The Resume

There are several excellent resume books and software available to assist you in presenting your skills and experience well in the written form of a Resume. We at R & D Consulting do not feel it is necessary to get a resume professionally done. In some circumstances it can work against you. However, the following are tips from an interviewer's perspective that may add to your success in this arena.

Style

What type of resume is best for you? There are really only two prominent styles in the thousands of resumes R & D Consulting has observed. One is the "traditional - chronological" resume and the other is the "functional" resume. Usually a traditional resume is most common, however, a functional resume is best whenever you are making a career change, a change out of a particular industry after several years, are a seasoned professional with a lot of years of experience / accomplishments or have any recent instability in your resume.

Objectives

Career objectives are always a welcome addition to any resume giving the employer a direction you are heading. But objectives can sometimes become a problem when they restrict you by title or industry, or speak only of what your future company can do for you instead of what you can do for your future company Therefore a Summary of skills, experience and education can work well in the place of an objective..so where ever the resume is sent the employer assumes that you are interested in that particular job.

Length

Do not fret about keeping your resume to one page. At least 40% of all the resumes received are two pages in length. Use your own judgment, for most candidates one page should be fine however for those more experienced two pages are acceptable.

Accuracy

Although a resume is more of an introduction to an employer and does not include all the facts about your employment, always be entirely truthful about whatever you put on a resume. This will begin a trusting relationship with your future employer and save on any embarrassment later in the hiring process.. Keep in mind that most if not all companies will conduct a full background check before, during or after an offer is made and dates of employment will be one of the first things to be verified. Inconsistent dates or gaps will definitely show up and could result in offer being rescinded.

Proofread and Edit

Make sure your resume has "eye appeal" and be extremely careful to correct any typographical errors-they kill your chance to prove you care about details.

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Job Interview Tips - How Badly Do You Want That Job?

In any job market, many well-qualified candidates are competing for a single position. Your goal is to stand out among the rest and to be the best person for the position. While your resume will help you obtain the interview, the interview itself will determine whether you receive an offer of employment. Those who are well prepared for an interview will achieve their goals. Investing the time and energy necessary to prepare will make the difference in your interview success. The following tips will help you in preparing for your next interview.

Know the Company

Do your research! What you know about the company will help you demonstrate that you have interest in the company and the position. This shows initiative and motivation. Someone who is perceived as unprepared for an interview supposedly for a job they want will be looked at as not taking “ that extra step”. And the prospective employer will assume the candidate will not take the extra step in the department when it comes to work. In this day and age of computers and Google, not knowing about the company or whether they have recently been in the news can be a major difference in doing well or not doing well on the interview. Know about the history of the company, their vision and mission statement, the organizational culture and structure, their successes as well as their services or products. Research the website and the annual report, go to other sites if their website does not offer much to the public ( some company websites are private and must be logged onto ). Also, take a look at the position. Understand the core competencies and how your knowledge, skills, and abilities will align with the position to bring added value to the organization.

Know yourself

Take time to think about your skills and accomplishments in your personal life, work life, and school life. Write down everything that comes to mind. This will help you uncover hidden or overlooked skills and experiences. What you might think is a modest accomplishment might be the one that makes the biggest impression. Graduating in 4 years with a 3.6 GPA while working 30+ hours a week while in college will set you apart from another candidate that graduated with a 2.9 and golfed. It show’s dedication and that you can handle multiple tasks / projects, and that’s what companies are looking for. Once you have identified and listed your accomplishments, think about what skills lead to each accomplishment. For example, you may have been in charge of coordinating a college fund-raiser. Write down how your contributions made this experience successful and what skills were implemented in the process. This may have entailed time-management skills, organizational skills, and team-building skills. Think of some examples of how you have developed these skills from those experiences and how you have learned to apply them to future experiences. You should have at least three examples or experiences to provide the interviewer.

The First Impression

You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Punctuality is important, but arriving too early can be negative as well. Arriving on time means to be there 5-10 minutes early. There is never a good excuse for being late to an interview. When presented with an application, fill it out thoroughly, neatly, completely and of course honestly. A lot of companies look at the application as a legal document and all information can and will be checked during a background check, any discrepancies can and will lead to an offer being rescinded. You should be well-groomed. A sloppy or unprofessional appearance will leave a strong negative impression and could be the negative factor in an employment decision. Dress for success. Dress for the position that you want and not the one you have. You may be interviewing for an entry-level position, but you want to give the impression that you are suitable for a future management level position. The goal is to be taken seriously as a professional. Make sure that your clothes are clean and pressed. Make sure that you are well rested and alert. And most importantly, be confident and positive with energy Know the interviewer's full name, the correct pronunciation and his or her title. Smile! And shake hands firmly.

Do not show up empty handed

Always bring several copies of your resume to the interview. Even though you may have emailed or sent in a copy of your resume prior to obtaining an interview, you should always be prepared with copies to provide to the interviewer. Make certain that your contact information is easily identifiable and always use a professional email address on your resume! While Redsocksrbad@aol.com sounds fine when conversing with friends, it gives a less than professional impression to a potential employer. You may have the opportunity to meet with the hiring manager or other team members and should offer a resume to each person interviewing you. Bring a portfolio with a notepad so you can take notes during the interview. You should also bring a list of references should they be requested. Another tool that will help you stand out among the rest is a “success booklet.” The success booklet includes information on your competencies as well as your accomplishments. It can include copies of your diplomas, certificates, recognitions, awards, and achievements. It should be professional in appearance with binding and not more than 10 pages. Be prepared to leave a copy with the interviewer for subsequent review. And make sure you let the interviewer know if you are interested in the position!!!!

Be a good listener

Pay attention to what is said and how it is said. The interview is intended to be a conversation and not an interrogation. Apply the 50/50 rule; 50% talking and 50% listening. You can learn a lot about the company and the position by listening. You can ask if it is ok to take notes during the interview so you capture key details. This may help in formulating questions to ask the interviewer. Be prepared with some questions for the interviewer. It shows that you are interested in the position and want to understand as much as possible about the expectations of the position and the organization. Do not inquire about salary, vacations, bonuses, retirement, etc. Do not interrupt the interviewer. Take a look around you and observe the interaction between employees to get a feel for the environment.

Follow up

Always send a thank you letter to each interviewer immediately. Be certain that names are spelled correctly and use proper titles and that the letter is grammatically correct and spellchecked. A thank you letter can be used as an extension of the interview and can make or break you on getting the position!!. In the letter you can thank the interviewer for taking time out of their busy schedule to meet with you. If you can, try to personalize the letter showing that you were paying attention during the interview by mentioning some of the key points made during the interview. Express your feelings about the organization, people, and position. You can express your enthusiasm about the prospect of representing the organization. This is not intended to sell your qualifications, keep it short. It should be less than one page and it should be e-mailed/mailed within 24 hours. Stay in touch with your recruiter for feedback from the human resources representative at the hiring company to determine your status.