Kim Isaacs: Retro…not a good look for your résumé.

Kim Isaacs has a great article on the ResumePower Blog, How Old Do You Look? We’ve all heard about the importance of first impressions, and this is especially true during a job search when competition is fierce. Your appearance, resume and even the way you search for a job could be preventing you from getting the interviews and job offers you deserve. If you’re concerned your job search is at a standstill because you appear to be too old, it’s... [Read More...]

You Don’t Say!

By Rusty Wright If you’re like me, you could use a good chuckle right now. After all, times are messy. The economy’s tanked, your 401(k) might be a 101(k), jobs are vanishing, Iran’s “democracy” rules, North Korea’s launching missiles, and Mark Sanford thinks he found his soul mate. Or not. To top it off, tragically, Ed McMahon, Farrah and Jacko all died within days of each other. Maybe this real-life humor will... [Read More...]

Whoa! TMI, Dude. T-M-I-!-! (It’s a Résumé, not a Background Check.)

(Updated – Also see: Top 10 Things to Leave of of your Resume, by FishDogs) I remember when I first got out of college in 1990 and was preparing to apply in person at a lot of places locally, I thought I would be one step ahead of the game if I put everything on my résumé that an employer would normally request on a job application. That way, I thought, I wouldn’t have to painstakingly complete all of those job applications! Well, it... [Read More...]

Why you should NEVER write your own résumé.

Sure, there are plenty of templates and do-it-yourself software applications out there to help you do your own résumé, and writing your own résumé can seem like an economical way to go. A résumé, however, is the first impression a prospective employer will have of you, and should be your best possible representation of you and your skills. Unless résumé writing happens to be one of the skills you’ve perfected, here are a few things... [Read More...]

Free Résumé Printing, Faxing – Office Depot through May 30th!

BOCA RATON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apr. 20, 2009– Office Depot (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, is helping customers take care of business by offering customers free copies of résumés and free faxing from April 19 to May 30, 2009. Customers will be able to participate in this special offer by visiting the Design, Print, & Ship Depot center in any one of the more than 1,100 Office Depot... [Read More...]

ResumePower Blog: Resume Strategies to Fill Gaps in Employment

From Karen Hofferber of the ResumePower Blog: …Serving as the primary caregiver for a family member or taking a sabbatical to pursue a degree are valid explanations for a gap. You can also fill this time period by showcasing any volunteerism, consulting, or self-study you completed. Treat this experience just as you would a paid, full-time position, and try to include examples of key contributions you made. For example, if you helped with a... [Read More...]

Publishing Careers: Resume Keyword Tricks and Traps

From Lori Cates Hand, of Publishing Careers: Career professionals have been conscious of resume keywords for close to a decade now, so this is not a revolutionary topic. However, more and more everyday people are beginning to grasp and use the concept. So his tips are insightful and timely: Use every commonly known synonym for your skills. For example, include both “security” and “collateral” to cover your bases in case a... [Read More...]

Computerworld: 6 ways to ruin your resume – Bad techniques can bury your talent.

From Greg Schaffer, of Computerworld: My vision is blurry. I’ve reviewed more than 40 résumés for a network administrator position, and less than half have made the cut. Although I rejected some candidates because of their lack of experience (or, rather, their lack of demonstrated required experience), others had errors in their application packages that lowered their ranking — errors that could have been easily corrected. Of course,... [Read More...]

Always remove your private data from any résumé posted online.

The following video, and story from NBC2News.com in Fort Meyers, FL is an example of why it is important to always, always, remove your personal and private data from any résumé posted online, including address, social security number, date of birth, and in some cases even your full name and the specific names of current and previous employers.  Read More →