Career Archives - Page 39 of 43 - The Voice of Job Seekers

My 9, 9, 9 Plan to Remove Errors From Your Resume. Now.

We know how critical it is to remove resume errors as it is the first impression an employer gleans from hundreds of resumes seen for a position. That is unless you know how to leap over the hurdles you see.

Edwin Moses jumped hurdles for many years and won 122 races in a row. Job seekers should not create their own hurdles through their own writing, or someone else viewing. Your resume must be hurdle free. Edwin Moses also had the first 9-9-9 accomplishment, that is 9 years, 9 months, and 9 days undefeated, converse to Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 economic plan.

Can you imagine doing anything perfect for almost 10 years?

If you are struggling with writing your résumé, and you can’t hire a competent resume writer, then I hope the following 9-9-9 plan will work for you.

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The first 9 are straight forward:

1. Remove your physical house address.

2. Toss your super vague OBJECTIVE, SUMMARY, SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS that says nothing. Create a contribution statement than feeling obliged to filling in this space.

3. Delete interrupters such as “…as well as…”—it douses the fire you want in your résumé.

4. Castrate adjectives. 1 or 2, are fine. More than this borders on bragging than evidential.

5. Replace or banish overused words (check how many times you use provide, ensure etc.).

6. Change the italics, underlines, and funky fonts (not all scanners will pick up creative fonts).

7. Redo the challenge, action, but no result, or, challenge without an action or results. Each description should contain all three elements.

8. Revise the use I, we or me. Although acceptable and debatable in writing federal resumes, in the private or civilian sector it’s unacceptable. Your résumé is describing you.

9. Edit the long paragraphs that almost say something, but fails to say anything.

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The second 9 apply carefully

10. Age identifying information. I have always said exclude jobs that go back more than 15 years. If your degree is past 1995, leave the year off. If the position doesn’t require a degree, consider omitting the degree entirely.

11. Too much information for the wrong reasons such as age, religion etc. Things like the address and zip code is an unnecessary evil.

12. Three pages is too long for civilian and private industry résumés. Three to five-page resumes are common, and acceptable. If it doesn’t have to be four or five pages, then consider condensing.

13. It looks more like a “to-do” list. So you copied, and pasted the job description on your résumé, and it looks like a longer job description. Why would an employer ask for a résumé if everyone copied and pasted the job description, when they want to know how you contributed?

14. Company speak. If there is language that only your company uses that you include on your résumé, you will lose the reviewer.

15. Antiquated and unknown file attachments of your résumé. This is a crime in all states, but most employers will not tell you that they cannot open your attachment. Everyone can open a .doc Word extension or a PDF version.

16. Resume is broadly written for more than one position. Since most resumes keyword scanned for one position, and not having enough keywords can only achieve minimal results. One résumé, one position.

17. Lacking description with action verbs at the beginning of sentences. It is not possible to write a challenge, action, and result in four words or less. People will generally insert action verbs for most of their résumés instead of being consistent with verbs throughout the entire resume.

18. Bragging and boasting without quantifiable measures and results. No one’s impressed if you say that you are “dynamic” or “excellent” without substantiating that you are…awesome.

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9 Ingredients to Market Yourself and Your Resume

19. Sprinkle and not pour your résumé to the job market. Think twice about sending 100 résumés monthly (or weekly), and consider sending 25 monthly (or weekly). Research, and talk to a person before sending.

20. Know the name. Don’t forward a résumé without a name, even if the posting says to do so.

21. The prize is to customize. One résumé, one employer.

22. Emphasize “how well,” not only on “how.” The two signs that catches the eye are the $, and the %.

23. Cast a spell…checker for the secret ingredient. It’s the sugar that makes the medicine go down.

24. Knoweth thy resume submission rules. Strict guidelines are a source of immense frustration if you lack the understanding.

25. Keywords are not just action verbs. That is all.

26. Don’t master the art of “almost” saying something. Say it, qualify it, quantify it, succinctly, and watch the commas splices.

27. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself. No one else will.

Feel free to add others in the comment section, as there are plenty more infractions.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Forgivable and Unforgivable Job Interview Mistakes

Job interview mistakes are correctable, even if it feels that it’s the worst thing that could happen. Career consultants all over the U.S. are warning you not to fall through the trap door if there is a typo on your résumé. We have your best interest at hard, and I want to comfort you.

If you make a mistake, correct it, even if nothing will come of it. The main reason: doing a good job requires accepting responsibility, correcting the error, and not repeating the same error.

The Forgivable

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1. You’re late, you’re late, for a very important date. Again? Dang?

The Fix: Call and confirm that it matters that you come anyway. It would be tragic if you were late to the second interview, but mostly, it is a forgivable error.

If it is a habit, then you should read this article, “You’re Late—Again,” from Good Housekeeping, May 2008 where the writer, Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist says what lateness says to others:

“I feel anxious” Many people make themselves late, whether once or repeatedly, when heading to a job or to meet friends, because they feel apprehensive or stressed. It’s as if deep, unresolved emotions are acting as resistors in the mind’s circuitry, redirecting us away from the source of our discomfort.

“I’m showing who’s in power” It’s one thing to think, We’re good friends. If I’m a few minutes late it won’t matter. It’s quite another to think, She knows I’m busier than she is. It isn’t a big deal if she waits a few minutes for me to yet there. People who use lateness to signify they are special or more powerful than those they keep waiting may not plan to show up late, but there’s often a quiet running commentary at the back of their mind suggesting that others will–and really should–wait for them.

“I need to know I’m loved”

(Albrow, 2008)

2. Forget to bring your resume to the interview. And you forgot your brain too.

The Fix. By now if you don’t have a Dropbox, Linked In, or Google Docs account (there are others), then get one. You can park a copy of your résumé there. It is accessible from anywhere, and if the host has MS Word, it is easily downloadable, or at worst, email it to the interviewer. If not, ask if you can email a copy later that day.

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3. Rain, sleet, snow, hail arrived while you were on the way to the interview. Stain on your suit. Caught in a mudslide.

The Fix. Continue on your way, and call ahead to the employer informing them of what happened. Calling diffuses the possible tension of the situation, and you will be pleasantly surprised how positive the experience turns out.

4. You spilled water on the table, ran into an employee and spilled coffee all over their clothes, or farted during the meeting.

The Fix. Apologize, apologize and apologize profusely. Don’t be surprised that there is mirth found at your expense. A little self-deprecating humor would work, but just a little. Remember the best have made job interview mistakes. And they move on knowing the next opportunity erases the last mistake.

The Unforgivable

The egregious use of sarcasm, or a hint of profane language. This is a turn-off to people who influence hiring. What you say is everything in an interview, don’t blow it.
Talking negatively about your past employers, especially to make yourself look good. This tactic never has a positive outcome, even if the past job was the competition. It is better to show how bad you were at one time, and how you corrected your path to achieving desired results.
Any use of a cell, for any reason, at any time. No distractions needed at all, and even while waiting, show restraint.
You were caught in a lie. Oh, there are no words. You lose.

Are there mistakes that you made before, during, or after interviews that you regret? Were you forgiven? Comment below, and share them with the rest of the world!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

When Family Hates The Career Path You Are Passionate About

People blame someone’s career path for break ups, or distancing them from love ones daily. The reality is that people separate themselves a career path. Your spouse may appear supportive about your career, but they abhor the effect it has on them.

You can have both a career passion and a strong marriage. It is the family’s burden to have one or the other. Success is contingent on comprehending the signs, and responding to them positively within the wishes of your loved ones. Listening to what family says, and communication forms the willingness to change, or see the writing on the wall:

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Your family hates your long hours and work life more than your job duties. I thought for a while that husbands are solely guilty of this, but over time, both spouses contend for understanding from each other. Listening is the best tool ever to discern what your spouse wants. Remember it’s the both of you sojourning this career path.
Your spouse may hate what your career does to you. Listen for symptoms that your spouse says about you, even as a joke or in passing: cranky, despondent, tired, disengaged, off into his or her own world, and emotional. These are symptoms, not the root of what your spouse is saying.
It is evident that job perks are more attractive that the job. Perks are acceptable when time and salary positively benefit everyone, but when it compromises and separates the family, it is a problem. If you are holding on to a career because of a perk, it’s time to find a new one.
When work is an issue that sacrifices family time. There is a time that work will need to be put to the side. Your bottom line intention is to feed your family. Unfortunately, undisciplined intentions interfere with family time, and family cohesion.
Neither you or your spouse has discussed the issue. If your spouse is building a separate life without you, it’s a serious problem. When both spouses are conflict avoiders, the behavior breeds anger. It says something about you, and more often the point of no return. You have to be the one to engage, listen, and change if this is unacceptable to you.