How Cover Letters Can Help or Hurt Job Seekers

•Pretty Resumes Why They Don t Work
I know this is going to be upsetting to some people, job seekers, resume writers, and maybe even some hiring managers (who for some odd reason rather hire form over substance), but by and large, “pretty” resumes just do not work. They look nice. They can provide a solid first impression. But, overall, looking good isn’t enough to make them effective. Why? I mean, after all, haven’t we been bombarded for years with resume advice that tells us the prettier, the better? Before the days of online...

•Why Group Job Hunting Doesn t Work
For those of you who are familiar with the work that I do (career coaching, resume writing, and promoter of the group job hunting concept), my title probably seems a bit surprising. After all, how can one of the biggest fans of group job hunting claim that there are times when it doesn’t work? Well, most great concepts require more than just theory to make them beneficial. You can talk all day about how wonderful something is, but without true application, it will fall flat. The same is true...

•Professional Resume Writing Services The Ugly Part III
This article represents my third installment of a three-part series on professional resume-writing services. The first part dealt with the “good” aspects of the industry and the myriad ways that resume writers have benefited both job seekers as well as hiring managers and recruiters. The second part focused on some of the “bad” or negative issues that plague the industry and how both resume writers and job seekers can overcome them. In this discussion, I will focus on the “ugly” parts of the...

•Professional Resume Writing Services The Bad Part II
This article represents part II of my series on professional resume writing services. Part I covered “The Good” aspects of the industry. For instance, I looked at how the industry has been a great service to many job seekers and to employers by enhancing the quality of resumes and producing targeted documents that marry the needs of the employer with the skills of the candidate. Now I will focus on some of the negatives. Before I do that, however, let me start out by reiterating that I happen...

•The Resume Lie Hide That Entrepreneur Experience
Over the past year, I have been on a quest to dispel as many myths as possible when it comes to job hunting, in general, and to the resume, in particular. Unfortunately, with all the online job posting sites available, these fallacies have a way of taking on a life of their own and even manage to fool many good resume writers and career coaches out there. One of the most frustrating to me is in regard to self-employment and resumes. For years now, job seekers have been told that if they have a...

•The Resume Wow Factor
As a resume writer, I am always amazed at the amount of time I spend discussing the “wow” factor with job seekers. If any concept has been sold in regard to resumes, it is the idea that a resume must take on an almost magical quality that casts a spell over the reader, transforming the average professional into the “must-have” candidate of the year! Of course, this magical quality is a moving target because no one quite knows what the special combination is to unveil this secret spell, and of...

•The Great Resume Keyword Search
There is nothing like an air of mystery to perk up people’s ears and create a frenzy. And certainly all it takes in the job search world is to tell job seekers that they must have something or they will miss out on the greatest opportunities ever, and pretty soon you have a trend worthy of epic proportions on your hands. The whole concept of keywords in resumes is one of those mysterious things that has caused many a job seeker to lose sleep. And all because this issue has somehow taken on a...

•Blame it on the Economy Everyone Else Does
I’ve been half-teasing lately with my career services colleagues that the banks and GM aren’t the only ones in need of a bailout. Job seekers should ask for one too. Why not? It seems that in today’s environment the more corporate leaders mismanage their businesses, the more attractive they are for getting bailed out by the U.S. tax payer. So why should job seekers be any different? It is no secret that most job seekers are ill prepared for their job search. They spend money in the wrong...

•All Time Worst Career Change Mistakes
Ultimately I hate writing about mistakes because I always feel like I am the bearer of bad news. I don’t like things that insult people or that make them feel bad for doing things that they were sincere about but just went about in the wrong way. But, the truth is… We make some really crazy mistakes, especially when it comes to our careers, and for some reason, career changers are the worst offenders. Maybe it is because they have that anxious, almost desperate quality about them (I can say...

•The Career Changer Resume Dilemma Functional Vs Chronological
There’s been a lot of talk about how great functional resumes can be for career changers. You know, all those job seekers out there who are looking to head into a new direction, be it a new field entirely or new industry. The premise behind a functional resume is to provide the candidate with an opportunity to highlight transferable skills and basically to “connect the dots” for the potential employer. Not to mention that candidates can downplay their lack of industry experience while playing...