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Higher skill (and the higher pay that goes with them)
positions necessitate a strong resume. The resume is an introduction to your
salary history, previous work experience, previous industry experience and
previous promotions. Experienced resume readers can tell if someone is a stable
employee or a job hopper. They can also tell the difference between someone who
has simply blasted out 100 copies of their resume versus those that have taken
the time to focus their resume toward a particular specific sector or even a
specific job opportunity.
Today's automated systems at many staffing firms and even large corporations
look at resumes as digital identities. Specialized software transforms your
resume in a digital file that can be scanned for key word or phrases, or even
brought up on a computer screen half way around the world. Many hiring managers
never see your paper resume, they only see the digital version that is
available to them after conducting a search. Leading technology companies like
Cisco take all their resume submissions electronically. This means that the
words you use in your resume are more important than ever. It is critical that
you use industry specific language and spell key words that denote your skill
set specifically. In reaction to this new reality, you might even consider
adding a keyword section to your resume that will assure that it shows up in a
hiring manager's search.
If you are going to a recruiting firm or staffing service, it is best to have
your resume on disk in RTF or Microsoft Word format. This will aid the service
in digitizing your resume quickly. The easier you make it for the staffing
service, the faster they can help you with that great new job.
When designing a resume, keep the graphics to a minimum. If you have
certifications with special icons (CNA, MCSE) simply list them under a section
called certifications. Special fonts and pictures are annoying and interfere
with the digitizing process, plus they do not look professional, so don't
include them. Keep your fonts simple (Tahoma, Times New Roman, Arial). Do not
include a picture of yourself with your resume.
In your work history section, order items with most recent place of employment
on top. Be sure to include last job title held, the month and year of start and
end date, and the ending salary in either yearly format for a salaried position
or hourly format for a wage position. Keep your resumes to one page unless you
are a CEO or a college professor.
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References should include the basic contact information necessary to conduct a
reference. That means a valid contact phone number. Conducting reference checks
is a tedious process made worse by the failure of the applicant to get the
proper phone number for their references. It is a bad sign when an employer has
a difficult time verifying references. Letters of reference are also helpful,
the employer must be able to confirm the person who signed the letter as being
who they say they are and they must have had some professional experience with
you.
References should not include best friends or mothers unless that is the person
to whom you directly reported.
Reference checks can only be done on pay, dates of employment and job title
upon departure. For higher skill positions, the employer will want more
information and failure to get that information is considered a negative.
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There is rarely such a thing as being too dressed up for an interview. Unless
the potential prospective employer strictly states to dress casual, wear
business attire. That means "business suits" for both men and women.
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The interview process should be as much an interview of you as it is an
interview by you of the company. The interview process is a good time to learn
more about the company culture and the unspoken realities of the workplace. It
is not a good time to ask, "So what do you make here at ACME?"
Prior to the interview, research the company and the industry in which it
competes. The Internet has empowered interviewees around the world with the
ability to learn as much if not more than any stockholder of that company.
Interviewers will be as impressed with the questions you ask as they are with
your answers to their questions. Spend two hours reading up on a company before
walking in for that first interview. Once you have completed responding to
their questions, the interviewer will most likely ask if you have any. This is
the time to really wow them with your research. Ask questions that indicate you
have taken the time to learn about their industry and their company. This
demonstrates both your enthusiasm for the job/company and your research
abilities.
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Negotiating pay is handled very differently depending on whether you are going
through a staffing service or your are on your own. If you are working with a
staffing service, it is the role of the staffing service to negotiate pay for
you. It is, however, unlikely that there will be much room for negotiation.
Staffing services will typically advertise and inform you of the pay rate for
the position prior to the interview. Prior to the interview, you need to make a
decision about the pay rate. If it is acceptable to you, then there is no
negotiating. If it is not acceptable to you, then decline the job offer before
the staffing service sends your resume out. Your relationship with your
staffing service is a partnership. If you attempt to negotiate pay after you
have agreed to interview, you will make your staffing service partner look bad
to the client. Looking bad to clients can significantly hamper the staffing
service's ability to find new opportunities for you.
If you have found work on your own and you sense there is some wiggle room in
the pay, let them make the first move with the offer. Be prepared for them to
say no, or worse, get offended and tell you to take a hike. If you are
confident, however, suggest a rate that seems more appropriate to your desires.
You could also suggest alternative forms of compensation such as company car,
expense budget, cell phone reimbursement, and/or increased vacation time. When
you present your desire for a better offer, be certain to justify the higher
pay with statements regarding industry surveys, tight labor markets, and key
aspects of your resume that the employer may have overlooked. Most estimates
place the cost of replacing an employee the $5,000 to $15,000 range depending
upon the level of the position, so companies have motivation to close the deal
and move forward.
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Unless you are completely miserable with your current position, you should give
your current employer at least two weeks notice. Sometimes you may be the
centerpiece of a long-term project that hinges on your involvement. If at all
possible, do not burn a bridge with a former employer. They may want to hire
you back someday when they realize what a great contribution you made to the
company. They may also keep their eyes out for new opportunities that might be
of interest to you, and they will be certain to pass your name along.
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Drake Beam Morin
Electronic
Engineers Salary Survey
Datamasters - IT Salary
Survey
Job Hunters Bible
MSN Career Advice
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