Should I apply online? Or … Should I submit my resume online?

AUTHOR: David M. Young

Last week I received a phone call from a fairly high level Information Technology executive. This individuals division was cut from his past employers company during a round of layoffs, resulting in him being unemployed for the first time in decades and active in the job market. He was frustrated because he had applied to several positions that he felt were strong matches for his background and he had yet to get anyone to respond.

His questions included why would they post a job on their website and not respond, is the job really open, who is really looking at online submittals, and if the companies are not responding to online job applicants, is it a sign that there are bigger issues within that company. While these specific thoughts have merit, there are numerous assumptions being made to get to the point of questioning the company based on an online submittal.

As a candidate, put yourself in the company’s shoes. They most likely are receiving resumes from good, bad, strange, and overqualified candidates. Without knowing who is receiving your online application, how do you know what they are looking for, or if it is even being read? What is their process?

So should you apply online? Applying online is one of those things where you have no other audience immediately providing feedback or giving you any negative information on yourself. As a result, to many it makes them feel as if they are accomplishing something in the job search, when in actuality, there is no way to know. Is there a time to apply online? YES. But not as the first interaction with the company. If you see a job position at a company online, take a step back and formulate a plan of action. You will always be best served if you have an ally inside the companies walls. If not inside the companies walls, then find an ally who is knowledgeable about the company, and can assist in getting your name and information directly into the right hands so that you can verbally introduce yourself and have the company ask you to send your resume, or possibly apply online. This begins by determining who you know at the company. If you know someone, reach out to them via phone or email. Let them know you saw an open position and wanted to see if they could provide further insight on that role, or point you to a person who might be able to assist. If you don’t know someone at the company, check with friends, your LinkedIn contacts, or professional recruiters to see if they have any relationships with individuals at the targeted organization.

Once you have a contact inside the company’s walls, pick up the phone and call them. A hiring manager will be much more impressed by a candidate who is solving such a small problem as this knowing that they would be a person who is results oriented in the actual role. I had a candidate who was scheduled for a phone interview. The hiring manager could not connect with the candidate. After the designated call time had passed, the candidate found the person on LinkedIn and directly contacted them. As a result, the hiring manager spoke with the person after deciding not to move forward since they could not contact the candidate. In this case, a “wrong number” almost sabotaged the candidate, but instead, the candidate impressed through a simple effort of LinkedIn email, and was able to move forward. So remember, PICK UP THE PHONE.

You may not have a contact, if not, call into the company and ask to speak to the manager of the group, the name listed on the posting, or the person who handles the hiring decisions. Let the person know you saw a role on line and wanted to follow up on it. If you get brushed off, you will know quickly not to waste your time.   But you will be surprised, 9 times out of 10, someone will speak with you. And a majority of those times, you will find out where to send your information so that you do not fall into the online Black Hole. You now have a contact and can call to follow up appropriately (don’t wear them out…they are looking at numerous resumes and candidates.)

If all else fails, yes, apply online, but do not expect anything to happen. If there is no one on the other end, then no one will know to respond.

 

 

The difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV)

AUTHOR: David M. Young

• What is a CV?
• Is there a difference between a CV and a resume?
• When would I submit a CV vs a resume?

These are some of the very basic questions you may have.

As a recruiter, I hear individuals refer to their “CV” interchangeably with their resume. But often times, a candidate merely has a summary resume and one with more detail included. If you are a resume reviewer, or building your own resume, make sure you know the difference. If a prospective employer asks for a CV instead of a resume, make sure they are not just asking for a detailed resume as opposed to a classic curriculum vitae.

THE RESUME – In order to best determine, you need to understand the difference yourself. In very simplistic terms, a resume is a 1-3 page summary of your education, skills, and highlights of your experience. We discuss resume length in another blog post, so yes, if written cleanly and concisely, your resume may be longer than 4 pages, but be careful. A resume may be modified for each position that the applicant applies for. You would do this to highlight different responsibilities, career accomplishments, and expertise required for past positions.

THE CV – A “CV”, or curriculum vitae, means course of life in Latin. A CV is an in-depth document that includes a great level of detail about your achievements. It is a summary of your educational and academic backgrounds, teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, and affiliations. A CV is a static document and does not change for different positions. The CV tends to be organized chronologically and is most commonly used when applying for academic, research, or very specific teaching positions.

One final item of note. In the US and Canada, a resume is the preferred document when applying for a position. In Europe, the CV is used and resumes are generally not utilized. In Australia, South Africa, and also India, the CV and resume terms are used interchangeably. (thus causing some of the confusion).

Why spend time on this? As a Technology recruiter, I often see resumes that a technical candidate has written, and they call it their “CV”. But instead of focusing on the items mentioned above, it is a painstakingly detailed document that takes the persons resume and provides each and every job responsibility, team responsibility, and possibly even technical coding examples. I have seen a document like this submitted as 18 pages. It is great the individual has this detail on their work history, but it is not a CV….it is an extremely long resume that the reader will never finish, and most likely eliminate the candidate because they can’t figure out the persons career strengths and path.

Make sure you know the difference.

So which one should you use? I’d recommend you use the one that is preferred in the given country. Often times the receiver will flex. But regardless, beware of the “CV” that is actually a resume that is 20 pages long. You will lose every time.

Resumes – Power Words

AUTHOR: David M. Young

Words Matter! That is especially so when it comes to your resume. I read many resumes that read like a job description instead of reading like a summary of one’s career accomplishments separated by positions. Often times I will also read a resume that utilizes the same word over and over again. That word may be “Managed” or may be a phrase like “Was responsible for”. Both of these are not good resume words. And when they are repeated multiple times, all you do is lose your reader since they have already seen the word. So how do you accomplish having a precise resume that accurately demonstrates what you bring to the table, while accurately demonstrating what you have done in your past positions? I will expand further on what a resume reader is looking for in your resume in a later blog update. This week, my challenge to you is to look over your resume and do two things.

• Look at any descriptive word that you have used more than once. Review my list at the end of this post and find another word which could be used to “spice” up and eliminate the repetition.
• Review your resume and if it looks like a job description that could be anyone, change it and identify the specific things that you did which are unique and make sure they are highlighted.

 

The list below is a fairly exhaustive list, but it is not all inclusive. Pull out a thesaurus and dictionary and use it. It can only help to make your resume stand out.

 

A
accelerated
accomplished
accounted for
accrued
achieved
acquired
acted
adapted
adopted
addressed
adjusted
administered
advanced
advised
advocated
affirmed
aligned
alleviated
allocated
allotted
altered
analyzed
answered
anticipated
appeased
applied
appraised
approached
approved
arbitrated
articulated
assessed
assigned
attained
attended
audited
authored
authorized
automated
awarded

B
balanced
began
benchmarked
benefited
bid
billed
blended
bolstered
boosted
broadened
budgeted
built

C
calculated
calibrated
cemented
certified
chaired
challenged
championed
changed
charted
checked
chronicled
circulated
circumvented
cited
clarified
classified
coded
collaborated
collected
combined
commended
commissioned
communicated
compared
completed
composed
computed
conceived
concentrated
conceptualized
confirmed
consolidated
constructed
consulted
controlled
converted
conveyed
convinced
corresponded
counseled
created
cultivated
customized
cut

D
debated
debugged
decided
decoded
decreased
dedicated

defined
delegated
delineated
delivered
demonstrated
deployed
derived
described
designated
designed
detailed
detected
determined
developed
devised
diagnosed
directed
disbursed
discovered
discussed
dispatched
dispensed
displayed
disposed
disproved
dissected
dissolved
distributed
diversified
divided
doubled

E
earned
eased
edited
educated
effected
elected
elevated
elicited
eliminated
embraced
emphasized
empowered
enabled
ended
enforced
engaged
engineered
enhanced
enlisted
ensured
entered
enticed
equipped
estimated
evaluated
examined
exceeded
executed
exercised
exhibited
expanded
expedited
explained
explored
expressed
extended
extracted

F
facilitated
filled
finalized
financed
finished
fixed
focused
followed
forecasted
forged
formalized
formed
formulated
fortified
forwarded
fostered
founded
framed
fulfilled
funded
furnished
furthered

G
gained
garnered
gathered
gauged
generated
governed
graduated
grasped
greeted
grew
grouped
guided

H
halved
handled
headed
held
helped
honed
hosted

I
identified
ignited
illustrated
implemented
improved
improvised
included
incorporated
increased
indicated
induced
influenced
informed
infused
initiated
innovated
inspected
inspired
installed
instilled
instituted
instructed
insured
integrated
invented
invested
invigorated
invited
involved
isolated
issued
itemized

J
joined
judged
justified

L
launched
learned
lectured
leveraged
licensed
lifted
limited
linked
liquidated
listened
litigated
loaded
located
logged

M
made
maintained
managed
mandated
maneuvered
mapped
marked
marketed
mastered
maximized
measured
mediated
memorized
mentored
merged
minimized
mobilized
moderated
modified
molded
monitored
monopolized
motivated
mounted

N
named
narrated
navigated
negotiated
netted
neutralized
nominated
normalized
notified
nurtured

O
observed
obtained
offered
officiated
operated
optimized
orchestrated
ordered
oriented
originated
outlined
outperformed
overcame
overhauled
oversaw
owned

P
participated
partnered
passed
perceived
perfected
performed
persuaded
pioneered
placed
planned
played
prepared
presented
prioritized
processed
procured
produced
profiled
programmed
progressed
projected
promoted
proposed
protected
proved
provided
publicized
purchased
pursued

Q
quadrupled
qualified
quantified
queried
questioned
quoted

R
raised
rallied
ranked
rated
reached
realigned
realized
rearranged
rebuilt
received
recognized
recommended
reconciled
reconstructed
recorded
recovered
recruited
rectified
redesigned
redirected
reduced
re-engineered
referred
refocused

rehabilitated
registered
regulated
reinforced
reiterated
related
renegotiated
renewed
reorganized
represented
reproduced
requested
researched
reserved
resolved
responded
restored
restructured
retained
retooled
retrieved
returned
revamped
reversed
reviewed
revised
revitalized
revolutionized
rewarded
risked
rotated
routed

S
safeguarded
salvaged
saved
scanned
scheduled
screened
secured
seized
selected
separated
shaped
shared
sharpened
shipped
shortened
showed
signed
simplified
simulated
solved
sourced
sparked
spearheaded
specialized
specified
speculated
spent
sponsored
spurred
staffed
started
steered
stimulated
streamlined
strengthened
stretched
structured
submitted
succeeded
suggested
summarized
supervised
surpassed

T
teamed
tempered
tested
traced
tracked
trained
transformed
transitioned
tripled
troubleshot
turned

U
uncovered
underlined
underscored
undertook
unified
united
updated
upgraded
upheld
utilized

V
validated
valued
vaulted
verified
visualized
volunteered

W
won
worked
wrote

Y
yielded

Resumes – How do I address a gap, contracts/temp work, or re-entering the work force?

AUTHOR: David M. Young

When a potential employer is reviewing your resume, you have to remember that they are screening you in, not screening you out. When people write resumes, they often forget this simple concept. If there is something that you may be concerned about in your resume history, you must be intentional in addressing it as opposed to hoping it goes “un-noticed”. Trust me … whatever it is, it will be noticed.

Some problems that you must address when you write your resume include:

• An employment gap
• Job Hopping
• No Degree
• Concurrent Jobs
• Re-entering the workforce

Employment Gap – So what if you were laid-off, took a leave from employment for personal reasons (sick relative, personal sickness) and were not employed, or just took a long time to find a job? Is this a concern for an employer? Yes. They will wonder why did you not work? Is there an issue in your past? Were you not competent? Did you burn too many bridges? These are all questions an employer might wonder. So if there is a gap in employment, what can you do on your resume? One quick and easy item if it is just for a few months is to use years instead of months on your date of employment for past organizations. You never want to lie on a resume, but if asked about months during an interview, you can then explain briefly…and at this point, you know the employer is interested because they have selected to interview you. If your gap was for an extended period of time, stretching across years for instance, you need to either just leave it on your resume, or, if you did any consulting or related work, include that on your resume. It will show initiative and drive.

“Job Hopping” – Or a bunch of short term projects/contracts? First off, don’t try and explain in the resume. If these are independent consulting projects, then identify them as a single “grouping” of employment. If you have a personal company, you can use that name (i.e. Smith consulting, or John Doe Enterprises.) If not a common company, then group this effort under a single title. Don’t over explain, rather be ready to discuss in an interview. But, if you present appropriately, truthfully, and show the associated skills used, you will create conversation in your favor during an interview.

No Degree – You never finished your degree and it is commonly required in your field. You could address this by not addressing it and not include educational background. But again, never lie. You could show hours achieved towards your degree or hours remaining to earn your degree, but only do this if you plan on completing your degree. Do not list a degree with no explanation if you have not completed the degree. This may be well intentioned, but it is false and you will be perceived as lying on the resume. If not having a degree is keeping you from gaining employment, then it is time to pull up your boots and just get it done. Once you have a degree, it is no longer a concern and often times just having a degree is required, not a specific degree.

Concurrent jobs – You had to work two jobs to make ends meet, or you worked your full time job and were an advisor for another job. If you show these as two simultaneous jobs, an employer may question your loyalty or that you may get distracted. You want them to know you are a hard worker and will be dedicated. If you held two roles for a single employer, then no issue. Just list the employer and then show each job as separate duties. But if for two separate employers, you should either show both roles and give simultaneous dates and be ready to discuss, or if one is a very minor role that never required much time, do not list it. But remember, most importantly, always be honest…don’t change dates.

Reentering the workforce – You stayed home to raise kids, you had an elongated health issue, or something along these lines and it has required you to reenter the workforce after not working for many years. Most importantly, that is fine. It allows an employer to understand what is important to you. Never put “sabbatical” on a resume as it just raises more questions and may lend someone to thinking you are lazy. Rather leave the gap in place. If you did some applicable volunteer work or education while you were out of the workforce, then list that work. You may have handled the PTA budget, you might have managed people as a volunteer, or you may have developed programs that solved problems. Were you involved in fundraising or worked as part of team? Life experiences can be applicable. Note these experiences, but be careful to not water down your resume with experience that is not applicable to your field. Rather list the roles and allow them to speak for themselves (showing you will work hard at whatever you do.) But be comfortable with a gap in your resume. You will be able to address this in a cover letter or through conversation. But, it may still prevent you from getting to the point of having a conversation. Just be ready.

There are so many more issues that can be “red flags” on a resume, but these items discussed above cover most of the main ones. Of course on each specific concern, there is so much more to think about. Google your concern and see what other experts have to say. Then embrace what makes sense and don’t follow advice if it does not make since to you. Your resume is exactly that….YOUR RESUME, and no one else’s.