A Great Resume Blog

You Sent In The Resume, Now What?

You sent the resume and cover letter, and you've been waiting and waiting but no one has called. Does this sound familiar? I bet it does .... that's what most job seekers do. I call those "passive" job seekers because they simply wait for things to happen, instead of making things happen.

Let's take a look at a few things you can do to make things happen for you!

1. First, pick up the phone and call the company - start with the Human Resources Department. Verify if they did, indeed, receive your resume. Maybe they didn't; offer to resend it via fax, e-mail, regular mail, drop it by the office!

If they have your resume, ask them where they are at in the interviewing stage. Perhaps they haven't even looked at resumes yet, let alone began interviewing. If you express interest, they are going to pull your resume out of the stack.

Find out if you can schedule a face-to-face or telephone interview with the HR Manager.

My best piece of advice is to find out who has the power to hire you, and go ahead and set up a meeting with this person... NOW. This means you are very interested in the job and company and aren't just "applying for a job."

Become aggressive. Do whatever it takes to start making connections in the company (ethically, of course).

Find out who you know who has connections to the company. Maybe your aunt or uncle has connections, your doctor, your lawyer, your next door neighbor, your tennis partner's wife's best friend's next door neighbor! Start making those links. This will enable you to speed up the process, and get your resume looked at now... You don't want your resume to go into the "Black Hole." If it does, it's more than likely forgotten forever.

The message is this... ethically do whatever it takes to get an "in" into the company by picking up the phone and calling people that work at the company, albeit it the HR Director, the person that would be your manager, the receptionist, the Customer Service Representative, etc.  Communication is POWER. Pursuing job leads and following up on resumes and cover letters are absolutely paramount.

Be an investigator - conduct an investigation to find out who you need to send the resume and cover letter too, before you hit the send button, the fax button, or seal the envelope. It's imperative. Never send your resume/cover letter to "To Whom It May Concern." It's just too easy to find out information in this day and age.

If you need help with your resume and cover letter, contact me - JoAnn Nix, at info@agreatresume.com or 1-800-265-6901. With 8,000 resumes to my credit, I can help.

Beyond The Resume....

The days of simply relying on a resume and cover letter to make a job seeker competitive and memorable in a sea of qualified candidates, are long gone. The problem lies in the fact that a huge majority of job seekers are not aware of this critical fact, or worse yet... ignore it and continue to hang on to outdated beliefs that a resume is the only tool they need to land awesome interviews.

My purpose in writing this article is to inform you that a resume is not good enough to sell you anymore, not in today's competitive job market. You may be losing job opportunities because you have not made yourself memorable, and the other candidates did.

Many candidates leave interviews believing they did a great job answering questions and asking questions in return. Then they are stunned to find out they weren't offered the job. Naturally, there many be several reasons that led to the decision, but one conclusion I have reached is the job seeker simply failed to provide enough concrete information and didn't take the critical steps to make themselves MEMORABLE.

Let's explore a few solutions that will make you memorable.

A BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT.  Did you develop an awesome philosophy statement that describes what you believe? Do the hiring managers now truly understand you?

A MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY. If you are a manager or executive, did you leave behind a comprehensive document spelling out your management philosophy?

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP ADDENDUM. Did you leave proof of your leadership experiences that state, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are a superb leader who effectively deals with crisis and business challenges? Did you show you have the intelligence to lead major companies through all types of business events and problems? Are they now clear about your talents in these areas?

PROJECT SUCCESSES. Did you succinctly outline your projects and successes - did you tap into the company's pain and provide solutions?

PROBLEM / RESOLUTION. Did you outline ways you will hit the ground running to resolve their company and industry problems?

REFERENCE DOSSIER. Did you provide a superb dossier with critical reference letters, performance appraisal comments, and other words echoed among your colleagues that illustrate you are a super star?

KUDOS / ACCOLADES PORTFOLIO. Did you bring any proof to the interview that you have been acknowledged for your successes?

ACHIEVEMENT PROFILE. Did you leave any proof with lasting memories that you have been successful? Did the interviewers "get" your successes?

CD-s, POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS. Many people are visual so using PowerPoint presentations to illustrate key talking points is a good idea. Leaving a CD behind with different career information is a powerful marketing tool and certainly will make you memorable.

BIO. In addition to the resume, use a Bio, a quick snapshot of your career.

EXCERPTS FROM CAREER ASSESSMENT TOOLS. Sort through career assessment tools and select key statements that will be of value to your prospective employers. This is "back up" information to support your career.

These are just a FEW of the marketing tools you can incorporate into your job search to make you viewed as a VERY TALENTED & MEMORABLE CANDIDATE, and to separate you from other candidates.

In today's technology-driven era, a job seeker can't afford to ignore these tools. Resumes just aren't enough to sell your VALUE to target employers. Competition grows every day and you need to out-think and out-smart your competition.

Blogs, personal job seeking websites, and e-portfolios are becoming more mainstream. Integrate them into your job search.

I would encourage you to highly consider many of these solutions to grab and keep the attention of prospective companies. You will need to make a monetary investment in these solutions, but it's critical to your success.

Go "Beyond the Resume" and experience success!

If you have any questions or need help with any of these solutions, contact me at info@agreatresume.com or 1-800-265-6901. JoAnn Nix, Certified Professional Resume Writer

Obvious Job Search Techniques - But Often Ignored

Sometimes it's very easy to overlook the obvious, regardless of your situation. When job searching, candidates are focused on the very big picture and loose site of the obvious and simple things. Here's a few tips that have huge impact on your success if they are not overlooked and neglected.

Voicemail/Phone Messages.

It's rather difficult for someone to return a job candidate's phone call when they can't understand the phone number (or worse yet, there is no phone number, or no area code!). Most people state their phone number so rapidly, it's impossible to understand it. Have you had this happen to you?

No one likes to listen to a message over and over to figure out a phone number. Bottom-line, state your phone number very slowly .... take a quick breath between each number & repeat it twice -- at the beginning so no one has to listen to a L-O-N-G message several times to write down the number. Repeat it at the end of your message.

"This is JoAnn Nix, 1-800-265-6901. I'm returning your call from this morning. My number is 1-800-265-6901. It's best to reach me between 1-4 Central Time today."

Don't assume someone will know your area code. If this person doesn't know you and yet you live in the same city, your odds of receiving a return phone message will be greater if you leave your area code. Make it easy for the other person to call you.

Get to the Point!

Be succinct! Do not ramble! Don't fill the voice message with non-important information. Write down your message if necessary. People do not have time nor patience to listen to long rambling messages that have no value or content. Be very precise.

State Your Name

Many people have a difficult time understanding people's names. State your name very clearly and spell it if necessary. Many names sound alike. It's really bad to return someone's call and you don't even know their name because you could not understand what they were saying.

Sending a Resume - Follow Up

Be aggressive. Period! If you send out a resume, then follow up, follow up, follow up. Do whatever you possibly can to talk to someone who has the power to hire you or speak to someone in HR. Whatever you need to do, convince someone to go get your resume out of the stack and start the wheels of progress moving in your favor. Be B-O-L-D... pick up the phone and talk to someone in the company. Many of my clients do this and guess what.... they get interviews! Take action.

Don't Rely on the Internet!!

This is by far the single most damaging thing a job seeker can do. The odds of getting an interview is one in a million. Your resume is only one of several thousand. Companies are simply not going to print out or read thousands of resumes on a daily basis, it's just not going to happen.

So what do you do instead? You network :) 86% of people receive interviews and job offers this way. If you want to use the Internet, only devote 1 or 2 hours a NIGHT doing this and then devote the daytime hours to networking.  The payoffs are handsome! :)

These are just a couple of quick tips that can have a profound impact in your job search. If you have any questions, let me know. JoAnn Nix, info@agreatresume.com, 1-800-265-6901

Tips on Holiday Job Searching

Now that Thanksgiving is only days away and December is fast approaching, the majority of job seekers will be shutting down their job search and reviving it on January the 2nd. Most job seekers put their job search on hold based on a myth that companies do not hire employees during the holidays. Let me assure you that, indeed, companies DO hire employees during the holiday season.

In fact, searching for career opportunities at the end of the year can work very well for you. Here are several reasons this time of the year is an exceptional time to search for opportunities.

1. Employers and hiring decision makers are in the holiday spirit, more willing to speak with candidates via networking meetings in their office. The office environment is somewhat more relaxed and the holiday spirit is truly in the air, hence their schedules are not quite so demanding and they are in a festive mood. Take advantage of this - set up as many meetings as you possibly can before everyone's schedule becomes highly demanding in January and professionals return "back to business."

2. Companies are finalizing their plans for 2006 - you need to be a part of their plans! They are contemplating their staffing needs for next year and finalizing their budgets. There is a sense of urgency among companies to fill vacant positions before the surge in business in January. A lot of people resign their jobs in December as they want to take off several weeks in December before launching a January job search.

Tips on Holiday Searching.

1. Be visible. If you are invited to social gatherings, go! Speak to many people at social gatherings - don't talk shop very much. Just introduce yourself, learn about the person's work, ask permission to follow up in the next few days and do so ... again and again. Network at the meeting, get people to introduce you to others. Don't try to hand out business cards and focus on work. You are not there to try to land interviews. Perhaps you could have a small notebook to jot down notes or collect their business cards IF they have one available. Don't be pushy. Ask your host or hostess later for the person's name and contact information. Remember, the people are there to relax and have fun, not focus heavily on business.

2. Beef up your networking activities since more business people and executives are in the office this time of the year. Use this time to your advantage.

3. Get your resume prepared or updated, create your own blog and/or e-portfolio, prepare your career marketing documents NOW. Hire a Career Coach now - improve your job search techniques, your interviewing skills, and other career tools. Don't wait until January. Take advantage of the slower month of December to accelerate your job search in January.

4. Coordinate your own holiday parties - invite people you would like to get to know better; those who can contribute to your job search. Think outside of the box so you will be memorable; you never know when one of your guests may have a job opening perfect for you.

5. Do some holiday volunteer work - it's good for your spirit and affords you an opportunity to visit with other people.

6. Be flexible during the holiday season. Would you turn down an interview on December 23 or 24? Many recruiters report finalizing deals with companies and candidates right before Christmas. Several of my clients in the last 13 years have landed jobs on Christmas Eve because they were willing to be flexible in their schedule. You could win a job simply because you were happy to meet with a company or negotiate a deal when other job candidates were inflexible.

My best advice is to work even harder than before on your job search. If you don't land a job during the holiday, you have surely planted many seeds for January. Nurture those seeds in January ... it's the beginning of something great!

If you need assistance putting together a holiday job search strategy, let me know and I can help you. JoAnn Nix, info@agreatresume.com

Be An Assertive Job Seeker

There are two types of job seekers - those who are passive and those who are aggressive, action-oriented, active, visible, and make great things happen. The passive job seeker tends to spend countless hours at their computer posting their resume to job boards and scouring the Internet for open job opportunities. Guess which type of job seeker lands interviews and job offers faster? You guessed it - it's the aggressive job seeker.

Aggressive doesn't mean a job seeker is outright demanding, rude, thoughtless, insensitive of other people's time and career/life demands, bullies people into speaking with him/her, or walks all over people, so to speak. Aggressive in this sense simply means a job seeker knows what they need and want and takes every ethical action possible to achieved desired results. Aggressive job seekers don't simply send out six resumes in six months (or even six resumes in one month) and hope and pray someone will call them.

Aggressive job seekers are out in the market speaking with people on a daily basis, consistently -- they gather information on industries, trends, problems and form new relationships. They attend professional meetings to interact with other people with common backgrounds. They know it has a huge pay off.

They realize even unemployed people have valuable information. They don't avoid them simply because they do not work currently. They connect with recruiters. They connect with past and present co-workers, speak with friends, relatives, neighbors, and people they interact with (i.e. people they may play golf or tennis with, volunteers they work with, parents of their children, someone who provides a service to them, etc.).

An aggressive job seeker should have so many activities and leads, it would be a challenge to juggle them all! That's an aggressive job seeker.

Aggressive job seekers do not sit around and wait for their phone to ring or check their e-mail every hour. They are carving their own way through the job search maze and are typically very satisfied with their job search results. They also realize every person they meet can be an excellent source of information. They realize standing in a grocery check out line is an opportunity or speaking with the person next to them on an airplane is an opportunity. Why -- because these people may know people they should know or have valuable information.

They have a stack of personal business cards ready to distribute at all times and they carry a notebook handy to collect information notes and follow up.  They make themselves memorable.

They are totally different from the passive job seeker who firmly believes the golden job opportunity IS going to be sent via e-mail. They are devoted to using the Internet 8-12 hours a day falsely believing the magic job is ON the Internet and if they search the Internet long enough, it will appear. They don't give up on this idea. They don't believe in networking - they think networking with unemployed people or networking with people in general is a waste of time. They don't realize the unemployed individuals could have connections to a great lead.

For example, perhaps an unemployed person's spouse could be a recruiter, an HR person, or simply have knowledge or other connections that would be valuable. It's really silly to believe an unemployed person is of no use. Maybe an unemployed person spoke with a recruiter or company and wasn't interested in the position, but promised to tell others about the position. Never discount the VALUE of an unemployed person - they are out in the job market too collecting information and speaking with people - they may of great value to your job search.

There are additional differences between an aggressive and passive job seeker. The question is, "What type are you?" If you are not happy with your job search results, what can you do to change your course of direction? How can you become a very aggressive and enthusiastic job seeker? What steps can you take today to initiate change?

As a Career Coach with 13 years of experience, I'd be happy to discuss this issue with you and see how I can help you. Contact me, JoAnn Nix, at info@agreatresume.com or 1-800-265-6901. I'd love to discuss this with you.

Comebacks for "You're Overqualified!!!"

Has anyone ever made this statement to you, "You are overqualified for the job"? Isn't that rather frustrating - you know you can do the job extraordinarily well - so why did this person just make this statement?

Here's why...

This statement is a disguise - it doesn't have to do with your qualifications, knowledge, or talent. It's a catch-all phrase used to avoid being candid because the company has fears about hiring you or saw or heard something they simply did not like. They view hiring you as a RISK.

If they saw something or heard a job candidate say something they simply didn't like (such as a person looking totally unkempt, or maybe the candidate made some inappropriate statement about religion or politics), there's not much the job candidate can do at that point. So, they will drag out the, "You are overqualified statement." It's ambiguous. (I could write an article on this topic, but we will leave it as is.)

When an interviewer makes this statement, it basically means they think you have too many years of experience, you want too much money, your education is more than what is required, or they see the job as being a step down from where you are now in your career and are afraid you will jump ship.

Conversely, maybe they didn't like the clothes you wore to the interview, maybe one of your references did not have tremendously glowing comments about you, there may be many other reasons. However, the company will NEVER say, "Well, it looked like you slept in your suit last night," or "One of your references must have been having a bad day." So hence the old "you are overqualified" statement is used.

Because they view hiring you as a RISK, you will need to break down the walls and overcome their "fear." Find out what they mean, drill down and find out the real reason they make this statement. Then eliminate their fear. Do the best you can to find the source of this statement.

Let's suppose you went to an interview and the job was a perfect match, or so you thought.  A week has passed and you reconnect with the interviewer. You are told, "We feel you are overqualified for the job." Here are a few comebacks to use, design these "ideas" around your particular situation. Don't simply use the statements as is.

1. Most people would say that I am NOT overqualified but FULLY qualified. May I ask you a question - could you please tell me the problem you have with someone doing the job BETTER than you expected?

2. Are you concerned about hiring someone with solid experience and credentials? What if I worked for you for a month absolutely free? That would give you a chance to see my work and see how I can resolve your problems with XXX. I can hit the ground running and I will require very minimal management whereas a less experienced person would need a lot of guidance and handholding. What do you think of my proposal?

3.  You sound concerned you think I may jump ship when someone else discusses another job opportunity with me. Is that correct?  The job we are discussing is so attractive to me I will sign a contract committing to stay with your company for one year.  How else can I persuade you I'm the best person for this role?

4. It's true; I've worked at a higher level position than this current role. I'm looking for a challenging position that is somewhat less demanding than my current job. I need more of a work/life balance. This is the perfect job for me. Do you need to know about my qualifications and how I can resolve your problems with XXX?

5. Salary is not my top priority at this stage in my life. My children have recently graduated college and I am moving into a smaller home. What else do you need to know?

6. Or... You are correct. I bring too much to the table for this position. Would you be willing to speak with me about an appropriate position when one is available?

Use these six comeback statements to fit your particular need. Do the best you can to drill down and REALLY find the reason behind their statement, then present your case ... again. :)

JoAnn Nix, Certified Professional Resume Writer and Career Coach

Why You Should Select an Industry

"It doesn't matter to me what industry I am in," is a sentiment I hear from 90% of job seekers. My words of wisdom: "It does matter. It matters a lot!"

If you don't know what industry you want to be in or say you are suited for any industry, it's going to make your job search last longer and be more difficult. Compare your job search to dominos that are lined up and about to be pushed over. The first domino would have the word "city" written on it, the second domino would have the word "industry" written on it, the third would have "company", the fourth "contact," and the fifth "job opportunity."

In my mind, knowing what industry a job seeker wants to be in makes a job search much easier. You can figure out what companies are in the industry, you can locate the industry players, you can identify people within those companies, and your efforts will lead to interviews, network opportunities, and finally a job offer. I always say "focus, focus, focus" brings results "faster, faster, faster."

If you don't have an idea of what industry you would want to be in, conduct Internet research. Go to google.com or your favorite search engine and do research - type in "hot industries, thriving industries, best industries to work in, etc." Speak to everyone you know - colleagues, peers, friends, relatives, etc. Read key business newspapers and journals such as The New York Times and Business Journal. Be an active blogger. Maybe you might consider taking career assessments. There are countless ways to determine what industries exist and ways to conduct research. Be inquisitive, ask questions. Know what industries are "hot" and which ones are dying on the vine. Ask people in those industries what credentials one would need to enter the industry.  Talk to people in all types of industries. Gather information to make sound decisions.

Here is a link that provides you with a complete list of industries:

Country Analysis - Industries

If you state "any industry will work for me," I encourage you to reconsider so you can be on the right path to career success. Having a road map is important to your job search success.

In summary, as a Career Coach, I believe that identifying an industry you want to be in is CRITICAL to your fast job search success. In my mind, it's really "everything", it's the stepping stone to all other links - companies, contacts, job offers.

If you need help in this area or have questions, send me an e-mail. JoAnn at info@agreatresume.com.

The Real Benefit of Professional Organizations

Professional organizations are vital to our careers. The question I have for you is this: How many professional organizations do you belong to? If the answer is zero, I encourage you to consider joining one or two professional organizations now!

Joining professional organizations will provide you with an opportunity to network with people who have very similar career backgrounds. Joining an organization will enable you to talk with others who may be excellent resources for informational interviewing, strategic job search planning, company information, new contacts, and much more. You will be interacting with people who are knowledgeable about the industry, key players, companies, and perhaps job openings.

Moreover, you will have an opportunity to post your resume on the association's website and use their database to network via e-mail or phone. They may have an e-list or blog where you can gain more information. They may have an industry conference, another phenomenal opportunity for you to meet others and expand your network. In short, it gives you dozens of opportunities to connect with people in your industry. There's nothing better than that! It's faster than networking one-on-one. Most people find it easier to network this way than the one-on-one method.

Another advantage is the opportunity to become visible in the organization. When you join, don't hide... volunteer your services and become very ACTIVE. Join committees and volunteer your talents, time, and energy. You will soon become very valued and KNOWN.

If you're not a member of any organization, I encourage you to investigate a few and then decide to join one or two... and become ACTIVE and visible!! It's important to your career. And it will look great on your resume as well!

If you have any questions, let me know. JoAnn Nix

What It Takes To Get Ahead in Today's Competitive Job Market

In today's  competitive job market, it takes a monetary investment in a resume, cover letter, and coaching coupled with an investment of time, energy, and networking to get ahead. Job seekers who make these investments are far more productive in their job search than their counterparts who are not investing dollars into their career search or investing time, energy, and networking.

Not only does a job seeker need to invest in a professional resume and cover letter, but they need to invest in additional career documents that will give them a clear advantage over competitors. These documents could include an Executive Summary, a Recruiter Recruiter, a Recruiter Cover Letter, a Networking Letter, Follow Up Letters, Hiring Proposals, Resurrection Letters, Targeted Cover Letters, Critical Leadership Addendum, Business Challenge Summary, Achievement Profiles, and more.

Job seekers should also invest in the following:

• Career Coaching to strengthen their skills in interviewing, salary negotiations, and networking.
• A Personal Blog to build your Internet presence and show you are a thought leader and savvy about your career, industry, etc.
• An on line Portfolio to build your Internet presence and go well beyond a resume to showcase your career history. You must be have an on line presence to attract HR Managers, Recruiters, and Executives who "Google" you.
• New clothing for your job search may be an investment you need to make.
• Perhaps a trip to your dentist or hairdresser may be in order.
• Perhaps you will need to visit an attorney to review any agreements between you and your prospective employer.
• Maybe you need to invest in child care services so you can seriously conduct research, informational interviews, and go to network meetings. This is a critical investment you may need to consider. If you're currently unemployed and have children at home, it may be difficult to devote sufficient time to your job search without some assistance.

As you see, a professional resume is not the only investment you really need to make in your job search. There are other things to take into consideration as well. Taking the time to network and attend professional meetings will have huge payoffs on your investment of time and energy.

Consider everything you need for your career search. Know upfront that you must make a substantial monetary and time investment. Invest in a high-caliber resume and other documents. Yes, you will have to spend some dollars, but if you spent $250 on a professional resume (or whatever the investment--I'm just using a number I selected!), realize that the return on investment is HUGE! What if you landed a job and got $1,000 additional salary per year, that's a big return. What if that $250 investment helped you land an additional $2,000 or $5,000 or $10,000 in salary? Wouldn't it be worth it? Sure!!!

Savvy job seekers know that to get ahead, they have to make a size able investment. Investing in your job search will reap rewards - usually thousands of dollars in a higher salary, better benefits, a better job with more challenges or responsibilities, more vacation time, less work hours... the payoffs are great... the investment is low.

If you need help with any of these documents or solutions, just call me at 1-800-265-6901 or e-mail me at info@ageratum.com and let's discuss your investment and what you need to get ahead in today's competitive job market. Joann Nix

Avoid These E-Mail Pitfalls When Job Searching

I want to share a few pitfalls I think job seekers need to avoid when using e-mail. Since I am on the other side of the job search and review countless resumes daily, here's what I believe are pitfalls.

1. Selection of e-mail address. So many e-mail addresses are totally unfit for use in job searches. For example, e-mail addresses like wildwoman@xxx.com, fatboy@xxx.com, sillygirl@xxx.com, or 387342ch@xxx.com, or ilovewhiskey@xxx.com are not suited for job searching. You want to portray yourself as a top-flight professional at all times, even in e-mail communications. It may not cause your resume to be shredded to pieces, but it does raise some eyebrows if you use a non-professional e-mail address. I would say that 60% of the e-mail addresses I review daily are not based on a person's name.

My recommendations: Use your name - sarahjones@xxx.com, sjones@xxx.com, sarahjones1@xxx.com. It's easier to remember and makes you stand out.

2. Also, using "1" or "L" can be difficult to distinguish. So be careful about this. You want your e-mail address to be EASY to read and type, not confusing. I've seen an e-mail address like this, honest.... SJCl1l1lll@xxx.com. Do you think that person is going to receive replies? Probably not, or only if they hit the "reply to" selection.

3. Avoid using the year you were born as part of your e-mail. I've see e-mail addresses like this: tomjones1941@xxx.com. That's not a good idea.

4. Leaving the subject line empty or writing vague messages may cause your e-mail to remain unopened. The more specific you are in your subject line, the better chance the e-mail will be read.Sample subject lines could be:

Resume for Tom Jones Attached

Confirming our August 12th Interview Meeting

Please Review My Confidential Resume

5. Last, if you are going to e-mail someone and communicate with them, by all means include a message! Tell the person what you want them to do, the action you would like for them to take. Be courteous. Be professional. For example:

"I found your website through google.com. I'd like to discuss my resume with you. I may be reached at xxx-xxx-xxx between the hours of 8-5 EST. Thank you."

or

"I'm sending you a quick note to confirm our interview appointment Friday, August 12, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. I look forward to our meeting. Could you please take a moment to confirm?"

Avoiding these e-mail pitfalls could lead you to success!

JoAnn Nix, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP, CCMC, CBPS