Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/When-the-Going-Gets-Tough.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/When-the-Going-Gets-Tough.html As they say in the classics, the tough get going. More and more frequently over the past several months I have been working with people who have been retrenched. I don’t know of an industry which hasn’t been affected by recent and ongoing economic events. There’s a lot of anger, frustration and blame out there. People who were in what they thought were secure careers with a bright future are suddenly without security and the future seems bleak. Retrenchment packages offered by many employers are only enough to keep people afloat for a few months or, in many cases, a few weeks. And because of this, competition for the jobs that are available is getting more and more intense and the need to get back into work quickly is paramount in people’s thoughts. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/The-Resume-Checklist.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/The-Resume-Checklist.html The following checklist and tips could help you make sure that your resume gives you the best possible advantage. The checklist is by no means exhaustive, but if you follow these points, you will have a resume that is worth reading and maximises your career opportunities. Each point is important and it is equally important to make sure that your resume incorporates all of them. Miss out on one or two and you could see your good work on the others possibly wasted. Ask yourself the following questions: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Avoiding-Horror-Words-and-Phrases-in-your-Resume.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Avoiding-Horror-Words-and-Phrases-in-your-Resume.html Your resume should provide employers and recruitment consultants with insight and it should help them understand what you have to offer, what you have achieved and what level of responsibility has been thrust upon you. It should therefore be clear and unambiguous. This means that we need to be aware of some of the terms and phrases we might use that could disguise, confuse or obfuscate (a word to definitely avoid). The more questions an employer or recruitment consultant has, the less they understand about you, the harder it is for them to include you on the interview list. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Resumes-that-Boost-Interview-Performance.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Resumes-that-Boost-Interview-Performance.html Your resume's primary job is to win you an invitation to an interview. But that's not all it can do. In this article I explain how a great resume increases your opportunity to shine in the interview. Your worst enemy in a job interview is time. Therefore, making the most of the time allocated to the interview is critical to gaining a competitive edge. How do you want to be remembered by the interviewers? As the candidate with whom they spent 75 per cent of the precious, never to be repeated time clarifying your skills, experience and achievements? Or as the candidate with whom they had an in-depth discussion about your ability to contribute to the organisation's future success? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Marketing-your-Resume.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Marketing-your-Resume.html Once you have produced that interview winning resume, how and where are you going to use it? Many people use only a single strategy when marketing themselves. This can severely limit their chances in securing interviews. Not all job opportunities are advertised and those that are will be hotly contested. Therefore, I recommend using a broad range of approaches to marketing yourself to ensure you don't leave any stone unturned. This article provides information about several sources of opportunities to which your resume should be targeted and some advice on how to make best use of each source. Even though much of this seems to be common sense, it's remarkable how uncommon it is in practice! http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Should-I-include-Personal-Information-in-my-Resume.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Should-I-include-Personal-Information-in-my-Resume.html The short answer is no. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Should-I-include-Personal-Interests-and-Hobbies-in-my-Resume.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Should-I-include-Personal-Interests-and-Hobbies-in-my-Resume.html The short answer is no. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Should-I-include-a-Photograph-in-my-Resume.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Should-I-include-a-Photograph-in-my-Resume.html Unless you are applying for jobs where a certain type of physical appearance is necessary to do the job such as modelling or acting or being an extra in a TV commercial or where employers specifically request a photograph, I do not recommend including them in your resume. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Why-an-Outstanding-Resume-is-Not-Enough-to-Get-an-Interview-Reason-6.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Why-an-Outstanding-Resume-is-Not-Enough-to-Get-an-Interview-Reason-6.html Many people think that a powerful, well written résumé is sufficient to give them the edge needed to secure a job interview. While an outstanding résumé is absolutely necessary, it may not always be sufficient. This is the sixth in a series of short articles which outlines the factors, other than your resume, which could determine whether you will be amongst the chosen few from the multitude. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Why-an-Outstanding-Resume-is-Not-Enough-to-Get-an-Interview-Reason-5.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Human-Resources/3807/Why-an-Outstanding-Resume-is-Not-Enough-to-Get-an-Interview-Reason-5.html Many people think that a powerful, well written résumé is sufficient to give them the edge needed to secure a job interview. While an outstanding résumé is absolutely necessary, it may not always be sufficient. This is the fifth in a series of short articles which outlines the factors, other than your resume, which could determine whether you will be amongst the chosen few from the multitude.