Resume Help

You've read the blogs, you've commented, you check back weekly, but there still seems to be a burning question that you haven't seen addressed yet. I am sure our readers all have unique situations that have effected their job search, career, and/or unemployment and now is your chance to get your questions answered.

What is happening in your job search that has prevented you from attaining suitable employment? What kind of crazy stories do you have? Feel free to submit your questions to the comments section of this blog post or to email Emurse directly for help. We will take the best questions that are universally accepted across most job searches and answer them for you here.

Examples of some good questions would be the following:

• Should I include references on my resume?
• When promotion times rolls around what is the best way to ask for a promotion? How much should I expect for a raise?
• When is is appropriate to bring up the salary negotiation in the interview process?
• How can I mange a long distance job search if I plan on re-locating?
• I have background "A" and want to do job "B", how do I transition?

Feel free to post your responses here and we will answer the best ones on a future blog.

I recently came across this article on Yahoo.com describing the many reason why your resume gets tossed from the "might use" to the "never use" pile. There are some good tips in this article that touch on the following:

• If accomplishments can be quantified, do it -- but use discretion
• If you send a cover letter by email that starts with 'Hi,' it and your resume will probably end up in the trash.
• It's true that recruiters sometimes use scanners to sort through resumes looking for certain keywords.
• If you mention your age, we have to trash your resume.
• When recruiters see a resume that's designed differently, they think the person's trying to hide something.

The thing about getting a job is that there is no simple and easy "follow these steps and you're guaranteed to get hired" formula. Here at Emurse we give all kinds of tips and strategies and here's another for inspiration: 4 of the steps most critical to getting hired.

• #1: Customize your resume and pitch to each interview.
• #2: Focus more on results and a little less on skills and responsibilities.
• #3: Get the inside track, meaning make a point to find out and understand the company's culture, focuses, and needs before you apply and interview (so you can better do #1!).
• #4: Make a great first impression by dressing the part and having a positive, powerful presence.

I have gone over ways to format your resume, interview effectively, and send a thank you letter, but what if you never hear back when you send your resume? Then what? Most people typically move on and send their resumes to more companies and positions and hope that the old adage of quantity or quality pays off. However, if you are smart about your job search and interested in improving yourself then it would be to your advantage to get feedback from initially submitting your resume.

"Stephen," you ask, "how would I do that? I don't even know who the manager is!" Well here I am to offer you some help!

In a job market that's growing more competitive every day, having an effective, impressive resume that stands out from the crowd is key. Looking to fine tune yours but not sure where to start? No worries, our Resume Rescue series is here to help!

Headline or Objective?

Is it better to start your resume with an objective that states what you're looking for or a headline that says what you have to offer? Some experts argue that an objective is redundant because by submitting a resume it's obvious that both you want a job and that you want a job at whatever company you've sent it to. So wouldn't it be more effective to catch the reader's eye with a headline about what you bring to the table that other applicants might not? On the other hand, an objective gives a potential employer a better idea of what you want, which is just as important in determining a good fit as what you can do.

What do you think? Would love to hear arguments for both sides (objective vs headline) in the comments!

Often times as a recruiter I will help people to write descriptive resumes that clearly distinguish that candidate from the flock of other candidates applying to the same job. Honestly, it is much easier to write a resume for a specific job description or position than it is to write a general resume that you would like to use to post on the resume boards. The most common gripe I hear in regards to resume writing is that the job seeker doesn't know how to explain what they have done in a way that will help them to attain their next job. In order to help everyone write effective job descriptions I have come up with a few tips and tricks I have used in the past.

#1 Write a list of what you do/did on a daily basis in last/current job.
It doesn't have to be a fancy list in sentences or anything crazy; this is simply to provide you a cluster of ideas for what you will eventually be adding to your resume. Write a list of 10-15 responsibilities that you took on and then, when you can not think of anything else, perpetuate those fragments into sentences and formulate job duties. Fifteen "thoughts" may transfer into 5 bullet points on a resume and that's a start.

In a job market that's growing more competitive every day, having an effective, impressive resume that stands out from the crowd is key. Looking to fine tune yours but not sure where to start? No worries, our Resume Rescue series is here to help!


If you want your resume to stand out you can't use the same stale and overused phrases that have been used by applicants for years and are all but beaten to death. Some common phrases, like "team player," have become so automatic that they not only mean nothing but can actually harm you by portraying you as boring, run-of-the-mill, and totally uncreative. Instead try describing yourself in a more conversational way, using language you would use if you were just talking to somebody.

Here are some common resume phrases to avoid:

• Excellent communication skills
• Team player
• Strong work ethic
• Works well with all levels of staff
• Results or objectives oriented

Basically just try not to sound stuffy or "canned." Professional, yes. Articulate, yes. Stale and common? Not so much.

Sadly, I took a peek at my resume a few days ago and realized I had some pretty out of date references. Shockingly, I still had a college professor, my internship coordinator, and a personal friend. All of whom are great people, don't get me wrong, but none of whom can speak to my professional abilities.

I think it's pretty much a no-brainer as to who your references should be, (three quick characteristics: Will say nice things about you, can be honest, knows the way you'll fit into an organization) so rather than drone on for a few more paragraphs about picking the right references, let me encourage you to take a quick check of your resume and make sure your references are the best for who you are NOW. If you've been out of school for a year or two, you've probably got a better reference than an instructor, unless you're, y'know, working at a University or something.

Emurse gives users an option to add in awards and honors to their resumes, but which honors should you mention, and which are better left on the trophy shelf?

As an early-to-mid career person myself, I haven't quite amassed the trophy case I'm one day aiming for, but that doesn't mean I won't mention significant honors if they apply to the job. Once again, customization is key, making sure your audience (the potential employer) sees exactly what they expect as a smart, qualified applicant is key.

I've received some local honors from my time in Utah, but now that I'm competing for jobs in the Big Apple, I tend to leave any regional award that's not easily explained out. Obviously an award like "[Job Function] of the year" explains itself, but I find myself leaving out awards named for individuals, or given by specific companies that aren't so-called "boldface names" as they won't hold any substantial weight with a potential employer.

What's your take on awards? Do you use them as a leg-up on other potential candidates? Have you ever nabbed an interview based on a specific award you listed on a resume?

A trend I've noticed more and more as of late- the end of the "objective" section of a resume. In high school careers classes, as well as college career centers, many people counsel students to include these sections on a resume. Though, in my experience, the objective section often offers more laughs than an actual idea of where the job seeker is headed.

To me, if you're not 100% sure your objective section is a winner, then leave it out. A quick Google search pointed me toward this Job Seekers' About.com page on resume objectives. While the site's suggestions are relatively solid, something tells me a killer cover letter will do more than a buzzword-laden business-speak objective section could ever do.

(Bonus, I've even embedded a clip of Stephanie Pratt from The Hills-- my guilty pleasure-- interviewing for a job at a prestigious fashion PR firm. The owner of the firm laughs off her "Design handbags" objective as short-sighted and inexperienced.)