Thanks, pouhe. So far, I've only actually responded to one recruiter who had a connection with a really prestigious firm in D.C. and thought I would be a great candidate for a position they were trying to fill. Maybe I'll do some research for a good recruiter or two for LA, OC and SD, but I've heard terrible things about Robert Half so I've avoided all their emails.
Hey dandorotik, I saw that you help people improve their resume. I was wondering if you would take a look at mine. I'll make a clutchfans contribution if that helps Actually I need to make a new one first but I was wondering if you had any template suggestions to start from first. I'm moving to Melbourne, Australia on the 20th for a year with the work/travel/holiday visa and could definitely use the help building a good resume. In the meantime, off to google I go for tips elsewhere.
I was going through my LinkedIn account and noticed dan posting daily tips on there and thought it would be a good idea to bump this thread. Plus it wouldn't hurt if people around here knew there was a professional resume writer on the board.
I haven't been posting on here recently- work and family matters. But here's my tips so far from my LinkedIn updates (some are the same from past years, some are different- because with job search, some things do the same [e.g. don't rely only on SpellCheck] and some things change): Resume Writing and Job Search Tips 2015 Tip of the Day, January 1 Keep a portfolio of any career-related documents you receive: letters of recommendation, performance reviews, articles that mentioned you, "kudos" emails from supervisors and clients, etc. Bring this with you to interviews. Tip of the Day, January 2 Don't forget to update your LinkedIn Profile- and include as much information as it allows in each section- but make it readable (no more than 3-4 lines per paragraph). The more content, the better chance you have of being found in recruiter searches. Tip of the Day, January 3 Use a professional-sounding email for all job search correspondence, preferably one that includes your last name (e.g. rstanton22@gmail.com, robert.stanton@gmail.com, etc.). Tip of the Day, January 4 Don't rely only on SpellCheck to proofread your career documents. SpellCheck will not catch when you type "manger" instead of "manager." Always visually proofread your documents. Tip of the Day, January 5 Use USAJobs to find job opportunities with the federal government, as it is the official site for jobs across nearly all federal government agencies (except for positions in the federal judiciary). www.usajobs.gov. Tip of the Day, January 6 Make sure to contact your references and get their OK before you use them as references. Some may not be able to serve as a reference for various reasons. Tip of the Day, January 7 Create a Plain Text version of your resume (.txt in Word/Windows) if you need to copy-paste your resume into online applications and forms. This format is the one most compatible with web formats. Tip of the Day, January 8 Remember that there are certain items that you may want to avoid including on your resume, such as a Reason for Leaving a position and Hobbies/Interests if they are not relevant to the position(s) you seek. Tip of the Day, January 9 Be careful what you post on social media sites- and the web in general. Potential employers can research you on these sites – and Google you – as part of their evaluation process. Tip of the Day, January 10 Send a thank-you letter/note to each interviewer within 24 hours or less after your interview (~94% of job seekers forget to do this). Tip of the Day, January 11 Avoid using cliches and overused phrases on your resume (e.g. "excellent oral and written communication skills") by mentioning specific aspects of the skill (e.g. "Success in delivering presentations to groups of over 100; background in writing 30- to 50-page reports"). Tip of the Day, January 12 Remember to display confidence during your interview, but be careful not to go overboard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-rVUMRBj9E&feature=youtu.be Tip of the Day, January 13 Make sure to proofread your resume thoroughly, using both Spellcheck and your own visual scan. Those that don't might learn the hard way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5PhUErm8I4 Tip of the Day, January 14 Use either white or ivory paper for printing hard copies of your resume- the rule is that the lighter the color, the better. Colored and "scented" are probably not your best choices (the 1:34 mark): http://youtu.be/sqsmlFjkAu0 Tip of the Day, January 15 Consider leaving your address off your resume heading if you are seeking relocation (besides, if they contact you, it will be via phone or email). If you leave it in there, consider including a statement underneath such as "Planning Relocation to _______." Tip of the Day, January 16 Before you embark on a job search, do a Social Media Scan and make sure your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites reflect well on you. Tip of the Day, January 17 Use a professional-sounding and non-work email in all your job search documents and correspondence. Try to include your full last name within the user-name part of the email (e.g. d.dorotik@yahoo.com). Tip of the Day, January 18 If you are in the military and are transitioning to private sector employment, modify job titles on your resume to reflect civilian equivalents (e.g. Operations Manager instead of First Lieutenant. Or, use a hybrid title: Operations Manager/First Lieutenant). And always maintain the proper level of motivation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Q1fDf0GeY Tip of the Day, January 19 Dress appropriately for the interview. In some (or many) instances, a suit is best. However, not all interviews require formal wear. The company's culture may dictate less formal attire. Tip of the Day, January 20 Accroches-toi a ton reve http://youtu.be/Gt_Se7BtSQg Tip of the Day, January 21 Sign up for a free account with a site like SimplyHired (www.simplyhired.com) to receive notification of job ads in your field. With an account like this, you can do the following: 1. Name, save, and manage your searches. 2. Manage your email alerts. 3. Look at jobs you have viewed. 4. Save notes about jobs you have viewed. 5. Block specific companies or sites from appearing in your searches. Tip of the Day, January 22 If you haven't received a degree but completed courses towards that degree, include a statement such as "Completed __ courses towards Bachelor of Science degree" on your resume. Make sure to include the type of degree (Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, etc.). Tip of the Day, January 23 If you have extensive list of items in a certain category that is too long to include in your resume, create a separate Resume Addendum document. The Addendum can be sent along with your resume or (preferably) submitted during the interview process (e.g. a police officer may include a list of all training courses in an Addendum). Tip of the Day, January 24 Keep a log of all employers you interview with, including the dates of the interviews, names of interviewers and contact data, and a brief summary of how they went. Tip of the Day, January 25 Read the book What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles. It has a great deal of valuable job search advice. Tip of the Day, January 26 Include a brief quote (no more than 2-3 lines) from a letter of recommendation, performance evaluation, or "kudos" email on your resume.
Any tips on salary negotiation? Not sure how much to ask for from another employer that may extend an offer. The job application requires a "desired salary" amount.
I would put in the minimum amount that you would feel comfortable taking the job with, and then if you get an offer negotiate up from there. Once you have the offer, it's easier to negotiate IMO. At that point they've already chosen you. This is what I did, anyway. I already had a job though, so that makes a difference. I put a few thousand above what I was currently making (I knew the industry I was going to paid more than the one I was leaving), and then once I had the offer was able to bump it up a couple thousand more.
Thanks for the advice. Both of these firms are public accounting the other firm recruiting me would like me to start right away (in the tax dept). I feel like this gives me some bit of leverage when it comes time to talk pay especially since I'll be leaving one firm right before busy season starts.
Didn't even bother leaving it blank. It had an asterisk next to the field which made me assume it was required.
Yeah. The ones I fill out all say the same but I still don't. However, if I ever get someone who is verbally insistent on it then I bump up the number towards the top of my range... not the bottom. I'm not going to try to squeak in the door. If they want me they'll have to pay. Of course that is speaking from a position of strength, which it seems you are.
Last salary negotiation I handled went as follows: Offered guy the job. He wanted to negotiate for $8-10k more, a company vehicle, and a 8-10% bonus. I told him I would follow up and get back to him. Hiring manager told me to make the call, so I gave him a firm offer of $5k more, no bonus and no vehicle. He accepted. I knew he was asking for the moon to see where it would get him. He got more money so I guess it played out, but had he have asked for just money he probably would've got it. The other perks he requested would've valued in at more than $20k a year. He coulve easily got $10-12k more if that would've have been his initial counter.
Logic or sense would say you could wear anything professionally-looking and not too distracting, huge, or overly attention-grabbing. NOT the Transformers one... not the Mickey Mouse one... I think you've posted in the "watch" thread before... I think you're safe with something simple, yet elegant. You have: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=6173075&postcount=83 and http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=8164866&postcount=12
Not really a question about me, more curious about the general thought, because a watch can cost much more than a suit. If you wear a Rolex does it send a message that you're worth a more money or too expensive to afford. That kind of thing.
What would be considered "you're asking for a lot, but it's doable" vs. "your ask is too excessive. Leave. ?" I'm a grad student, and I've never had a job where I've had to negotiate salary. Is there a golden rule to this sort of thing?
