Posted by Lauren Moreau on Wed, Nov 11, 2009 @ 10:24 AM
Having been in recruiting for just under 5 years, I have reviewed thousands of resumes and have conducted hundreds of interviews. Time and time again, I rely on the resume to tell me the initial story about the candidate. Once in the interview, I use their resume as a blueprint to their career. Our focus and the main piece of discussion is around the resume and the work they have stated they have done. Everything is covered: work dates, responsibilities, successes and accolades, education, etc. More often than you would think, you find discrepancies and false truths on the resume. Many candidates will claim that the discrepancies were "accidental" where as others are honest and fess up to exaggeration and lying to get their foot in the door. Whether by honest mistake or outright admittance, lying on a resume is a serious action that executives, hiring managers and HR professionals take as an unforgivable offense and that will more likely than not get your candidacy in the recycle bin with a permanent "do not interview" note.
Often times, some think that a little white lie on a resume is harmless and will go undiscovered. That is not the case. It is becoming commonplace for companies to utilize background, W2 and credit checks in addition to conducting in depth references with previous employers. No stone goes uncovered. Some may feel that this is an unfair practice utilized by companies and that it would make it impossible to get a job. Does this practice weed more people out? Absolutely. However, as a company, would you want to hire a candidate who started off the relationship with lies and fallacies? Absolutely not. Think of background checks and W2 requests as a Consumer Report and that organizations are merely being consciences buyers.
In these times of desperation where the job market is tight, some people feel that they need to lie on their resume in order to get a chance to interview. It is widely known that companies are stricter than ever with candidate qualifications and they are non-forgiving on their requirements. Therefore, lying on a resume has now become an art form for many job seekers. The New York Post recently published an article titled "Crock Stars" which discusses this phenomenon*. They too, note that many employers are screening resumes with a fine tooth comb and are only hiring candidates who have a clean background and honest resumes. Like your mother told you as a child, honesty is the best policy. If you want a job, be honest in communicating your background with prospective employers and find other ways of making your background relevant. Utilize any transferable experience you may have to get your foot in the door or clearly draw parallels between what the company is looking for and what you have in your background. If they deem your candidacy as not a fit, move on to the next opportunity. After all, liar, liar will not get your hired.
New York Post http://tiny.cc/4cVFD
Posted by Dave DeMelo on Thu, Nov 05, 2009 @ 08:24 AM
When the job market is tough and full of competitors, you may feel that a strong cover letter may be your best chance of standing out from the crowd and perhaps the key piece in landing that hard to get interview. However, is that theory actually true? We all know that in today's market the hardest part is getting noticed and getting your foot in the door. So the question is, does your use of a cover letter prove to be effective?
As a sales recruiter, my responsibilities are to understand my client's needs and also to understand what my candidate is looking for. I have seen thousands of cover letters and they all seem to tell a story which is important, however what other real purpose does a cover letter serve that has not already been demonstrated on your resume? Cover letters can reveal a ton about a candidate and their ability to communicate, however do people still read them? Classically, cover letters were used as hard copy letters you sent to potential employers that served as an introduction to who you are and why you are interested in the company. Nowadays, it's very rare to see a hard copy cover letter or a resume due to the fact that the internet has become commonplace. It's now a cultural norm to shoot off a resume as an attachment to an email or simply submit a resume through an online portal. That being said, many job seekers tend to exclude any type of introductory email with the attachment of their resume and even their cover letter. You may think that you're following proper protocol by submitting a cover letter, but shooting off a blank email with only attachments can leave a bad impression and even lead to your resume being moved to the recycle bin. Let's be honest, an introduction email serves the exact same purporse as a cover letter. It is a proper way to establish a relationship with the hiring manager in the hopes of getting noticed. That being said, be conscious of what you put in your introductory email. Make sure the subject line of your email is professional yet eye catching. Also, be aware of your audience! Many people draft an introduction email and use the same one time and time again. It is extremely important that you tailor every introductory email (as you should do with your resume) to speak to the specific hiring manager(s). Never title your email with "Dear Sirs" or "Gentlemen". Many HR professionals and hiring managers are women. This can be a very easy way to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the intended party.
So what should your introduction email include?
1. Your story.
- Use it as a conversation piece- peak their curiosity!!
- Does it focus on your main competencies?
- If you are looking to change your career, are you focusing on transferable skills?
- What kind of skills would be beneficial to the hiring company?
2. How detailed oriented you are.
- Is your email grammatically correct? Are you articulate and well spoken?
- Is it structured?
- How pertinent is the information to the open position?
3. Be concise and direct.
- Focus on what is important. We are in a world of convenience!
- Be detailed and focus on your accomplishments.
4. Key Words.
- Organizations are now using technology to scan through introductory emails and resumes so make sure you include key words and phrases of what they are looking for!
Use your introductory email to your advantage! Organizations are flooded with resumes in today's marketplace and having a well written introductory email is your first chance of being noticed! Focusing on some of the above pointers will help you exemplify your skills and experience on what an organization is looking for. Once you have submitted your information, make sure you do not stop there!! Here is a great article that can give you direction:
I've submitted my resume, now what do I do?
Good luck and happy job hunting!
Posted by Kathleen Mauriot on Thu, Jul 09, 2009 @ 08:30 AM
Wouldn't you agree that there is more about you than what people read on your resume? As a recruiter I hear from candidates, "If I can only get them in front of a prospective employer then I know I can get the job". Unfortunately, if your resume is not an inclusive representation of who you are aside from being a fit for the role you are applying for, but as an individual, you may not even get the chance to get up to bat. However, when you do get that chance you must be ready to tell ‘your story'. When I refer to ‘your story' , I'm looking for a well articulated and logical explanation of not only what college you graduated from and what companies you worked for but the important details that make you a unique candidate. What are the things in your background, not only professionally but personally, that people are interested in hearing about? The most challenging piece of this is that most job seekers do not know what those details are that complete their story.
If your GPA was 3.0 or better, it is worth putting on your resume. Be sure to include clubs, organizations, sports, and any study abroad experience. In addition, if you received any type of rewards or recognition while in college that is also very important to note. Most people do not indicate if they worked and self financed their education. Again, very important. All of this information begins to tell the reader who you were, not only as a student, but who you are as a person. It starts to paint a picture of your character.
Another key component of your story is being able to articulate why you went to each job and why you left. Was there a particular interest with a company or industry because of a personal experience or individual in your life that drew you towards it? If there was share it. How well did you perform in each of your jobs relative to expectations? An interview is not the time to be humble. Be proud of your accomplishments and share them with confidence. Don't be afraid to share the human side of you during an interview. You want to get the interviewer to buy into you emotionally.
The interview is your time in the spotlight. It is your time to shine and show your prospective employer that you are the right person for the job. Think through your resume and identify the selling points about you and create ‘your story' that will captivate your audience.
Posted by Dave DeMelo on Fri, Apr 10, 2009 @ 11:05 AM
We all know in today's world finding the ‘right' job can be difficult. Many people ask, "What do I have to do to in order to stand out? What are other people doing out there and how can I be different?" In order to shop yourself around effectively, there is a standard resume format but there are many myths surrounding resumes; "How long should it be? What content should I put in there? Do I have to list every role I ever held?"
Many career seekers want to put as much information down as possible, but you should only focus on what is important - the pertinent information. This is what will make an employer interested in speaking with you. You want your resume to sell your skills in full force to make you stand out from the pack. In order to do this effectively -the question that you want to ask yourself is; "What have I accomplished in each role that I have held?"
Accomplishments can mean many different things. Essentially it all depends on what message you are trying to deliver. For an example, the dictionary* states an accomplishment to be:
- An act or instance of carrying into effect; fulfillment.
- Something done admirably or creditably
- Anything accomplished; deed; measurement
Makes sense right? So, how do we highlight what we have accomplished in a resume? There are essentially two ways to highlight what you have accomplished, the scope of your job, or... plainly put, numbers! If you are describing a non-sales role, you can highlight your role with key words - such as ‘challenges', ‘actions',' results', ‘implemented',' improved', ‘made', ‘developed', ‘handled', ‘responsible for,' etc... these are only a few ways to identify quantifiable accomplishments. For an example,
- Created and designed website to better serve current and prospective clients in all aspects of marketing, service issues, and 24/7 customer service help.
- Responsible for all aspects of employment (Hiring, training, coaching, termination).
- Developed key relationships with C-Level Executives within a Nationwide Territory.
From a sales perspective, any hiring manager or decision maker will be looking for numbers that will highlight your goals, quotas and achievements. Numbers are not always about what you have accomplished but also the means to achieve the goal...in other words, activity. For an example:
- Averaged 75+ cold calls per day to Managers, Vice Presidents and C-Level Executives
- Average 10 face to face presentations per week within a New England Territory.
- 2005- Presidents Club recipient
- Employee of the month, 10/07, 11/07, 2/08, 5/08
Another way to highlight your accomplishments would be in highlighting your education - whether it is academically, athletically or extracurricular activities - these can all be selling points, especially for hiring managers. Were you a 3-sport athlete? Have you earned a varsity letter? Were you part of a Math or Science club? A member of a Sorority or Fraternity? What about your class rank? Are you part of fundraising or charitable events? Marathon Runner? Did you work while you were in school or perhaps 100% self financed your schooling? These are all excellent conversation starters. Don't assume that a hiring manager knows who you are. Showing them that you are passionate, hard working and successful is positive and it will come across during an interview.
Highlighting your experiences and skills to prospective employers will separate you from your competition. Remember work hard and work smart! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at DeMelo@Treeline-Inc. or contact Treeline, Inc at 781-876-8100
*Random House Dictionary, © Random House, 2009