Yahoo recently announced they would fire their CEO four months into his tenure after it was revealed that his resume had some “inconsistencies” with his academic credentials. If you haven’t read the stories, his bio at Yahoo lists his undergrad degrees as Accounting and Computer Science, but he only has an Accounting degree.

There are a few varying stories regarding whether or not Scott Thompson submitted a falsified resume to Yahoo. He says he didn’t even submit a resume, and his interview and subsequent hiring were based on his body of work and his background (he was the former President of PayPal and has served as director at several other companies, so he has extensive leadership experience). But CNN reported that Yahoo’s annual report filed with the SEC falsely listed the Computer Science degree – and this is a problem because the CEO is required to personally sign the document and attest to its truthfulness.

A fraudulent can cost you your job and reputation

Regardless of whether or not Thompson submitted the false resume, his official bio contained false information – and that lead to his dismissal as CEO. (To be fair – there is a lot going on behind the scenes here, as the investigation was prompted by some minority shareholders who wanted representation on the board). But the fact remains, that Thompson likely would have gotten the job without the false information in his resume or bio, and there probably wouldn’t have been any reason to fire him 4 months into his tenure.

Resume Fraud Can Cost You a Job – and More

Scot Thompson lost his job – and his severance (Thompson was, however, able to keep $7 million worth of signing bonuses and stock grants – not bad for 4 months work).

I’m sure Scott Thompson will land on his feet. He has an extensive leadership background and continues to serve in other leadership capacities. In the grand scheme of things, this likely won’t prevent him from finding another job. It does however, create some long term problems with credibility. Many corporations and boards place a high value on ethics, and being caught in a fraudulent scandal will automatically cross him off the list at some companies. So he will likely find work, but not as easily as he may have otherwise done it without this hanging over his head.

It’s not just high ranking people who falsify their resumes and bios. The same thing can happen to you if you submit a fraudulent resume for a job application. Most companies and hiring managers do some sort of background check when they hire employees. It may be as basic as a criminal background check, or, for higher level positions, it can be as deep as a full background check, including verifying your resume and educational background.

The safe thing – both professionally and morally – is to always be truthful when writing your resume. The last thing you want is to be hired, only to be fired shortly afterward for a fraudulent resume. You would not only ose the job you just got, but potentially lose out on other positions, either those which you declined interviews for after you got hired at your new job, or from other companies which would decline to even interview you if they got wind of your lack of ethics when you applied to your former postion. And don’t dismiss the last possibility – some industries are very tight and many of them have contacts at other companies. I’ve worked in some of those industries where news travels very quickly and it is easy to see your professional stock rise or drop very quickly.

Falsifying your resume is just not worth damaging your personal or professional reputation.

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It is not uncommon to feel a degree of burnout on the job. After awhile, it’s difficult to go in to work day in and day out. Additionally, you might find yourself feeling sluggish, and unmotivated. Feeling burned out happens to all of us sometimes. I work from home, and there are times that I feel burned out on writing. I like what I do, but sometimes I just feel unmotivated.

Are you flaming out?

The good news is that many of us go through spates of job burnout, and then recover. Others, though, find that it’s a little bit harder to recover from feelings of burnout on the job. Some of the reasons that burnout can become a real and lasting problem. As you contemplate how your work might be holding you back, consider whether or not you are experiencing burnout as the result of one of the following:

Working Overtime

Sometimes it’s not so much the work, as the amount of it that you are doing. Perpetually working long hours is a way to experience burnout. If you are 50, 60, or 70 hours a week (or more!), your job begins to feel as though it is taking over your life. A few months ago, I realized that I didn’t have time to do anything for me because I was working so much. Being able to step back and reduce my workload really helped. You need to have a life outside work, and working so much can start to wear you down.

Repetitive Tasks

Many people prefer work that allows them to do different tasks, and provides some variety in their day. When work becomes to repetitive, and loses its challenge and interest, it’s easy to become burned out. Consider your career strategy. It might be that you are failing to prepare yourself for the next step, and that you have become stuck in a job that looks the same every day. If you are feeling unmotivated and burned out, it could be due to the repetitive nature of the work.

Office Politics

Even if you love your work, it’s possible that you can become burned out if the people around you are difficult to deal with. Office politics can cause burn out. Trying to keep out of the fray, and trying to maneuver the political landscape at work can be emotional draining — not to mention a real damper on productivity. Many people find ways to be productive and avoid office politics by telecommuting at least two or three days a week. With technology being what it is, it makes sense to consider whether or not you could telecommute and avoid some of the burnout from office politics.

Balancing Your Life

In a lot of ways, burnout is about an imbalance somewhere between your life and work. Take a step back and try to pinpoint what, exactly, is bothering you about your job. If you can find a way to decrease the problems you are having, there is a good chance that you will be happier in your work, as well as in other areas of your life.

Photo credit: shoothead

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Most of us dream of a time when we no longer have to work. It’s the ideal dream: No work responsibilities. However, a life without work might not be your ideal life after all. Working, whether you work from home, or whether you drive into work, your job might actually be benefitting you.

The benefits of work go beyond just the mere fact of cash flow management. Working isn’t only about receiving the money necessary to buy the things you need in your life. And it isn’t just about being able to afford your wants. Your well-being is also tied to work. Here are some ways that work can benefit you:

Keep Your Brain Active

Working is good for the mind, body, and soul.

When you are working, you have something for your brain to do. Keeping your brain active is an important part of staving off dementia and other issues. If all you do is sit around, drinking lemonade and watching the neighbors, your brain could deteriorate faster. Work can provide a challenge for your brain, and keep it active, improving your mental health.

Some Stress is Good for You

There are some indications that there are types of stress that are actually good for you. Constantly being “stressed out” probably isn’t good for you, but some level of stress can encourage you to improve performance, work better, and even provide you with feelings of accomplishment and even happiness. Work can help you learn to direct your energies, and help you manage your stress, in ways that ultimately help you down the road. If you never have any stress, there is very little to propel you to achieve — and to enjoy the happiness of feeling like you’ve done something worthwhile.

Social Interaction for Emotional Health

Social interaction is important to our emotional health as human beings. Social interaction can help you feel better about yourself, as well as help keep you from suffering in other ways. When some people stop working, they can feel depressed, and unconnected. Sometimes, even though I have work, I feel this way because I work from home, in isolation. I manage these feelings by connecting with people online, and making it a point to enjoy social interactions offline as well.

Going to work can provide you with a place to regularly associate with others, and to feel connected to the world around you. Your emotional well-being can be enhanced, and you can feel happier and more fulfilled when you have these connections.

A Sense of Purpose

Many of us are happier in our lives and in ourselves with a sense of purpose. Work can provide that, as well as provide you with an income. You have a reason to get up in the morning, and you have something to accomplish. Work can drive you to get more done, and to manage your time better so that you can accomplish other important things. Many people find that, when they don’t have work, they lose the drive to do anything productive. Sometimes, work provides that sense of purpose that can help you move on in your life.

While there are ways to get these other benefits without working at a traditional job, for many people work is one of the most natural and easy ways to reap some of these benefits. What do you think? Do you benefit from work?

Photo credit: MTAPhotos

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I recently published a long resume writing guide and received an interesting e-mail response from a hiring manager at a large multi-national company. He sent me a few notes about how he screens resumes to find job applicants for his short list of interview candidates. I then followed up with an e-mail interview which follows the explanation of his resume screening process.

If you are searching for a job, then I think you will find this information in this article and interview very enlightening. It gives you some inside information as to what hiring managers are really looking for when they screen resumes, and some mistakes to avoid. The author of this information requested to remain anonymous, as he does not want to appear to be acting as a spokesperson for his company. That said, I can tell you he works for a major company and has been on the hiring side of the table for over two decades.

Take it away:

What Hiring Managers Look For When Screening Resumes

How hiring managers screen resumes

I am one of those guys who is reading between 50 to 150 resumes for a job opening. This is the number I see after the automated filters and the additional screening by the HR department before the resumes get to me. My goal is to find four or five very good interview candidates.

Round One. I do a first pass through the resumes giving each about thirty to sixty seconds to make it to the next round. The first pass focuses on the eliminating the mass marketed resume and obvious skills to job mismatches.

1.  If the resume is an obvious mass marketing device then it doesn’t make it to the second round. I have spent one to two hours creating a posting based upon the specific tasks that need to be performed and the skills I desire the applicant to possess. Even if the applicant meets most of the job posting requirements the mass marketed resume has told me they don’t pay attention to detail and my assumption is that trait will carry over to their actual job performance.
2. If the applicant’s skills are an obvious mismatch for the posted job opening then it doesn’t make it to the second round.

Round Two. About 40 to 50 percent of the resumes survive the first round. The second round examines how well the applicant matches the job posting. During this round I eliminate additional resumes and begin ranking the applicants suitability.

1. Find more mismatches and these are eliminated.
2. The rest are divided into approximately the same size groups of high, medium and low rated resumes. This is where attention to detail comes into play. Has the applicant addressed everything in the job posting or have they fixated on one or two items. I have hired the less experienced (or no experience) applicant when they showed that they have considered the whole job posting versus a couple of aspects of it.

Round Three. The third round begins with a thorough review of all the second round highest rated resumes. I then rate these on a one to five scale based upon the applicant’s overall suitability to the job posting. I will forward the best resumes to another person to review and make sure that they agree with my assessment that this is a good group of interview candidates. Normally, I don’t have to go to the second round medium rated resumes to find enough interview candidates. At this point the interviews can be arranged.

Interview with a Hiring Manager:

Will your resume be on top?

Q: How long, on average, does it take you to whittle down a list of resumes into a short list of interview candidates?

A: If there are 100 resumes it takes me approximately 3 hours to get down to 5 interview candidates.

Q: Do you ever toss out resumes without reading them because they are formatted poorly?

A: Not so much due to formatting because our corporate system forces all resumes into a similar format.  However, I delete without reading in depth due to the following:

• The first being the logic is just hard to follow.  This usually happens when the resume writer does not stick to chronological or task based resume but mixes the two.
• The second is when I have to decipher what the resume writer is trying to convey.  Especially resumes that have a lot of acronyms without spelling them out.  Even though I am interviewing Quality Assurance personnel for NASA programs not all NASA centers or NASA programs use the same acronyms.
• The third is when I have to hunt through very long paragraphs to determine if the resume writer meets the requisition requirements.

Q: Based on your responses, it appears as though you recommend creating a completely unique resume for each job application.

A: I recommend keeping a master resume and tailoring it for each job requisition.  Normally this means adding or beefing up items stressed in the requisition.

Q: Does your system allow for applicants to submit separate resumes for different jobs, or can they only upload one resume? Does this factor into your decision making process?

A: Our system allows for the applicant to do both:  either submit unique resumes for each requisition or to submit the same resume for multiple requisitions.  I normally don’t know if the applicant has used the resume for other job postings in our company.  However, if the resume does not resonate with the requisition as previously noted then it doesn’t get through my screening process.

Q: Do you ever screen applicants with Google or another search engine once you narrow down your short list of resumes? If so, what kind of information would either kick a candidate off your list, or move them up a notch or two?

A: I have never used a search engine to narrow my list.

Q: Do you ever use LinkedIn to check up on applicants? If so, how do LinkedIn profiles and recommendations change your opinion of job applicants?

A: No.

Q: Does any non-work related information on a resume influence your decision to call in a candidate for an interview? Things such activities outside the workplace, education, military experience, hobbies, etc.?

A: No.

Q: Are there any other tips you can give job applicants to 1) avoid having their resume tossed almost immediately, or 2) help them make the cut to the interview round?

A: The scenario I have been addressing is when I have posted a requisition advertising an actual job opening with a listing of the skill and tasks required for the successful candidate to perform.  Therefore, the resume writer has been handed an outline to write their resume.  Make sure you read the requisition completely and address all items.  To my thinking, if the applicant hasn’t taken the time to thoroughly read and respond to the items listed then that person will not pay attention to details if hired.  Note: I do toss resumes when they just parrot back the requisition phrases or buzz words without giving concrete examples of their work.

Recap – How to Make it onto the Short List

Writing a winning resume takes work. It starts with crafting a resume specifically for the job you are applying for, then using the keywords and descriptions to help your resume make it through the automated filters. Then you need to make it through Round One, which is the HR review. Most HR reps aren’t familiar with the specific tasks in the job requirements, so they are looking for the basics. If you pass the basic ‘eye” test, you can make it to the hiring manager’s desk. Even then, you may face long odds, as this hiring manager stated that receiving 50-150 resumes per job posting is the norm, even after automated filters and additional HR screening.

At this point, you need to have your ducks in a row, because a hiring manager can’t spend more than a few moments per resume in the first few rounds of screening. Format, spelling, grammar, and attention to detail are essential.

Keep these other items in mind when writing your resume:

• Respect the hiring manager’s time. They often spend several hours creating the job requisition, then several more screening applicants.
• You don’t have a lot of time to make an initial impression. You usually have less than a minute to make an impression, and sometimes only a few seconds.
• Create a master resume, the tailor it for the specific job for which you are applying.
• Pay attention to detail! This goes for spelling and formatting, as well as meeting the job requirements.
• Always define acronyms; don’t take it for granted the hiring manager knows what you are referring to.

There are a lot of excellent takeaways from this article and interview, and if you are job searching, then it would be a good idea to read this through this several times, or to print this (we have a print function after the article).

Final note: Each industry and hiring manager is different, but most of these tips are applicable across industries. Always use your knowledge of your industry as your guide.

Photo credits: iStockPhoto, quinn.anya

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The job market is improving, but it is still extremely competitive. If you are unemployed the best thing to do is stay busy doing all you can to make yourself stand out above the rest. If you are putting 100% of your energy into your job search, it will seem as though looking for a job is a JOB! And it is.

I am a recruiter and I understand how frustrating it can be for people… I wish I could help everyone but I can’t. Here are some tips to understand how recruiters help job seekers, and what you can do to improve your odds of finding a job.

The Role of Staffing Agencies

A staffing agency can open doors

Many people have misconceptions about staffing agencies and job recruiters. If you expect a staffing company to just have a job for you, you may be in for a surprise. It doesn’t work like that. We are contracted with clients to find “the best” for them. Just like any other job you have to go through the same process of submitting a resume and interviewing. However, using a job placement service can be beneficial because we can market candidates on another level more personally, either directly to HR department or the hiring manager.

Unemployment is Tough, but there is Hope

I have been unemployed, so I understand what it feels like to send out resumes but never hear back. Working with a placement agency isn’t a magic bullet, but it may help you get more feedback on your applications. The most rewarding aspect of my job is helping as many people as I can get back to work, especially if the job is the “right fit ” for them. A lot of people lose sight of it in our industry and only look at the money. But what matters is the people we are helping.

The best thing to do when looking for work is keep your skills up, take free online tutorials, get certifications, and network, network, network! As everyone sees in today’s economy – it is who you know, not what you know!

On Changing jobs

You don’t want to be labeled as a job hopper, but taking a temporary job until you find your career job isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many employers are understanding, especially in this economy. The key is to keep things reasonable and not be a serial job hopper. Some employers are very picky when it comes to job hoppers, and can afford to be choosy because the market is so saturated with qualified workers.

Personality Fit and other Intangibles are More Important than You Think

In some industries, the individual with the personality that is most in-line with the company culture is going to get the job 9 times out of 10 over the person with more experience. Why? Because you can teach someone how to use systems, perform specific tasks, etc. But you can’t train workers to develop a better personality.

Think about this any time you do interview, and be yourself. Just connect with the employer, let them know what you have to offer them, and don’t over analyze things. Another note on interviews: everyone who is job hunting should have an elevator speech prepared out so that when someone says “Tell me about yourself,” you don’t have to look down at your resume!

Education isn’t a Guarantee

No one is guaranteed a job after school. That would be amazing, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. This can be an eye-opener for new graduates, and it took me some time to learn as well. A Bachelor Degree today is a norm – it is expected for most jobs. Unless you are in a specialized field or have some experience that sets you apart from the pack, you need to be willing to work your way up.

The best advice I can give here is to be realistic with your expectations. Companies pay for skills and experience, not a college degree. Once you get in with a great company, the opportunities are endless. Most often companies promote first internally, but you need to work your way up the corporate ladder. You need to prove your skills and people will take notice. Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door, expand your network, and gain direct experience in your field. Together, those will pivot you towards where you want to be. Good Luck out there!

About the author: Julia Cameron is a staffing consultant and job placement professional. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Photo credit: inlinguaManchester.

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Editor’s note: At over 4,700 words, this may be difficult to read on a phone or tablet. For best results, bookmark it for later reading.

One of the most difficult things to do when creating a resume is condensing a career’s worth of experience down to one or two pages. This becomes increasingly difficult the longer you have been in the work force. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. The key is knowing which information to include, how to format your resume, and how to set yourself apart from the crowd. After all, the purpose of a resume isn’t to get you a job, it’s to secure an interview. These tips will help you write a resume that will showcase your skills, abilities, and accomplishments – whether  you have a few years or a few decades of work experience. These tips will help your resume get noticed, and hopefully get you on the short list for a face to face or phone interview.

This slideshow is an overview of the article. Feel free to browse it first, or even to use it on your own site. Please be sure to give attribution if you decide to share it with your readers!

10-15 Seconds ~ That’s all the Time You Have

These tips will help your resume rise to the top

Hiring managers often receive over one hundred resumes for each job opening they post. No, that is not a typo. With so many resumes and so little time, they need to ruthlessly cull the stack of resumes to a more manageable short list – the select group of resumes that will get looked at in more depth, and possibly lead to an interview.

There are several ways managers chop the list – the first is automated software (see the keyword section below), followed by simple manual screening – did the applicant submit the resume in the correct format, is it easy to read, are there any glaring spelling or grammar errors, is the applicant qualified? Using these filters makes it quick and easy to toss out resumes – and when there are so many applicants, the easiest way to start the process is to first look for reasons to throw out resumes, not look for the best candidate. If your resume passes muster, then it might go to the short list of potential interviews, while the others are filed in the round basket at the floor of the hiring manager’s desk.

Making Your Resume Stand Out

If you think that scented paper or envelopes, colored paper or fonts, or monogrammed stationery will make an impression, you’re right. Unfortunately, it’s not the right impression. These are a waste of time and money, and in most cases, they will send your resume straight to the reject pile.

The truth is that most resumes today are submitted in a digital format and HR reps and hiring managers don’t want to mess around with non-standard resume formats, colored paper and fonts, or other distractions. Their time is limited and they want to be able to quickly and easily size up an applicant with as little trouble as possible.

The most effective method for making your resume stand out is by using a clean and easy to read format that clearly highlights your skills, talents, and abilities. Let’s walk through some tips and examples of writing a resume that will cut through the clutter and rise to the top of that long list of job applicants who can’t be bothered to take the time to research how to write and submit a resume according to the employer’s guidelines. Let’s go.

Pay Attention to the Basics

Always use spell check!

I know it sounds elementary, but it bears repeating – the little things really do matter. And they are also the easiest mistakes to avoid. You need to use proper spelling and pay attention to details when writing a resume. You don’t necessarily need to write grammatically correct sentences (fragments are acceptable and often preferable), but you do need to pay attention to proper capitalization, commas, periods, semi-colons, and other grammatical elements when called for. And always, always, always, use spell-check*.

*Keep in mind that spell-check isn’t the same as grammar check, write right?

Define Your Job Objectives

Let’s assume for a minute that you have years worth of experience under your belt. Listing a career worth of experience on a resume can not only be a daunting task, it can also be an exercise in futility. The first thing you should do is decide which type of job you are looking for. That seems easy on the surface, and for many people it is. But some people have a wide variety of skills and can fit into a wide variety of job positions. Take a few moments to brainstorm the type of job you are seeking, and commit this to paper – not only for your resume, but for yourself. Think of it as your personal job statement. Keep it handy, because you will need to use this as your guiding light as you search for your next job – and create the ultimate resume.

Create a Master Resume

The next step is to create a master resume that captures everything you have done throughout your applicable career (note the word applicable). It doesn’t make sense to list things that aren’t related to your current job search if they happened years ago and you won’t need that experience in your next job. For example, I served for six years in the military as an aircraft mechanic. My military service was a decidedly blue collar experience, and every job I have held in my post-military career has been of the white collar nature. In my resume, I limit reference to my military experience to the dates and locations I worked in that field, and a one or two line description of my duties. Nothing more is necessary, as I am not going back into the aircraft maintenance field.

Length isn’t important – yet. Don’t worry about how long the first draft of your base resume is – the purpose of this resume is to capture all of your skills and experience and serve as a foundation for the resumes you are actually going to submit. This resume could be two or three pages long, or it could be five or six pages long. It doesn’t matter – this is for you only, as the purpose of it is to help you create the resumes you will actually submit for your applications.

Yes, we are creating multiple resumes here. Remember – we are going for the ultimate resume that will get you noticed, not a boilerplate resume you can blast on a job site and hope you receive a phone call or e-mail from your dream employer.

*Bonus tip. You should update your master resume at least every six months, or any time you have a change in duties and responsibilities. Since this is a master resume that contains you career record, you may find it helpful to append the date at the end so you can quickly determine when it was last updated. I prefer to use a format such as yyyy_mm_dd.

Write a Custom Resume for Each Industry or Field

Creating a one-size-fits-all resume is almost universally discouraged. Most experts recommend writing resumes for each job or industry you are applying toward. But there are two schools of thought here: build a unique resume for each specific job you apply for, or make a unique resume for each field or type of job you apply for.

The first option is self-explanatory. You can write a unique resume for each job application. This isn’t a problem if you are only applying to a few locations. The downside to this approach happens when you apply for many different jobs. You could spend hours tweaking multiple drafts of what is essentially the same resume. There is something to be said about leaving well-enough alone.

You may be better off writing multiple versions of you resume if you are applying for jobs which you are qualified for, but would be classified under different job titles. Let’s look at an example of when this might work:

Say you have experience as a mechanical engineer with a background in project management, quality control, and Six Sigma. If you are interested in applying for jobs which specialize in any one of those four skills, you may be better off writing a unique resume for each of these four career fields to better emphasize your skills in those areas. We’ll cover how to keep track of these variations in a later section.

Writing the perfect customized resume. Start with the base resume you created earlier and tailor it for each specific position or company you are applying for. Most resumes should be limited to one or two pages, with some exceptions (see next section on length), so you will likely need to slash items from your work history. For example, you may be able to cut your first few job positions down to the company, dates worked, job title, and a one or two line summary (as I mentioned above regarding my military experience).

Use the majority of the space to focus on your most recent and/or relevant work, along with your education, certifications, and skills. This takes more work, as it needs to be customized for each position, but you end up with a resume that is more applicable to the company/position you are applying for, and one that is more likely to float to the top of the stack.

Pay Attention to Resume Length

Limit: 1-2 pages max

It can be difficult to reduce years, or even decades, of experience to one or two pages. Do it anyway. Many hiring mangers only give 10-15 seconds to a resume on an initial pass. If you have three or four or five pages, chances are very high your resume will be placed in the reject pile.* Be considerate of the hiring manager and condense your resume to the hardest hitting bullet points and most valuable skills.

*The exception to this rule would be for high level positions such as C-level managers, or highly specialized jobs which may require a long list of qualifications or certifications. Use your judgment, career position, and knowledge of your specific industry as your guide.

Clean and Easy to Read = A Winning Formula

You want to include as much information as possible in your resume, but you also want it to be easy on the eyes and easy to read. Bullets are preferable to long blocks of text. A manager can quickly scan bullets on dozens of resumes, but text in a paragraph format is not as easy to scan quickly and will likely be skipped over.

You can play with the formatting to reduce white space, condense lines, or make it easier to read. But don’t get too creative (unless you are in the creative arts industry or similar field, and even then, be careful). You want your resume to stick out, but not if that means it is automatically rejected as being to difficult to read or understand. When in doubt, err on the side of standardization and simplification. Need more information on creating a classic resume format? Check out this tutorial, or download their template.

Bonus formatting tip: For my first post-military job, I adjusted the borders of my resume so I could fit an extra line or two on my resume. (I was using MS Word).  I tested it by opening it on multiple computers, printing it on my home computer, etc. I thought it was good to go, so I submitted it electronically. However, when I went to the interview, the interviewing manager brought a copy of my resume with him to the interview and I was horrified to see that it was two pages – with the second page only containing one line of printed material! Thankfully, the interview went well and I got the job. But that was a lesson learned on my part. Don’t make my mistake!

Give Your Resume a Distinct Title

Give your resume a descriptive file name. A good example is something like, FirstName_LastName_Job_Description.pdf *. For example, if I were applying for a project management position, I would use a resume with the following file name: Ryan_Guina_Project_Manager.pdf.

Remember, most resumes are submitted digitally and end up as e-mail attachments, or as part of a larger database of resumes. Using a keyword or job description in your file name makes it easier for an HR rep or hiring manager to find and remember your resume at a glance and avoid having to open it, just to see your name or which position you are applying for. The worst thing you can do is name your file, Resume.doc. That works for your own computer, where you are the only person who will see it, but it’s awful for a hiring manager who may be looking at multiple files with the same name. A generic title is much more likely to end up in the trash bin than on the short list for interviews.

*See next section on resume file formats

File Formats ~ It’s All the Same, Right?

Contrary to popular belief, not all businesses use Microsoft Word, even though that is still the standard in most industries. Since not all companies use or support MS Word, using an extension such as .doc, or .docx may not be a good idea, unless it is the requested format. When deciding which file extension to use, always pay attention to requirements listed by the hiring company.

Yes, Virginia, the file format does matter!

Other popular formats. If in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a .pdf format, which is freely available and used by most businesses (it is also system agnostic, meaning it can be opened on Windows, Macs, and Linux machines with a free version of Adobe Reader). You also don’t need a full version of Adobe to create a .pdf – many word processors or operating systems can easily convert documents to a .pdf format, otherwise you can find free converters online.

Some HR reps and hiring managers prefer to receive the resume inside the e-mail so they don’t have to spend time downloading and opening an attachment. When in doubt, ask!

Submitting to a proprietary system? Use a text file. You may run into companies or hiring agencies which require you to manually enter your resume into their proprietary system (USAJobs.gov is a prime example; See their Resume Builder for tips on filing a resume with the US govt.). This can be a pain, but if it’s the only way to apply, you have to deal with their system. And if you already have a resume from another application, you can always copy/paste, which saves time. Just be sure to first copy your data into a text file first (Notepad on PC, TextEdit on Mac), which will strip formatting and extra code from your source document. MS Word is notorious for adding extraneous lines of code when copied/pasted, so first transferring your data into a text document will ensure your information is input into the system cleanly.

A word about manual entries. Some companies which require you to enter your resume manually don’t have a length limit, and you wouldn’t know you were up against it anyway, since you can’t always see what it looks like in its finished format. Even though you may feel freedom without the constraints of length, it’s still a good idea to limit yourself to the items with the most impact on your resume. Focus on streamlining your resume for the exact position – remember, you want it to stand out, not be pages and pages of fluff.

Keep Track of Which Resumes You Send Out

Keep track of which resumes you submit

As we mentioned above, it’s essential to create a customized resumes based on your job search. Because of this, you will end up with multiple versions of your resume which are specific to different companies or career fields. Unless you are organized from the outset, you may lose track of which resume you sent to which company. This would be a bad thing.

Use the aforementioned file naming format to create a list of resumes you send out. For example, if I applied for a project management position at Google, I would use the following file name:

• Ryan_Guina_Project_Manager_Google.pdf, or
• Google_Ryan_Guina_Project_Manager.pdf

Following a standard naming convention* allows you to easily find the exact resume you need when you receive a call back or phone interview. And if you need to apply for another project manager position or similar job, you can grab this version and tweak it for a different company or related job description. Remember, there is no need to recreate the wheel – use shortcuts when it makes sense!

One thing I don’t recommend doing is including the company name in the file you send to the company. It could come across as presumptuous or as though you are shotgunning your resume.

*There is no universal naming convention. Use what makes the most sense to you. For example, you may prefer to append something like v1.0, v1.1, etc. at the end, or use a date convention, such as yyyy_mm_dd.

Resume Content ~ This is Where the Magic Happens

Until now, we’ve only discussed formatting, file names, and length. These are all essential, as ignoring these items may get your resume tossed before it is even looked at. But if your resume doesn’t have legs, it can’t stand. So you need to fill it with your skills, abilities, accomplishments, education, awards, and anything else which might sell you as the perfect employee for the job you are applying to. The two most important things to remember are to stick to the facts and sell yourself. (Seriously, don’t get caught in a lie; nothing good will come from it).

Chronological vs Functional vs Hybrid

There are three main formats for resumes: chronological, functional, and hybrid:

• The most common type of resume is the chronological resume, which lists your jobs and accomplishments in reverse chronological order. This is usually the preferred format as it is the format most hiring managers are familiar with, and it lists your most recent accomplishments first.
• The next most common type of resume is the functional resume, in which you list your skills first. Functional resumes are generally best for applicants who are changing industries, don’t have an extensive work history, or have a long employment gap (unemployment, going back to school, etc.).
• A hybrid resume is another option to consider. This option combines the two previous formats by using a more extensive summary which includes a more in-depth list of skills, followed by a reverse chronology of work history. The key is to find a format which best highlights your work experience.

Note: These formats work for most industries, but are not universal. Your resume should be constructed based on industry standards and expectations. A tech resume for example, might be formatted slightly differently, as the emphasis is on skills and proficiencies.

Use Keywords ~ But Don’t Spam

Keywords are good; spam is not!

Pay close attention to the job description when creating your tailored resume. Each job listing will have a list of keywords in the job description. It’s a great idea to use some of these exact phrases in your resume, as long as they represent your skills and abilities, of course. Why is this a good idea? Because many HR departments use software to screen resumes to lessen the load on the hiring managers. The more keywords your resume matches to the job description, the more likely your resume will float to the top and be read by a human instead of filtered as not being a match. Don’t use this knowledge to spam your resume if you don’t have the skills. Instead, use this knowledge to rework and refine your resume to make it more in line with what the company is looking for.

Personal Information ~ Keep it Simple, Keep it Clean

Your contact information is straight forward – list your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address*. You can also include your personal website, LinkedIn profile, or other social media profiles if applicable. In most cases, your boss doesn’t need to see your FaceBook page. But including a link or url to an online resume or portfolio may do wonders, especially if you are in a creative industry and need to show examples of your previous work. Your LinkedIn profile may also be a way for a potential employer to do further research into your professional background and could lead to you being hired. In all cases, only include this information if you are presenting a professional image.

*Always use a professional e-mail address. First.Last@gmail.com or something similar is always preferable to WyldPartyGurl32@hotmail.com.

Objective and Summary ~ Less is More

Most resume templates include a section for both the Objective and Summary. You can almost always kill the objective statement without hurting your resume. Most objective statements are obvious, and you waste space that could be used for more important information, such as your actual skills and accomplishments.

The Summary statement is also something I have seen people recommend scrapping. I’m in favor of keeping it, so long as you make it useful and keep it concise. Only include strong statements about your top-level qualifications and be sure to use this section to include keywords from the posted job description, as this will help your resume get through automatic filters.

Tip: Use this space to show the company what you can do for them, not to tell the company what you want from them.

Education ~ Let Your Experience Be Your Guide

If you are fresh out of college, it’s essential to use anything you can use to your advantage to set you apart from others. So you will likely want to include things such as the university you attended, location, degree achieved, college major, minor, GPA, student activities/clubs/groups (especially if you held an office, such as club president), awards, and even scholarships or internships if relevant.

Once you have a few years of experience under your belt, some of your school activities and other education and training are no longer as important as what you have accomplished in your career and you can limit your education to the university, major, GPA if solid, and anything that sets you apart.

Skills, Certifications and Professional Affiliations

Professional certifications can help you get hired!

Always list any relevant skills and certifications which are applicable to your job search. This includes things like professional certifications, language skills, tech skills such as software or programming, etc. It is also a good idea to include your relevant professional affiliations, such as trade groups, industry affiliations, and similar professional groups. These show that you are active in your professional growth and are more likely to be up to date with trends and technological advancements in your industry. You can also use this section to include professional training you have taken which may be relevant to your job search.

Numbers Tell a Story

Be as specific as you can when describing your job title, tasks, duties, and accomplishments. If you trained new employees, then be specific: trained 15 new employees on internal standards and practices. If you saved the company money or time, then try to quantify it. Quantifying your skills and abilities can go a long way toward helping you get the interview, get the job, and negotiate a higher salary.

Use hard numbers when possible. Let’s face it – figures are sexy, and sex sells. Which of these is more impressive:

• Saved company time and money by creating and implementing new widget production process
• Created new widget production process; reduced production time by 20% and saved $1 million in production costs

The second one, right? Even if you remove the staggering sum of $1 million, it sounds more impressive, because it is concrete. The goal here isn’t to oversell yourself or to brag, but to put some scope into your past work experience.

Use Acronyms Sparingly

Only use acronyms when necessary

Acronyms are commonly used in many industries and workplaces. But that doesn’t mean they always translate across career fields and employers. If you are using acronyms, be sure they are industry standards which represent certifications or commonly understood topics. If in doubt, it’s almost always best to spell it out first, then use the acronym in parenthesis. Then you can use the acronym throughout the resume. Example: If you are applying for a project management position, you can write this in your resume, Project Management Professional (PMP) certified. Future references to the certification can be listed as PMP, without spelling it out.

Hobbies and Extracurricular Activities

There are two sides to the argument with adding things outside of your normal work duties. Some people recommend sticking with only those items which relate to work. Other people say it’s OK to include outside activities. I’m in the second camp, provided the items you include help you stand out from the pack. Listing your volunteer activities may also be another way to help your resume stand out. Just make sure that whatever you include in this section shows an employer additional skills you bring to the table.

Digital, Video, and Online Resumes ~ Another Way to Excel

What digital resume? You mean you don’t have one? You should. A large percentage of employers perform an informal background check on job candidates. A quick Google search can save an employer a lot of time and money if it helps them weed out the wrong candidates before spending time or money interviewing them, or worse, hiring them, only to find out they aren’t the right person for the job. Go search for your name in Google. When I search for my name I see a variety of articles I’ve written, websites I own, and social media profiles. Any prospective employer can quickly and easily find the same thing. Make sure all your public profiles are professional in nature.

Want more information on creating a digital resume? We wrote another 1,600+ word resource on creating video and digital resumes, including how and where to do it (there are a surprising number of free resources to create and upload your video resume or portfolio). So we won’t recreate the wheel in this article. Just know that having your resume available in different formats and locations increases the likelihood of it being found, and the more engaging it is, the more likely you will be contacted for an interview.

Crowd-Source Within Your Professional Network

The vast majority of job openings never get posted on public job boards, as many jobs are filled internally, or via recommendations from current employees or headhunters. Because of this, your personal and professional network is the best place to find a job. Not only that, but they can be the best source for reviewing your resume and offering advice on where it can be improved. The bonus is that when you are asking for someone to review it, they may put it in front of someone who is looking to hire someone, or who knows someone who is hiring. The more people who see your resume when you are looking for a job, the better.

Putting it all Together

The job markets are very competitive right now, so you need to do everything in your power to set yourself apart from the pack. Your resume is one of the first ways to do that. Treat your job search, resume writing, and interview preparation as a full-time job. It is that important. Put in the time, create an excellent resume, and be prepared when you are called in for an interview. Be sure to update your resume every few months to reflect your current skills, abilities, and accomplishments. This will make it easier to apply to jobs in the future.

We’ve covered a lot in this article, and I hope this has been helpful for you. Click on the links throughout the article for further information on crafting your resume, or leave a comment with questions or tips you have for others.

Photo credits: iStockPhoto, Gamma Man, The CV Inn, cashmoneylife, bookgrl, hegarty_david, psd, lobo235. Presentation hosted by SlideShare.net

Related Articles:

1. Are You Making These 7 Resume Mistakes?
2. Job Search 2.0 – Creating a Digital and Video Resume
3. Job Hunt: Creating a Personal Statement

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Everyone is going digital, and you should too. If you are searching for a job, or even thinking about testing the waters to see what is available, then you should have at least one or more online resumes or portfolios in your name. There are a few reasons for this, but the primary reason is that almost all hiring managers will do a quick search on prospective employees before bringing them in for an interview. Sometimes a 5 minute search on Google provides all a hiring manager needs to know to cross someone off their short list of candidates (just another reason why you should make your FaceBook pictures from your college days private, and not public).

Instead of showing a prospective employer why they shouldn’t hire you, why not show them more reasons to consider you? That is where creating an online presence comes in. And thankfully, you can do this quickly, easily, and at little to no cost.

Starting Your Online Presence

Gone are the days when you need to be a skilled techie to create your own website or online presence. With the rise of social media outlets such as LinkedIn, Twitter, FaceBook, etc., it’s almost rare that someone doesn’t have at least some online presence. The question is whether or not they are using it to their advantage.

At the minimum, you should have a LinkedIn profile and learn how to use it. You could also consider starting a blog (personal or professional) with a service like WordPress, or creating a Web 2.0 page, such as an About.me page, or one of the services listed below. Here are tips for creating a resume with WordPress.

You can use these to include more personal and professional information about yourself that you either can’t fit on your resume, or that may not be applicable to the particular job search, but that shows you in a better professional light. Remember, though, these pages should be strictly professional in nature, and shouldn’t be for posting pics of you drinking with your college buddies or have any other objectionable content.

Where to Create Your Digital Resume – For Free

There are a variety of free Web 2.0 services out there. The following list is a sampling of some of the more popular and valuable sites we found. For best results, focus on creating a profile on one or two of these platforms, and really learning how to use them. You will gain much more benefit from mastering one service and creating an engaging profile than you will from throwing a bunch of things at the wall and seeing what sticks. Many of these sites also allow users to engage others through their profiles through chats, forums, groups, and messages. These are all great ways to expand your network and potentially find work through your profile.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the granddaddy of professional social networking sites. Virtually anyone who is anyone can be found there. At the minimum, you should create a profile with your name, basic career information and work history, and your areas of expertise. LinkedIn also has a excellent social aspect to it, and it allows you to join groups and participate in discussion boards where you can show your expertise and help others. And by helping others, you will be sure to stand out among the crowd.

A good tip is to fill out your past work history as thoroughly as possible, since you aren’t really limited for space. This way, a prospective employer can look at more of your experience and accomplishments than you may be able to include in your standard resume. Don’t fill it with fluff, though. Stick to the bullets and line items which tell your story the best way possible. Be sure to use key words from your past job positions or for jobs you are seeking, as it will help your profile rise to the top when a prospective employer is searching through profiles.

Finally, LinkedIn is social in nature, so you can also ask friends, coworkers, and former coworkers to give you recommendations, which can only help you in the long run (and be sure to return the favor!). Learn more at http://www.linkedin.com/.

About.me

Your About.Me page isn’t quite an online resume or portfolio. Instead, it acts as a hub for all your online interests. It is better used as a one page source for people to find you and your other online interests. Most users create a brief synopsis of who they are, then link out to their personal websites, online portfolios, online resumes, social media profiles, and other online interests. Because About.me is a trusted domain, it usually ranks high in the search engines for individual names, so grabbing an About.me profile under your name can be a great way to create and defend your online reputation. My page is very basic, but other people have created very beautiful and unique pages for themselves or their brand. Learn more at http://about.me/.

VisualCV

VisualCV gives users the ability to create a professional profile with audio, video, pictures, a portfolio, and standard resume information. The coolest feature is the ability for users to control what other people see. So you can create a public profile, or limit access to friends and colleagues, or potential clients or employers. VisualCV also has a ton of other great features, including the ability to post to social profiles, network with other professionals, and search for jobs directly through their job search portal. To top it off, you can sign up for free. Learn more at http://www.visualcv.com/.

GetHired.com

GetHired offers job seekers the ability to upload their standard resume, as well as create an audio or video intro. They host a database of employers and job openings, making it easy for employers and job searchers to concect. You can also track who viewed your profile and how many views it received, apply for jobs directly through their service, track your application status, and schedule and conduct interviews through their video conferencing system. Watch the video below, or learn more at https://gethired.com/.

Spark Hire

Spark Hire allow you to create a profile that highlights your skills, accomplishments and education. You can also use this service to create a 60 second video resume. Spark Hire also has a job search portal where you can research companies and job openings, apply for jobs, and schedule an online interview through the Spark Hire portal. Watch the video below, or learn more at https://www.sparkhire.com/.

Visualize.Me

Visualize.Me is a cross between a standard resume and your digital resumes. It works by accessing the data in your LinkedIn account and creating a visual resume, complete with logos of the companies you have worked for, graphics which display your skills, abilities, interests, and more. Another way to think of Visualize.me is as an infographic for your resume. This is an interesting and unique way to create an interesting resume, but it’s probably best used to augment your standard resume if you work in a traditional field. If you are in the creative arts or work on the web, then this is probably a more accepted form of resume. Learn more at http://vizualize.me/.

CarbonMade

CarbonMade is a free online portfolio service where you can show off your skills and abilities by posting your photos, videos, and items. This site is more geared toward visual arts, as most of their portfolios are from artists, photographers, web and graphic designers, stylists and fashion designers, architects, and similar fields which are best represented visually. CarbonMade follows the Freemium model, where a base account is free to use, but there is a small monthly fee if you want more features or the ability to upload more photos or projects to your portfolio. Learn more at http://carbonmade.com/.

Promoting Your Digital Resume

There are a variety of ways you can share your online profiles, resumes, and portfolios. You can always use e-mail, social media channels such as FaceBook, Twitter, Tumbler, etc., or you can even include them on your business card or on your resume – yes, you can even include them on a paper copy of your resume as long as you do it professionally and limit it to the one or two profiles which best show your talents or portfolio.

A good place to include these on your resume is either at the end of your resume, or below your e-mail address. Make the link clickable on a digital copy of your resume, or easy to type in on a paper copy. If possible, it’s always best to get a vanity url, or one that is short and easy to use. For example, this is my public LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanguina. As you can see, it’s very easy for a prospective employer to visit LinkedIn and add a few letters to the address bar, or do a simple search for my name.

Most of these major sites also rank well in the search engines, so you may find that these profiles rise to the top of the returned pages when an employer searches for your name. This is exactly what you want as it will show potential employers more information about you that can be found in a standard 1-2 page resume, and it can show them you have some technical skills and motivation.

Remember, the goal with using a digital resume is to create another avenue in which to be found, or, add more information that isn’t found on a standard resume. So be creative, stick out, and impress potential employers!

Do you have any other tips or places for creating a digital or video resume?

Related Articles:

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2. 5 Online Job Search Techniques to Avoid
3. Creating the Ultimate Resume – 34 Epic Tips

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One of the biggest productivity killers out there is the distraction. Once you are distracted, your “groove” can be compromised. And, of course, the distraction can lead to minutes — or even hours — wasted. Once you add up all the distractions, you can find a great deal time wasted. But, how do you keep those distractions under control?

Hmmmm, which one do I choose next?

Here are some ideas that might work to help you avoid distractions and increase productivity:

Start with the Most Distasteful Tasks

One of the ways I avoid letting distractions bog me down is by starting with the tasks I find most distasteful. I’m much more focused in the mornings, so if I get the tedious tasks out of the way first thing, I’m less likely to be distracted later. By early afternoon, I’m losing steam, so it’s easy for me to be distracted by almost anything. If I hit it hard earlier, while I’m still focused, I’m less likely to let distractions interfere with productivity. Figure out your own habits, and focus your attention on the hardest, most important, or most distasteful tasks when you are most able to tackle them.

Turn Off What Isn’t Necessary

If you don’t need it to accomplish a task, turn it off or close the window. When I have my email open, I’m tempted to look at every new email that comes in — and that becomes time consuming. The same is true of social media. When I have a Skype chat open, it’s too easy to become distracted. When you have different windows open, you are inviting distraction. Close the windows you don’t need, and turn of applications you aren’t using. The fewer items you have to draw your attention, the more productive you’ll be.

Schedule in Time for Distractions

Another way to handle distractions is to schedule them in to your day. I have two specific times of the day that I devote to answering emails. I try to keep with that schedule, and avoid checking the email outside of scheduled times. I also like to schedule in time to just surf satire sites, or take a break and read for a little bit. If you know that some scheduled “goof off” time is coming, you can work through your tasks quicker, and (hopefully) with more dedication.

Set Up Barriers to Others

Create barriers that will keep others from distracting you. If you work from home, one of the easiest ways to create a barrier is to shut the door. I also work from my desktop if I really don’t want to be bothered. When I’m upstairs on the couch with my laptop, I’m basically inviting distractions from my family. If I’m hiding downstairs on my desktop, I’m clearly in “work mode.”

At work, you can create barriers such as working with your back to the entrance to your cubicle, or by lining up plants in such a way as to partially obscure you from others. You can also appear focused on your work. Sometimes, just the appearance of working hard can be discouragement for others.

Avoiding distraction, though, truly is the work of a concerted effort. Sometimes, you really have to work at keeping distractions to a minimum if you want to accomplish anything.

Photo Credit: rishibando

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