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Resumes for Tradespeople

One thing has become glaringly apparent as a result of the pandemic and aftermath: we need more tradespeople.

Many tradespeople are independent contractors, including electricians, plumbers, roofers, mechanics, and builders. Research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and others states that between 7 and 9 percent of the entire workforce consists of independent contractors; 77 percent of tradespeople confirm that the labor shortage is getting worse.

While independence has some benefits, such as control over operations, it also has major drawbacks, such as lack of benefits. The sense of control might not be as real as it seems, with demanding clients and uncertainty about payments. For those reasons, many tradespeople end up working for others: for example, a plumber may work for a large plumbing and heating company, electricians or mechanics might work for businesses that need full-time tradespeople on staff, and multiple tradespeople might work for a company that manages facilities.

The resumes for an apprentice, journeyman, foreman, master, and manager will differ, but they do have common characteristics. If you decide to apply for a position as an employee, your resume should show that you have:

  • Required training and certifications, including enrollment in a trade school
  • Experience, whether as an apprentice, independent contractor, employee, or volunteer
  • Knowledge of safety measures, local and industry codes, and regulations that apply to your work
  • Knowledge of tools and equipment used in your work
  • The ability to solve problems
  • The ability to handle the physical demands of the work, which may include lifting, bending, and withstanding heat and close spaces.

Those who work in the trades know that remote work is not an option when seeking employment. Therefore, you may need to be vaccinated against COVID, both for your own safety and the safety of those you work with and for. You may want to add your vaccination status to your resume.

Robin’s Resumes® is ready to help tradespeople at every stage of their employment journey with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and job transition coaching.

Resumes for Cyber Security Engineers

Cyber security engineers are experts in guarding sensitive data. Experienced cyber security engineers have an aptitude for finding, testing, and preventing compromised or lost data in computer systems as well as a flexible, open-minded, and adaptable attitude.

  • Security issues, trends, and defenses are constantly changing.
  • The industries that use computers—from education to finance to manufacturing and beyond—are constantly expanding.
  • The types of data that are vulnerable range from customer and employee data to intellectual property and military secrets.
  • Vulnerability has multiple sources, from outside or inside a company. For example, according to Robert Half, 53% of professionals are uncomfortable sharing workstations—for good reason. Shared devices increase the chances that employees will lose, steal, or compromise data, either intentionally or by accident.

To start out in the cyber security field, you will need a college degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information security, or a similar program. Along with a flexible, problem-solving mentality, cyber security engineers need:

  • Proficiency with computers
  • Proficiency with computer security programs and processes, often demonstrated by possessing a security clearance or certifications such as Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  • Honesty and reliability.

Cyber security engineers sometimes fill their resumes with highly technical information that is difficult for a hiring manager or recruiter to understand. Most hiring managers and recruiters are interested in results—that is, what you achieved with the programs, policies, and procedures that you used. To put it another way: anyone can learn about different types of firewalls; your resume must show that you know how to deploy the right firewall and work with its strengths and weaknesses.

As a graduate of MIT with a BS in chemical engineering and a long career working with computers, simulators, and process control systems, I understand the balance that any technical resume requires between using the necessary jargon and making your accomplishments and skills clear to hiring managers and recruiters. Whether you are a seasoned cyber security engineer or someone just entering the field, Robin’s Resumes® can give you the resume and career support you need.

How to Make Recruiters and Hiring Managers Love You

While recruiters and hiring managers may fall in love with your resume, they never fall into blind love. They check everything you write. They will:

  • Use an Applicant Tracking System to ensure your resume shows the essential skills they are looking for and those they asked for in the job announcement.
  • Call your references.
  • Do a background check, including checking your degrees, certifications, and licenses.
  • Search Social Media for additional information.
  • Read your resume for facts—not a slew of adjectives and self-compliments like “team player” but actual descriptions of times when you demonstrated teamwork and collaboration.

Therefore, if you want recruiters and hiring managers to love you and your resume, you must tell the truth and be specific.  Write your resume to pass successfully through an Applicant Tracking System by paying attention to the most in-demand skills listed in the job posting or advertisement. Additionally, let your references know the company may contact them. What else can you do so that recruiters and hiring managers love you and your resume? They will expect you to:

  • Know what you want. Make it clear from the header on your resume what type of position you are looking for (such as “Manager of Customer Service,” “Director of Sales,” “Senior IT Executive”). You need to tell hiring managers and recruiters what type of position you are looking for—they will not invent a position for you.
  • Provide the expected information in the expected places. Resumes have a standard format, which varies only slightly depending on your experience and your goals. Provide only the information that is appropriate to the job and legally acceptable for the company to know.
  • Write a resume that is easy to understand. Define acronyms; use everyday language, not jargon; and avoid complex designs and small fonts that are hard to read.
  • Give them a reason to hire you. Concentrate on results first, then explain how you reached them very briefly and clearly; for example, “Reached 1,000 new customers a month through new social media marketing (SMM) campaign.”
  • Set yourself apart. Place numbers wherever you can (“mentored five team members,” “answered 30 phone calls daily,” “increased revenue 6% annually”). No one else will have the exact same accomplishments as you.
  • Be professional. Handle any gaps or problem areas of your resume professionally.

If you have problems with any of these goals, contact Robin’s Resumes®; we will help you develop a resume that recruiters and hiring managers will love.

Preparing for Your Modern Job Interview

Times have changed in any number of ways, and your preparations for a modern job interview should reflect those changes. For example, companies have increased their acceptance of casual attire, tattoos, multiple earrings, and bold hair colors at work and, therefore, at job interviews. “Casual” is not a free pass for sloppy clothing or a sloppy attitude—in whatever way you prefer to express yourself, make sure you are still respectful of yourself and others. You may want to check any group photos of employees that are posted online before you assume a company’s fashion sense matches your own.

Another example is the use of masks, with up to 60% of US companies expecting masks to be part of their dress code, according to a one back-to-work survey. Assume that anyone who arranges an in-person interview will expect you to arrive wearing a mask.

However, the likelihood is that your modern job interview will be virtual. If you have yet to experience a Zoom or other videoconference, ask a knowledgeable friend to connect with you ahead of time so that you can practice, fool around with the options for video and sound, and line up your camera properly to focus on you, not the ceiling or the floor.

One of the latest trends is the use of Hireview and other online software using artificial intelligence to interview and assess candidates. These video-based software programs are intended to remove human bias from the interview process and to focus on the skills (hard and soft) that are precisely relevant to the job you are applying for. If you pass the AI program, you will then be interviewed by a representative of the company either in person or virtually.

With virtual interviews, you may not be able to present that incredibly designed resume you meant to hand over in person after your standard resume passed through the company’s application tracking software. Those circumstances may make your online profile or portfolio even more important in giving details and information that might overwhelm your paper resume.  

Your resume is an important interview tool. You should read it before any interview to refresh your mind about your accomplishments, experiences, and skills. During virtual job interviews, have your resume within your sight for easy reference when answering questions and to help you keep your focus.

Some companies are insisting on more tests or examples of your work. They may ask for a presentation or a plan. Be prepared for the request but weigh cost/benefit carefully. Any company that asks for weeks of effort without pay may grab your free contribution and reject you. If you are asked to make a presentation or perform another task, study the company online and ask enough questions so that your project is in line with the company’s mission and values—one size does not fit all.

Modern job interviews come with more opportunities for distractions. Turn off your phone and do not play with it during the interview—your attention should be on the interviewer. If your own image distracts you during video conferencing, find out how to cover it or remove it from the screen. Close your door if there is any chance that you will be interrupted by colleagues, family, or pets.

Companies have become more flexible in scheduling interviews, with more of them willing to accommodate your schedule. That can help with minimizing interruptions, allow for better coordination of long-distance interviews, and keep you from having to take off time from your current job.

The job interview process takes longer, often involving multiple interviews with stretches of time between them. While you are interviewing, you should also be evaluating your interviewers to make sure that the company is a fit for you. Keep your job search going in the meanwhile. You will then have options to look forward to if the company chooses someone else.

Robin’s Resumes® keeps on top of the latest trends in job interviews and job searches and then embeds that knowledge in our resume writing and coaching services. Contact us today.

 

Resumes for the Security Field

The jobs in security include bodyguards, bail enforcement agents, private police, security screeners (for example, at airports and buildings), surveillance officers using video and audio surveillance equipment (for example, in casinos), guards in buildings (such as banks), and armed couriers or drivers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 26% rise in security jobs over the next ten years.

With the popularity of mystery books and police procedural and detective shows, a job as a security professional may seem open to anyone and easy for you to meet the qualifications. However, neither of those assumptions is true.

Qualifying for the Security Field

Security professionals often have a background in the military or police force. A private investigator needs a state or local license in all but three states. Also, entry into most, if not all, security jobs require a background check, at least a high school diploma, and mandatory training, such as training in emergency procedures and evidence handling.

Several colleges offer BS degrees in network operations and security, police and security studies, security and administration, or criminal justice, all great ways to prepare for a career in public or private security. It is even possible to go on to an MA in public safety, homeland security, or emergency management. Individuals interested specifically in computer and data security require a degree in information technology (IT), cybersecurity, or related fields.

Preparing a Resume for the Security Field

The resume you submit absolutely must be truthful—why would anyone hire a security professional who lies? So if there is any gap or difficulty in your background that requires explanation, your first call should be to a professional resume writer who has the skills to cover that problem properly and honestly in a resume or cover letter.

Also, the resume should demonstrate:

  • Knowledge of safety and emergency procedures through training and such certifications as CPR, Associate Safety Professional (ASP), or Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
  • An ability to communicate clearly, calmly, and reasonably with a variety of people, even in tense situations
  • Familiarity with video, audio, and computer technology
  • Reliability
  • A willingness to be trained
  • Good critical thinking skills and attention to detail.

Additionally, be sure you have a clean driving record and no criminal history. You will undergo a background check before you apply for the job.

Some of the jobs in the security field require knowledge of a second language (in addition to English). While many jobs are strictly local, at banks, shopping malls, and buildings, many involve work overseas or a willingness to travel.

For support in developing a resume that will start you off or lead to growth in the security field, contact Robin’s Resumes®.