A DIY resume 

It’s sometimes, an uphill battle to present a resume that’s just right.

We will labour over what to include, what to delete.  We are conflicted over what is relevant for the position we are applying for, and so often, when we create and write our own, we have a distorted view, we see the world from our own perspective, not from the reader’s viewpoint.

Let’s be honest, many of us are also unable to objectively read, let alone, edit and proof read our own writing

A good resume writer knows the industry standards and the major requirements of a recruiter whether that’s the  internal HR departments or small business owners. The Writer will forge your resume to relate to the reader. It will match to the job advertised; it will be a resume with a point of difference!

Contact figjam resumes for a free consultation and quote for your next career move

 Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor 0404056278

The post DIY Resumes? are some things better done by others? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Your resume is your career passport.

Is your resume a passport to a better future? or is it a stagnant, ordinary piece of  work that doesn’t attract much attention?

I believe it’s a VITAL career Investment, and in this post we will evaluate whether your resume is helping or hindering your future security, satisfaction and success rates at the job application stage.

I have a picture in my head of how I would like to spend the rest of my life.. it looks something like this.. loads of freedom, loads of money, and loads of dreams fulfilled!  Your future may look a bit different, but deep down we are a all a bit the same.  Very few of us want to be working so long and hard that we forget, or don’t have time for the simple stuff!  Now what has this got to do with your resume? well, EVERYTHING!   

Your resume gets you either noticed or ignored It holds POWER and may mean the difference between staying in a dull, poorly paid job to gaining a career filled with job satisfaction.  It’s the KEY to unlocking a new pathway and perhaps a better life!

Resumes need to be all of the following:

• continually updated and revised by adding new jobs/skills/training etc
• meet current industry/workplace standards by using correct terms and contemporary language
• be a true reflection of your worth and potential
• not arrogant yet not too humble either
• totally free of spelling and grammatical errors
• pack a punch and engage the reader – not looking like a cookie cutter resume
• have relevant referees who you KNOW are 100% trustworthy
• be truthful and honest without “too much information”
• match the job you are applying for, and include details of skills, experience and knowledge that can be reconciled against the job advertised (making the reader’s life easier as they can see a correlation /connection, enough to place you on the short list)

It’s THE most important career document you possess. It can either yield you an interview or it can make your application obsolete.

So, where do you start? here’s a guide

Get hold of your resume, read over and better still, have an objective third party review the layout and contents.

Obtain an expert opinion -HR professional or recruiter

Test the market – if your resume is successful, then more often than not, you will be called in for an interview, if however, you are NOT contacted… Houston, we have a problem resume!

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post Your resume is your passport to a better future appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Many jobs now require you to respond to ” Capability Statements“. You MUST address ALL the  criterion to be considered for the vacancy. A resume is a must, but it’s just one part of the application.

You might wonder how selection criterion or capability statements are developed? All essential criteria are based on the core and business enabler capabilities contained in the organisation’s Capability Framework. This is corporate speak for ” we need to read that you understand our business. You have the right capabilities that  are a match for that role within our organisation”

Usually, the selection panel will go through the key responsibilities of the job and choose the capabilities that they believe an employee would need to do these duties effectively. For example, a position may have a duty included to provide reception services. In this case,  the associated selection criteria would probably be based on the capability of “Relationships”and its elements of “Communicates effectively” and “Commits to client service”.

Desirable selection criteria are preferred qualifications or memberships and criteria that are nice to have and may be of assistance in the role. Often these are criteria that an applicant can develop skills in and/or knowledge of in a reasonable amount of time while ‘on the job’.

How are selection criteria used?

Firstly for Shortlisting, initially the selection panel reviews each application, assessing the resume and reading through every response to selection criteria. The purpose of this is to determine if an applicant ‘meets’ the criteria. Meeting criteria means that based on the applicants CV or  resume and response to the selection criteria, the panel considers the applicant has demonstrated their ability to do the job. Generally, the applicant must meet a min of 80% of the essential criteria to be considered for the next stage of the selection process (usually a panel interview).

Secondly, this method is used for Interviews. Once the selection panel has decided who to interview, they will develop questions (or another type of selection activity) based on the selection criteria. These are often behavioral questions that reflect the duties of the job. For example, with the earlier example (the duty was to provide counter service to clients in a busy reception), the question could be “You are serving a customer,  and they are getting frustrated and angry with the process they have to follow. How do you use your communication skills to manage or resolve this situation?”

It’s also utilized for Referee reports, following the interview the Chairperson of the selection panel may chose to contact your referees. They will ask them questions concerning your professional abilities based on the selection criteria. This is predominately used to confirm the selection panel’s assessment of your abilities based on the quality of your written application and your performance at interview. Make sure your referees are aware that they could get a call!

THE BIG QUESTIONS

 How do I address selection criteria? You are required to address each criterion separately, providing enough detail for the panel to assess your abilities in relation to them. While there is no specific word or character limit, the average response should be around 350 -500 words per criterion. The best approach is to

1. Understand the Position description 2. Provide evidence 3. Be positive and specific 4. provide outcomes/results .

1. Understand the Position Description (PD) – Read the whole of the PD, considering the responsibilities of the job and how they relate to the selection criteria. Make sure you understand what sort of responsibilities relate to every criterion. For example, writing reports, negotiating with colleagues and providing information to clients all relate to a selection criterion based on “communicates effectively”. In your response to that criteria you should therefore cover your experience relating to writing, negotiating and providing information. You should make notes under each selection criteria regarding the types of things you should cover. You should let the panel know what aspects of the criterion you are addressing. For example, the excerpt below from an applicant’s response to the criteria uses the same terms (report writing, negotiating and providing information) to show how their experience relates to the role they are applying for:

“In several positions I was required to negotiate with colleagues and clients in relation to deadlines. for example, while working as an Account’s Assistant with XYZ Company, I had to liaise regularly with clients to negotiate deadlines for payment. I worked in partnership with them, clearly explaining the reasons for the deadline and adopting a flexible attitude if possible. I also ascertained a good understanding of my client’s business to ensure I understood and worked with their needs and their own specific deadlines. As a result of this relationship-building approach, I consistently received payments on time and was therefore able to maintain cash flow and decrease outstanding debts.”

2. Provide evidence – It’s really important to formulate relevant examples from your work, study, life and/or volunteer experience that relate to each criterion and the associated duties. Decide which examples ‘fit’ best, then use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Approach and Result) to outline them. This approach ensures that you provide evidence of how you are suitable for the job, not just generic statements. With the example above: The S situation was working as Sales Officer with XYZ.  The task was negotiating the deal,; The A approach was explaining the reason for the deadline, being understanding of the client’s needs and adopting a flexible attitude and The R  result/ outcome was ensuring payments were received on time to prepare and submit the end of financial year  report,  by the required deadline.

Often the difficult part is knowing what examples to use from your work history and what sort of things to emphasize or highlight. You might find that you have too much information to fit into just a couple of pages or you may struggle to write a paragraph. It is best to be concise and avoid going off on tangents. Every bit of information should link to the selection criteria. It must be positive and specific, using positive and specific language and avoiding ambiguous or passive expressions, such as “I was involved in” or “I assisted in”. Use strong action terms and verbs and avoid passive language when describing your qualifications and experience, for example, say “I lead the project” rather than “As part of my ongoing duties, I participated in the project”. Avoid negative terms, such as “dealing with problems”. Instead, turn it around and couch the phrase as “meeting challenges”or “resolving issues”.

3. Review your work and once you complete your responses to the selection criteria, go back over your application and check that: · You have covered all aspects of the criteria· The structure of your response to each criterion is logical· The information is concise, there is not extra information that does not relate to the criterion · Your sentences are positive and clear· Your grammar and spelling is correct · The best approach is to ask someone else to read your work and ask that they consider the above points when assessing your response

In Summary, the most important things to remember:

· Read and understand the whole PD

· Address all the selection criteria

· Focus on the criteria based on the Core and Business Enabler Capabilities

· Give solid examples and don’t forget to outline the results and outcomes

· Try to keep to around 500 words per criterion · Sell your contribution

· Read through your work over and over and even have someone else edit and review too! Then press SEND!!

Finally, if this sounds all too difficult we can recommend the services of a resume writer.

Ivana Agapiou career and outplacement consultant and resume writer

The post Capability Statements and your response,it’s a hill climb appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

 Your Resume should align with your personality.

Your resume should not hide secrets, and yet, it should not reveal too much either. It should be draw card, an enticement for the reader, to explore further by calling you in for an interview. The reader is intrigued and interested enough to find out MORE about you.

Don’t be afraid to describe the the REAL you in your resume as it needs to be a document that reads as authentic as your signature.  How do you begin? here’s a quick guide

• Firstly, be Brave. Be very brave. Your resume needs to “sell” you so this is not the time to be too shy.
• Create a statement that best describes you as an employee.
• Ask co-workers and friends for help with this character description , ask the question “What’s it like working with me?
• Use this as an “about me” statement on your resume, it works as a guide for the reader as to your suitability as well as adds that unique “signature” to your resume.
• ask yourself ” In all my job roles, what was it that I did differently to others,  to make my job successful?”
• Maintain a record of all your accomplishments, no matter how small
• Remain true to yourself and apply for roles that will help to bring out the best in you!

Writing your own resume can be tricky and often we emphasise the wrong areas or even omit the very important ones. Sometimes, it’s best to engage the services of an objective and effective resume writer. This person can analyse and evaluate the best way to demonstrate your personality on paper. They should be able to flesh out the best and highlight your career skills that align with the job advertisement.

Sill need help? call Eather Recruitment for a referral to their resume and career consultant  Ivana  0404056278 NOW!

The post A Real, Authentic Resume appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Job vacancies within small business are often filled via Word of Mouth, but sometimes, applicants send their resumes and/or leave them at the front counter.  Regardless of the method you use for recruiting and sourcing staff, its’vitally important that you can interpret and read between the lines in any resume.

The undersell

Often a resume skims the surface by just listing the name of the company that they worked for, and the job title.. and …..very little else.   The logical interpretation could be:-

a) the writer is shy and cant blow their own trumpet or

b) the applicant is unable to expand on their experiences and skills. Either way, it’s up to you to decide if where they worked and the role they performed is worth a second look…

It’s easy to reflect that perhaps this applicant lacks confidence, or even that they are uninterested in actually finding work!

The oversell

This is where the applicant over-states or may even exaggerate their experience and skills, sometimes the resume may be more than 4 pages in length. Again, all open to many interpretations… for example, you may ask yourself – is this person suffering from over-confidence and perhaps arrogance? Are they being truthful? Will they talk as much as they write?

Again, you might consider that this applicant is perhaps “cocky” and may even want more salary than other?  Either way, park these thoughts and make a note to self.

In conclusion, resume writing is an art, a skill, and is often done by those least qualified to do the best job!  Many of us suffer from the syndrome of what to write and what to leave out of a resume. Sadly, it is still one the most utilized ways to source staff… and perhaps the most non-scientific!

It’s recommended that if you have any of  thoughts, questions or concerns about the resumes you read, you should take them seriously and consider your “red flags”  prior to proceeding the recruitment cycle.

The general rule is that as long as the applicant has paid attention to spelling, and general presentation and is honest about work history, the resume is worth a second glance.  Perhaps a follow up phone call to confirm or deny your initial judgement

Ivana Agapiou

The post Please read between the lines———————- appeared first on Eather Recruitment.