When writing a good resume, you need to see what other prospects don’t see and use strategies and tactics that they never even considered.

I know, I know… this sounds easier than it really is.

But trust me, all it takes is for you to look at writing a good resume from a completely different perspective—a new paradigm, if you will—and the results of looking at them from this paradigm can be life-changing.

Here are 3 savvy tricks for writing a good resume that the vast majority of candidates never thought of:

1.  Use Keywords

If you are familiar with internet marketing and search engine optimization, this tip on writing a good resume might have you scratching your head a little bit.  If not, I won’t get into the logistics of selling porn online and how phrasing your web content can equal reaching more eager customers, but basically, keywords are words that directly relate to the job and position you are applying for, or even to the benefits derived from said employee.

These keywords can and should be worked through your resume when describing your skills and experience.  Put them anywhere in the resume you can.

There are several reasons for this.  For one, if your resume is online, this will make it more likely to get picked up when employers or online recruiters are searching on the web.  Also, if the resume is in a computer database and the employer is searching using a software program, it will make it easier to find it there as well.

Finally, even human readers pick up on keywords.  The scanning of a resume can be likened to a computer search in that the brain is preparing itself and searching for certain keywords that signal a likely candidate.  The keywords will jump out at them and warrant a more extensive look at the resume.

Not to mention the subconscious power of linking your name to these words.  Keywords are critical for resumes, and most candidates would not think of this in a million years.

2.  Use Advertising and Marketing Strategies

It is essential that you get used to think of getting hired as a marketing campaign and keep this in mind for writing a good resume.  Start learning about successful strategies used by top marketers and advertisers.  Read marketing books. Learn to think like these people.

It will not only help you learn writing a good resume that has an impact but will help you in your entire career and indeed every aspect of your life.

3.  Write Great Copy

When it comes to high impact marketing skills, writing copy is perhaps the most valuable any marketer can have, and it is not hard to see how this plays into writing a good resume.  Valuable copy sells in a way that does not seem to be trying and pulls the subconscious triggers that spark curiosity and create attraction.  While writing a good resume will not land you a job, powerful copy will certainly help it achieve its goal of landing you an interview.

Do you see how thinking outside of the box can teach you about writing a good resume that puts you in a completely different league than the competition? If you’ve ever seen how powerful this type of mindset can be, you know what I’m talking about.

Tell us about your experience with writing a good resume in the comments below.

Tags: writing a good resume

Tags: writing a good resume
Posted in Featured Blogs, Writing a Good Resume | 6 Comments »

Recent studies have shown that job recruiters, interviewers, and employers have very similar pet peeves about cover letter writing, and there are certain things that may alienate you and ruin your chances of getting an interview—or even getting someone to look at your resume for that matter. 

As you could imagine, it’s probably a good idea to keep these peeves in mind when fleshing out your cover letter writing.

Here are 5 cover letter writing mistakes that drive recruiters crazy.

1.  Letters Longer than 1 Page

Not only does is this a waste of a recruiter’s time, but it also might come across as a show of arrogance or maybe even an attempt to overcompensate.  Who are you to think you are entitled to send in a 2 page letter when everyone else just sent in the one?  Keep it short and to the point.  Some employers might throw out your cover letter simply for the reason that you didn’t have the discipline and common sense to keep it shorter.

2.  Wordy Letters

By this, I mean letters jam-packed with words and little space.  This can be a chore to read and looks disorganized and sloppy.  It comes across as unprofessional and cluttered.  The easier you make a cover letter to read, the more of a chance they will pick up what you’re putting down.

3.  Cookie-Cutter Letters

It can also irritate the hell out of someone who is staring at cover letters all day to see the same basic templates coming across their desk.  In some cases, this is an obvious case of everyone downloading the same lame resumes from the Internet and editing them.  In other cases, it’s just a lack of originality.

4.  Letters Without a Resume

Some cover letter writing “experts” actually recommend sending the cover letter in all by itself.  The supposed logic is that it acts as only as a “Teaser.”  A teaser?  Give me a break; you’re not trying to get into someone’s pants at the bar—employers don’t have time for games.

This is all business, and if you think they are going to go out of their way to contact you to get the rest of what is typically expected, you can pretty much expect not to get a phone call.  Don’t be a tease—aim to please.

5.  “Cute” Letters

While original can be nice, trying to be funny or cute can alienate a lot of employers, especially the ultra conservative “old school” types you find in some industries.  So save the lovey dovey talk for your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Some people just don’t want “fresh” and funny cover letters, so unless you have some kind of inside scoop or they gave the go ahead for outrageous originality, use your accomplishments to stand out instead of throwing your funny bone out on the table.

There you have it—5 little screw-ups you want to avoid like broken condoms.  The aim of cover letter writing is to state your case and ask for an interview—not annoy the hell out of them and have them slamming the door before you even reach for the knob.

You have any stories about idiotic moves in cover letter writing you pulled in a move to impress?  Break em out and give us all a chance to laugh at you (I mean with you).  Leave your comments below.

Tags: cover letter writing

Tags: cover letter writing
Posted in cover letter writing, Featured Blogs | 1 Comment »

Sometimes one of the most satisfying feelings in the world is getting that first phone job interview. Imagine when your phone rings and it’s someone ready to give you that first chance. Often, this first chance would set the tone for the rest of the relationship. If you get this just right, you’ll land a possible great career opportunity – and it would’ve been all thanks to your phone job interview.  Don’t get me wrong, you still need to get past the face-to-face interview, but it sure is better than nothing, and for the companies that do this it is a first crucial step.

While it may feel like less pressure because it is over the phone, there are a few ways you can screw this critical appointment up, so keep in mind these 5 hidden dangers in phone job interview.

1.  Realize it May Last 15-45 Minutes
This means if you accept phone job interview, you better have the time.  The last thing you to do is rush answers or get off the phone early because you didn’t have time to finish.

Allocate up to an hour just in case.  There’s a chance they might call you out of the blue while you’re sitting on the toilet and ask if you’re available right then and there.  It’s always better if you are able to grab the opportunity, but if you’ve only got 20 minutes, it might be just better to reschedule.

2.  You’re Being Screened for the Real Deal

What a lot of hung-over college kids don’t stop to consider is that phone job interview is really just a way to screen out the candidates they don’t want to come into the office.  Keeping that in mind, realize the aim is to find out if you fit the basic criteria for the job.

This is where your research comes in, and it’s best to have a board set up in your home or a notebook you can carry with you that lists specific information about the jobs you’re currently pursuing, what they are looking for, and how you can communicate that.  Go over this stuff before your interview and make sure you pass the screening.

3.  Consistent Answers

Another thing the phone job interview serves as is a bull-shit test.  It’s pretty easy for them to have your resume and application on hand while they’re talking to you, and they will be sure to check if the answers are consistent.  It’s best to not be a bull-shitter at all, but keep a copy of the particular resume you gave that employer on hand just in case.

4.  Enthusiasm and Interest

Your employer will also be paying attention to your level of enthusiasm about the job.  Get excited about it.  Get pumped.  It doesn’t mean you should start spazzing out and asking them to fax you an autograph, but come across as exited and determined, as if you feel the job is the right fit for you and you are the right fit for the job.  Once you have some solid interviewing skills under your belt, you shouldn’t be pursuing any jobs that aren’t your idea of a dream job, so it shouldn’t’ be a problem to be enthusiastic.

5.  Relevant Questions

As some relevant questions about the position at the end of the call.  This once again displays your enthusiasm.  It also shows that you understand the position and know what you are getting yourself into.

These tips will help you navigate phone job interview, but the overlying concept and something to keep in mind is that these are really not much more than a screening process.

The number one goal you should have in mind when in this situations is getting that face-to-face interview.  Because that’s where true attraction and personal bonding happens.

This is why doing well on a phone job interview is sooo very important.

Do you have any other tips to add?  Any awkward moments? Please share your phone job interview experiences in the comments below!

Tags: phone job interview

Tags: phone job interview
Posted in Featured Blogs, phone job interview | 3 Comments »