Resume to Interview

Start with a Resume &
Finish with an Interview
brought to you by
Bruce A. Bennett
Career Coach Corner
March 16, 2020

2
Introduction & Notes for Workshop
 Introduction
 Professional Career in Media & Marketing Research
 MCWN Volunteer & Contractor
 Career Coach Corner Blogger, Presenter & Podcaster
 General Notes for Today
 My contact info is on last slide
 Presentation file available upon request
 Workshop is interactive, Q/A & Parking lot
 Red Arrows
 Evaluation forms are two sided
 Other: Resume to Interview
 Comments are helpful
 Social Media Revolution

3
Outline for Workshop Today
 Resume
Formats, Components, General Points & Mistakes
 Cover Letters
 Standard Format & Q Style
 Applying On-line
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
 Break Time – 10 minutes
 Interviewing
 Preparing by researching company & position
 Review the interview process
 Q & A examples
 Five toughest question videos
 Closing the interview
 General Do’s and Don’ts

4
Goals for Workshop
Goals
 Identify core elements of resume and cover letter
 Restate job responsibilities into STARs
 Use of Job Boards and Employer ATS
 Repeat strengths as STARs for interviewing
 Recognize how to respond to Tell Me About Yourself
 Investigate and research employers and companies
 Know Thyself – Personal Intelligence

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Resources Available On-line
http://www.illinoisworknet.com/

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Resources Available On-line
Online Safety Tips for Job Seekers

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Not all Resumes are Created Equal
 Paradigm for job search changed radically
 Seven seconds - really??
 One resume does not work
 Customize resumes to fit job posting
 Keywords from description must be in resume
 Detail work experience history by dates
 Self Awareness
 What do you want?
 Five job titles, industry and target companies
 Research what skills are needed for those jobs
 3 columns, acquired or desired skills, Y/N and what
examples
Catherine Breet Byers suggests 3 simple steps

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Resume Formats
 Chronological
 Details work experience history by dates
 Functional
 Highlights skills and expertise
 Blended
 Combo of the two
 Infographic
 Graphic, colorful, & creative
 Plain Text

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Resume Formats
Chronological Resume Format
Skills Resume Format
Infographic format
Plain Text Format
Plain Text Format File

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Resume Components
 Contact information
 Name
 Address (printed vs. digital)
 Phone number (only 1)
 Email
 LinkedIn URL
 Career or Professional Summary
 Elevator speech scripted out
 Skills, Keywords or Buzzwords and phrases
relevant to industry & skills
 Avoid clichés

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Resume Components
 Work Experience
 Company
 Job Title
 Dates (Month/Year)
 Description about company and/or URL
 Achievements, not duties or responsibilities
 Previous performance appraisals helpful
 More bullets for current position
 STARs or CARs
 Situation or Task, Action and Results
 Circumstance, Action and Results

13
Resume Components
 Quantify or Recognize experience
 Maintained accounting records for AR and AP
 Managed 1,000+ AR & AP accounts working
directly with the CFO
 Answered the phone
 Resolved customer issues through inbound calling
system, averaging 60 calls a day
 Sold computers and printers to customers
 Practiced consultative sales techniques to provide
customers with their hardware & software needs
 Managed and supervised 10 staff members
 Coached and developed 22 direct reports into
supervisory role positions

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Resume Components
 Accomplishments
 Education
 College, Seminars, Workshops, Special training
 Military Experience
 Rank, Duties, Responsibilities, Relevant Experiences
 Technical or Computer Skills
 Community Activities
 Volunteer Experience

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General Points
 White space
 Applying on line, stick around to the end
 Two pages max?
 Font consistency is important
 Printed white paper 20#
Recruiter Relates Resume Tips
John Marty Offers More Resume Advice

16
Typical Resume Mistakes
 Typos
 Objective
 References available upon request
 ABC’s of references
 Providing a Home and Cell phone number
 25+ years of experience
 Putting a 3 page resume on 2 pages
 Distracting formats and/or fonts
 Overused stale
 Responsible for….
 Duties include

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Fine Tune Your Resume
 Chrome extension - Grammarly

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 Microsoft addin - Grammarly

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 These websites refine your resume
 Match your key skills with job description
 Empower you to get past ATS robots
 www.jobscan.co
 https://theprofessional.me
 https://skillsyncer.com/
This is How Job Scan Works

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 www.jobscan.co - Five scans per month

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Refining a Resume
An upgraded JobScan version does exist

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Cover Letters
To Include or Not to Include

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Cover Letters
Donna Salvi, Avid Careerist, Talks Cover Letters

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Cover Letters
 What function does it serve?
 Introduce yourself to the recruiter
 State your interest in the position
 Relate why you are a good fit
 How to write a cover letter

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Cover Letters
 Provides additional means of communication
 Gaps in employment
 Why Company or position interests you
 Relevant experience or industry knowledge
 Bullet points to highlight skills
 No more than a few paragraphs
 4 Sentence Cover Letter
 Traditional format
 Comparative format
 Pain Letter by Liz Ryan

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Traditional Cover Letter Example
Header information matches resume

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Bullets and closing statement

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Dear Ms. Polerecky,
I found the Account Manager Associate position, Job ID3885, through a job search agent I
created on the Ebsco website. My background is a great match with your staffing needs.
The majority of my professional career has been at two companies: Nielsen Media Research and
Synovate. During 2010, I was engaged in civic duties with the Village of Johnsburg and
volunteering at the McHenry County Workforce Network, while continuing my career search.
Additionally, I started conducting training seminars on LinkedIn for networking groups and Harper
College in the latter half of 2010. I started at Lodestar Research in January 2011, but am seeking
full time employment with benefits.
When I started at Synovate, my role was initially defined as a liaison between a recent acquisition
and the parent company. While I was there, I became the brand manager for the Interactive
Opinion Network (ION). The ION product was the premier in-person data collection methodology
used for survey research. I coordinated the processes from working with the programmers to
fielding the studies. I am familiar with basic HTML code and rudimentary SQL queries. The ION
product used Microsoft Access which I have been using for over a decade. Additionally, I was
responsible for the quality assurance of the product.
More recently, I have been at Lodestar Research, a company that focuses on B2B publishing. I
use BPA Worldwide Brand Reports to evaluate B2B publishers as a prospective client. I have
extensive management, operations, client service and relationship building experience that would
benefit Hallmark Data Systems. My experience and skills include:
 Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida.
 Early adopter of new technology, software and social media.
 Ability to adapt to new challenges and responsibilities.
 In depth use of MSOffice 2007 products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook &
Access to track, analyze and present data.
 Outstanding written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation and organizational skills.
If you are looking for a committed team member with strong client service skills and the ability to
multi-task in a fast paced environment, I am the candidate you are seeking to place with your
client. I look forward to discussing how my background is a match for this opportunity and will call
you on March 23 to follow up.

37
Comparative Cover Letter Example
Good Afternoon,
Your advertisement for a Lead Expeditor caught my attention because it seemed an
ideal match to my background and experience in inventory control. Having looked at
your website, it is clear you present medical solutions that improve the lives of both
doctors and patients and I am very excited about the prospect of playing a part in that
role. Let me take this opportunity to present my background in comparison to the job
requirements you have described.
YOUR REQUIREMENTS MY BACKGROUND
 Bachelor’s Degree  Bachelors Degree in Science
 2+ yrs related experience with
leadership
 10+ yrs experience with 6+ yrs in a
leadership role
 Strong Excel/proficient math
 Utilized advanced excel functions
and math on a daily basis
 Superior attention to detail
 Maintained and monitored delivery
dates for 30K finished goods
 Exceptional
communication/adaptable/ strong
sense of urgency
 Established direct communication
in urgent situations to ensure
accurate and timely actions
Comparative Cover Letter

38
Applicant Tracking Systems - ATS

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What is an ATS?
 Majority of major companies use an ATS for HR
 Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
 Software that enables the electronic handling of
HR documentation
 Cradle to grave capability
 Tracks hiring compliance for company
 Taking the human out of Human Resources

40
How Does an ATS Work
 Parses your resume into the system
 Scans resumes to qualify candidates
 Matches keywords in job description
 Performs data mining and collecting
 Ranks candidates by resumes & responses
 Can manage many tasks
 Identify top candidates/Reject unqualified
 Send applicant emails
 Schedule interviews
 Onboarding process
 Tracks reviews, promotions, terminations

41
Pitfalls of ATS
 Many ATS cannot read a PDF, unless
specifically directed to submit a PDF, submit doc
 Word Doc not Docx format
 Resume templates
 Cannot read tables or multiple columns
 Cannot read wording in header & footer
 Misspelled words are not recognized

42
Pitfalls of ATS
 Single column format
 Avoid lines and borders
 Avoid underline usage
 Left justification
 Serif fonts are not accurately read
Times New Roman
 Sans Serif fonts are better
 Arial, Helvetica, Futura, Gotham, Circular,
 Franklin Gothic, Tahoma, Verdana, etc.
 Size does matter - 11 or 12 pt font is better
 Margins of 1” preferred, .75” at the maximum

43
ATS Resume Friendly Tips
 Use standard terminology for section titles
 Work Experience not Career Achievements
 Education not Professional Training
 Keyword matches found in job description
 Name document for relevant position
 BruceBennettManager.doc, not resume.doc
 Use full name instead of acronym
 Interactive Opinion Network, not ION

46
McHenry County Employer ATS

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54
Upload Your Resume On-line
 Glassdoor - https://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm
 Indeed - https://www.indeed.com/
 ZipRecruiter - https://www.ziprecruiter.com
 Careerbuilder - https://www.careerbuilder.com
 Monster - https://www.monster.com
 Dice - https://www.dice.com/
 Mashable - http://jobs.mashable.com/
 Slideshare - https://www.slideshare.net/
 JobServe - https://www.jobserve.com
 O*NET Online - https://www.onetonline.org/
 Stella - https://www.stella.ai/welcome
 University Career Centers

55
Find Jobs On-line
 See Previous Slide
 Corporate Website
 Facebook
 Twitter
 LinkedIn
 And many, many others!
 Ladders.com
 Nexxt.com
 Resume-now.com

56
Wordle.net
Create a visual representation of your resume

57
Video & Blog Links
Catherine Breet Byers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8od1iolitg&feature=related
Kimberly Bishop - Recruiter Give Resume Tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpQaLX343Js
Socialnomics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4znQDyz038
ATS Do’s and Don’ts
https://www.resumetoreferral.com/ats-resumes/
Pain Letters
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/11/26/how-to-use-pain-
letters-in-your-job-search/#310855967b44

58
Break Time!
 Stretch your legs!
 Return calls!
 Reenergize!

59
How to Ace an Interview
Self awareness
 Inventory your skills
 Strength Finder by Gallup - now CliftonStrengths
 SWOT analysis
 Preparation
 Select 3 to 5 of your key strengths
 Use a STAR to illustrate the skill to interviewer
 Research company and individuals
 Practice
 Scripted answers
 Mirror or camera
 Family, friends or pets

60
Strength Finder Report
https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/

65
Key Strengths - STARs or CARs
 Relate a memorable story with your core traits
 Customer Service
 “Are you calling me a liar” story.
 Decision Making
 Our equipment in the garage appeared to be the
source of the fire.
 Computer Software Adaptability
 Became the beta tester for new roll outs of
proprietary programs for regional managers.
 Training Staff
 Coached and developed 22 direct reports into
supervisory role positions.

66
Research Company and Position
 Research the company
 Google the company
 Company website, news, management team, etc.
 Mission statement and/or core values
 Check them on LinkedIn
 Research the position
 Use Indeed or other job boards for similar positions
for key words or skills not covered in their posting
 Check salary.com to get range of compensation
 LinkedIn Research
 Search for interviewer(s) and company
 Find details from their profile and LinkedIn page

67
Research Company Exercise
 Target company research exercise
 Select a target company, e.g. Sage Products
 Google the company
 Visit company website
 LinkedIn
 What talking points were discovered?
 Mission statement?
 Corporate culture?
 Management changes?
 New product/services launch?

68
Research Position Exercise
 Target Position research exercise
 Select a position, e.g. CSR, Salesman, Manager
 Google the position
 Check Indeed website
 Check LinkedIn
 What common elements were found?
 Key skills?
 Previous experience?
 Education?
 Industry experience?

69
Interviewing Situations
 Prescreen Phone Interview
 Spur of the moment
 Prearranged for a scheduled time
 Determines your next step in the process
 Follow up with F2F interview
 Keep your resume on file
 F2F Interview
 Job Fairs
 On Campus recruiting
 Company location

70
 Video Interviewing
 Background & Environment
 Practice recording on laptop or tablet
 https://www.myinterviewpractice.com/

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 Hire Vue
 On-line interviewing application
 https://www.hirevue.com/blog/how-to-take-a-hirevue-
interview/

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Phone Screen Interview Preparation
 Schedule the time rather than spur of the moment
 Locate to a distraction free environment
 No pets, no TV, no Radio, no computer
 Have your cell phone fully charged
 Have work history and job description handy
 Relate the job’s and your key skills
 Stand during the phone interview
 Smile while on the call
 Take note of interviewer’s name
 Have a few questions ready for the interviewer, e.g.
 Is position new or replacing someone, i.e. budgeted?
 Next steps in the application process
 Avoid rambling and/or really long answers

73
Phone Screen Interview Preparation
 Schedule the time rather than spur of the moment
 Locate to a distraction free environment
 No pets, no TV, no Radio, no computer
 Have your cell phone fully charged
 Have work history and job description handy
 Relate the job’s and your key skills
 Stand during the phone interview
 Smile while on the call
 Take note of interviewer’s name
 Have a few questions ready for the interviewer, e.g.
 Is position new or replacing someone, i.e. budgeted?
 Next steps in the application process
 Avoid rambling and/or really long answers

74
F2F Interviewing Preparation
 Prepare story examples that illustrate skills and
capabilities
 Interview practice with family, friends, etc.
 Have work history and reference details
 ABCs of references
 Take several copies of resume
 Dress for interview
 Over dress rather than under dress
 Appropriate for position, e.g. Ad Agency
 Research the company and position
 Google it
 Check them on LinkedIn
 Check company’s webpage

75
F2F Interviewing Process
 Turn on positives, creative, am quick learner,
relationship builder, etc.
 Eye contact
 Self on shoulder alter ego (good/bad angel)
 Humor ok!?!?
 Know the corporate culture
 Personal branding - Portfolio
 Ideal or dream job

76
Standard Questions
 Why did you leave your last job?
 What did you learn at your last job?
 What level of education did you achieve?
 What is your greatest strength?
 What have you been doing since being laid off?
 Why were you fired?

77
Behavioral Type Questions
 How did you handle a difficult situation with a
supervisor?
 Give me an example of how you set goals and
achieve them.
 Teamwork is important to the position. Give me an
example of your working with a team.
 Tell me about how you worked effectively under
pressure.
 Relate when you had to enforce a company policy
that you did not agree with personally.
Pamela Skilling Discusses Behavioral Questions

79
Oddball Questions
 How much does the earth weigh?
 What would you expect to pay for the empty lot next
to our company?
 How far away is Alpha Centuri?
 What animal or tree would you like to be?
 What kind of cookie would you like to be?
 What is your spirit animal?

80
Five Tough Questions Videos
John Heaney offers advice for these tough questions
 “Tell me about yourself!”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWq1Q8uGg4&t=2s by John Heaney
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmFuWmzeiDs by Pamela Skillings
 “What are your greatest weaknesses?”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhTbeeUtWKs&t=3s
 “Why should we hire you?”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx1_CZTdKAc&t=8s
 “Why do you want to work here?”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g619eeLPSi0&t=81s
 “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRURxgW4eBE&t=3s
Search Google and YouTube for additional interview Q & A

81
Do You Have Any Questions For Me?
You better!!
 Be prepared with questions to ask the interviewer
 A printed list will demonstrate your preparation and
interest in the company and position
 Questions can range from evaluations to
management style.
 Is Corporate Culture is another potential topic?
 Interview Questions MarketTools
Google for other questions to ask the interviewer

82
Interviewing Closing Suggestions
John Heaney suggests to not ask these questions
10 Questions to Never Ask on a Job Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNW8u1yC4Bg 7 minutes
Don Georgevich advises never ask these questions
 NEVER Ask These Questions in a Job Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPRG7_fXe_E 8 minutes
 Closing statement?
 Elevator speech repeated with knowledge gained
through the interview
 Express interest in the job, “I want the job!”
 Next steps in candidate selection process
 “Can I have your business card?”
 Handshake

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Interview Do’s
 Bring a notebook to take notes
 Press your clothes and shine shoes
 Be aware of your body posture
 Turn off your phone
 Be friendly with everyone you meet
 Smile

84
Interview Don’ts
 Do not be too early or late
 Do not answer cell phone or texts
 Do not wear perfume or cologne
 Do not disparage your previous employer or boss
 Do not leave your notebook at home
 Do not cross your arms
 Do not answer with simple yes or no
 Do not fidget

85
Post Interview Suggestions
 Debrief yourself
 Keep a journal of interview questions & answers
 Rate your answers to learn from interview to
interview
 Thank you letter
 Personal Thank you card best
 Email note is acceptable
 Follow up with phone call
 Lastly, remember the Challenging interview

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Success Stories
Michele N. – Medical
Attended Resume & LinkedIn workshops and gained confidence
Mary M. – Educator
Changed her resume after Resume, CL & ATS workshop and got 9 interviews
Stefanie S. – Pharmacy Technician
Prepared effectively after Winning Interview workshop and was hired
Nick C. – Retail Loss Prevention
Attended all workshops and incorporated learnings to get hired
Val M. – Retail Supply Chain
Incorporated my recommendations from workshops & 1 on 1
I want to add your name to the list!!

87
McHenry County Workforce Network
March Newsletter of Events & Services
McHenry County Workforce Network Website
Personalized Job Search Assistance Services
To sign up, request the professional directly by email
Resume Critique
30-45 minute sessions
Dean Eitel – March 2 & 16
10:00 - 12:00
Email: deitel@depaul.edu
Kathy Hayhurst - March 13
8:30 - 10:45
Email: mcwnkmh@gmail.com
Mock Interviews
60 minute sessions
Kraig Roberts – March 2
9:30 - 10:30
Email: mcwnkraig@gmail.com

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Upcoming Events
McHenry County Workforce Network
500 Russel Court, Woodstock IL 60098
LinkedIn for Your Job Search
March 23, 2020 from 9:00am to 12:00pm
Getting Started with LinkedIn Webinar Available on MCWN website
Network to Success Job Club - Employment Trends
March 18, 2020 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Lake Villa District Library
140 N. Munn Road, Lindenhurst, IL 60046
LinkedIn Strategic Guidelines
Wednesday March 18, 2020 from 10:00am – 12:00pm
Woodstock Public Library
414 W. Judd St. , Woodstock, IL 60098
Guide to a Winning Interview
Saturday April 4, 2020 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm

Feel free to follow up or
connect with me on LinkedIn
Contact Info:
Bruce A. Bennett
Mobile: 815-302-9552
Email: BABennett73@gmail.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bruceabennett
Career Coach Corner Blog: http://bruce73.wordpress.com/
Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/b-squared-linkedin

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