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→
Back in 1984, 81-year old retired Chicago manicurist-turned-disgruntled old lady Clara Peller asserted that a Wendy’s Hamburger served up a comparatively bigger value by asking the fast food competition, “Where’s the beef?” Today, Clara’s iconic words could become the voice of Applicant Tracking Software which, when it rejects an estimated 70 percent of the resumes submitted because of low keyword matches against the desired qualifications or it can’t figure out the formatting, analyzes a spectrogram to generate a voice that asks itself, “Where’s the résumé beef?”
Think of a job posting as a gift. The prospective employer has literally shared with you the experience, skills, and education being sought in qualified candidates. The greater the match between your résumé and the job description, the higher the probability of being selected for an interview. And, keywords narrow the qualifying gap.
The one-résumé-does-all with the generic cover letter, like Elvis, have left the building. You have to:
Always tell the truth. Even if you make it through the Applicant Tracking Software, aka ATS, there are other credibility check-points for dates of employment, job titles, and gaps, to name just a few. Use a cover letter, not a cover-up, to address in a positive way any job candidacy issues.
Nothing tests a hiring manager’s patience more than those often seen résumé mistakes which, for just a little bit of time and attention on the writer’s part, could lower the reader’s stress level and further the candidate’s cause. Here are some of the most annoying résumé cringe factors that don’t seem to go away:
"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
