Success on the Job Starts Day 1 – Virtually

Congratulations!  You’ve landed a new job.  But in this world of social distancing and work from home, you have to start virtually!  How do you do that and still make a positive first impression?

Starting a new job is the perfect time to make a good impression.  You want the employer to be confident that they made the right decision in hiring you for the position.  The first hundred days in a new job can be one of the most critical times of your career.  In a virtual work environment where you are not with your colleagues in the same office, there are additional challenges.  Here are some recommendations based on feedback from our employers.

• Be Proactive – Show them you are engaged and committed before your first day of work. Reach out to your HR contact and hiring manager to let them know you are excited to be joining the company and ask how the virtual start will be handled.  Will equipment be shipped to your home?  What training is available for their unique applications?  How do you get access to company email?  What standing meetings should you put on the calendar?  What “homework” can you be doing in advance to be well-prepared for day one?
• Manage Expectations – Try to schedule time on your first day with your manager and/or HR in advance. Discuss what the expectations are and how you will be measured for the first few months.  Will you have weekly meetings with your manager?  How will you meet other members of the team?  How does your manager prefer to communicate?  Starting out with shared expectations and open communications increases success.
• Show Respect – Honor the culture of the organization you have joined and respect those in authority as well as your peers.  Learn what they do and how they do it before trying to change things. Listen to why things are the way they are.  Earn their respect before you start presenting opportunities for improvement.   Initially you should be spending more time listening than speaking. 
• Open Communications – Identify your supervisor’s communications style and preferences and work to accommodate that style.  Also identify the style and preferences for your colleagues.  Discuss any concerns you have with your manager.  Provide your supervisor with progress reports.  Avoid surprises – such as a project not completed on deadline.  Let them know in advance if there are issues.  Keep your manager advised of any concerns that could impact results and deadlines.  Set the pattern for open, frequent communications early.  Ask for feedback regularly so you can fine tune your performance to ensure you are meeting or exceeding expectations.
• Ask Questions – Do not make assumptions.  You are learning the company and the role.  Ask questions to be sure you understand.  Clarify requests to be sure you understand what you are being asked to do.  Inquire how your work supports the department’s goals and the company’s objectives.  It is not a sign of weakness to ask questions.  Don’t waste time and energy doing the wrong things because you didn’t ask.
• Take Notes – Take notes so you don’t ask the same question again.  Review your notes and apply what you have learned when faced with similar tasks or issues.  Keep a record of your accomplishments – details of projects competed and impact on the organization, skills you developed or enhanced, knowledge you gained.  They know you are new and you will need to ask questions as part of the learning process but they will quickly grow frustrated if you keep asking the same questions.
• Be Fully Engaged – If possible ask what you can do prior to your start date to learn more about the company, the team and the position.  Do your homework researching the company, competitors, industry etc.  Demonstrate your energy and enthusiasm.  Remain positive.  Show you are hungry for a challenge.  Pay attention to both quality and timeliness of your work.  Look for ways to exceed expectations.
• Identify Solutions not Problems – When you encounter problems, try to find possible solutions.  Identify unmet business needs and ways you can help meet them.  When identifying a problem, always offer at least one reasonable solution.
• Listen – Learn as much as you can by listening to others as they talk about the industry, the company and the department.  Listen carefully to instructions for assignments and clarify as needed.  Pay attention to deadlines, guidelines, and procedures.  Always ask for feedback and think about how you can apply what you learned going forward.  Seek continuous improvement.
• Earn the Challenging Assignments – Employers don’t give the most challenging project to the rookie in most cases.  Demonstrate with your early assignments that they can count on you to deliver high quality and timely work and you will begin to earn more challenging assignments.
• Show initiative – Look for ways to exceed expectations.  Identify unmet business needs and determine ways you can help.  Offer to assist a busy colleague with a big project.  Volunteer for a project that needs a home.
• Be Flexible and Adaptable – Accept all assignments cheerfully and give every assignment your best effort.  Be open minded about new ideas, new procedures and different work.  Anticipate change and embrace it.
• Curiosity – Ask open ended questions to demonstrate your interest.  Offer ideas and suggestions for possible improvements.  Seek opportunities to learn more about the company and the industry.
• Leverage Connection Opportunities – Many organizations are organizing virtual teams for a variety of work and social affinity groups. Stay focused on your priorities but as time allows engage in appropriate virtual events to meet colleagues and better understand the organization.
• Take Advantage of Online Training – Ask early what online training is available so you can take full advantage of the options. It is a great way to fill some initial down time and you may not have the luxury later when you are busier.  Learn as much as you can while you have the opportunity to support your future success.

The manager hired you instead of all the other candidates because he/she believed you could make a difference on their team.  Show them from day one that they made the right decision.  Your flexibility in a virtual start will demonstrate your resiliency and prepare you well for future success.

Why Should We Hire You?

Students are often shocked to be asked directly in an interview, “why should we hire you?”  Whether the question is asked directly or not, every candidate needs to answer that question for every interviewer in the process, if the candidate hopes to succeed.  If you are prepared to answer it directly, you are ready but in case they don’t ask, you can use that preparation in your summary.  You want to be sure the interviewers leave the room with the answer to that question firmly in their mind.

Take this opportunity to demonstrate your fit and your interest.

Skills and Expertise

What does the employer specifically need that you can offer?  How are your skills and expertise uniquely aligned with this position so you could contribute at a different level than other candidates?  Demonstrate that in meeting the specific needs of the employer that you are interested and excited about contributing to the goals of the company and the department in this specific role as a great next step in your career.  In addition to your skills and expertise you bring motivation and a strong work ethic as well.

Unique Qualifications

If there is something unique about your qualifications be sure to emphasize that.  It is important to be well informed about the company, the department and this specific role in order to sell the on your unique skills.  Of course they are talking to other candidates but what is it about you they can’t find in others?  Do you have experience in their industry, using their software, working with their clients, or other unique perspectives?  Are you willing to share your knowledge of others for the good of the team?  Be sure the interviewers have a clear sense of your unique qualifications.

Solve Problems

Often the need to hire for a specific position is related to solving a business problem or eliminating a pain point.  Do you have a track record of solving problems?  Share some examples.  Are you motivated by the challenge of finding a better way to do something?  How could you specifically assist with this particular problem?

Don’t duck this question if it is asked.  Demonstrate your unique value add.  Be sure to do so even when the question is not asked.

Overcoming Objectives in an Interview

Job descriptions are often a wish list of all the skills and experience they hope to find in the perfect candidate.  You may not have everything on their wish list but clearly they saw something of value on your resume if you are invited to interview.  As you research the company and prepare your questions for the interviewer as well as practice your responses to anticipated interview questions, don’t forget to prepare for the objections.

There are few absolutely perfect candidates out there so it is likely the interviewer will have some objections or concerns.  If you have multiple interviewers, they may even have different concerns.  You will address those objections more positively if you are prepared for them.  To anticipate objections, review the job description in detail and highlight any qualifications that you do not meet or any experience you do not have.  Think about how you would address each item if you are asked.  Some general advice includes:

Do Not Apologize – Never apologize for skills or experience you do not have.  They had your resume and chose to speak with you.  Focus instead on what you do have, how the skills are transferrable or even your track record of learning new systems, industries, whatever.

Embrace the Opportunity – Giving you an opportunity to address the objections is truly a gift.  Instead of leaving them worried about some aspect of your background, they are offering you the opportunity to address it proactively.  If you ae prepared to do so this can strengthen your candidacy.  Never get defensive, just address what you do bring to the table and how you would add value to the company in this role based on the skills and experience you do offer.

Confront the Elephant in the Room – Sometimes you will be doing fine in the interview, the conversation is flowing and things start to wrap up when you realize no one has voiced any objections or concerns.  Instead of thinking that means you got the job, you need to confront the issue so you have an opportunity to address it.  Maybe they are not asking because they assume there is something critical missing and you will not advance.  Don’t leave things to chance.  Ask the interviewer if they have any concerns about your ability to make an impact in this role.  That way, if they do have concerns, it puts on them on the table so you have an opportunity to address them.  Better to address any concerns they have than to leave them hidden.

If you can anticipate possible objections and enter the interview prepared to address them, you are more likely to be successful.  It also helps to keep your confidence intact throughout the interview if you are prepared to address the concerns.

Tips for a Successful Interview – Tip #4

Your goal in an interview is to land the job or at least be moved forward in the process.  For the employer the goal is finding the best candidate for the job.  While several candidates may have the appropriate skills to succeed in the position, employers use the interview process to identify and assess the best fit.  You want to make the best possible impression with everyone you meet in the process and you do not want to give them an easy reason to eliminate you from future consideration.  If there is a strong pool of candidates, they are often looking for small reasons to cut the pool.  Don’t make it easy to cut you.

Attire and Professional Presence

 For interviews you want to always put your best foot forward.  While it is not likely you will get the job simply because you have the best suit, you can be easily eliminated if you do not make a good professional impression.  You want to project a confident, professional presence.  Always wear a suit and be sure it is clean, pressed and that it fits well.  Ladies, pants suits are fine but if you wear a skirt, be sure it is not too short.  Have a blouse that tucks in and is not low cut.  Men, the shirt should be pressed and the tie should coordinate.  Socks should match the trousers.  Be sure to polish your shoes.  When in doubt, err on the side of being conservative.  Be sure your hands are clean since you will be shaking hands.  Hair should be clean and well groomed.  Deodorant is critical but go easy or eliminate cologne since it can easily overpower an interview room.  Go easy on jewelry to ensure that it is not a distraction during the interview.  Even if most employees are in business casual, professional attires sends two key messages – you are taking the interview seriously and you know how to look professional in case they need to put you in front of a client!

Demonstrate Your Interest through Your Preparation

Be well prepared, it shows interest and professionalism.  Have questions prepared in advance that you want to ask.  You should have your references available in case you are asked.  Be sure you have verified and confirmed the contact information.

Be Someone They Want as a Colleague

Even if you are nervous, it is important to smile.  It demonstrates your interest.  While you are onsite for your interview, be pleasant to everyone you meet.  It is not unusual for a hiring manager to ask the administrative assistant or receptionist for feedback on candidates.    Arrive a few minutes early.  Ask if you can take notes as appropriate.  Give it your best shot – focusing on how you can meet their needs not on what you want.  Often many candidates have the qualifications to do the job so fit with the rest of team is critical.

Say Thank You

 A handwritten thank you note should be sent to every person you interview with at a company.  Each note should be customized to the individual, referencing something that you discussed.  This is an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills, your professionalism and your enthusiasm for the opportunity.  Each note should be unique since they will likely compare notes.  Thank them for their time.  Let them know what you are excited about regarding this job.  Let them know you want to be on the team.  If you know the process is moving quickly you can send a very professional email thank you note but should still follow-up with a handwritten note.  It is a differentiator.  So few people write handwritten notes anymore they are memorable.  Always get your notes in the mail within 24 hours of the interview.  In a tough decision between two finalists the decision may come down to who sent a thank you note.  I have seen this happen many times.

Tips for a Successful Interview #3

You want to be remembered for your positive answers not the ones you answer inappropriately.  Take a look at true but unsuccessful answers to typical interview questions.

Sample Worst Answers to Interview Questions:

So, tell me a little about yourself.

• “there really isn’t much to tell.”
• “I’m really not all that interesting.”
• “I haven’t done much yet.”
• “Well, I was born in xx and went to elementary school…..  5 minutes later the candidate is still babbling and the interviewer has completely glazed over.”
• “My life really started going downhill when my parents got divorced when I was a teenager.  They really ruined my life.”
• “once I joined AA my life started getting better”
• “After I beat cancer for the second time…”
• “I’m married, I have three kids ages 3, 5 and 7…”

Why do you want to leave your current job?

• “they don’t pay me enough”
• “they expect me to work too many hours”
• “my boss is a jerk (idiot, etc.)”
• “my colleagues are all idiots”
• “they don’t know what they are doing there”
• “the company is on the brink of bankruptcy”
• “I think they are probably doing some illegal things”
• “I’m bored out of my mind”
• “they don’t give me things that I like to do”
• “After six months of doing the same thing every day, I’m ready for a change”
• “I need more flexibility to handle my kids activities after school”

What interests you about this company?

• “I don’t know anything about the company but figured why not apply since I really need a job.”
• “My friend works here”
• “I heard you pay well”
• “I need the benefits”
• “It is close to home”
• “it is a recognizable name so it would look good on my resume”
• “I really like your product.”

What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?

• “I don’t have any weaknesses”
• “I really don’t know.”
• “I get things done.”
• “I was a star student (athlete)”
• “I can make other people get things done.”
• “I’m the best candidate you are going to see so we could save time by moving the process forward.”

How would your current or former colleagues describe you?

• “the best employee they ever had”
• “the only employee who did things right”
• “someone who worked hard even though they were given the boring jobs”
• “their best friend”
• “A great guy to hang out with after work.”

What is your goal for the short term?

• “I need to get a job as soon as possible.  I have bills to pay.”
• “ I need the health/dental insurance right away so I can have some problems taken care of”
• “Get a new job that isn’t so boring”
• “Get a new job that doesn’t require any nights or weekends”
• “Get a job working with people who have more realistic expectations”
• “Get a job so I can move forward with a divorce”

Do you prefer to work independently or in a team?

• “Working with teams is such a waste of time since half the people don’t do anything anyway.  Just give the work to the person who can get it done.”
• “Other people think they know it all and they don’t so teams are a waste of time”
• “I can get everything done on my own without needing help from anyone else”
• “I always get everything done that is assigned to me on my own”
• “I just put my head down and plow through the work. “
• “working with a team makes things take longer”
• “I only like working with a team if there is someone on the team who really knows how to do all the work”

Are there certain tasks or types of people you find difficult to work with?

• “People who think they know it all aren’t fun to work with”
• “I don’t like working with people who are obsessed with following the process.  Rules are meant to be broken.”
• “Demanding people stress me out.  They set deadlines and expect everything to get done by their deadline just because they said so.  They probably don’t really need it then.”
• “I hate having to do the same thing every day.”
• “Repetitive tasks are too boring.  Once I know how to do things they should make someone else do the boring stuff.
• “I don’t like people who keep checking to see if my work is done or if I’m making progress.  I’ll get to it.”

Let’s talk about salary.  What are you expectations?

• “I know I’m worth a lot more than what I’m making now.”
• “I just finished an MBA so I’m worth at least $25K more than I was making before.”
• “My rent just went up and I have car payments to cover so I need more than I was making before.”
• “I’m a hard worker so I deserve to be at the top of your range.”

Do you have any questions?

• “no.”
• “not really”
• “you already answered them all”
• “Do I get the job?”
• “how much does the job pay?
• “How much vacation and sick time would I get?
• “Can I still take my planned trip next month?
• When can I start?
• Is the drug testing really required?

Prepare for your interviews so you can put your best foot forward with each response.

Stay tuned for more tips on successful interviews.

Customized Cover Letters #3 – Top Ten Cover Letter Mistakes

A well-written, customized cover letter can move your resume to the top of the pile but common errors on your cover letter can result in a quick trip to the “no pile.”  To avoid the dreaded “no pile”, avoid these common cover letter mistakes.

• Overuse of “I” and “my”— Resist the temptation to start every sentence with “I” or “My”. Your focus should be on meeting the employer’s need to address a business issue.  Vary your sentence structure and keep the focus on them.  Too many “I”s comes across as self-centered and cocky and demonstrates sub-standard communication skills.  Your cover letter is considered an example of your business writing so put your best foot forward.
• Typos and Grammatical errors – Proofread your letter and least twice and have someone else read it for you as well. Do not rely on spell check to identify all the errors.  Hiring managers expect your cover letter to be error free and will often immediately move a candidate to the “no pile” if there are errors in the letter.  The worst is a sentence highlighting your attention to detail which contains errors.
• Form Letters – To be effective, a cover letter must always be customized to the specific position and company. Hiring managers who read cover letters often can spot form letters very quickly.  Phrases such as “this position” and “your company” scream form letter.  Candidates often
• Tentative Language – In your cover letter you want to be confident but not cocky. Avoid tentative language such as “I think”, “I feel”, “seems like” or “I had to.”  Be honest but always project confidence when sharing your experience.
• Inconsistent Bullets—It is acceptable to use bullet points in your cover letter to highlight the experience you bring to the job. Ensure that bullets are consistent in format.  Don’t start some with verbs and others with nouns or mix tenses.  Consistency is important.  Also, don’t use the same bullet points as on your resume.
• Arrogance—Avoid phrases such as “best candidate” and “perfect fit” when describing your capabilities. You are really not in a position to make that assessment and it comes across to the reader as arrogant.  You want to be positive and confident but cocky is a turn off.  It is best to demonstrate your capabilities with examples.
• Lack of Professional Format—A cover letter is a formal business letter. It should have your contact information on the top with the same heading as your resume.  It should then have a date, an address block and a salutation.  “Dear Mary Jones” is not appropriate for a salutation.  It should read “Dear Ms. Jones”.  Failure to follow official business letter format gives the letter an inappropriate air of casualness.  Demonstrate that you are taking this seriously and that you can compose a proper business letter.  This is also a sample of your written communication skills for the hiring manager.
• Failure to Connect the Dots—Hiring managers know what they are looking and for and you know what you have done. Don’t assume they will take the time to connect the dots.  Use your cover letter to clearly identify how your experience and skills meets their needs.
• Limited Language – Do not use the same words repeatedly in your cover letter. Use a thesaurus if necessary.  Using the same words and phrases implies that you don’t know other words and that your communication skills are limited.
• Use of Acronyms – The hiring manager does not know your hiring company. They will not have a clue what the XYZ project is for the ABC system.  Explain your responsibilities in clear language that anyone could understand.  Don’t let your accomplishments be lost in the acronyms that only insiders understand.

A carefully crafted, customized cover letter can move your resume to the top of the pile for consideration.  Avoid these common mistakes to stay out of the “no pile.”

Stay tuned for more tips on successful interviews.

Tips for a Successful Resume #3

In order to have a resume which has maximum impact on potential employers, you should carefully consider everything you include on your resume.  Allocating space to on your resume tells the potential employer that you consider it important.  Be sure you are focusing their attention on the things that matter most to them.

Keep the Employer Perspective in Mind – Yes, it is your resume and you need to tell them about you but you have greater impact if you prepare your resume with the employer in mind.  You will likely have more content than will fit on one page so when making decisions about what to include, keep the employer perspective in mind.  You should focus on the skills and experiences that are transferrable and most relevant to the employer.  It should be about what they need not what you want.  Consider how you can make a difference to a company and help solve their problems.

Don’t let it stand alone —  General rule of thumb for a successful job search, don’t ever send your resume alone when applying for a job.  If the position is worth applying to, it is worth preparing a customized cover letter.  This gives you an opportunity to clearly “connect the dots” between their specific needs in the job posting and your experience and expertise.  Don’t expect an employer to take the time to do that themselves.  Show them how you can add value in this role.  If you are applying online, be sure you follow all the steps required in the posting.  Don’t give them an easy opportunity to eliminate you.

Life Outside of Work – It can certainly be appropriate to show employers a glimpse of your life outside of work.  If you have volunteer experience, you can include a volunteer section.  Identify the organization, your role and the dates.  If you were involved in an organization that could be unpopular or divisive, carefully consider how important it is to include it on your resume.  If you have unique hobbies or interests, you can list those as well.  Sometimes these unique items make someone want to talk to you.  Avoid “spending time with friends and family” since that clearly doesn’t differentiate you.

Consider Having Multiple Versions – For most job seekers, a single resume is not enough.  If you are pursuing opportunities in different fields, consider having separate versions of your resume to focus on the most relevant skills in each field.  Depending on the specific job you are applying for, you may want to emphasize different accomplishments from your previous experience and you may want to update the key words in your summary to better align with the job description.  Yes, this is additional work but it can increase the likelihood of an employer wanting to know more about you.  Your work experience overall remains the same, but you can choose to highlight different accomplishments and skills depending on the specific opportunity.  For employers using applicant tracking software having the appropriate key words in your summery can make a difference of advance in the process instead of being eliminated.

You are the Product – In a job search, you are the product.  This is the most important sales role of your life.  Be sure your resume is the best possible reflection of you – your skills, experience, accomplishments and expertise.  Make employers want to meet you.  Make them want to have you on their team.

Stay tuned for more tips on cover letters and interviews.

Tips for a Successful Interview #2

A critical aspect of interview preparation is anticipating the questions and preparing what you want to say during the interview.  If the interviewer can only remember three things about you from the interview, your preparation can help ensure that they remember the most important three things.  Think about your message and how you will deliver in it response to typical interview questions.

Types of Interview Questions and Samples:

Tried and True

• Most employers still ask the “tell me about yourself” question to break the ice.  It is a great opportunity for applicants to differentiate themselves and highlight their strengths for the particular position. Consider how you tell your story in the context of the position you are applying to.
• Be prepared to answer questions about why you are seeking to make a change.
• Anticipate questions about why this job appeals to you.
• Don’t be surprised by an interviewer asking you to walk through your resume. Hit the relevant highlights for each position and the reasons for the transitions.
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses? “ is still asked frequently.  They expect proof statements to support the strengths and the actions taken to improve the weaknesses.  They are looking for self-awareness and assessment and expect responses that will help differentiate the student from other candidates. A twist on this is to ask what your manager or colleagues would say your strengths and weaknesses are.
• “Do you have any questions?  They expect that you have questions and they should clearly demonstrate your preparation and research in advance, your strong listening during the interview and your interest and enthusiasm for the position.

Behavioral Interviews or “tell me about a time…”

• “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a member of your team at work.  How did you address it and what was the result?”
• “Tell me about a time you had multiple top priorities due at the same time.  How did you address the problem and what was the result?
• “Tell me about a mistake you made and how you addressed it.”
• They are trying to anticipate future behavior by understanding how you behaved in the past and what you learned.  It is important to clarify the situation succinctly, explain what specific action you took and what the result of that action was.  You are painting a word picture for them to help them understand how you work.

Mini-Case Situations or Unusual Questions

• These questions give employers an opportunity to see how you think.
• “What you would do if you were in this job and the CEO called and asked you why sales were down in the X division last month and then told you she needed an answer in an hour before her executive team meeting?”  This isn’t the time to talk about surveying customers or implementing tracking programs for new promotions.  What information do you need to put your hands on?  How would you use that information?  What kinds of questions do you need to ask?  You need to talk them through your thought process to show that you are thinking logically about the issue and finding actionable data.
• “We’ve experienced disruption in the manufacturing department for each of the last three months due to timing delays of getting the six specific component parts to the assembly station for a critical part of the manufacturing process.  The VP of Manufacturing is very upset and has assured the CEO it won’t happen again next month.  He needs your recommendations first thing in the morning.  What information do you need and what possible solutions can you offer?  Think through the process out loud so they can see your thought process.
• What would you do if you lived on an island that ran out of diapers and any materials commonly used to produce diapers?  I actually had an employer ask this of our applicants and applicants enjoyed thinking of creative solutions.  It is less about the specific answer and more about how you think creatively about a problem.  Applicants who could not provide any response did not advance in the process.  This is actually a question an employer asked in an interview process.   They love to see how you think on your feet.

At this point, we are seeing most employers asking a mix of all three types of questions to get as good a sense as possible of how well the student will fit in their organization and how well they will be able to perform the specific job.

Stay tuned for more tips on resumes, cover letters, and interviews.

Cover Letter Tip #2 – Why is it Necessary yo Customize a Cover Letter?

A cover letter serves as your introduction to the company as well as a sample of your writing skills.  The cover letter gives you the opportunity to clearly state your skills and experience that apply directly to the position they posted.  Rather than hoping they can connect the dots between their needs and your experience from your resume, the cover letter enables you to do that.

“So, my skills and experience are what they are so there is no need to customize a letter.”  I often hear that lament from students but they are clearly missing the point.  The cover letter is your opportunity to focus on the relevant skills and experience for the specific position to which you are applying.  You have best chance of success with this position if you are able to tie your skills and experience to the specific needs of the position.

Generic cover letters will never yield the same results.  Most hiring managers can easily spot a generic cover letter. Even when students try to cut and paste the company name and the specific position into a generic cover letter, it is usually obvious that it is still a generic letter.  This also opens the opportunity to miss a cut and paste with the result being a letter with the wrong company name or position title.  That careless error most likely results in a trip to the “no pile.”

Demonstrate your strong interest in the position and the company as well as your professionalism by crafting a customized cover letter for each position.  If the job is worth applying to, it is worth taking the time to customize the cover letter.

Stay tuned for more posts on tips for resumes, cover letters, and interview skills.

Tips for Attention Getting – Resume Tip #2

In order to have an opportunity to sell yourself to the hiring manager with an interview, your resume must sell you first.  Your resume needs to catch their attention and show them that you have experience and expertise relevant to this position.

Summarizing Your Professional Experience – This is a critical section of your resume.  Always list your most recent position first.  If you have had multiple positions within the same company, show the overall dates for employment and then dates for each specific position with the most recent first.  If the company is not well known, include a brief, one-line description of the company to provide context.  Bullet points should focus on your accomplishments in each position.  Why was the company better off by having you in that position at that time?  Do not list your job responsibilities.  When possible, quantify your accomplishments with the impact on the company – increased sales by 20%, reduced turnover 10%, identified cost savings of more than $50,000.  You should focus on the accomplishments that would be most relevant to the employer, not necessarily what you enjoyed the most.

If you are early in your career and your professional experience is limited, be sure to include summer jobs, part-time employments, internships and even volunteer work.  Identify accomplishments in each role.

Focus on Action – Every bullet point under your professional experience should start with an action verb.  If it is a current position, use current tense.  For all prior positions, use past tense.  Action verbs include words such as managed, implemented, designed, reduced, prepared, and many more.  Avoid passive phrases such as “responsible for” in your bullet points.  Be sure to vary the action verbs you use.

Academic Experience – The employer also wants to see your academic qualifications.  If your degree is recent and relevant you can choose to list it prior to your work experience but for most resumes it should follow the professional experience section.  List the school you attended, the dates you attended and the degree you earned with your major noted.  If you graduated with an honors status such as “summa cum laude” you can note that as well.  While you should never list all your specific courses, if you are a recent graduate with limited experience you may choose to highlight a few, relevant classes.  If you were a leader of a student group or were actively involved in campus activities, it is great to include that on your resume but it should be listed separately under activities.  The only time you would ever include high school on your resume would be if you did not have a college degree.

The professional experience and academic sections of your resume are important and deserve careful attention to detail in your preparation.  Ask someone else to proofread it for you to ensure that it is clear.  Avoid company jargon or acronyms.  With these sections complete you are well on your way to a successful resume.

Stay tuned for future postings on resume, cover letter, and interviewing tips.