Posts tagged with “Resume”

You've created a great resume on Emurse -- now what?

While we take many steps to help get your resume listed on the major search engines, there are a few things you can do to help increase the traction your resume finds online. Over the years we've heard a lot of great testimonials and have seen a lot of creative uses for Emurse resume links.

We've put together a list of the best ways to utilize your new Emurse resume and get the most out of the site!

Six Easy Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Resume

#1 Take Advantage of Your E-mail Signature
Perhaps the most effective way to spread the word about your resume is to include your resume URL in the signature area of your e-mails. Not only will this tell your personal and professional network where to find your latest resume, you'll be able to see instantly who views it ;) Many of our users have been including their resume in their signatures with absolutely fantastic results.

You'll be building your professional network with each and every e-mail!

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!

The economy has tanked and is starting to get better, but unemployment continues to grow as companies restrict their budgets and look for more ways to save during this time of need. As such, the fewer companies who are hiring are inundated with resumes from applicants with a broad range of skills and experience. Recently, I placed an advertisement on the job boards for a Business Analyst and had a variety of candidates apply, from landscapers to 20+ year Project Managers.

More and more employers are receiving resumes from candidates who would typically be overqualified for their positions. Often times these candidates will receive an interview request, later to be informed that they are overqualified for the position. In my opinion, there are few things more frustrating than being told you are too good for a position. I am sure others agree, but being that I am in a position to understand the hiring managers' point of view, I will share it with you.

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.)

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!


Employers skim over resumes so fast it's surprising anybody ever gets a job, usually it's about 5 seconds or less for each one as they get sorted into the sought after "take a closer look" pile or the unfortunate but common "paper shredder and then trash bin" pile.

So you only have 5 seconds to catch a manager's eye, what to do? No, neon paper and sparkly ink is not the answer, but you should use the power of effective titles. Tell them what they need to know and they'll want to read more. So don't say simply "Accountant," but something like "Management of A/R and A/P and Recordkeeping" instead. See? Already they know so much more about how awesome you are.

Ever lied on a resume?

Statistics show that as many as 40% of us have -- that's almost half! So what are we all saying when we stretch the truth in an attempt to land a job? Employers say it's usually one of these:

• Stretching dates to cover gaps in employment
• Claiming to have a degree that you don't
• Inflating job titles and/or previous salaries
• Exaggerating technological/computer skills
  
• Claiming fluency in a foreign language (being able to count to 10 does not make you fluent!)

Just remember: while putting a little white lie or two on your resume might seem pretty harmless (you're a catch of an employee, right? Why not make it look that way on paper?) most employers and HR reps are onto the scheme and if they catch you in a lie, no matter how small, your entire application is likely to end up in the trash bin.