need a professional resume writer

[CaptainCrunch]

I agree with cover letters, but people get carried away with them.

The objective of a cover letter is to get a perspective employee to read your resume or sell sheet.

I keep mine three paragraphs long and as brief as possible.

Para 1 - introduction and refirmation of the position I'm applying to.

Para 2 - a brief overview of my top 3 relevant skills.

Para 3 - Why the hell I'm the best match for the job.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Met this company for a different context. Their business model is interesting but have not yet used them for anything. http://www.serv.io/resume/

I've used resume services in the past purely for an objective outside opinion. How would someone who doesn't have my biases describe me? I didn't keep a lot of what they wrote but the exercise was useful.

[Hemi-Cuda]

don't forget to contact staffing companies. i'm not sure how it is for an accounting type position, but in IT they can payoff big. i had my resume on Monster for a week, was contacted by an IT staffing firm, they setup an interview for me with an oil & gas company and coached me on what to expect and how to answer the questions, and a week later i was hired. the job was a 25% pay increase from my last position with a much better company and work environment, it's basically exactly what i was looking for and i didn't even send out an application

having a company working for you to sell your skills and setup interviews is invaluable

[flamingreen]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

3) if you have really short term jobs, it might be best to not list them as it makes you look unstable

Just make sure you have an answer for any gaps in your job experience. Having nothing over a 1 - 2 year stretch throws up as many flags as multiple short term jobs.

[Sr. Mints]

I love threads like this.

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

People sometimes forget that resume's are the ultimate sales document. Too many people think that its merely good enough to list what you've done.

2) Make sure that there are no gaps in your resume

How would one go about approaching a large gap--or hiding it? Say a medical condition left one at home for a 18 months, but the person did not want to make mention of their medical condition to the potential employer either on the resume or in an interview?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I love threads like this.



How would one go about approaching a large gap--or hiding it? Say a medical condition left one at home for a 18 months, but the person did not want to make mention of their medical condition to the potential employer either on the resume or in an interview?

Thats tough, 18 months is tough to explain as a gap. But to be honest when I'm reviewing resumes, I'm more intrigued by small breaks like 6 months. It makes me think they're hiding jobs.

Personally before I joined the job before this, I just decided to take about half a year off to recharge my batteries, work on a book that I'd been writing and have never finished, grow a beard and drink coffee every morning at a different coffee shop. I got asked about it and told them it was a hiatus, and talked about what I did for the 6 months off.

With an 18 month thing you've got to come up with something, personally I've always thought that being honest would be the best policy, but I have to wonder if the condition is something that can cause ongoing difficulties with working?

If not then you can basically say that you took time off for life reasons, and leave it at that and hope that your skills, knowledge and behavior and references will overcome the gap.

But unless its a really embarrassing or devastating condition, then I might be tempted to disclose.

You always want to start a business relationship off honestly. Because if it slips out later, or during the course of their investigation (ie facebook, linked in, reference checking) then your truly screwed.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by flamingreen

Just make sure you have an answer for any gaps in your job experience. Having nothing over a 1 - 2 year stretch throws up as many flags as multiple short term jobs.

Believe it or not this is fairly easy to overcome.

"I decided I needed to take a hiatus"

"I did some consulting work unrelated to this role"

"I decided to take some courses"

"I was boning your mamma"

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Thats tough, 18 months is tough to explain as a gap. But to be honest when I'm reviewing resumes, I'm more intrigued by small breaks like 6 months. It makes me think they're hiding jobs.

Personally before I joined the job before this, I just decided to take about half a year off to recharge my batteries, work on a book that I'd been writing and have never finished, grow a beard and drink coffee every morning at a different coffee shop. I got asked about it and told them it was a hiatus, and talked about what I did for the 6 months off.

With an 18 month thing you've got to come up with something, personally I've always thought that being honest would be the best policy, but I have to wonder if the condition is something that can cause ongoing difficulties with working?

If not then you can basically say that you took time off for life reasons, and leave it at that and hope that your skills, knowledge and behavior and references will overcome the gap.

But unless its a really embarrassing or devastating condition, then I might be tempted to disclose.

You always want to start a business relationship off honestly. Because if it slips out later, or during the course of their investigation (ie facebook, linked in, reference checking) then your truly screwed.

Thanks for your perspective.

I've always assumed, based both on my own anecdotal observations and off the cuff comments from people I know who work in HR, that mentioning a medical condition--whether it's a thing of the past or something ongoing--is basically the kiss of death during the hiring process. Especially if it's something that is ongoing, or could cause troubles in the future.

Whether it's even legal or discriminatory or whatever, I think that if I were in a position to be hiring, seeing a potential liability like that--someone who was out of commission for so long--would certainly cause me to raise a red flag.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I love threads like this.



How would one go about approaching a large gap--or hiding it? Say a medical condition left one at home for a 18 months, but the person did not want to make mention of their medical condition to the potential employer either on the resume or in an interview?

Why don't you just say you had to take time off to help a loved one with an illness?

[KTrain]

All out lying is never the answer when applying for a job. Especially if you plan to be there for a while.

Also, lying about an illness in the family is just begging for some karmic repercussions.

[Hockeyguy15]

Could you try to sound a little more holier than thou next time?

[Ducay]

I find that lying on a resume usually gets candidates noticed and works most of the time.


And I don't mean that in the traditional sense; I mean go into the potential employer's office and put a stack of your resumes on the floor and just lay down on them. Planking is all the rage in offices now I hear. 100% ger-un-teed success

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Could you try to sound a little more holier than thou next time?

Assuming you are applying for a job and that your goal is to get and keep a job

To remain working for a company, you shouldnt give them any grounds for dismissal.

Lying on a resume is grounds for dismissal.

Conclusion? Holier than thou or not, you would be better off not lying on your resume.

edit: Unless your only qualification for that great tech job is being able to defrag your mom's computer, then lie to your hearts content, I am sure they wont notice...

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Could you try to sound a little more holier than thou next time?

I probably could.

All I'm saying is that starting a job based on a lie probably isn't the best way to go about things. Especially lying about an illness in the family. That's just shady and speaks to your character. If an employer or co-worker found out it could go bad for you. It could tarnish your reputation within the company and possibly within the industry (depending on its size).

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Assuming you are applying for a job and that your goal is to get and keep a job

To remain working for a company, you shouldnt give them any grounds for dismissal.

Lying on a resume is grounds for dismissal.

Conclusion? Holier than thou or not, you would be better off not lying on your resume.

Previous health issues should not prevent you from getting a job, it's discrimination. Like it or not people discriminate and if it was me I wouldn't have an issue not telling them about a personal medical issue if it does not affect me doing the job.

Let's say I had AIDS and wanted an office job. I don't need to tell them I have it, and I don't have to tell them I took 18 months off to deal with it.

If you lie about having education or more experience that's one thing, illness is another. Plus you wouldn't be putting anything on your resume that was a lie, there would be a gap of 18 months of employment.

[WilsonFourTwo]

And so ends another 'Could have been awesome' thread.....

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Previous health issues should not prevent you from getting a job, it's discrimination. Like it or not people discriminate and if it was me I wouldn't have an issue not telling them about a personal medical issue if it does not affect me doing the job.

Let's say I had AIDS and wanted an office job. I don't need to tell them I have it, and I don't have to tell them I took 18 months off to deal with it.

If you lie about having education or more experience that's one thing, illness is another. Plus you wouldn't be putting anything on your resume that was a lie, there would be a gap of 18 months of employment.

If one of the company benefits is health or life insurance, that health issue is eventually going to get out, no matter how much discretion you use.

I agree that its a singularly bad idea to lie in the interview process.

If your illness is going to effect your productivity in your new job you don't want that lie hanging over your head.

If its a health issue thats been fixed with the 18 months off, then thats your angle. I had to take 18 months off because of a sickness, but its handled.

If its a ongoing health issue thats going to effect your work then honestly your employer does have a right to know.

But its a tough question.

But lies always tend to rise to the surface.

[JustAnotherGuy]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Could you try to sound a little more holier than thou next time?

Eff you with your insult towards somebody who is honest. Obviously you are not an honest person. Don't try to drag other people down to your level. Thanks.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

Eff you with your insult towards somebody who is honest. Obviously you are not an honest person. Don't try to drag other people down to your level. Thanks.

Oh good, someone who knows nothing about me judging me. You are the perfect example of why not to tell people every little detail about your life in an interview.

Omitting an illness that I don't want to tell you about is not a lie in my eyes. Thank you for once again proving to me that people are judgemental and will discriminate at the drop of a hat.

But then I guess since I am obviously not an honest person that still makes you better than me. Funny how you can go around judging people you don't even know, lash out at them for no reason and think you are better than them. Preach somewhere else, I don't care what some interweb toughguy thinks of me.

[THE SCUD]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

Eff you with your insult towards somebody who is honest. Obviously you are not an honest person. Don't try to drag other people down to your level. Thanks.

He's a Vancouver fan in hiding - lying on a resume is just the start of a slippery slope towards rioting.