How to Market Yourself to Prospective Employers by Ken Docherty, Certified Professional Resume Writer

Classic job hunting revolves around the traditional method of responding to an ad, then getting an interview and job offer. However, if you have unique qualifications or seek a bigger role, it might not be the most effective approach. Although as a professional resume writer in Calgary, I believe that a professional resume can certainly give you an advantage over your peers in securing an interview, there are steps you can take to market yourself into the perfect opportunity.

Develop Specific Goals and a Targeted List of Employers

Turn the tables on your job search outlining your goals and determining the companies that best suit your interests, values, and personality. Clearly define what you want in your next position, perhaps even going so far as to map out your dream career path. Remember to set goals that are within reason.

Research which companies offer the opportunity you desire and share your interests and values. A bit like a marriage, employment relationships built on shared interests and values tend to last longer and be more fulfilling than those that are not.

As you define your goals, think about which of your attributes and skills will help you achieve them. These are what will help you add value to a company and should be what you focus on marketing to your future employer. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) in Calgary, I can help you define your goals and strongest attributes and highlight them in a way that makes sense to an employer.

Connect with People at the Company

Employees of your targeted company can be a surprisingly effective way to open the door to your next role. They can be an excellent resource about company culture, as well as niches you might be able to fill. Ultimately, current employees are your best opportunity to get a referral. Vendors, consultants and community partners can also be helpful in your efforts to connect with a company.

If it is a local company, try to find ways to meet "insiders" in person. A few ideas to consider:

·         If the company sponsors charity events, volunteer to help.

·         Find out where the employees go after work and attempt to make friends, remembering to present a positive, professional image as you socialize.

·         Contact the company and request the opportunity to do a job shadow.

·         Seek out employees on LinkedIn and try to arrange a coffee date or a cocktail after interacting online.

Obtain a Referral or Make a Cold Call

If your effort to connect with company insiders proves fruitful, ask for a referral when you learn of a job opening or ask for an introduction to the boss. Even if there is no job opening, meeting a hiring manager can plant seeds that might grow into a future job offer.

Cold calling is an alternative if you cannot build the connections you need to get a referral. Relationships can take several months to a few years to build, whereas cold calling has the potential to get you in the door immediately. Referrals tend to be the most effective, but cold calling can be quite memorable for a hiring manager because it is not customary for a candidate to be so direct.

Follow-up with Grace

Keep your name top of mind by following up after a successful interaction with the company. Employees who have been gracious and hiring managers that took your cold call should be on your list of people to thank. A brief, handwritten note of gratitude on a nice thank you card is a gesture that can leave a lasting impression.

Prepare a Personalised Cover Letter Resume

Interview opportunities can come up quickly if you have been marketing yourself to an employer! Be prepared with a brushed up resume or CV in advance, and feel free to take advantage of my professional resume services in Calgary

  

Are You Managing Your Personal Brand for Success?

Are You Managing Your Personal Brand for Success?

If you think brands are the exclusive property of companies, think again. Your "personal brand" might be the difference between finding the job of your dreams, or spending years in career limbo.

In order to make the most of my Calgary resume writing services, perform a little due diligence on your end to bring personal brand in alignment with you...r resume or CV.

Understand the Term

Personal brand does not mean you need a logo and a colour scheme, what it means is that you are comfortable being who you are and are confident enough to share yourself boldly with the world.

Comprised largely of perceptions of who you are, a personal brand is an amalgamation of:

• Your online presence
• Track record
• Personality
• Appearance
• Interests

Understanding the state of your personal brand is as simple as running your name and province through a series of online searches. Results will be similar to those that a potential employer sees. As you analyse, put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter and look for anything that could throw up a red flag, for example, something that is inconsistent with your resume.

Why Personal Brand Matters

Along with your resume and cover letter, various bits of information lingering in cyberspace come together to create a sketch of your personality and attributes. They result in first impressions that can determine whether you will get the opportunity to compete for a position.

Personal brand also matters while employed, especially if you have a prominent position or work with a reputable local company. For example, if you hired me to be your resume consultant in Calgary to help you land a senior-level sales position for a local printer, you would want your personal brand to reflect your passion for print. You would not want to focus your personal brand on electronic media and marketing materials.

Showing you are comfortable with yourself is one of the most beneficial aspects of managing your personal brand. To many recruiters, this level of confidence can be irresistible. Your personal brand can be an excellent way to share interests, opinions, and the ways you are preparing for the future. Those pieces of who you are do not normally come through on a formal resume or CV.

Managing a Personal Brand

Define how you want the world to see you. Do you want to be known as a conservative professional who studiously gets results or do you want to be seen as a gregarious marketing professional? Each of these types of brands has different needs.

Next, look at what is publicly visible on Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn. Each platform offers some control over how your information shows in search results. Account settings in Google and Facebook can control privacy and search engine visibility. The 'public profile' is what LinkedIn shares with search engines. Modify visibility to meet your needs, and delete content that is contrary to the image you wish to portray. Finally, update your profile pictures to display a professional headshot and proceed with a smart strategy about what to post.

Allow your personal brand to develop with you, naturally. As you learn new things and take on new interests, share your findings. Be proud of the steps you take to improve and advance, even if it is in contrast to something you did before.

Bringing your resume in line with your personal brand is also especially important if you are in search of a new position. As a certified professional resume writer in Calgary, I can help identify how to bring your brand to life with a professional resume. Please feel free to contact me today to discuss your goals and timelines.

How to Deal With Workplace Politics

How to Deal With Workplace Politics by Ken Docherty, CPRW www.expertresumewriter.ca

As a professional resume writer in Calgary, I often hear clients recounting incidents of office politics gone wrong. However, office politics are not always negative nor do they always have to result in job loss. Understanding how to respond and to develop a few strategies to turn the dynamic in your favour can help your experience with office politics be one that yields positive results.

Recognize That Politics Is a Necessary Dynamic

Have you ever asked your coworkers to support an idea or defended a colleague's actions to your supervisor? If so, you have engaged in office politics.

People rarely achieve consensus, even in small groups. Hence, people naturally resort to a variety of strategies to gain an advantage, achieve power, or garner support for an idea. More often than not, your response is what determines whether it is a positive or negative experience.
Office politics play a role in your success, and your ability to navigate the dynamic can be the difference between a fulfilling or frustrating career.

Build Positive Relationships

Neutrality is one of the most effective strategies to deal with workplace politics. Rather than forging alliances and taking sides, focus on building positive relationships with peers based on results and trust. Avoid building a relationship on a foundation of personality, values, and preferences, as it might result in a friendship-like a dynamic that will work against you in the future.

Abstain from Making Disparaging Remarks

Although talking down about a co-worker, boss, or company initiative might feel good for a moment, long-term it has great power to damage your reputation. In the future, somebody will use it against you in order to gain an advantage.

In the event you find yourself in a situation where your coworkers are gossiping or blowing off steam by making disparaging remarks, try to remove yourself from the situation. If that is not an option, refuse to make negative comments and instead focus on facts.

Listen, Agree, and Understand

Disagreements can be frustrating and occasionally lead to personal attacks. Rather than taking offence and reciprocating, listen to your co-worker and look for areas in which you can agree. Additionally, call out the personal attacks as inappropriate to alter the tone of the conversation and assume a bit of power.

Try to see the situation through his or her eyes. Ask questions, listen actively, and validate their position by agreeing with whatever points you can without compromising yourself. Your objective should be to grasp the other party's motivations and needs.

Compromise

Rarely will you get everything you want out of a situation when other people are involved. Be flexible and look for win-win solutions. Over time, this will earn you respect and trust, which will help you achieve your career goals.

Be the Adult in the Room

Negative office politics can result in childlike behaviour, for example, gossiping, the "mine" dynamic, and intimidation or bullying. You can discourage these behaviours and position yourself as a leader by being assertive, straightforward, and fact-based in your communications.

Additionally, focusing on the positive and emphasizing benefits will help change the tone of a conversation and make it easier to negotiate a compromise.

Finally, exercise a good sense of humour. Few things can break up a tense situation and ease an awkward situation like laughter. When you are successful with office politics, note the positive results and consider including them on your resume as evidence of your interpersonal skills. If you choose to hire me to be your professional resume writer in Calgary, I might be able to help you identify examples that are suitable for your resume.

How to Be an Effective Leader in the Workplace by Ken Docherty, CPRW

How to Be an Effective Leader in the Workplace by Ken Docherty, CPRW - Expert Resume Writer Calgary. www.expertresumewriter.ca

You've seen it in most of your target job descriptions, it comes up routinely in the annual appraisal, yet what does an employer really mean when they ask for "leadership skills". How should that be incorporated into your resume? As an experienced Calgary resume writer and former executive recruiter, I have found that clients have real difficulty i...n identifying and articulating these sought after leadership qualities. I hope you find this article useful in shining a light on what an employer really means when they ask for these qualities.

Leadership in the workplace is no longer a top-down affair in which only the boss has ability to make decisions. Modern workplaces expect employees to demonstrate personal leadership in order to drive results. Even if you are not in a formal leadership position, behaving like a leader can also help place you in position to receive promotions or unique assignments. Additionally, when you act like a leader, we can highlight that on your resume when you allow me to be your professional resume writer in Calgary.

The following 10 tips will help you become a recognized leader in your workplace.

1.Manage Workplace Drama with Skill & Diplomacy:

Gossiping, talking down about colleagues and supervisors, bemoaning company policies or, worst of all discussing pay, will place you on a fast track towards job dissatisfaction and possibly jeopardize your career.

2.Believe in Yourself:

Leadership can be a lonely place. Though people naturally follow leaders, there is also an inherent level of resentment that accompanies that role, which ultimately leads to isolation of the leader. When this happens, you have to believe in your decisions and your abilities.

3.Ask Questions:

Do not assume you know everything, even if you are an expert in your field. You always have opportunities to learn more. Your colleagues, boss and reports often have valid reasons to justify their actions, and there is always more to the story. Asking questions will help you garner respect.

4.Deliver Feedback Consistently:

Good leaders regularly share feedback with their teams. Feedback is both negative and positive. It should not be a big deal and should feel as natural as talking about the weather. Your team will come to expect and appreciate consistent feedback. Note: Avoid giving negative and positive feedback on the same behaviour at the same time.

5.Role Model:

Followers naturally mimic their leaders, so role model the behaviours and attributes you want to see in the people around you.

6.Inspect What You Expect:

Every manager in training hears a variation of this phrase and for good reason. You must follow up to make sure the results you are getting are the results you need.

7.Earn Trust and Procure Buy-In:

Trust will come naturally as you demonstrate your ability to make good decisions and get results, and if you have solid communication skills, you can garner trust in the early stages of a relationship.

Buy-in is a different spin on trust; it is essentially what happens when you get another person to agree to do something. An example of buy-in procuring phrases could be, "Do you think you could do abc for us?" "xyz is the goal. How will you help us achieve it?"

8.Listen:

Every leader should be highly skilled in the art of active listening and not merely “hearing”. Whether it is listening to conversations around you for clues, hearing out a frustrated colleague, or trying to diagnose a performance issue in your team, listening is one of the most important skills to possess.

9.Recognize Success:

When somebody does a good job, it is crucial to recognize the win in a timely manner, and in a way that is appropriate to the level of achievement.

10.Encourage Creativity and Collaboration:

Even though the job market is tough, skilled colleagues and team members have the ability to go elsewhere when they feel disengaged from the decision-making and creative processes. Allow people time and space to come up with creative solutions and involve them whenever possible in decision-making.

No matter what your position may be, you can enjoy the benefits of leadership by acting the part on the job. For example, you might see your workgroup achieve goals nobody thought you could achieve, and all because somebody in the group stood up to lead. Few things are more satisfying than feeling confident in yourself and seeing others around you rise to the occasion. Additionally, few things are more powerful to include on your resume or CV.

How To Develop An Effective LinkedIn Profile

by Ken Docherty on 12/13/13

How to Develop an Effective LinkedIn Profile - www.expertresumewriter.ca

One of the best steps you can take to complement your investment in your resume, besides hiring me as a professional resume writer in Calgary, is to create a compelling LinkedIn profile. Although most employers still require traditional resumes, a LinkedIn profile can be a more active version of your resume and provide added insight into your professional network.
Choose an Appropriate Profile Image

LinkedIn is akin to a non-stop virtual networking mixer. Would you wear a mask to a networking event in person? Not likely, so use a current headshot on your LinkedIn profile. Few things diminish your credibility like having no picture or an image of something besides your smiling face.

Make your Headline Pop

As the most prominent piece aside from your picture, the headline is a hook that should pique the interest of potential employers and colleagues. Like any intriguing headline, yours should offer a preview of you, but without giving it all away. Headlines can only be 120 characters, so make your words count.

Pay Attention to the Summary Section

As LinkedIn is all about first impressions, draft the first paragraph to highlight your top skills or accomplishments and include just enough biographical information to humanize your profile. For example, compare the following two examples:

•"I have been serving clients for 10 years with XX brokerage"

•"As a 10-year veteran of the financial services industry in Calgary, I have highly developed knowledge of current regulation, a talent for identifying emerging markets, and a sincere devotion to my clients' success …"

In the second example, you discover this person has at least a decade of experience, is local to Calgary, and claims expertise in three areas of significance to his or her industry.

Experience Section: Details Matter

Much like the body of a resume, the experience section is where you detail work history and experience. Mind the details and make sure the dates, titles, and names accurately reflect your resume or CV. Recruiters will likely check your LinkedIn profile and will be wary of inconsistencies.
Add photos and links to online content to both the experience and the summary sections. Portfolio pieces, images and YouTube videos that show you giving talks or presentations will help your profile carry greater weight than descriptions alone.  As your professional resume writer in Calgary, I might also be able to draft compelling summary and experience sections while I help you develop your resume.

Participate in Groups

Networking is easy when you join groups that discuss areas of your expertise. Participate in conversations and show your expertise through involvement, not self-promotion. Ask intelligent questions, share interesting content and offer specific examples when you discuss your personal experience to foster connections.

Interact with Peers

Aside from groups, interact with your personal network regularly. Endorsing your peers for skills, making intelligent comments on material they share, and thanking them when they endorse you are effective ways to connect. Recommendations are another key element, so be sure to give them and request them regularly. Remember that interactions are often reciprocal in that you receive when you give.

Stay Active and Engaged

Like most social networks, the key point of LinkedIn is to show you are active and engaged in your industry. With interactive examples of your work and the chance to learn more about you as a person, LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to raise an employer's interest.

With effective networking, your profile can even bring offers to your doorstep. If you would like assistance polishing your LinkedIn profile, consider hiring me to provide professional resume services in Calgary, and we can discuss your LinkedIn profile at that time as I offer a preferred rate for existing clients.

5 Things an Interviewer Wants to See from You

5 Things an Interviewer Wants to See from You
by Ken Docherty, CPRW www.expertresumewriter.ca

What an employer wants to see in job applicants is surprisingly straightforward. Aside from qualifications, employers want to know if you will add value to the company. While every company and recruiter has unique requirements, these are what many of my clients who utilize my resume services in Calgary are most concerned about addressing.

1. Passion for the company, job, or industry

If choosing between two promising candidates, many employers choose the one who is most excited about the work, even if he or she possesses fewer qualifications. Why? Because passionate people require less energy to motivate, train, and manage.

2. A mix of relevant experience and trainability or adaptability

Workplaces are dynamic, so portray that you want to learn or will adapt your practices to meet the needs of the company. No employer wants a new hire that comes off as a know-it-all or has reservations towards learning new techniques or skills.

3. Dependability

Beyond punctuality, dependability encompasses your availability, consistency, and loyalty. How can you demonstrate dependability? Arrive early for the interview, respond to correspondence promptly, and be willing to change your schedule to accommodate the requirements of your future job.

Consistency through the recruiting process will help assure the employer you will be consistent at work. This is a bit challenging to demonstrate, but entirely possible. Format your cover letter and resume or CV in a consistent manner. As your resume consultant in Calgary, I can help you ensure your formatting is consistent and distinct.

During interviews and other correspondence, use consistent tone and word choice. While interviewing, maintain your natural, professional composure and be consistent in how you structure your answers.

4. Soft skills

Soft skills are those you learn through life experience, as opposed to those you learn through formal education. Examples of these attributes are critical thinking, interpersonal savvy, positive attitude, composure, and emotional intelligence (EQ).

To highlight these skills, answer some interview questions with concise stories from your previous jobs and life experience. Remember to keep the story to the point and positive. Try using this structure:

1.       Situation: Explain the need to know who, what, where, when, why, and how, elements of the story.

2.       Action: Talk about actions you took to respond to the situation. Remember to be positive and factual.

3.       Result: Lastly, share what happened after you took the action.

5. Ability to follow direction

Job postings often include directions about how to apply or sometimes contain "tests," such as how to format your resume or questions to address in the application. Fill out all forms accurately and completely. Count on receiving directions before, during, and even after an interview. Identifying and following all directions will prove that you have the capacity to do it on the job.

More than qualifications…

Besides adequately highlighting your qualifications, you need to demonstrate other attributes that prove you are easy to work with and will be an effective contributor. To showcase your "other" attributes, consider me to be your professional resume writer in Calgary, and keep the above points in mind as you write cover letters and participate in the interview process.

How to Construct an Effective Cover Letter

How to Construct an Effective Cover Letter, By Ken Docherty, CPRW www.expertresumewriter.ca

For almost every job, a cover letter is an essential part of the application. Effectively constructing your cover letter can open the door to the interview. As a provider of resume services in Calgary, I can attest to numerous examples of cover letters that fast track an application to the "No, thank you!" file. Although I will customize the structure, tone, and content of each letter to suit my resume client’s needs and overall objectives, I’ve put together a general overview for you should you need a basic ‘how to’ when drafting your own cover letter.

Appearance and Format

Help your cover letter to stand out by keeping it clean, simple, and professional. Above all, carefully proofread, so it is free of grammatical and spelling errors. Self-editing is not trustworthy, so enlist help from a friend or family member, or from me, your resume consultant in Calgary. Double-check the spelling of the company's name and person to whom you are addressing the letter.

Follow standard business formatting guidelines, as seen in this image. For a digital version, format your cover letter and resume as a PDF. For a hard copy, consider using unique paper stock and custom letterhead.

Tone and Structure

The tone should be positive, direct, and professional; it should also be free of quips and idioms. Moreover, write to a person, not an entire organization. Focus the letter on how you will add value to the company, not your skills and experience. Three to four paragraphs is an appropriate length. 

First paragraph: Introduce yourself and discuss why you want the job. Briefly mention your most relevant experience and emphasize why the company or the job interests you. Be specific!

·         Avoid generalizations such as, "… because your company is a leader in XX industry…" or "…I want to work with a quality organization…" 

·        Instead, mention something specific about the company that intrigues you. For example, "…because xyz Company has recently been awarded “preferred vendor status” with xyz…" or "…having read the 5-year strategic plan outlined on your website, I passionately believe that I have a winning combination of technical skills and business nous needed to help you attain those targets in your target market…"

Second paragraph: Next, discuss how your unique experience, skills, and attributes will add value to the company. Look for clues about what to highlight in the job posting. For example, if an employer asks for an outgoing personality, mention you enjoy working closely with clients, because of xyz reason. If the job requires specific technical skills, mention your certifications and summarize your experience with those skills.

Third paragraph:  Depending on your style and the job, you might want to include a third paragraph or a short list of bullet points to highlight specific examples that substantiate key points in the second paragraph. Share specific examples that are not included on your resume or CV. Be prepared to discuss these examples in detail during an interview.

Conclusion: Graciously close by thanking the reader for his or her time. Always include when and how to contact you, and insert a statement such as "I look forward to speaking with you in person about this position."

Make it Count

While not every employer requests a cover letter, it is always wise to compose and send one with your resume as it can help differentiate you from other applicants. Aside from standard formatting, you might also personalize the letter and make it unique by adding a head shot, links to your social profiles, or link to your online portfolio or website.  

Above all, be positive, specific, and direct to make your cover letter a worthwhile read and an effective tool to pique the employer's interest. For help constructing your cover letter, consider me as your personal professional resume and cover letter writer in Calgary!

Message From A Resume Writing Client

"Hi Ken, I just recommended your services to my brother 10 minutes ago. I want to thank you again for helping me with my resume earlier this year. I'm nearing the end of the contract I got with the help of your resume. (The job is awesome, by the way). The resume and cover letter you wrote helped me out a lot. It was the difference between sending out 100 resumes for 1 interview and in the search for my current job, sending out 5 resumes, getting 4 interviews, and then choosing who I wanted to work for.

 I recommend that anyone looking for work gets a professionally written resume. It completely changes the dynamics of a job search. Before, I would send out hundreds of resumes, to get one or two, maybe three interviews if I'm lucky. After getting a professionally written resume, I was able to focus my job search on getting a good job instead of just finding any job. Searching for my current job, I sent my resume out 5 times, got four interview offers, and after doing some more research I chose the company I wanted to work for, rather than hoping someone would take me.

 This job is more than just another job for me, it's my first full time teaching job. If you're sitting at home and complaining about how useless your humanities degree is because the best job you can get with it is the one you had in university (I know the feeling, that was me for three years), try getting a professional resume and then target your job search to something you really want to do.”

www.expertresumewriter.ca

Thanks Scott!

Students & Summer Jobs - Professional Resumes

If you’re currently studying toward a diploma or degree, do yourself a favour – make sure you accrue as much practical work experience as you can prior to graduating!   

However, attaining these summer jobs may not be as easy as it used to be.  A recent Vancouver Sun article shed light on what a B.C. economist claimed would be a tough summer for students looking for work.  Citing an underperforming economy and higher youth unemployment levels than four years ago, Bryan Hu of Central One Credit Union told the Vancouver Sun that “There's uncertainty on the part of businesses. As a result, they're not hiring and for businesses that are hiring, they may be looking for more seasoned veterans in the workforce that have the experience necessary for the positions.”

It may not just be in Canada where students looking to add invaluable work experience to their resume could struggle.  In the UK where the coffee house is one of the traditional strongholds of the summer student, a major national coffee house chain advertised for 8 roles and received 1700 applications.  This is clearly worrying for those seeking to bolster their resumes and bank balance prior to returning to their studies. So what can be done?  Create a professional resume, put on your best suit, and walk into each and every retail store in your area and personally deliver your documents.  Give employers the opportunity to see you, talk to you, and understand what you can do for them.  Failing that, set-up your own on-line business selling trinkets or gadgets.  Show some initiative…it can all go on your resume!

www.expertresumewriter.ca/about.html

New Graduates & Work Experience

As a certified professional resume writer, former executive recruiter, and recruitment consultancy owner, I understand the value that work experience on a resume can confer upon graduates seeking entry-level roles within their chosen profession upon graduation. 

In spite of a recent CBC documentary highlighting the plight of many graduates, unemployed or underemployed with mountains of debt, I still receive requests for resume assistance from undergrads with zero work experience.  Usually, the reason given for the lack of work experience on their resume is that they wanted to focus on their studies, or that they received advice from an elder that working in the usual coffee houses or restaurants is beneath them and wouldn’t look good on a resume.

Nothing could be further from the truth. To be clear, having no work entries on your resume at the time of graduation will put you at a severe disadvantage when competing with thousands of other applicants for your entry level role.  An employer respects the drive and determination shown by graduates who can demonstrate an ability to balance their academic studies with regular part-time employment.  It looks good on your resume.

A recent client who worked at a well-known coffee house gained experience of working in a customer-facing role in a highly-dynamic working environment.  He had responsibility for delivering outstanding customer service, supervising junior staff members, enforcing corporate policies and procedures, adhering to safe workplace practices, opening and closing the store, processing orders, handling cash, and producing daily operational reports for management. He even won an award for outstanding customer service.  Not working during your studies is not an option.  If I were reviewing resumes with a view to recruiting graduates, I’d exclusively seek out candidates with work experience on their resume.