Resumes

Yes I know everyone has an opinion and opinions, though offered, are rarely solicited. I prefer a two page resume, maximum two and a half, with name, address, phone numbers, email, objective and education, all at the beginning of the resume. Use bold judicially, perhaps just on your job titles. Include all dates and dates of education graduation. Don't submit references, these should only be offered if you are in the final process of getting a job offer. When emailing your resume, send it to yourself and see what it looks like, then make the appropriate changes. Develop a couple of versions of your resume, (for example one that emphasizes product design and another that emphasizes your project engineering skills). Most importantly, you aren't writing War and Peace. Your resume should use words sparingly, efficiently and effectively.

Interview Preparation

The time has arrived. You get out of your car and walk towards the entrance of your next possible employer. Have you prepared for this interview? I'm truly amazed at the number of people who don't prepare for an interview. Here are a few simple suggestions.

How To Work With Recruiters

Do not assume that recruiters work on your behalf. The fee, which is usually a percentage of your salary, is paid by the hiring company upon start date. Recruiters don't try to find you a job. They want the right candidates for the positions they're working on. Most recruiters have websites. Generate a list of recruiting companies that post jobs in your field of endeavor. Check those websites weekly for new postings. Don't pester recruiters, when you call have a reason, identify who you are, why you are calling and communicate a quick precise of your background to jog the recruiters memory. I do not work with a monitor on my desk, I rely on my old age memory, so help me out. To be continued...

Resume and Interview

Is your resume a true reflection of your experiences and skills? Is it truthful? Have you dropped short term jobs from your resume? Have you padded material in your experiences to create an illusion? .......... If you have answered yes to any of these questions then an astute recruiter or prospective employer interviewer will sniff out the truth. And that truth will stop the process. Unfortunately in the real world people lie and exaggerate, even recruiters...... no one is perfect. The interview process is investigative so your resume and your verbal answers should be an accurate reflection of who you are. Example: The new buzz word is lean manufacturing, if you haven't worked with it don't put it on your resume in the hopes that magic phrase will get you in the door.

Out of Work for an Extended Period

Your worst case scenario has come to pass. Your severance has run out and your EI benefits are coming to an end. It's a sad state of affairs and you are desperate. What should you do? Go get a job; Tim Horton's, pump gas, deliver parcels, work as a labourer for a temp agency, go do something that pays you something because that's better than nothing. Now that you're working and bringing in some income, refocus your job search. Suggestions; talk to friends about your job search, resume, attitude and get a job search make-over. Start again with a clean slate, an updated resume and a new you. Don't go through the motions. You need to know why you have failed in the job search and interview processes. Once you know the worst news about yourself, only then can you turn it into an advantage.

Interview Preparation Part 2

It's Saturday, it's snowing and I'm working. I don't mind. A client gave me a couple of new job orders and wants to hear back from me by Monday. Let me rant for a moment. I've talked to a number of potential candidates today. I continue to be surprised by how few candidates do their due diligence prior to an interview. I remind the candidates while talking to them on the phone, to take some notes. If you are job searching please research the prospective employer. Also using the web or other tools, please improve your interview skills. Practice, Practice, Practice! It's surprising the number of candidates who think they are good interviewers and when I meet with them, it is obvious they need to improve their interview skills. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself this question, "Will the prospective interviewer see me and judge me in a positive light?" If you are not sure of the answer then you are not prepared to be interviewed. Your answer is to rehearse, practice and do it again. More on this subject to follow.

Thank You Notes & Emails

One of the more effective tools in your job searching kit is the thank you email you send to a perspective employer after the initial interview. The following are a number of key points to keep in mind when composing the email. If you do not have a business card phone the company to get the spelling of their name, title and email address. Many companies will not release the information over the phone. If you are not working with a recruiter, who should have that information, than you need to extract that information at the end of the interview. If the interview has gone well, the interviewer will usually provide that information. Not everyone is a born writer, including yours truly. The thank you email should be short, well thought out, contain zero spelling errors and zero effusions such as;  perfect, great, wonderful, excellent etc. Thank them for the time they invested interviewing you, communicate that you are interested in the position and make one comment about their vision and that's it. Have your partner, friend or recruiter proof read your thank you email before you hit the send button. Remember unless specified by the employer the thank you email is not a vehicle for you to offer suggestions, ask questions or include a totally irrelevant thought, or misspell their name or give them an incorrect title. Good Luck!

Interview Tips

Here is a shopping list of some of the things that you might want to consider to enhance the interview process. 

• Casual is now 'cool' however wear a tie the first interview

• Prepare some well thought out questions that you can ask

• Don't ask a question for the sake of asking a question

• Listen first, talk second

• Haircut always helps

• Be on time, and never earlier then 10 minutes

• Don't fidget

• If you ask for or know you are going to get a plant tour, make sure you are wearing safety shoes and have safety glasses with you

• Scope the location out prior to the interview

• Keep the name of the company confidential

• Sit in your car for a couple of minutes and relax

• Don't smoke before the interview

• Take a copy of your resume and ensure it matches the copy the interviewer has

• Be positive about past jobs, life and pretty much everything

• Smile but don't joke

• Have confidence