The economy seems to be picking up a little, and more and more job seekers are coming to us and letting us know about internal opportunities within their organization they would like to apply to. But even as more opportunities open up, the competition is as strong—or stronger than ever before. That’s why your resume has to be perfect.Here are seven ways your resume isn’t quite cutting it. So, take it out, brush it off, and...

There’s this wonderful illustration about nature I want to share in relation to the effectiveness of resume templates. Zebras have these great stripes that cause them to blend into their herds. It’s actually a lifesaving feature when being attacked by a predator.I equate resume templates to a Zebra’s stripes—really great for camouflage and blending into a “herd” of other job seekers. Not so great for standing out from the p...

Can a cover letter really win you an interview? Isn’t that supposed to be the job of the resume? A resume isn’t the sole determining factor in whether you get the interview. A cover letter absolutely can play a deciding role in securing an interview, and I’m going to share with you three secrets that we utilize in the cover letters we write for our clients that generate immediate interview interest. We give them three reaso...

Lately, I’ve found three phrases that seem to be flooding job seekers’ resumes—and they can drown out the uniqueness and distinctiveness you offer. If one of these three phrases is in your resume, I suggest you take immediate action to cut the fluff and be more direct. Exceeds expectations This term didn’t use to be on my hit list, but now it has grown so much in popularity that most job seekers are tempted to utilize it. A...

Is there a cover letter secret that can guarantee you will get interviews whenever you use it? I know of one magical key you can incorporate into your cover letter that can increase your chances of getting interviews by 50%. Would you like me to share it? Of course you would! So here you go: ASKING FOR THE INTERVIEW Seems like asking for the interview would be common sense, but how many job seekers actually ask for the int...

As 2014 approaches I’ve been putting together a series of articles on the top tips and trends for resumes, cover letters, job searches, and LinkedIn profiles. In this piece I’m shedding light on what I see as the top cover letter trends going into 2014.Evolution of the E-Note The Internet and social media are rapidly changing the shape of how we job search. It can be daunting at times to keep up with the ever-changing dynam...

Let’s get right to the list so you can fix that resume and start getting interviews! Dates of employment more than 15 years ago Including more than 10-15 years of work experience is unnecessary. Most recruiters and employers consider only the past 10 years of experience the most relevant when evaluating your candidacy. An objective statement In its traditional format an objective is extremely vague and tells the employer o...

How many times have you not received that interview call because you used a nonexistent word in your cover letter or resume? Or because you used the entirely wrong word in your LinkedIn profile? Or an incorrect word form in the Thank-You letter? You’ll never know. Your writing skills are your all-important introduction to a hiring manager. And like it or not, that person is going to evaluate you—either consciously, wit...

Every year (at least for the last four years) LinkedIn has performed an analysis of all the English language profiles on its site. This year, with more than 259 million members, you can imagine how varied the list is. Shockingly, the number-one most overused buzz word on LinkedIn profiles in 2013 was used TWICE as much as the number-two word on the list. To be honest, the fact the word was used twice as much as the second w...

As you sit down across from yet another interviewer, you feel strangely confident. After countless bad interviews you’ve fixed all your weak spots. Your resume is in good shape, you have an understanding of the job you’re applying for, and you can relate your skills and experiences to the requirements of the position. All the pieces are falling into place, and you know, just know, that nothing can go wrong this time. That’s...