Saturday, May 30, 2020

6 Reasons to Call Your Candidate Instead of Emailing

6 Reasons to Call Your Candidate Instead of Emailing Lets face it. We all rely on emails and most of us would be lost without them. Very rarely do we send letters out in the post but recently emails have put recruiters in the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons. A jobseeker in Kent, UK, received an email confirming an interview for a job she applied for to find derogatory comments made about her  describing her as an oddball and a mushroom forager by someone from the company. The company was forced to apologise  to Anna Jacobs and unsurprisingly she declined the interview. Writing comments about potential candidates is something hiring managers and recruiters do quite often as they often receive hundreds of applications. This is one way they can keep note of who they are likely to progress through the recruitment process but sadly Anna isnt the only person to read unflattering things. More recently jobseeker Pedro de Silva from Birmingham, UK, was accused of bulls****ing on his CV.  Again he was copied in to an email from the recruitment agent which included notes about him and his application. It has been argued that emails are better than phone calls  but as my two recent examples have shown, emails do have a way of letting you down. So here are 6 reasons using a phone is better than email: 1.  Efficiency We all know that most people dont always open an email the instant they get it, unless its that all-important email theyre waiting for which isnt from you. But most of the time people will answer  the phone when it’s ringing, or if theyve missed it they will listen to their voicemail. Its also a lot quicker for you to call them instead of drafting an email to send to them. 2. You  can get to know them (kind of) This can be vital if you are trying to work out how the person who has applied for the job is like. Their phone manner and the way they respond to you can tell you a lot about that person without having to meet them face-to-face. But with email, most of the time you are sending your message out into the void and hoping the person is at the other end and able to pick it up. 3. Shows more authority Phone calls tend to hold more authority than an email or instant message as it is a more traditional form of communication. It also  shows that you care enough about that person that you have picked up the phone to them. The candidate has probably received hundreds of emails already from recruiters but by taking the time to call them shows them that you are taking their job search just as seriously as they are. 4.  Its easier In order to send an email you must have access to the internet, or if you’re out and about, you may not have connection to receive and send emails. This makes phone calls much more simple because unless youre on a remote island or stuck in an area with zero signal, chances are as soon as you dial their number you are going to get through to them. 5.  No room for errors Now unless youve called the wrong number, there isnt any room for any mistakes to be made by a phone call. There is no paper trail for a start, so any notes you have made about the candidate cant be passed on. You can simply tell them where they are in the recruitment process without worrying about disclosing anything confidential. 6. Better relationships The relationship between any candidate and a recruiter is key. The best way to form this is of course to meet them face-to-face in order to build that rapport. But in the initial stages, if this is someone you’re having to talk to regularly, you’ll find it much easier to form a relationship with them if it is over the phone. Its also less formal than sending an email, and  you can talk about the issue directly without having to refer to a chain of emails on the same topic. While a phone call might not always be appropriate, relying solely on email as a method of communication can also have its pitfalls, as the two case studies above have demonstrated. In an ideal world it might be better to use a combination of the two, and better still knowing when to use them would be even better.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

What Is A Resume Writing Package?

What Is A Resume Writing Package?One question that most of the businesspeople in the United States are worried about is the question of what is a resume writing package? And it doesn't matter whether you are a marketing professional or a business professional, if you are at all interested in the modern day lifestyle of the contemporary working person then you have to learn about the skill of a successful resume. And the modern day resume has become the most important document that a prospective employer looks at when hiring a candidate for a job in his company. But more than just getting hired, it's also about ensuring that a potential employee has an impression of himself or herself when he/she looks at your resume.You have to be an expert in the field if you are going to ensure that every aspect of your resume is exposed to the whole world. Otherwise no one can see your complete profile. The thought of a business professional getting more exposure by going through the method of a r esume writing package or even knowing how to put together a good CV or cover letter sounds fantastic. However you need to be aware that, as a person who does not have a background in writing resumes, you will be at a major disadvantage compared to someone who is experienced in it.Therefore, it makes sense to understand that a resume can be used for different purposes. And by using this guide you will know what is a resume writing package. A resume is basically a document that provides a brief summary of your entire profile. A resume is supposed to allow potential employers to quickly evaluate your skills and abilities, and help them identify whether or not you are an appropriate choice for a job interview.So a resume is a simple application form that is filled in with details of your entire profile. It is the main tool that an employer uses to assess your skills and qualifications. The fact that you are writing it yourself is important because it makes the way that you answer questi ons much easier to process. But when you hire an agency to do the job for you, the job becomes easier.Resumes are meant to be written very professionally. They should contain good grammar and spelling, should be clear and concise, and should follow good business practices. The fact that you are being paid to write resumes means that you have already been vetted by some professional people, and that's why they are calling you to do this job. That is why it is essential that you become a professional writer to be able to write the job.There are certain things that you need to consider before you agree to work on a resume writing package. First of all you should look into the fact that a resume writing package is not done by a freelance writer. It is not part of your job description and certainly not something that you would be doing for free. That is why you should check to make sure that the agency that you are dealing with has been recommended by some other professional.Secondly, yo u need to consider how many times your resume will be read by others before deciding if they are the right one for the job. If the potential employer only gives you a few days to write the resume, you will not get enough time to learn about the way to write a resume. If you are asked to write a resume to work with another agency then there is still plenty of time for you to learn how to write one. But if you are given a week to prepare a resume for a potential employee then you should be able to get on with it.Another thing to consider is that in your work as a professional writer you will have to earn the respect of the people who are being consulted. Because of this you need to be well-versed in the art of interviewing and finding new ideas about the prospective employer's requirements. That is why it is a good idea to get some training in how to negotiate.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

How to do your research for a covering letter or personal statement University of Manchester Careers Blog

How to do your research for a covering letter or personal statement University of Manchester Careers Blog Employers want to be sure that not only do you have the relevant skills for a particular job but you also understand what the organisation does, how this role fits in and what it involves.  They want people who are making informed decisions and have a genuine passion for the job. You may always have wanted to work for Virgin, KPMG, Rolls Royce etc. But now its time to put that onto paper and its not that easy! Lets break it down: In any cover letter most personal statements you need to cover 3 things: Why you are applying to this company? What makes them stand out from other similar companies? Why you are applying for this role? Your motivation for applying, show your understanding of the role. The skills and experience you have that match the job description.( see next blog post) 1 So why do you want to work for us? Its often a question thats asked at interview so do your research at the applications stage and you are saving time. Often its a gut feeling, Id love to work there, or I love their products or they are highly successful. But what do you REALLY know about the business and the way they work? Here are some ideas for things you can investigate. What makes this company different? What are their unique selling points what differentiates them from their competitors? E.g. Tesco vs Sainsburys or HSBC vs Barclays. Why would YOU chose one over the other, how would you decide? What products and services do they offer, and what do their competitors do? What are the differences and why is that important? Who are their clients? Perhaps they work with a particular sector, demographic or country, why does that appeal to you? Where are they based and where do they do business? Find out about company size, location and business catchment area. What are their values ethos, do they fit with yours? You can usually find all this information on their website. BUT look at the website as if you were a prospective client or wanted to purchase something from them. If the organisation has a public presence like a shop, hotel, leisure facility or bank visit some of their branches to get a real feel for what they do. Be a mystery shopper for your career! If the organisation makes a product that is sold in supermarkets or stores, go and look at the products, who are they competing with, whats the branding like, who buys it? Do they advertise? Check magazines, TV adverts and billboards who are they aiming their marketing at? 2 Why are you interested in this job? This one is all about the actual role. Now some graduate schemes cover a number of roles so  its helpful to investigate them all and have an initial opinion of where you think you fit. Have you REALLY considered what working in this job is like? Read the job description what do they say the role is all about. What are the tasks, what will you be working on, in a team or on your own etc? Read between the lines what do you think it would be like in this organisation why might it be different to other companies? You might get some hints about this from the recruitment website, graduate profiles, talking to them at events. Read up about what typically this job is all about. Prospects profiles our Which Career? pages will help. Dont forget if a contact is listed on the job advert and you have questions give them a ring! Most people dont bother, so taking the initiative could be the difference between your application and everyone elses. Check out our cover letter, application form CV guides If you need help with your application book an applications advice appointment See also: Why generic CVs and cover letters end up in the bin All Applications and interviews Graduate Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted applications Applications and interviews careers cover letters jobs

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Your Personal Brand is also About Them - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Your Personal Brand is also About Them - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A friend just starting out as an independent contract worker and I were discussing her personal brand while out on the lake the other day.   Im not sure how I want to shape my personal brand yet, she confessed. I dont know who I want to be my primary customer yet. Youd think Id stop her at this point after all,  isnt my friends  personal brand only about her?  Shouldnt  she focus on making sure that  her personal brand highlights her best possible attributes and trust that it will get her where she needs to go? It would be nice if that happened but thats not how the real world works.  Personal branding is as much about figuring out who your personal brand needs to appeal to, and then highlighting the parts of yourself that fit what youre looking to achieve   as it is about highlighting your best qualities. Let me tell you about how this has applied in my life.   At one point, I was trying very hard to get a job at my dream type of company (where I could work in innovation). At the same time, I was also supporting myself as a social media and blogging consultant. Both demanded that I showcase my abilities and the successes Id had in my background but my brand would have been a terrible mishmash if I had tried to showcase both at once. Instead of looking strong in two areas, I would have looked strong in none. To address that challenge, I set-up two online presences.   I had my creativity blog where I wrote about the ideas I was passionate about. On that blog, I highlighted my creativity-focused background and maintained an active social media presence in the innovation community. On that blog, I talked about how I started in creativity as a child doing a creative problem-solving competition (where I eventually won a Global championship.) Then, on my personal  website, I set myself up as a blogging expert.   On that website, I talked about my online presence in the creativity field as a case study for how to use social media. On that website, I highlighted my social media successes, including how I created a social media campaign that went viral! Both are part of who I am but they werent relevant to that particular audience. In both cases, some of the biggest successes I touted on one venue barely got a mention on the other.   Why?   Because my social media clients didnt care if I was a Destination Imagination global champion and the creativity companies didnt care about how I created a social media campaign to save a puppy in Iraq! Although most of you will never have to appeal to such disparate demographics, its really important to figure out who exactly you want to appeal to with your own personal brand.  Do you want to appeal to a corporate audience? Or are you looking to work for smaller companies. Are you appealing to lawyers and accountants, or creatives in the advertising field. Knowing the ideal demographic of your customers is important because it will be a huge factor in shaping how you portray your personal brand to the rest of the world. So yes, while your personal brand must be about you, you also must be very sure that youre crafting your brand so it highlights the attributes that your target market wants to see. Author: Katie Konrath  blogs about creativity, innovation and “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped” at  www.getfreshminds.com.   She works for leading innovation company,  Ideas To Go.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Why Profession Resume Writing Services Is Helpful

Why Profession Resume Writing Services Is HelpfulIf you are searching for a way to land your dream job without spending too much money, then you should consider using professional resume writing services. These are the people who will be able to help you make your resume a success. Here are some ways in which this is helpful.First, these are professionals who have been doing this for years. This means that they know exactly what needs to be done to make a resume standout and have the best chance of being accepted by the company. It is impossible to convince someone with half of what you know and have done in the past.Second, these professionals are professionals who can turn your information into serious money. The fact that it is highly unlikely that you will be able to do all of the things on your own and still have enough time to find the right job means that they are the ones who are going to take care of everything. They are experts at finding job positions and helping people fi nd them. The money that you save will more than pay for your resume writing services.Third, these professionals know how to write a good quality resume and are familiar with how to structure and use it in order to get the best results. What could be more important than having the right kind of resume? Of course it is the work experience that will help you land the right job. It is what people are looking for when they are hiring.A career position can be a very important step in your life and they can make or break your chances. No matter what profession you might have, a job is not an easy thing to get. When it comes to getting a job, experience is always worth something.Now, a job will not work for everyone, but if you are one of those people who have an overwhelming desire to succeed in whatever profession you choose, then you will benefit from these career resume writing services. They will help you to do everything so that you can get the right job and move forward in life. The biggest factor that determines whether or not you get the job is the kind of work experience that you have. This is why you should be doing this kind of work.Profession resume writing services will help you to write an impressive resume that will help you land the job that you want. If you are in the process of applying for jobs, you can benefit from hiring professionals to help you write the information and make it impressive. These professionals are experts at finding the right jobs for people who need them.A career position is not something that should be taken lightly. You should make sure that you are able to put it on the top of your resume. Then, these professionals can help you make the most of your time and make the most of the hard work that you have put in to get where you are now. These services will help you do what you need to do in order to achieve your goals.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

5 Tips For Building A Well-Rounded Social Resume - CareerEnlightenment.com

House All Social Channels In One PlaceJob seekers can build a well-rounded social resume by creating a website that houses all of their social channels. For instance, a personal site can include your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ pages. This personal site can then be linked on your resume, which provides the employer with all the relevant social information they need about you and your brand. Alan Carniol,  Interview Success FormulaNail Your LinkedIn ProfileMake it 100 percent complete (per LinkedIn’s standards). Secure lots of recommendations, lots of relevant connections, and post relevant (to your job) content/status updates. The crucial item about LinkedIn is your connections and how a recruiter/hiring manager can see if you know common people, so its also important to grow your network (but not randomly!) you want connections relevant to your job search. Sudy Bharadwaj,  Jackalope JobsWhat do you think? Do you include information about your online presence on your r esume?

Friday, May 8, 2020

5 Best Kept Secrets on How to Write a Resume - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching

5 Best Kept Secrets on How to Write a Resume - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching I don’t know many people who enjoy writing a resume. Usually it’s the last thing we want to do and we procrastinate to the very last minute. Instead of thinking about your resume as a drag, consider it the beginning of a conversation with your new job. Here’s a strategy on the best kept secrets on how to write a resume especially if you are short on time! Don’t think about the job you are writing about Don’t write from the perspective of the past. Write your past experiences with the future in mind. I know this sounds a bit crazy, but think about your next job. What kind of skills will your future employer want? Examples are, teamwork, communication, event planning, detail oriented, etc. Now, with that in mind, start your bullet with an action word that matches the skill. If you have your action-word aligned with your future employer’s favorite skill, now think of one task from your last job; not two or three or four. We are not summarizing our job tasks here. We are showcasing a specific set of skills and using our previous jobs to do that. Please don’t forget the outcome! I have seen many resumes simply forget the outcome. We are used to writing the tasks of our jobs. But the outcome is what makes the whole bullet sing your praises. What happened after you did the task? It doesn’t have to be that you increased revenue by 500% in the last quarter (unless you really did!). It just needs to be what happened next. For example, improved customer satisfaction, increased a positive team dynamic, streamlined processes for a faster result, etc. The most read bullet on a resume is Drum roll please the first bullet under your first experience. This sentence tends to be the most commonly read bullet on your entire resume. So if there is one bullet you might want to put the most attention to detail, it is this one. The first bullet needs to communicate to your true brilliance, your best accomplishment to date. For some reason, most people know what they are going to find in that first sentence (a task, a skill, etc) and its at the top of the page so our eyes naturally fall there first. So, this can determine whether the reader will skim anything else. The lesson, making sure that first sentence is excellent is a best practice on how to write a resume. Formatting is an important part of how to write a resume After reading the first bullet under the first experience, whatever the person reads next is subjective. Keep in mind though that a messy format can easily lose your ability to get into the ‘yes’ pile. All experiences need to look the same, have the title in the same spot, the company name in the same spot, the location, and dates ranges. This is so the reader can scan for information they want or is relevant to them. So, a consistent format can help serve a large audience, because no matter what they choose to look at next, the reader can find it easily. Sometimes less is more Remember, a resume is scanned, it is not read. This doesn’t get you out of figuring out how to write a resume with the best sentences because you don’t exactly know which sentence will be read. Also, the white space matters. Don’t cram as much as possible so that the reader has to strain to read the sentences. White spaces can also draw your eye. If the bullet looks easy to consume and not too wordy, it has a better chance of being read. Remember that you want to be able to talk about your experience, and if you are talking, you’re interviewing! I hope these resume writing tips help with the resume writing process. As always, Wolfgang Career Coaching can help you more with getting your great skills into a professionally written resume to make you stand out. If you don’t want to tackle it yourself, book with me and we can get started today! Side note: it’s true that keywords matter in this day and age. But nothing beats networking. So, where would I spend my time after the resume is networking! Think.Inspire.Change.Grow By Dawn Shaw|2017-07-18T15:14:51+00:00June 14th, 2017|Job Search, Resume|1 Comment