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	<title>Professional Powerhouse™ &#124; Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management &#187; resumes</title>
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	<description>Executive Brand Strategy Career Coach Kristi Daeda</description>
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		<title>Please STOP reviewing your friends&#8217; resumes</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/08/31/please-stop-reviewing-your-friends-resumes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/08/31/please-stop-reviewing-your-friends-resumes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:29:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job hunt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professionalism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transition]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=2705</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago I received a distraught call from a client who had recently received his newly minted professional resume. At the conclusion of the resume writing process, this smart, capable professional felt equipped, empowered to proactively tackle his job search. But just days later, he was feeling defeated and unsure. You see, he [...]]]></description>
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			<a href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristidaeda.com%2F2010%2F08%2F31%2Fplease-stop-reviewing-your-friends-resumes%2F"><br />
				<img src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kristidaeda.com%2F2010%2F08%2F31%2Fplease-stop-reviewing-your-friends-resumes%2F&amp;source=kristid&amp;style=normal&amp;service=bit.ly" height="61" width="50" /><br />
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<p><a title="Stop" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69616736@N00/22205084/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0px initial initial;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/22205084_f71eb5e51f.jpg" border="0" alt="Stop resume advice" width="350" height="263" /></a>A few weeks ago I received a distraught call from a client who had recently received his newly minted professional resume.</p>
<p>At the conclusion of the resume writing process, this smart, capable professional felt equipped, empowered to proactively tackle his job search. But just days later, he was feeling defeated and unsure.</p>
<p>You see, he had sent his resume to someone he knew, and that person had provided some well-meaning pointers on ways that the resume could be improved.</p>
<p>None of the suggestions she provided would make him more likely to get hired. In fact, many would attract the wrong kind of job fit. But here he was, feeling like he was back to the drawing board.</p>
<p>Often times when job seekers come to me to learn about having their resume written, I tell them, &#8220;Your resume is not your problem.&#8221;</p>
<p>Yes, a professionally written resume is likely to be more effective than what you wrote yourself.</p>
<p>Yes, a resume is an important tool in your job search toolkit.</p>
<p>But your resume is not the end all and be all of your job search.</p>
<p><strong>Here&#8217;s the secret to finding a job: ACTION.</strong></p>
<h3>When you should NOT offer resume advice</h3>
<p>If you work in HR, recruiting, or management, you&#8217;ve likely been asked dozens of times to review resumes for friends, relatives and distant acquaintances. Don&#8217;t break out your red pen just yet &#8212; if any of the following are true, your advice could do more harm than good.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>When you haven&#8217;t been asked for it.</strong> You&#8217;d think that coaches helping people with job search would be just about out of business with all of the free, high quality job search advice out there. WRONGO. Job seekers are swimming in information, much of it conflicting, about what is the right way to look for a job. And constant feedback from peers, friends and family can make them feel less capable &#8212; as if everyone else in the world knows the right way to look for a job, and they&#8217;re just not putting the pieces together. If you haven&#8217;t been asked to review someone&#8217;s resume, think twice before offering an opinion.</li>
<li><strong>When the suggestions you have to offer could fall under the category &#8220;personal preference.&#8221; </strong>If your company prefers to see no bullet points, that information is only helpful if the candidate is applying with your company. At some point, a candidate needs to stop futzing with the resume and focus instead on applying to jobs and networking their tush off. Minor points likely won&#8217;t improve their success rate, but could keep them from focusing on the real work of job search &#8212; connecting with employers.</li>
<li><strong>When you don&#8217;t know the person&#8217;s professional goals. </strong>Each resume should be customized for not only a person&#8217;s professional background, but also their target companies and positions. This may mean leaving certain responsibilities off their resume entirely, or enhancing areas that may seem less relevant. (One client never, ever wanted to work with Sarbannes-Oxley again. Even though this skillset could open doors for her, if they&#8217;re doors she won&#8217;t walk through, what value does it have?) Always make sure you know what they&#8217;re trying to achieve before sharing how you think they can achieve it.</li>
<li><strong>When they&#8217;re really asking for something else.</strong> Many times, your friend doesn&#8217;t need resume advice &#8212; they need reassurance and support. So before offering feedback, ask yourself what will really serve them &#8212; another piece of advice, or praise, support and reinforcement of their impending success? Make the right call and you&#8217;ll be doing them, and your relationship, a big favor.</li>
</ol>
<p><a title="Attribution License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.kristidaeda.com/wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="brainware3000" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69616736@N00/22205084/" target="_blank">brainware3000</a></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/22/the-pushpull-distinction-why-friend-is-a-dirty-facebook-word/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Facebook Friends and Business Networking: Friend is a Dirty Word'>Facebook Friends and Business Networking: Friend is a Dirty Word</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/08/07/your-guide-to-resumes/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Your Guide To: RESUMES'>Your Guide To: RESUMES</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/08/24/industry-specific-resumes-whats-the-difference/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Industry-specific resumes: What&#8217;s the difference?'>Industry-specific resumes: What&#8217;s the difference?</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2010. |
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		<title>10 Career Questions You Were Afraid to Ask</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/03/30/10-career-questions-you-were-afraid-to-ask/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/03/30/10-career-questions-you-were-afraid-to-ask/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:18:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[interviewing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job hunt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career skills workshops services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CVS Caremark Corporation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[founder]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Interest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interview coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[My CV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nikki Ruth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recruitment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resume]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=2500</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today&#8217;s post is a guest post from Nikki Ruth, a fellow employment expert who specializes in writing CVs. She shares some great insight on some tough career questions, and the answers you&#8217;ll need to succeed. Enjoy! Career Question Category 1: Job Hunting 1. I have a degree but no work experience. What’s the best thing [...]]]></description>
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<p><em>Today&#8217;s post is a guest post from Nikki Ruth, a fellow employment expert who specializes in writing CVs. She shares some great insight on some tough career questions, and the answers you&#8217;ll need to succeed. Enjoy!</em></p>
<h2><strong><em><a title="[22.365] sphere-itize me, captain" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21257461@N05/2550349404/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/2550349404_3251282109_m.jpg" border="0" alt="career questions" width="227" height="240" /></a><br />
<small><a title="db*photography" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21257461@N05/2550349404/" target="_blank"></a></small>Career Question Category 1: Job Hunting</em></strong></h2>
<p><strong>1. I have a degree but no work experience. What’s the best thing to do? </strong></p>
<p>If you have the qualifications, but lack the experience, consider volunteering, charity work or internships with local businesses to build up your experience. Breadth of experience matters more than length of time. You may also have some valuable experience you haven’t even thought of for example being a member of clubs or captaining the sports team. This can show your commitment and leadership abilities.</p>
<p><strong>2. My qualifications aren&#8217;t up to it, should I apply anyway?</strong></p>
<p>Anything expressed as necessary in a job description means just that and recruiters are unlikely to consider candidates that don&#8217;t have exactly what&#8217;s specified. However, if you have a lower grade of qualification than the one advertised but some related experience it may still be worth applying. Highlight in your CV and cover letter what your relevant skills are and how they match the requirements<strong>.</strong></p>
<p><strong>3. I remember reading that only half of vacant positions are actually advertised. How are the rest of the positions filled? </strong></p>
<p>It’s true about half of all job vacancies are not advertised anywhere. Companies usually advertise internally on notice boards or take on people who have already contacted them. Ask friends and family to let you know about vacancies that are advertised where they work. Many companies have an Employee Referral Programme where your friends or family can earn some money for referring you.</p>
<h2><strong><em>Career Question Category 2: Resume/CV Writing</em></strong></h2>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong>4. How long should my Resume/CV be?</strong></p>
<p>On average recruiters take 15 seconds to decide whether to screen a resume or CV in or out. Keep your CV punchy and highlight all the relevant skills needed for the job you are applying for. Ideally your CV should be no more than two standard pages long.</p>
<p><strong>5. A lot of people say I should exaggerate the truth on my CV, what do you think?</strong></p>
<p>Obviously, you have to describe yourself in the best possible light. But avoid the temptation to go too far. Recruiters are not stupid. They can spot information that doesn&#8217;t stack up. They’re always on the look out for inflated qualifications, salaries, job titles and achievements and it’s becoming more common for companies to do background and reference checks prior to hiring.</p>
<p><strong>6. Why should I use a professional CV writing service?</strong></p>
<p>A professional CV can dramatically reduce the length of time it takes you to find a new role and can have a direct impact on your salary potential. It also pays to have your CV written by someone who knows what recruiters look for. The cost of a CV should equate to less than 1% of your new salary. If you are planning to use a CV writing service, remember to check their background and whether they have experience in your industry.</p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<h2><strong><em>Career Question Category 3: Interview Intel </em></strong></h2>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>7. What is an interview coach and why should I use one?</strong></p>
<p>An interview coach empowers you to do your absolute best during an interview to get the job you want usually through role plays and feedback. Studies have proven that by using an interview coach you can get a job up to 45% quicker. I&#8217;ve personally coached 100&#8242;s of job seekers on how to improve their interviewing skills and my clients have been offered jobs with top companies. Ultimately, the value of the interview coaching depends on the coach&#8217;s experience so check whether the coach has had real life experience interviewing and hiring for companies.</p>
<p><strong>8. What’s the proper way of handling the what are your greatest weaknesses question?</strong></p>
<p>You should select a weakness that you have been actively working to overcome. For example, I have had trouble in the past with time management. However, I’m now taking steps to correct this. I have been on a time management course, have been making to do lists and learned effective delegation techniques. It’s best to avoid a generic answer like “I’m a perfectionist” and chose a weakness that’s not too serious and won’t affect your performance on the job.</p>
<h2><strong><em>Career Question Category 4: Career Advice</em></strong></h2>
<p><strong>9. I just had a bad appraisal with my boss. What should I do?</strong></p>
<p>Think about what concrete steps you can take to improve your performance and ensure that your improvements are noticeable. Remember that you don&#8217;t have to demonstrate things in the next week. After about 3 months, ask your boss for feedback on how you are doing on the specific issues that were addressed.</p>
<p><strong>10. Why should I use a career coach?</strong></p>
<p>Expert career guidance is essential if you want to maximise your career potential. The job market is full of rewarding career opportunities but it’s also increasingly competitive. Career coaches can help you plan a change of direction, get your career off the ground with job hunting tactics, identify your career options and provide recommendations for your career development.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>- &#8211; -<br />
Guest post by Nikki Ruth, <a href="http://www.mycvandme.co.uk/">CV Writer</a> and founder of My CV and Me. Nikki provides cv writing and <a href="http://www.mycvandme.co.uk/career-skills-workshops.html">career skills workshops</a> services. Follow her on Twitter @<a href="http://twitter.com/MyCVandMe">mycvandme</a></p>
<p><em><em><small><a title="Attribution License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.kristidaeda.com/wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="db*photography" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21257461@N05/2550349404/" target="_blank">db*photography</a></small></em></em></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/02/24/how-to-find-a-career-coach-5-keys-questions-to-ask/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: How to Find a Career Coach: 3 Key Questions to Ask'>How to Find a Career Coach: 3 Key Questions to Ask</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/04/14/top-10-interview-questions-youve-gotta-be-ready-for/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Top 10 Interview Questions You&#8217;ve Gotta Be Ready For'>Top 10 Interview Questions You&#8217;ve Gotta Be Ready For</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/03/01/how-to-find-a-career-coach-can-a-coach-help-me-reach-my-goals/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: How to Find a Career Coach: Can a coach help me reach my goals?'>How to Find a Career Coach: Can a coach help me reach my goals?</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2010. |
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		<title>Trust and Networking: 3 Keys to a Business Network that Works</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/03/11/networking-trust-3-keys-to-a-business-network-that-works/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/03/11/networking-trust-3-keys-to-a-business-network-that-works/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:22:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job hunt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[creating trust]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[hiring people]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Interest]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trusts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=2419</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Networking for your job search is critical, because people hire people, not resumes. More than that, they hire people that they KNOW, LIKE and TRUST. The problem is that most of what we learn about networking for job search focuses on the KNOW. We&#8217;re taught to go out and meet people, exchange business cards, and [...]]]></description>
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<div><a title="Network of testimonials: flickr's social network" href="http://flickr.com/photos/80122196@N00/4557105"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/4557105_01d99702fc.jpg" alt="" width="280" height="242" /></a><a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/12/31/how-to-network-in-the-new-year-best-of-the-blog-2009/">Networking for your job search</a> is critical, because people hire people, not <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/12/28/how-to-write-a-resume-best-of-the-blog-2009/">resumes.</a></div>
<div>More than that, they hire people that they KNOW, LIKE and TRUST.</div>
<div></div>
<div>The problem is that most of what we learn about networking for job search focuses on the KNOW.</div>
<div></div>
<div>We&#8217;re taught to go out and meet people, exchange business cards, and then&#8230;. what?</div>
<div></div>
<div>&#8220;Well, you keep in touch.&#8221;</div>
<div></div>
<div>How do you do that exactly?</div>
<div></div>
<div>The challenge &#8212; and the opportunity &#8212; is that the answer is a little different for each person you meet. But no matter what you do, the goal is the same.</div>
<div>Everyone has a stack of business cards of people that they&#8217;ve never talked to since, or would hardly recognize. Not everyone has a digital Rolodex of people who are interested in their success. There are three keys to making that leap, and building a relationship that will support your professional goals.</div>
<h3>Trust that you are who you say you are</h3>
<div>First, are you really the smart, dedicated, engaging professional that you seem to be? Or, is there a little bit of an act going on? Do you actually have the experience that you say that you have?</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div>The foundation of this piece is authenticity &#8212; your contacts want to see enough of who you are so that they can believe what you say.</div>
<h3>Trust that you do what you say you&#8217;ll do</h3>
<div>If you say that you&#8217;ll call, do you? If you pledge to meet expectations, is that what happens? By making a commitment to someone, even just to follow up after you meet them, you&#8217;re entering into a contract. Your performance of that contract is what builds or destroys the relationship.</div>
<div></div>
<div>As you get to know someone better, you have the chance to enter into more complex, more meaningful, more impactful contracts. Like that you&#8217;ll behave professionally with their networking contracts. Or that you&#8217;ll perform well in a job interview if they refer you. The more that you meet these commitments, the greater the long-term opportunity.</div>
<h3>Trust that you&#8217;re in it for more than yourself</h3>
<div>The last person that anyone wants in their network is the needworker &#8212; the person who&#8217;s all about themselves.</div>
<div></div>
<div>As a job seeker, you typically have to put a few deposits into the trust bank before you can make a withdrawal for your own benefit. So, begin by creating value for them &#8212; valuable connections, valuable information, or just good conversation. Once the relationship consists of more than a plea for help, the person you&#8217;re talking to will be more likely to begin looking for ways to benefit you that you&#8217;d never know about.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>Think of one person in your network that you&#8217;d like to know better. Brainstorm ten ways that you could build trust with that person. How can you move that relationship to the next level? </strong></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Today&#8217;s post is an excerpt from the Opportunity Funnel system, which you can learn more about for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/free-resources/free-ebook/">FREE here</a>.</em></div>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/03/23/networking-barrier-busters-4-keys-to-productive-networking/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Networking barrier-busters: 4 keys to productive networking'>Networking barrier-busters: 4 keys to productive networking</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/22/the-pushpull-distinction-why-friend-is-a-dirty-facebook-word/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Facebook Friends and Business Networking: Friend is a Dirty Word'>Facebook Friends and Business Networking: Friend is a Dirty Word</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/12/31/how-to-network-in-the-new-year-best-of-the-blog-2009/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: How to Network in the New Year: Best of the Blog 2009'>How to Network in the New Year: Best of the Blog 2009</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2010. |
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		<title>The Curriculum Vitae (CV): Writing beyond the resume</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/27/when-a-resume-just-wont-do-writing-your-cv/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/27/when-a-resume-just-wont-do-writing-your-cv/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:43:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Curriculum Vitae]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CV]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cvs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[difference]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[educator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recruitment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resume]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smalley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vita]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vitae]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing curriculum vitae]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=2329</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Your standard resume may not cut it. Professors and other educators, researchers, scientists, and those applying for jobs in Europe and Asia may need to use a Curriculum Vitae (also called CV or Vita) to make the right impression. CVs are not-so-subtly different than resumes. Although brevity and powerful language is still of value, a [...]]]></description>
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<p><a title="Curriculum vitae del muro di Berlino" href="http://flickr.com/photos/15442261@N03/2811864740"><img class="alignright" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2811864740_490743318b_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" /></a>Your standard <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/12/28/how-to-write-a-resume-best-of-the-blog-2009/">resume</a> may not cut it.</p>
<p>Professors and other educators, researchers, scientists, and those applying for jobs in Europe and Asia may need to use a Curriculum Vitae (also called CV or Vita) to make the right impression.</p>
<p>CVs are not-so-subtly different than resumes. Although brevity and <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/23/improve-your-resume-today-using-active-voice/">powerful language</a> is still of value, a CV may stretch over ten or more pages. The CV also places a much greater emphasis on education, which appears at the top of the document and goes into great detail about the focus of your studies, awards, honors and distinctions.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re not sure which is more appropriate for the role you&#8217;re targeting, reach out to trusted contacts in similar organizations or similar roles to get some perspective.</p>
<p>For more some solid how-tos, check out these resources:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.jobhuntingadvice.com/curriculum_resume.htm">The Curriculum Vitae: A Resume for Academia</a></p>
<p><a href="http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/curriculumvitae/a/curriculumvitae.htm">Writing Curriculum Vitae</a></p>
<p><a href="http://psych.hanover.edu/handbook/vita2.html">Writing Your Vita</a></p>
<p><em>photo credit <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/15442261@N03">brava_la_vero</a> via flickr</em></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/09/02/7-phrases-that-kill-your-resume/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Resume Writing: 7 phrases that kill your resume'>Resume Writing: 7 phrases that kill your resume</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/25/improve-your-resume-today-the-key-skills-section/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Key Skills Resume Section: How to Highlight Relevant Experience'>Key Skills Resume Section: How to Highlight Relevant Experience</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/10/19/5-keys-to-a-resume-summary-statement-with-punch/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 5 Keys to a Resume Summary Statement With Punch'>5 Keys to a Resume Summary Statement With Punch</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2010. |
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		<title>Your 5 Step Recipe for a Memorable Job Search Message</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/25/your-5-step-recipe-for-a-memorable-job-search-message/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/25/your-5-step-recipe-for-a-memorable-job-search-message/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:16:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=2312</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A chef makes a name by creating a unique dining experience. Any cook worth their toque can pull off a fettucine. Just another fettucine won&#8217;t get you a write-up in the local paper, or create the kind of buzz that brings in new customers by the dozens. But a fettucine that fills the dining room, [...]]]></description>
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<p><a title="Wok of Dong" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035655291@N01/2275622210/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2259/2275622210_5123736dd2.jpg" border="0" alt="Wok of Dong" width="350" height="331" /></a>A chef makes a name by creating a unique dining experience.</p>
<p>Any cook worth their toque can pull off a fettucine. Just another fettucine won&#8217;t get you a write-up in the local paper, or create the kind of buzz that brings in new customers by the dozens. But a fettucine that fills the dining room, now that&#8217;s something special.</p>
<p>A successful chef harnesses creative energy, takes risks, and is always focused on the guest experience &#8212; taste, temperature, texture, ambience. The whole package.</p>
<p>The patron&#8217;s dinner does more than just satisfy hunger. It creates excitement, comfort, or nostalgia. It&#8217;s the source of amazement, amusement or excited conversation.</p>
<p>What if you could do that in your job search? Create excitement, comfort, conversation. Leave people buzzing and wanting more, telling their friends. You can. Here&#8217;s some things you can learn from the chef.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Figure out what the market wants. </strong>A chef  will watch what&#8217;s performing well at other restaurants, watch dining patterns in her own establishment, and note what&#8217;s popular. Then, she&#8217;ll turn an eye to the trends. If every menu has a dish based in butternut squash, it could be a fad, or it could be reflective of today&#8217;s palate. With all that information, she&#8217;ll put together a specific dish, or a whole menu, to best compete with the marketplace. <strong>Your lesson: </strong>Look at what&#8217;s working around you. Who has landed jobs? How did they do it? What feedback did they get? What seems common in the job postings in your industry? What terminology is used? What skills are required? Knowing all this will help you best target your message.</li>
<li><strong>Inventory your ingredients.</strong> Sure, a chef can run out and buy squab if it&#8217;s called for. But, the chef may know that his homemade pastas are showstoppers while fish never seems to go as well in his kitchen. Once the chef has determined what the market is asking for, he has to use some combination of what&#8217;s in the pantry, what skills are in his kitchen, and what he has time to prepare. <strong>Your lesson: </strong>In order to put together an approach that meets the market&#8217;s needs, you have to know what you&#8217;re working with. What are your skills? Experiences? How are you well-positioned for this position? Make a list.</li>
<li><strong>Spice it up.</strong> A dish succeeds or fails based on the level and blend of spices added. Bland food does not a happy restaurant patron make. The chef will use a mix of spices to not only intrigue the patron, but keep them coming back for more. <strong>Your lesson: </strong>A bland elevator speech, resume or LinkedIn profile will leave readers unsatisfied. Think of ways to jazz things up a bit, with the language you choose, the formatting you use, or even your delivery method. Standing out from the crowd is a good thing.</li>
<li><strong>Put your own stamp on it.</strong> Many top chefs cultivate a signature style. They may be known for extravagant garnishes, extensive use of Asian flavors, or vegetarian twists on traditional meals. The chef&#8217;s individual style becomes a fun way to experience the meal, and a theme that gives frequent diners a glimpse of the personality behind the portabellos. <strong>Your lesson: </strong>Don&#8217;t be afraid to be a little personal. Show your enthusiasm, or what you&#8217;re really excited about. Talk about your passion, your experiences, and what makes you unique. People hire people, not resumes. Don&#8217;t be afraid to be human.</li>
<li><strong>Plate it up.</strong> The last part of the dining experience under the chef&#8217;s control is plating &#8212; the part where the dish is assembled, garnished, sauced, and sent out for consumption. Because we eat with our eyes before our stomachs, plating is a very important part of the meal. Some attention to detail and thought for the guest will go a long way to starting the meal off right. <strong>Your lesson:</strong> You may be the smartest, most qualified, coolest candidate on earth, but if you don&#8217;t hook them from the get go, they may never know it. Spend time not only figuring out what to say, but how to say it so that the listener is intrigued.</li>
</ol>
<p>With that, I&#8217;ll leave you with a simple command &#8212; get cooking!</p>
<p><em>This article is based on a more in-depth presentation I&#8217;m delivering today for a local career organization. If you&#8217;d like me to speak to your organization on job search, communication or social media, please <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/about/contact/">contact me!</a></em></p>
<p><small><a title="Attribution-ShareAlike License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="../wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="liber" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035655291@N01/2275622210/" target="_blank">liber</a></small></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/05/28/clarifying-your-message-personal-branding-statement/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Clarifying your message: Personal Branding Statement'>Clarifying your message: Personal Branding Statement</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/13/use-transferable-job-skills-for-your-job-search/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Use transferable job skills for your job search'>Use transferable job skills for your job search</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/10/14/how-does-your-personal-branding-message-cut-through-the-noise/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: How does your personal branding message cut through the noise?'>How does your personal branding message cut through the noise?</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2010. |
<a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/25/your-5-step-recipe-for-a-memorable-job-search-message/">Permalink</a> |
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		<title>Key Skills Resume Section: How to Highlight Relevant Experience</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/25/improve-your-resume-today-the-key-skills-section/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/25/improve-your-resume-today-the-key-skills-section/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:32:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[job hunt]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[transition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hiring manager]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human resource management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job opportunities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[key skills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Key Skills Qualification]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Occupational Safety and Health Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PHP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recruiter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recruitment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resume]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Skill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[skill set]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web developer]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=1972</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you switching industries? Returning to work after some time away? Not sure your experience really shows off what you can offer? Do you have a generalist background with a wide variety of skill sets? All of these situations can make it difficult to concisely describe what you can do for a potential employer. While [...]]]></description>
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<p><a title="untitled is also an adjective" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47207654@N00/65525813/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/65525813_5ab4f12340.jpg" border="0" alt="untitled is also an adjective" width="350" height="263" /></a>Are you switching industries? <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/02/04/interview-question-of-the-week-why-are-you-looking-for-work/">Returning to work</a> after some time away? Not sure your experience really shows off what you can offer? Do you have a generalist background with a wide variety of skill sets?</p>
<p>All of these situations can make it difficult to concisely describe what you can do for a potential employer. While a well-written <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/10/19/5-keys-to-a-resume-summary-statement-with-punch/">summary statement</a> can give a high level overview, sometimes you want to show the depth or breadth of your experience in a snapshot for a potential employer. That&#8217;s a good time to consider using a &#8220;Key Skills&#8221; section in your resume.</p>
<h2>What is a &#8220;Key Skills&#8221; section on a resume?</h2>
<p>The Key Skills section allows you to outline what you think are the most valuable aspects of your expertise. It&#8217;s a great tool for targeting your resume to a particular job opportunity, because you can tweak your list to reflect the specific job requirements.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re looking for a role where certain keywords are going to catch a recruiter&#8217;s attention, consider how this section can work for you.</p>
<h2>Which are my key skills?</h2>
<p>Some common items listed in this area are areas of responsibility, like budgeting, P&amp;L, business development, market research, strategic planning and more.</p>
<p>In some cases it&#8217;s also appropriate to list technologies in this area. For instance, a web developer might list PHP, ASP, Joomla, and other web technologies.</p>
<p>In the HR world, the list might include specific  procedures, laws and regulations, like FMLA, EEO, OSHA, workers compensation and more.</p>
<h2>Where do my Key Skills belong on a resume?</h2>
<p>They most often appear after a <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/04/21/writing-a-resume-summary-statement-quantify-quantify-quantify/">resume summary</a>, but before work experience. Because this information appears in the top third of your first page, you&#8217;ll want to pay extra attention to how you portray your experience. Often, a recruiter or hiring manager will only thoroughly read the summary and key skills, so you&#8217;ll want to be sure to always target the particular job that you&#8217;re applying for.</p>
<p><small><a title="Attribution License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="../wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="procsilas" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47207654@N00/65525813/" target="_blank">procsilas</a></small></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/13/use-transferable-job-skills-for-your-job-search/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Use transferable job skills for your job search'>Use transferable job skills for your job search</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/04/21/writing-a-resume-summary-statement-quantify-quantify-quantify/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Your resume summary statement: Quantify, quantify, quantify'>Your resume summary statement: Quantify, quantify, quantify</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/10/19/5-keys-to-a-resume-summary-statement-with-punch/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 5 Keys to a Resume Summary Statement With Punch'>5 Keys to a Resume Summary Statement With Punch</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2009. |
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		<title>Improve your resume today: Play up what you want</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/24/improve-your-resume-today-play-up-what-you-want/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/24/improve-your-resume-today-play-up-what-you-want/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:15:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job hunt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=1964</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lillian* has worked in IT for ten years, most recently managing a team. As her next step, she&#8217;d like to step away from management and return to the role of an individual contributor. Her resume starts something like this: Results oriented IT manager&#8230; Hold up. Besides my feelings on the use of the words &#8220;results [...]]]></description>
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<p><a title="Time For Change" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8211018@N03/2328879637/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2312/2328879637_c0d2e376ff.jpg" border="0" alt="Time For Change" width="350" height="234" /></a>Lillian* has worked in IT for ten years, most recently managing a team. As her next step, she&#8217;d like to step away from management and return to the role of an individual contributor. Her resume starts something like this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Results oriented IT manager&#8230;</p></blockquote>
<p>Hold up.</p>
<p>Besides my feelings on the <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/09/02/7-phrases-that-kill-your-resume/">use of the words &#8220;results oriented,&#8221;</a> Lillian has made one major error &#8212; in the first four words of her resume, she&#8217;s labeled herself something she no longer wants to be.</p>
<p>IT management is a great skill to have, but if she doesn&#8217;t want it to be her focus anymore, it doesn&#8217;t belong as the focus of her resume.</p>
<p>Your resume is your answer to the question, &#8220;What are you good at?&#8221; So, if you&#8217;re saying that you&#8217;re good at finance, people will want to hire you for finance, not event planning. To get hired for event planning, tell me how you&#8217;re good at <em>that</em>.</p>
<p>Ask yourself, what do I want people to hire me for? Which of my skills do I want to use? Then, target your resume to the employer you&#8217;re approaching, but also the areas of your expertise that are most appropriate for the next step in your career.</p>
<p>How do you position yourself for your next career step?</p>
<p><small><a title="Attribution-ShareAlike License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="../wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="David Reece" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8211018@N03/2328879637/" target="_blank">David Reece</a></small></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/23/improve-your-resume-today-using-active-voice/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Improve your resume today: Using active voice'>Improve your resume today: Using active voice</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/09/02/7-phrases-that-kill-your-resume/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Resume Writing: 7 phrases that kill your resume'>Resume Writing: 7 phrases that kill your resume</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/06/22/how-long-is-your-resume-who-cares/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: How long is your resume?  Who cares?'>How long is your resume?  Who cares?</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2009. |
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		<title>Improve your resume today: Using active voice</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/23/improve-your-resume-today-using-active-voice/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/23/improve-your-resume-today-using-active-voice/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:48:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[howto]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=1953</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Nothing makes you look more qualified than a resume that shows how you sat around waiting for things to happen to you. Doesn&#8217;t sound right? Yeah, didn&#8217;t think so. A good resume shows what you did, not what was done to you. Hence, a cardinal rule of resume writing: use active voice. What is active [...]]]></description>
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<p><a title="Motion Blur Frozen" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73309241@N00/2642246332/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2642246332_56be9c2578.jpg" border="0" alt="Motion Blur Frozen" width="280" height="186" /></a>Nothing makes you look more qualified than a resume that shows how you sat around waiting for things to happen to you.</p>
<p>Doesn&#8217;t sound right? Yeah, didn&#8217;t think so.</p>
<p>A good resume shows what you did, not what was done to you. Hence, a cardinal rule of resume writing: use active voice.</p>
<h2>What is active voice?</h2>
<p>Active voice and passive voice refer to how the subject and the verb of the sentence are related.</p>
<p>Oh, grammar not your thing? To be honest, it isn&#8217;t mine either. So let&#8217;s keep this very simple.</p>
<p>If you write about something you did, that&#8217;s typically active voice:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;I did&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;I went&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;I stole&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;I repaired&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p>If you write about something that happened to you, it&#8217;s typically passive voice (HINT: look for variations on &#8220;was&#8221; as one red flag):</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;I was recognized for&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;I became aware of&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;My work was thought to be&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;Responsibilities included&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<h2>Why use active voice in your resume?</h2>
<p>Unlike some writers, I&#8217;m not completely against passive voice. However, I am a big fan of conveying action and impact in your resume. And if &#8220;passive&#8221; isn&#8217;t a clue that it&#8217;s not going to convey action, I don&#8217;t know what is.</p>
<p>So let&#8217;s work through some samples, before you run off to scour your resume for energy leeches.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Passive voice:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;Responsible for office management and travel planning.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Active voice:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;Managed office of 15, and planned all executive travel.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Passive voice: </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;Was honored for customer service skills.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Active voice: </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&#8220;Delivered excellent customer service, leading to company recognition.&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<h2>Can I ever use passive voice in a resume?</h2>
<p>In almost all situations, active voice will be more powerful, meaningful and effective than passive voice. However, there is one great example of passive voice that absolutely should be included on your resume if possible: &#8220;was promoted.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>How do you make your resume sound more powerful? More direct? Clearer? Share in the comments.</strong></p>
<p><small><a title="Attribution-NoDerivs License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="../wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="Mariano Kamp" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/73309241@N00/2642246332/" target="_blank">Mariano Kamp</a></small></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/10/19/5-keys-to-a-resume-summary-statement-with-punch/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 5 Keys to a Resume Summary Statement With Punch'>5 Keys to a Resume Summary Statement With Punch</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/27/when-a-resume-just-wont-do-writing-your-cv/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Curriculum Vitae (CV): Writing beyond the resume'>The Curriculum Vitae (CV): Writing beyond the resume</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/24/improve-your-resume-today-play-up-what-you-want/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Improve your resume today: Play up what you want'>Improve your resume today: Play up what you want</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2009. |
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		<title>Use transferable job skills for your job search</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/13/use-transferable-job-skills-for-your-job-search/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/13/use-transferable-job-skills-for-your-job-search/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:02:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Today&#8217;s post is a guest post by Scot Herrick, one of my favorite fellow career bloggers. Give it a look &#8211; it&#8217;s great stuff! When people know I write about jobs and careers on the web, it is natural to get asked at social events about all things job related. So when a friend sat [...]]]></description>
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<p><em>Today&#8217;s post is a guest post by Scot Herrick, one of my favorite fellow career bloggers. Give it a look &#8211; it&#8217;s great stuff!</em></p>
<p>When people know I write about jobs and careers on the web, it is natural to get asked at social events about all things job related. So when a friend sat down and started talking about his job search, I knew I needed to listen carefully because he was &#8212; just like you &#8212; looking for answers to a vexing job search question.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve got all of this experience,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;But it doesn&#8217;t seem like I&#8217;m qualified for anything except what I did before getting laid off. I supported a proprietary mortgage system that isn&#8217;t used anywhere else and the job openings are for systems I&#8217;ve never used. I just look at the qualifications and throw my hands in the air.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Understandable, isn&#8217;t it? Companies today want 5,000 qualifications &#8212; <em>exact</em> qualifications &#8212; for their job openings and people don&#8217;t have all of them. And, I&#8217;d contend, nor should they.</p>
<p>Now, my friend is so competent at what he does that any company should jump up and down to get him in the door. But they won&#8217;t do it because he is having a hard time showing <em>transferable job skills</em>. When I mentioned transferable job skills, he noted that the counselor at the initial unemployment compensation meeting said that most people have over 300 transferable job skills.</p>
<p>Yup, and you do too.</p>
<h3>Transferable job skills defined</h3>
<p>Transferable job skills are those that can &#8220;transfer&#8221; from one job to another without much adjustment. If you write code, the language you use to write the code is a transferable skill from one company to the next as long as both companies use the same coding language.</p>
<p>But many jobs are not that cut and dried. So job seekers need to discover what their true job skills are that can transfer from one job to the next, regardless of the qualifications needed for a particular position.</p>
<h3>Get perspective before getting detailed</h3>
<p>What my friend was doing was looking at his specific, in the weeds, qualifications and comparing them to the specific, in the weeds, qualifications of the job posting. It&#8217;s a losing position.</p>
<p>When I coached him, I noted first that his job skill wasn&#8217;t that he supported a proprietary mortgage system. Instead, he supported a &#8220;highly complex system that needed superior analytical skills to service customers.&#8221; In other words, my friend is not your average analyst working on simple systems. No, it was proprietary. It was hard to learn. He did. Your system? Piece of cake to learn.</p>
<p>Another area to look at is customers. My friend&#8217;s customers were highly paid (read: impatient, unwilling to learn, and hard to please) mortgage lenders who, back in the day, were making tons of money &#8212; impeded only by this proprietary mortgage system. The skill here isn&#8217;t just supporting customers; anyone can say that. His expertise is the &#8220;ability to work with highly stressed customers to resolve system issues enabling both them and the bank to make money.&#8221; Keeping customers happy and making the company money is a great transferable job skill.</p>
<p>When you look at your resume, think of it this way: Can the job skills you state on your resume be understood by someone not working at your company? If it doesn&#8217;t, recruiters and gatekeepers to the hiring manager won&#8217;t understand your job skills and you&#8217;ll never get that first interview for the position.</p>
<p>Move your view up 10,000 feet. Look at the forest of your job skills, not the inner most branch of a single tree.</p>
<h3>Once you see the forest, get specific</h3>
<p>While my friend had his job skills perspective one inch from the ground, saying that you &#8220;work well on a team&#8221; &#8212; a transferable job skill &#8212; doesn&#8217;t cut it either.</p>
<p>The job skill needs enough specificity to be credible to the person reading the resume. &#8220;Works well on a team&#8221; is not good compared to &#8220;works well on teams that are high performing, highly competent people.&#8221;</p>
<p>The key ingredient in getting specific enough is to ask &#8220;why?&#8221; Why do you work well on a team? Why does the team need to be high performing? Why does the team need highly competent people? Answering the &#8220;why&#8221; question then prepares you for the interviews to come. Your transferable job skill is specifically stated &#8212; and that stands out.</p>
<h3>Show results for your job skills</h3>
<p>Showing just your transferable job skills is not enough, however. Every hiring manager wants to know the results you achieved in your position.</p>
<p>Results mean numbers out of a reporting system tied to how important the work was to the department or company. It is not enough to say that revenue from your work increased. You have to say it increased 3% and how that happened from your work.</p>
<p>The starting place for this information is &#8212; if you have written a good performance review &#8212; to look at the goal attainment. Numbers should be there. So should the importance of the work to your department or company, otherwise you wouldn&#8217;t have had the goal, would you?</p>
<h3>Transferable job skills, specificity and results make you competitive</h3>
<p>Results, and the impact to the department from your work, show your success on the job. Hiring managers want successful people to help them reach their goals. Showing transferable job skills with good results on the job places you in a better competitive position to not only get the interview, but get the job.</p>
<p>How easily can you show your transferable job skills?</p>
<p><em>Scot Herrick is<em> </em>the owner of <em>Cube Rules, LLC</em>. <a href="http://cuberules.com/" target="_blank">CubeRules.com</a> provides online career management training for workers who typically work in a corporate cubicle. Scot has a long history of management and individual contribution in multiple Fortune 100 corporations.</em></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/25/improve-your-resume-today-the-key-skills-section/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Key Skills Resume Section: How to Highlight Relevant Experience'>Key Skills Resume Section: How to Highlight Relevant Experience</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/05/20/interview-question-of-the-week-what-have-you-done-recently-to-improve-your-skills/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Interview Question of the Week: What have you done recently to improve your skills?'>Interview Question of the Week: What have you done recently to improve your skills?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/01/25/your-5-step-recipe-for-a-memorable-job-search-message/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Your 5 Step Recipe for a Memorable Job Search Message'>Your 5 Step Recipe for a Memorable Job Search Message</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2009. |
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		<title>Personal Branding: Sell the benefits</title>
		<link>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/05/personal-branding-sell-the-benefits/</link>
		<comments>http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/11/05/personal-branding-sell-the-benefits/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:28:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristi</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[howto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job hunt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resumes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kristidaeda.com/?p=1832</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you selling your features or your benefits? In his article LinkedIn Summary: Features vs. Benefits, Jason Alba tackles the distinction. A feature is like your own set of technical specifications. In the computer world, you might see that a computer has a Core 2 Quad processor. That&#8217;s a feature. What&#8217;s the benefit? Great speeds [...]]]></description>
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<p><a title="Sell Video Games (FSOD)" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/82072056@N00/96973266/" target="_blank"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/24/96973266_8aea8d52e1_m.jpg" border="0" alt="Sell Video Games (FSOD)" width="219" height="240" /></a>Are you selling your features or your benefits?</p>
<p>In his article <a href="http://imonlinkedinnowwhat.com/2009/10/27/linkedin-summary-features-vs-benefits/">LinkedIn Summary: Features vs. Benefits</a>, Jason Alba tackles the distinction.</p>
<p>A feature is like your own set of technical specifications.</p>
<p>In the computer world, you might see that a computer has a Core 2 Quad processor. That&#8217;s a feature. What&#8217;s the benefit? Great speeds when gaming.</p>
<p>A running shoe feature might be an air-cushioned heel. The benefit might be less heel pain.</p>
<p>Why is the distinction important?</p>
<p>Because no one cares about features. They care about the benefits those features provide.</p>
<p>They don&#8217;t care that you&#8217;ve worked in the healthcare industry. They care that your work in the industry helps you better understand the patients and the processes required for legal compliance.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s all about the payoff.</p>
<p>So, like Jason says, check out your job search communications and ask yourself &#8212; which are you selling, features or benefits?</p>
<p><small><a title="Attribution License" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank"><img src="../wp-content/plugins/photo-dropper/images/cc.png" border="0" alt="Creative Commons License" width="16" height="16" align="absmiddle" /></a> <a href="http://www.photodropper.com/photos/" target="_blank">photo</a> credit: <a title="PinkMoose" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/82072056@N00/96973266/" target="_blank">PinkMoose</a></small></p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2009/05/28/clarifying-your-message-personal-branding-statement/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Clarifying your message: Personal Branding Statement'>Clarifying your message: Personal Branding Statement</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/07/12/personal-branding-vs-executive-brand/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Executive Brand: Personal branding goes big leagues'>Executive Brand: Personal branding goes big leagues</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.kristidaeda.com/2010/06/28/cover-letter-template/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Executive cover letters: Why getting personal gets results'>Executive cover letters: Why getting personal gets results</a></li>
</ol></p><hr />
<p><small>&copy; Kristi for <a href="http://www.kristidaeda.com">Professional Powerhouse™ | Executive Career Advice, Executive Brand Management</a>, 2009. |
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