The SEO of You: Know Your Keywords!

At one of my networking events not too long ago, a recruiter advised the audience of job seekers in attendance that the most important element of resume preparation was to ensure all the right keywords were contained somewhere in the document so that the resume would come up in a relevant database or applicant tracking […]

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Job Search Copywriting: Inspiration Abounds!

I’m sure all of you out there have heard the old saying that “imitation is the highest form of flattery.”  There’s one along these lines that I like even better, however.  It’s from playwright Wilson Mizner and it states: ““If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many, it’s research!” Today’s […]

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Your Resume: Who’s the #1 Audience?

I had an interesting insight yesterday strike me during the process of teaching a class on resume-writing methodology. At this event, I was chatting with around 30 or so job seekers about the topic of resume “best practices” and asking them, many of whom are former hiring managers, to share their particular preferences in terms […]

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How Handle Employment Gaps on your Resume?

There’s no question about it.  Most employers today have a “perfect picture” in mind of the ideal candidate they’d like to hire for most positions.  This individual not only brings to the table perfect educational credentials and spot-on relevant experience, but also boasts a career path characterized by an unbroken string of progressively-upward employment roles […]

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Thoughts on the “Grecian Formula” Resume Approach

If you’re out looking for a new employment opportunity in this marketplace, and you’re normal, you’re going to find yourself over-analyzing, over-reacting, and over-stressing (is that a word?) to almost every little aspect of your resume and job search approach. “Is it something on my resume that’s preventing me from getting more interviews?  Does that […]

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What Does Your Resume Convey in 6 Seconds?

Resume angst.  It’s a very real thing and the majority of job hunters I meet seem to suffer from it.  There just aren’t many people you’ll meet who will stand behind their resume 100% and say “I think my resume is terrific, sums up my qualifications beautifully, and is a piece I’m highly confident in […]

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Time to Ditch the Resume & “Embody” Greatness?

Imagine a world with no resumes.  A hiring market where people aren’t judged by the superficial impressions given off by a single short document, but on their ability to actually “prove” that they’re highly capable in their field and capable of solving an employer’s problems.  Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  And a much more fair way […]

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Career Poll: Biggest Mistake on Resumes?

This was an interesting one.  Given the vast range of opinions floating around the employment world about resumes, and the fact that most job hunters seem endlessly insecure about them, I wanted to survey the masses and see what the most common gripe was about resumes today — perhaps offering some insight as to what […]

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Resume Questions Answered (But Not By Me)

All you job hunters out there, raise your hands if you’re confused about what you should put on your resume or around how best to “package yourself” on paper these days. Okay, now stop.  You’re blocking out the sun. As I’ve pointed out for many years, including in this recent article here, every resume-writer on […]

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Resumes, Chickens & Eggs: The Debate Rages On

As a follow-up to the article I posted a few days ago, outlining my 5 Steps to a Very Good Resume methodology, I can’t resist sharing the link below from a recent LinkedIn discussion I came across that was focused on resumes — and specifically, whether or not a resume in today’s world should be […]

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