In some ways, sales representatives have an easier job quantifying their skills than many people in other positions. If you come in at or over sales goals; if you bring in hundreds or thousands of dollars of new business; if you have a high closing rate, you are already well on the way to convincing a company to hire you in a sales position. If your measurable skills are confidential, give percentages or ranges (for example, “reached 130% over sales… Read More
Proving Your Soft Skills on Your Resume
In an earlier blog post this month, I mentioned the need for hard facts in describing your career. But how do you provide hard facts about soft skills? Soft skills include relationship building, communications, problem-solving, team building, leadership, and change management, among others. Those soft skills are valuable in any field and at every level of an organization. How does your resume prove that you have valuable soft skills? The most important proof occurs when you give examples and details… Read More
5 Important Soft Skills
“Soft skills” are people skills—they are always in high demand at every level of an organization. You may demonstrate your soft skills at every stage of your job search, from the first time you revise or write your resume to the final interview. What soft skills are companies looking for? Communication. One way to show that you are a good communicator is to make sure that your resume looks and sounds professional, without spelling and grammatical mistakes. Another way to demonstrate… Read More
Four Resume Trends for 2017
In 2017, look out for the following resume trends in social media, content, soft skills, and contact information. Social Media: Social media has become more important than ever during a job search. While I have stated it before, let me repeat the five golden rules for social media use during a job search: Delete from Facebook, Twitter, or any other site those pictures and posts that show your nonprofessional side, including any heated arguments you exchanged. Do not use social media… Read More
Soft Skills I: Showing Leadership Potential in Your Resume
With all of the leadership books, seminars, blog posts, webinars, and MBA courses out there, you would think “leadership” would be clearly defined by now. But it isn’t. What makes a leader beloved might not make him or her successful; what makes a leader noteworthy might not make him or her admirable. However, when it comes to your resume, showing leadership potential is a bit more straightforward—and easier to achieve than setting oneself up as the next Steve Jobs, Warren… Read More
