Staffing Candidate Advocate

I was first introduced to That's Good HR at a career fair at Purdue University while earning my Masters in Human Resource Management. I instantly fell in love with what That's Good HR stands for: honesty and integrity with our candidates and clients. My recent experience as a student and then an applicant at TGHR really helps me to relate to what our candidates are going through. My education in HR management also provides me with a unique opportunity to serve as both a recruiter and a consultant in the hiring process for our candidates and our clients.

Writing a resume can bring on challenges whether you are just starting your Indianapolis job search or if you have many years of work experience. When you have a long work history it is hard to know what to include and what to leave out. It may have been years since the last time you needed to even worry about a resume. Resume etiquette has changed, and it is important to change along with it.

At That's Good HR, we are constantly reading the most recent and relevant material out there that applies to the staffing industry and the Indianapolis job market. I recently came across an article on http://jobs.aol.com/ that gave helpful tips for updating your resume to remain relevant in the eyes of the recruiter. Here are some of the key items I would like to share with you.

1. Always include your e-mail address to your resume. If there is no e-mail address listed on your resume, it will be more than difficult for an employer to contact you quickly, so they may just pass you up in favor of the next candidate who listed an e-mail address.

2. Include links to social media profiles. Many believe that social media will eventually surpass or replace e-mail. Be current by creating a LinkedIn profile http://www.linkedin.com and displaying the URL within your contact information.

3. Don’t make your years of experience the focal point of your top summary. Eliminate phrases such as “over 30 years of experience” or “seasoned professional.” If you have had a 30 year career but the last 10 years have been in a specific industry or function, focus on that rather than the total number of years.

4. Consolidate early experience. Account for early work experience to keep the chronology consistent and transparent, but abbreviate this experience when possible. You can include a section called “additional experience” and provide an overview of your earlier jobs.

5. List current technical skills if relevant. If you are proficient in Excel or some other programs that is important to your job, list it on your resume. It is always helpful to list technical skills that are relevant near the beginning of a resume.

6. Eliminate old phrases. Avoid phrases on the resume such as “references available upon request.” Employers know that if they want you to provide references they can ask you for them. Other outdated phrases include “responsible for,” “duties included,” and “out of the box thinker.” Instead use action verbs such as: Revised, Directed, Interpreted, Adjusted, Evaluated, Exceeded, Managed, etc.

7. Use an updated resume format. When everyone used a typewriter to create their resume, it was a lot easier to put the dates of employment for each position on the far left. But now with computers, putting the dates to the far right is a more updated strategy and placing dates to the right allows better use of the space on the page. When it comes to dates of employment it is not only important to include the year but always the months. For example, January 2000 – January 2005. Also, choose an updated font such as Arial, Arial Narrow, Times New Roman, or Tahoma. Overall, strive for readability.

Ask others to critique your resume and reword as needed to ensure clarity. Use adequate spacing and emphasis (using bold and caps) to enhance readability. Don’t try to cram too much information onto one page. Emphasize accomplishments; quantify them when possible. It is important to be able to defend what you write. People’s backgrounds vary widely, so you should format and organize your resume in a manner which best presents your skills and supports your career focus.

Good luck!

In this kind of low-stability job market there are two big questions:  How do you achieve job security in your current position?  And how do you get to take advantage of the next big career opportunity?  In the book titled "When the Little Things Count… and They Always Count", the answer is the same for both questions (Pachter, Barbara 2006).  You have to develop your Employment Quotient (EQ).  Your EQ consists of all the little things you need to pay attention to in order to have both job security and also exciting career opportunities—from your on the job attitude to your time management skills and how you handle criticism. 

    If you come to work on time every day and never call in sick that means you have some good work habits, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a high EQ.  You have to pay attention to many details.  People who do pay attention to their EQs are the ones who look at creating job security and opportunities as part of their jobs.  These are people who take an active, enthusiastic role in their career development.  They may not be the CEO of their companies.  But they are the CEOs of their own careers.  EQ means that you do the best job you can for your employer and you know your skills, you know your profession, you know what you want and how to go about achieving it.

Here is how to become the CEO of you, according to Barbara Patcher:

• Be positive.  If you expect the best, anticipate the best, you are more likely to get the best. 

• Set goals.  You should be able to answer these questions:  Where do you want to be career-wise in six months?  One year?  Five years?  Make sure your goals are realistic and that you periodically reevaluate and readjust them.

• Continue learning.  Even if you are really busy, take time to take advantage of training, seminars, books, and other learning tools – your career advancement or continued employability may depend upon acquiring new skills.

• Be proactive.  If you see an area of yourself that needs improvement or a situation that needs to be corrected, take action!

• Stay up to date with technology.  People who make an effort to keep up with it are the ones who make themselves valuable to their organizations.

• Find role models.  Role models include people you know personally or only by reputation.  You learn from them by interacting or watching/reading about them.  Identify areas that you want to develop and find people who do or have done that. 

• Find a mentor.  The difference between a mentor and a role model is that a mentor takes an active role in your career development.  Find a person who is in a position that you aspire to be in or with qualities and skills you would like to have.

• Stay informed of trends in your field.  Talk to your colleagues.  Read journals and newsletters in your field. 

• Speak well of yourself.  Don’t put yourself down.  Why make yourself look bad?

• Keep your work area neat and clean.  There is perception that you are disorganized if you work with piles of paper and files all around you.  A sloppy work area gives others the impression that you may not only be disorganized but also have a distracted mind.

• Stay challenged.  Boredom drains your energy and can promote negative thinking.  If your job has gotten dull and predictable, ask your supervisor for new responsibilities or a project. 

• Finally, ask for feedback. Ask what you can do better.  See if there are new assignments you can take on. 

    If you follow all or any of these pointers, I believe you will feel in more control of your career and will be able to achieve anything you set your mind to.  My favorite out of all of them is number one— if you expect the best, anticipate the best, you are more likely to get the best! If you need help or support in your Indianapolis job search or in navagating the job opportunities landscape, give us a call at That's Good HR. We can provide insight and guidance on how to put your best foot forward in your job search.

One rainy day I was reading a book titled “5 Steps to Professional Presence-How to Project Confidence, Competence, and Credibility at Work” by Susan Bixler and Lisa Scherrer Dugan.  One chapter in particular titled The Language of Presence, Posture, Handshakes, and Eye Contact jumped out to me and I would like to share the information I learned with you!
   
Dr. Albert Mehrabian, in his famous body language studies at UCLA, found that only about 7% of the emotional meaning in a message is composed of the actual words we use.  About 38% is communicated through the tone of our voice.  About 55% comes through our nonverbal communication, which includes facial expression, gestures, and posture.  This surprising statistic should remind us that others believe the visual information that we make available to them before they believe the actual content of the words we use.  Even more surprising is that all of us believe what we think we see before we believe what the communicator intended to project. 
   
Nonverbal language is a vital part of the communication process.  Body language that is consistent and congruent with your verbal message builds trust and rapport.  On the other hand, distracting gestures and unconscious movement get in the way of the receiver hearing the words and meaning of the verbal statement.  Even the most carefully put together message will be negated if the speaker’s body language and words are incongruent.
   
We all use nonverbal communication unconsciously all the time.  But as an intentional, conscious skill, it is the one of the most underrated of all business skills.  If used to a proactive level, it can be a tremendous source of personal power and strength.  According to Bixler and Dugan, there are three steps to projecting energy, confidence, and power.

1. Understand the components of your most effective nonverbal communication.
2. Break the components down and practice consistent and natural execution.  For most people, it begins with eye contact.
3. Adapt the behaviors to your style.  It’s got to feel genuine to you before it looks that way to others.

   
Let’s face it; you only have 60 seconds to make a positive first impression.  Nonverbal cues can substitute for, emphasize, or support the verbal message we deliver.  Consequently, nonverbal communication strongly influences the way we are perceived.   The type of appropriate nonverbal communication depends on the situation, environment, and the audience at any given time.  You can have a great hand shake, but if you don’t couple it with direct eye contact, you won’t be received as confident.  If you don’t enter a room with energy and presence, no one will notice you making eye contact.  Heightened awareness, experience, and practice with nonverbal communication will give you added presence in business.
   
I hope these suggestions will help you whether you are attending interviews, just started your career, or have been working for many years.