If the most recent version of your resume is on a floppy disc in that lower drawer of your desk that you only venture into when it’s the place of last resort for finding something you’ve lost, it’s definitely time to update it (as well as save it on the Cloud!).
If you’re like most professionals, you only update your resume when you choose to or have to begin a new job search. When you’re at one job for several years, you can become comfortable and forget what areas of professional growth were important to you as a job seeker. Updating your resume regularly can expose the gaps in your skills and experience and reinvigorate your desire for career self-improvement. There are compelling reasons to regularly review your resume to ensure it’s ready to use at a moment’s notice. Here’s why: Continue reading Here’s Why You Should Update Your Resume Now→
Joel Schwartzberg, in his insightful article, What Job Description Jargon is Actually Saying, makes this important point: A job description (JD) is more than just a summary of a role. A JD may hold more clues than first meets the eye, including hints about corporate culture, the true prioritization of their needs, and what might be secretly negotiable. Knowing how to find these clues may give you a distinct advantage over other applicants. Knowing how to find these clues may give you a distinct advantage over other applicants.
Keyword Density: “On-page SEO” is the practice of optimizing individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. When used correctly, it can help attract search engines and boost a page’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). When ignored, it can keep a page from ranking or even result in a search penalty, removing it from SERPs altogether. Keyword density is an element of keyword optimization that refers to the number of times a target keyword is used on a webpage. If you’re an aspiring marketer, learning how to calculate keyword density is fairly easy. You simply take the number of times the target keyword appears on a page and divide it by the total number of words on the page: Continue reading THE KEY TO RESUME KEYWORDS→
T-shaped skills are referred to in job recruitment to describe the abilities of candidates. The vertical bar of the T refers to expert knowledge and experience in one particular area. The horizontal top of the T refers to an ability to collaborate with experts in other disciplines. Immensely empathetic T-shaped individuals can see through others’ eyes, walk in their shoes, listen actively, and create solutions that build on their ideas. They shine in diverse, collaborative teams and standout among recruiters and hiring managers compared to I-shaped job applicants. Continue reading ARE YOU A T-SHAPE OR I-SHAPE JOB CANDIDATE?→
You may not be familiar with names like iCIMS, Bullhorn and Ascendify, but these software gatekeepers decide whether your resume or online application is passed through to a hiring manager or discarded. Commonly referred to by their acronym, ATS, Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) compares submitted resumes and online applications to job postings to determine whether there is a strong candidate match to what the employer is looking for. Resumes and online applications are stored in a database and recruiters can search submissions using keywords and phrases to identify who to advance through the hiring process based upon applicant rankings. Avoid this one critical mistake so many job seekers make on their resume! Continue reading Heads Up on Resume Headers→
Remote interviewing has taken center stage with employers who are looking to screen job applicants. It’s a trend that has been increasing in recent years but has escalated dramatically with COVID-19’s impact on being unable to travel for in-person interviews. Social distancing has quickly made virtual interviewing a recruiting staple so it’s to your benefit to master it. Continue reading How-To Not Self-Sabotage Your Remote Job Interview→
Video resumes were first introduced in the 1980s for use and distribution on VHS tape, but the laborious technology dampened the idea and it never took off. However, with the modern capabilities of transmitting streaming video via the internet, video resumes aka visumés are taking on new popularity. Continue reading Tips for Adding a Visumé to your Job Search Branding Package→
"You've had such a varied and impressive career. It's awesome to read about your adventures and reinventions and how you're now helping others do the same," branding expert Dorie Clark, author of Reinventing You, Stand Out and Entrepreneurial You
