6 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out

6 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out6 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand OutIf you are one of those people who think that your resume should simply be a recitation of your job description in Times New Roman font, think again Thats a thing of the past, and its time to get on board with a new way of looking at things.Todays resume needs to show whats unique and special about you. How are you just a little bit different or better than all the other people whose background is similar to yours? This is an integral parte of whats meant by defining your personal brand.See Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.First and foremost, remember that your resume is a marketing document. Its sole purpose is to get someone with hiring authority to pick up the phone or shoot you an email to initiate a conversation. To do that you need to convey what kind of professional you are and how you differentiate yourself from your peers.You should do this with convincing content presented in a fabulous fashion.Co lorize your personal brand. Understand your own brand and its associated color. For example, personal development coach Pavlina Papalouka teaches that darker blues convey qualities like loyalty, honesty, responsibility and approachability, while turquoise conveys a sense of prestige, high ideals, attention and communication. Red, by contrast, makes you appear emotional, exciting, passionate, aggressive, provocative and memorable. A simple search on YouTube for color and personal branding will provide a whole host of videos that will help you determine your best branding color.You can use your brand color on your resume for lines to separate sections of your resume, or as a background to your personal branding statement at the top of the document, just under your name and contact information. To go bold, try creating a one cell table and adjust the border and shading to have your branding color in the background. Extend the table the full width of your page, and then use text within it to denote your various resume sections like Skills, Professional Experience, Education and so forth.See 25 Best Business Jobs for 2017.Provide a branding statement. This isnt simply a list of skills or accomplishments, but rather a short three-to-five-line statement that tells who you are, your key qualities and areas in which you are particularly adept. Its not about how you got to be who you are, nor what you did in previous roles. Rather, it answers the question Who are you at this moment in time?Convey your key accomplishments. To give a helicopter view of who you are, you might want to include a Key Accomplishments section in your resume, just under your branding statement. Keep it short and snappy, again with only three or four bullets. Remember, the operative word here is key just the main few things that will make you a standout for the role you seek. This is also a sneaky way you can highlight sohonigweinhing relevant that appears farther down on your timeline to make i t relatable to your current target audience.Make sure you are talking about the right accomplishments. That you earned a promotion, for example, is certainly an accomplishment. But that will show up lower in the resume as an employer views your professional experience section. Rather, think about what you did that was so great that earned you the promotion to begin with, and then youll get a good sense of your key accomplishments.Limit your bullet points. Your resume will pack a punch if you limit yourself to just three or four bullet points for each position that you have held. They dont need to be just a single line, and let each tell a story. What were you challenged to do? How did you go about doing it? What results did you attain? Tell the whole story, concisely Be specific wherever possible to document dollars and percentages rather than saying something vague like, Improved sales considerably. Everyones definition of considerably will be very different.See 7 Excellent Sales a nd Marketing Jobs for 2017.Beware of betraying poor communication skills. Rare indeed is the job description for any professional role that doesnt require excellent communications skills. But simply claiming to have them doesnt really advance your cause. Rather, show off those skills with the vocabulary you use to depict your actions.And when you are talking about communications, be sure to give examples. Have you spoken at company retreats? Written white papers? Are you known for your snappy memos or compelling PowerPoint decks?Find and use descriptive action verbs to begin each bullet point. For example met with is weak but collaborated with is strong. Led is often overused, but there are plenty of strong synonyms like created, established, formulated, launched, pioneered or spearheaded that might better define and describe your actions.When you take the time to step back and think about who you are and distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack, youre sure to increase your ch ances of resume successHappy Hunting

Top Job Relocation Considerations

Top Job Relocation ConsiderationsTop Job Relocation ConsiderationsAre you itching for a change of scenery? Youre in good company. In todays hiring climate, many professionals are considering a job relocation for new career opportunities.Theres a whole lot to consider before making a move. Concerns might range from how much housing will cost and where the kids will go to school to what the raumal salary variations will be. Lets take a look at some of the pros and cons of job relocation, along with several tips for long-distance job hunting.Pros to job relocationThe opportunities may be greater. Your chances of career advancement can vary from city to city. For example, employers in one region might have a high demand for graphic designers at a particular moment, while organizations in another are looking for mobile design experts. Expanding your search to a broader area can help you land the position you really want.Your pay may increase. Today, there arent enough skilled professional s in some markets to meet everyones staffing needs. More companies are reaching out to recruiters to find candidates from outside their geographic area. That level of demand means you likely have more leverage when it comes to negotiating your salary, signing bonuses, benefits packages and relocation expenses.The new experiences could be exhilarating. Relocation can offer the excitement of exploring a new city and working with new team members.JOB HUNTING? WE CAN HELPCons to changing locationsRelocation can be stressful. As individual events, starting a new job and moving are two of the most stressful situations you can encounter. Youll be going through both at the same time. Add to this the fact that you may not have a local support system, and youre potentially looking at a lot of stress.Moving can be expensive. The costs of relocating can mount up. If your new employer doesnt cover the costs of your move, be prepared to spend a lot on travel expenses, moving fees and situation up your new residence.You may not see your workplace before moving. Its possible your only meeting with the hiring manager will be over a phone call or in a video interview. That means youll be walking into your first day with little idea of what the work environment is like. Your new company may have a cramped office floor plan that hinders your productivity. Or you might just get a bad workplace vibe.Now that youve evaluated some pros and cons of relocation, here are some tips to help you make a successful transitionCast a wide netTo increase your chances of landing a job in a new city, reach out to former classmates, colleagues or connections in the areas youre looking at. Specialized recruiters are also excellent resources when youre applying for jobs outside your home area. The best recruiters have a national reach and can help locate a position that meets your salary needs and career aspirations.Know what youre worthMake sure youre aware of the average starting salaries for prof essionals in the city youd like to move to. Consult the Robert Half Salary Guides to learn the going rates for your position, then localize the figures using our Salary Calculator.Negotiate relocation expensesIts important to know upfront which of your costs your new employer is willing to cover. Many firms will pay for the transportation of vehicles and other possessions, as well as home-hunting trips. Keep in mind that even if an expense - such as fuel or family airfare - is not reimbursed in the standard relocation policy, some employers are open to negotiating.Plan a visitYou dont want to start your new job only to be disappointed with your employer, coworkers, organizational culture or new town. Even if your employer wont compensate you for this particular trip, a fact-finding mission before you take the job is well worth the cost. Many employers will be happy to arrange a tour of the office or have some of your future coworkers join you for lunch so you can learn about the a rea and your soon-to-be workplace.The initial stages of relocation are going to be challenging. But having an idea of what to expect can help you mentally prepare for the transition so you can tackle challenges head-on. Once you get settled into your new city and job, you may find it was the best career decision you ever made.

How to Return to the Workforce at Any Age

How to Return to the Workforce at Any AgeHow to Return to the Workforce at Any AgeAre you coming off a career break? Here are seven tips to speed your re-entry.Many individuals who have left the workforce for family or personal reasons may find that they have to return to work sooner than they had planned. Whats more, many people who had been planning to return to work are having trouble re-entering. They find themselves in competition with many well-qualified individuals who have recently lost their jobs. A fast re-entry requires candidates to understand what employers are looking for.Here are seven suggestions to avoid obstacles candidates encounter when they return to the market1. Hit the ground running.When times are tough, employers dont want to take risks. Businesses are looking for individuals who can have an immediate effect. Be prepared to demonstrate to a prospective employer how you can help the company now. Offering references and success stories from your past that show you get the job done will facilitate finding a job quickly. This is bedrngnis a good time to consider a career change. Going back to doing what you have done successfully in the past is the best return-to-work strategy.2. Connect with those you dont have to convince.Try contacting former supervisors. They know you and the quality of your work. They may even have a position available. If not, you can use the opportunity to update them on what you have been doing since you left and what you are looking for. Hopefully, they will be willing to serve as a reference and offer you some possible contacts.3. Highlight your time off. It is also important to demonstrate that you have put your time at home to good use in terms that a potential employer will value. Those resume gaps can be highlighted if you engaged in activities that will further your career, such as blogging, joining organizations or volunteering. Taking courses online or at a local college will also make you more marketable.4 . Be up-to-date with technology.A gap in employment history prompts hiring managers to wonder whether youve kept up with advancements while you were out. Prepare to demonstrate, not only that you are current with the technology needed to do the job but also that you are comfortable with learning new technology. Having a professional presence on the Internet, (a personal Web page, a blog, articles published on the Internet or a profile posted on a professional networking Web site) and being able to talk about trends in technology that are relevant to the job will eliminate any doubts about your ability to adapt to rapidly changing technology.The keys to a successful re-entry into the workforce are creativity in your approach and confidence in the value of your skills. Dont apologize for taking time off speak with confidence about the reasons why you took time off and why you are seeking to go back to work now.5. Exhibit confidence.Once you have found an employer that wants to hire yo u, dont be afraid to negotiate.The only difference when it comes to negotiating successfully when you are employed versus when you are returning to work is confidence. The skills and experience that made you valuable when you were employed are just as valuable when you return to the workforce.Employers dont hire employees because they are cheap. They hire them because they want them. If you can convince an employer to hire you, they will be willing to pay you what you are worth if you know how to negotiate. Ask, dont threaten, and wait until the employer is ready to offer you the position before negotiating. Know what individuals in the industry with your skills and experience earn.Dont specifically make accepting the offer contingent on getting what you are requesting. Instead, ask for help and leave the possibility open that you might take the job even if they cannot satisfy your request. Use phrases like, I am really excited about the job but was hoping that the salary would be m ore in line with what I believe is the market for the skills I bring to the table.6. Inquire about training.Put hiring managers minds at ease by letting them know that youre determined to stay up to date. Two things that should be high on your list are training and ensuring that you are given the tools for success. Training is critical to your continued success.Getting a commitment to be allowed to avail yourself of in-house training opportunities and on-the-job training is normally relatively easy to do before you are hired, and requests of this nature are usually well received. Similarly, candidates who talk about what they will need in terms of resources such as budget, staff and equipment reflect foresight. Their reasonable requests are usually granted, whereas once you start in a position resources are harder to come by.7. Dont be pushy.On the other hand, if you are returning to work in a full-time position, generally it is a good idea not to try to telecommute, at least not in itially. fruchtwein employers, even in good times, are much more likely to allow these perks employees they trust to work independently and who have a track record of producing results for them.Asking to telecommute may cause a prospective employer to have second thoughts about your commitment to the job. You can also raise the issue of telecommuting later on, after you have proven yourself. The same is true about limitations on the hours you can work. If you show that you can get the job done, then your employer is likely to be flexible in terms of the specific hours you work.Demonstrate that you have kept your skills current. Be prepared to show, with specific examples and strong personal recommendations, that you can get things done. Those qualities will not only get you a job but will allow you to negotiate the terms of your return to work.Your skills, enthusiasm, preparation, persistence, strong work ethic and can-do attitude did not disappear when you took time off from work f or your family. Those qualities were valued by your previous employers, and they remain extremely valuable in a challenging economic environment.