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Spring Cleaning for Your Job Search

Spring is finally here and that means spring cleaning is in order. However, we are not talking about scrubbing your floors and getting rid of household clutter. This spring we are discussing spring cleaning to prepare for your job search. In today’s competitive job market it is crucial that the first items you submit to an employer are representing your best self.

Resume:
A resume is essentially an advertisement, and you are the product being sold, therefore, sell yourself in the best way possible. Make sure the look of your resume expresses the up to date look of the industry. If you are still using the same format you have for years, you may need to reevaluate. Make sure that it includes information about yourself currently and has an updated/polished layout and graphics. Be sure you have your resume in different formats such as .pdf, Microsoft Word and text only in case the company needs a different file format.

It is crucial that your resume is only one page. Although you may have more information than a page, a resume surpassing one page will not be taken seriously. Make sure you tailor your resume to each job application you apply for. This way if you have more than a page of information, you can put the most relevant information that relates to the position you are seeking.

Focus on accomplishments within each job experience and include them on your resume. This also entails using concrete details. For example, if you increased sales at a company by 65%, include this in the job description.

Cover Letter:
Since the job seeking market is highly saturated, a cover letter template used across all applications is not going to help you stand out. Employers can recognize when there is a generic cover letter that has the position and company copied and pasted into the blanks.

Tailor your cover letter’s formality to the formality of the company. This means if you are applying for a creative graphic design position your cover letter should look much different than if you are applying for an accounting position. If you are applying for a creative position, use your cover letter to show how creative you are, and if you are applying for a position where results and percentages matter the most, make sure to include concrete evidence showcasing your accomplishments.

Social Media:
Facebook is not the only social media outlet you need to ensure is professional. Make sure you consider all of your social media accounts, such as: Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter. While some photos and posts may seem appropriate to you, they may not be to a different audience, so take some time to consider all the audiences that could be potentially viewing your accounts. With technology and social media becoming so important to employers, make sure when you google your name, nothing questionable appears.

Check your privacy settings. While what you post to your own profile may not seem offensive, ensure that what other people are tagging you in is also appropriate. This means including privacy setting that allow you to review other people’s posts before they are published to your page. Just because you are not direct friends with a possible employer, does not mean there are not ways they could potentially view your profile.

If you need a helping hand with your spring cleaning, The Wilson Group, is at your service. For more tips and information visit our website.

Clean Up Your Resume

When looking for a job, your resume is the first impression you will give to a potential employer. Essentially a summarization of your professional self on paper, your resume is a reflection of your skills and past jobs. That being said, your resume should be clean and organized in order to provide the best possible first impression to employers. We want to help you spring clean your resume, so try these tips to tidy it up!

Watch the Length: A resume should not exceed one or two pages. If your resume does, try sizing down or changing your font. Go no lower than 11 point font, however. Decreasing the size too much may decrease your resume’s readability. Also, try shortening down sentences. There is no need to be overly verbose when only a word or two would work just as well.

Remove Fluff: Only include the most relevant and recent jobs and skills in your resume. You may have an extensive list of past jobs, but not every single one needs mentioning. You can tailor your resume depending on what type of job you are applying to. For example, you may have worked in the oil industry previously and are applying for a position in another oil-related company. When submitting your resume to this company, include your past oil job. But if you are applying to a job in another field, perhaps remove it if other previous employment is more related to the job you are applying for.

Organize: Your resume should be easy to read and in logical order. Begin your resume with your name and contact information which should be bolded or in larger font than the rest of your resume so it catches employers attention and is easier to find. Instead of having bulky paragraphs with your information, try using bullet points. Easier to read and less intimidating than long paragraphs, bullet points will help make your resume look clean and simple. Also, make sure to list your past employment in chronological order, going from most recent to oldest.

After you’ve completed your resume, always proofread it, carefully checking to see if it flows well. Maybe have another person read and edit it, as well! When you are ready, submit your resume to us here and we can start your job search!