Are Resume Templates ok?

No marketer would ever use home-brand packaging to sell a premium product. The cost of the potential losses in sales revenue alone would be obvious, and yet on a daily basis, highly qualified professionals sacrifice potential income through poor resume packaging.

It's not the design or resume template that is at fault, but peoples’ tendency when using templates to lose sight of the fact that the resume is actually a marketing document. To sell a product, marketers realise they must know their customer. They invest time and effort in developing branding and copy content that will appeal and inspire action by the customer to buy. This is just as true for applicants. Just as every product has its unique selling points, so do individuals, and time must be invested in designing a resume that will truly reflect your relevant selling points and will operate as a catalyst to mobilize employers to make contact.

Fancy templates on their own won't do this. Pretty may catch the employer’s eye but what then? A good resume will do that and a lot more. It will capture their interest, immediately showcasing the amazing skills and benefits you can offer their company. It will funnel them down through your resume on a journey packed with achievement and genuine contributions to your past employers. It will paint the picture of a consummate professional, who has faced commercial challenges and soared... and yes they will be caught, hook, line and sinker… motivated and intrigued to talk with you to see if you would be able to offer the same contributions to their company.

So before you pick a template and just start to type. Stop. Pause.

Take time to really consider: Who will be reading your resume. Put yourself in their shoes. What do they want? What skills and experience do you offer? Why would they want to ring you?Evaluate the template design. Does it reflect the image you want to put forward? Will you stand out from the pile of resumes, professional and distinctive or just blend in?Assess your writing and personal marketing skills. Do you have the skills to really showcase your achievements?
Would you be better investing in your future through the skills of a professional resume writer?

When you know this, then you can start the resume process because I guarantee if your resume is plonked into a template with no thought given to the content - it will more likely than not be just you reading it! On the other hand, take the time to consider the employer in your resume, your branding and resume image and you are one step closer to that ringing phone and job offer!

What is Resume Optimisation?

You knew about website optimisation but did you know that resumes are now being scrutinised by similar technologies?

Few people realise that their futures are now being determined not at the hands of employers and HR staff but by machines and modern advances in technology.With online posting of applications, recruitment agents and employers are now turning to technology similar to Google to cut down on application processing time through scanning your resume for keywords to see if you are a match for their criteria.

“Text strings” (or keywords) are entered into a computerised tracking system to assess the resumes in the database and used to identify suitable candidates. Just like websites, the more keywords or “hits,” that an OCR scanning program finds, the more likely it is that your resume will actually be read.

So what are the crucial things to keep in mind when developing a scannable resume?

1. Find out the essential keywords for your industry. Job advertisements, selection criteria and position descriptions all provide valuable information on buzz words and key skills needed in your industry. Ensure these are prominently displayed in your resume, both at the front in your header, objective and skills summary and then throughout your resume in the employment and qualifications sections.

2. Ensure your format can be scanned. Use font sizing no less than 10 point and select a clean font such as Arial or Century Schoolbook.

3. Avoid formatting that may throw out scanners such as text boxes, unusual fonts, underline, tables, images and columns

4. If you are having your resume developed by a professional be sure to ask for a scannable resume or ascii version.

Finally remember, just like websites, content is still the most important thing so good resume writing principles still apply. Ensure your resume highlights what you offer potential employers through an achievement-rich resume filled with energy, results and positive career highlights. Good Luck!

How can I tell if my resume rates?

First impressions are everything. Does yours resume represent you as the consummate professional you are?

Before you send it off, take a few moments to put it through the professional’s “Resume Checklist”. The extra few minutes spent here could make all the difference to your resume’s impact and your subsequent job search success.

• Does your resume have impact from the outset? Will it grab the employer’s attention, telling him/her who you are; what you bring; and a snapshot of your career highlights and strengths? Make sure it doesn’t waste valuable space with personal details. Condense your personal details to 1-2 lines and use the rest to sell you as a quality potential candidate.

• Is your resume effectively targeted to the type of job you are seeking? Every resume should be written with a target type of job in mind. Is yours? Read through the job advertisements for the type of employment you are seeking. Does your resume immediately paint you as “just what the employer is looking for”? Have you highlighted all the relevant skills, experience and qualifications you have that the employer may be seeking?

• Does your resume start with a powerful header and profile? Your header should immediately tell the employer who you are. Experienced Sales Professional. Motivated Business Graduate. Qualified Training Auditor. It should be followed by a strong profile highlighting your unique experience, skills and benefits (or otherwise known as your unique selling proposition). Use this section to stand out from the others in the resume pack.

• Is your employment background written in an achievement-orientation? Is it focused on the challenges of each role and your personal contributions? Have you replaced accountabilities with achievements? Don’t bore the reader with a list of accountabilities that they probably already know - give them details on what you have achieved and the value you brought to each role. Draw them in on a journey packed with innovation, results and dedication. Don’t forget to make sure you include the title of the position, name of employer, and dates of employment, and ensure any gaps in your employment record are addressed.

• Is your resume evidence based? Have you backed up your unique selling claims by highlighting in your employment your accomplishments including exactly what you did, how you did it and giving firm indications of the result. Eg slashed staffing costs 30% through restructured rosters that better matched staff ratios with peak period demands. Make sure it’s accurate and truthful. Be able to back up your claims.

• Is your writing style energetic and filled with action verbs to create impact? Try starting your achievements with actions words. For example increased, lifted, slashed, reduced, eliminated, grew. This will bring power to your resume and increase its effect on the reader.

• Does your resume include all licenses, qualifications, skills and credentials relevant to the job you seek?

• Does it exclude all personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, etc. Make sure it avoids any negativities about past employers and never include reasons for leaving. Is your contact information up to date and accurate? Have you included your home phone, mobile number and email address.

• Does the overall layout of your resume look pleasing to the eye? Is it clear, logical and free from jargon. Is the layout simple, well structured and professional? Avoid graphics, keep fonts simple (just 1-2 at the most) and keep plenty of white space. Is it error-free? Check for grammar, spelling errors and grammar consistency.

• Is your resume scannable? Ensure your layout can be scanned. No text boxes or graphics. True type fonts no less than 10 pt.

• Have you proof read your resume? Have you prepared a powerful cover letter to go with it? Are you using good quality paper? Have you developed a separate referees sheet and included on your resume “Referees Available on Request”.
  

If you have done all of the above – congratulations, you are now ready to start your job search. Good Luck!

Career Edge Wins TORI

I'm proud to announce Career Edge has won another TORI Award.

The international careers body CDI, held its annual resume writing awards in Texas on Saturday and announced the official winners of this year’s coveted “Toast of the Résumé Industry’ Awards.

With only 7 writers from across the globe selected each year to be honoured with an award, it was a thrill to be counted amongst the best of the best.

Competition for these highly coveted handful of awards is always fierce and CDI’s President Laura De Carlo, said “Winning a TORI Award represents the pinnacle of résumé writing expertise within the industry."