Nitpicky Things to Avoid for a Polished Resume

You’ve looked at your resume a million times.  No notable grammar or spelling errors–what else can you do to make sure your resume is as polished as it can be?  Next time you’re editing your resume, make sure you’re not making any of these common nitpicky mistakes:

Using inconsistent formatting. While it may be appropriate to get fancy with fonts, colors and sizes if you’re looking for a position in graphic design or similar, keeping it clean, simple and easy to read over colorful and fancy is usually for the best.  Regardless of the style you choose though, try to maintain consistency throughout your resume.  For example, if you bold every header (e.g. Objective, Education, Work History, etc.) make sure you do so throughout.  Indenting under each employer to point out key duties and achievements?  Make sure all the bullets line up.  Consistency throughout your resume will give it a more polished look.

Including incorrect contact info. There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a great resume and not being able to get a hold of that person because they swapped a digit in their number or missed a letter in their email address.  Double check your contact info to make sure it’s correct and try to use an easy-to-read font to ensure the hiring manager or recruiter has no issue getting a hold of you.  (Tip: While having more than one phone number listed is a good idea, having more than one email address listed is just confusing.  Limit yourself to one professional sounding email address that you can check often.)

Using templates without caution.  Templates can be very helpful when trying out a new format for your resume or when just starting to write a new one.  However, be careful when you’re finished that you haven’t left any of the template text in your actual resume.  Seeing “[Insert work history here]” isn’t nearly as impressive as your actual work history would be.

Spelling past employers and schools incorrectly.  It can be easy to misspell some companies or schools as your spell check might not recognize them.  Take the extra minute or two of research to pull out an old pay stub or pull up the company or school website to make sure you’ve got it down correctly.  While you might not think it’s a big deal, an alum or business partner of the school or company might think otherwise.

NOT TRIPLE CHECKING EVERYTHING IN UPPER CAPS.  Many programs will not catch a misspelling in upper caps.  Make sure you’re telling people about your WORK HISTORY not your WORK HITSORY.

All of these are items that demonstrate overall attention to detail.  Avoiding these common mistakes will help you make a great first impression on a hiring manager or recruiter and help you move on in the hiring process.

‘Tis the season for holiday jobs!

As we near the holidays, seasonal temp jobs are cropping up left and right.  This year, 700,000 seasonal retail jobs are expected to be created.  While these are great opportunities, don’t forget to also check out a temp agency if you’re seeking employment.

Seasonal jobs and temp staffing jobs are similar in that they offer you two opportunities: (1) a chance to pick up a little extra supplemental work or (2) a chance to get your foot in the door at a company and earn your way to a permanent position.  Just as it’s possible to extend a seasonal store job, our temps are frequently hired on perm with the clients we serve.

For retail, it’s possible to keep a seasonal job longer than January, but you’ve got to be persistent, hardworking and flexible.  Managers take notice when you show up on time, do all of your assigned tasks, and remain flexible when asked to work in different areas or take on additional duties or shifts.   While most temp assignments have set fixed end dates, keeping the same mindset is still important — another opportunity may emerge out of a different department at that client, or your coordinator, impressed with the great job you’ve been doing, may consider you for another placement immediately following your current one.

Either way it’s important to keep any open mind when considering seasonal or temporary employment.  Have you started a temporary/seasonal job and had it turn into a permanent job?  What are your dos and don’ts for temporary and seasonal work?

Facebook Launches New Job App

Next time you’re procrastinating on Facebook (as we all sometimes do!) consider taking 5 minutes to check out Facebook’s new job app.

Facebook has launched its new Social Jobs app last week, allowing users to search for jobs posted through BranchOut, Jobvite, Work4Labs, Monster, and US.jobs. The app allows you to like, post, and message jobs to friends.

When testing out the new app, I hit speed bumps similar to Dave Johnson’s from the CBS News article, “Look for a job using Facebook’s new app”, but overall think it’s a good start to increasing job posting viability and sharing leads with friends looking for new opportunities.

What do you think of this new app? Will you be trying it out in your job search?

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!

A few of us decided to dress up for Halloween (although not for long — those masks and cape were warm!)

What’s been your best workplace Halloween costume?  What are your Halloween workplace dos and don’ts?

Happy Halloween from Stafkings Binghamton! (From left: Jen H., Nancy Y. and Evie D.)

Happy Halloween from Stafkings Ithaca! (Pictured is Hannah O.)

5 Things That Will Get Your Resume Read

Reblogged from Campus To Career:

There is a lot of advice out there regarding résumés, both on campus and off.  I’ve seen a lot of résumés during my 10 years in the profession and have heard my fair share of complaints and critiques from recruiters, hiring managers and career services.  As most students have returned to campus for the fall semester, I thought it would be good to revisit some of the things that could get your résumé noticed in…

Read more… 824 more words

Great advice not only for students, but anyone looking to update their resume! Quantification and results are huge -- having real numbers and specific examples are attention getters for sure!

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Got a Case of the Job Search Mondays?

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Job searching can sometimes be a frustrating, tedious task — trust us, we know!  Here are some tips to keep from getting blue while you’re on the hunt:

1. Look outside the scope of your previous job.  While you don’t want to necessarily abandon your skills from school or a previous job, don’t limit yourself and consider your options.  Many skills you have are transferrable and may work in other industries or job titles.  Re-evaluate what kind of position your skills might be useful for to broaden your job search.

2. Check in with your references.  While the company you’re trying to get a job with will let you know if a reference comes back less than favorable, don’t wait until then to find out.  Periodically check in with your references to make sure they can remember you.  Consider adding new references if a lot of time has gone by or if someone has moved out of the area.

3. Volunteer.  Helping others will help boost your attitude and give you current activity to add to your resume.

4.  Learn a new skill.  Taking courses to add new skills and meet new contacts could help your job search, but don’t turn down the idea for financial reasons.  Free tutorials are available online to help keep your current skills sharp or to gain new ones. Try a site like Coursera.org which offers classes in various subjects, including business, computer science, education and more.

5. Seek out community resources.  Many areas have organizations in place funded through local governments and nonprofit foundations to help job seekers get back on their feet.  You could schedule a consult with a workforce professional to update your resume, help assess your skills, and check in with them on who’s hiring in the area.

6. Don’t forget your local employment agencies as well!  We have the ability to “shop your resume” around to various employers, and can help you either gain more experience with a temporary job, or be your stepping stone to a permanent position!

5 Tips to Get You Started on an Objective Statement

Objective writing can be a tricky business from start to finish.  What do you say in them?  How do you know what to include?

1. DON’T be too general.  Sometimes people make the mistake of being too general in their statements — it’s easy to put down “Career oriented professional seeks full-time employment”, but what does that really say about you?  Use your objective statement to set yourself aside from other applicants.  Include specifics whenever possible (but don’t get TOO lengthy!) especially when applying for a particular position.

2. DON’T regurgitate what’s already in your cover letter.  Your cover letter should whet the appetite of your prospective employer and give them reason to keep reading, while your objective statement should be a quick blurb about you and what you seek to get out of your job search.  Again, keep it short and sweet and tailor it to a specific position if at all possible.

3.  DO have someone else read it.  Firstly, that friend, family member, etc. can help ensure your resume is typo and spelling-error free.  But secondly, they can also tell you if your objective statement is an appropriate reflection of you.  Knowing you and what kind of past work experience you’ve had and what you’re looking for, they’ll be in a position to judge if you’re giving yourself the credit you deserve.

4. DO be honest.  Honesty is always the best policy.  Not much work experience to back up your decision to apply for a particular job?  Use that.  Add in that you’re looking to gain experience and grow with the position.  Some opportunities require that previous experience, but others may be more flexible.  The silver lining is that you’ll be challenged and invested in your new position, as opposed to someone that’s been doing it for years and find it to be old hat.

5. DO brainstorm.  Still having trouble pinning down the perfect objective statement for your resume?  Try a brainstorming session.  Write down all of your skills and experience on one side, and your career goals on the other.  Connect the ones that make the most sense to give you some bare bones to start with–you’ll get keywords to use and hopefully some perspective on your career objective!

Are there no more boundaries in social media for jobseekers and employees?

Where does the line get drawn in terms of using social networks to make hiring decisions?  

Nearly 90% of employers already use social media to scout talent via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, with nearly half of all employers always thoroughly searching applicant profiles.  That’s why best practices for job seekers now involve a thorough review of social media profiles to remove anything that may be construed as inappropriate.

However, it’s one thing for employers to search through what someone has publicly chosen to post in cyberspace, and another to sort through a profile using an applicant or employee’s own login information.

Recently, reports have surfaced of companies and organizations asking employees and applicants for this information for social networking and email accounts:

• Job seekers getting asked for Facebook passwords
• The Social Media Interview – What Employers, Employees and HR Should Realize

In their defense, employers are saying that it helps ensure employees aren’t participating in any illegal behavior and reflects favorably on anyone willing to undergo such a search.

In response to these incidents, Facebook has announced that they will challenge employers participating in such snooping.  They are encouraging employers to stop this behavior to protect themselves–and for good reason.  Poking around an applicant’s personal information, including gender, religious, and political affiliations, and then failing to extend a job offer can lead to some very sticky equal opportunity issues.  Facebook is also threatening to revoke app access to those companies that offer job applications within the social networking site that they feel may be abusing user information, and may even go so far as seeking legal action to protect users’ rights to privacy.

It is not our policy to screen applicants using social media, but what do you think?  How far should employers go in investigating your private life online?  Is it okay for certain jobs and not for others?  

Why should I consider a career in home health care?

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whether you’re looking to start a new career or you’ve had experience in other industries and are looking for a change, a career in healthcare is worthwhile the time.  Consider these top 3 benefits:

1. Flexible scheduling.  Home health care positions are an excellent opportunity for nursing students and others interested in healthcare to gain real-time experience while earning money in between classes and/or busy family schedules.  Most clients are flexible and willing to work with the agency coordinators and aides on a mutually beneficial schedule.

2. Job Security.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2008 there were 1.7 million home health aides and personal care aides.  In 2018 they project a total of 2.6 million, an increase of nearly 50%.  The healthcare field overall is expected to experience the most extensive job growth over any other industry in the next few years, largely due to the increase in elderly population.

3. Opportunity to help those in need.  Like any human services orientated profession, home health care can be a very rewarding career choice.  Whether it’s an elderly person looking to regain independence as she/he ages at home, to someone who’s recently undergone surgery and needs a little extra help or to a family with a special needs child looking for some short periods of relief, home healthcare aides provide instant help to people in their day-to-day activities.

If you’re interested in a career in home health care, consider taking a PCA training class.  Stafkings Healthcare periodically offer these free training classes as part of their dedication to the industry, and invites interested applicants to contact their nearest Stafkings office to learn more.

If you’d like to do more research…

• Nursing as a Second Career
• BLS Statistics on Home Health Aides & Personal Care Aides