Archive for May, 2010

Tips to Presenting Your Resume

Friday, May 14th, 2010

There are many factors involved in designing and presenting your resume, and it is easy to get caught up in the various styles and customizations when you decide to give it a facelift. Should I use a high quality paper? Should I mail a hard copy though I have already emailed it? Should I email it as inline text or as an attachment? Below are tips and answers for some of these common resume styling quandaries.

Font: The font you select can be a telltale sign of keeping up with the times. Times New Roman is the default for many word processors and will prove that your job-searching days and abilities are somewhat dated. It was once believed that this font was the easiest on the eyes, but there are many similar options that are much better. The spacing of Times New Roman styled words and letters can be quite awkward, and when copying into an email or PDF can prove catastrophic. Try using Georgia. It should be free on your computer, and is a little more rounded than Times New Roman, for easier reading and more compatible spacing. If you have the cash to spare, consider browsing online professional fonts for one that might be more suited to you and your potential position.

Paper: Many people want to showcase their uniqueness by purchasing fancy stationary paper. This is a waste of time and money, and generally has the opposite effect. Fancy stationary is a thing of the past; you know it, I know it, and your potential employer knows it. In order to keep up with the times, you should use a good quality, smooth, plain style of paper. It should be heavier than standard copy paper, but not a lightweight cardboard. Printing shops and office supply stores generally have paper labeled as “resume paper.” There are many different weights out there, so try to avoid things too heavy such as cardstock, but the lightest copy paper options are not a good idea either.

Colors: Do not use colors. Do not use colored paper, fonts, stickers, or stamps on your resume. It is not cute and clever, it is not unique and memorable; it is somewhat childish and unprofessional. Stick with black. If you have a website, or a logo with colors that you plan to include, that is acceptable, but do not add any more colors of your own. If you absolutely must make something stand out, use varying shades of gray or navy.

Emailing: Many people are making the switch over to Mac computers, but others are still using and buying PC’s. This makes it even more difficult to email a properly formatted copy of your resume to an employer. If you do not know what kind of technology they are running with, there are still a few ways to ensure that they are able to see your resume in a format that makes sense. If you are able to save your resume in different formats, do so, and send them all. PDF’s are the most desirable, but some people are still functioning without Adobe or other readers. You should be able to save your copy as a .doc file, which is compatible with both Macs and PC’s (except for extremely old ones). However, the default for a Mac file is .docx, which is not always compatible with PC’s. Try downloading and using Open Office. Their files are compatible with both types of computers, and the programs are currently free. The third step is to include a simply-formatted version of your resume in the body of the email. Be sure to include a byline about the different versions of your resume.

Hard Copy: Many people prefer to know that their resume has made it into the safe hands of a potential hirer. For this reason, they will snail mail hard copies, or drop them off at the office even though they have already sent them in email form. The protocol for this is a bit tricky. Depending on the organization, sending or bringing a hard copy of your resume before being offered an interview can just add complications to the hiring process, and the last thing you want to do is become a nuisance before even landing an interview. Gauge your employer before doing anything over the top. If they seem to be slow on the Internet front, or a little more traditional than most, feel free to send or drop off a hard copy of your resume. If they are completely online and organized, the paper copy of your resume will probably end up in the trash. Always bring a hard copy of your resume to an interview.

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7 Cardinal Sins of Interviewing

Friday, May 14th, 2010

As the unemployment rate climbs to 9.9%, we can assume that there are over 30 million people in the United States job market, and some of them are looking for the very same job as you. While many of us focus on what to do during the interview process, few of us pay attention to what NOT to do. It is easy to get nervous and make very serious blunders that can cost you this job and many others if your interviewer is an important person in your industry. Regardless of your nerves, attitude, or terrible-horrible-no good-very bad day, you should avoid these Cardinal Sins of Interviewing, because some people will not.

1) Inappropriate Attire: Wrinkles and stains are the least of your worries.  Just because you are wearing your lucky undergarments does not mean your potential employer should have to see them. If you think that a low-cut shirt or a too-tight top will get you the job, you had better be applying for a night life job. It is disrespectful to your employer, male or female, if you wear something provocative. They will think that you do not take the company or the position seriously, and will be offended that you assumed your bare-it-all attitude would make a positive difference. Show some respect for yourself and your interviewer and dress conservatively.

2) Flirtation and Harassment: Be friendly, smile, laugh politely at their jokes, but be careful not to go too far. Anything that could be misconstrued as flirting or sexual harassment is a recipe for failure. You are a twenty-four year old man and your interviewer turns out to be the most gorgeous woman in the world-deal with it. Same goes for female interviewees. If you want to get the job, and you want to be shown daily respect, do not put yourself out there in an unprofessional way, and do not flirt just to get hired!

3) Profanity and Getting Too Comfortable: You may find that you get along really well with your interviewee, and you envision the two of you enjoying beers during happy hour. Stop. This will lead you to become far too comfortable with your interviewer, which may cause you to slip into colloquialisms and profanity. Just because you are explaining something in a lively fashion does not mean you need to drop any four letter expletives.

4) Badmouthing Past Employers: Do you get a long-term girlfriend by bad-mouthing your ex to them on the first date? An interview is very similar; bad-mouthing an ex-employer can create negative tension and make you both extremely uncomfortable. Additionally, it is always a much smaller world than you think, and they may be the college roommate of the object of your verbal-bashing. When it doubt, leave that part out.

5) Talking About Family/Pets/Personal Life: Many employers these days know that they can probably get any one they want to fill any given position. If they are going to be working with you on a daily basis, they probably want to know that the two of you will get along. Showing that you mesh with the company and driveling on about your fiancé, spouse, children, or pets are two very different things. The fact that your son goes to Harvard and your Yorkshire Terrier just had a lot of puppies is not going to help you get the job. Discuss hobbies, likes, and other wholesome topics, but try to avoid delving too far into your personal life. It can make you seem desperately dependent. If asked, either subtlety or directly, be honest. It is otherwise best to leave irrelevant personal information out.

6) Incessantly Talking: This falls in line with number 5; keep the information on point. If you are asked to describe a project, or a task, draw a picture with your words as concisely as possible, but with appropriate details.  If your interviewer can hardly get a word in edgewise, you are probably not making a very good impression.

7) One Word Answers: Answer questions fully and honestly, no matter how nervous you may be. Try to keep them short, but if you let your nervousness or uncertainty take over, you will end up responding with a lot of “yes, sirs.” The quicker the interview, the less of an impression you have made on your interviewer. Try to answer questions with information that sets you apart from other potential hires, but not in a negative way.

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