One of the questions I get is “How am I ever going to get all my work history on one page?”

To which I answer “Why would you even try?”

The one page résumé, (I’m still trying to find the origin of this horrid mythical rule), is really almost ridiculous!

To have a candidate resort to restricting their résumé to only one page means that probably they’ve cut so much content out that you’ll never really see the quality of the candidate, particularly if they are a senior manager or executive OR they have tried to cram so much content onto one page that the font is nearly illegible or the margins and formatting are so crazy that any potential employer would likely just dismiss it out of hand rather than reach for the handy magnifying glass.

I have seen candidates take it to a new level with the 8+page approach. This is not really good either because it is likely that much of your content is redundant and un-necessary.

In the final analysis, your content really rules just how long your résumé should be. If you are concerned that you cannot be frugal with your use of content and MUST include more than the customary 2-3 pages nowadays, then consider adding it in a nicely formatted addendum. This is also the place where you might want to add your publications and editorials, workshop/presentations and keynote appearances etc… In most cases, an unbiased reader will point out some content that you should not include because it just isn’t that relevant.

So, don’t be frustrated when you sit to come up with a several pages if you’re only just getting into the job market and don’t try to eliminate valuable content in hopes of getting down to a “one-pager” if you’ve been in the job market a while. You will find that if you let your content dictate the length of your résumé (within reason), you will have just the right one for you.

Happy Job Hunting
The Resume Lady

I read an article in the Industrial Engineering Jobs website and I thought I would share this with you.

Do you know a man named Chris Bigelow? His post: “Have You Googled Yourself Lately” caught my attention because, I immediately answered “NO”. Followed by the question…”Should I?”

After a little further online searching, I did find myself, or rather, I found entries online that were really about me. My facebook page, twitter and Linked In….my old My Space page were all there for everyone to see. That made me wonder….do I really know how that content will be interpreted by others? I don’t do keg-stands but if I did, I don’t think that is the impression I would want my potential employers to get about me. Photos of you wasted are not really the most flattering and photos of you passed out…..hmmmmm……what are employers to make of them?

Perhaps they should not pry into your personal lives but they likely will and if you aren’t getting work, maybe you should look at your “personal brand” or the name you have made for yourself. Did you save a man from a burning building or are you on the front page of the paper for having donated blood at the Red Cross? THOSE are great items to show you’re a person of good character…..partying (drinking or recreational drug use), scantily clad garments or dancing in provocative You Tube videos is probably going to come back to haunt you.

If you’ve already done this, try to clean it up….if you haven’t done this, DON’T! You risk a future employer making a snap judgment about you regardless of your stellar résumé or other credentials. One way to get around this is to build a personal website and add content to it that you definitely want someone to find. Links to your photo debuts in any newspaper or press releases etc. Do a little exercise and pretend you are a potential employer and google you, then search the online communities, viewing the content through the filter of an employer. Would YOU hire you based on that?

Henry Hartman, famous Illustrator of the 20th century was quoted as saying “Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity”.

This is true of many an endeavor, and certainly so for interviewing. Even if you have the “gift of gab”, going into an interview unprepared is foolish. In most organizations today, interviewing a potential employee is a multi-level process involving different layers within the organization. Do not expect to receive an offer on the first interview. Your goal at the first interview is to get a second interview! Push too hard for an offer in the first interview and you may come off looking too aggressive or worse…desperate! Also, many a major mistake is made prior to coming to the interview that set you up for failure so pay close attention to these very common Good Practices in Interviewing.

There are a few standard practices that you should observe when you do get the invitation to interview with a prospective employer.

Start Ahead of Time. Allow yourself to get to know important facts about the business, time to prepare what you are to wear and what you are to say. Consult the internet, the company’s website, the Chamber of Commerce, The Better Business Bureau and any relevant professional organizations to see what kind of employer they are and how they contribute to their community at large and specifically within their industry. Find out the company’s philosophies and trends and see whether your values match. Remember – this is the biggest selling job of your life – selling yourself!

Know the position title you are applying for and be prepared to answer how you can make an immediate contribution to the organization.

Prepare a few well thought out questions in advance so you can engage the interviewer – it’s not an interrogation so look for natural places in the process to speak up and ask questions about the organizations goals for the position.

Practice answering difficult interview questions with a friend. Role plat as the interviewer too. You might find it’s not the easiest either.

Take with you: pen, paper (notepad in a neat folder or binder, leather is best), 2 or 3 professionally printed (laser printed) copies of your résumé, list of references, samples of your past work (if applicable to the position), and copies of: letters of recommendation, honors, awards and achievements if relative to the position.

Look the part. Dressing for success is only the beginning. Obviously, you want to look very neat and unwrinkled, in properly fitting clothes that are appropriate for the position for which you are applying. Pay attention to accessories, jewelry should be understated, perfume should be light or not at all – same goes for cologne and after-shave. Don’t forget to check your shoes for scuffs and dirt/mud and to ensure that they compliment your attire. Men wearing ties, check for spots; Women wearing hosiery, check for runs in your stockings.

Beyond your attire, physical appearance should convey a “put together” image. Get plenty of rest so you are mentally alert and the bags under your eyes are not noticeable.

This will give you confidence and convey to the interviewer a sense of well-being and health, which can be a big plus. Don’t forget to allow for plenty of time to prepare for the interview. Ladies, use moderation when applying makeup and men, a quick shave leaves your face broken-out. Give yourself just a little extra time to be more deliberate in your preparation for the interview.

Smoking and chewing gum are obviously to be left outside the interview. Interviewers don’t like the scent of smoke or alcohol on your breath so just don’t engage in those activities at all prior to an interview. It is critically important to know your resume, stand or sit straight without slouching and definitely make eye contact when you are speaking to the interviewer. Be very aware of your mannerisms, talking with your hands and pausing using “umm” and “uhh” a lot don’t tell an interviewer you are sharp!

Also, leave early. Leave a lot earlier than you need to to get to your interview. In no instance is it okay to arrive late for an interview. Everyone knows there is traffic so, in preparation for the interview, do a “mock” or trial drive to the interview. Leave at the same time you would actually leave for the interview and this will help you gauge if you have allotted enough time to account for the traffic or potential detours en-route. I know this might sound crazy but, if you show up late for your most important meeting (your interview) then how do you think they will perceive you will show up if they hire you later on? You really can’t be your best if you are hurried from rushing into an interview late and so you will already be stressed out. Allow yourself a leisurely drive to an interview to gather your thoughts and prepare.

Practice smiling. People are much more attracted to happy individuals and not sullen, desperate or worried looking prospects. Practice and preparation will make it easier to smile and be your best professional self.

There are loads and loads of tips out there and nothing is new under the sun but if you prepare and if you use common sense and display good judgment, that is a great perception to leave with a potential employer.

You have worked hard and paid the piper.  You’ve put in the blood, sweat and tears….toiling into the night,

skipping lunch all to prove your commitment, increase your productivity and ensure your job security! Has

anyone noticed?

You may need to start thinking about what you can do to get noticed for your abilities or potential within

your existing company or outside, but in your career space.  Are you brainstorming future steps to expand

your personal brand and make your job search more successful?

If you haven’t considered two immensely valuable outlets like Linked-In or Twitter or other combinations of

popular social media outlets you could be overlooking the powerful career tools available.

Now, don’t be tempted to dismiss this out of hand…after all, you may think these new-fangled social media

gadgets are too difficult and not very professional. But there are many ways to be promoting your talents

and abilities while contributing and/or learning from the plentiful groups that exist in social media today.

Any way you look at it, separately or in combination, social media can be incalculably valuable in terms of

its contribution to your personal branding and job seeking efforts.

We’re talking about:

• Joining FREE social media outlets that GIVE you exposure in PROFESSIONAL forums where you can both

LEARN and PROVIDE content to the greater community at large which in the end, lends great credibility to

your position as an expert in your field.

Furthermore, when you start building a following or begin dialogue with individuals who actually like the

content you are producing, it’s really building up YOUR BRAND and it’s an acceptable venue….it’s a

veritable coup! The power of these venues lies in the reciprocal dialogue you have when you pipe in on a

topic or start a discussion on your own that is related to a professional topic you have expertise in.  It lends

credibility which is absolutely priceless!

And, let’s face it—being seen as an expert sets you apart from other JOB SEEKERS and distinguishes you as

a leader in your industry. Not only does it boost your status above that of your peers in the eyes of the

public, it also makes them aware of what YOU are specifically interested in and helps them form a positive

opinion about you.

If you decide to seek future employment, you are searchable for your contributions in these forums and

guess what?  Potential employers will read your carefully crafted responses and based upon the findings,

may deem you worth seeking out to interview over the droves of other applicants who have yet to delve

into this avenue of Personal Brand Management.

The bottom line is that getting yourself into the habit of logging into Linked-In and Twitter can have a very

positive impact on the success of your job search.  A note of warning, be aware that you are judged –

however unfairly, on your careful selection of words (or lack thereof) so use your words wisely, but don’t

be afraid to get out there and contribuute to your career community! ENGAGE! You can invest much or little

of your personal time to these social media options—it’s your choice. But there are great benefits if used

wisely whichever you choose to embrace.

Happy Job Hunting,
The Résumé Lady

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