Nice email

I received a nice email today from one of my clients. This is the second time he has passed on the skills we have discussed together to help one of his own colleagues find success.

Also another resume success story:

I was helping my co-worker with her resume, and she said her husband needed
help with his. I helped her with his. He has been looking for a job for
about [4 months]. He has sent out resumes, made phone calls for the last 4 months.
After I helped her with the resume, they have had three calls. One
interview, and even a job offer.

She is really excited! She also paid me $20!

Thanks for your help, I am passing on the knowledge.

Repeat Client

Common Sense: Arrive on Time!

I had a scheduled mock interview today. After waiting 30 minutes, my client finally called to let me know he was almost there and ready to begin the interview. To keep the situation real, I instructed him not to bother making the appointment as I would not seriously consider hiring him. And, with my completely booked day, I simply did not have time to squeeze him into our remaining time.

A little instruction on what should be considered common sense:

• Arrive on-time to interviews (some say if you are not 5 minutes early, you are already late)
• If circumstances prevent you from arriving on time (and the circumstances should be more legitimate than sleeping in or forgetting to put gas in your car), call AHEAD of time
• Leave earlier than you normally would, account for possible traffic delays/parking, and consider finding the location the day before so you do not get lost

"I'll Pass"

During a mock interview the other day, I asked a question my client apparently had no answer for. Rather than take a moment to think about a relevant example, she simply replied, "I'll pass on that question."

I wonder if she has enough common sense to avoid that mistake in a real interview. If I were a real employer, "I'd pass" on hiring her.

The Power of the Handshake

I don't think we actively consider the power of a handshake until we encounter a really bad one. Perhaps it is the one that crushes every bone, the handshake as limp as a dead fish, the one that nearly vibrates our arm off, or the sweaty palm; each is equally uncomfortable and distasteful. In the career world, a strong handshake is vital. The handshake is a bigger deal than it seems like it should be because it is a symbol. A symbol of friendship and acquaintance, a symbol of assertiveness and confidence, essentially, a symbol of power and maturity.

In my experiences, I remember two types of handshakes: the strong, confident ones and the weak handshakes. The handshake is particularly important in networking and interviewing, especially as it is usually an accomplice to one's first impression. How do you want to be remembered? Strong, confident, and competent? Or wimpy, weak, and mousy? It seems like women are particularly uncomfortable with using a strong handshake. This is perhaps a reflection of social norms encouraging women to exude humility and avoid situations of power. However, a strong handshake is an important tool in asserting competence and the general ability to "make it with the boys." Already often considered the "weaker sex," women can make a confident statement about their ability to compete by demonstrating their comfort with using a strong, assertive handshake.

I always assumed the handshake as both a greeting and a farewell was a social norm, and thus a given. However, just last week I encountered a perplexing situation where this was apparently not so. At the conclusion of an interview, our committee arouse, hands extended for the customary "Thank you for the opportunity, it was nice to meet you" handshake. But rather than engage in our formal farewell, the individual simply gathered her belongings and rushed out the door. Let me just say her chances for the position were completely destroyed at that point.

Take a look at the Top Ten Bad Handshakes and see if your handshake is on the list:

http://www.wikijob.co.uk/wiki/Top_ten:_bad_handshakes

Red Flag

I looked over a resume today that from the start looked great. PhD, a lot of relevant experience. However, within 15 seconds I knew that if I were hiring, I would never seriously consider this candidate. Rather than relate skills and qualifications under this person's most recent position, there was a long paragraph relating the reason why this person was looking for another job. This was an entire paragraph summarizing the "injustices" of the current position and the wretchedness of the employer.

Unlike a real employer, I continued reading and found similar reasons for leaving previous positions--things like being unappreciated, working for jerks, being unfairly fired, etc.

It may be true that any logical and reasonable person would agree with how horrible these situations and bosses were, but instead of empathizing with this individual, I saw an unprofessional, tactless "victim" and not a resilient problem solver with interpersonal skills and good judgment.

As a general rule--NEVER badmouth a former employer. It can backfire and cause potential employers to wonder about your own track record, perceptions, and potential to mudsling them. It is always classy and professional to take the upper hand and show respect to former employers, no matter how awful they were.

If you need ideas on how to appropriately approach questions about former negative work environments or employers, please contact me.

Bland Resumes

I spend a lot of time each week revising and editing resumes, as well as teaching clients how to write successful, eye-catching resumes. I see a common theme for most resumes I see--they are boring and only speak to the specific tasks someone performed in one position. Ex.

Burger King

• Flipped hamburgers and prepared food items
• Cleaned restrooms and tables
• Took orders for customers
• Used cash register

While these tasks can be important, unless an individual is applying for, let's say, McDonald's, these skills will do very little for the internship or career position an individual is applying for. Instead, it is important to focus on accomplishments and transferable skills.

Ex.

Burger King

• Collaborated with team of 12 individuals to efficiently prepare customer orders, ensuring customer satisfaction
• Used listening skills, problem solving, and mediation to de-escalate angry customers and resolve complaints
• Took initiative to devise new cleaning procedures, increasing efficiency by 25 minutes per night and improving overall cleanliness of restaurant
• Accountable for over $20,000 each night, counting, reconciling and depositing till at closing

With this new version, new skills and qualifications emerge (as highlighted in red), even though we are speaking about similar tasks--i.e., flipping burgers, cleaning the restaurant, and working the cash register.

Make your resume stand out more by incorporating transferable skills and focusing on what you really did to make a difference. If you are not proud of something you did at a job, leave it off your resume!

Please contact me if you have questions or would like help with improving your resume. More resume tips later.