Recently, I put together (what I think is) my best package/promo ever. It includes a suite of job-search documents that set you up for success for a more effective job search and/or a robust career. Read more
I recently received an e-mail from a past client. Here’s part of it.
…I spent much of the last 2 years looking for a job. Most of that period was spent sending out a resume that I knew I wasn’t proud of every time I sent it out. I wanted a job (and disparately needed one) but could not figure out a way to present myself in a way that made me feel proud. After working with you and, ultimately, receiving a new resume, my only disappointment was that I hadn’t done it sooner. I could not get out of my own way in order to present myself in effective manner….”
This is something that comes up a lot, from past clients and others. People can’t get past the white noise in order to create a resume that communicates what matters and what readers actually want to see. No matter who does your resume, be sure that it isn’t a list of flat job-description-like bullet points. The job market is simply too competitive to expect a positive result from a resume like that.
I followed up with this client and learned that she got a position with a company that had recently done a lot of lay-offs. She had avoided applying there, because she thought it would be futile given the down-sizing. After our work together, she determined that it was a place she had a lot of interest in so she applied.
She had a renewed attitude about her resume and about her job search. Look what happened.
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Feel free to have a look at client testimonials here. Also, March is drawing to a close so be sure to check out March’s promo before it is too late.
I get a lot of e-mails in which people express concern over what more they can be doing to enhance their job search process (and success). Like many of you, these people want to ensure that they are maximizing their efforts and doing all that they can to secure a job.
When times are particularly tough – as they are now – I spend a lot of time encouraging people to make certain to follow-up on each and every resume that is submitted. This is good advice is any situation, but it rings especially true when we are facing such a high unemployment rate.
Are you looking to bolster your job-search efforts? Always send off a letter to follow-up on your resume.
Tim, a recent client, just e-mailed to let me know that his persistence paid off. He targeted – and then interviewed with – a company that he was very interested in. After his series of interviews, he e-mailed to let me know that it didn’t go so well – he actually felt as though he had bombed it.
Steadfast in his interest in the company, he had diligently sent off follow up letters and post interview thank you letters. He was committed to demonstrating his sincere interest. Because of this, he believes, they called him back in to interview for another position – one that was actually a better fit. He didn’t bomb this interview. In fact, he ended up getting the job.
Effective and productive job searches start with a plan. That plan should include follow-up correspondence. Who knows, it just might distinguish you from the pack.
In December, Cooper learned that his business was being closed down. He is one of those clients who decided that he wanted to take the opportunity to revisit the larger question. He was committed to taking a broader view of what might be next for him; he also had the luxury of not having to rush into something that might be unfulfilling. We just finished work on Cooper’s fresh set of job-search documents. One of the assessments he took confirmed his strong inclination to lead the Operations arm of a business. (As it turns out, Operations was about the only part of his General Management career that he truly enjoyed). So, armed with a new perspective and rejuvenated enthusiasm, he is setting out to find the perfect employer.
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Not too long ago, a client came to me very concerned about her lack of recent professional experience. She had put aside her career ambitions in order to raise her children. Well, her kids are now in school and – after 6 years being a stay at home mom – she was ready to head back to the professional world. While we all know that parenting is one of the most difficult jobs a person can have, she was understandably discouraged about the possibility of getting interviews because of the perceived “gap” on her resume. On the other hand, she was failing to recognize and lean into those 6 years full of valuable experiences.
For instance, she had spent the last several years in numerous volunteer positions, including serving as a volunteer coordinator for a local charity and employing her experience in Sales and Marketing to achieve some remarkable fundraising results. All of this experience made for a great story and added a lot of value to her resume. With some help we were able to create a document that framed her time away from the corporate world as 6 years of skill development. She now is able to speak to this period of her life with confidence and is much more enthusiastic about the job search process. The big lesson = exude confidence.
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A recent client, Renee, got a new resume and reinvented herself in the process. Renee’s previous employer, a major bank, was in the process of eliminating her entire department when she inquired about a resume. As a strong-willed and analytical employee, she had always gotten pegged for increasingly responsible roles as an individual contributor. She was successful, but things never felt quite right. She wanted to take this opportunity to explore how she could find not only a new job but also a better match – a job that energized her.
As part of her project, Renee was eager to use some of Tandem’s career development services as well. One of the assessments that she took revealed – among many other things – a strong bias for working collaboratively and managing. That was the missing link. As it turned out, Renee had always been drawn to leading a work-group, but her previous employer had continually told her what she was good at and what her next move would be.
She has a new job doing the same kind of work for a different bank. Only now, she is doing it as a Director, where she also has the opportunity to lead a team.
Do you have a question for Tandem? Click here to send an email.
Sometimes a resume just needs a new look! A couple of weeks ago, I heard back from a client, Jason. The focus of his resume update was, predominantly, on the format, as the content was – for the most part – in good shape. After receiving his freshly minted resume, he went to the website of a company that he has been targeting for over six months. Jason tore down his old resume and attached the new version to his profile. After doing so, he applied for four positions.
He was eager to let me know that he had already heard back regarding one of the positions. Never before had he received a call from this company. In his e-mail, Jason said “I go in for a panel interview next Monday. I have never had that kind of an interview before. The best part is that my new resume is helping me to feel more confident going into it.”
Do you have a question for Tandem? Click here to send an email.
Sometimes a resume just needs a new look!
A couple of weeks ago, I heard back from a client, Jason. The focus of his resume update was, predominantly, on the format, as the content was – for the most part – in good shape. After receiving his freshly minted resume, he went to the website of a company that he has been targeting for over six months. Jason tore down his old resume and attached the new version to his profile. After doing so, he applied for four positions.
He was eager to let me know that he had already heard back regarding one of the positions. Never before had he received a call from this company. In his e-mail, Jason said “I go in for a panel interview next Monday. I have never had that kind of an interview before. The best part is that my new resume is helping me to feel more confident going into it.”
Setting someone up for success with a new and/or improved resume is always gratifying. However, it is most rewarding when the process involves a significant career transition. Often, clients that fall in this category are competing for a big promotion or, perhaps, transitioning away from a company that is eliminating jobs (a biggie right now!). More and more, though, projects look a lot like Angela’s.
When Angela contacted me, she was ready for an entire career shake-up. She couldn’t continue to go through the motions of working in a position that ignited no passion – that didn’t call upon any of her true strengths. That’s a tough reality to wake up to day after day. Well, I just heard back from Angela; she’s doing exactly the work she wants to be doing in the Social Responsibility department of a company that she had targeted.
Are you invigorated as you head off to work each day? If not, lean into the possibilities that exist when you make the decision to put your strengths to work in the right place.
Do you have a question for Tandem? Click here to send an email.
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