“I like the story of a young woman who wanted to go to college.
Her heart sank, however, when she read the question on the admission
form that asked, “Are you a leader?” Being both honest and
conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application,
expecting the worst.

To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear
applicant: A study of the admission forms reveals that this year our
school will enroll 1,452 new leaders. We would like to accept you
because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one
follower.”

Many people think you need to answer ‘yes’ to everything and make sure all the boxes are ticked, however the recruiter/employer knows the full inside picture and is far more interested in an honest response.

What if on the basis of ticking all the boxes you get to interview stage, and then your true personality or skills are revealed?

Even worse, what if you got the job based on false information? Both you and the company would suffer and your credibility would be shot.

If, for example, leadership is a criteria but you possess excellent skills and experience in all other areas, then simply don’t mention leadership at all in your application. At interview stage this can be discussed and, for all you know, the employer may be more than happy to take you on board based on your other exceptional qualities and to provide leadership support or training for you.

Certainly the employer is far more likely to be happy with that scenario than to discover when it’s too late that you couldn’t lead a horse to its own nose bag.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes.

Beverley

PS – should you need assistance in compiling your career documents visit www.d-scriptivewords.com

Because they have viewed their friends possibly quite attractive documents or been ‘shown how’ by the education facility they attended they believe they know just how a resume should be formatted and what type of information it should contain. To see a professionally written resume can be a real shock to many.

Should you decide to work with a professional resume writer, often viewing their samples can help you decide which writer you will choose to work with. Because of this, writers frequently have samples available on their web sites for you to view in a non-threatening way. To view my resume samples please visit my web site and follow the link – www.d-scriptivewords.com

If you have any questions at all, or would like me to give feedback on your current resume, please don’t hesitate to be in touch.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes – resumes that boost your interview success rate!

Beverley Neil

Though the survey was conducted in the U.S.A., U.K., France and Germany you can guarantee Australia is not far behind. This is a must read for all job seekers.

Even job seekers who are not involved in online forums, chat groups, Twitter, Facebook and the like may still be affected if there is another individual with the same name who is building up a negative profile across the web.

To see what a recruiter would see you can search your name on the search engines and as a matter of priority set up a Google Alert for your name. It’s free and well worth the few minutes it takes. Just go to http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=&source=alertsmail&cd=0cjUmAa-FKg

“Read How Your Job Prospects Could Be Affected

Research commissioned by Microsoft in December 2009 found that 79 percent of United States hiring managers and job recruiters surveyed reviewed online information about job applicants.

Most of those surveyed consider what they find online to impact their selection criteria. In fact, 70 percent of United States hiring managers in the study say they have rejected candidates based on what they found.

Review the results of the survey to see how online reputations impact people’s lives. The research comes from interviews with over 1,200 hiring and recruitment managers and 1,200 consumers in the United States, the U.K., Germany and France.

The results of the research reveal what you post on the Internet and what people post about you can affect your professional life. Learn what action you can take to manage your online reputation.

• Online reputation research overview PDF
• Online reputation research PowerPoint presentation”

Here’s to writing powerful resumes.

Beverley Neil

For assistance with your resume go to www.d-scriptivewords.com

Take a peek – http://tinyurl.com/yjgs4n2

Here’s to writing powerful – if not quite so yummy – resumes

Beverley Neil

PS – if you need assistance with the non-edible variety that stands out on ‘your’ merits find out more at www.d-scriptivewords.com

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246201/Employer-told-advertise-reliable-workers–discriminates-unreliable-applicants.html

There are some anti-discrimination laws in place that help to make the workplace a more just and fair environment for workers – but this type of law is creating a potential nightmare for employers, customers and co-workers alike.

Let’s hope this is one trend that doesn’t take hold.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes

Beverley Neil

Need help with your resume? Slip across to my web site – www.d-scriptivewords.com and pick up my FREE ’5 Easy Resume Writing Tips’ e-book.

To learn more visit my web site at –  www.d-scriptivewords.com – and click on the link on the right hand side of the page.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes – one step at a time.

Beverley Neil

www.d-scriptivewords.com

Is having a recruitment agency take your photo the done or acceptable thing? In a word – NO.

If a recruiter requests to take a photo you can politely decline – but please do so with tact and diplomacy. If you feel the job is in jeopardy by refusing, and one would hope this situation would never arise, weigh up the pros and cons before taking your stand.

Should YOU include photos on your resume?

In the majority of cases, with the exception of dancers, models, televisions presenters etc, photos should not appear on a resume in almost all countries, and certainly not in Australia, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and the UK .

In these countries the risk of breaching anti-discrimination laws is quite high. If you don’t get the interview it may because you were excluded on the basis of some aspect about your photo or you may simply not have been one of the best candiates for the job.

Not only do you have this spectre hanging over your head, so does the employer when you include a photo. You may not have presented as the strongest candidate (even though you were but that is a matter of ensuring you have a powerful resume, tailored to the role), but the employer is faced with potential legal implications even if they have done no wrong.

For all concerned – do not include photos with your resume unless it is totally relevant and specific to the advertised position or industry.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes.

Beverley

Want professional assistance or no-cost, no-obligation feedback on your current resume – drop by my web site at www.d-scriptivewords.com

This comment by a Ron McManmon:

“…Would you cut your own hair? Mend your own broken arm? People think they can “get by” with some resume help from a friend and some can, but I think it is important to recognize when it’s time to call in a professional. There are all ranges of pricing for “professional” resume writers but know this: you typically get what you pay for, just like with anything else. A bargain isn’t always the best product. I consider this to be a fair statement: “I don’t believe too many people have been hired solely because of a great resume BUT I am certain many people have NOT been hired because of a bad one.”

Understand, just because a professional resume writer crafts your resume does not mean you are not a competent, even a skilled, writer. It is extemely difficult to write objectively about your own skills and achievements, and there are many rules and strategies to creating a truly powerful resume.

Yes, of course you can write, and you can also pick up a pair of sissors and cut your hair BUT you don’t because you recognise that you have your unique area of expertise, the hair dresser has his or hers, and same with your mechanic. You wouldn’t hesitate to hire a professional in these areas.

Many job candidates don’t realise a resume crafted to ‘sell’ him or her as a highly desirable candidate – and after all that is what a resume should be - a strategically targeted, uniquely tailored sales tool – can easily take 7 hours plus plus.

Perhaps it’s time resume writers – and I am speaking of highly skilled/accredited writers – received broader recognition as the professionals they are.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes.

Warm regards, Beverley Neil

www.d-scriptivewords.com

*  31% of blonde women have gone brunette to appear more intelligent in the office

*  38% of fair-haired women believe their hair colour has held them back in their career

*  38% of those who have changed their hair colour believe they are now taken more seriously by their boss
 
Go figure!!

Here’s to writing powerful resumes – and to fairness in the work place!

Beverley Neil

www.d-scriptivewords.com

Because everyone has had a resume at one point or another – and often several resume versions – most job seekers feel they know all there is to know about how to write a resume.

My own dear family are a case in point. I have offered on a number of occasions to write a resume (free naturally being my family) for an extended family member, however, each have declined politely saying it was ok as they had already written one. They have never seen the style of resumes I write and are just as much in the dark as the general public.

When many of our own educational and government institutions are also in the dark with the advice they provide students on compiling a resume, why would the general public think any differently.

If you want to know what a professional resume can look like, email me at beverley@d-scriptivewords.com and I will be only too happy to email you an example no obligation, no hassle, no follow-up.

Here’s to writing powerful resumes.

Beverley Neil

www.d-scriptivewords.com