Resume and Job Search Tips

I used to have a folder on my computer filled with "targeted" resumes. I had something like ten of them. I thought I had all of the bases covered, I really thought I knew what I was doing.

Then I came to a situation where I needed to hire a consultant at a job where I was perplexed by a situation coming from HR regarding health issues, so I had the good fortune of hiring a brilliant career consultant named Cynthia Shapiro. She guided me through a virtual minefield! Without her help I am positive I would have ended up losing that job and would have made many, many mistakes - not the least of which is I would have been intiminated in the poker game going on between HR and myself, when in fact Cynthia assured me that I was the one holding the winning hand and I should hang tough. I did, and I won. Several more times my family has called on Cynthia for help when it came to big issues in career. But you don't have to be in the situation I was in and have major life issues to consult Cynthia, you can just go to Amazon.com and purchase either of her books filled with the wisdom only she can impart after her extraordinary career in HR. She's breaking the code of silence and telling us what the companies do not want us to know, the secrets that are protected by HR professionals almost like the secret code of the Masons! Two books and loads of wisdom later, I am a new person. I look at employment differently, I know how to behave at work and how to get through every step of the process, from putting out a resume to presenting myself on a daily basis, to what to have on my desk!

So having sung Cynthia's praises I will tell you a chunk of the tips come from her, and some of them from my personal experiences I've shared with her, and have discussed with her, and she does agree that my opinons are good ones and could likely make or break people at work. I've also discussed some of my opinions and experiences with counselors and overall there was talk of maybe I should start a business as a "Life Coach" - um, no. I did consider it, but it's a very wide-open, unregulated field, open to a lot of quackery. I'm more of a spiritual person, and I will talk to people on a spiritual level (see the hub about readings) but I'm not going to dictate how people should live and organize their lives, much as I'm inclined to be "bossy." That is not my calling. But I will certainly offer my general advice and a view of the things I've learned.

First, if you do not own Cynthia Shapiro's book, "What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here?" you really should purchase it (link below). It's a handbook from start to finish. I've been working regularly since I was laid off, just not full-time, but I've been able to keep working and stretch the unemployment and keep that going. I also get a lot of interviews...and that's not easy. Remember, this is the worst things have been ever, probably worse than the great depression. There is a lot of competition even for minimum wage jobs. You really need to have the edge that a book like this will provide.

For example, one of the things I've always been told by all of the teachers, workshops, seminars and all the "experts" was that I had to "follow up" if I did not hear within a certain amount of time whether or not I got the job. Guess what? Not true, and not only not true - bad! That can get you thrown out of the running! I had no idea!

I also always believed I needed to send thank-you notes. Guess what? Not anymore!

Cynthia also gave me a whole new perspective on what a resume should look like and how to think of a resume - she says to think of it as a billboard, an advertisement. If they are drawn in by the ad, they will call wanting to know more. Too much detail gets you nowhere. She explains why - because with the overwhelming numbers of applicants for the jobs your resume gets several seconds to be considered or trashed, basically and so you'd better get something going that'll get their attention in several seconds or else it's hopeless.

The other thing I'll mention that's in this book that I thought was vital to my job search is that Cynthia explains how to use the wording of the advertisement for the job and turn it back around in the cover letter - sort of using those same key words in your letter to help convince the company you're the perfect candidate!

Also included are great strategies for everything from answering the tough questions like when an employer asks you about a company you left on bad terms, to gaps in employment.

Together with her first book, "Corporate Confidential" - which I say is the book that will help you keep the job once you have it and advance beyond where you ever thought you could, these twin powerhouse books will really be helpful to you as you get your job search in high-gear. Even if, like me, you only find temporary or part-time work, you will find work....and you'll hone your skills for when the big break comes. At least I've not had a gap in my employment and I am very, very grateful for that. That is thanks to Cynthia's training through personal assistance and books, which has benefited me so much in helping me to be able to walk out my door and get a job, any job, when I need one, even if it's a crap job. I'm so glad I can do that, and grateful to her for that.

So get rid of all of the "Targeted" resumes, get one simple, one-page resume based on the Cynthia Shapiro model, get the books they are very cheap right now in paperback and they have been out a while, and go recharge your search with the help of this highly proficient expert, and I promise you, good things will happen even if they are small at first due to the economy.

And if you ever do find yourself in a good paying job and ANYTHING goes wrong, if you come down with a catastrophic illness, if you run into a bad boss, anything at all that threatens your job, you hire Cynthia, she will protect your job and earn every cent you pay her! Been there, done that - she's the real deal. She helped my husband from his hospital bed when he had a job offer on his cell phone and couldn't tell them he was in the hospital with heart failure! She navigated him through that - let me tell you, those were some heady waters...and he did land that job! She's top-drawer.

Gee, I wish I could afford her now LOL...but I think I've got what I need for the time being, I know how to do a job search, and it's just a matter of waiting out the economy. And I have kept in touch with her, let her know how we are and know what's going on with her, she's got some more books in her pipeline...

So what are you waiting for? Buy these two books, and get something going on!

Now, some things I've learned on my own:

1. Cover your tattoos. I'm dead serious. They turn off people, and even though many people believe that human resources cannot discriminate, they will if they happen to dislike tats. Get some Dermablend (that's the best stuff to use) and cover every tat that shows. The more conservative the "business" (example: finance) the more likely tats will be an issue. Maybe not such an issue if you're applying to a comic book store so, you know, use your judgment.

2. Remove the extra piercings. Nose, eyebrows, that sort of thing. Rule of thumb: girls can have one earring in each ear, men can have one small, tasteful stud in one ear. That's it. Nothing more. Same reason as above.

3. Dress up. Common sense. For help, go to a local Macy's, they usually have a career wardrobe consultant there. For even more help go to dressingwell.com if you are a lady, and your closest Milton's if you are a man.

4. Don't be late or too early. Arrive in the door about 5 minutes before interview time. If this means you have to leave home waaaaaay early and sit at a coffee shop across the street casing the joint for a half hour, so be it.

5. Prepare to take humiliating tests. They are doing that a lot these days. Just to see if you know how to type, use Windows, etc.

6. Prepare a sheet ahead of time that contains all of the following information: your residential history (say 10-15 years), the addresses and phone numbers (for general info not reference info) of the employers where you worked in the past, Reference/Job Verification information (check with past employers as to how they do this, some use internet verification services), the name, address and year you graduated from high school, colleges, and the degrees you achieved, three personal references you can use that you've never worked with or for, and bring your ID (valid state license or ID) and your social security card. This is because a lot of times employers ask you to fill out a job application in addition to the resume. You can use both your resume and the prepared sheet to fill out the application.

7. If you do have copies of your college transcript it does not hurt to bring them along especially if you did well in college. The more organized and prepared you are, the better. That way when they send away for it, they know things like the student ID and so forth, and they are pretty much just verifying what you provided to them already. They also know this is a person who has it together. If you do not have copies of your college transcript most colleges will send them out for free, so try to obtain them and keep them.

8. For future reference, going forward, anytime you receive an e-mail, award or citation from a job that you did great on something, save a copy for your records. I'm so glad I did that. When I was laid off and they sent home my things they neglected to send home a certificate of an award that was on my desk! Luckily I had scanned a copy into my hard drive at home when I won it and then returned it to work the next day. Keep track of your achievements!

9. When you are leaving an interview, make sure you depart with a smile, a firm handshake, and ask for the job if you want it, but do not ask for a job you do not want. If you want it state "I really hope to hear from you, I am very excited about the prospect of being on your team!" If you don't want it, just shake hands, smile and say "I appreciate your time spent with me today." The message will be received.

10. If there are professional organizations for your field, try to join them. They have not only their own internal job boards, but they offer support and networking opportunities for you.

That's it...now go get 'em!