As a seasoned job seeker, you might not know where to begin. You may have stayed with one company for so long that you haven’t updated your resume in decades. You may have taken some time off work to raise kids but have plenty of past experiences. There are many scenarios where job seekers are worried about keeping up with fresh out of college job seekers who may accept a lower salary or have more recent certifications. Here are 4 tips to help you stay relevant and marketable as a seasoned job hunter. Emphasize your skills and experience. Some people automatically create their resume in chronological order; however, in many cases this may not be the most effective way to showcase your marketability. Ditch the dates and chronological order of jobs and focus on your qualifications and achievements instead. Exclude or limit unrelated experience. Many people are under the incorrect impression that every single job [...]

How to Research a Potential Employer When you go in for an interview, the employer would love to hear about your opinion of the company, and why you want to work there. Here are some ways you can research a potential employer to ensure it’s a good fit, and go to the interview prepared. First, check out the company website. Read the company’s mission statement, and check out the “About Us” page, to learn about the company’s history, values, leaders, and more. Check out the careers page to learn more about some of the benefits of working for the company and review what other positions you may be interested in, just in case this position doesn’t work out. Make sure you read and re-read the job description for the job for which you are applying so that you have a good understanding prior to the interview. Use a search engine to find out more. You’ll [...]

Why You Need a References Dossier Alright, you have a polished resume and an impressive cover letter. You're done, right? Don't forget about your references dossier! But, this should be the easy part, right? You can just put down one of your best friends at work; you know they'll vouch for you. Many people underestimate the importance of having quality references. It's more important than you realize to have a polished, well-spoken reference with some clout. You should select a few professional individuals who will represent you well and be able to speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities as they relate to your past experiences. Don't put someone's name down just because they are a friend at work. Include references who are about to speak to specific examples of achievements or projects. References should be able to highlight your strengths, represent you well, and clearly articulate your aptitude. It's also imperative that you first [...]

How to Overcome Common Resume Challenges When coming up with the information for a professional resume writer to help you with your resume, you may have a few challenges. Here are some of the most common challenges that we help our clients overcome. 1) Lack of Experience Our certified resume writers are experienced at showcasing skills and talents, not just job experience. You may have more experience than you think. Provide our resume writers with a summary of some of your extracurricular  activities, skills, and achievements. Be sure to include any relevant education or certifications that you possess. 2) Gaps in Employment With many career layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, career gaps are easily explained. Our resume writers will help you smooth over any gaps on your resume. Don't be discouraged over career gaps. Employers understand the nature of the job market and will not discard your resume just because you were laid off, [...]

How to Discover a Fulfilling Career Path Whether fresh out of college or years into a dead-end job, how do you discover a fulfilling career path? Here are 3 simple ways to help you figure out what career would be a great fit and help you feel satisfied at work. Self-reflect - Think about times in your life when you have felt most happy--was it helping others, was it helping someone pick out the perfect solution for their needs, was it resolving an issue? What types of activities make you feel energized, enthusiastic, and motivated? Can you remember then last time that you lost track of time because you were so enthralled in your work? Try to self-reflect on what really fuels your passions and interests Assess your strengths - You could take a strength finder's assessment, or you could poll your colleagues and friends. Try to figure out what your greatest strengths are and how [...]

Why Highlighting Accomplishments is Important on a Resume It's important to share your accomplishments on your resume, cover letter, and of course speak to them during your interview. Hiring managers want to know that you are capable of successfully accomplishing goals. Accomplishments also help to show that you are results driven. Being able to acknowledge your accomplishments is a very important part of the application and interview process. When deciding what accomplishments to include in your professional profile, consider the job description and position requirements. You should try to think outside of the box here if you are changing industries. For example, if you managed an event from start to finish, this is a form of project management, so you could include a successful event on a resume for a project manager position.  Select some of your accomplishments that are most relevant and would be most impressive to employers. If this is your first professional position, [...]

How to Deal with a Difficult Boss Most of us will have to deal with a difficult boss at some point in our careers. A difficult boss may cause heightened stress, decreased productivity, and low satisfaction at work. We spend around 1/4 of our life at work, so our boss can have a substantial impact on our overall happiness. A difficult boss might micromanage you, talk down to you, steal your spotlight, dominate conversations, or even create conflict. When you see these behaviors in a boss, there are some things you can do to improve the situation. One of the first things you should do is self-reflect. Are you being too sensitive? Have any of your actions led your boss to treat you this way? Are you meeting your boss's expectations? Do other people on the team seem to have the same kind of issues with this person? Try to figure out why you believe [...]

How to Handle a Mistake at Work Have you ever made a big mistake at work, and thought you would never recover? Don’t worry—we’ve all been there! And believe it or not, even the biggest mistakes will be forgotten with time. So, when you make a mistake at work, what do you do? First and foremost, accept responsibility and tell your boss as soon as possible. Don’t let your fear of getting in trouble keep you from admitting a mistake. The sooner you can start mitigating the issue, the better off you will be. Reasonable bosses will understand that human errors occur, and they have made mistakes before too. The mistake is going to come to light either way, and the longer you put off talking to your boss, the worse you’ll look. Don’t deflect blame, accept responsibility for your part in the mistake. If you get defensive or point fingers, you will only look [...]

5 Ways to Catch your Manager's Attention The difference between an average employee and a top performer often depends on the manager's perception. Here are 5 ways to catch your manager's attention and improve their perception of you. Be positive - Managers appreciate employees who create solutions not complain about problems. If you need to address something negative, make sure to provide an idea to resolve the problem. Managers look for employees who have a positive attitude that do not complain. Be reliable - Reliability is so important in the workplace. Are you on time? Do you complete tasks by their deadline? Managers want to know that if they assign you a project, they can rest assured that you will complete the task on time and meet expectations. Be friendly - Personality can go a long way in the workplace. Managers want to work with people that they can get along with, and who get along [...]