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Rather than a one-size-fits-all career histories approach, I like to think about these things:
How long is your resume? Share with us in the comments.
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I see this mistake all the time! Applicants think that employers won’t notice if they just copy and paste bullets from their resume into their cover letter. Guess what? It looks lazy!
But how can you figure out which information belongs in the resume versus the cover letter? The resume is where you want to showcase quantitative details, measurable outcomes, impressive clients, and company names. Think small bits of information that stand out. The cover letter is where you can expand on 2-3 qualitative accomplishments. You have more space and flexibility there, so you can give more context about where and how the accomplishment took place. Ideally, you’ll want to choose 2-3 examples of wins that directly relate to the job you’re targeting. Use the cover letter to go a bit more in depth about each of these, to show the employer how they directly relate to the role you’re applying to. So when deciding where and how to list a win.
Struggling to stay organized on your search? Huntr.co
If you’ve ever had trouble keeping track of your applications, Huntr.io can help! You can save job postings as you come across them, add notes, and categorize them once you’ve applied. They even have a chrome extension. Is your resume getting rejected? Jobscan If you suspect that your materials are getting screened out by robots, Jobscan is a great tool to see how well your materials match up to job postings. I recently worked with a client who was dead-set against having a skills section in their resume. They felt that it didn’t bring much to their materials. While a Skills/Expertise section isn’t needed for everyone, it can be useful if you’re transitioning to a new field. It’s also great to add if you’re applying online, since you’ll likely encounter Applicant Tracking Systems.
You can easily infuse keywords into your resume to bypass those screening tools.
Language like ‘team player’, ‘well-organized’, ‘effective leader’, are subjective. Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes good leadership and creativity.
Effective Leader => Forward-Thinking Leadership Team Player => Strategic Partnership Cultivator Creative Problem-Solver => Dynamic Product Management Want more ideas? Check out some examples on our Before & After page! When it comes to resume writing and job searching, your priority is to appeal specifically to the organizations and roles that will be a great fit for you.
Your materials should obviously cover the job requirements, but they should also align with the vibe and culture of the organization. So when thinking about whether to include gender pronouns or your vaccination status, there are 3 things to think about. > Consider your personal values. Are LGBTQ issues important to you? If so, you’ll want to work with an organization whose values align with yours. So don’t worry if including gender pronouns on your resume turns off some employers. Those companies won’t be right for you anyway. > Consider the region you’re applying in. If you live in a more conservative area and you’re targeting in-person roles, you’ll probably stand out from the pack if you add gender pronouns or vaccination status to your application. This is a simple way to appeal to more progressive employers, but it will quickly rule you out if you’re broadly applying at SMB companies. > Consider the culture of your target organizations. If you are dead set on working for a major multinational insurance company, you may not see a lot of their team members listing gender pronouns on LinkedIn. They may have a more conventional culture. If those are types of places that you’re targeting, tone down your personal values and politics in your materials. Especially if you’re feeling down or depressed. I know it feels counterintuitive, but this is so important. Even under non-pandemic conditions, the job search can be extremely isolating. Most of us tend to retreat socially when we’re feeling down, because we imagine that things will play out negatively. We think that people won’t want to hear from us, perhaps feeling like we don’t bring anything to the table. To top this off, most of us are more sensitive to feelings of rejection when we’re depressed or isolated. So it takes an extra dose of bravery to reach out to others.
Here’s are two simple strategies to counter this tendency: > Send 3 texts! In those fleeting moments where you’re feeling positive, hopeful, energetic or excited about the future, text 3 people to make plans. Whether for a zoom coffee or lunch on a heated outdoor patio, get yourself back into the swing of connecting with other people. The more people know that you’re open to opportunities, the more that they will be on the lookout for openings to connect you with. > Write a canned networking email so that you can send these emails out with less effort. See a sample below. Hi XXX, It’s been a long time! I hope all is well with you and <your partner, kids, dog, etc..>. I was reflecting recently on <your last interaction, with a few details.> I really valued your <input, attendance, participation, guidance.> I was wondering if you might be open to connect over coffee or zoom one of these days? <optional: I’d love to pick your brain about something I’m working on/considering, etc>. It’s common to get nervous about marketing yourself. Especially if you’re trying to switch fields or land a higher-level role, it’s tough to know how to highlight a certain skill or strength if it wasn’t the core part of your recent job. If you’re interested in working with a certain tool, platform or process and have some familiarity with it, it’s critically important that you highlight that information in your resume.
When planning to show a professional pivot or progression, a career summary could start with: ‘Aspiring Project Manager & Customer Success Specialist…’ ‘Junior Data Analyst & Marketing Specialist…’ ‘Recent Front-End Development Graduate with knowledge and experience with JavaScript, HTML, Bootstrap and JQuery…’ The goal is to weave together where you’ve been and where you’re headed. When we’re in a low point at work, it can be hard to trust our own ability to learn and grow. Remember that you are capable and intelligent! You are a work in progress, and your next job should give you the opportunity to continue to evolve professionally. If you’ve been contemplating a career pivot, starting a volunteer gig is a solid way to test the waters. VolunteerMatch a great site for finding local – and virtual - volunteer opportunities. You can search by organizational mission, role type or location.
There are over 380,000 virtual volunteer jobs listed. Of these, here are a few that stood out. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Project Manager at the American Red Cross Director of Partnerships at Pacific Bamboo Resources Product Manager at Democracy Lab If you’re feeling a little lost or directionless on the job hunt, career aptitude assessments are a great way to clarify what your unique talents are. Below are some great, free tools to check out.
HOLLAND CODE TEST Take this free quiz to assess your work-related interests and marketable skills. You can then use your results to get a list of recommended careers. Take the quiz Get your results PHOTO CAREER QUIZ This fast, simple assessment is great if you want fast results. It’s particular useful for those who prefer to process information visually. Pro Tip: Convert your photo quiz results to the Holland Code framework using the instructions below to get expanded career recommendations through onetonline.org Building = Realistic (R) | Thinking = Investigative (I) | Creating = Artistic (A) Helping = Social (S) | Persuading = Entrepreneurial (E) | Organizing = Conventional (C) Take the quiz Get your results VALUES ASSESSMENT A quick, free test that ranks the importance of different personal values. Note: You’ll need to create a free account to access this quiz. Take the quiz Get your results MYERS BRIGGS-STYLE ASSESSMENT This is a fun, free test to learn more about your temperament and personality. Once you receive your 4-letter code, click Get Results below for a list of careers. Take the quiz Get your results If you’ve been thinking about learning a new skill, or expanding on one, there’s never been a better time. The ClassCentral website is a goldmine of online learning. It’s a directory of thousands of courses, credentials and degree programs. Most are free to enroll in and almost all can be audited at no cost. This is a great way to bulk up a meager education section and professionalize your interests while incorporating critical keywords into your resume.
Here are a few free programs that stood out to me: |
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