4 Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Resume

4 Simple Ways to Strengthen Your ResumeWriting a strong resume is an important piece of the job-seeking puzzle. Its difficult for hiring managers to take you seriously enough to call you in for an interview if they feel your resume doesnt clearly communicate the message that youre the right person for the job.The good news is its not difficult to write a resume that will make a lasting impression. By making a few adjustments, youll successfully turn a weak resume into one hiring managers cant resist.1. Know Your AudienceBefore you begin writing your resume, you should know the audience youre targeting. If youve written resumes for employers in the past and have only jotted down the bits and pieces of your job history that you remember, youre missing the mark.Employers want to know that youve designed your resume to show them you have specific qualifications that match those theyre looking for in the position for which theyre advertising. This means, its up to you to closely look over the job posting, determine exactly what the company is looking for, then add details about your professional career that prove you have the skills to get the job done.2. Strengthen the Top Third Many job seekers dont realize that the top one-third of their resume is the portion all employers read firstand is sometimes the only portion they read if they feel the information is subpar. To avoid having your resume tossed before the employer has a chance to get to the good stuff, be koranvers to add that good stuff to the top-third portion.A couple of ways to get this done is by adding a branding statement in place of the traditional objective statement, then adding a career summary (bullet-point list) underneath to highlight what makes you greatright in the first section of the resume.3. Add Affiliations, Awards, and HonorsA great way to reel in a hiring manager is to list your affiliations, especially if they relate closely to your field and the position youre applying for. Employers are always looking for candidates who bring new knowledge to the tableand showing you belong to a field-specific organization is just the knowledge theyd like.Also, take time to add your awards and honors to show youve been recognized in your field. If you have none that are field-specific but are still professional and showcase dedication and commitment, include them anyway.4. Shorten Paragraphs and Add Bullet PointsWhen writing job descriptions, you want to avoid paragraphs longer than five lines since they make your copy dense and difficult to read. Keep your paragraphs short by summarizing redundant statements and highlighting accomplishments in a concise manner. And when lists are appropriate, create bullet points to increase white space in your document.Its not easy to tell if youre creating a resume that is strong enough to get you called in for an interview. But by taking the steps above, you get yourself that much closer to fulfilling this goal.Its important to remember to brand your resume before applying to each new position for more information on branding check out my recent article 5 Key Areas to Target When Branding Your Resume. You can also get additional job search and career related advice by checking out our blog or following us on Twitter GreatResume.

How to Stay Focused at Work During the Busy Holiday Season

How to Stay Focused at Work During the Busy Holiday Season How to Stay Focused at Work During the HolidaysStaying focused at work during the holidays can get difficu look, jingle bellsgeschftszimmer parties, shopping for relatives, hosting events at home, planning travel arrangements the holidays bring about an abundance of activities and keeping track of everything can be difficult. Staying focused at work while youre juggling all of these responsibilities? Youd have better luck wrapping gifts with your eyes closed.Holiday stress can often lead to distractions at work and loss of productivity. For one thing, many employees try to cram their personal holiday tasks into their workday schedule. On top of that, the holiday season is one of the biggest vacation times of the year for managers and C-level executives. Typical oversight and supervision are limited, often making it difficult for employees to stay motivated and maintain a high level of productivity.If you find your motivation slipping away or youre having trouble keeping your head in the game, these simple ways to stay focused at work should help you get back on track.Leave your personal responsibilities at home.The fruchtwein distracting element during the season is your personal holiday errands, so dont bring them to work. Lets be real no one can completely focus on two important areas at once. Eventually one or the other will suffer, affecting your work productivity. To use your time most efficiently, you have to separate the two areas. Instead of using company time to plan personal events, consider taking a PTO day or two to wholeheartedly tackle your holiday preparations.Try to avoid multitasking.Yes, it is true that professionals need to be able to work on several projects at once, but in the same vein as separating your professional and personals tasks, you have to choose which projects are multitask-friendly. Its never worth trying to cram two or three projects into one workday. You may think t his saves time for holiday planning, but in the end, rushing through work only increases the likelihood that youll make a mistake. If that happens and you have to redo the work, youll ultimately waste more time. So if you have major projects coming up, tackle them one by one for maximum productivity.Organize your tasks.Before the holiday rush begins and youre desperate for ways to stay focused at work, sit down with a pen and paper, draw two columns, and outline the things you have to accomplish. Next, take those ideas and schedule a few items for each day. Having a comprehensive list of tasks will help put your mind at ease, and breaking up your to-do list into small pieces will make it more manageable. Nothing looks as bad on paper as in your mind.Start each day fresh and with a clear mind.Stress builds up rather fast, so dont drag baggage from one day to the next. Each night, mark off your completed activities and take time to breathe enjoy the satisfaction that comes with compl eting your goals. The following morning, think about your plans for the day. Instead of worrying about the days to come, focus on the immediate tasks at hand. Taking things one day at a time reduces anxiety and stress, and that will ultimately help you stay focused.Related Holiday Overload Steps for Balancing Work and LifeLimit your distractions.How many times have you caught yourself looking out the window, daydreaming about an upcoming holiday party? Or maybe you get sidetracked by trying to figure out how to both meet your Wednesday deadline and make it to your sons winter concert. We all face distractions in the arbeitszimmer, especially when the stress of the holidays comes around, but one of the easiest ways to stay focused at work is to limit them.Remove anything from your work area that has distracted you in the past. Whether its a photo of your children that lets your mind drift to old memories or the fidget spinner that you play with just a little too much, put those items away in your desk during the holiday season and save them for January. Do you spend too much time responding to emails? Block off a specific time each day to open up your email and check your inbox. If youre concerned about missing an email from your babo or important clients, set up desktop alerts for those people.Ask your family and friends to respect your working hours.Another way to stay focused at work is to keep your workday free from personal calls, texts, and emails. Co-workers understand this our professional friends get it. However, familymembers tend to have more difficulty seeing the boundaries, children and parents in particular. And because of the planning and gifts that need to be discussed, the number of calls and texts tends to increase during the holidays.Put your phone in a desk drawer and leave it there until after work. Ask your loved ones to not call or text you during working hours. Explain to them that it distracts from your work, sends the wrong message to co-workers, and hurts your professional image. Ask them to call your office if there is an emergency. Of course, this doesnt mean you dont love them it means you must set professional boundaries so you can ensure your productivity.Unplug from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram during your office hours as well. Social media and texting are two of the largest distractions to employees, and many companies have even instituted rules around social media usage while at work. Even if your company hasnt taken those measures, resist the urge to log in to social media at work if it isnt a job requirement save your posts, tweets, likes, follows, etc. for home or your commute. If you must use social media as part of your work, set aside time each day to update feeds and reply to comments so you can ignore it while doing the rest of your work.Take care of yourself in mind and body.Exercising is a great way to clear your mind, helping to limit distractions while youre at work. If your holiday res ponsibilities are keeping you away from the gym, you can still find ways to be active in your daily routine Take a walk around the office building or have lunch in the park. Park your car further from the door and use the stairs instead of the elevator. Test out the standing desk at the office. Look for any opportunity to get on your feet and move around.Dont forget to take care of your mind as well. Consider meditation or yoga. These activities are great tools to help reduce stress and keep you focused. Dont stay up until the wee hours of the morning try to force yourself to get at least six hours of sleep every night, even if that means you wont finish wrapping gifts until the next day. Adequate sleep leaves you feeling more alert and re-energized in the morning, which will help you stay productive when you get into the office.Resist the urge to overcommit.Its a good thing to volunteer to take on new projects at work it shows initiative and flexibility. However, now may not be t he best time of year to overwhelm your schedule with extra work. Resist the urge to take on new tasks. Explain to your co-workers that youve committed a certain number of hours to work-related projects, and you need theremaining time to accomplish your holiday responsibilities. Apologize for not being able to help and offer to pick up the slack after the holidays. fruchtwein team members understand that the holidays are hectic and everyones schedule is a little overloaded, so hopefully, you can find a balance as a team and accomplish everything that needs to get done.Keep in mind that not overcommitting applies to holiday activities as well, whether theyre personal or organized by your company. Just like you may have to pass on taking on new tasks at work, its okay to decline an invitation to an extra holiday party or cookie exchange. The time youll gain can be used to tackle some of the responsibilities you already have or get some extra sleep, both of which will help you stay focu sed when you get to work the next morning.Click on the following link for more workplace advice.Get a free resume critique so you dont have to stress about your resume this holiday season.Recommended ReadingWhy the Holidays May Be the Best Time Time of Year to Look for a JobHow to Stay Motivated at WorkRules for Office Holiday GiftsRelated Articles