5 Tips for Writing a Better Resume Building Your Future Now

5 Tips for Writing a Better Resume Building Your Future Now A resume is a marketing tool to help you get an interview which will hopefully lead to a job. However, writing a good resume is essentially keeping things simple and to the point. You know you need to write down your work history, relevant skills and professional summary highlighting your goal(s) and what youre going to bring to the table (to the company youre applying to) but what else to you need to keep in mind? Keep on checking out various websites, books and resources to write a better resume! Also, try using these 5 tips when writing your next resume: 1.Keywords Get 2 or 3 jobs you are intending to apply for and comb through them for any keywords. These words typically are buzzwords that can be found throughout relevant job discriptions. When you have isolated a few input them naturally into your resume. Why keywords? Companies usually put resumes through ATS (automated tracking systems) to find candidates they want to interview and hence check for these keywords. 2.Think: How am I going to help this company? Dont spend time writing a resume that is geared to you! Focus on what hiring managers want to read. The bottom line is: they are reviewing your resume to see if you can help them. So can you? Can you drive sells? Can you build a loyal customer base? Can you save the company money? 3.Gear your resume to relevant jobs If you dont have the right experience or skill sets for particular jobsdont apply to them! Apply to jobs that you believe you have a shot in getting. However, that doesnt mean you should give up trying to reaching for better opportunitiesyou simply need to look at what experience or education you need to get those types of jobs! 4.Keep it to a maximum of 2 pages Unless you are a professor, doctor or lawyer there is no need for your resume to exceed 2 pages. Anything longer and a hiring manager wont read on. If you are having a tough time condensing your resume take a look at resume samples online to get a better idea what you need to do. 5.Hiring a Professional When its all said and done and you still are having a tough time with your resume look into hiring a professional resume writer! Before hiring one look at your optionswhats pricing like? What kind of resume do you need? Do your homework and find the best value! Image: Veera Santinithi

Smart Personal Finance Tips You Should Follow

Smart Personal Finance Tips You Should Follow Some people have an innate ability to be financially conscious, whereas others often find themselves in debt. You are solely responsible for taking care of your financial wellbeing and setting yourself up for good habits. You may simply need a bit of guidance, and this article is here to do exactly that. First, it’s important to understand why it’s necessary to be monetarily stable in the first place, and the effect that money has on your lifestyle. Next, you will need to learn how to budget and save, file your taxes on time, avoid debt and plan for retirement. For more information on these smart money saving tips, continue reading.  Importance of money Money affects the type of life that you live. Every single decision you make during your everyday routine is a direct result of what is in your bank account. How much money do you spend when you go shopping? What type of home do you live in? What car do you drive? Can you pay for your kids to go to an expensive school? Once you realize just how crucial money is, you will find it much easier to learn how to become financially stable. Budget and save Learning to track your expenses, budgeting, and saving is not as hard as you may think. It is important for you to note down what amount of your paycheque you will be using every single month, and what you will be saving. To better stay on track, you should start by recording your expenses on a daily basis, until you finally get into the habit of saving. Determine what you need versus what you want to also make your life easier. File taxes Do you know how to file your taxes properly? There is a right way to do it so that you maximize your tax return in the process. Whether you choose to do it yourself or hire an expert for help, you can file your  Tax Return  online.   Make sure that you file them sooner rather than later, to avoid any unnecessary fees, especially as this is a government mandate. Debt Debt is a vicious cycle that ruins many people’s lives. A majority of people have some type of loan, whether it’s due to their mortgage, car, college fees, or something else. What is crucial is how it is dealt with, as it is also a big impediment that causes stress for people. It is important to make a plan for how much money you should set aside every single month to pay this off. Plan for retirement Planning for retirement is something that everyone is responsible for. You will have to find the right type of plan, and perhaps consider investment options that will help you later in life. Purchasing your home, for instance, is an investment that you can always sell or rent out at any point. The time to become financially responsible is now. Why wait when you can turn your life around at any point? You will even find that your mood will improve because you do not have to worry about paying your bills on time. It’s all about how you budget, save, and the choices you make.

3 Ways a Bad Credit Score Can Affect Your Career

3 Ways a Bad Credit Score Can Affect Your Career Most Americans know that having a good credit score can positively impact different aspects of a person’s life. However, it appears that many young people are completely unaware of how a bad credit score can affect them. In fact, a survey has revealed that 68% of Americans make at leastone financial mistake before turning 30. The survey also indicates that more than 50% of respondents received their first credit card by the age of 21, but 72% received no guidance or education about handling their personal finances before entering college. As a result, the majority of young people are in debt before they hit their 30’s, leading to a credit score which can hurt their career. How to determine if you have a bad credit score Before taking steps toraise your credit score, it’s important to know about credit score ranges. The VantageScore model uses a scale of 300 to 850, and the scores aredivided into five groups.To be considered as having excellent credit, you must have a score from 781 to 850; good credit is from 661 to 780; fair credit is 601 to 660; poor credit is from 500 to 600, and bad credit is from 300 to 499.  Bad credit can make life extremely difficult, from getting a job to applying for a loan, and even getting a cell phone contract. According to a recent survey of 1,050 millennials, thewomen’s average credit score was 666compared to 661 for men, revealing that most young people have fairly decent credit scores at the moment. But there’s no room for error when making financial decisions. As the 20’s and early 30’s are when most people start their careers, it’s imperative to know that having bad credit can be detrimental to all aspects of your professional life. Here are 3 ways a bad credit score can affect your career. It can hurt your job search If you’re fresh out of college yet you’ve already amassed considerable debt, there’s a big possibility that your bad credit score can hurt your job search. Most organizations check job applicants’ credit as part of their standard background check. There’s not much that you can do about a credit check request other than refuse permission, but doing so can also mean that the odds of getting hired may have gotten slimmer. It can hurt your chance of a promotion Just because you’ve been working at a certain company for years doesn’t mean that they’re going to get lax about checking your personal information. If you’re in line for a promotion, most companies will check credit histories, especially if the promotion comes with a corporate credit card and if you’ll be privy to corporate secrets. Moreover, some employers think that having a bad credit score says a lot about a person’s sense of responsibility. You may get passed over for that promotion as your employer may think that your failure to manage an important aspect of your life can reflect on your job. It can make starting a business even harder If you’re planning to go the entrepreneurial route after you graduate, know that having a bad credit score can makestarting a business even more difficult. You may need a bank loan to fund your startup, and having a bad credit history can limit the amount you can borrow to get your business up and running. Having a bad credit score can negatively impact your career, but the good thing is that you can make certain adjustments to improve it over time. Make good financial choices, pay your bills on time, don’t overuse your credit card, and refrain from applying for new lines of credit until your credit standing improves. Doing these may be a challenge for now, but you’ll be rewarded with more job opportunities and a better professional life once you’ve improved your credit scores.

4 Ways To Enhance Your Brand During An Internship - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

4 Ways To Enhance Your Brand During An Internship - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Summer is almost here â€" the season of sun, fun, and internships. Though most would not consider internships an integral part of the summer, they remain to be an integral piece of professional experience. Despite what you may have heard, internships aren’t just for learning those essential on-the-job skills (no, I don’t mean fetching coffee). They also allow room for learning about professionalism, collaboration, and leadership â€" all things that are incorporated into your personal brand. You may find it difficult to juggle the demands of your internship, keeping you brand active, and other summer activities, but there are ways to keep it thriving during these active months. Making the most of your internship If you have an impending summer internship, check out these four ways to make the most of your time for you and your personal brand: 1. Be Personable. You will be known as “the intern,” but don’t let it stop you from immersing yourself into the culture. Be sure to introduce yourself to your other coworkers. Don’t limit yourself to those around your desk â€" reach out to other colleagues in different departments and/or experience levels. Find opportunities to let others get to know and you and vice versa, like going out to lunch or on a coffee break. You’ll be on the way to establishing great connections that can benefit you even if you move on to other organizations or fields. 2. Shatter Expectations. Channeling the same idea above about breaking out of the intern mold, you’ll want to be an accountable and irreplaceable employee. Instead of waiting for assignments, ask if there’s something you can do or offer an idea. If a coworker has a lot on their plate and you’re not too busy, offer to help out. Before leaving everyday, ask your boss if there’s anything else that needs to be wrapped up. Going the extra mile in your internship not only improves your own work ethic, but also paints a picture to others about your brand’s reputation. 3. Dabble in Different Areas. The great thing about interning is that you more often find out what you don’t want to do in your career field. If you’re still not sure about which path to take, see if you can do tasks or projects from different functions of the company. This hands-on approach is surely the best way to form and figure out which unique skills create value in your brand. 4. Solicit Feedback. We all need to know if where going in the right direction at some point. Be sure to periodically ask for feedback about your performance and if expectations have been met. This way you’ll be able to assess and adapt if needed, and be self aware of your own brand and how it’s perceived by others. Good luck, interns! What are some other things you can do for your brand during an internship? Author: Heather R. Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships  (2011),  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

Executive Job Search Networking Remember the Telephone - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Executive Job Search Networking Remember the Telephone We’ve all gotten so used to the speed and ease of email, texting and other social media that many of us rarely pick up the phone any more to communicate with people. Don’t get me wrong. I rely on social media for most of my business communications. I love social media. It allows me to get more done in a shorter span of time . . . sometimes. But I’m as guilty as the next guy of neglecting to actually speak to my professional network. I have a core group of colleagues whom I consider to be co-mentors. We share ideas and tips, and brainstorm ways to help each other become more successful. Sometimes weeks will go by when I don’t make a personal connection with one of them. I always find that, when I do reach out and set up a call with one of my co-mentoring buddies, I’m so much more pumped than if we’ve communicated via email. Likewise in executive job search, making the time to speak with those closest to you in your professional network can make the difference between merely saying “hello” and “what’s new with you”, and truly connecting, with the potential to open opportunities for new leads (for both of you) and batten down a great job search tactic to land your next great gig. Just as sending a hand-written, snail-mailed thank you note after a job interview trumps an emailed one, so does the effort and thought it takes to initiate an actual phone call. Phone calls are becoming so much more infrequent that they’re almost a novelty, and can work to deepen the relationship. I don’t suggest that you flip through your rolodex (manual or electronic) and try to schedule a call with everyone in your network. Select those closest to you, whom perhaps you’ve neglected to call in quite some time. The people you most trust and rely on. The ones who are always there for you, just as you’re there for them. Skype makes these calls that much easier and, if you choose,  you can make a video call, so you can see each other as you’re speaking. If both of you have Skype accounts, and cameras in your computers or devices, it’s a matter of clicking a button to connect you both via your computers. Skype to Skype calls are free. If the person you’re calling doesn’t have (and doesn’t want to have) a Skype account, you can pay a minimal annual fee to make Skype calls to land or mobile lines. Give it a try. See if you’re not pumped by the experience, too! Related posts: How NOT To Build Your Executive Network The Power of Qualified References in Executive Job Search How Good Is Your Executive Brand Elevator Pitch? Photo by tjscenes 00 0

Salary Negotiation Tips - Get Paid What Youre Worth

Salary Negotiation Tips - Get Paid What Youre Worth The topic of identifying career salaries regularly comes up in coaching sessions. My clients who are searching for a job or interested in a promotion need to understand the market before starting their negotiation. Individuals want to be paid what they are worth in the marketplace and for the skills and experience they bring to a position and organization. How do you find out what the market will pay you? Government positions dont hide the salary. State government positions, including state schools, publish the salary range on the job posting. You can also research public records to find out what existing employees are paid. Tip: if you get an interview, dont ask what the salary range is you should have already researched it! Cant beat first-hand company intel. Most other jobs do not have salary information so readily available. Do you know anyone who works at the company or better yet has worked in the same position? Ask colleagues or individuals currently working in a similar role and/or for the company of interest. First-hand information is likely pretty accurate. You can ask: Do you know the approximate salary range for this position? What do you think would be an appropriate salary for someone performing my job at my level? Likely the information you receive will be accurate, but not the entire story. The individual you speak with might be able to provide you with what they are paid, but likely won’t know the budget or salary range for the position you want. Tip: include this question as part of an informational interview where you ask many other questions about the company that can make it more comfortable for a new contact to open up. Recruiter can be your best friend. You could also ask the recruiter for the salary range of the position. Depending on the organization, though, they may not share this information with you, particularly recruiters employed by the company. A recruiter rarely volunteers this so youll have to ask. Tip: if a recruiter wont divulge the figure they probably will tell you if your desired salary is within range you have to spit out a figure first! The internet is better than guessing. Most of us arent lucky enough to know someone who can divulge accurate salary information for a particular position. If that is the case, you can turn to online research. Here are a few places to consider when researching: JobStar PayScale The Occupational Outlook Handbook Salary.com SalaryExpert.com NACE Salary Calculator Glassdoor Professional Associations Websites If you can not find the exact salary range for the position you are seeking there are reasonably accurate methods available. Talking with individuals in similar positions or at similar organizations, probing the independent or company recruiter, and doing some outside research will put you in a much better place for your salary negotiation.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Military Resume

The Importance of Maintaining Your Military ResumeIf you want to make your military resume stand out from the others, then you need to pay close attention to the information that is contained within it. The majority of people do not understand the process that is involved in making a good military resume. You can easily save yourself time and money by being aware of how your military resume should be constructed.The very first thing that you need to remember when you are preparing for your military career is to make sure that you put a lot of thought into the layout of your resume. It needs to be simple and concise so that it makes it easier for recruiters to read. You will find that when you are looking for a job that your military resume will be the one that stands out above the rest. Take the time to make it stand out and make it an impressive piece of information.When you are trying to get the attention of potential employers, you want them to know what type of skills you have an d how well you performed during your military career. The way to accomplish this is to put together a resume that contains a list of your accomplishments. You will find that once you are getting interested in the chances of getting a job with the military, you will be able to focus on those areas that you need to improve upon.When writing your military resume, you need to include the reasons why you are qualified for the position that you are applying for. You will find that the recruiter that you contact is looking for a team player who can be successful in any type of situation. This includes leadership positions as well as teamwork.Many people get caught up in the process of studying for their military careers and forget about their academics. When they receive an offer from the military, they can begin the process of turning their education into an advantage. As you prepare your military resume, it is very important that you check on the specifics of your current courses so that you can include them when it comes time to write your resume.You will find that if you are going to be working with people on a regular basis, then you need to be able to communicate effectively. This is something that is going to come across in your military resume as well as any job interview that you will be attending. When you are writing your military resume, make sure that you are giving employers the impression that you are someone who can communicate effectively.When you are creating your military resume, you should concentrate on the most important part of it. This is the content that comes attached to your resume. You should include every detail that is necessary and should be careful to include every piece of information that you feel is important.Military resumes are the main components of the resumes that are submitted to military recruiters. If you want to stand out, you need to take the time to follow the guidelines that are laid out for you. Make your military resum e the one that you want to see on the first page of every recruiter's inbox.