Tips from the Pros

Sep

Job Application Timesavers

The job search process can be an exciting, yet daunting task for job seekers. Those re-entering the job search market – and those entering for the first time – are finding that applying for a job is not as quick and simple as it used to be. A process that used to involve merely submitting a resume and cover letter is now much more detailed, and job applicants are finding the process to be more time consuming than ever.

While applying for a job still involves the submission of a resume and cover letter, many companies are also having applicants create user names and profiles and fill out questionnaires before they are able to submit their applications. This can add tens of minutes – if not more – to the job search process, and can’t be avoided if an online submission is required. The good news is we’ve collated some feedback from recent job applicants and have put together some tips below that might help you speed up the process:

Have your cover letter ready to go:

Before you start applying, have a basic cover letter written that can be tweaked and amended according to the job you’re applying for.

Select the option to pre-fill answers, if available:

Some programs are designed where you can upload your resume, and it will pre-populate answers to an online questionnaire based on the information in your resume. This way, you don’t have to write your name, contact info, work history/dates, etc, over and over again. Select this option if it’s available – it will definitely save you time! Make sure, however, that you double-check it to make sure the information has been populated correctly.

Save your written answers to questionnaires in a separate document:

Many job applications will include supplemental, but generic, questions to be answered. Questions such as “explain any employment gaps over the past 10 years” or “what are your salary requirements?” If you find yourself answering questions like this, copy/paste your answers and save them in a separate document on your computer – chances are that you will see the same questions again on another application. This way, you will have your answers all ready to go!

The most important tip – be patient!

While it may seem like you are answering the same questions over and over again, remember that you application and answers will be evaluated by a hiring manager who knows nothing about you. Sell yourself to them – take time and care to answer all questions accurately and professionally. Don’t get frustrated and rush your application.

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com/

The Job search market can be a tricky place to navigate. Whether you are just starting out, moving up the ladder or changing your current situation, RedStarResume have all the resources to help improve your chances of success.

Tags: job applications, Online Job Applications, redstarresume, resume writing

Aug

7 Most Frequently Asked Resume Writing Questions

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Do you have a question about your resume? Contact the team at RedStarResume. Our Resume Writing specialists are available 24/7 to answer any tricky resume questions that you may have.

Should I include my picture on my resume?

Different countries have different requirements when it comes to using a picture on your resume. Generally speaking for Australia, a picture is not required on your resume. There are exceptions to this rule, of course. For example, if you’re applying for a modelling position, a picture would be necessary.

How far back should my resume go?

Generally speaking, it is best to go back 10-15 years. Anything further than this is not necessary. If you are changing your career or applying for a role that you had many years ago, however, it would be worthwhile to include these jobs to show the hiring manager that you have had experience in that particular role. Don’t forget that in many industries such as Accounting and IT, many rules and technologies have changed over time, so don’t get too involved in listing information that may not be relevant today.

Should I include a cover letter with my resume?

Yes – always include a cover letter even if the job description does not specifically ask for it.

What is the best way to make my resume “shine”?

Go through your resume and identify all of your responsibilities and duties and turn these into achievement statements. Use quantitative evidence to back up your statements.

How long should my resume be?

There is no exact rule when it comes to the length of your resume. The most important thing is to only include information that adds value to your resume. Generally speaking for a student or young professional, I would limit the resume to 2 pages. For a professional or executive, a 2- 3 page limit.

Should I include hobbies or interests on my resume?

The aim of the resume is to showcase your skills to the reader. Do not include hobbies or interests unless they can add significance to your resume application. For example, if you are applying for a job in the mining industry, hobbies such as reading, playing tennis and sky diving are not relevant to the types of jobs you are applying for and will add no value to your job application.

Should I include my marital status on my resume?

Definitely not – when it comes to personal information such as marital status, religion, date of birth etc., this information should be excluded from the resume. The only personal information that you need to include is your contact number and email. I often encourage including your LinkedIn profile URL as this is a great way to stand out from the competition.

Tags: redstarresume, resume writing

May

How To Avoid Being Red-Flagged As A Job Hopper

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Have you switched careers several times in the past ten years, worked several short-term positions, or been retrenched and forced to find new work? If you’ve held several different positions in the past 5-10 years, you may be sending a message to employers that you’re a job hopper, not staying in positions for very long. Hiring managers confess that if a candidate looks like a job hopper, they will automatically discard their resume, assuming that they’re either not reliable, get bored easily in positions or have been terminated by past employers. Whether employers’ perceptions are accurate or not, you don’t want to be labeled a job hopper and lose a good opportunity.

Whatever your reasons are for frequently changing positions (and there are a lot of totally legitimate reasons nowadays to choose, or circumstantially need to change jobs), you don’t want to be automatically discarded for positions you apply for. Try these helpful tips to avoid being labeled a ‘Job Hopper’ and eliminated from consideration.

Categorize your work experience differently

If you have several short-term, consulting or temporary work assignments, you may want to consider categorizing them under one heading such as “Consultant” and list the various projects you worked on and accomplishments under that, so it appears more as a whole set instead of separate assignments. You can also include two separate headings for your work experience if you’ve transitioned between industries a lot. Put “Relevant Work Experience” with the positions you’ve held that are directly related to the position you’re applying to, and “Other,” or “Additional Work Experience” below that to account for large gaps of time.

Leave out irrelevant jobs

Your resume is essentially a marketing tool to demonstrate your qualifications for a particular position or industry. If you have short-term, contract or part-time experiences that you don’t feel are relevant to the position you’re applying for, it is entirely okay to leave it out. You will, however, need to include it if a company asks for your full work experience.

De-emphasize dates of employment

If your dates of employment are choppy, you can try downplaying the dates in different ways. You can try leaving out the months of employment and only including the years, so it’s not as obvious. You can also include the dates in parenthesis after your job title, or below your achievements.

Focus on resume achievements and qualifications

Employers are mainly concerned with your success in past positions. If you can demonstrate you made significant contributions to your previous employers, even if they were short-term positions, employers will be more likely to overlook it. You can even emphasize accomplishments and skills you’ve acquired through your diverse roles, such as being a fast learner, adapting to new work environments and industry trends, and yielding high results.

Use your cover letter to briefly explain your work history, putting a positive spin on it and expressing your interest in a long-term position

If you feel like your resume screams Job Hopper, you may want to add a brief explanation for why you’ve changed jobs so frequently in your cover letter, or highlight the unique skills and perspective you’ve gained through your diverse experiences. Make sure to stay positive about your past circumstances though and try not to sound like you’re making excuses for every position you’ve left. It’s important to also express your interest in a long-term position with the company to help put employers’ fears at ease.

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com/

Internationally Recognized Resume Writing Experts – Specializing in Developing High Impact Resumes”

For the past decade, the team at RedStarResume has been creating award winning resumes that get noticed by hiring managers. Under our guidance, our clients have achieved successes in over 35 different industries. From the college student looking to break into his or her first job to the seasoned professional and CEO level candidate, our custom-made, high impact resumes are written specifically to match the goals and objectives of our clients.

Tags: cover letter, cv writing, expert resume, how to write a resume, job hoppper, professional resume, redstarresume, resume, resume writer, resume writing, writing a resume

May

Student And Graduate Resume Writing

By RedStarResume No comments yet

6 Things to Include on your Resume as a Current Student or Recent Gradratuate

One of the first steps in making the transition from student to job seeker is to create a professional resume. At first glance it may seem like you don’t have much to put on your resume as a student or recent grad, however if you assess your past experiences you’ll realize you have more relevant experience to highlight on your resume than you think. Employers look to your past performance to predict your success in the future. As a student or recent graduate, jobs aren’t the only way you can demonstrate your prior success. Remember that resume writing is all about highlighting your achievements. Don’t forget to include examples and evidence to further promote your value added skills to hiring managers.

Relevant Coursework:

As a student or recent graduate, employers realize that so far most of your life has been spent in the classroom, learning and studying. It’s beneficial to highlight coursework that is related to the field you’re applying for. This can show employers that you’ve learned relevant material from your studies and that you have thorough knowledge that can be an asset to their company.

Internships:

Of course you’ll want to include any and all student internships you’ve had in the past. It’s always better if you’ve participated in an internship related to the jobs you’re applying for; however having any type of internship can show a level of maturity and responsibility. It also shows that you’ve been exposed to a real working environment and are better prepared to enter the workforce.

Part-time/ Summer Jobs:

Don’t belittle your part-time or seasonal work experience. A job in retail or summer camp may not seem relevant to the field you’re going into, however you learn a great deal of foundational skills by having a part-time job that prepares you for having a full-time position. Employers like to see that you’re mature enough to hold a job and learn some basic skills and work ethic.

Volunteer Work:

Volunteering can also provide valuable skills and promote leadership and cooperation. It’s good to include any volunteering you’ve been part of in the past, as it can also demonstrate maturity, responsibility, team work and cooperation.

Extra-curricular Activities:

Feel free to list relevant extra-curricular activities on your resume. Anything you do on your free time that shows commitment, leadership, team work, etc. You can demonstrate skills you’ve acquired through your extra-curricular activities. For example if you’ve played on a sports team while in school, this can show you’re a team player and able to successfully handle multiple tasks.

Memberships/ Affiliations:

Including relevant memberships and affiliations can help demonstrate your commitment to a particular field of study, issue, or show your success in a certain area if membership is merit-based.

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com

Amanda Ryan is a Program Development Associate & Senior Resume Writer at RedStarResume. Amanda is a highly skilled resume writing expert and career expert who also specialises in creating, writing and developing career content, working alongside student and graduate job seekers and developing career content for newsletters, partners and career websites.

Need the help of a professional resume writer with expert resume writing skills? Contact the team at RedStarResume!

Tags: career content, graduate resume, internship, professional resume, redstarresume, resume writer, resume writing, student internship, student internships, student resume

Mar

What Skills Did I Learn In College

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Graduation loomed in the distance. While I was excited to put my studies behind and finally enter the real world, a kind of dread came over me when I looked at my classmates and realized the strong technical experience the engineers and IT students had. As a liberal arts major, most of my classes were based on reading, researching, analyzing and writing papers. What real skills did I have to convince employers to hire me? How would I portray these skills in my professional resume or cover letter?

As graduation gets closer, a lot of students (especially the liberal arts majors out there) start to feel intimidated and wonder what relevant skills they’ve actually gained from college. You may not realize it, but you’ve learned more skills through your college years than you realize. It’s important to recognize the skills you’ve developed through your college education and be able to communicate it to potential employers.

Let’s think about just some of the skills you’ve probably gained as a student that employers look for in job candidates. Think about the activities done for courses and translate them into skills you’ve acquired. Remember, these are skills on top of the technical skills and other knowledge you’ve gained through your studies. I’m sure you can think of numerous other examples:

Critical Thinking:

Critical thinking involves analyzing information, seeing the big picture and comprehending information. Students use critical thinking skills in many ways during their college years including humanities courses where you’re asked to analyze information or take a particular viewpoint on a topic or piece of work. You also use critical thinking skills in labs and other hands-on courses where you need to analyze the results of your findings.

Communication:

Effective communication skills mean you can write and speak clearly, communicating ideas and information. As a student, you’ve definitely used communication skills reading, speaking up in class lectures and writing papers and reports. Being an effective communicator is one of the essential skills employers seek in job candidates.

Team Player:

Most jobs require at least some collaboration with fellow employees, clients or stakeholders. It’s important to be able to work well with others to achieve a common goal. As a college student, you’ve likely worked with your fellow students on class projects, research assignments, labs, or in extracurricular clubs and sports teams.

Time management and Coordination:

As a student, you’ve likely juggled a lot of different classes and activities all at once during your college career. Maybe you even did it with a full or part-time job. If you’ve made it to graduation, you’ve definitely learned this skill—time management. Employers look for employees who can handle several tasks at once, are able to prioritize their time and get everything done on time.

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com

Need the help of a professional resume writer with expert resume writing skills? Contact the team at RedStarResume!

Tags: Critical Thinking, expert resume, expert resume writing, expert resume writing skills, redstarresume, resume writer, resume writing, resume writing skills, writing skills

Feb

Student And Graduate Resume Writing

By RedStarResume No comments yet

6 Things to Include on your Resume as a Current Student or Recent Gradratuate

Relevant Coursework:

Internships:

Part-time/ Summer Jobs:

Volunteer Work:

Extra-curricular Activities:

Memberships/ Affiliations:

Including relevant memberships and affiliations can help demonstrate your commitment to a particular field of study, issue, or show your success in a certain area if membership is merit-based.

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com

Need the help of a professional resume writer with expert resume writing skills? Contact the team at RedStarResume!

Tags: career content, graduate resume, internship, professional resume, redstarresume, resume writer, resume writing, student internship, student internships, student resume

Feb

Making Your Internship Count

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Internships can be the gateway to finding your true calling or landing that dream job. But unfortunately internships can also feel like a useless waste of time if you don’t establish goals ahead of time and be proactive in getting the most out of your internship. Sometimes you have to push to get the type of exposure and experience you want out of your internship.

Set out clear goals you want to accomplish during your internship:

Some internships provide actual job descriptions with a list of duties and responsibilities for the intern; however many internships aren’t that structured and you’ll end up getting more out of your internship if you set clear goals you want to accomplish throughout your time. Make personal goals for yourself such as gaining exposure to certain aspects of the company or department, deciding which area you’d like to specialize in, learning research skills, building relationships with staff, attending meetings, etc. Try to set out goals before you start the internship and go back and evaluate them a few weeks after you start to make sure you stay on track to accomplish them. Make sure to keep track of the projects you’ve worked on and skills developed to translate them into accomplishments on your resume.

Keep an open mind:

Internships are about broadening your horizons and gaining exposure to a particular career. An internship may help you solidify your career goals, or help you to realize a job isn’t for you. Be sure to keep an open mind during your internship to learn new things and discover the aspects of the job you like and dislike. You may learn that the dream job you’ve always wanted looks a lot different in reality, or learn about a job title in the field you didn’t realize existed before.

Meet with your designated supervisor:

It’s important to set up a time to meet regularly with your supervisor. You don’t want to take up too much of their time, as they’re probably busy people, however you want to be able to share things you’re working on, give progress reports and be able to ask any questions you have or clarification you need. Your supervisor can be a good resource for you in the future if you build a good relationship with them during your time.

Perfect the small tasks:

It’s true that sometimes intern tasks can seem like dummy work. If you’re going to advance to assisting with bigger projects during your time though, you need to perfect these little tasks first to prove your reliability and competence. Once you demonstrate success doing small things efficiently, you can open up the possibility for handling larger projects.

Network and build relationships:

Internships are often a student’s first opportunity to network with professionals in their career field. Take your internships seriously and try to meet employees, ask questions and build relationships. Aside from making your internship more enjoyable, the relationships you build during your internship can be helpful career resources in the future.

Need the help of a professional resume writer with expert resume writing skills? Contact the team at RedStarResume!

Tags: internships, redstarresume, resume, resume writer, resume writing skills

Feb

Researching Information About Careers And Industries

By RedStarResume No comments yet

It’s a little overwhelming trying to choose a career if you don’t know a whole lot about the career itself or the job market in the field. It’s important to do some research in different careers so you can properly plan your course of action to break into it. The more information and sources you read about a specific career, the more you’ll be able to make an informed decision about the right career path to follow. Following are some helpful tips for where to look to find useful information about a career or industry.

Government Websites:

Most governments provide an Occupational Outlook Handbook or website providing labor statistics, expected job growth, working conditions, average salary information and required training and educational levels for certain career fields. These types of sites can be very helpful in providing current information on specific career fields and give an overview of the industry in your area. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has such a handbook to start with.

Job Websites:

Search for job websites, especially those that are specific to the industry and look at the types of job titles advertised that are related to the career. Look at the duties and responsibilities, experience and requirements requested and types of companies hiring. This can give you some insight into the types of job postings available in the industry and you’ll gain a better understanding of the type of experience employers are looking for.

Professional associations and networks:

Look at professional associations and networks related to the industry and see what they say about careers in the field. Many of them will provide information about the industry as well as emerging trends, related news articles and latest developments in the field. It’s helpful to get information like this to stay updated on important issues and topics going on in the industry.

Search the web for careers in the field:

For some careers there are entire websites dedicated to information about careers in the field, while others might bring up career development sites and industry specific articles. You can find an abundance of basic to comprehensive information resources this way.

Search college or university websites.

Many colleges list information on departmental web pages as well as on career service links about careers related to majors and specific studies that can help show which majors lead to certain types of careers. Many colleges/ universities will provide information and links to resources to help students learn about careers and opportunities post-graduation.

Need the help of a professional writer who can show you how to write a good resume? Contact the team at RedStarResume!

Tags: how to write a good resume, http://www.bestresponseresume.com, Job Market, redstarresume

Feb

Decision Time For College Graduates

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Senior year rolls around quickly. Before you know it, it’s time to decide what the next step is after college. There’s no right or wrong option here, I had some friends go straight into grad school programs or medical school, others participate in national service programs, and others immediately enter the workforce. While I knew I wanted to pursue graduate school in the future, I knew senior year that I didn’t want to go straight into it. Think about these 4 main options and decide which is right for you.

Enter the workforce:

This is the most obvious option—you’ve gone to college in order to better your career prospects and the time has come to finally get that well-deserved job. You may want to start a career in your industry or gain a few years of work experience to get a better feel for which graduate program you’d like to pursue. If a job is what you seek after graduation, start preparing your job searching activities early during your senior year. Start networking, create your professional resume, prepare for job/career fairs and begin searching for positions several months before graduation.

Pursue post-graduate education:

If the career you desire requires additional degrees or certifications after college, you may consider applying for post-graduate education. Going straight into a program upon graduation can be a good option for students who are sure about their career goals and want to finish all required schooling quickly to be ready for a career. Of course you should consider your financial situation and determine if you have the study skills and motivation to pursue further education right away.

Full-time fellowship or internship programs:

Some companies and organizations offer full-time internship programs for recent graduates. Being an intern can be a way to gain valuable experience and skills in the workforce and can also be a chance to get into a company that you want to work for in the future. Many of the programs will provide a stipend for living expenses but may pay less than a standard job does.

Gap year or full-time service programs. Some students choose to take a few months to travel after graduation, teach English abroad or participate in national or private service programs working in community services while receiving housing and a stipend for living expenses. There are lots of different kinds of programs, some are affiliated with the U.S. government and students can receive educational award money that can be used towards student loans or further education.

Need the help of a professional writer with expert resume writing skills? Click Here to contact the team at RedStarResume!

Tags: career content, college graduates, graduate job, graduate job seekers, job seeker, job seekers, post-graduate education, redstarresume, resume writer, resume writing skills

Dec

Tips For Breaking Into A Career

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Once you decide what type of field you want to go into (the more specific, the better!), there are a couple of things you can do to break into the career and get some foundational experience. Whether you take on an internship, work for smaller companies or land a job through a connection, remember that everything counts. It won’t do you any good to slack off in an internship or waste time at a summer job because it’s your dad’s company. In every position you have you should demonstrate your hard work ethic and perform your job well so that you can get a good recommendation, be eligible for promotion, or be hired on when a position does become available—it will only help you:

Student internship or volunteer during the summer, semester or upon graduating: Interning or volunteering in your field is one of the best ways to get some real experience in the career you want and boost your resume! Many companies are more willing to hire a candidate right out of college if they’ve at least had some relevant experience in the field through internships or other part-time work.

Look for smaller companies for your first full-time job: In many fields, it can be easier to land a position in the field in smaller, local companies. Depending on the size of your city or town, you may even know some of the people working in the field that interests you. It can often be easier to land a position with a smaller company in order to get the experience and expertise you need to move into a larger institution.

Think about your connections and networks: Think about your parent’s careers, an aunt that works in a bank, a friend in advertising, etc. and ask them for advice about how to get into the field. You can also ask them to let you know if they hear of any available positions within their company or in similar ones.

Take on a lower position in the field: As a student or recent grad, you may have an idea about the particular position you want in the field. Unfortunately, the positions we want sometimes require you to have experience in the field first, as well as demonstrated knowledge and skills. Think about the type of position you hope to hold, and then look at the positions under them which many people start out in and work their way up from. You may feel that the positions you’re looking at are less than glamorous and you may even feel over-qualified. But just remember, most jobs nowadays require more work experience, not just a college degree and working for a little while in a lower position can set you up for promotion in the company, or give you the experience required to apply for the positions you actually want.

Do you have a career related question? You can contact Amanda directly via the RedStarResume website!

Tags: career content, college degree, cover letter, internships, Program Development, recent graduate, redstarresume, resume writing, resume writing expert, Senior Resume Writer, student internship, volunteer

Tips from the Pros

Job Application Timesavers

7 Most Frequently Asked Resume Writing Questions

How To Avoid Being Red-Flagged As A Job Hopper

Student And Graduate Resume Writing

What Skills Did I Learn In College

Student And Graduate Resume Writing

Making Your Internship Count

Researching Information About Careers And Industries

Decision Time For College Graduates

Tips For Breaking Into A Career

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