Resume Help

[mixie]

Hey all, 

I need some help.  I've been sending out my resume and not getting many responses.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  But maybe it is just the economy?

Anyway,  any suggestions for professional resumes?

[shortNsweet]

It's probably just a sign of the times. The vast majority of places I sent resumes do never got back to me as well.

One thing I was taught in school and they've said at every job seminar thing I've been to is that sending the resume is only part of what you should do. After about a week or two you should call or contact the company you've sent a resume to and check in on the status of your application. It doesn't work 100% of the time, but I ended up getting a few interviews by doing this.

[mixie]

Looking at it I realized I didn't put "skills"  like computer skills.

I need to figure out a way to list them.   Grr.  I hate being clueless about things like this.

[shortNsweet]

Another thing I was told (but it takes some work and I'm guilty as well of not doing this every time) is to create a different resume for each job you apply to. In job descriptions, companies put key words/skills that they want candidates to have. Then just make sure your qualifications and skills mention all the key words.

I hope I'm not just repeating things you already know. I'm a recent college grad who has been told a lot about job searching and resumes in the past 1-2 years.

[mixie]

Actually that's helpful.  I'm 40 so I need to know what I'm missing. thanks.

[SandraJane]

Hey all, 

I need some help.  I've been sending out my resume and not getting many responses.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  But maybe it is just the economy?

Anyway,  any suggestions for professional resumes?

For what its worth, contacts are more important. Or as they say, Networking! Do you have a formal CV? My experience has been that few actually "read" it, and now days many company's want you to upload it with your online application. A Reader's Digest article my Sister showed earlier this year (with Dilbert in it ), sez that "keywords" are the key Simply put is to tell them what they programed to hear or search for.

But contacts are I think better, a Manager can make things happen, where as an HR person is a gatekeeper, the Manager, Director, etc or the one with hiring authority is who you want to see your resume.

...there, 2 cents & change

[mixie]

I think she's correct.  i'm trying to figure out how to put in keywords.

For example here's a "requirement" on the ad

Excellent knowledge of project management tools and methodologies including MS Project, Excel, Word, etc.

Seems strange to say that I have excellent knowledge.  I've never understood how you are supposed to rate yourself on these kinds of things.

[shortNsweet]

I would say something like "Proficient with Microsoft Office software such as Word, Excel, and Project." As long as that's true of course.

[SandraJane]

Mixie,

What type of work/position are you looking for?

[Dana_H]

It may well be the economy.  I've been putting out apps and resumes for every job opening I see or hear about and I have gotten pretty much no callbacks in several years now. In the cases where I was fortunate enough to be able to talk with a hiring manager or such, I've been told that my resume actually looks competitive but that they get swamped with apps for every job posting because there are so many qualified people who are desperate for work, so even many promising resumes from highly qualified people get trash-canned as they try to narrow the pile down to the best of the best of the best before setting up interviews.

In the little home-based business that my spouse and I started (which does not yet bring in enough money beyond operating expenses for us to pay ourselves salaries), we could easily have qualified staff coming out our ears if we could afford to hire anyone. For now, our cash flow limits us to putting in as many hours of our own labor as we can stand and hiring out work irregularly on on a contractor basis.

By some economists' accounts, the actual unemployment is as much as two to three times the officially calculated numbers. Based on what I've seen, I believe it.

It's hard and frustrating, but I don't know what to recommend except to do like me and keep trying. Something's gotta give sooner or later.

[tekla]

Government issued unemployment are FAR less than an actual count.  They ignore a) people who are permanently discouraged (hard-core unemployed) and don't look anymore, b) people who are not eligible for benefits, c) people who have cycled through the 100 weeks of unemployment (which is a lot these days) d) seasonal workers.  Basically unemployment numbers only count the number of people on the unemployment roles.  So when a state like Michigan says they have between 10-15% unemployment the real numbers are between a quarter and a third of the people are unemployed.

And that's not even counting 'underemployed' for those that are in that situation and not liking it.

[Siobhan]

Think the best thing to do is get as many people to look at your CV and give you feedback. Paint things in the most flattering light you can..
Of course the economy is awful now,pretty much everywhere. I have over 13 years experiance in IT and  First class honours in ICT..i struggle to get an interview , and am considering relocating now.
Just keep tryin,thats all you can do.

[mixie]

It may well be the economy.  I've been putting out apps and resumes for every job opening I see or hear about and I have gotten pretty much no callbacks in several years now. In the cases where I was fortunate enough to be able to talk with a hiring manager or such, I've been told that my resume actually looks competitive but that they get swamped with apps for every job posting because there are so many qualified people who are desperate for work, so even many promising resumes from highly qualified people get trash-canned as they try to narrow the pile down to the best of the best of the best before setting up interviews.

In the little home-based business that my spouse and I started (which does not yet bring in enough money beyond operating expenses for us to pay ourselves salaries), we could easily have qualified staff coming out our ears if we could afford to hire anyone. For now, our cash flow limits us to putting in as many hours of our own labor as we can stand and hiring out work irregularly on on a contractor basis.

By some economists' accounts, the actual unemployment is as much as two to three times the officially calculated numbers. Based on what I've seen, I believe it.

It's hard and frustrating, but I don't know what to recommend except to do like me and keep trying. Something's gotta give sooner or later.

That's what is driving me nuts. Glad to know I'm not alone.   I've actually started my own business as well.  I work part time and make almost TWICE the amount of money I am being offered to work a full time job.  My part time work is at night though and I'm tired of not being home.  I'm also bored out of my mind during the day and miss the companionship of having people you see on a regular basis.

I have masters degree and four years of experience as an Academic Director for a program that educates teachers.  I am interviewing tomorrow for full time position with a very well known company with an excellent reputation.  Job title   Program Coordinator...........salary offered  30-35,000.   I am shocked.  A few years ago this kind of job would have commanded at least 70,000 a year.  Job is in midtown Manhattan.   But I figure I gotta start somewhere.

I'm trying to get into Academic Director positions for a college or University or private sector.

[tekla]

I think most people (and hey, it used to work just fine, so nothing wrong, the rules just changed) think of a resume as a look back at the highlights of your past work and accomplishments you racked up.  But the people who read resumes now - in this economic climate - don't care about what you've done, they are interested in what you can do for them NOW.  That's where the keyword deal comes in.  You need to look at all your past experience (paid or not) and see if you can find a way to apply them (shape them, mold them, fake them) to the new task/position you are applying for.  Your resume should read as a point by point proof that you can do everything that they are asking for.  Drop whatever is not relevant, no matter how much it pleases you, or how great an accomplishment it was.  Target every one exactly to the ad.  (I know, easier said than done).

For something academic I'd put my full educational credientials, program of study, topics, major professor.  But if its' not that, then just putting down the top one does the trick,  if I have a PhD, it's assumed I have a BA/BS somewhere along the line, i.e....
Education: PhD, Super Big State University, year.

If I'm applying for an office job is it necessary for them to know I have credentials to do full theatrical rigging?  No.  So I skip that, but put in all the computer stuff I can fit.

AND HAVE EVERYONE READ IT.  everyone.

[Padma]

The advice I was just given by a "help you find work" organisation in the UK was always to phone first, make contact, find out who is the best person to send your CV/resumé to - which is generally the person you'd end up working under (and not the HR people), they're the person who decides whether they want you working under them.

Also to break down the list into practical skills (admin, IT, book-keeping, all that kind of stuff), and people skills (team player, customer service experience, experience training others, etc.)

[EmmaM]

I had to have my bestest big friend in the entire world start firing people to make room for me. He says they had it coming anyway, I love that big ol' a**hole.

[Cindy]

I get a lot of job applications.

I am a key manager for my organisation so I tend to get to see resumes from jobs I'm not even responsible for. I can easily get 100 job applications for a position. In the covering letter tell me why you can do the job that has been advertised. Spell it out. I don't have time to interpret your sentences. If you are good at something relevant to the job tell me. NEVER tell me you can learn it I'm not interested.  I'm going to teach you anyway. List the skills relevant to the job first. I don't care that you went to School XXXX. I haven't time to read that. What do you bring me that another person doesn't. Tell me, I'm not interested in guessing. If you are good tell me. Do not be shy and hesitant about your skills put them up front. I'll tear you to pieces in the interview if you are lying. But you have to get to the interview.

Address the job specifications. Even do it a bullet points, if the job and person specs say you have to be skilled in orange peeling, tell me how you are skilled in orange peeling. Give me the facts.
I am not going to search for them. I don't have time.

Put yourself in my place. What am I looking for, it is in the job specs. How am I going to decide to interview four or five people from a hundred applicants? Because that is all I will interview. So make me choose you.

Do the simple stuff perfectly.
I put out a job advert a few years ago and we got almost 200 applicants. My name has an unusual spelling. I rejected every application that had the incorrect spelling of my name.  I was down to 50. Tough? Why would I employ someone who can't read the job application?

If the application is late it is in the bin.

If you cannot spell, it is in the bin.

If it is written in txt (yes it happens) it is in the bin.

Update and target every application to every job. I can tell when it is tired, and if everyone else is not interested in you, why should I be?

I'm happy to deal with interviews etc if anyone thinks it may be useful.

I also know how tough it is but it is tough from both sides of the desk.

Cindy

[tekla]

Yeah, my first trip through the stack, like Cindy's, and like every manager I know is done simply in the hopes that you can take those 100+ resumes/applications and toss 95% in the can.

Separate the wheat from the chaff.

And, there is a new "instant toss" for a lot of HR/companies/managers, and it's this: if you are not currently employed, I'm not interested.  That one, is pretty grim for people who are out of work.

[EmmaM]

And, there is a new "instant toss" for a lot of HR/companies/managers, and it's this: if you are not currently employed, I'm not interested. 

When I spent my year or so behind the desk, and was privileged enough to go over resumes, I made a point not to exclude those people. There are quite a few unemployed blue collars that are eager to work, and worth the risk.

[tekla]

I've seen it appearing in the job postings themselves in the last year and a half.  I figure if there are companies that are actually printing that out in the ads, that people who are unemployed need not bother to apply, that the number of places that are doing that unofficially is pretty widespread.