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If your resume is scanned electronically by a potential employer, the computer
scanner will pick up on these keywords. Electronic resume scanners are
programmed to look for key terms in your resume. Without them, your resume
could be discarded. Use the below as a starting point, however we recommend
to read the job posting closely. The verbs they are looking for will usually be
included in the posting
A
accelerated, acclimated, accompanied, accomplished, achieved, acquired, acted,
activated, actuated, adapted, added, addressed, adhered, adjusted, administered,
admitted, adopted, advanced, advertised, advised, advocated, aided, aired,
affected, allocated, altered, amended, amplified, analyzed, answered, anticipated,
appointed, appraised, approached, approved, arbitrated, arranged, ascertained,
asked, assembled, assigned, assumed, assessed, assisted, attained, attracted,
audited, augmented, authored, authorized, automated, awarded, avail
B
balanced, bargained, borrowed, bought, broadened, budgeted, built
C
calculated, canvassed, capitalized, captured, carried, out, cast, cataloged,
centralized, challenged, chaired, changed, channeled, charted, checked,
chose, circulated, clarified, classified, cleared, closed, co‐authored, cold,
called, collaborated, collected, combined, commissioned, committed,
communicated, compared, compiled, complied, completed, composed,
computed, conceived, conceptualized, concluded, condensed, conducted,
conferred, consolidated, constructed, consulted, contracted, contrasted,
contributed, contrived, controlled, converted, convinced, coordinated,
corrected, corresponded, counseled, counted, created, critiqued, cultivated
D
debugged, decided, decentralized, decreased, deferred, defined, delegated,
delivered, demonstrated, depreciated, described, designated, designed,
determined, developed, devised, devoted, diagrammed, directed,
disclosed, discounted, discovered, dispatched, displayed, dissembled,

distinguished, distributed, diversified, divested, documented, doubled,
drafted
E
earned, eased, edited, effected, elected, eliminated, employed, enabled,
encouraged, endorsed, enforced, engaged, engineered, enhanced,
enlarged, enriched, entered, entertained, established, estimated,
evaluated, examined, exceeded, exchanged, executed, exempted,
exercised, expanded, expedited, explained, exposed, extended, extracted,
extrapolated
F
facilitated, familiarized, fashioned, fielded, figured, financed, fit, focused,
forecasted, formalized, formed, formulated, fortified, found, founded,
framed, fulfilled, functioned, furnished,
G
gained, gathered, gauged, gave, generated, governed, graded, granted,
greeted, grouped, guided
H
handled, headed, hired, hosted
I
identified, illustrated, illuminated, implemented, improved, improvised,
inaugurated, indoctrinated, increased, incurred, induced, influenced,
informed, initiated, innovated, inquired, inspected, inspired, installed,
instigated, instilled, instituted, instructed, insured, interfaced, interpreted,
interviewed, introduced, invented, inventoried, invested, investigated,
invited, involved, isolated, issued
J
joined, judged,
L
launched, lectured, led, lightened, liquidated, litigated, lobbied, localized,
located

M
maintained, managed, mapped, marketed, maximized, measured,
mediated, merchandised, merged, met, minimized, modeled, moderated,
modernized, modified, monitored, motivated, moved, multiplied
N
named, narrated, negotiated, noticed, nurtured
O
observed, obtained, offered, offset, opened, operated, orchestrated,
ordered, organized, oriented, originated, overhauled, oversaw
P
paid, participated, passed, patterned, penalized, perceived, performed,
permitted, persuaded, phased, out, pinpointed, pioneered, placed,
planned, polled, prepared, presented, preserved, presided, prevented,
priced, printed, prioritized, probed, processed, procured, produced,
profiled, programmed, projected, promoted, prompted, proposed, proved,
provided, publicized, published, purchased, pursued
Q
quantified, quoted
R
raised, ranked, rated, reacted, read, received, recommended, reconciled,
recorded, recovered, recruited, rectified, redesigned, reduced, referred,
refined, regained, regulated, rehabilitated, reinforced, reinstated, rejected,
related, remedied, remodeled, renegotiated, reorganized, replaced,
repaired, reported, represented, requested, researched, resolved,
responded, restored, restructured, resulted, retained, retrieved, revamped,
revealed, reversed, reviewed, revised, revitalized, rewarded, routed
S
safeguarded, salvaged, saved, scheduled, screened, secured, segmented,
selected, sent, separated, served, serviced, settled, shaped, shortened,
showed, shrank, signed, simplified, sold, solved, spearheaded, specified,
speculated, spoke, spread, stabilized, staffed, staged, standardized,
steered, stimulated, strategized, streamlined, strengthened, stressed,

structured, studied, submitted, substantiated, substituted, suggested,
summarized, superseded, supervised, supplied, supported, surpassed,
surveyed, synchronized, synthesized, systematized
T
tabulated, tailored, targeted, taught, terminated, tested, testified, tightened,
took, traced, traded, trained, transacted, transferred, transformed, translated,
transported, traveled, treated, tripled
U
uncovered, undertook, unified, united, updated, upgraded, used, utilized
V
validated, valued, verified, viewed, visited
W
weighed, welcomed, widened, witnessed, won, worked, wrote
Resume Writing Tips Begin by determining your objective (do this prior to writing
the resume). Clearly state what sort of a job you want and know what skill‐set and
experience is needed to do well in that job. After your objective is determined,
you can structure the content of your resume around that objective. You have a
small window of time to get the interest of a hiring manager and being scattered
will only get your resume filed in the \"circular file\" ‐ i.e. ‐ the trash can. Take the
time before you start your resume to form a clear and obtainable objective. You
have your objective ‐ you're on your way.
Now let's begin the resume writing process. Keep in mind, your resume is a
marketing tool to get you in the company and in front of the decision maker.
Once in, you will need to do the sales pitch, and close the deal. With that said,
you don't need to go into detail about every accomplishment in your resume.
Strive to be clear and concise, as the purpose is to generate enough interest in
you to have an potential employer contact you for an interview. Bottom line ‐ put
yourself in the shoes of the resume reader ‐ when looking at the job qualifications
needed for the position; what would you be looking for in a candidate ‐ Obviously,

that's what you need to include in your resume.
1.) Use Bulleted Sentences
In the body of your resume, use bullets with short sentences rather than lengthy
paragraphs. Resumes are read quickly, therefore make key phrases stand out.
Bulleting information will help the reader view your accomplishments at a glance.
Again, don't worry about the specifics; you will go into the details during the
interview.
2.) Use Action Words
Use action words ‐ words like prepared, managed, developed, championed,
monitored, and presented will cause your resume to stand out. If your resume is
scanned electronically, the computer will pick up on the words. You read
correctly, some companies now scan in your resume, and have computers pull
those that meet certain criteria. The computers are looking for one thing ‐ they
are looking for keywords that have been picked by the hiring manager. These are
action keywords that relate to the position, so not including them could mean
your resume is disregarded as a \"non‐match\".
3.) Use %'s, $'s and #'s
You should always use %'s, $'s and #'s. Dollar totals, numbers, and percentages
stand out in the body of a resume. Below are two examples of a job duty
described with them (good), and without (bad). As you can see by the examples,
being specific does not mean being lengthy.
Example 1
Bad: Account manager for advertising agency
Good: Managed 15 strategic accounts billing in excess of $15MM annually
Example 2
Bad: Sold widgets to clients located in the Midwest
Good: Increased sales by 17% in a 5‐state territory
4.) Highlight your strengths
Highlight your strengths, and what is most relevant to the potential employer. In‐
coming resumes are typically reviewed in 10‐30 seconds, so put forth the effort
and determine which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put

the strong and most relevant points first where they are more apt to be read. This
is your hook for the reader, the rest of your resume reels them in.
5.) Match the need they have
Match the need they have – Review job postings online and in the newspapers for
positions that interest you. Each position will usually have a brief blurb about the
company and the position available. Use the keywords listed in these ads, and
match them to the bullet points in your resume. Chances are that you have some
of these as key points already, however if you have missed any, add them to your
resume. Using a custom resume instead of a generic one will greatly increase your
chances of an interview, as you will be a better match in the eyes of the reader.
6.) Be positive
Above all in your resume and interview ‐ you must be positive. Therefore, leave
off negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your graduation date will subject
you to age discrimination, leave it off your resume. If you do some duties in your
current job that don't support your job search objective, don't include them.
Focus on the duties that do support your objective, and leave off irrelevant
personal information like your race, weight, and height.
7.) White space is important
Ad Design 101 ‐ White space is important. Open up the newspaper, and take note
of which ads first catch your attention. Are they the ads that are jammed full of
text, or are they ads that have a large amount of unused space (\"white space\").
This is done to grab your attention, as readers are always attracted to open areas.
For this reason, don't worry if you are having a hard time filling the page with
text; increase your line spacing to compensate.
8.) Formatting Guidelines
How long should my resume be? What size font should I use? ‐ The font size
should be no smaller than 10 point, standard serif or sans serif fonts. Don't use
intricate fonts that are hard to read. Keeping your fonts standard will help
combat conversion issues from PC to MAC and from one program version to
another. The length of your resume should be 1‐2 pages. Yes, you read correctly;
you can use more than one page. But remember, keep it concise. It's ok to use
two pages for your resume, however it is not necessary.

9.) Get 3rd Party Advice
Ask a friend, and get an outside opinion on your resume before sending it off.
Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you to note all your
high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Having someone
subjectively review your resume can give you insight into how others will view
your personal marketing materials ‐ would your resume impress them? If not,
why? Don't settle for ‐ \"it's good\", and encourage them to ask questions. The
questions of the reader can help you to discover items you inadvertently left off
your resume. Take their comments into consideration, and revise your resume
accordingly. In addition to adding in missed items, their questions can also point
to items on your resume that are confusing to the reader.
10.) Start Applying
OK, you're ready! Start applying ‐ Apply for some jobs that appear to be above
your qualifications, apply to positions that are a match, and apply to positions
which may be below your level. Why? Perhaps the position below will turn out to
be more than it appeared once you interview for them. Or perhaps once you have
your foot in the door you can learn of other opportunities. If nothing else,
interviewing more and more will increase your interviewing skills. Like anything
else, repetition will decrease your nervousness, and increase your skills at
attacking tough questions.
Many job seekers put little thought into their references, instead preferring to
concentrate on resumes and cover letters This is an easy mistake to make—after
all, few employers will carry out an extensive background search. However, most
will contact at least a couple of people on your reference list, so it’s worthwhile
putting some time into making sure your references will work for you.
1.) Use only Current and Specific References
Employers who want to see your references don’t want generic recommendation
letters from people who aren’t available to be contacted. With the exception of
educational or personal references (who won’t necessarily discuss your
professional attributes), all of your references should be people that an employer
can contact to talk about your professional skills and qualities.

2.) Choose the Right People
Naturally your references should be people who will say good things about you.
That is not the only consideration, however. You’ll also want to choose references
who can discuss the professional qualities that make you a good candidate for the
specific position you’re applying for. It pays to have as extensive a list of
references as you can manage, so that you can tailor your references to the job.
This is one reason why your reference list should not be part of your resume.
Keep the list separate, but make sure it has a similar format and look.
3.) Separate your References into Categories
Most of your references will be work‐related, but you may also want to include an
educational reference (if you have recently graduated) and a personal reference.
If this is the case, your reference list should reflect this—each of your references
should be clearly marked, so that an employer knows what type of reference
they’re contacting.
4.) Get Permission from your References
This may be a fairly obvious point but it’s worth mentioning. The people you
select to act as references must be prepared to speak on your behalf, so they
must know in advance that you’d like them to do so. You’ll also need detailed
information from each of your references—their name, company name and job
title, and business address, as well as contact information.
5.) Make sure your References have Up‐to‐Date Information
All of your references should have a copy of your current resume, and should be
familiar with your professional skills and achievements. The best references are
people who know you well and can speak positively about you.
Top Job Sites
1.) Monster.com ‐ A comprehensive Internet job search engine
2.) Vault's Job Board ‐ An extensive free job board with thousands of top job
openings
3.) Hot Jobs ‐ It's a Yahoo! company, and it is the premier job search engine
4.) Six Figure Jobs ‐ Site for executive job seekers, employers and executive

recruiters
5.) Career Journal ‐ Job and career information site from The Wall Street Journal
6.) Flip Dog ‐ Local job database
7.) Get That Gig ‐ Extraordinary careers, internships, and part‐time jobs
8.) All Star Jobs ‐ Search for jobs in hundreds of US cities
9.) Craig's List ‐ Online community offering employment opportunities
nationwide
10.) SimplyHired ‐ Site searches multiple job boards. A good resource.
Preparation (before the interview)
Preparation will make or break your interview. This may sound obvious, but too
often it's overlooked. I’ve interviewed many applicants that walked into an
interview without knowing about the industry and the company. Below are some
simple steps to help you prepare for the interview.
Personal ‐ Know your own qualifications and how they relate to the position.
Review your skills and the character traits you have that will help the company's
bottom line. Mentally review your past achievements and be prepared to
describe your work experience in detail.
Almost every interviewer will ask you: \"Tell me about yourself.\" When answering,
put yourself in the employer's shoes. If you were hiring someone for the position,
what would you want to know?
Industry ‐ Know everything you can about the industry. Find out as much as you
can about the position, the company and its needs.
Knowing these facts will enable you to prove how your background meets those
needs. Research the company on the Internet and at your local library. Check
social networking sites to see if your friends are connected to anyone that can
help your investigation.
Employers are as interested in your questions as they are in your answers. It is a
huge plus if you ask intelligent questions about the position, the company and the
industry.

First Impression (at the interview)
The first few minutes are critical. They will set the tone for the interview. Project
enthusiasm about the position, show confidence and competence. Your goal is to
convince the interviewer that you would be an asset to the company.
Visual Image ‐ Dress appropriately for the position you're seeking. Your attire
must fit well within the office. Don't wear a suit to a creative agency or jeans to a
legal firm. If you don't know what the typical attire at the company is, ask when
setting up the interview. Your shoes should be polished; pants/skirts and shirts
pressed. Clean hair and fingernails are essential. Avoid excessive cologne, jewelry
or make‐up.
Be Prompt ‐ Be on time! Allow extra time for traffic, parking and slow elevators.
Do whatever it takes to arrive a few minutes early. If necessary, drive to the
company the night before and time yourself. Late arrival for a job interview is
never excusable.
The Interview (at the interview)
Do not rely on your application or resume to do the selling for you. Interviewers
will want you to speak for yourself. Your resume was most likely pre‐screened by
the HR department, and your interviewer hasn’t even seen your resume. Sell
yourself! When you are answering the interviewers questions, look the
prospective employer in the eye while speaking. Show enthusiasm; enthusiastic
feedback can enhance your chances of being considered. The bottom line is that
you want appear confident with yourself and your background. Don't inquire
about salary, vacations, bonuses, retirement, etc., on the initial interview unless
you are sure the employer is interested in hiring you. If the interviewer asks what
salary you want, indicate what you've earned but that you're more interested in
opportunity than in a specific salary.
Follow‐up (after the interview)
Often overlooked, the follow‐up is the final step in the interviewing process. It's
essential that you send a thank‐you note to every person you met at the company

(remember to ask for business cards). In your letter, summarize your conversation
and re‐emphasize the skills you would bring to the position. If you are interested
in the position, avoid sending a generic thank you letter. Include reasons why
you are the perfect candidate for the job. Chances are that 100’s of people are
interviewing for the same position that you did so you'll want to draw from
unique qualifications to stand out and be remembered.
A letter of recommendation may be requested by an employer during the
application process. The letter of recommendation is written by an employer,
coworker or qualified friend, and basically serves as a written reference for your
past accomplishments and on‐the‐job performance. To review more information
on letters of recommendation and how to compose a letter of recommendation,
Personal References (after the interview)
Personal references are fairly self explanatory. These are people that will speak
to your personal attributes as well as your on‐the‐job performance. Usually, you
would include current or former coworkers, subordinates and bosses as
references. Before providing names and phone numbers, touch base with each of
your references to insure they are willing to provide a reference. Not doing this
could cost you a job. A common question for your references will be: if given the
chance, would you hire this person / work with or for them again? Be sure that
you know what your referral will say. Usually potential employers will ask for
three personal references, however some companies will require more during the
selection process.
Assist
Able
Action
Analysis
Achievement
Accomplished
Advanced
Conduct
Consult

Committed
Conducted
Contributed
Coordinated
Develop
Deliver
Design
Defined
Diversified
Devoted
Distinguished
Encourage
Earned
Enhance
Evaluate
Examined
Extended
Facilitate
Formulate
Fulfilled
Forecasted
Generated
Gained
Gathered
Gave
Headed
Hosted
Identified
Implemented
Improved
Improvised
Influenced
Launched
Lobbied
Maintained
Managed
Marketed

Maximized
Mediated
Modernized
Motivated
Negotiated
Observed
Obtained
Operated
Organized
Originated
Oversaw
Participated
Performed
Pioneered
Planned
Prepared
Presented
Promoted
Provided
Published
Pursued
Quantified
Ranked
Received
Recommended
Redesigned
Reengineered
Reorganized
Represented
Restructured
Revised
Safeguarded
Secured
Selected
Specified
Spearheaded
Standardized

Strengthened
Structured
Suggested
Superseded
Supervised
Targeted
Taught
Tested
Trained
Transformed
Transcended
Unified
Upgraded
Utilized
Validated
Valued
Wrote
Common Resume Mistakes
Avoid the common mistakes many job seekers make.
Your resume represents your skills and provides a first impression of yourself to a
potential employer. Therefore, one mistake on your resume can reflect poorly
and decrease your chances of receiving an interview.
Here are some common mistakes made when creating resumes:
Poor spelling/grammar — Yes, spell‐check helps, but don't solely depend
•
on it. Have your friends read through your resume and specifically look for
incorrect spelling and grammar. This will save you the embarrassment of
having an employer point it out to you.
Lying about your experience — Although your resume is meant to be used
•
as a tool to sell yourself, it does not mean you should fib about your
experiences. Exaggerating is the same as lying. Although it may get you the
interview, it won't get you through the interview!

Providing too much information — A good rule of thumb is to keep your
•
resume to one page. Remember, you can also use your cover letter to sell
yourself.
Improper formats/paper — A resume is a professional document. Simple
•
formats allow recruiters to easily scan your resume. Also, don't use bright
paper or stationary. This will only distract recruiters from what's important
on your resume — your skills.
Keep these tips in mind when creating your resume and you'll be on the right
track to landing the interview you want.
Cover Letters
Highlight your skills and experience in a well‐written cover letter.
Now that you have developed a resume to apply for a job, you need to create a
cover letter. A cover letter should accompany your application every time you
apply for a job. It serves as a formal introduction and should briefly reflect why
you are qualified for a position. A cover letter also does the following:
Gives an employer a snapshot of your personality.
•
Signals that you pay attention to details.
•
Conveys professionalism.
•
Demonstrates immediately your written communication skills.
•
Gives you an opportunity to highlight your skill sets and experience.
•
Getting started on your cover letter — things to think about
Why are you applying for the job? What are your objectives?
•
What are your reasons for wanting to work for the employer?
•
What are your skill sets and how do they fit into the job you are applying
•
for as well as the vision and mission of the employer?
Cover letter guidelines
Keep it short, usually one page.
•
Ask a reliable source to read and edit your cover letter before you send it.
•

Customize your letter as much as possible by acknowledging the reader and
•
the employer.
Focus on what you can offer the employer.
•
Express your career aspirations and goals.
•
Establish what makes you different from other candidates. Recruiters get a
•
lot of cover letters and resumes, so make yours stand out.
achieved
•
acquired
•
adapted
•
addressed
•
administered
•
analyzed
•
anticipated
•
assembled
•
assisted
•
audited
•
budgeted
•
calculated
•
centralized
•
changed
•
collaborated
•
composed
•
condensed
•
conducted
•
constructed
•
contracted
•
converted
•
coordinated
•
created
•
cultivated
•
demonstrated
•
designed
•
developed
•
devised
•
discovered
•
doubled
•

drafted
•
edited
•
eliminated
•
enforced
•
established
•
evaluated
•
expanded
•
explained
•
forecasted
•
formed
•
founded
•
generated
•
guided
•
hired
•
implemented
•
improved
•
informed
•
insured
•
interpreted
•
interviewed
•
launched
•
maintained
•
managed
•
marketed
•
minimized
•
motivated
•
negotiated
•
obtained
•
operated
•
organized
•
originated
•
oversaw
•
performed
•
planned
•
prevented
•
produced
•
programmed
•

promoted
•
provided
•
publicized
•
published
•
recruited
•
reorganized
•
reported
•
researched
•
resolved
•
reviewed
•
selected
•
separated
•
set up
•
simplified
•
solved
•
surveyed
•
staffed
•
supervise
•
taught
•
tested
•
trained
•
used
•
So, you're experienced? Before you advertise this in your resume, be sure you
can prove it.
Often, when job seekers try to sell themselves to potential employers, they load
their resumes with vague claims that are transparent to hiring managers,
By contrast, the most successful job seekers avoid these vague phrases on their
resumes in favor of accomplishments.
Instead of making empty claims to demonstrate your work ethic, use brief,
specific examples to demonstrate your skills.
In other words, show, don't tell.

Bennett offers these examples:
Instead of... \"Experience working in fast‐paced environment\"
Try... \"Registered 120+ third‐shift emergency patients per night\"
Instead of... \"Excellent written communication skills\"
Try... \"Wrote jargon‐free User Guide for 11,000 users\"
Instead of... \"Team player with cross‐functional awareness\"
Try... \"Collaborated with clients, A/R and Sales to increase speed of receivables
and prevent interruption of service to clients.\"
Instead of... \"Demonstrated success in analyzing client needs\"
Try... \"Created and implemented comprehensive needs assessment mechanism
to help forecast demand for services and staffing.\"
The worst offenders
It's good to be hard‐working and ambitious, right? The hiring manager won't be
convinced if you can't provide solid examples to back up your claims.
Bennett suggests being extra‐careful before putting these nice‐sounding but
empty words in your resume.
Aggressive
Ambitious
Competent
Creative
Detail‐oriented
Determined
Efficient
Experienced
Flexible
Goal‐oriented
Hard‐working
Independent

Innovative
Knowledgeable
Logical
Motivated
Meticulous
People person
Professional
Reliable
Resourceful
Self‐motivated
Successful
Team player
Well‐organized
More than just your accomplishments make your resume stand out. How you
communicate them matters too.
A strong resume gives potential employers a concise, clear picture of your skills
and experience. And, it's the crucial first step in securing an interview and
hopefully a job offer.
For maximum impact, keep your resume as concise as you can. You need to
include all your achievements in only one to two pages, so don't waste space on
meaningless words. Plus, an employer doesn't want to spend time trying to
understand vague phrases or decipher confusing jargon.
'Assist,' 'Contribute' and 'Support'
An employer won't know what you did if the wording on your resume is too
vague. Words like \"assist,\" \"contribute\" and \"support\" all say (or don't say) the
same thing. They say you helped, but they don't say how. They beg the question:
Exactly how did you assist, contribute or support a person or project?

Use these words sparingly and always follow them with a description of your role
and responsibilities. Let an employer know the part you played and how you
affected the outcome.
'Successfully'
Of course you want to show all that you've accomplished on your resume. But
your achievements will be more impressive if you give concrete examples of what
you've done and how you're been successful.
You don't need to use words like \"successfully\" or effectively\" to show an
employer that you're a good worker; your experience should speak for itself.
Instead of explicitly saying that a project was successful, state your achievements
clearly and factually. Then give examples of how or why the project was a success.
'Responsible For'
The phrase \"responsible for\" can make your resume feel like a laundry list. Instead
of just listing your responsibilities, try to stress your accomplishments.
Your resume will also have more of an impact if you quantify your
accomplishments. Use figures to show how you affected growth, reduced costs or
streamlined a process. Provide the number of people you managed, the amount
of the budget you oversaw or the revenue you saved the company.
'Interface' and Other Buzzwords
Don't flower your resume with fancy words.
By trying to sound intelligent or qualified, you may end up annoying or confusing
your reader. You don't want an employer to need a dictionary to discover what
you really did at your last job.
Avoid buzzwords that have become cliche and words that are unnecessarily
sophisticated. \"Synergy\" and \"liaise\" are examples of buzzwords that have been
overused and abused.
Say what you mean plainly and simply. For example, instead of \"interface,\" say
\"work.\" Instead of \"impact,\" say \"affect.\" Instead of \"utilize,\" say \"use.\"

Here's what you always SHOULD include in your resume: Keywords. Recruiters
use keywords to search for resumes. So choose some of the basic, important
keywords in your field and pepper them throughout your resume.
Most of us, at some point in our careers, have applied to some job with some
piece of flimsy paper called a resume. Sure, you may have poured your heart into
it. You may have really wanted the job. But how do you know your resume got
read? How do you know what kind of impression you made on the hiring team?
The sad truth is all employers skim resumes. If your resume doesn’t grab them by
the “seat of their pants” (I wanted to write “balls”) within 15 seconds, you’re
heading for the paper shredder.
So how do you skip the shredder and get noticed? How do you progress past the
paper pile and land the joyous job interview? Simple. You only write the stuff
hiring employers care about.
Here are 10 things that define a killer resume:
1. Your resume isn’t about you. It’s about how you fit the employers job
requirements. Always organize and select your most relevant
accomplishments, skills, and experiences for the position. The most
effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the
employer’s stated needs.
2. Your resume must sell you in seconds. Show how you contribute to the
position at a glance. Your resume is a failure if the employer doesn’t
instantly see you have what it takes.
3. Your resume is a marketing tool, not a personal document. Sell yourself,
not your life story. Leave the personal stuff off your resume and focus on
the skills that sizzle.
4. Your resume highlights your accomplishments, not job duties or
descriptions. Write your resume to emphasize what you did well, not what
your duties entailed.
5. Your resume must focus on your future, not your past. Don’t become a
historian by documenting your life in resume format. BORING. No one cares
what you did in 1975. Seriously. See #1.

6. Your resume shows the skills you enjoy, not skills you have to use. Why
focus on the stuff you don’t want to do? Highlight the skills you love!
7. Your resume is not a confessional. You don’t have to tell all. Who cares if
you were on sick leave with 8 kids to feed. Stick to what’s relevant,
important, and marketable. You need to land the job interview, not a guest
appearance on Oprah.
8. Your resume must list the important facts first. Hiring teams will not stick
around to find how the story ends.
9. Your resume must be free from grammatical and typographical errors.
Errors and typos are a big no‐no. Get someone to review and edit your
resume before you apply to the job. Pobody’s Nerfect.
10.Your resume must have a clean layout. No one wants to read a garbled
mess. If you can’t design your own layout, start with a template.
A killer resume increases the employer’s interest enough to land you a job
interview. That’s it. A resume’s purpose is to get your foot in the door and take
you to the next step. Hopefully, your next step won’t be to the dreaded paper
shredder.
1. Don’t write a bloody book.
The goal of your resume is to land you a job interview, not to publish your
autobiography. Keep your resume to one page, or two maximum. If a hiring
manager doesn’t like your first page, s/he is not flipping to read the second. So
keep it short and sin free.
2. Don’t screw with instructions.
If the job description says to submit resumes in Portable Document Format (PDF),
then follow the directions. Not taking instructions well at this early stage in the
hiring process is a sure fire way to get burned. Fan the flames BEFORE submitting
your application by reading the employer’s hiring instructions. Follow all the
instructions on the job notice.
3. Your email address is: a nice, polite and mature name.

Don’t use your sinful email address on your resume. YUCK. Keep it clean and
professional to get past the hell heap. For example, newway@live.com wears the
halo and goes to resume hiring heaven.
4. Don’t write “references available upon request”.
I’m guilty of this sin. But “references available upon request” is implied. If you
land the interview and an employer at this stage wants references, of course they
will ask. Besides, removing this line saves some space for the good stuff, listing
your accomplishments. Every pixel counts.
5. Don’t list references on your resume.
Never list specific references on your resume. Keep your references safe from
harm by submitting them only after the interview. Who knows, maybe you won’t
be interested in working for an employer after meeting them. So keep reference
emails, addresses, and phone numbers private for only those jobs you really want.
Just keep them ready on a separate sheet.
6. Don’t be a designer.
Unless you are a designer and know how to create resume templates, then don’t
go dizzy on a dramatic looking resume. If you’re using multiple fonts, colors, sizes,
and titles ‐ chances are your attempts are going to look messy. Hiring managers
have little time for strange layouts and will not take the time to decipher your
font codes. Stick to simple, clean layouts to showcase your accomplishments, not
your dismal design.
Are you guilty of these resume design sins?
7. Don’t use a cookie‐cutter resume template.
I feel so evil. Don’t be a resume designer but don’t use a resume template either?
What gives! Well, resume templates (like those available in Microsoft Word) are
sooo common. Most hiring managers can recognize them a mile away. If you’re
going to use the most popular resume samples and templates in the whole
freggin world, then do reconsider. A little change here and there can make a
difference.

8. Don’t do chronological order.
Sometimes your most recent job is not the most critical experience for the
position. If you’re currently working at Starbucks waiting to land an accounting
job, then list your relevant experiences first. I don’t care if you can make a latte,
seriously.
Hint: Organize your resume to consider the reader’s interest. What does the
hiring manager care most about? Your skills? Your accomplishments? Your most
relevant work experience?
9. Don’t get sinfully personal.
You’re looking to land a job interview, not liaise for a date. Keep highly personal
information off your resume. No one cares if you are single, married, or divorced.
Also, do not include your age, race, or gender. Listing these personal stats could
encourage discrimination.
As a funny note: I once interviewed with a company who was surprised to see I
was a woman. They were baffled and totally blew their interview with me. The
first question out of the interviewer’s mouth, “You’re not a guy?”
10. Don’t email your resume in Microsoft Word (.doc) format.
For some reason, I’ve seen many resumes emailed and attached in .doc format
become garbled. No hiring manager wants a garblely gunky resume. If you’re
regularly sending your resume as an email attachment, do send in Portable
Document Format (PDF). The PDF format keeps your resume looking as you
intended. You may even consider just a plain text (.txt) version of your resume for
sending electronically. Whatever the file format, be sure your resume is aligned
with the requested format of the employer.
..amounting to a total savings of... Handled... ...on an ongoing/regular basis...
Honored as... ...to ensure maximum/optimum... Implemented... Accomplished...
Improved... Acted as liaison for/between... In charge of... Acted/Functioned as...

Initially employed... Adept at... Initiated... Administered... Innovation resulted in...
Advised... Installed... Analyzed/Assessed... Instructed... Arranged... Instrumental
in... Assigned territory consisting of... Interaction with... Assigned to...
Investigated... Assisted with... Knowledge of/experienced as... Budgeted...
Maintained... Conducted... Managed... Consulted... More than [ ] years
experience... Contracted/Subcontracted... Negotiated... Coordinated...
Organized... Counseled... Performed... Delegated... Planned... Delivered...
Presented... Demonstrated... Proficient/competent at... Developed... Promoted
to/from... Direct/Indirect control... Proven track record in... Directed... Provided
technical assistance... Drafted... Recipient of... Edited... Recommendations
accepted... Engineered… Recommended... Established... Remained as...
Evaluated... Reported directly to... Experience involved/included... Resulted in...
Experienced in all facets/phases... Sales quota accountability... Expertise skills...
Served/Operated as... Extensive training/involvement... Specialize in... Familiar
with... Successful in/at... Formulated... Temporarily assigned to... Gathered...
Worked closely with...

What are Resume Keywords?
What's all this talk about keywords? We're told they're essential to a job search
‐‐ we should use them in our resume and cover letters and use them when
searching for job openings. But what are they really, and how do you know
you're using the right ones?
Keywords are specific words or phrases that job seekers use to search for jobs
and employers use to find the right candidates. Keywords are used as search
criteria in the same way you do research on the Internet. The more keywords
you use, the more closely the job will match what you're really looking for.
For example, if you type the word \"retail\" into a search engine, you'll get
literally thousands of job descriptions. But if you type the phrase
\"merchandising manager,\" you're going to get fewer and more useful results.
Get keyed up.
Most job postings are loaded with industry‐ and position‐specific buzzwords.
Take your cues straight from the source and include those same words in your
resume. To find more keywords, research industry trends and visit professional
association Web sites to uncover current buzzwords ‐‐ especially those used by
the hiring company or industry leaders.
Don't get lost in translation.
Most companies use applicant tracking software, which scans resumes for
keywords relating to skills, training, degrees, job titles and experience. Make
sure your resume gets through the gatekeeper ‐‐ present your qualifications as if
the reader is comparing the words on the resume to a list of desired
qualifications.
Remember the magic words.
Here are some specific examples of popular keywords. Make sure to also use
keywords that are specific to your industry.

Strategic planning
•
Performance and productivity improvement
•
Organizational design
•
Infrastructure development
•
New media
•
Internet
•
E‐commerce
•
Change management
•
Team‐building
•
Leadership
•

Competitive market
•
Product positioning
•
Investor and board relations
•
Oral and written communications
•
Problem‐solving and decision‐making
•
MBA
•
Project management
•
Customer retention
•
Business development
•
Corporate vision
•

Long‐range planning
•
Cost reduction
•
When you sit down to create your resume one of the first feelings that hits you is
that you cannot complete the sentences without using the same words over and
over again.
Don't panic, the English language is rich with words that say the same thing in an
alternative way.
Take the time to review this list and locate words that suggest your attitude
towards your role. Avoid using the same words as everyone else and particularly
beginning each section with a repeat of what has gone before.
Leadership
Developed
•
Revitalized
•
Directed
•
Drove
•
Managed
•
Guided
•
Led
•
Organized
•
Inspired
•
Initiative
Devised
•
Set Up
•
Originated
•
Designed
•
Initiated
•
Started
•

Formulated
•
Established
•
Created
•
Generated
•
Introduced
•
Redesigned
•
Launched
•
Achievement
Achieved
•
Obtained
•
Delivered
•
Attained
•
Completed
•
Secured
•
Negotiated
•
Effected
•
Enhanced
•
Produced
•
Increased
•
Expanded
•
Performed
•
Succeeded
•
Conducted
•
Improved
•
Demonstrated
•
Implemented
•
Accomplished
•
Surpassed
•
Problem Solving
Analyzed
•
Evaluated
•
Solved
•
Investigated
•
Eliminated
•

Corrected
•
Utilized
•
Reduced
•
Identified
•
Tackled
•
Reorganized
•
Reviewed
•
Resolved
•
Reshaped
•
Strengthened
•
Streamlined
•
Simplified
•
Examined
•
Revised
•
•
There is nothing like an air of mystery to perk up people’s ears and create a
•
frenzy. And certainly all it takes in the job search world is to tell job seekers
that they must have something or they will miss out on the greatest
opportunities ever, and pretty soon you have a trend worthy of epic
proportions on your hands.
The whole concept of keywords in resumes is one of those mysterious
•
things that has caused many a job seeker to lose sleep. And all because this
issue has somehow taken on a life of its own.
I like to equate it to the old records that used to get everyone clamoring to
•
play them backward to hear some creepy musician say “I see dead people”
or whatever. You felt like you were part of some special club because you
found the Holy Grail, the special secret. I guess a more modern example
would be the hidden levels in a video game. You’ve cracked the code!
You’ve discovered something that very few ever do!
The truth, of course, is that although it might make you feel good to find
•
out these things, they aren’t really that much of a secret and almost always
blown out of proportion.
When it comes to resumes, many job seekers are savvy enough now to ask
•
about “embedding” keywords into their resumes. The idea is that after
resumes are scanned into a database, hiring managers, HR staff, recruiters,
etc., can perform keyword searches to find suitable candidates.

And just think…if your resume is missing that keyword, then your resume
•
will be passed right over!
Back in the old days (3‐5 years ago at least!), that meant creating a whole
•
separate document called a scannable resume that included long lists of
possible keywords.
Some job seekers went so far as to creatively “embed” keywords into an
•
invisible watermark, header, or footer of a document, thinking that this
would greatly increase their chances. Now resumes are often including
Core Competency or Keyword sections that include many of the buzzwords
of the candidate’s industry. Again, the idea is that their resume will come
up on a database search.
The obvious dilemma here, then (and the one that causes job seekers to
•
lose sleep), is whether you included the best possible keywords for fear of
being passed over during a search. After all, companies receive hundreds of
resumes per job posting; you can’t possibly expect them to read them all,
right?
I’ll be honest, as a resume writer, I find the whole thing ludicrous on several
•
fronts. First, the number of companies actually scanning resumes into
databases is much smaller than the perceived threat.
Second, it makes no sense to “embed” keywords for the sake of embedding
•
keywords. At the end of the day, even if the resume comes up in a search,
someone will eventually read the resume and see whether you actually
have the skill set. So you aren’t really fooling anyone.
Moral of this story: Don’t put keywords on your resume that you don’t have
•
experience to back up.
Third, Internet job posting sites are about the most ineffective way of
•
finding a job in the first place. So if job seekers need something to lose
sleep over, they should instead focus more of their angst on how/when
they are going to launch an effective job search that gets them around the
HR black hole, where they are going to devote the bulk of their time and
resources, and what kind of networking channel they have.
So does this mean that I think you should run immediately to your resume
•
and delete any and all keywords (core competency terms, etc.)? No, but I
definitely don’t think you need to be fretting over it either. Pick some key
industry terms that are strongly reflected in the body of your resume (i.e.,
your work experience) and be done with it! And, please, whatever you do,

don’t be putting secret messages in the headers, footers, and watermarks.
That’s just silly…
Job searches nowadays are much more in‐depth than they have been in the past.
Before, you simply drafted a good resume, printed it on quality paper, and
submitted it to the companies you were interested in working for. Now, however,
most companies prefer to have their applications completed online.
Recruiters make no exception to this rule as they have also moved the majority of
their candidate searches to the Internet. This means in order to be found for a job
it’s a good idea to post your resume on one or more online job banks. To help you
prepare for this adaptation in job seeking let’s look at some ways that you can
advertise your resume through Internet job search services.
Understand the Process
Before you begin posting your resume with various online job banks, it is a good
idea to understand the method behind their madness. So let’s look at one of the
more popular sites, Careerbuilder.com, to see how they go about having users
participate in their process.
To get started, you simply visit their website where you can immediately post
your resume using their wizard (after signing up for a free account). Once your
resume has been posted, their search engine will scan it to record keywords. Your
resume is then sorted categorically allowing employers to locate it based on
which keywords they type into the search database. If you don’t have a resume to
post, you can use their resume builder, which is a wizard offering the ability to
create a resume to post.
Choose Applicable Keywords
Since we know that job banks rely heavily on keyword searches, it is a good idea

to make certain that you’re listing the right ones before you even post your
resume. But how can you know which keywords to use?
One good way to find keywords is by thinking of appropriate phrases in your field.
For instance, as a nursing professional, keywords like “CRNA” or “registered
nurse” are applicable. Also, listing nursing organizations like AAACN or AMSN is
great if they apply to your career. You can consider phrases like “self starter” and
“fast learning,” in addition to action words like “established” and “implemented”
to help highlight your strengths as an employee. Whichever keywords you find
that apply to you and your career, make sure to use some for the title of your
resume as well.
Internalize Being the Most Qualified Employee
When trying to sell yourself for a non‐yet‐existent position, it can be difficult to
know exactly what qualifications to list for yourself. But you can start by simply
determining why you feel you’re a great candidate overall. Confidence can get
you far when writing your resume because it helps you choose words that define
how you feel about yourself. That way, even if you don’t know what recruiter may
look at your resume, you can still rest assured that whoever it is will feel you’re
the right person for the job.
Joining the 21st century application process doesn’t have to be frustrating or
unpleasant. If you can understand the process, keep up with key phrases in your
field, and let your confidence speak in your resume, you’ll find that securing an
exciting job is easier than your thought.
DECIDE what exactly you would like to do. What do you enjoy? What are your
interests? What would you like your job to include—travel, variety, machine shop
access, fishing, photography, flowers? Ask yourself, “How can I fold the things I
enjoy into my vocation or make a career out of them?” For instance, if you love to
ski, wouldn’t it be great to work within a few miles of a ski resort. Or perhaps your

skills could be made useful to a ski manufacturer, who, in turn, can provide skiing
benefits. Start with your greatest dream.
Here is the key question: “Who would benefit from my success if I do this?”
Go through the telephone book index asking, “How might this or that type of
business benefit from my success if I do this?” Could my work here also be used
to enhance the sales of something else? Perhaps it might be one of their
suppliers? For instance, I helped a production company by designing reusable
packaging for a parts supplier that streamlined his packaging and became part of
the buyer’s production process. I demonstrated value to both businesses.
Select a few businesses where you can find excitement and who would benefit
from your success. The more similar these businesses are, the better. Then focus
on one, And remember, the best person for a job may be the one who is
enthusiastic, rather than the most qualified. Enthusiasm overcomes obstacles.
GET INFORMATION:
Know, as accurately as possible, costs and demand for what you intend. Find out
who else is doing it, and get together with that person or their company
representative. Ask what challenges and competition they face. Secure their
literature. Head for the library for statistical information on that field and
associated fields. Census publications are great for statistics. Get information
about machinery, processes and supporting functions. Find The Standard Rate
and Data Service Look into their catalog of mailing lists for your prospect’s
industry. There you will find rare insight into industry size and segments. Check
the business publications volume. Most of the publications listed supply free
samples and free subscriptions. Call the authors of a couple of important articles.
They will have much more information than they included in their articles. If they
share it with you, you will be well ahead of anyone who has only read the articles.
. If your prospective employer is a manufacturer or supplier, check the “Thomas
Register” for that kind of information. Other great references are “The
Encyclopedia of Associations” and “Contacts Influential.”

MAKE YOURSELF MEMORABLE Arrange information into hand‐out sheets. Include
your name and the source of information. Give these to people you want to
remember you.. Memorize interesting short stories, quotations, and clever things
from biographies and trade journals.
KNOW YOUR PROSPECTS: Gain a vision of how great they are and could become.
Get a copy of their Company history and credo. If time permits, go to the
Secretary of State’s office and get copies of their Corporate Charters. Offering
memorandums, and stockholders reports are great sources. And don’t forget the
personal interests of your contact. Common ground is great for building trust.
PREPARE TO PARTICIPATE: Develop a couple of ideas that compliment the
prospects vision, such as new markets, profitable uses for their facilities, or
reduction of waste. Then, when you meet you will be viewed as participating in
their business and they will participate in your ideas.
TARGET: Determine who would be most interested in your findings and ideas.
This may the director of marketing, manufacturing manager, or the president.
Generally, the higher up the ladder of command, the better audience you will
receive.
ARRANGE A FIRST MEETING: Most businessmen have ideas they would love to
pursue. Be ready to listen, keeping in mind that your roll is consultative Your main
goal is to rekindle your contact’s excitement about his business or department..
You will present a couple of your hand‐outs and ask about the companies plans.
Have their literature, and any other literature that may be of interest, with you.
Your knowledge of their business will automatically set the conversation on a high
level. From that meeting you will have information to fold your ideas into theirs.
Set a time limit and stick to it. Leave while interest is high.
REFINE: Improve your ideas: how, who and when will they be implemented. If you
get into a discussion of how to do what you propose, you’ll be glad you prepared.

Anticipate objections before they arise. . You must be the expert on anything you
propose.
ARRANGE A SECOND MEETING: Preferably within ten days of the first. If you
presented something of value at the first meeting and left early, they will be
happy to see you again, and if it is a large company, a vice president or president
may be called into your meeting. This time you will present your ideas and more
information.
ACCEPT: If, during that meeting your are asked what your are presently doing, or,
would you like to join the company, stop your presentation instantly. Either ask
what they have in mind or accept. Or, they may ask why you are presenting all
this information. Be strait forward and say, I would like to participate in what you
are doing. Continue with your presentation only if asked.
At this point an offer may be made or they will decide to take some time to
discuss you. If they ask for a resume, present a list of accomplishments. They may
ask for a proposal. Don’t be surprised if they ask you help them further in some
official capacity, or to become a supplier. That’s how many businesses start—
often funded by the client..
FOLLOW UP: if necessary with a short call or a thank‐you card. Perhaps a lunch or
breakfast invitation will be appropriate.
First, What Is Background Checking?
As the name suggest, it is the process of scrutinizing the personal history of a
person. This is done by consulting official and commercial records. In the past,
one can do a background search by enlisting the aid of the police. Today though,
private companies offer to do background search on people for a fee.
Background checking is usually done when a person applies for a job especially a

delicate one. Usually, employers would hire people they can trust and if that
means checking the background of participants, they would do it. The necessity of
a background check is even more pronounced when a person applies for a
sensitive position, such as jobs which will put them in close contact with children
and the elderly. People who are applying for government posts also undergo
background checks.
The Why
Consider these figures and you will see why it is important for companies and the
government to employ background checks:
‐ 1 in 32 grownups in the United States has a criminal record
‐ There are about 6 million threats of violence in the workplace every year
‐ 2 million workplace assaults happen every year
‐ 13 people die every week as a result of workplace violence
‐ 36 percent of applications are falsified
With those reasons, it is not surprising that companies do background check on
applicants. There are jobs where a person is required to work around sensitive
information especially in the government and that is another reason to run a
background check on people applying for government posts.
The Why Not
While there are a lot of valid reasons for companies to check the background of
applicants they are interested in hiring, there are also several factors why some
companies forego this process. One reason is that it takes some time and money
to do a background check. Thus, small companies tend to give up background

checking.
On the other end of the spectrum, some employees are against background
checking believing that it is a form of invasion of privacy. Another reason being
put forward by people opposed to background checking is that people might not
be able to land a good job for doing something stupid during their youth. Another
could be the belief that a background check could result to illegal discrimination
based on the past of a person or the people he or she is associated with in the
past.
Remember when you said to yourself that if you ever lost your job, you wouldn't
know what to do? Well guess what, the worst has happened for many of you, and
you are managing. Yes, your future is unknown, and a bit
scary, but you have learned that if you can accept your situation and deal with it,
you can handle anything that comes your way.
Since what you feared has occurred, there is nothing left to fear anymore. All
those onversations you had with yourself when you were working about wanting
to find a career you would love can now be fulfilled. Yes, you may be wondering
how you can pay the bills if you pursue the career you've always wanted, but you
might as explore your options. What else is there to do?
So How Can You Make Unemployment The Best Thing That Ever Happened To
You?
1. Realize That You Are More That Your Career
What we do for a living gives us the ability to find out who we are. Through our
careers we may discover our talents and our gifts. We can find our strengths
and identify our weaknesses. We learn to interact with people, and discover how
to motivate and inspire them to be their best. We also make money that allows us
to
create a life filled with comfort and beauty. This is the good news. The bad news

is we spend so much time at work learning these things that we might allow our
careers to define who we are. How is your love life? Your friendships? I bet they
are in better shape now than when you were working. I am not telling you to stay
unemployed forever. I am saying that you should realize that there are other
pieces and people in your life that count too.
2. Realize That On The Other Side Is Inspiration
Right now is the hardest part. You are working hard and not getting results. And,
you are a person who is used to seeing results. One the other side of
discouragement and frustration is inspiration. So, how do you get
inspired? You put your disappointments behind you
because you realize how much they are holding you back. You write down your
vision on a piece of paper, and you look at it every day. Then, you put a plan in
place to get it. And, you don't ever give up.
3. Realize That It Was Time For A Change Anyway
How much time did you spend thinking about making a change in your career
before you were let go? Months? Years? This is your opportunity to go after what
you
want. I know it's hard because the future is unknown and you do not know when
it will improve. Maybe not knowing is a blessing. How about using the uncertainty
to your advantage? If you do not know any better, then you can't make a mistake.
4. Realize That The Only Reasons Are The Ones You Tell Yourself
Right now it may seem like you are battling the economy, but the truth is you are
battling yourself. You are battling the circumstances that you have
accepted as the reasons that you can't find a job. If you keep talking yourself out
of the possibilities, you will never get anywhere. Instead of accepting
reasons for failure, accept reasons for success.

5. Realize That You Cannot Achieve What You Want Alone
Asking for help is not a bad thing. Think about it this way, if someone came to you
and asked for your help, you would gladly help them. Wouldn't you? So why
wouldn't you let the people in your life do the same for you? Is your pride or
embarrassment keeping you from making a request for assistance? Let people
contribute to you. You would be surprised how many people would like to make a
difference in your life.
So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you
love!
While filling up my car at a gas station recently, a homeless man approached me
and asked if I had a cigarette. I said, “No, I don’t smoke.” He smiled and said,
“That’s good.”
The brief encounter made me reflect on the uncertain times we have experienced
in the financial world and the existence of homelessness. Funny how the two
worlds of investment banking (Wall Street) and homelessness (living on the
street) are surprisingly juxtaposed right now, like an eclipse. For both worlds,
there is a sense of uncertainty. Questions like how did this predicament occur,
what’s next, who can help, when will business/life be back to normal and for
some, what happened to my job have surfaced.
Times like this can even make an optimist feel fearful and uncertain. One can
begin to lose faith and wonder, is the glass half‐full or half‐empty. What’s Next?
It’s a question that many from Wall Street to Main Street are asking. It’s a simple
question with no simple answer.
Negative words have been circulating about our financial predicament. Words
with the letter “C” have been swirling around with hurricane‐like force. Words
like Crisis, Chaos, Collapse, Crash and Catastrophe. What? No Chocolate? Hardly,
who can afford dessert? What about positive words like Comfort…no yet.
Confidence, I hope so. Calm… there’s a word worth visiting.
Despite the uncertain financial times swirling around us, we can choose to be in

the eye of the storm, the place of calm and collect. Remaining in the eye for 24‐7
is probably not possible, but visiting the eye can be a place where we exercise
courage and confidence. Visiting the eye is not about denial, ignorance or
defiance. The eye can provide a place to reclaim our present and future, breathe,
review our life goals, examine our decision‐making and strategize. The eye
provides a place where the head and heart connect. The eye is where we pick up
the pieces, mend or strengthen our “I” and get recentered.
Most of us become irrational in our decision‐making when we stay in the swirl of
fear and desperation. Remember the eye of the storm to:
Get back to basics.
•
Hold to your core values.
•
Keep life simple.
•
Let go of that which does not serve you, lessen the load.
•
Choose your perspective and don’t get lost in the swirl of uncertainty that affects
your life, your career, your finances and your relationships.
The secret to surviving a recession is opportunity recognition. The first step in
opportunity recognition is to know and believe that there will always be
opportunity for those who seek and pursue it. Regardless of how bad the
economy may seem, people still buy and sell. People still have needs to fill and
businesses have products and services that meet those needs. When the
economy goes south, however, there is mass fear and concern and the perception
is that the entire world may completely cease to function. This is patently untrue.
Even in the Great Depression of the 1930's the world continued to function and
75% of Americans had work and jobs. Some people actually became wealthy
during the Great Depression because they were able to identify opportunity and
capture it.

One of the great examples of success during the Great Depression is the motion
picture industry. People were so distressed and fearful about their economic
condition they needed emotional relief and a means to escape. The movies
provided that relief, no matter how brief and temporary. The movie industry
identified need and opportunity and filled it at a price people were able to pay.
Opportunity always exists, even though it may be harder to recognize in tough
times because it takes a different form.
In good times, opportunity comes in the form of just doing more of what already
works. Opportunity in good times assumes the continuation of the normal and
capitalizes on things remaining normal. In bad times, opportunity comes by
abandoning things that no longer work and finding new things that will work,
based on new needs. Recession itself is a great opportunity for those who choose
to see it that way. It's just that the opportunities may look different and they
might require us to leave our comfort zones. Now we are down to the real stress
that a bad economy produces; the stress of change and the need to leave our
comfort zones! Sometimes that means taking a new road.
Sometimes taking new roads leads you in a completely different direction than
you had originally intended, with favorable consequences. Here's a great
example: In 1927, a young married couple started a hot dog and root beer stand
called The Hot Shoppe. They had many years of success but they saw greater
opportunity along the new highways being built across America. They opened a
motor lodge for travelers to sleep overnight. That venture helped J. Willard and
Alice Marriott build one of the greatest hotel chains in the United States. In 2007,
The Marriott Corporation was handling over 50,000 reservations a day!
If you see something that needs to be done and you have the opportunity to do it,
don't let someone else seize the opportunity. Be bold and step up to the task. If
you are the first person to see that something needs to be done, you are probably
the best person to do it. That is the action you need to take when you identify
opportunity. But, what is it that helps us recognize new opportunities?

The people who have trouble recognizing opportunity are most likely the same
people who are unwilling to leave their comfort zones. What is a comfort zone?
First and foremost it is a mental state in which people lose the momentum to
pursue a vision because they have accepted where they are as the best they need
to be or do. Identifying and capturing new opportunities always requires strategic
change and the nature of strategic change always disrupts comfort zones. That is
why change is a big deal to people and is so difficult to achieve. The pain that
accompanies change can be financial, physical, or emotional, but regardless of the
type of discomfort created by change, recession and hard economic times
demand that you embrace it if you intend to remain competitive and effective.
Comfort zones are called comfort zones because they are comfortable! The only
thing required to remain in a comfort zone is to close yourself off to new ideas
and refuse to change. Over the years, I've learned that nothing very interesting or
innovative ever emerges from a comfort zone, except more plans to make the
comfortable more comfortable. Comfort zones impact all of us. When people in
organizations become too comfortable, it's because they have lost the
momentum to pursue their vision. Why? Because they've accepted where they
are as the best they need to be or do. Recession and hard times require a
different response.
So, how do you survive a recession? First, you embrace a mindset that relentlessly
pursues new opportunity. Don't close yourself off to new ideas and change and
become an expert on what people need and want. In a recession, people may
want some things that are different and someone will have to fill those needs.
Second, read lots of books, magazines and other publications that may expose
new needs your product or service might be able to meet. You will probably
discover that people still want your product or service, but just need to see it
differently.
This brings us to the final piece of the puzzle on surviving a recession. You must
be able to articulate a powerful value proposition for your product or service that
will resonate with the felt needs of your customers and potential customers.

Understanding their deepest felt needs is the key to understanding the value of
what you have to offer. Talk to your customers and prospects. Discover their
problems and concerns and you will discover your opportunities!
A sudden job loss can be very unsettling, and it makes a person look inside in
order to get perspective on their situation.
I was a person that was laid off too a few years back, so I know what it is like to
not have a job to go to.
I feel fortunate, though, that I was building my coaching practice while working
full time. Because of that, I was able to transition into coaching full time. But still,
not seeing the same faces everyday, having deadlines, and an office to go to, took
some getting used to.
The best thing about that experience is I had the opportunity to create whatever I
wanted with my future. I could coach full‐time. I could go into consulting. I could
freelance. Whichever way I chose, I knew that it was the start of a new adventure.
For me, the job loss was a blessing; and it can be a blessing for you. Yes, you will
worry about how you will pay the bills, if you will get another job, and when the
new job will come. You will also have the opportunity to spend more time with
your family, friends, and yourself. You will have time to do all the things you
wished you had time for when you were working. You can go to the gym, get
outside more, and use the time to reevaluate your life and your career. (Yes, this
is a good thing.)
So How Do You Make Peace With What Just Happened To You And Create A New
Future? I Have 7 Tips For You:
1. Recognize That Losing Your Job Was Not Your Fault

Yes, there is some relief knowing that the inevitable has finally happened vs. the
waiting to see if you will go next. But there is still a little part deep inside you that
wonders if it was your fault. Maybe if you worked harder, then this would not
have happened. Maybe if you worked weekends, evenings, etc, it would have
been some else that was cut. Maybe if you participated in office polices more, you
would still have a job. All these thoughts drain your energy and take away from
the contributions you made when you were there. Your company was not doing
well. They had to cut costs, and you were one of the people they cut. This is all
there is to it. Period. Stop making it mean something more.
2. Decide What's Important To You
You probably have put YOU on hold for years as you have been spending all your
time figuring out how to mold yourself to be someone else. You worried about
what your boss thought of you, what his or her boss thought of you, and what
your co‐workers thought of you. You spent many evenings trying to calm down or
figure out what to do with a co‐worker or boss that was driving you crazy. All of
this is gone (if only temporarily) and now you get to decide what is important to
you. What makes you happy? What gets you excited? These are questions that
you can answer because you have been given the gift of time to do so.
3. Recognize That The Time Off Is A Blessing
Things in life happen for a reason. There was some purpose for you to stop and
reassess how you have been living your life at this point. Why do you think this
happened now? Were you working too hard? Were you neglecting yourself? Was
your family screaming for you to spend more time with them? Now is the time to
see if your former lifestyle will fit your future one. Use the time wisely because an
opportunity like this one may never come again.
4. Decide What You Will Do Next:
Will you stay in the same career? Will you do something different? Will you start

your own business? Or, will you decide to scale down your lifestyle so you can
stretch out the time before you go back to work? There is no right or wrong
choice, only what calls to you. Trust your instinct. The answer is inside you. It is up
to you if you will take the time to listen.
5. Put An Action Plan In Place:
Now that you have free time, how will you make it as productive as it can be?
How many resumes will you send out each week? How many hours each day will
you spend searching for jobs online and in the paper? How may people will you
talk to, and how e‐mail's will you send out? Your job search does not have to
consume you, but having a daily plan, will keep you from sitting in front of the TV
saying \"I really should be looking for another job.\"
6. Get Support:
Enlist the help of a friend, spouse, coach, colleague, etc. Someone who will listen
and support you through this transitional period in your life. Looking for a job can
be frustrating, time consuming, and disappointing. Remember that you do not
have to do it alone.
7. Reward Yourself:
Yes, the final reward is finding a new job, but there are milestones that can be
rewarded along the way. Sent your resume to five employers? Reward. Went on
one job interview this week? Reward. When you look back, you will know that
you are not the same person you were before this happened. And, you will smile
to yourself because you know that this is a good thing.
Doug Compton, a laid off 43‐year‐old operations executive, was frustrated. His
efforts to find a new six‐figure executive role had resulted in only two interviews
in six months. And, although he’s growing his list of contacts, Doug’s networking

hasn’t resulted in any real job leads, either.
Doug always landed a job quickly but that was over 10 years ago. Based upon his
results this time around, he knew he had to change his job search strategies. “But
to what?” he asked himself.
Top executives, like Doug who were upper‐level managers, Presidents, Vice
Presidents, Directors and CEOs, and who are looking for their next position often
experience these same results. Many like to blame the economy, their age, or
their networking efforts. However, none of these factors are the main cause
behind their lack of results.
Now, $100k+ executives must shift how they approach their executive‐level job
search campaign.
Landing a top role in a company is tricky. It entails presenting your potential, not
your past. It includes defining yourself within your network as a top talent. There
is a mix of elements in an executive presentation – both in print and in person‐‐
that “gets the ear” of the top CEO or President.
The New 7 Elements of an Executive‐Level $100K+ Job Search Campaign
• Being Tops in the Industry: A CEO wants to hire only the best. When CEOs are
looking to fill their top ranks of decision‐makers, they want to know that the
executive they hire is at the top of his or her game.
• Had Name Recognition: Top decision makers looking for thought leaders first
look within their network. Rarely is a $100K+ executive level position filled
through traditional job banks. Even if a company hires an executive search firm,
the recruiter still looks to find the candidate that has name recognition in the
industry,
• Easily Found, But “Not Looking”: 100K+ executives who can be wooed away
from their current positions are the most desirable. Leaders who distribute their
resumes or profiles on every available job board give the impression that they are
“damaged goods.” The trick, then, is to be easily found through their network or
on the Internet but give the appearance that they are NOT looking for a position.

• Considered a “Thought‐Leader”: Presidents or Boards of Directors who offer
positions to high‐level $100K+executives want leaders who have a persona with a
point‐of‐view. This does not mean that an executive must go out and try to be a
celebrity. But, as I state in my book, Market Your Potential, Not Your Past, having
a point‐of‐view means that one is known for having an opinion about how to
move forward in a crowded industry. They have unique opinions on how to find
new markets to offer products and services, and/or gather new potential
customers to a brand.
• Distinctively Different than Others: Do you know the number one reason why
high‐level executives fail in their positions? It’s because their leadership style
can’t or won’t fit the culture of the company. Offers given to top executives
include those who not only do their job well but also those fit the cultural style of
the company.
• Message‐Ready and Visible: Today everyone checks everything out on the
Internet. To “Google” is now a verb as well as a noun. Yet getting visible on the
Internet requires a strategy and a thematic message. You must also execute that
strategy consistently. It is well known that top ranking executive search firms first
search the Internet thoroughly before presenting a candidate to a company.
Therefore, if you are invisible your chances of finding that next $100K+ executive
level position will be significantly reduced.
• Extensive, Engaged, and Active Network: Finding a top executive‐level position
quickly depends on how large one’s network is and how active it is in helping you
find that next 100K+ career. If your network is small, then you are asking each
member to do a lot on your behalf. But if your network is large, then a small
amount of effort from each individual can yield lots of leads.
These seven elements should be part of every executive’s game plan when trying
to find a new $100K executive‐level position. For most, however, building these
elements into an executive career campaign takes time.

What can your do if you need a job right away?
Landing a $100K+ Executive Level Career Position
The answer is to begin where you are. It’s what I call, “building the wall and
fighting the battle at the same time.” There are no short‐cuts. But you can
improve your odds by just beginning to incorporate these elements. Even a little
movement in this direction begins to set you apart as a “must‐have” executive.
And that’s the point, isn’t it?
How do you stay motivated while in career transition? A reader asked me to cover
this topic.
Especially as we're going into winter…if you live in the Northern part of the US, it’s
cold, snowy, and tough. If you’re out of work, this time of year can be depressing.
Staying motivated and keeping a positive attitude is SO important in your job
search. If you’re depressed, interviewers can hear and see it.
How do you keep your motivation up, even during the dreary winter months?
Here’s 10 tips:
1. Set an alarm clock and keep a schedule. Treat your job search just like a job,
and you’re less likely to feel lost.
2. Take a walk each morning, no matter how cold or snowy it might be. You finally
have the opportunity to get out, get your blood flow going, see some daylight,
and get some fresh air. Fresh air and sunlight does WONDERS for your frame of
mind.
3. Exercise – It doesn’t matter what you do, or how long you do it. Just getting the

blood moving through your veins will make you feel better, pump up your
adrenaline, and wake you up!
4. Get out of the house – make networking lunch appointments, or if you don’t
have lunch meetings, go out for lunch where you can see other people. Panera
Bread is an awesome place – Lots of business people have meetings there or work
there between meetings. Plus, there’s free WiFi and bottomless coffee (good
coffee too!).
5. Say hi to people – Step outside your comfort zone to meet at least one new
person every day. Where? Everywhere – at Panera, walking on the street, gas
station, Grocery Store, bank. You never know what the person in line at the
grocery does – or who they know. Plus, you’ll start looking forward to the new
friend you’ll meet today.
6. Attend Networking events – More places to meet people who are in your field,
or can connect you to people in your line of work.
7. Celebrate Success – Celebrate every success, no matter how small. Soon you’ll
find a reason to celebrate each day. Your celebration can be as small as a piece of
chocolate, or as big as a special evening out. It's Tuesday...WHO HOO!!!
8. Read a book – Read something you enjoy …something other than emails. Carve
an extra 30 minutes per day to read.
9. Learn or try something new – Take a class, live or elearning, to pick up new
skills. This is ESPECIALLY important for IT professionals who must recreate their
knowledge base every 3 years to keep their skills up to date.
10. Eat Healthy – Prepare and make healthy foods, you’ll feel SO much better, and
have more energy. You no longer have to dine at Chez Toyota for lunch, snarfing
down a Big Mac, while driving with your knees.

With the popularity of sites like YouTube and the ubiquitous Adobe Flash platform
for playing videos online, the use of videos has become commonplace on the
Internet. Online videos will only gain more and more popularity as new users
become familiar with the technology.
To upload a short video to the Internet, one only needs a digital camera or any
common camcorder. It is no longer necessary to go through a complex transfer
and conversion process to upload a video. A simple digital camera can often
transfer a movie file in its native format directly to YouTube or any other video
sharing website. Once the video is uploaded, an individual only needs to supply a
link to their video for someone else to view it. In addition, these video sharing
websites automatically create a searchable web page that holds their video and
makes it available for interested parties if the creator chooses to make it public.
For human resources professionals, this presents a new opportunity as well as a
potential problem. The new opportunity is to harvest and utilize video resumes
thereby making a search for the right candidate much more efficient. The
potential problem is that employers are expected to practice a non‐discriminatory
recruitment process during every phase of the hiring process. If an employer
where to require a video resume, they could be accused of discriminating against
those without access to this technology and of course they're now open to the
possibility of an applicant claiming that they were discriminated against on the
grounds of race, sex, age or disability.
With the current loss of jobs and the ease at which video resumes can be created
‐ this will result in a surge of online video resumes. The unemployed will seek to
do anything that will give them an edge over other candidates competing for the
same position.
Hiring managers will be compelled to search for online resumes, even if their
company maintains a policy of not requesting video resumes. This is in part due to
the nature of the internet. The employer will not have to request a video; they
will simply search for the candidates name on some of the popular video websites
such as YouTube. And as major search engines index the videos and web pages
from sites like YouTube, hiring managers need only search at a major search
engine to find a candidate's video resume. Candidates will realize the benefits of

having an online video resume accessible via these websites. Thus the employer
wouldn't have to demand a video resume because they will be supplied one
indirectly and without a risk of a lawsuit.
As an experienced recruiter, I have found that sorting through video resumes is
ten times more efficient than screening a candidate based on a traditional paper
resume. There is far more information available when you can see a full auditory
and visual response to a given question. For example, if an employer insists on
obtaining an employee with excellent communication skills or someone with an
excellent command of the English language ‐ it is much easier to determine this
when you can see the candidate either trying to explain something or when the
candidate responds to a question. Using just a traditional paper resume is very
limiting in this regard, as the candidate can easily mask their inability to
communicate well or speak English competently. As a recruiting agency, the risk
of a lawsuit is not a major issue as our clients make the final hiring decision. It's
also important to note that companies are essentially afraid of the hassle of a
lawsuit. Theoretically there will only be a problem if the hiring manager did
actually discriminate based on race, sex, age or disability.
Hypothetically, a video resume can actually help combat potential discrimination.
This is true for candidates who are at risk of potential discrimination who meet
the qualifications demanded by a potential employer. These candidates stand a
better chance if they have an accessible video resume. For example, if someone
has a name that is foreign sounding but speaks English proficiently, they will have
a much better chance at getting an interview utilizing a video resume. This is
because of the process involved in finding a candidate. A recruiter will first narrow
down a list of potential candidates from various sources ‐ typically the list will
consist of about a dozen candidates. From there, they will screen out candidates
that are not likely to meet the demands imposed by the potential employer. The
conventional way of screening relies solely on the written resume. Candidates
with foreign sounding names or candidates schooled in countries where English is
not as dominant are more likely not to make it on to the short list. However, if
video resumes are available, the recruiter can make a determination in the same
or less amount of time than it would take to analyze a written resume. Under
these circumstances, video resumes give candidates a better chance of making it
to the recruiter's short list.

There is no doubt that video resumes will become more popular with the current
pace of technology and the current economic conditions. Combined with the
considerable efficiencies in the hiring process, this will result in its reliance
increasing among recruiters and employers regardless of any official policies that
may be imposed. The reliance on video resumes will become a standard
procedure in the recruitment process as it becomes more and more
commonplace, especially as video resumes can actually help to combat
discrimination. Companies ought to relax their strict stance based on simply
avoiding lawsuits and concentrate on truly imposing a non‐discriminatory hiring
policy. When this is a reality, we can all benefit from the efficiencies that video
resumes bring to the recruitment process.