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Resume Q & A: Should I Resign?

Jul 03 2022

Q. I keep hearing about the Great Resignation. Some of my friends who left their jobs are now making more money at their new jobs and I wonder if I am missing out by staying put. Should I resign? If I do, when should I tell my current boss? If I tell him early, he might give me a raise to keep me on board.

A. Although it is called the Great Resignation, in reality (according to Harvard Business Review) a better name is the Great Retirement, as Baby Boomers move out of the job market.

However, you are right about the salary increase for those who change jobs. CareerArc says that they received an average 21 percent increase in salary compared to an average 8 percent increase for people who did not change jobs. That extra money is surely enticing. It may be enough to encourage you to resign.

However, you need to weigh the possibility of a salary increase against other important factors, including the cost of commuting, benefits offered, potential for career growth, and culture at the new job compared to your current job.

Concerning your other question, you should not tell your current boss about your plans to resign until you have a signed, written agreement in hand. Companies are taking longer to make offers, and you may eventually find that the salary they offer is below what you expected. You may object to something in the contract, such as the expectation for travel. The new company may require a background investigation which can also take time. Until you have a signed agreement, you do not have a job.

Part of your negotiations for the new job should be a start date. The general rule of thumb is to give your current company two weeks’ notice in writing, although you should check the contract you signed before taking your current job to find company policies. You want to leave a happy company behind.

The best way to negotiate for a higher salary at your current job is to discuss your contribution rather than holding the company hostage with a threat to resign. If you have been keeping a brag book, you will have a record of all your achievements and how they aided the companies. If you have not been keeping a brag book, now is the time to start because you will need it to strengthen your resume if you ever do change jobs.

As a career transition coach and resume writer, I have helped many individuals build their resumes and LinkedIn profiles to prepare for a job search or career change. If you feel you are missing out by staying put in your current job, contact Robin’s Resumes® today.

Resume Q&A: Recruited by My Old Boss—Should I Mention That?

Jun 26 2022

Q. About 3 years ago, my boss move to a new company, then reached out to me. She asked me to join her team at the new company. I made the move and enjoyed it. But now I’m ready to take on new challenges somewhere else. Should I mention the fact that I was recruited by my old boss? Will companies worry that I might just be recruited again and leave them?

A. Many achievements can add zing to your resume and make you stand out from your competition. One of them is being recruited by a former boss, showing that you were highly valued as an employee and team member. You should definitely mention recruitment by a former boss on your resume—it takes just a few words and makes a big difference.

Like being recruited by a former boss, many employees find themselves being sought out and rehired by a former company after an absence. They are usually offered a more responsible or different position with higher pay. Boomerang employees—those who leave a company and come back at a later date—account for 4.5% of all new hires according to the Wall Street Journal, a number that has been rising as companies realize they are gaining experienced employees in a tight market.

Both types of recruitment, by an old boss or by a former company, show that your contribution was and is important. Recruiters and hiring managers look for that type of value and appreciation when they are considering candidates who might otherwise have equivalent skills, experiences, and education.

If you have a work history that includes returning to work with a previous boss or company, but do not know to explain that in your resume, Robin’s Resumes® is ready to help. Contact us today.

What Do You Do at Your Job?

Jun 19 2022

At the root of any resume are two questions: What do you do? What do you want to do? The answers to those questions will tell the company and interviewer what you have to offer and will guide you in targeting your resume toward what a company needs.

Move Beyond Skills

When you are trying to convey what you do under individual job descriptions, you must move beyond your everyday responsibilities, those things that anyone would do in your position. For example, you are a sales manager so naturally you would network, management relationships, perhaps build a team, and sell. If you are technology executive, you would select and implement technologies, develop applications, help direct long-term technology strategies, and show expertise in a number of programs.

All of that information consists of skills and experience that any applicant would be expected to show. What your resume must show is how you applied your skill and experience to benefit the company. Did you improve productivity 25%? Did you deliver 110% of your sales quota? Did you expand territories or equip users with more efficient systems that saved $1M annually? What do you do to improve your company, team, stakeholders, or results?

Create a One-Minute Pitch

You might also be helped by trying to condense what you do into a one-minute pitch that could become the basis for your resume’s summary. A short pitch should not consist solely of numbers, although you might want to include a key achievement or mention your years of experience. It should convey the areas of expertise that most align with the job you want. A summary should entice potential employers to read further. What do you bring to the table and how will that help the company?

Consider the Where & When

Finally, when you think about what you do, consider the where and when also. Have you worked for large companies, important divisions, or small companies? Were you promoted particularly rapidly? Is there a clear trajectory as you moved from one company to another in either job title or responsibility? Did your receive recognition from bosses, customers, or industry peers along the way? Were you asked to stay on after a merger or recruited by a former boss? All of these events indicate ways in which others recognize and appreciate what you do.

Robin’s Resumes® takes the information you provide about your career and makes sure that the resulting resume matches both what you do and what you want to do, so that potential employers understand what a valuable addition you would be to their company.

Resume Q&A: Do I Need a Portfolio?

Jun 12 2022

Q. I am a graphic designer and I’m constantly being asked by potential clients for examples of my work. I’m wondering if I need a portfolio attached to my website or separate from my website or attached to my resume—what is the best way to handle examples?

A. There is no one way to provide a portfolio of your work. For one freelance writer, I added a page to his resume with links to magazine articles and blogs he ghostwrote. Many individuals in the woodworking and construction industry post before-and-after examples of their work on their website. Many artists have two websites: one for their 9-to-5 careers and one for their artistic work.

Any type of portfolio, however, should include:

Examples of your current work as well as past achievements
Relevant biographical information about you, including what drives you in your field
Awards, testimonials, or recommendations
Press releases or references to articles where you are mentioned
Your resume or CV, including proofs of relevant degrees or certifications

You may need a portfolio not only for attracting potential employers or clients, but for reminding everyone—including yourself!—of your accomplishments. You may want to adjust your portfolio to match the job on offer or you may want to create sections of the portfolio dedicated to a specific audience (industry or client interest, for example)–organization and easy access are key.

You might need a physical portfolio to take on job interviews. Just make sure it is interesting and relevant and not overwhelming. One technical writer went to an interview lugging four binders showing past examples of her work and one technical illustrator applied at a manufacturing company with a portfolio of nude drawings. Certainly, both attracted attention but they did not consider the company’s or the interviewer’s needs.

Because a resume is an important part of any portfolio package, please contact Robin’s Resumes to make sure your resume fits with the image you want to project for future employers and clients.

Job Interviews: Handling Anxiety

May 29 2022

Job interviews spike your anxiety. You may be anxious about your need for the job, the impression you make, the expectations of the company, the salary and benefits on offer, and your fitness for the role. All of that anxiety can quickly undermine the great impression your professionally written resume made–the resume that helped you win the interview.

To counteract that anxiety, try these techniques:

Read over your resume. As you review your own history, your resume will energize you as you realize the knowledge, experience, and skill you have accomplished over the years. It is easy to forget how much you have contributed to past employers. So as you read, make a note of the achievements you are most proud of, whether they appear in the resume or not, and also of the hurdles you overcame. Both achievements and hurdles are likely to come up in job interviews.
Rehearse your answers. On line you will find list after list of common interview questions. Choose a few of the most relevant to your industry and position and rehearse the answers ahead of time. If possible, ask someone to play the role of interviewer. As you answer, refer to your resume to make sure you incorporate some of the keywords your interviewer will expect to hear.
Reread the job posting and search the company website. The job posting and the company website are packed with information about the requirements of the job, the relative value they place on each requirement, the skills the company is looking for, and the company’s culture. Remember that an interview goes two ways: while the company checks you out, you should check for alignment between the job posting, the website, what you observe and hear during the interview, and your own expectations and needs.
Rehearse your questions. The job posting and company website are also primary sources for asking good question. Good questions give an interviewer confidence in your knowledge about the industry, company, and job. They also give you insight into the company so that you can make an informed decision about whether this job is right for you. Your resume may exactly match the job, but the job itself must match the career path, work/life balance, working conditions, boss, and coworkers you are looking for. For example, how does the company define “partially remote,” “unlimited vacation,” or “occasional travel”?
Take regular, deep, slow breaths. They are proven to reduce anxiety. You might also give yourself a boost with a lucky charm, a new outfit (make sure it is comfortable before the interview day), or the encouragement of a trusted family member, friend, coach, or mentor. Then re-read your resume again! You have got this.

Robin’s Resumes® provides resume writing, job search advice, and coaching services to job seekers at every level from recent college graduate to CEO and board member. Let us help you.