CareerFood

Let's Open The Old Mail Bag

Actually it's not really a mail bag...more of a folder in my email program...but I think Mail Bag sounds better.

We though we would do something a little different this time and answer some of the mail/emails we receive from job seekers. Here goes...

Dear CAREERFOOD,
I've heard that I should not have an objective on my resume. Is this true?
Barb S.

• Well Barb...I agree, I think objectives are useless. Everyone knows that your "objective" is to get a good job and a good salary. Instead of an objective I always coach job seekers to have a Profile or Summary. Here you can list some hard hitting facts and give the reader a road map to what they can expect in the resume. With the average reader only looking at resumes for 20-30 seconds, don't waste their time on an objective!

Dear CAREERFOOD,
I have a phone interview in 2 hours. What is the best advise you can give to succeed in this type of interview.
Roger K.

• First off Roger, I am not a big fan of phone interviews. It is hard to build rapport and get immediate feedback like you can in a face-to-face interview. So your only objective in a phone interview is to insure you get a face-to-face. Also the best tip for a phone interview is to stand up. If you stand during the interview you will find that you have more energy and your voice will project better, and believe me this comes across on the other end. Good Luck!

Dear CAREERFOOD,
I have recently received 2 offers. Both are great companies with slightly different roles. The pay is comparable for both. What should I do.
Kevin L.

• First off Kevin, Congratulations! When I work with job seekers who are evaluating multiple offers there are several methods, the old Ben Franklin, Pro's and Con's, work-life balance, etc. However the best piece of advice I can give is too evaluate both positions as if you were unemployed and just starting off your career. Which one will allow you to do the things that are most important to you? Which one can you see yourself still doing in 10 years. Money, benefits. perks and titles are all great but nothing compares to a passion for what you do!

That's all for now...

I Like This Guy...

because he tells it like it is. Check out the latest on email etiquette.

Writing Better Resumes or...

Bang! Bang! 20 Bullets, I'm Dead You're Dead!

This is long over due because the whole "Bullet Point Thing" has been stuck in my craw for some time now. Everyday I get dozens of resumes with way too many bullet points listed under each and every previous job. Dozens and dozens of bullet points informing me on everything from filling in for the manager when he/she is out sick to attending weekly staff meetings.

OK, Listen up! Hopefully this is the last time we need to cover this. Two Rules...

Rule #1 - Less is more

• bullet - a heavy mark, sometimes in the shape of a bullet (but more often a boldface dot), that is used to indicate an item of special interest or some special features on a page of copy. Barrons

So it would seem you should use bullets to highlight areas of special interest or things you want the reader to focus on. You knew this already because you took a resume writing class or bought that book that told you bullets are much better than writing long boring paragraphs no one will ever read. Right? What they forgot to tell you is when you use 20 in a row, they loose their effectiveness!

Rule #2 - Don't be a Fancy Pants

Unless you're trying to get a job at a flower shop, monogram store or graphic studio save the fancy script and curly cue bullets. It's distracting and sometimes even annoying. Circles, squares, etc. are preferred on business communications and should be on resumes.

I can't guarantee following these two rules will get you the job, but I will guarantee you will have a more professional looking resume that will get more consideration.