Most people are unaware of seemingly subtle points in their resume that scream out certain things to employers. What may seem vague and somewhat insignificant to you usually is one of the first things that an employer looks for when evaluating candidates.
Related: How Career Changers Can Identify Transferable Skills
Employers are evaluating resumes and looking to see what you’ve done to keep yourself up-to-date, and many are on a talent shopping spree. This means they are hiring top industry subject-matter experts who have demonstrated their understanding of applying new skill sets and ideas in the workplace.
Most Important Career Question To Ask Yourself
To wit, I jokingly (but not really) say your resume is not an obituary, but instead, a dynamic, driving career road map.
And there's one thing that can help "wake" job seekers up more than anything... by asking the most important career question that will impact their competitiveness in today's job market:
"Are My Skills Obsolete?"
If you ask this question, and realize the skills you offer are just run-of-the-mill abilities or are outdated, this is your red flag cue you need to get moving… FAST.
If you hope to survive what's now being termed the “Great Recession,” which is continuing with no foreseeable end in sight. Your ability to navigate the requirements of companies hiring will rest solely on how you have kept up your skill sets.
Being aggressive in stockpiling skills and knowledge will be critical to making your candidacy the best value in the marketplace... and you’ll need to be strategic about how you map out acquiring those skills.
Apply the following questions to your resume to better see what employers are thinking when they read this document:
Have I attained any industry-specific certifications?
Have I taken any classes, workshops, trainings, conferences, conventions, webinars, continuing education units, or gone to any corporate learning university sessions?
How have I demonstrated the practical application of what I have learned into my work?
Has there been any peer recognition for my subject-matter expertise (as in any awards, speaking engagements, publications, etc.)?
These factors alone are worth their weight in gold to employers. They simply don’t want someone who will do the minimum possible and push papers around their desk from 8 AM - 5 PM. Companies today are struggling to optimize every company system while squeezing every ounce of profit out as possible in order to stay afloat in this volatile economy.
Similarly, you need to take the same approach.
Don’t wait for a company to offer to send you to a conference. You NEED to be your own advocate. Identify the key opportunities where you can enhance your skill sets, and present these to your boss as ways you can improve your on-the-job productivity. Be prepared to provide justification in terms of return on investment.
And if your manager doesn’t approve the expense and your time out of the office, you’ll need to make a life-changing decision and empowering one:
Invest In Yourself
Be willing to pay for additional professional development yourself. If you are currently employed, think of it as a way to become more indispensable. The job may be eliminated, but if you have demonstrated ROI every step of the way, chances are, the company will find a way to retain you.
If you are looking for work, the good news is everyone who is currently employed is so busy doing the work of 2-3 other people due to staff cutbacks, they don’t have the time to go out and take class. You have the time to identify those core skill sets and take classes that add to your value proposition.
Passivity and blatant ignorance aren’t going to cut it today. You need to cast a critical eye to your résumé and look at it from an employer’s view... what have you done to keep your job skills up to date? Is your professional development section blindingly empty? Or was the last class you took over five years ago?
If so, you’ve got your work cut out for you... and by updating your skill sets, you’ll improve your viability as a candidate for open positions.
This post was originally published on an earlier date.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
