How to Make a Resume Stand Out From the Rest

How to Make a Resume Stand Out From the RestDo you have the formal writing skills to make a resume stand out from the rest? Does it matter if you do not have the formal writing skills? There are many reasons why having the formal writing skills would be helpful and could even increase your chances of getting a job.First of all, having the formal writing skills will help you in writing a more professional looking resume. The only way to make sure that your resume stands out from the rest is to make sure that your resume is well-organized and formatted. And that starts with having the best resume writer you can afford. Your resume writing skills might not be good enough to get you a job if you do not have the professional writing skills to make it look professional. Besides, your resume will actually be seen by the hiring manager will want to see what your resume has to say about you and your abilities.Having the formal writing skills would also give you the confidence to express yours elf well in your resume. If you have done well in school or even during college or high school, your resume could also include you speaking about your academic achievements and accomplishments. Of course, you cannot just make a list of accomplishments. You have to put in your efforts to make sure that your resume will stand out from the rest.Aside from putting in your efforts in making your resume stand out from the rest, there are other things that you can do to make your resume stand out from the rest. Having the formal writing skills will also help you in putting up your resume well in front of the hiring manager. Instead of having a long or short resume, you will only have one that will fit the person. And the more professional looking it is, the better.When it comes to making your resume look professional, there are a few things that you can do to get a good look. For example, you can use graphics in your resume instead of using regular text. Graphics are easy to use and easy t o read. Also, you can even combine graphics and regular text to make your resume look more professional.You will also find that having the formal writing skills will mean that you have the ability to explain yourself in a very professional manner. You will know exactly what you have to say and how you should talk about it in your resume. And you will be able to make your resume stand out from the rest. Having the formal writing skills is also something that you can use when trying to convince the hiring manager of your abilities.So if you are going to make a resume, make sure that you make the most of your formal writing skills. It will definitely help you make your resume look professional looking.

How to Take a Vacation When You Are the Boss

How to Take a Vacation When You Are the Boss Entrepreneurs can take a vacation whenever they want, right? After all, they are the boss. But reality is often far different. Sebastien Dupéré, President CEO of Dupray Inc. says he hasn’t taken a vacation in a decade. “My business is my baby and I simply cannot stand to be away from it from more than a few days at a time. It’s exceedingly difficult to unplug,” he says. On average, American workers reported using just 16 days of paid time off in 2014, the lowest level in nearly 40 years, according to Project Time Off, a coalition dedicated to encouraging Americans to take vacations. Those who are self-employed may be even worse at getting away. In 2014, OnDeck found that just 57% of small business owners surveyed said they planned to take a vacation that year, and just over a quarter of those (26%) were only going to take a few days. For many entrepreneurs, the “time is money” mantra figures into their mental calculations of how much a vacation will really cost them. “I lose money when I’m not working,” says Donna Lubrano, a consultant and adjunct faculty at Northeastern University. “I’m a solopreneur; there is no staff to keep things going while I’m away. (If) I don’t work, no money is generated and no new business is generated, either.” She compensates by taking a day or two here or there when she can. Jennifer Bright Reich, co-author of “The Mommy MD Guide to Losing Weight and Feeling Great,” has been self-employed for over a decade and says she’s always taken family vacations (often to Disney World) with her sons, now 9 and 10 years old. But she brings her laptop and tries to get at least some work done. It hasn’t been easy. “I tried to minimize work, but it was always stressful,” she says. “So often it felt a project would implode while we were on vacation, and I felt torn between my work and my family.” Getting away from your normal routine can be essential to enhancing creativity and problem-solving. In addition, Project Time Off has compiled research that demonstrates numerous benefits associated with taking time off. Among them: less risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks, and decreased risk of depression and stress. Yet turning that knowledge into action can be tough. Bob Sullivan is an independent journalist and author of the book, “Getting Unstuck: Breaking Free From The Plateau Effect.” He’s written about the importance of taking vacations, but admits he has struggled with it himself. Last summer, for example, he says he worked “ahead” for a month so he “could get an honest 2-3 week break and leave town. Then, on my road trip, an amazing opportunity came about that would basically pay for my vacation with only a day or two of work. How could I say no to that?” Like many who are self-employed, it’s hard to resist the siren’s call of work and the income it can produce. “I know, it’s a first-world problem,” he says. “But it’s very, very hard to say no to money when there’s no guarantee of money coming in the future.” How to Get Away Perhaps a two-week trip to the Caribbean or Europe isn’t feasible given your commitments to your business. That doesn’t mean you have to forgo a vacation all together. Here are a few option to consider: Try Workcations. If all else fails, try Dupéré’s approach. He calls it a “workcation” and describes it as “working remotely at a place significantly nicer than the office.” For example, members of his team were recently on a workcation in China. After a three-day trade show in China, he and members of his team stayed an extra week to work from China. “A workcation is the type of thing where we can get as much of a vacation vibe that we can get without disconnecting from our business,” he says. A bonus: Travel expenses for a workcation may be tax deductible; check with your tax advisor. Cash in Your Rewards. If you’re putting everything into your business, you may not have the funds to foot the bill for a getaway. If you have a business credit card with rewards, however, you may be able to use the points or cash you’ve earned to pay for airfare, lodging or other expenses, making your vacation free, or at least very cheap. Reich is a Disney Visa cardholder, for example, which she says earns her “about $1,000 a year” worth of points that helps defray the costs of her visits to the Magic Kingdom. Relax. Even if you only take a short break, try to disconnect completely. “When was the last time you really allowed yourself to rest?” writes Nav CEO Levi King in an essay, Work, Rest, Play. “I don’t mean slump in bed staring dull-eyed at your Facebook feedâ€"I mean rest, in the full-on sense of a cat curled up in a sunlit window.” Any new parent can tell you that one good night of sleep can feel miraculous, and make you a better parent. The same thing is true of your relationship to your “other” babyâ€"your business. With ample rest, you’ll both be healthier. Case in point: When Reich’s mother passed away unexpectedly a few months ago, she took a solo trek to Disney. She brought work along, but kept it to a minimum. “I totally let myself off the hook!” she says. “I kept up with email. I did read some. But otherwise I maximized the vacation for what it really was for: relaxing, rejuvenating, reflecting and remembering my mom. And I came back a better, more focused person, better able to work and cope.” Gerri Detweiler is head of market education for Nav, which provides small business owners with free business and personal credit scores, and helps them create financially healthy companies. She is the coauthor of “Finance Your Own Business:Get on the Financing Fast Track” with attorney Garrett Sutton.

10 Differences Between The Job Search Of Today And Of Yesterday - Work It Daily

10 Differences Between The Job Search Of Today And Of Yesterday - Work It Daily Job search has changed drastically over the last few years. If you want to succeed in today’s job search, you'll have to take a much different approach than your parents did. Here are a few things that have changed: 1. Google Has Replaced The Resume Recruiters are now using Google and LinkedIn searches to find talent, instead of paying for job board or talent databases, like they used to do. In fact, many companies are even mandating every new application go through a Google screening process. So, that means the first page of your Google results matter more than they ever did before during a job search. 2. A Summary Is Enough Today, the resume is used mostly in the screening process while actual decisions are made after interviews. And, because there are so many candidates competing for each job, HR people (or hiring managers if they are tasked with recruitment) often scan resumes very briefly. In fact, the average time on a resume is 30 seconds. 3. Social Proof Is A Must Social proof, testimonials, or recommendations seriously reduce the perceived risk of you as a candidate. The most costly mistake a hiring manager can make is to hire the wrong person. Some say that if a new-hire leaves within three months, it costs the organization one and half that person’s annual salary. And with the economy as tight as it is, you can understand why hiring managers are so risk averse. 4. Resumes And Cover Letters Are Not Read On Paper Anymore Most organizations are not receiving paper resumes and when they get them via e-mail or their application system, they don’t print them. So, expect your resume and cover letter to be read on a computer screen. This means you have to format your documents in a way that makes screen-scanning easy. 5. Relationships First, Resume’s Second Resumes are not used as introductory documents much these days. In fact, “send me your resume” is often an after thought after an introduction is made. And if an introduction is made online, then your online profile offers much more information than a resume. So, shift your priorities from, “Oh crap, I have to get my resume done!” to, “Oh crap, where can I meet some more people today?” 6. Employers Only Care About What They Want In years past, a resume or job application was focused on what the job seeker wanted. This is not true any more. Now, an application, resume, or cover letter must speak to what value the seeker can bring to the organization. How can you bring value to the company and how soon can the company realize that value. 7. Don’t Mind The Gap Large gaps in your resume are not as important as they used to be. Not only do employers today realize than millions of great and wonderful people got laid off, they also appreciate it when candidates showed initiative and tried to start their own thing. 8. Nouns Are The New Currency Screening software and LinkedIn talent searches have introduced an unexpected element to the way a resume should be written. Because these tools rely on nouns or keywords to deliver search results to recruiters, the resumes with the right combination of nouns often win. If you want to succeed in today’s job search, make a commitment to learn how to research keywords and how to use them appropriately on the page. 9. Everyone Has A Personal Brand - Yes, Everyone 10 years ago, not many people even knew what a personal brand was, let alone was having one really that accessible. These days, even if you don’t know what it is, you still have one. And because recruiters and hiring managers are just looking for red flags, inconsistencies in your image or messaging will prevent you from passing screening. Even if you never touched a computer in your life, you have a personal brand as well as an online reputation. So, you have to decide, will you be in control of your image or will someone else? 10. Typing Isn’t A Skill Anymore Being able to type used to be a skill people would highlight on their resume. Now, you have to know how to type just to have a resume. What really matters is well you’ve prepared yourself for the application. You have access to more information about a company than generations past. As a result, expectations for preparedness are much higher. To really shine, focus on customizing each resume and cover letter. It’s better to send off a few very targeted applications then it is to spray and pray. Special thanks to the following people for their valuable insights for this post: - Sean Harry, career coach and author of Careers 2.0 - Vicky Lind, career counselor and marketing coach - J.T. O’Donnell, founder of CAREEREALISM and career coach Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!