I hope that Part 1 of this article has been helpful for everyone and this week I am sharing 5 more tips to getting your resume noticed and not thrown into the recycle tray of a potential employer.
I gave a hint in the last post that products are not the only thing that needs branding, you the job-seeker is also in need of methodical branding. Follow the common rules of branding (Any marketing textbook will do!); you need to have a UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION and something that defines who you are, these can be attributes and skills that you may have that is out of this world and can contribute to your potential employer.
The measure of a successful career is when your branding is so effective that people will hunt you and give you a job rather than you hunting for one; my sister has established such a good work attitude and ethic that she is not only sought after by her organisations competitors but also her customers (client-side).
Again, here are some more workable tips for you to improve your resume:
- DO NOT shotgun your resume, saying that you are a jack of all trades will just tell the employer that you’re not focused and specific. Instead sharp-shoot your skills to the desired career choice but also tell them that you are multi-skilled (i.e. multi-tasking) as a side-note.
- Tell the employer how you can help achieve the organisational goals if you were to be hired. Employers are looking for the right peg to fit into the right hole.
- Choose your words well; make sure they are powerful but not boastful. Toot your horn about your skills using these powerful words but REMEMBER: NOBODY LIKES A SHOW-OFF!
- Get someone to look at your resume; preferably someone with working experience (i.e. parents, elder siblings, head-hunters). Never hurts to get an extra opinion.
- Wear your resume on your sleeve; with pride, confidence and determination. You will also approach your interview in the same manner.
I particularly like the last tip as it is sorely lacking in today’s workforce, that is to have pride and confidence in your abilities to pursue that dream career; its like when a contingent of athletes walk into a stadium filled with passionate fans and spectators, the deafening roar and cheers, it just fills your heart with pride and it overwhelms your senses; that is how you should approach your career and your life. BE PROUD!
This ends a 2 part series on resumes, the next series will focus on the interview portion. Till Next Time!
What are the conventional methods to showcase your skills and experience to your prospective employers…let’s see…
….resume?
….curriculum vitae (*if you are in academia)
I can basically assume that everyone reading this must have at least done a basic or conventional resume or CV in some form or way in your fledgling or booming professional careers.
But in such high-strung, high-tech, competitive employment markets with so much “glocalisation” going on…it does NOT pay to be conventional.
Yes…I know its conventional (again?) wisdom write a resume or CV when applying for that dream job of yours that has been eluding you; wait….I am not asking you to ditch the resume as its still one of the (yawn!) conventional and accepted methods of employment application…but let’s take a big step out of the proverbial box….LET’S GET UNCONVENTIONAL!
So what would this unconventional entail you ask….maybe..
…add colour to my resume?
…use more italics in my experience summaries?
…USE CLIPARTS?!
No, no and NO…if it was THAT simple I think you would have landed that high-paying, super-emo-fulfilling job by now!
Did you know that almost 65% of resumes don’t even muster a glance past the 1st page and it lands in the reject tray?
Tip: You can supplement your resume or CV with something that will highlight your creativity
Duh you say…okay how about this? Have you ever thought of using a MINDMAP to ILLUSTRATE your career history? Especially if you are applying for positions where creativity and resourcefulness are all part of the required skillsets; How about a FLOWCHART for those techies or engineering fellas out there to show them how your career has flowed thus far.
If you are wondering how to do it? Here’s MINE for your personal viewing pleasure! (Download the JPEG HERE)
You see…employers know that they can get good academic quality graduates anytime of the day but economic circumstances dictate that they need to not ONLY take the academically good ones but also the ones they will need NOT spend so much time training and are already very talented in their own right. If you can shift your mindset from the CONVENTIONAL to the UNCONVENTIONAL…then you are already one of those people who will seize that dream job.
What will doing some like supplementing my application resume with a mindmap accomplish? Well….maybe it might just:
- Show your prospective employers you are creative and resourceful
- It breaks the usual monotony of recruitment for these poor HR souls
- It show EFFORT and DETERMINATION on your hardwork to get that job!
- You are differentiating yourself from the thousands already looking for the same line of work
- It will look AWESOME!
So go ahead….try something new and surprise people with both CONVENTIONAL (Zzzz….*snort) and UNCONVENTIONAL!
Remember: There is NO HARM in doing it…but if you did not do it…it has already done its harm to you!
*I wrote this awhile back for a Career magazine that was published in Australia and in my capacity sometimes as a Career counselor, I regularly speak on good recruitment and career skills. This is going to be one of many new posts on how to manage your career; with a few special people contributing as well. Enjoy and I hope this helps you!
The Rocket Science of Getting the Resume Just Right! – Part 1
Sometimes the most obvious thing is the simplest of them all, and in the realm of career management, it is your resume. The resume is basically a marketing tool, a very precise tool like a scalpel; if you are truly looking to chart and manage your career in a clinical, precise manner; you need to start with your resume.
An ancient philosopher once said:
“When a person does now know what harbour they are making for, no wind is the right wind”
- Seneca
There is no hard and fast rule but to basically have a definitive and unwavering career goal and then start tackling your resume with these sure-fire tips below:
1. Ensure your resume is free from grammatical errors and typos; nothing kills a resume faster than someone who can’t spell resume or curriculum vitae right. Reminder: There is a reason why word processors have spell-check; USE IT!
2. An organisation will want to hire a person who can “add-value” to it the most; write how your skills and the person you are can benefit the organisation.
3. Don’t be afraid to blow your own horn, your competition will surely do it too! Also separate your achievements and prior job responsibilities, make your achievements stand out with bullet points and responsibilities in narrative paragraphs (NOTE: Short and to the Point, unless you are looking to be the next Stephenie Meyer and bore the reader to death! )
4. Put a human side behind your resume; capture emotions behind your achievements and background;
Example: “Writing a prize winning article for my college newsletter really showed me that journalism is the career for me”; here the writer used an achievement to show her dedication and enthusiasm for a career in journalism.
5. Avoid ultra-long paragraphs and keep it to sharp key points about yourself. Remember: your resume is a sales tool; selling your various benefits, no one wants to read about how Uncle James inspired your personal undying love for turtle conservation or crap like that!)
This concludes Part 1 of tips to writing an impactful resume to seize and management your dream career.
Hint: Laundry detergent is not the *ONLY* product that needs branding!
*PART 2 is now posted….visit it here (http://bit.ly/9fxtr3)
I have always been a person who treasures friendships and get particularly edgy when I sense friendships and fellowships being threatened. Lately I have dedicated a lot of time to look back in my life, which has brought some interesting insight back into my mind.
One aspect of this insights is the friendships that I have forged and lost, it was particularly more poignant a few days ago when I had a few drinks with some Original Bootcamp pals which included an old friend whom I reunited since 1997 when we studied together in the same class in APIIT. This friend and I were part of a very young and hopeful business venture that would have headed somewhere when I (in all my personal wisdom, or TRUE LACK OF IT!) left them high and dry; I do (or dare) not dare fathom the depth of their hate and contempt for me back then and perhaps now, but it is something I admit has been one of the single most regretful incidents in my short life.
I can somehow sense a weird feeling of awkwardness even now that we occasionally meet nowadays but in my heart and humility; I betrayed your trust and friendship, I left you guys when we were suppose to stand side by side. I know it will not bring back perhaps past glories never explored but I am truly sorry for hurting you guys.
Friendships can be so fragile that it can easily just be torn asunder but I am always hopeful that I can find that spark or light to guide me back into the hearts of friends whom I have lost; and also to keep the light on for my current friends to be together with me.
I came across of this a few days ago:
We all lose friends.. we lose them in death, to distance and over time. But even though they may be lost, hope is not. The key is to keep them in your heart, and when the time is right, you can pick up the friendship right where you left off. Even the lost find their way home when you leave the light on.” ~ Amy Marie Walz
I really hope to be a good friend to all now, I hope to find the ones that I lost and gain their trust back; I do miss all of you, wherever you are.
PS: This is for you guys from Net Fusion (Kev, Jeff, Kenneth), I messed up and I hope to make it up to you one day!
This weekend, all the dads and grand-dads around the world will be putting their feet up, waiting with bated breath as they await the inevitable Father’s Day gifts or treats (*Wishful thinking now…).
As for me, I will be celebrating Father’s Day for the 3rd time since becoming one on 26th November 2007 when my darling Son, Xavier Ian Chan was born.
I spent the week thinking about my journey thus far as a father and also my relationship with my own dad. I am blessed that I was born into a very loving, wacky family with the typical joker dad. Having such a great (and sometimes overachieving ) dad; it really gave me a key benchmark on how I would perform as a father when I became one.
“It is much easier to become a father than to be one”, truer words indeed!
Mothers may claim the main share of the parenting accolades; treat skinned knees, comforting during bad nightmares and so on but due credit has to be given to the Father.
Fathers may not be there as the bosom for the child to fall back on but the Father is the constant presence that inspires awe in their kids; they are a symbol of steadfast discipline, balanced with the presence to motivate and drive the minds and spirit of their kids.
Personally with Xavier, I do my best every single day to be there for him; be ready for the hugs and bachelor outings when mommy is away on her biz trips but also to reign him in when he is getting out of hand but more importantly, allow him to discover himself while making mistakes and be ready to pick him back up.
I promise I will do my very best not to be the “BEST” father in the world, but to be the BEST FATHER that my children needs whatever and whenever the circumstance. Its also been said that A Man’s Worth is Measured by How He Parents His Children…A Man’s Worth….a heavy weight indeed!
To my dear dad, Aloysius Chan….HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, DAD!
I Love You, My Son!
Happy Father’s Day To All Dads Out There!
I came across this quote (By Harvey Mackay) the other day and I found it appropriate to jump-start this post:
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”
In our daily lives, time management is a constant pain in the butt for a lot of us and you would be surprised that even seasoned managers which I have spoken with over the years have admitted to being victims of poor time management. The fact of the matter is TIME IS A CONSTANT NAGGING NEMESIS that we somehow either put up with or try in vain to stem its somewhat disruptive influence on our productivity.
Adding insult to injury, we are also constantly plagued with distractions and inevitable interruptions daily; time is hard to gauge from all aspects, a task that may take 15 mins today, may take 15 hours the next time you attempt it; hence the term, “We Are Slaves to Time”
To better manage time more effectively, the right tools need to be used; Introducing the Pomodoro Technique
In A Nutshell: The Pomodoro Technique was created by Francesco Cirillo to better manage his time during his graduate years. Using a simple Kitchen Timer in the shape of a Tomato (Pomodoro is Italian for Tomato) and started “time-boxing” (on a more micro-scale) his time to start on his work.
Basically, there are five basic steps to implementing the technique:
- decide on the task to be done
- set the pomodoro (timer) to 25 minutes
- work on the task until the timer rings; record with an x (Using the To-Do List)
- take a short break (5 minutes)
- every four “pomodoros” take a longer break (15–20 minutes)
Interruptions are NOT tolerated in the Pomodoro Technique which means this might not REALLY work well for task or industries that are not interruption-friendly per se.
My personal usage of the tool has been tremendous and I have integrated it not just into MY daily tasks; plus my students have already adopted it as a tool for their studies; other applications which I have experimented on include:
- Brainstorming sessions
- Meetings (i.e. 1 Pomodoro = 1 Agenda Topic)
- Study group sessions
- Self-Managed Task-Oriented Sessions
- Classroom Management (Works with Students with Low – Medium Attention Span)
As with ANY tool, it is up to THE USER to integrate, assimilate it into their work routine and it can be developed into a productive habit.
You can download Francesco’s PDF eBook on the Pomodoro Technique here and start on your journey to better time management.
Note: I do not own or represent interest of the Pomodoro Technique in Malaysia; my comments and opinions is strictly base don personal usage and also experimentation on its usage with my students.
I recently conducted a small little coffee get-together with some former teacher pals of mine and it was really heart-wrenching to hear them speak about the helplessness of their plight to instill young minds with knowledge and inspiration. With little or no support from their respective schools, principals and society’s somewhat sense of apathy on the wholistic education for the kids of today.
With the increasing reliance of parents on alternative tuition teachers in Malaysia, we see a shift of relevance from the school to the tuition centre. Parents may argue that SCHOOLS are to blame and that they HAD no choice but to turn to these tuition teachers; which in the light of fair business is still providing a valuable service to our kids and parents.
The fault lies in the systemic problems plaguing all levels of our national government system, with little or no support from the government to support these teachers; particularly the one who still retain the passion to drive their vocation!
Having being a teacher and lecturer both in the secondary and tertiary level, it was a humbling experience to see the sparkle in the young eyes of your students when you are doing you job; it really drives you to excel and give more to reach out to them!
I dedicate this post to my kindred spirits out there; For those who has lost faith, stay true!
When I visited Iowa (USA) in 2005, I visited the Iowa Hall of Pride and I was so touched and surprised when I came across a complete tribute to the Difference Makers in our lives….TEACHERS!
Here it is:
Found at the Iowa Hall of Pride
Ahh…my dear wife asked me this morning, “eh, how come yellow ar dear?”
Well, I guess I also need to explain to you guys why Yellowshorts and if I have a closet fetish for yellow.
I guess it started by accident that during the time since I started with Original Bootcamp, I have been wearing the same pair of yellow sports shorts for the workout; I cannot remember who made the fuss about my yellows pants but it became a metaphorical symbol of my life hence.
In mid-2009, I was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy and it was a devastating blow to me; my legs were getting weaker progressively every month and I was powerless to stop it.
Then I found Bootcamp, my docs has affirmed that the High Intensity Interval based training has been helping me combat this bloody condition.
Everyone at Bootcamp from the instructors to my beloved recruits from the PJ Bravo platoon has been a tremendous support platform during our intense workouts. The yellow shorts has been a symbol of my stubborn determination to not only fight Muscular Dystrophy but also to get back to my original fitness level when I finished my first Ironman in 2002.
Update: Suanie already posted a comment asking me to post this first and so I WILL!
Suanie with the Yellowshorts (LOL!)
Well…I finally did it! I finally started up ANOTHER bloody blog!
Its been a while since MUSCA DOMESTICA and it has been a great journey during that phase of my life as a blogger. I have met fantastic people and the stories and rants they shared.
One question that kept popping up while I was installing and fooling around with WordPress; WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
I have tried to ask myself why and how I got here writing my first blog post for THIS blog.
Let’s Explore:
1. I realise that blogging allowed me to express myself in a non-verbal manner and I really do enjoy writing.
2. Since 2003, alot has happend in my life and I would love to share my experiences with everyone.
3. I got bored…
4. I think its still the boredom!
But I want to thank Suanie and April for getting me to finally start this up and have been so so supportive and I love them to bits!
Thank You!
And so…where shall I begin?…