Robin's Resumes (r)

Adding value to your Career Documentation | Career Coaching

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Career Transition Coach

Resume Q&A: What Can You Do for Me?

Q. I’m seriously considering hiring a professional resume writer. I know you have excellent credentials and experience in the field. But why should I let any professional write my resume?

A. Usually, a job seeker is so frustrated by lack of response to an old resume that credentialed and experienced professional resume writers do not have to sell themselves at all. The chief problem I usually find with a resume is a lack of focus—it is not clear what job the applicant is applying for or why they are the best candidate. Sometimes a format is simply not compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) which are very picky about what they will and will not accept in a resume; the resume is discarded by the ATS before the hiring manager or recruiter gets a chance to see it.

In addition, I offer these four advantages as a professional resume writer:

  • I will organize and write your resume to make the best of your qualifications. The great philosophers tell us to know ourselves. Knowing yourself is hard enough, but job seekers also need to know hiring managers and recruiters. What are hiring managers and recruiters expecting in a resume? What experiences in your career are most important to emphasize, which ones are you overlooking, and which ones can safely be left to the interview or ignored?
  • As a certified job and career transition coach (JCTC) and a master career director (MCD), I have the objectivity to bring your career goals, marketplace realities, and your resume into alignment. I can offer you suggestions that may boost your career and your resume to the next level.
  • I pay attention to the details that may have slipped your notice, like the proper use of apostrophes (its or it’s), the correct abbreviations for states and regions (CA, not Cal.), and the right choice of words that confuse many people (effected,affected). I make sure your contact information is easy to understand and that you have left off archaic information (references on request) or information that you legally should not supply (marital status).
  • Most importantly, I give you confidence. A well-written, tightly focused, interesting resume not only attracts the attention of hiring managers and recruiters, it also prepares you to handle interviews with assurance.

Are you still on the fence about hiring a professional resume writer? Contact me today and let’s talk.

Managing Your Job Hunt

When you enter the job market, whether or not voluntarily, you may be overwhelmed by advice, options, and technologies. You may be panicked by the need to find a job—any job—quickly. You may experience difficulty matching your qualifications and goals with the positions available in the marketplace. Here are four steps you can take to bring a chaotic job search under control:

  1. Write down the skills and accomplishments you have acquired in your most recent position. Begin this process before you leave your most recent position if at all possible. Use that two weeks of notice to gather up as much information, as many testimonials, and as many facts as possible about your role in the company and the company itself. For example, a sales resume might say, “Contributed to growth of $5 million company.” Do you know how large your company is? How many employees it has? The number of states where it operates?
  2. Research online job postings in other companies in your industry to get a general idea of (a) what types of jobs are available; (b) the requirements of those jobs; and (c) the way your skills and accomplishments fit with the advertised jobs and the requirements. You may find out that your skills, education and accomplishments qualify you for jobs you never considered; that similar jobs appear under very dissimilar titles; or that you have gaps in your qualifications that need filling. Make sure your resume matches the expectations of hiring managers and recruiters. Prepare yourself and your resume for the job market that actually exists.
  3. When you have a new, updated resume share it widely. Send it to friends and business associates so that they know you are looking and feel confident about their ability to describe your strengths. Networking is one of the best ways to find a job, and the best networkers have your resume at hand.
  4. Start a file of information about jobs you are applying for. Either online or on paper, track these items: the company contact information; the job requirements; the version of the resume that you sent; and the dates and time of your contact(s). Set up a dedicated calendar to remind you of any follow-up actions you want to take.

With these four basic steps, you will take charge of your own job search and be prepared to respond quickly to any opportunities that arise. If you find yourself stalled at any stage, please contact Robin’s Resumes®. I am a professional and certified resume writer and a certified Job and Career Transition Coach. I can help.

What Makes Robin’s Resumes® Stand Out from the Competition

I’ve often counseled job seekers on how to make their resumes stand out from the competition, but how does Robin’s Resumes® stand out from all the other resume writing companies out there?

Credentials. I am a Certified Master Resume Writer, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Federal Resume Writer and Job and Career Transition Coach. You can check out my full credentials on my website About page.

Peer recognition. Not only have I won numerous industry awards, but I have been called upon to mentor other professional resume writers and to serve as an officer in resume industry groups.

Experience and education. I’ve worked as a resume writer for both civilian and government clients at all levels of experience for more than 12 years now, eventually opening my own resume writing company in 2006. My degree from MIT and years as a software, process and quality engineer also uniquely qualify me to write technical resumes.

Connections with hiring managers and recruiters. I take the time to research and maintain contact with hiring managers and recruiters so that I always know what they are looking for in a resume and how their approach to hiring has changed, such as their increased use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Dedication to my clients. My blogs, seminars, webinars and social networking all aim at giving you the tools and information to upgrade your resume and recognize when you need more help. For example, check out my webinar at Career Realism.

I look forward to working with you.

Is a Resume Enough for an Effective Job Search?

A resume is essential for an effective job search, but it should not represent your entire job search effort. A resume alone will not find you a job. You need to network, both in person and online; you need to polish your interviewing skills, so you are ready when your resume wins you an interview; and if you are unemployed, you need to keep yourself motivated and your skills fresh, perhaps through volunteer or part-time work.

I am a Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC). I know how difficult it is after a long career to change fields or find new employment, while simultaneously developing razor-sharp skills in resume writing, networking, interviewing and self-motivation. I help people focus their job search and locate resources they may not have considered. I craft resumes that strengthen their appeal to potential employers and also confirm their self-worth.

Is your resume merely an update of the same resume you last sent out 5 or 20 years ago? Does your job search depend exclusively on newspaper or online ads? Are you nervous about networking? If so, my skills as a coach and professional resume writer can help you reach a new level of effectiveness in your job search. Email Robin’s Resumes® today.

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