume and cover letter? What skills do you have that you can transfer to this new job? We often overlook our people skills. This is one of the most needed, highly marketable skills no matter what the position you're going for. Consider making this a highlight. Use the words that your industry/company would acknowledge and pay you more money for with these people skills.
Interview:
This is the time to showcase yourself! A resume is just paper... show and tell them who you are!
bullet points highlighting your education and people experience skills- Have your metrics ready to share in the interview.
craft/have a couple of examples of things you have done in the past that are exactly what the job is you are applying for. Make them a story.
Stories are memorable in people's minds. They are sticky. They show who you are. Story is a great way to create more connection with an interviewer, insert humor, show off your skills, passion, how you work.
Have at least a page of questions for the interviewer. You are interviewing them to see if it's a good fit. Ask about their processes, the job, the company culture, the company structure, how quickly can you advance, how easy is it to advance growth, outline the job duties, what's the steps in hiring you, where is the company going in the next 5 years, what is the team/department like, what is the advancement structure like, etc.
Research the interviewer, the ceo, supervisor- anyone who would be above your interviewer or that has hiring power.
Secret job tips:
- dazzling resume that tells them exactly how you can fix their problems
- put resume and cover letter in a shiny portfolio folder.
- FedEx. Even if they want you to apply online, additionally show up and/or FedEx your resume to the person that would hire you. I usually go for the 2 or 3 people above them too- esp the manager that has the immediate need for you, their supervisor and either the department head or the company head. Do FedEx bc the secretary doesn't open it and it looks important- bc your resume is VERY important! Plus it goes to the top of the mail pile and stands out- like you!
Call them or show up every week or so to stay top of mind and show them you want it badly!
Send them information or do something for them that can help them. Demonstrate how valuable you are. (plus keep making those personal connections). It could be an article, maybe it's recommending someone for another position they are hiring for that isn't in competition with you, maybe you notice it's their birthday from LinkedIn- keep making those "touches" that keep you top of mind.
Job hunting:
The number one mistake people do is be submissive in the job hunting process. This is a time to get proactive! Lead with your passion and joy! Use it as a strength to pick the right company to work with and get hired!
A secret trick I learned long ago was I get to pick where I want to work. It's MY choice. That freed me from being submissive/passive. All our gifts are from when we are our full selves and not our small submissive selves hoping that we will get an interview. It's really being the joyful passionate parts of ourselves to step into a higher way of being and serving in the world.
Pick 3 companies at a time to pursue. This isn't about sending out 100 resumes hoping someone will call you. That is giving away your power. Step into your power by taking charge of your job search. You go after them.
Look for the companies you would love to work with, then go hard at 3 companies at a time. Persistence, Persistence, Persistence. Keep checking in every week. Keep inching it forward to the next baby step in the process for them to hire you. Stay upper most in their mind as the problem solver they need to hire now!
Look for information on "the hidden job market". Up to 80% of jobs people get are never advertised or posted.
Networking and LinkedIn:
The Most Common Way to Find Work
Some experts say that 70 percent of people ended up in their current position thanks to networking. Others say it's more like 80 percent or even 85 percent.Apr 6, 2017
LinkedIn can be your best friend in job hunting. You can use it to research companies and find out who you need to contact in whatever company you are pursuing. As well, head hunters use LinkedIn to find candidates for positions.
Connect with EVERYONE you like, you have worked with, taken classes with, college, high school, gone to school with, done trainings with, other peers in your industry, etc - go connect with on LinkedIn. You don't know who they may know or where they work these days. You are looking for a warm contact to get your foot in the door and get the interview.
Prioritize the people you know and start calling them. (email only if you don't have their phone number). They would love to hear from you! Connect with them then tell them you are looking for a full time job doing ___________ (your personal branding statement) and do they know of a job or a company that they can refer you to?
Example:
I had a boyfriend that lost his job right as as the 2009 recession hit. He was a petroleum engineer and attorney. He kept looking at job boards getting more and more depressed getting no where. It was affecting his sleep, his kids, his attitude, his mood, his smoking and eating, our relationship. I sat down and told him that he needed to change things or I had to leave as I couldn't get sucked down into depression with him. I asked him if he wanted some advice from me. He said yes. I told him to call my resume gal (he did the next day) and to make a list of the top 30 people he had worked with in his career (nearly 30 years in the industry) then to call each of the people on the list. Ask: how's the wife, how's life, etc and to ask for a job or if they knew of one. The first guy on the list said, "let's go play golf". He got a part-time contract with that golf meeting and 2 weeks later he got a full time contract. All at the height of the recession in an industry that just had the bottom fall out.
Who you currently know and have known is important. They are gold! Who do you know you could go to coffee with or have a conversation? Again, offer them to help them- that makes it real and authentic.
People help who they like, who is in front of them. Be your joyful, authentic self. Go get in front of them and get that job you love.
Dana Wodtke, CPCC, PCC
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Use-Resume-Richard-Lathrop/dp/0898150272
Positioning
When going for a new job title that is based on your skills you have developed, you need to position yourself. Focus on the practical job experience and skills no matter where you have gained that experience. That means highlighting your education and skills you have learned on your resume. Lead with your end result in mind. Put them at the top of your resume and focus on those for all to see.
Resume:
To make a career shift go skills oriented resume. Think of your resume as a conversation on "What I can do for you". You are there to help them fix their _________ problem. You are excellent at ________ problem solving. Offer to solve their problem!
Use bullet points/boxes to highlight skills words and break it up visually. For resumes submitted online, remember people will scan your resume to take in information. What are the most important words you need to jump out and grab them?
State your new job title at top of your resume under your name. Claim the job you want. This makes it clear what you want. Then your whole resume is providing evidence to support that and convey your personality.
State your professional/personal brand message. Being clear about who you are, what you offer and what makes you special is powerful and memorable. Be specific. The more specific, the more powerful.
Use your skills list, your values list and pull words from the company website (or job description) and put them on your resume. Use examples or metrics from your experience or education to illustrate how you fit into the job you are asking for. Check out your dream job descriptions on Indeed (or the like) and use the words they are using. You don't have to reinvent the wheel here. Connect with the company and industry you are targeting.
Use your experience and skills from any where if they contribute to your new job. Things like skills from volunteering, internships, hobbies, classes, trainings, whatever it is- it's valuable. This shows you are involved in your community and have cultivated more skills. In the book I referenced at the top, one of the kick butt resume in there is 2 full pages, describing a woman's experience in managing people, taxes, finances, teaching, organizational skills, etc. At the end you discover she was a stay at home mom that managed the family like a small business! She ends with her proudest accomplishments is contributing to her 3 successful children of which I think 2 were doctors and one an engineer. She positioned her experience to be valuable to the job she was going for.
Your cover letter should reinforce your experience, skills and speak to the position you want. I have used the cover letter as a place to sell my knowledge of the company or industry that I'm targeting. It shows I've studied, done my homework and I'm ready for the job I want.
Add in any awards, recognitions, ways you've made things better in any job you've had. Do you have any metrics you could cite of ways you helped the biz grow or customer satisfaction, mentoring/training others, you took all the difficult customers, etc? "I specialized in the difficult customers and increased customer satisfaction on my team by 20%" or something along those lines.
Cover letter: identify or anticipate the company's problems and how by hiring you, you can fix that for them. For example, if the company just got some new contracts or is merging and they need to hire and train new people- you can be the answer to their problems!
Target your cover letter to the person/s that needs the help in the company. This is your primary target. By all means, submit to HR, but don't miss the importance of connecting with person that needs your help desperately. This way too, you have an actual person to talk to when you call and follow-up with. I recommend targeting at least 2-3 people in one company at a time. The person that needs the help, the person above them and maybe a VP or regional director, etc too.
80% + jobs people get hired for are never posted or advertised or they don't even exist- yet. Here you come along and offer your help to solve their problem and you get an interview/ job offer. This is often called "the hidden job market". HR has limitations. They are often living by keywords and you can get rejected because of some random missing keyword. By connecting with the person that needs the help NOW, they are more likely to call you sooner and directly. They will loop HR back in. You are making it easy for them to say yes by stepping up and offering your help.
How can you bring your full authentic self to your resume and cover letter? What skills do you have that you can transfer to this new job? We often overlook our people skills. This is one of the most needed, highly marketable skills no matter what the position you're going for. Consider making this a highlight. Use the words that your industry/company would acknowledge and pay you more money for with these people skills.
Interview:
This is the time to showcase yourself! A resume is just paper... show and tell them who you are!
bullet points highlighting your education and people experience skills- Have your metrics ready to share in the interview.
craft/have a couple of examples of things you have done in the past that are exactly what the job is you are applying for. Make them a story.
Stories are memorable in people's minds. They are sticky. They show who you are. Story is a great way to create more connection with an interviewer, insert humor, show off your skills, passion, how you work.
Have at least a page of questions for the interviewer. You are interviewing them to see if it's a good fit. Ask about their processes, the job, the company culture, the company structure, how quickly can you advance, how easy is it to advance growth, outline the job duties, what's the steps in hiring you, where is the company going in the next 5 years, what is the team/department like, what is the advancement structure like, etc.
Research the interviewer, the ceo, supervisor- anyone who would be above your interviewer or that has hiring power.
Secret job tips:
- dazzling resume that tells them exactly how you can fix their problems
- put resume and cover letter in a shiny portfolio folder.
- FedEx. Even if they want you to apply online, additionally show up and/or FedEx your resume to the person that would hire you. I usually go for the 2 or 3 people above them too- esp the manager that has the immediate need for you, their supervisor and either the department head or the company head. Do FedEx bc the secretary doesn't open it and it looks important- bc your resume is VERY important! Plus it goes to the top of the mail pile and stands out- like you!
Call them or show up every week or so to stay top of mind and show them you want it badly!
Send them information or do something for them that can help them. Demonstrate how valuable you are. (plus keep making those personal connections). It could be an article, maybe it's recommending someone for another position they are hiring for that isn't in competition with you, maybe you notice it's their birthday from LinkedIn- keep making those "touches" that keep you top of mind.
Job hunting:
The number one mistake people do is be submissive in the job hunting process. This is a time to get proactive! Lead with your passion and joy! Use it as a strength to pick the right company to work with and get hired!
A secret trick I learned long ago was I get to pick where I want to work. It's MY choice. That freed me from being submissive/passive. All our gifts are from when we are our full selves and not our small submissive selves hoping that we will get an interview. It's really being the joyful passionate parts of ourselves to step into a higher way of being and serving in the world.
Pick 3 companies at a time to pursue. This isn't about sending out 100 resumes hoping someone will call you. That is giving away your power. Step into your power by taking charge of your job search. You go after them.
Look for the companies you would love to work with, then go hard at 3 companies at a time. Persistence, Persistence, Persistence. Keep checking in every week. Keep inching it forward to the next baby step in the process for them to hire you. Stay upper most in their mind as the problem solver they need to hire now!
Look for information on "the hidden job market". Up to 80% of jobs people get are never advertised or posted.
Networking and LinkedIn:
The Most Common Way to Find Work
Some experts say that 70 percent of people ended up in their current position thanks to networking. Others say it's more like 80 percent or even 85 percent.Apr 6, 2017
LinkedIn can be your best friend in job hunting. You can use it to research companies and find out who you need to contact in whatever company you are pursuing. As well, head hunters use LinkedIn to find candidates for positions.
Connect with EVERYONE you like, you have worked with, taken classes with, college, high school, gone to school with, done trainings with, other peers in your industry, etc - go connect with on LinkedIn. You don't know who they may know or where they work these days. You are looking for a warm contact to get your foot in the door and get the interview.
Prioritize the people you know and start calling them. (email only if you don't have their phone number). They would love to hear from you! Connect with them then tell them you are looking for a full time job doing ___________ (your personal branding statement) and do they know of a job or a company that they can refer you to?
Example:
I had a boyfriend that lost his job right as as the 2009 recession hit. He was a petroleum engineer and attorney. He kept looking at job boards getting more and more depressed getting no where. It was affecting his sleep, his kids, his attitude, his mood, his smoking and eating, our relationship. I sat down and told him that he needed to change things or I had to leave as I couldn't get sucked down into depression with him. I asked him if he wanted some advice from me. He said yes. I told him to call my resume gal (he did the next day) and to make a list of the top 30 people he had worked with in his career (nearly 30 years in the industry) then to call each of the people on the list. Ask: how's the wife, how's life, etc and to ask for a job or if they knew of one. The first guy on the list said, "let's go play golf". He got a part-time contract with that golf meeting and 2 weeks later he got a full time contract. All at the height of the recession in an industry that just had the bottom fall out.
Who you currently know and have known is important. They are gold! Who do you know you could go to coffee with or have a conversation? Again, offer them to help them- that makes it real and authentic.
People help who they like, who is in front of them. Be your joyful, authentic self. Go get in front of them and get that job you love.
Dana Wodtke, CPCC, PCC