Articles - Page 161 of 258 - The Voice of Job Seekers

How Canadian Armed Forces Personnel can Write Resumes for Civilian Careers

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

I thought that people would benefit if I had Audrey Prenzel back on the show to talk about her approach to resume writing for her Canadian Armed Forces to Civilian clients. This show complements next week’s annual Veteran’s day show. Be sure that you have subscribed so you can hear that special edition.

Are you in the military looking for civilian careers? If so, let me know in one of three ways:

Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822
Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
Send email feedback to [email protected]

If you are a career professional who advise job seekers and adds feedback whether it’s advice or a differing opinion, I will include a link in future show notes and read your comments on an upcoming show. Just let me know if it’s OK with you.

Audrey Prenzel of resumeresources.ca (@AudreyPrenzel) is a career transition strategist and an award-winning resume writer who specializes in writing and coaching for those in the Canadian Armed Forces. She has been published in multiple magazine, newspapers, and career publications.

Canada is unique for it has a melting pot population, so language is a major consideration. Many Canadian armed forces members speak French and English fluently
Military bases in Canada are primarily French-speaking. Audrey coaches her military clients to showcase their bilingual abilities (some speak more than two) to civilian employers
Audrey also coaches them to have a dedication language section as they would on a LinkedIn profile
Interestingly enough, most resumes are written in English unless the province is predominantly or solely French
The summary is a key spot on a Canadian armed forces to civilian resume, but provide a dedicated title for what you what to be known as e.g., “IT Bilingual Executive.” Your summary will support your description
Audrey says that infusing personality in your summary is a great way to stand out. Hard skills and soft skills are important to include
Audrey recommends side step cheesy-overused-clichés such as “results-oriented” or “team-player
Your resume should answer many questions so the reader will have a good sense of who the applicant is
A sense of entitlement will keep you from selling your accomplishments. No one will hire on reputation alone
Reverse chronological is the preferred style by employers highlighting what the applicant did and how well they did it
One of the challenges in helping Canadian armed forces to Civilian Transition is translating the acronyms. Audrey has a file with more than 10,000 acronyms
“Tell me what you want to do” is important to target opportunities. Too much information is good to start

Let us know what you think.

Do you need help with resume writing or career direction? Do you need coaching or instruction?I can help.

Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Mistakes Job Seekers Make in Planning His or Her Career Trajectory

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

How far you will go in your career shouldn’t be determined by job titles. What are you learning that you can apply years from now? That’s a big part of managing your career trajectory. Job seekers are still thinking about the next job instead of their career path over time. Melissa Cooley and I discuss this as we hope you would think concerning the longitudinal path of your career.

What are your career goals 90 days, six months, or a year from today? What will your career look like in five years? There are three ways you can share your thoughts with us:

1) Leave a voice mail or text message at 708-365-9822. Let me know if I can share it on future shows
2) Email me: [email protected]
3) Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com and press the “Send Voicemail” button to leave a message online

Those of you who are career professionals can receive the additional bonus by leaving your blog and I will link to it.

Melissa Cooley is the founder of the blog, The Job Quest. Her multiple career articles and mentions have appeared in The Daily Muse, The Savvy Intern Blog, and Under30Careers. She is a Certified Advance Resume Writer and an Interview Coach.

Here are a few of the highlights from our conversation:

Some of the language from many job seekers suggests a lack of understanding their career trajectory such as, “I’ve landed…” because it sounds like it’s permanent
A new job still means your actions must be purposeful for your entire career. Take control of your future and avoid being reactionary!
Don’t pitch your tent but treat it as a pit stop! The only constant is change.
An Austrailian study shows that 60% of college students are chasing careers that no longer exist. Online courses such as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), Skillshare, and Udemy more valuable.
Melissa stated that apprenticeships are valuable with the real world experience and gut instinct
Missed opportunities because people looking for the formal training (classroom) and it may not exist
Melissa said that people are not grasping and understanding what and where a real opportunity is found
In ancient times, the Greeks desiring education followed other people, not schools
Melissa said that textbooks provide static answers, but mentors will provide more dynamic input
Textbooks may not provide timely answers like a mentor could
Melissa referred to people finding mentors outside of his or her field where transferable skills may apply to both
She also said your career trajectory is not found in job titles but transferable skills. Think about the skills already possessed and its application to other career opportunities
Attitude, aptitude, and soft skills are big parts of the layers required to change careers and your career trajectory. Can you cross-train in your current career? Do you fit with the company? The team?

People focus on activities instead of learning and miss big opportunities Have you subscribed to this show on iTunes? If you haven’t, please do so. iTunes is a great place to write an honest review and increase the show’s visibility. Enjoy listening to the show. Let us know what you think.Do you need help with resume writing or career direction? Do you need coaching or instruction?I can help.Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Strategies for the Working Parent to Find Remote Work

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

There are many studies that are pointing to remote careers as the norm not the exception over the next few years. There is a shift in the way companies are looking and planning to provide remote work opportunities for its current staff. I brought back Scott Behson, the author of The Working Dad’s Survival Guide: How to Succeed at Work and at Home, to further discuss how and where Fathers can search for opportunities, avoid a major common mistake, and remote work trends in the next few years.

How have you found jobs that allowed remote work? What challenges have you found in finding work from home opportunities? Share your thoughts with me in one of three ways:

Those of you who are career professionals can receive the additional bonus by leaving your blog and I will link to it.

Scott is an Associate Professor of Management at Farleigh Dickinson University. He has a doctorate in Organizational Studies, and blogs at Fathers Work and Family. He is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, TIME, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Good Men Project, and Salary.com.

Here is a brief summary of our discussion:

Research is key in finding remote work opportunities since there are so many fraudulent job postings
Grow your own flexible job by pitching your current company to pilot a couple of days a week
Check with other employees in the company who are working from home and see how they started
Present to your employer why you working from home is mutually beneficial
Demonstrate your understanding of the dynamics of the company’s workplace
Present data and research projecting what productivity would look like (Chapter 5 in Scott’s book)
FlexJobs published 100 top companies with remote jobs in 2015
Most job posting for remote work are written with women (not always) men in mind
Be persistent when employers see a woman in a remote work roleHave you subscribed to this show on iTunes? If you haven’t, please do so. iTunes is a great place to write an honest review and increase the show’s visibility. Enjoy listening to the show. Let us know what you think.Do you need help with resume writing or career direction? Do you need coaching or instruction?I can help.Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!