Category Archives: Executive

Conquer Resume Writing with Powerful Words

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Writing resumes is tricky business for most. What should be said, and how to say it are often the two most difficult parts of writing resumes. The various elements of resumes all hold their own important place in career success, but what most people don’t understand is the power of the words that they use. When it comes to resumes, how you state your experiences often means the difference between catching the reader’s attention and having your resume tossed aside.

The first way you can use words to help you is to focus on keywords from the job listing. These keywords and phrases describe Perfectly what the employer is after, and if you use these words in your resume, you’re more likely to grab their attention. For example:

Human Resources Manager

Payroll experience, familiarity with employee relations, training, and familiarity with hourly status reports, Excel spreadsheets. Must have 2 year degree or higher in business and/or management, with experience in Accounting. Minimum five years experience with employee base over 100.

 

From this listing, you can gather about five or different words and phrases that you can use on your resume to catch the attention of the reader. For example, under your skills section, you can list the following:

 

Payroll experience

Employee training/relationships

Excel use

Accounting experience

Work with 100+ employees

 

This will make the task of writing a resume much simpler, as it creates a focus for the reader, and shows two things: your ability to pay attention, and your dedication to following the rules and meeting requirements.

Another way to use words to your advantage is to focus on what are known as power words. This simply means revising your resume so that the language you use is more gripping. There are ways to say things that are better than others, but you want to make sure you’re still being direct and not wordy in your resume.

 

For example, instead of this:

Gave assessments to employees, handed out paychecks, tracked company hours.

Say this:

Responsible for employee assessments, payroll processing, and hourly tracking and reporting.

 

You can see how much better the latter sounds to a prospective employer. It’s still direct, but changing a few words and the way you say things can make all the difference in the world.

Whether it’s through using more powerful words or simply utilizing the keywords in the job listing, you can make a much greater impression on the hiring manager that reads your resume by using powerful words. There are other elements of your resume that need to be polished as well, the objective for instance ,but the words that you use when writing a professional style resume will make a huge difference in whether your resume gets the attention it deserves or not!

The Key to Successful Resume Writing is in the Objective

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One of the essential elements of resume writing is the objective statement. It usually contains information on what you are looking for in a job and/or your qualifications for the position you seek. Many people aren’t aware of how to write a good resume objective, objective writing should be simple.The first point is your objective can should be only a few sentences in length. It should be direct and brief. The purpose of an objective is to summarize your abilities in regards to the position you seek, and to establish your professional identity. You don’t want the objective to be generic or indirect, because this will make you appear the same way to the employer. You should write a different resume for each position, and a new objective that is directed toward each different company you’re applying with.The resume objective is the point at which you need to catch the eye of the reader. If you don’t gain their interest here, they will likely discard your resume and move on to a more interesting one. Your resume writing objective shouldn’t be self-oriented. Instead, you need to focus your resume writing on what you have to offer the hiring manager. Don’t assume that if you list your abilities that they will be able to make the connections to how that will affect them. Be specific and relate exactly how your skills will benefit them. Otherwise your resume won’t get a second look.

New Book Encourages Job Seekers to Broaden Their Job Targets

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When stuck in a job search slump, people usually know they’re doing something wrong, but often have no idea what it is that’s actually keeping them from achieving employment. They blame their inexperience, lack of interview skills, and even themselves for not knowing the “right” connections to a job. While all of these factors can certainly stand in the way of a job seeker and employment, more often than not the only thing keeping them from landing a job is that they’re being too picky, according to The Editors at JIST.”Most people limit their job search to one or two jobs that they feel qualified for. Unfortunately, this approach eliminates many jobs that a person could do and enjoy at the same time,” write The Editors at JIST in their recently-released book Top 300 Careers, Eleventh Edition. They say that too many job seekers search for employment with only one or two job titles in mind. In doing so, such job seekers miss out on opportunities that require the same skills and experience they may already possess. For example, an individual may think the only job title that applies to him or her is “market researcher,” yet economists, operations research analysts, and urban and regional planners use many of the same skills as a market researcher.In Top 300 Careers, The Editors at JIST encourage job seekers to broaden their job targets to find more opportunities, more quickly in the world of work. They offer the following tips:

  • Explore a variety of occupations: To learn more about other jobs they may be suited for job seekers can study a variety of job postings online or in classified ads, conducting informational interviews, or reading about occupations in reference books like Top 300 Careers or the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
  • Match skills to occupations: People tend to enjoy doing things that they’re good at. Having a strong skill set and pursuing a job that connects with those skills will often lead job seekers to the kind of careers they will be successful in and find rewarding.
  • Don’t abandon your experience and education too quickly: Much of the knowledge people have developed in previous jobs or other settings can play a significant role in related jobs. People who are aware of how their experience, skills and education connect them to various jobs are typically the ones who make the most successful career changes.
  • Customize your resume to the job

Top 300 Careers, Eleventh Edition, is available at all major bookstores and from the publisher (www.jist.com or 1.800.648.JIST). To speak with The Editors at JIST, contact Natalie Ostrom. JIST, America’s Career Publisher, is a division of EMC/Paradigm Publishing and is the leading publisher of job search, career, and occupational information books, workbooks, assessments, videos and software.

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Hiring Top Talent Getting Harder, Not Easier

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At a time when recruiting key positions is a cornerstone for corporate competitiveness, a survey of 775 recruiters and managers show that locating qualified candidates for key positions is a huge challenge. The Adler Group, a training and consulting company focused on helping companies hire top talent, today announced this trend among the results of their third annual Recruiting and Hiring Challenges survey.“When you compare the results of this year’s survey to previous years’ results, it’s clear that the situation is getting worse, not better,” said Lou Adler, President of The Adler Group and author of Hire With Your Head, 3rd Ed. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) and the new Nightingale-Conant audio program, Talent Rules! Using Performance-based Hiring to Build Great Teams (2007). “Despite all the new recruiting tools and technologies that have been introduced to help recruiters, an astonishing 89% of respondents indicate that hiring top talent is getting increasingly difficult.”775 recruiters and recruiting managers participated in the employment survey, which included questions on their most significant recruiting challenges, the quality and consistency of hiring processes, the effectiveness of specific recruiting tools, use of metrics, and a self-assessment.“Recruiters report even greater difficulty in finding highly specialized technical positions including scientists, engineers, health care workers, and software developers, despite all the resumes they receive” commented Bryan Johanson, Chief Operating Officer of The Adler Group, who analyzed the survey results. “Still, overall it does not appear that companies are managing their recruiting resources and processes to effectively meet their rising sourcing challenges.”The biggest problem identified in the survey is not seeing enough qualified candidates for important positions:- 76% of respondents indicated this is a growing or a huge problem- 63% felt that the quantity and quality of candidates from major job boards is droppingAnother major issue is the lack of a consistent hiring process and trained hiring managers:- 60% of recruiters feel that hiring managers aren’t strong at assessing competency- 60% of recruiters feel that hiring managers won’t devote the time needed to recruit properlyUnfortunately, the feeling is mutual. Recruiters’ legitimate concerns about hiring managers’ commitment to a quality hiring process is also a sign of the growing frustration managers feel when working with recruiters. “Hiring managers feel that recruiters don’t have enough job knowledge, and recruiters feel that each hiring manager has his or her own way of doing things, and most of them are pretty ineffective. It’s hard to make hiring a core competency of an organization when there is no consistent process,” commented Adler.For a copy of The Adler Group’s 2007/2008 Recruiting and Hiring Challenges Survey Whitepaper, please go to adlerconcepts.com.

The Follow-Up Letter: An Important Tool in Your Career Search Arsenal

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You did everything you needed to do to make a great impression at your job interview. From an impressive resume to a suitable suit to impeccable manners, you feel that the job interviewer viewed you in a positive light. Is there anything else you can do to ensure top consideration for your dream job?Sending a follow-up letter after your employment interview is an important tool in your career search arsenal. By sending a follow-up letter, you are reminding the job interviewer of your existence. After all, the interviewer may be reviewing dozens or hundreds of resumes and people. Your follow-up letter may be the simple reminder the interviewer needs to keep your name and face in the forefront of their thoughts. Also, sending a follow-up letter after your interview gives you an opportunity to thank the interviewer for their time. This shows your ability to appreciate the time constraints of your prospective employers as well as your sense of savvy with regard to proper business protocol and communication. Sending a well-written, polite follow-up letter only takes a few minutes and can mean the difference between landing the job you want or being forgotten after you leave the job interview.

8 Hours to International Business Success

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Nine out of ten executives New Year’s resolutions call for increased business success. How to make a positive first impression with multicultural clients? How to strike up a conversation with Asian business partners? Should the tines of the fork face up or down? In just one Saturday, over a 5-course meal and instructive role-play activities, the answers can now be found in Central London bi-monthly.”International Business etiquette courses were introduced in Europe by Minding Manners in 2004 and the growth in the seminars popularity in the UK has quadrupled” says Tamiko Zablith, Director of Minding Manners. The Polished Professional hands-on workshop is the only business etiquette programme designed for busy businessmen and women looking to master the new codes of etiquette and decorum for advancement in today’s international arena. “While many business professionals understand the rudimentary rules of domestic social graces, the very polish that sets them apart in their country is often the downfall of their business relationships when working in a multicultural environment. Knowing that businesswomen in France are expected to remain seated, whereas in Germany or the US this is unheard of, will make a very big difference in the level of respect one gives and receives. Likewise, as most business is conducted over a meal, for increased credibility, table manners must shine brighter than the silver: placing hands on the lap à la Anglaise will garner very negative marks when off domestic shores. The truly Polished Professional knows precisely what to do, when to do it and how, depending on where he or she is and with whom he or she is communicating”, concludes Zablith.Because the “how” is equally as important as the “why”, this innovative programme uncovers the mindset behind the codes, as well as offers hands-on practical exercises to learn by doing. And because what is proper in one country may be fiercely taboo in another, participants will master the art of projecting cultural awareness at home and abroad; from the UK to the US, across Europe to Asia, the Middle East, Africa or anywhere in between, all in just one 8-hour course.The 1-day interactive workshop covers international business & social etiquette, dining, entertaining, mingling & networking, body language & gestures, intercultural communication, personal presence and professional style. It includes a 5-course tutorial luncheon, refreshments, afternoon tea, materials and a workbook. The setting is central London at The Gore Hotel; Kensington, bi-monthly at the rate of £285 per person.Tamiko Zablith, Europe’s leading internationally certified Etiquette & Protocol Consultant and the Managing Director of Minding Manners Ltd. leads the programme personally. Minding Manners is Europe’s premier full-service etiquette and protocol consultancy specialising in Business Etiquette, International Protocol and International Social Etiquette. Registered at Suite 322, 34 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0RH, UK.

Women For Hire Career Expos – Feb. 28, Washington, DC

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Women For Hire career expos are high-caliber recruiting events that enable talented women in all fields to meet directly with recruiters and hiring managers from top employers. Whether you’re an experienced professional with several years of experience under your belt or a graduating college student, these one-day events are an ideal chance to launch or advance your career.Leading employers throughout the country have recruited top talent at Women For Hire events since our inception in 1999. We’ve collected more than 10,000 success stories from women who say they were hired at our events or have benefited from our advice on job searching and employment development so bring a few copies of your resume.

 

Important Details

  • Free Admission
  • Register On-Site
  • Resumes Required for Admittance
  • Business Attire Required
  • All events 10am – 2pm

Event DatesSpring ’08Feb. 28 — Washington, DCMar. 4 — St. LouisMar. 6 — ChicagoMar. 18 — MinneapolisMar. 25 — DallasMar. 27 — New YorkApr. 1 — AtlantaApr. 10 — Los AngelesApr. 15 — BostonApr. 17 — Philadelphia

Preparing for an Executive Job Interview: Anticipate and Practice Q&A

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Have you ever been caught at a loss for words? Not a great feeling, is it?The one time above all others when you do NOT want to find yourself in that position is when you are applying for an executive position and the interview has already begun. To avoid this embarrassing and highly uncomfortable experience, it’s wise to figure out the questions interviewers are likely to ask and come up with some answers beforehand.For example, if you are being considered for a slot as sales manager for a large organization, bone up on what the company sells and what its track record has been. Find out about the ups and downs the firm’s fortunes have experienced and imagine how you would have handled these situations. In addition, consider what challenges might lay ahead for this company, for you are likely to be asked about this.Practice answering the questions you’ve listed with a friend and ask your friend to jump in with any additional ones that may occur during the process. Once you’ve answered the questions you anticipate the interviewer will ask, you’ll feel much more at ease when the interview arrives!

Most Management Executives Sell Themselves Short on a Resume

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Most management executives tend to sell themselves short when seeking a new job, simply because they are unaware of what employers are really looking for on a resume. They focus too much on providing a chronological summary of their experience and accomplishments, assuming employers will see their value – they won’t.The important thing to remember when developing your executive resume is that you must demonstrate to employers why only you would make a perfect fit for the position.Expend more effort focusing on your potential rather than presenting your past. Of course, it’s necessary to list your work history, but do it with an emphasis on what value you can bring to a new employer based on your achievements. In other words, translate your achievements into benefits.Think like an employer. Hiring an executive is a risky proposition, so an employer will want to feel certain that you have the appropriate expertise. Use your executive resume to prove that you have the practical experience to lead an organization through challenging periods, increase market share and establish the groundwork for future business growth.