Writing Narrative Resume

Writing Narrative ResumeWhy should you focus on writing narrative resume? Shouldn't your objective be to get the best possible job in the easiest way possible?Most of the time, employers are looking for a candidate with a good resume and the personal qualities of the candidate. If your resume has the right cover letter, the interview is over. The only question left is whether the job is the right one.A written resume is not a straight forward statement of the facts that will help an employer to assess your qualifications. On the other hand, an employment interview does not really involve an interview at all; the interviewer simply asks questions about the applicant's background.Even though the employment field is now quite tough, people are being hired everywhere. Even in our country there are plenty of jobs available. Not just companies, but also government offices, banks, and colleges have openings for almost every job on the market. Thus, there are lots of people who need jobs.In order to find out which job is the right one for you, it is always wise to start by finding out what is being offered in your area. You can ask your friends, colleagues, and even relatives for referrals. If you are not lucky enough to know who is hiring, you can also go online. It is always a better idea to go online first because it provides you with a wider range of options.A good place to start is by using the Internet. You will discover lots of websites where there are job vacancies posted.Before you start writing your narrative resume, you have to decide on the level of detail that you are willing to give to the employer. There are sites on the Internet where you can ask the employer for a sample resume. Asking for samples also helps you keep track of the trends and the changes in the industry. It also helps you know what kind of information you should be giving to the employer.Before you write your narrative resume, you have to set some ground rules. First of all, your objecti ve should be to get the best possible job. Secondly, you have to focus on the personality traits of the employer in order to make sure that your resume is not biased. Lastly, you must ensure that the employer knows that you are writing a resume, not a memoir or a novel.

Your ultimate guide to transforming your phone into a careers hub - Debut

Your ultimate guide to transforming your phone into a careers hub - Debut This post was written by an external contributor. Niamh McGovern tells us all about transforming your phone into a careers hub because who has time to sit down at a desktop nowadays? Disastrous scenario: you are on a weekend trip without a laptop and you’ve found a last-minute internship via email. It closes in three hours. Crap. Dont fret. You have a backup plan in your pocket. Our smart phones are powerful devices and we aren’t using them to their full potential when we look for job opportunities. No need to fear, we’ve written a guide to transforming your phone into a careers hub. Handy! Set up an efficient calendar Time to use your mobile calendar for more than birthday reminders. If you use an email app on your phone, go into the mail account settings and turn on calendar notifications. Any invitations you receive via email will automatically send alerts to your phone, so you never miss an all-important appointment. Your phone will colour code appointments as you add more email accounts. Now you can be the organised genius you need right now. Save an up-to-date CV on a cloud service This is paramount if you need to send a CV in a hurry. Most operating systems have their own online drive, Google Drive   Dropbox, and  OneDrive to name a few but there are many other options out there. On your laptop, or document editor app, save an up-to-date CV on the drive. When you need to send your resumé,  simply access the CV on your phone and attach it to the job application. In an ideal world youll be able to tailor the CV to the job application. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. Unless Set up a document editor on your phone Every CV you send is probably tailored to a particular employer and cover letters are practically a requirement today. Downloading Microsoft Word, Pages or any document editor allows you to send a cover letter in a jiffy, with professional tools that match any laptop’s ability. Setting up a template will save you time so you can make your deadline. Just save the finished document as a PDF and add it to the  cloud drive of your choice. Set up a professional email signature I find myself emailing more and more from my mobile phone, which requires a little set up in order to use professionally. In your mail settings, you will be able to customise your email signature.  Every on-the-go email will then be formatted perfectly, with contact details and information about you. If you have multiple email accounts, you will be able to customise each one in mail settings, so you can avoid the dreaded “Sent from iPhone” line. Set up professional platforms on your phone You probably already use the Facebook app. Maybe Twitter if you are savvy but you should be using applications that enhance your job searches too. Debut and LinkedIn are mobile optimized social platforms, allowing you to easily respond to professional messages and network while you take the nightly train home. It’s a great way to use your time effectively, since most of us forget to update out contacts on the latest projects and skills we have worked hard to gain. Download a video-chat app Most interviews require a quick face-to-face chat these days. However, technology can save the candidate time and travel expenses. Be smart and embrace this, offer an employer a video chat over Skype if he or she feels it is necessary. If you don’t have a laptop or desktop on-hand, download the Skype app which is available in IOS, Android and Google Play. Don’t be caught out! Remember to take time off! These tips make your life easier in a crisis. But using your phone  might cause you to  burn out easily. All those push notifications can get stressful! If you need a break, turn on the ‘do not disturb’ feature, which will only let the most important calls and emails disturb your down time. Most phones have a priority list you can add contacts to in case youre waiting on a specific application. Download the Debut app and get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Summary Sunday Things You Need To Know

Summary Sunday Things You Need To Know Unfortunately, job search and career management dont come with instruction manuals. Which is too bad. There is so much you dont understand about these things. There are written and unwritten rules of engagement. Sewing on a button is a long forgotten skill, yet it sure is handy! This weeks roundup includes many things you need to know- how recruiters use LinkedIn, the unwritten rules of the workplace, should you be the one to constantly follow-up with a hiring manager, how to find email addresses and how to wow an interviewer! I hope these articles help you figure things out! WORLD OF WORK New Graduates: These Are The Unspoken Rules Of The Workplace No One Tells You by  Anisa Purbasari Horton | Fast Company It is unfortunate that more companies dont embed these points into their onboarding. Too many new employees dont know what they dont know! Please share widely to help educate new graduates! JOB SEARCH How Headhunters Use LinkedIn to Find Talented Candidates by Arnie Fertig | US News World Report On Careers If you understand how recruiters use LinkedIn, youll be able to build a better profile and take the right actions on LinkedIn. Is It Normal to Have to Send a Hiring Manager (Lots of) Reminders? by Sara McCord | The Muse This is an interesting example of what a candidate went through during the recruiting processwhat lessons can you learn from this? ONLINE VISIBILITY Use a Personal Website to Maximize Your Digital Footprint by  Job of Mine Only 32% of graduates have an online portfolio, yet more than 60% of millennial hiring managers said having a website or online portfolio is important for candidates  (according to a recent study by godaddy).  Go create your online portfolio today! COOL TOOLS Looking for a way to uncover email addresses so you can contact someone directly? Try one or more of these via Avid Careerist and Ed Han. (This is from Donna Sveis group on Facebook called AvidCareerist) INTERVIEWING Job Interview First Impressions: 10 Tips to Take You to the Top [Infographic] by Armstrong Appointments  | YouTern Brush up on your interviewing know-how with these reminders! by Armstrong Appointments

Improve your job search prospects Dont order in French at the Chinese food restaurant! -

Improve your job search prospects Dont order in French at the Chinese food restaurant! - For some inexplicable reason, I seem to be thinking of a lot of food analogies when Im coaching clients. Im blaming this on reading too many peoples lunch and dinner menus on Twitter, but the analogies really do make a lot of sense when thinking about the job hunt. For example, I was explaining to a prospective client how important it is to identify and target job and career goals in order to write a resume that will appeal to employers. She was having trouble deciding where to focus her search, and rather than choose some specific areas to address that would appeal to hiring managers, she combined everything in one resume kind of a jack of many trades document, in an effort to demonstrate all of the various things that she could do. If Ive said it once, Ive said it 100 times the resume must speak in the language that an employer will understand. If that job requires someone who knows how to develop proposals and presentations detailing new implementation process plans implemented by top management, saying that you have done that is terrific! If the job has nothing to do with developing proposals and presentations, that language might as well be Greek to the hiring manager simply stating your ability to do that task is not likely going to help your cause. Food analogy #1 Would you go to the Chinese food restaurant and place your order in French? Not if you want to get your order right, you wouldnt! Similarly, you need to speak the language that your target audience will understand. To do this successfully, you need to: 1. Know Your Skills Assess your skills and accomplishments. How? Talk to your friends and co-workers. Review written evaluations of your work. Think about the skills you use/d in your positions. Study a skills and accomplishments list. What aspects of your job do you enjoy? What type of work do you hope to do in the future? What skills do you have that will be the stepping stones to getting to the next rung of your career ladder? Once you identify what you have to offer, it will be easier to connect the dots between the employer and you. 2. Know the Employer What does the organization value? Use the job description as a guide and research the company using the internet and any available published material. For example, if the organization uses the words team player four times on their company home page, you will want to emphasize your ability to work well in teams. If possible, conduct informational meetings with people in the organization or those who know about it. Parse their information down and pull out the language that resonates with your audience. Identify exactly what they want and demonstrate how and why you fit the bill. For more information and some examples FOLLOW THIS LINK! Stay tuned for more food analogiesI need to get something to eat! If you are ready for a change and could use some help with your search, follow THIS LINK to learn more about me and how we can work together! photo by voteprime

How to Write a Professional Resume On Resume

How to Write a Professional Resume On ResumeWriting a professional profile on resume is one of the most important ways of drawing in more job seekers. To be able to write a professional resume, it is very important to have a clear knowledge about the industry and how to describe your experiences and achievements accurately. In this article, we will give you some tips to help you.There are different types of resumes available in the market these days. In order to get one, you need to put together your experience and knowledge in the certain industry or field. For example, if you want to apply for a bank loan, you should understand that different bank loans are applied for in different steps which depend on the applicant's skills and abilities.So, instead of writing a resume for any company, you can simply state what you have done at the end. Most of the job seekers today know that a resume is actually a summary of all the events that have been done during your stay at the company. Thu s, a professional resume must start with what you have done so far, as well as a description of the events which may be connected to this.Apart from this, it is also important to have a realistic look at your real life experience. Try to use facts rather than anything that is an exaggeration. After all, you need to attract more job seekers to your resume.Furthermore, ensure that the resume has a unique value. That is, in order to attract more applicants, you should always keep it interesting with your achievements and responsibilities. Never try to sound more impressive or boastful.Finally, make sure that your resume is short and concise. People who do not like too much text in their resume, can consider resuming to what they did in college or attending university and joining a company. With this, you can get a bigger perspective on how you have improved over the years.As mentioned, writing an excellent resume is an art form. It needs a lot of time and effort. However, if you practi ce and spend some time each day writing a professional resume, you can definitely get more jobs.

Personal Finance Skills Budgeting, Investing, Undestanding Taxes, Job Interviews, Goal Setting

Personal Finance Skills Budgeting, Investing, Undestanding Taxes, Job Interviews, Goal Setting As I reflect back on my years in high school and even college, one thing has become readily apparent: learning about the many facets of financial management wasn’t part of the plan. Admittedly, the constraints on the education system these days are tremendous. Veritably every parent has an idea of what their child should be learning in school. But, when push comes to shove, America’s kids are woefully unprepared for the real world when they graduate with respect to their financial knowledge. A financial literacy survey conducted by the Financial Industry Regulation Authority, or FINRA, that was released last year demonstrates just how much trouble our nation’s young adults could be in when it comes to their finances. The five-question survey covered relatively basic topics such as interest, savings, and investments. A passing score was considered four or five questions out of five answered correctly. Less than a quarter of millennials aged 18 to 34 passed the quiz. Arguably a lot of these issues could be solved if they taught basic life skills in school as it relates to our everyday finances. Here are six things that I should have learned when I was in school, but didn’t until after I graduated and sought the answers out for myself. 1. How to balance a budget In terms of basic money management skills, nothing is more critical than understanding your cash flow. Most people have a pretty good bead on how much money is coming in via paychecks, but when you ask them where their money went by the end of the pay period you’re liable to get a shoulder shrug. Students in school should be taught early and often about the basics of keeping a record of their financial transactions. This means recording cash flow into and out of a checking account, and understanding how to properly formulate a budget. Operating on a budget will teach critical money management skills that should allow students to save money and not live paycheck to paycheck â€" something that could come in handy if they graduate with student loan debt or don’t land their dream job right out of high school or college. 2. How to manage credit Another financial nugget of wisdom not being taught in schools is the concept of credit, credit scores, and how lending rates can affect our financial decisions. Not understanding your credit score, or what goes into the makings of a credit score, can be a big problem. In general, your credit score is the single most important component that will determine whether or not a financial institution will lend to you. It’s also a determinant of what interest rate you’ll qualify for. The higher your credit score, the more favorable the lending rate, and the more financial institutions are likely to compete to obtain your business (which could further lower your lending rate). Along those same lines, it’s imperative today’s youth understand the concept of interest and how dangerous making minimum payments on a credit card can be. According to a 2011 Harvard study by Dennis Campbell that looked at Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union’s 30,000+ member portfolio of credit card holders, a mere 8% of members were on track to pay off their credit cards in 36 months (three years) or less. This means more than nine out of 10 cardholders are in danger of paying substantial interest fees over the life of their debt. 3. How to invest for retirement It’s not only important that schools teach kids how to save and manage their credit profile, but it’s equally important that they teach students how to invest for their future. A Money Pulse survey from Bankrate in April showed that, for adults under the age of 30, only 26% owned stock. That might not seem like a terrifying figure, but with time and compounding being the best friend of the long-term investor, it could really put millennials in a tough bind come retirement. The reason is the stock market has historically returned 7% per year. Comparatively, next to bonds, CDs, money market accounts, savings accounts, and metals, it’s been the greatest long-term creator of wealth. Other investment vehicles may not even outpace the rate of inflation, resulting in real money losses. On top of understanding their basic investment options, students should also be introduced to common tax-advantaged retirement vehicles like IRAs and 401(k)s, and they should leave school with a basic understanding of what Social Security and Medicare cover and how these entitlement programs could affect them before and after retirement. 4. How taxes affect us Who here remembers getting their first paycheck and feeling dumbfounded at all the deductions that were taken out? I (vaguely) remember I did because I wasn’t taught about the basics of taxes â€" why we pay them and who benefits from our tax payments â€" in school. Since all working Americans pay taxes, all students should be taught some tax basics. They should understand how much we pay in payroll taxes, and ultimately how those payroll taxes get funneled into the Social Security program. Students should also understand why federal income taxes, state income taxes, and Medicare taxes exist, and be prepared to estimate how much of their paycheck may wind up being taken out to cover taxes. Understanding how much you’ll pay annually, monthly, or weekly in taxes is another component to proper budgeting. 5. How to market yourself and interview for a job I’m not exactly sure how schools get away without teaching this, but at no point during my tenure in high school and college was I ever taught the basics of developing a resume, how to market myself, or how to be interviewed by a prospective employer. In my opinion, these real-world situations should be at the top of the list of what we’re teaching in school. Throughout high school we should be teaching students the skills necessary to land a well-paying job. These include how to prepare a resume and highlight their strengths, how to find and apply for a job, how to successfully interview and sell their strengths in person, and also how to negotiate contracts and/or their salary. Without these basic tools, millennials and generation Z could wind up being underpaid and/or underemployed. 6. How to set goals Finally, schools need to do a better job of teaching students about goals and goal-setting. Understandably goal-setting sometimes involves more than just your finances. Taking a European vacation, owning a beach house in Florida, or being married with two kids and a white picket fence by the age of 35, are all examples of potentially lofty goals. However, most goals will ultimately tie back into your finances. You need to be able to save enough in order to take a trip to Europe, buy a beach house, or start a family. Schools these days should be teaching students about creating achievable goals for the short- and long-term, and should be advising students on how to hold themselves accountable. This means creating measurable goals that are easy to keep track of. Although I personally believe these six financial nuggets of wisdom should be taught in our schools, there’s no reason kids these days shouldn’t also be learning about these concepts in their home. If you have the time and the know-how, there may be no greater gift you can give your child than giving them a head start in understanding real-world financial concepts. Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. More From The Motley Fool: Social Security: 5 Facts You Must Know Warren Buffett Tells You How to Turn $40 Into $10 Million Social Security: 3 Things to Know Before Taking Early Benefits

3 Job Search Tactics That Bring Results You Want - Work It Daily

3 Job Search Tactics That Bring Results You Want - Work It Daily There’s a reason why people are advised to secure a job before quitting even in the best job market. Job searching can involve a lengthy process, especially when the best job search tactics aren’t in use. RELATED: Need some job search tips? Watch these tutorials! If you want results, you’ll have to lean towards the proactive, go-getter style of job searching. Use these job search tactics to help you! 1. Tips around job boards. As popular as job boards are for job seekers, they’re not the best place to secure job opportunities. The problem is, if you don’t fit the position like a glove, your resume has a hard chance of being seen. In most cases, the submitted resume is run through an Applicant Tracking System, which ranks the resume according to keywords and internal algorithms. In a recent chat with a Fortune 500 HR manager, I was told that out of 400 resumes that come in, they only look at the top 20 ranked resumes, meaning 380 resumes are not even seen. So the odds are against you here â€" even if you’re well-qualified. An alternative way to use job boards is to find opportunities there, but rely on referrals and networking techniques (discussed below) to get your resume seen. Also, you’ll have better luck with finding fitting job opportunities when you stick with niche job boards. 2. Tips around recruiters. Recruiters can find people jobs, right? That’s not exactly how it works. Recruiters, find people for jobs, not jobs for people. Recruiters are paid by the employer to find the right candidate for the job, so while it may seem like they are helping to find you a job, they are really looking to see if you have fit the jobs they need to fill. The general advice is recruiters are good to work with when they specialize in jobs opportunities at your level (so check their ads). In most cases, it is for hard-to-fill positions that requires specific knowledge and skills. So, if you’re a recent grad or at entry-level, your time is probably better off spent using another job search tactic like networking. 3. Tips around networking. Direct contact through networking has the highest effectiveness rate when it comes to job search tactics. People hire people they like and know, and that’s why most employers even offer employees an incentive for referrals. Fortunately, job seekers today have places like LinkedIn that make it easy for networking. Just by searching the company name on LinkedIn, the page will already tell you people in your network employed there and other relevant connections that can help you get started. Remember, with networking, it works best if you approach contacts asking for advice instead of asking for a job. Let them know you’re interested in the specific employer or job, and ask for advice like whether they can tell you about the application and interview process they went through or other general advice like what types of experience or skills are important to highlight for a job in XYZ. Keep these tips in mind for improved results in your job search! This post was originally published at an earlier date. Related Posts 3 Keys To Customizing Your Resume 5 Key Areas To Target When Branding Your Resume How To Match Your Skills To A Job With Your Resume About the author Don Goodman’s firm was rated as the #1 Resume Writing Service in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Don is a triple-certified, nationally recognized Expert Resume Writer, Career Management Coach and Job Search Strategist who has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Check out his Resume Writing Service. Get a Free Resume Evaluation or call him at 800.909.0109 for more information.   Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!