Tag Archives: resume

How To Use Social Media to Build Your Resume

Posted on December 24, 2015 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

Have you ever been frustrated when you submit a resume for a open position and never hear back? The problem might not be that you were an undesirable candidate, but instead that you did not successfully tailor your resume for the company AND the position.

Tailoring your resume for a certain job is “resume 101” and many people do it every time they submit for a new opening. However, the job market is very competitive these days and to get noticed you have to go a step further than your competition.

In almost every case, the company that you are applying to has profiles on multiple social media outlets. Below, we have outlined some examples of information you might find on a company’s profile and how to integrate that successfully into your resume or cover letter.

1. Charitable Causes

Especially around the holidays, companies will post about their efforts to help their favorite charity. If you visit an organization’s social media profile and notice a lot of activity in this area, take note of the type of involvement the company has in the charity (food drive, fundraising, volunteering) and include similar experiences you have had on your resume’s “volunteer” section.

2. Networking Events

Networking is the best way to get a job offer. Companies use social media to highlight their networking efforts, often tagging organizations that they are involved with. If you notice a networking entity that you can get involved with, do it! Make it a point to seek out the company representative at the event and introduce yourself. You can then include this networking organization on your resume.

3. Lack of Social Media Presence

If you notice that the company is not very active on their social media, then they might need an employee that would be willing to take the reigns. Brush up on your own social media skills and include your interest in your skills section. Social media is made for the masses, so you don’t have to be an expert to be effective. Make sure to be honest with your comfort level, even a beginner can make a big difference if they are consistent.

4. Articles of Interest

Many companies share articles that they think their peers and customers would be interested in. If you look back on these articles you will begin to see a pattern that shows what the company finds relevant for their industry. Use this pattern as a guide to what issues you need to brush up on for the interview and cover letter. While these topics don’t really have a place on your resume, your cover letter would greatly benefit from including them in some way.

Bottom line: Social media is a wealth of information, so make sure you use it to your advantage!

Posted in Career Advice | Tagged resume |

Recruiting 101: Reading Between a Resume’s Lines

Posted on March 16, 2014 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

Recruiting 101: Reading Between a Resume’s Lines

Have you ever wanted to hire someone from the first glance at his or her resume? Sometimes a well-crafted resume is a huge relief during a drawn-out hiring process. But how do you know if a person will hold up to the promise of a good resume? Here’s 3 questions to consider:

1. How do they describe previous jobs?

Perhaps the area where you can get the most insight into a candidate is in how they describe his or her previous jobs. A resume isn’t complete without listing the most important responsibilities at previous position (and if this is missing it should be a red flag!). More specifically, descriptions of previous jobs should prove that a candidate made a significant contribution to the company and performed skills relevant to an apartment job.

2. How has their career progressed?

A resume may be perfectly formatted with a long list of skills; however, if a candidate has not demonstrated progress within their career—movement up the career ladder—then you may need to reconsider. A pattern of stagnant professional growth in the past could (and most likely would) continue if you hire a candidate like this.

For example, if a candidate has spent many years in leasing is there a reason that they never moved up to a management position? On the other hand, if only high-level positions on a resume are listed you should be curious how they got there. Applicants may have great reasons for a lack of natural progression on his or her resume; but if they haven’t shown growth in their career then it would be a good idea to ask why.

3. How is their resume formatted?

The typical resume follows a template listing education first, or if not then the candidates most recent job. Some applicants may also include an ‘Objective’ or ‘Career Summary’ section first. While there are many ways to write a resume, applicants with an unclear, distracting, or completely unconventional resume should be examined closer.

Standard resume formatting works well for a reason—employers know what to expect and where to find certain information. Dates of employment, job titles, and listing a city (Houston, Austin, etc.) or address should be clear at first glance. If a resume is unorganized then it could be foresight into an applicant’s work habits.

Good-looking resumes can be persuasive, but if you read between the lined you may discover that a candidate who looks perfect at first glance isn’t right for the job at all. Consider these 3 questions before hiring, and ask about a resume’s details during the interview process.

The Most Frequent Apartment Job Resume Mistakes

Posted on February 16, 2014 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

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The Most Frequent Apartment Job Resume Mistakes

Some of the most common resume mistakes are also some of the easiest to avoid! According to AOL Jobs hiring managers said they wouldn’t consider a resume if it had the following mistakes: typos (61%), copying large amounts of words from the job posting (41%) and resumes with an inappropriate email address (35%).

Here’s how to avoid these mistakes as well as other frequent mistakes:

1. Strange Fonts and Sizes

An apartment job resume is not the time to show off you artistic abilities—keeping your resume formatted in a standard resume template makes it more likely that it will leave a good impression on its reader. Resumes with difficult to read fonts and multiple sizes are distracting, more likely to confuse a hiring manager than impress him or her.

2. Not Including Complete or Up to Date Contact Info

Usually a hiring manager will reference your resume in order to contact you for an interview. Triple-check for any typos on your phone number, address, and email address and make sure to feature the information at the top of your resume.

3. Irrelevant Content

Beginning with your most recent, most relevant job, your work experience should progress back in time. Leave out any jobs that are completely irrelevant to the apartment job you are applying for, and make sure to include any apartment work experience. If you are applying for an apartment job but have no direct experience, try to showcase positions or jobs that required a similar set of skills.

4. Typos

Even if all of the information on your resume is outstanding, a small typo can catch the eye of a potential employer, leaving a bad impression. Typos will come across as unprofessional and suggest you rushed writing your resume. Double and triple check for spelling, grammar, and typing mistakes! A little time spent making sure your resume is perfect will pay off when you get the call for an interview.

5. Too long or Not Long Enough

Most resumes should stick to about a page in length, with mandatory Work Experience and relevant Skills sections. If you resume is too long you risk jumbling its focus, and if too short you may come across as inexperienced.

A hiring manager in a competitive job market like Houston may review fifty applications for one apartment job; and with just one of these mistakes a resume could end up in the trash. Avoiding these mistakes will set you apart from your competition and one step closer to getting the call for an interview.

Posted in Career Advice, Career Blog Categories | Tagged apartment job, career advice, Houston, Job Search, resume |

Making Your Administrative Job Resume Stand Out

Posted on February 5, 2014 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

5 Ways to Make Your Admin Resume Stand Out

To land an admin job your resume has to not only show that you are qualified for a position, but also that you are the best person for the job. This means that your resume must embody the skills an admin position requires—organization, multi-tasking, and professionalism. Here’s our top 5 ways to make sure your admin resume stands out from the pile:

1. Use Good Formatting

Administrative jobs require the utmost levels of organization, and your resume should reflect your skill for keeping things in order. If a jumbled, disorganized resume floats across a hiring manager’s desk they are less likely to hire you and more likely to assume that you are likewise disorganized. Keep your resume clear, concise, and following a traditional template in order to get noticed.

2. Showcase Your Achievements

Under each previous position you have held you should include a brief description (bullet points) of your job duties. Showcase your achievements by including ways in which you excelled at work, for example training someone else, making the office more efficient, or other ways you improved at your position. When possible, use numbers or percentages to quantify and demonstrate these accomplishments (For example: Customer Satisfaction increased by 30% while I served as a Customer Service Rep).

3. Highlight Your Relevant Experience

Your resume should progress from your most recent work experience to your least recent. Any positions that are irrelevant or too long ago to be relevant should be left off. Note: If you do not have direct administrative job experience you should evaluate previous positions on how well their demands could transfer to an admin position. Work where you were in an office, providing customer support, or even sales could be valuable in the eyes of your resume’s reader.

4. Recognize Your Special Skills

One of the best ways to set your resume apart is to include a section at the end for your special skills. Additional training, software knowledge, or language skills are a few examples of what you may chose to include. Most resumes will look the same to a hiring manager, so use this section to go the extra mile and get noticed!

5. Double Check for Errors

Administrative jobs are highly detail-oriented, and as such having errors on your resume could be a major turn-off to an employer. Double and triple check for grammar and spelling errors to avoid having your resume tossed out at first glance.

Applying for administrative positions is competitive, but following these tips and acing your interview will set you apart and show that you are the best person for the job.

To apply for an Admin job with Hire Priority, you can submit your resume here.

Posted in Career Advice, Career Blog Categories, News | Tagged administrative job, career advice, Job Search, resume |

Writing a Standout Healthcare Resume

Posted on January 16, 2014 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

How to Write a Standout Resume for a Healthcare Job

The expanding healthcare industry is more competitive than ever when it comes to applying for jobs. Because healthcare jobs are so desirable, a resume can make or break your chances of getting hired. Here are some of the best ways to make sure your resume stands out on a hiring manager’s desk:

1. Use Keywords
Hiring managers usually skim a resume when they first receive it, which means that your resume must have something to catch their eye. Mixing in keywords related to the position you are applying for is one of easiest ways to do this.

2. Keep it Relevant
Your resume has one goal—to prove that you are the ideal candidate for a position. Any information that does not further this goal should not go on your healthcare job resume. If you do not have extensive relevant experience, focus on recent related experience, training, or education in order to impress.

3. Highlight Your Specializations
In Houston and Austin the healthcare industry is expansive, and highlighting your specializations will signal that you are qualified for a specific area and set you apart from the competition. When writing your resume, seek to not only list your specializations but also to demonstrate how you have achieved success in them.

4. Organization is Key!
A jumbled resume is a quick way to turn a reader off from your job application. Avoid confusion by sticking to a clear-cut, easily readable resume with your objective, experience, and education listed concisely in separate sections.

5. Customize Your Resume
In a tight job market, healthcare professionals may be tempted to send out the same resume to many employers at once. Customizing your resume will stand out to employers by highlighting that your skills match the position and that you willing to put in effort to get hired.

Whether you have years of experience or are looking to make a career change, structuring your healthcare resume with these tips will help give it the boost you need to get the call for an interview.

Posted in Career Advice, Career Blog Categories | Tagged career advice, healthcare industry, healthcare job, resume |