Boulder Jobing Community Blogs

Open House/Job Fair

Monday, September 8, 2008 from 9:00 a.m.  to 3:00 p.m.

TransFirst, LLC

Cherry Creek Place 1

3131 S. Vaughn Way, 1st floor Conference Room

Aurora, CO  80014

Off of I225 and Parker Road across from University of Phoenix and Dex

TransFirst, LLC is growing - Come check us out!

Sales Earning Potential of $80,000+ FIRST YEAR

Looking for sales professionals with a proven track record, high energy and professionalism. 

Open House/Job Fair

Monday, September 8, 2008 from 9:00 a.m.  to 3:00 p.m.

TransFirst, LLC

Cherry Creek Place 1

3131 S. Vaughn Way, 1st floor Conference Room

Aurora, CO  80014

Off of I225 and Parker Road across from University of Phoenix and Dex

TransFirst, LLC is growing - Come check us out!

Sales Earning Potential of $80,000+ FIRST YEAR

Looking for sales professionals with a proven track record, high energy and professionalism. 

Relax – there’s a point to customizing your resume to meet the needs of employers. In The Career Champion newsletter, I regularly cover the fact that a resume needs to deliver a clear message in order to be effective. However, this doesn't mean that every resume you send must be a completely different version.

If you’re unsure of the actual breaking point between one resume and another, here are 3 ways to tell if you’ll need an encore version:

1) Your skills aren’t focused on one main career goal. My clients often find that they can target one particular job type by showing strengths for that role. If they wish to pursue a similar position, I recommend that they change a few words here and there.

However, if they focus on an entirely DIFFERENT job type, that's another matter. It's hard to convince employers of your business development skills, for example, if your resume is centered around your expertise in operations management.

2) Your credentials are SO broad that your resume goes on forever.  If your resume gives hiring authorities too much to read (especially if there’s too many interesting facts that don’t add up to one message), then it’s time to narrow your focus.

Proving your fitness for a particular job is a matter of tuning the text around WHY you’re qualified, and then backing up your story with achievements and other examples.

3) Tweaking your resume for each job application requires a major rewrite. If you can’t reasonably dedicate a summary to one suite of skills, then you should separate out your career goals.

This may involve extra effort on your part, including additional keyword research and a different presentation, but the end results will be worth it.

Remember, recruiters have enough resumes to read without getting confused by what you want to do! Zeroing in on your specific, measurable credentials allows you to quickly convey why you are qualified, eliminates the potential for confusion, and gets your resume noticed much faster.

A unique resume authority, Laura Smith-Proulx is the Executive Director of An Expert Resume, a career services company that caters to technical, sales, and organizational leaders, from managers poised for growth to senior-level executives.

A Certified Professional Resume Writer, Interview Coach, and Career Coach, Laura has achieved a 98% success rate for thousands of clients through creative and skilled writing/editing, insightful career coaching, and positive motivation.

If you're ready to make a key change in your leadership career, get our FREE 7-Part E-Course on "The 7 Biggest Resume Mistakes That Can Keep You From a $100K+ Job... And How to Avoid Them."

How can you tell if your résumé will make the cut? Unfortunately, some résumé flaws are so fatal that I can GUARANTEE they will fail to get interviews. See if any of these apply to your situation:

Your résumé uses that Microsoft Word template. At least one third of all the millions of Word users probably created their résumés using this style.

Standing out isn’t just a matter of words—it’s also in the presentation. Bottom-line: use an attractive style that reflect your UNIQUE qualifications.

You are facing challenges in your job search (such as a job that ended last year, lack of a degree, etc.), yet your résumé skips RIGHT to your job history. This can be a killer—since it quickly gives the reader LESS reasons to call you for an interview.

This is where résumé strategy comes in. I recommend developing a plan BEFORE writing the résumé that can put your best foot forward to meet these kind of challenges.

Your wording is weak. Did you write “responsible for” on your résumé? If so, you are missing some fantastic ways to sell your skills. Try “power verbs” (achieved, revitalized, captured, etc.) instead.

You’ve used an objective statement to top it off. Funny thing about that objective – it really ISN’T objective! While this was a standard for the résumé of yesteryear, using this will nearly ENSURE you get passed over today.

A better idea: summarize your unique credentials in a profile or summary.

You’ve borrowed phrases. There must be hundreds of “self-motivated team players” out there. If you’re guilty of copying some great-sounding phrases, give some clear thought to this one.

Your résumé should present your personal “brand”—meaning qualities that describe your capabilities PRECISELY. To get started, ask colleagues or friends how they would describe you or your work.

To sum up, refreshing your résumé can make THE difference between having your phone ring for interviews, or being passed over in favor of someone less qualified.

A unique résumé authority and former recruiter, Laura Smith-Proulx, CPRW, CIC, Executive Director of An Expert Resume, has achieved a 98% success rate landing interviews for fast-track professionals.

Laura’s newest book, “Solve Your Toughest Résumé Challenges to Win More Interviews!,” gives insider secrets to gaining an employer’s attention.

For FREE tips on how to create a knockout resume and successfully manage your career transition, visit www.AnExpertResume.com.

And the answer is… when it’s on your résumé!

Nearly everyone is familiar with the classic “Objective Statement” that tops off so many résumés. It usually starts with “Seeking a challenging position…” and proceeds to roll downhill from there.

When you are trying to distinguish yourself from the competition, slapping the same line on your résumé as thousands of others hardly sets you apart! The good news is that there is another way to convey your career goal plus give a picture of what you OFFER instead.

This strategy involves writing a Qualifications Profile or Summary for your résumé, rather than an Objective Statement.

To help you write an effective, eye-catching summary that will persuade employers to read further, consider these tips:

The Qualifications Profile should include 3-4 sentences that accurately describe your credentials.

In other words, don’t copy your friend’s résumé, since this profile needs to sell YOU.

Add some vivid descriptions of your success in past roles, including your track record for completing projects on time or stabilizing operations. THIS is the kind of information that gets you noticed!

Sprinkle some personal qualities throughout the summary—and go beyond the tired phrases used by everyone else.

Know any good “self-motivated team players?” So do most employers.

Save your résumé space for valuable attributes such as “dynamic,” “results-focused,” or “driven.”

Throw in a notable achievement to spark some interest.

Pull out a major accomplishment or two, and summarize these up to show what kind of reputation you have at work.

“Recognized for 30% year-over-year sales increases at Fortune 500 corporations” hits a home run faster than “Skilled sales professional with closing experience” ever will.

The key take-away here is that hiring managers want to read something new, fresh, and thought-provoking on your résumé.

Skip the non-objective Objective Statement, and give them a strong message that speaks to your true strengths!

Laura Smith-Proulx, CPRW, CIC is the author of “Solve Your Toughest Resume Challenges to Win More Interviews! 25 Secrets to Achieving Fast-Track Career Success.” A nationally recognized résumé expert, she has achieved a 98% success rate landing interviews for job seekers.

Get Laura’s tips on creating a knockout resume and advancing in your career with a FREE 7-Part E-Course on “The 7 Biggest Resume Mistakes That Can Keep You from Your Dream Job… And How to Avoid Them” by visiting www.AnExpertResume.com .

It’s called career marketing.

Employers are in a situation like never before, where each posted job triggers a landslide of resumes. It is not uncommon for hiring managers to deal with hundreds of resumes emailed on a daily basis! With all that activity, what is a truly qualified professional to do?

My recommendation is to examine your strengths closely in order to clarify what you uniquely offer an employer. Make a list of your core talents and skills, and then consider comparing your performance to that of colleagues. This techniques will allow you to “market” your expertise on your resume, rather than just listing the facts about your career.

What differences stand out? What did you accomplish that others could not? If you were interviewing in competition with another candidate that possessed a similar background, what would you say in response to “Why should we hire YOU?”

Getting called for an interview is much easier when you raise both your own and the employer’s perception of the contributions you have made in previous roles.

Of course, keep in mind that “career marketing” is the new definition of a resume, and that the job search rules have changed forever.

A unique resume authority, Laura Smith-Proulx is the Executive Director of An Expert Resume, a Denver-based career services company that caters to organizational leaders, from managers poised for growth to senior-level executives.

A Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Interview Coach, and candidate for Certified Career Management Coach, Laura has contributed to the success of hundreds professionals through creative and skilled writing/editing, insightful career coaching, and positive motivation.

Her work has been nominated for four international resume industry awards, and published in the “Expert Resumes” and “Same-Day Resume” series. For more information on Laura’s services, visit www.AnExpertResume.com, or contact Laura toll-free at 877-258-3517.

If you are a professional seeking employment in our colorful state, you have no doubt polished up your resume to achieve maximum effect on Colorado employers, taking care to prepare a document that will surely pass the classic 10-15 second glance by a hiring manager and win an interview. Or have you?

Here in the land of boom and bust, oil and gas, and both the great and not-so-great times in telecommunications history, employers have weathered the rush of thousands of resumes from job seekers determined to make their next move. However, the number of candidates that make the first pass is considerably smaller than most might realize.

Consider adding these core components to your resume in order to make a stellar first  impression on employers in the Colorado jobs marketplace—and to get your phone ringing:

Skip the Fluff.

Or, as is said in the resume industry, “Show, don’t tell.” If you really are self-motivated, dedicated, and innovative, detail this information rather than resorting to these words often used by the masses to market themselves to Colorado employers.

Which makes a stronger impression? “Provided strong customer service and led national projects” or “Slashed marketing expenses 45% by delivering three national relationship management projects on time and under budget.”  

By the same token, resorting to a cute graphic will likely irritate rather than wow a hiring manager who is weary of searching for core skill sets.

Strategize.

Skip the objective statement in favor of a summary that shows precisely what you offer an employer. Why use “Seeking a challenging position utilizing my abilities and skills… ” when you can give impressive data on your real-world strengths?

Consider that “Visionary, decisive, and strategic operations leader credited with intense profitability by turning around inefficient organizations, driving groundbreaking service initiatives, and achieving quick results that elude others” hardly makes the same statement.

Make use of short, clear, sentence fragments—think marketing copy—throughout the resume to add spice to your message.  

Beware the Functional Resume.

Nothing makes an employer who has rode the ups and downs of the Colorado economy look the other way faster. This format, which delineates skill categories in lieu of giving detail on achievements at each job, is past its prime and implies that the job seeker has something to hide.

Grouping your relevant expertise by using keywords appropriate for your profession is a great idea; however, take care to include the classic reverse chronology of your job history for the reader to explore.

Summarize…and summarize some more.     

Clarity rules the day! In other words, five-page resumes are history. Don’t expect a prospective employer to read anything resembling a novel, especially when sprinkling the pronoun “I” throughout your document.

While there is no “magic” length, more than eight years of professional experience typically dictates a second page—but not necessarily a third—in the eyes of Colorado employers.

Colorado resume expert Laura Smith-Proulx, CPRW, CIC, Director of An Expert Resume, has achieved a 98% success rate in landing interviews for jobs seekers nationwide and throughout the state. A former Fortune 500 recruiter and journalist, she applies powerful writing strategies to produce award-winning resumes that consistently gain attention of hiring managers.

Her work has been internationally recognized with the “Toast of the Resume Industry” awards, and has been published in the “Expert Resumes” and “Same-Day Resume” books. A Certified Professional Resume Writer, Interview Coach, and Career Coach, she can be reached at 877-258-3517 (303-805-4315 in Colorado) or at info@anexpertresume.com.

First of all, relax. There exist countless professionals, managers, and even executives who do not possess a degree, yet these same job seekers successfully ascend the career ladder just the same. What’s their secret? Much the same as you, their bottom-line contributions and hard work had become a stand-in for that coveted diploma.

Keep in mind that, as you pursue that next opportunity, there are a myriad of ways to pique an employer’s interest and win interviews, starting with the approach presented on your resume:

Quantify Your Contributions Extracting accomplishment information of significance can be a challenge, but consider the payoff! Your resume must shout out this type of information in order to prove the consistency of your performance.

For example, when working with a telecommunications executive lacking a degree, I discussed his leadership role in a high-profile project. The end product, “Eliminated $34M in rework, slashed staff requirements for task completion, and achieved 78+% ROI by leading sales and service delivery teams to identify core revisions” speaks for itself and cuts through any doubt about his abilities.

Add professional training as proof of ongoing development. Many well-established professionals have attended hours of seminars, training sessions, and other educational opportunities in order to sharpen their core expertise.

Be sure to keep a complete list as fodder for an educational section on the resume—and as evidence of your passion for lifelong learning.

Showcase your ability to meet—and overcome—challenges in your previous roles. What shape was your current employer in upon your arrival? Were you the sole source of measures that increased efficiency? Did you manage a major, multimillion-dollar account or enhance the company’s reputation with its vendors?

Adding the context in which these achievements were completed can paint an entirely new picture of your strengths. Don’t forget that these types of leadership examples can add punch to your resume and demonstrate repeatable skills.

In summary, establishing a link between your expertise and consistent performance is the fastest way to gain attention during your job search. Consider that for every employer who wants candidates to possess a degree, there are possibly two others that will look at your “on-the-job education” as equivalent (and possibly stronger) credentials.

  A prominent resume expert specializing in helping advancing professionals win interviews despite the lack of a degree, Certified Professional Resume Writer and Interview Coach Laura Smith-Proulx, President of An Expert Resume, has produced award-winning resumes that consistently gain attention from hiring managers.

Her work has been nominated for the international “Toast of the Resume Industry” awards, and has appeared in the “Expert Resumes” and “Same-Day Resume” books. A former Fortune 500 recruiter, she has assisted professionals in successful career changes since 1989. She can be reached at 877-258-3517 or at info@anexpertresume.com.  

By Mike Cote - Annabelle Gurwitch says she didn’t want to write her book. And you don’t want to feel like you need to read it, but you should. If she offers the comic relief you’re looking for, it might be because you’re walking the streets and trolling the Internet looking for a job. If not, chances are you’ve been there before - or will get there someday.

In "Fired," published last year and recently released in paperback, the actor told the story of her firing from a Woody Allen play and collected job-loss tales from two dozen A-list and B-list celebrities who happen to be her friends.

Bob Saget recounted his pre-"Full House" career on a short-lived morning talk show, including the day he arrived to discover he no longer had a chair on the set.

Tim Allen remembered getting complimented for being both popular and creative at the same moment he was being fired.

Read the rest of the story at http://www.cobizmag.com/articles.asp?id=1571

James McEwen, MBA, PHR

Human Resource Manager, Home Depot, Denver, CO