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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Resumes: Don't bend the truth on your resume

It would seem an obvious statement but here it is. Don't lie on your resume.

Don't "bend the truth" either.

I had a client recently who was finishing a training course. He had finished the actual courses but still had to complete a certain number of hours practicum before he would have his certification.

On his resume he wrote that he was fully qualified, and was most annoyed when I told him he should not put that until he actually is qualified.

It would seem an obvious statement, but I come across it so often.

Misrepresentation doesn't work in the long run.

It may get you an interview and if you lie well enough at the interview it may well get you the job.

However, if you don't have what you claimed to have, sooner or later that is going to become apparent and it is grounds for instant dismissal.

I can appreciate how hard it is to know that you could get a job "if only...", especially in the tough job market we are experiencing just now. But lying is not the way to go.

Tell the truth. Make the truth sound as appropriate for this job as you possibly can, without exaggeration and without 'bending the truth'.

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Friday, April 24, 2009

Resumes: Don't overstate your abilities

One of the things that turn employers off is a resume that is so overstated that it's hard to believe anyone could be that good.

Even if it's not, even if it just stated you are really good at this type of work - make sure it's a genuine representation of what you can do.

You are not doing yourself any favors by getting into an interview for a job you couldn't cope with if you got it! Be realistic and truthful.

It's good to show how good you are in your resume, but don't overdo it.

No-one is "excellent" at everything. In some things we are just "competent", we may be "effective", or "proficient".

However, if you are "outstanding" at something, then you can say so - just make sure you really, really are that good before you write it.

Stories help.

If you have a one liner in your resume that tells of a time you totally reorganized the structure of the sales department, or that you were promoted withing 2 months of being hired because of your excellent communication skills ... if you have a story to back it up, then the employer can instantly see that yes, you do appear to have very strong skills in this area.

It's a tough call for most people to make themselves look as good as they really are (this is not the time for modesty) but not overdo it.

Take an objective look at what you can do, and be prepared to sell that, but know your limits. Keep it real.

I work one-on-one with job seekers to write resumes.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Target your Resume

One resume will not work for different types of work.

If you are applying for several jobs, say, in office administration, then one resume for all might do (although taking the time to target each more precisely to each job would be better). But if you are applying for office administration jobs and also for retail customer service work, the same resume cannot possibly demonstrate your strongest skills for both types of work.

Your resume does should only have the skills you can use in the job for which you are applying.

So if you are applying for office admin, where you will have no, or miminal contact with the public, your skills in handling cash, debit and credit will not be needed so should not appear in that resume.

On the other hand, when going for retail, minimal computer skills will be required, and those that are needed will not include using MS Word, Excel, Simply Accounting and other basic office software.

So when applying for the retail position, putting in your resume that you are very computer literate is good, but your skill with office software is redundant and should not appear.

It is one of the hardest things for a job seeker to do when writing their resume - to elimiate skills of which they are rightfully proud, but which will not be valid in the job for which this resume is intended.

So streamline your resumes to include only the skills for that specific job.

You'll find the employer rewards you for your clarity and relevance by inviting you in for an interview more often.

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