What Rec2Recs Want to See on a Recruiters CV

What  Rec2Recs Want to See on a Recruiters CV Why does there  need to be any advice given to recruiters  about seeking a new role? Surely recruiters themselves are perfectly capable of writing the best CVs, given they are judging them all day in their roles? Well, while this might be largely true, recruiters still need to stand out from the crowd in order to secure new, competitive roles. Thats when such advice comes in handy. As an experienced Rec2Rec in the UK, I have seen tens of thousands of CVs over the last 18 years and I think that ultimately what a rec2rec wants to see from a recruiters CV  is very similar to what ANY recruiter wants to see from any candidates CV, regardless of their profession. I am a firm advocate of a CV reinforcing a persons profile. I don’t interview someone with a CV out in front of me; my  candidates will validate this. I am representing people, not CVs. I think writing a CV can actually be a very cathartic process especially for those who have not been on the market for a very long time. It can allow them time for  career reflection and strategy. So what do rec2recs want to see on your CV? Personal statement This is helpful if it is a one-liner about your career objective. It should be NO more than 2/3 lines. Billings Yes, we do want to see what youve billed. It doesnt have to say who you have billed with, but by showing the amounts youve made, we can assess very quickly that you are open and transparent. We would still interview someone who has maybe NOT billed well as this could be why you are on the market; perhaps you are in a declining market? But whatever the reason, you show us the billings and we know you will be open and honest with us  and our clients. Nothing to hide, right? Achievements This is not the same as billings. Have you helped mentor people? Have you won a large PSL  client? Have you successfully billed the highest fee in your company? Whatever it is, SHOUT about it! Concise chronological history Starting with CURRENT role, i.e. dates and position held. We dont need war and peace about your company or waffly descriptions, nor do we want a list of your tasks or responsibilities.   We want to see an overview of your role. Does it jump out at the reader? No? It is probably too lond. Shorten it and make an “elevator pitch”. Hobbies and interests Yes, you should have these on there if you do something interesting and relevant, like sports-related, or something else that enhances your life skills. But we really don’t need to see “socialising” or “walking my dog” on there. References Only put these on if you are happy for a prospective employer to call them! A decent rec2rec will reference check a non-worker anyway but if you are still working, think twice before you put it on. Social media links The first thing we do is check you out on LinkedIn and mores nowadays on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, so think about this before you stick photos up of yourself in your thong. Some extra tips: Keep the format simple and clean NO boxes or photos Make the front page compelling Read your own CV back to yourself and answer yourself honestly, would this CV jump out at YOU if the tables were turned? If you can’t write your own decent CV, a potential recruitment employer is going to question YOUR ability as a recruiter, so see your CV as your marketing tool! When putting your CV together, think, what advice would you give yourself?  Youre the professional recruiter, after all.

How to Plan Your 2014 Holiday Work Schedule

How to Plan Your 2014 Holiday Work Schedule The holiday season is a time for friends, family and festivities. That doesn’t mean, however, that your workload will disappear or even decrease. Consequently, managing inside and outside-of-work responsibilities can become particularly tricky, but not impossible. In order to balance your social calendar and job duties most effectively (and without driving yourself nuts) consider managing your holiday work schedule this year by doing the following: Work Ahead, Within Reason When you see your holiday vacation days approaching on the calendar, begin working ahead. Start taking bites out of projects weeks in advance to keep yourself from resorting to all-nighters in the week before the holidays. Be careful not to do things too far in advance, however, as requirements for projects could change closer to the deadlines. It may also be helpful to make a work calendar, specifying when you will tackle certain projects in the weeks leading up to any vacation days you have pending. If you find yourself unable to work in advance, try these 50 tricks to get things done faster, better and more easily in the weeks before your break. Find a Personal Replacement Don’t let your absence hold up major projects at work. Instead, choose someone to fill in for you â€" as much as possible â€" while you’re on vacation. Get this person up-to-speed before you leave, focusing on the areas that are most question-worthy. If, for example, fellow workers are approaching you regularly with inquiries about a particular assignment or aspect of an assignment, provide enough information so that your fill-in can answer questions about it. Make the office aware of your replacement in advance and allow only that person to text or call you over your vacation, so you can be sure that any urgent issues are being taken care of right away. Balance Tasks Realistically You may need to do some work during your vacation. It’s an unfortunate reality for some workingwomen, but it beats coming back to your projects in chaos. Don’t let your work overtake your social life, though. Make realistic goals regarding your during-vacation work accomplishments. You’re not going to be able to work everyday, and you shouldn’t aim to work in every available free hour. Vacations â€" and holiday vacations in particular â€"should be spent enjoying time with your company, so factor work in realistically. Find Your Quiet Place When you do need to tackle work duties from home, make sure you’re doing so in a quiet, distraction-free environment. The presence of family and friends will only impede your focus, prohibiting you from both completing your work and enjoying your company. In order to produce your best work most efficiently, excuse yourself to “your quiet place” â€" whether it’s a secluded room in your home or a café down the street. Don’t Take on More than Necessary The season is already busy enough with parties, get togethers and family meals â€" don’t offer to bite off more than you can chew when it comes to work. It’s important to be comfortable telling your boss that you can’t take on extra projects right now, although this can be somewhat difficult for many of us to do. Instead, offer to tackle any potential new projects upon your return. Only you know your limits; taking on more than that amount will result in inadequate work and lack of enjoyment during the season. By preparing in advance, maintaining a realistic vision and being as efficient as possible, enjoying your holiday vacation will be easy. You won’t have to spend your days away from the office working excessively or dreading your workload upon your return. With these planning tips and your own personal creativity, you can have one of your most enjoyable holiday vacations yet. In what ways do you remain productive over the holidays? I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below! Images by Viktor Hanacek and  Luke Chesser

7 Uncommon Ways to Make Your Resume Look More Impressive

7 Uncommon Ways to Make Your Resume Look More Impressive A resume is an important tool in helping you find a job. But for every work vacancy, there are a million other qualified applicants waiting to fill that position. Many HR personnel browse through hundreds of resumes per day, and they can only afford to spend a few seconds looking at each one. Handing out the same, old, boring CV could mean that yours will get thrown out in the “better-luck-next-time” pile. Traditional resumes often come in template black and whites, shying away from loud and colourful designs. Aside from their background and skills, most companies nowadays appreciate getting to know more of the applicant’s character through their resume. In this article, we list down 7 uncommon, yet effective ways to make your resume stand out. Add a Splash of Colour One way to express your personality or branding is through the use of colours. Different hues convey various meanings: red is used to demonstrate action or passion; orange is used to display determination or productivity; yellow is attributed to optimism and vision; green is connected with the environment or with growth; blue is often associated with trust and reliability; and purple is used to express luxury or inspiration. It’s safe to use more than one colour in your resume, but make sure they complement each other and your overall brand. Do not go overboard with colours to avoid producing rainbow-like resumes. Think of an Engaging and Intriguing Theme Create a theme for your resume that will grab the attention of prospect companies. Visual designer Eric Gandhi secured a marketing job at Google by drafting a resume that resembled the search page of Google. Sabrina Saccoccio, a producer-writer on the look-out for freelance jobs, banked on the popularity of Facebook by creating her resume in the manner of the social media’s interface. Philippe Dubost, a web product manager, advertised himself to possible employers by generating a resume made to look like an Amazon page. Your resume can also demonstrate what kind of interests you have outside of work. Show your passion for movie classics by drafting an old film poster themed resume. If you’re applying for a toy company, a cardboard game themed resume can put you at an advantage. Sell Yourself … Literally Applicants should use resumes to advertise themselves to prospective buyers or clients. Why not turn your resumes into actual products and literally sell yourself? Deliver a 4-pack beer resume at the front desk office. Create a missing man milk carton resume complete with brand logo, “expertise” ingredients and “nutrition” skills. Entice coffee loving employers with your very own coffee bag resume. And who can resist taking a bite if you send out a chocolate bar resume? Show Them What You Can Do When you’re applying for a skill-specific job, words are not enough to demonstrate what you are capable of doing. Aside from having your skills certified through various Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programs, employers need to have a clear idea of the level of expertise you have. One way to solve this dilemma is to actually show them what you can do, through a video resume. If you’re planning on scoring a music gig at a local bar,  include a short sample of your live performance. Seeing you on video helps company owners have a feel of your skills set and get to know more about the person behind the resume. Add Testimonials Instead of  placing names and contact numbers under the reference part of your resume, why not include a few testimonials? Testimonials are a great way for employers to assess your past performances, from the perspective of people you’ve worked with. You can get good quotes from thank you letters, reference letters from previous employers, and review performances on your LinkedIn profile. Choose quotes that speak directly to a specific skill that is important for companies that you are targeting. Make it Interactive When people are encouraged to participate in any activity, they tend to pay more attention to the speaker. The same holds true for interactive resumes. You can create a multi-platform game resume, where one can enjoy the graphics and at the same time be informed of the applicant’s skills, work history and references. One applicant even included a link to her website by putting a QR code on her resume. This one by web developer Guillaume Juvenet showcased his computer and creative skills by providing prompts and commands for viewers to specific parts of his CV. Interactive resumes are a great way to get noticed because they invite viewers to act and participate in an exciting activity. Maximise the Use of Social Media More than just creating an impressive resume, you need to make sure that it reaches a wide variety of audience. Fortunately, the Internet has come up with a number of social media tools to help you in getting your resume noticed effectively. Applications such as Pinterest can help combine your online portfolios and other important work information into one organised resume. This applicant used the Twitter video sharing service Vine to create a 6 second video resume. Online services such as About.Me can help applicants create beautiful and compelling graphic presentations and can help link all your social profiles in one page. If the presentation created is good, it gets included in their “most popular” section, where thousands of entrepreneurs, managers, and executives can view your page. But . . . Use These Tips With Caution! It is important to remember that not all companies may appreciate these unusual resume styles. When drafting a CV, applicants should take into consideration the company’s objectives and vision so they can tailor the style of their resumes A resume is your first introduction to any company you’re applying for. You only have a short time to catch the attention of the hiring committee. Drawing inspiration from these tips, you may now create a resume that can represent your creative side. A modern and out-of-the-box resume can boost your chances of standing out from a sea of usual resumes.  And that can  secure you an interview, and hopefully land you the job you’ve always dreamt of. . Image credits. Main.   Interactive.

Crafting a Well-tuned Online Business

Crafting a Well-tuned Online Business Running your own project is always an awesome feeling.  And seeing it blossom and take off can be a fantastic reward for all of the hard work and effort you put in. Sometimes though, too much energy can be invested in aspects that aren’t really doing all that much for the business.  That represents  time that could be utilized much more productively elsewhere. Setting up a business may feel like the biggest and most difficult hurdle to successfully overcome, but anyone can set up a business.  It’s what you do with it that counts. There are many ways to fine-tune your approach to help you get your business firing on all cylinders. Getting Started How well an online business fares will simply be down to how well you can cement a reputation and build a customer base.  But of course there is a lot that can be done to make this a reality. The first essential aspect to nail down is what you are offering. If you appear vague about exactly what kind of products you offer and the main drive behind your business intentions, your customers may not be intrigued enough to stick with your site, no matter how good you think it is. Have a Plan While it isn’t necessary to compile a 600-page dossier explaining the ins and outs of your current and future strategy, some solid planning can pay massive dividends. By having a strong idea of the direction you want to take, you can hone what is on offer and improve each process as you learn more about it. Equally, stressing out too much on the color of the website background and not considering how everything is presented will detract from the good work you are doing. While it is great to have a snazzy logo, spending more time on core business aspects will prove beneficial in the end. Having a catchy name is also useful. So in case you have a brainwave moment, make sure you write it down if you’re out and about so you can register the perfect domain as soon as you can. Once all of the fiddly website name stuff is sorted out and you have figured out which server to host it on, website work can begin in earnest. There are themes on many host servers so all of the hard work is already done in that respect. If you want more than that,  you can find professional freelance web designers online who can create the masterpiece you visualize. Learn From The Example of Others In case you’re sitting at home with some great ideas but you feel a little bit overwhelmed, it’s not a huge problem. There are a number of inspiring female entrepreneurs who have managed to run with an idea and turn dreams into a multi-million dollar reality. We could talk about all of them but you’d be sat here reading for days. However, there is some great advice to be found from some of these great women. Balancing all aspects of life is difficult, especially if the kids are nagging whilst you’re trying to set things up. Annabel Karmel MBE, recognized for being both a successful children’s author and food entrepreneur, attributes her career path to learning that “entrepreneurship is a lifestyle, not a part-time or full-time job”, and although you may have to work at all hours, you are always in control. Consider the Options It’s not like there’s only one type of online business you can set up either, so there’s no need to feel hemmed in. It’s quite the opposite in a sense, as you really have the freedom to choose how much effort and time you wish to put in, to determine the reward you will receive at the end. If you would rather earn a bit less and spend more time with the family, you totally can. Plenty of successful online businesses will appear way apart in what they offer, but they have all still achieved their goals. Established companies such as As Seen on TV didn’t just become huge overnight, and it’s a long road from inception to having a giant client base, but there are so many success stories to take on board and learn from. Bring All The Resources and Inspiration Together The great thing about the Internet, other than the fact you can actually set up a business by using it, is how much helpful advice is available to us from those that have been there and done it. Always try and learn from others and your own mistakes, and always listen to yourself. If you can bring it all together, you can craft a well-tuned business online and still have control of your life. Images: Main  SEOPlanter

Communication Styles in the Multi-Generational Workplace [Updated] - Career Pivot

Communication Styles in the Multi-Generational Workplace [Updated] - Career Pivot Generational Communication Style What is your preferred communication style? Would you prefer to: Write someone a letter Talk to someone in person Speak to them on the phone Write an e-mail Text them on your phone Each generation has a preferred communication style that was developed a long time ago! This does not mean that everyone within each generation communicates the same way, but there are clear generational patterns that directly correlate to the societal norms for when they grew up. Let me pose the question â€" when someone moved out from their parent’s home, how did each generation communicate with friends and family back home? Note: This post was originally published in November 2013 and was updated in December of 2018. Greatest Generation (Born 1900-1924) This was a period when you wrote letters. They were probably written in cursive! If you find letters from this time you will find that they often were beautifully written. My father and mother are from this generation. My father communicated home when he was serving in World World II by letters. Telephone communication was in its infancy and was expensive. Their preferred communication style is written. Silent Generation (Born 1925-1945) The rise of the telephone and long-distance calling made keeping in touch with home much easier. They talked to their friends and family. Many of this generation came of age in the 1950s and 1960s when just aboutt every home had a phone. Long distance calling was quite expensive but calling your friends in your neighborhood for hours at a time became common. Listen to the most recent episode Their prefer communication style is auditory. Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964) This is my generation and we used the phone. When I went to college we used systems like calling home, letting it ring twice and then hanging up. This was a sign to our parents to call us and pay the long-distance phone charges. Like the silent generation, we liked to talk to our friends. I am right in the middle of the baby generation, born in the middle of the 1950’s. My first job after college was working for IBM developing word processors. Being able to mass produce the written word was just in its infancy with word processors, the personal computer, and later email. Our preferred communication style is auditory. Generation X (Born 1965-1982) This is the first generation that had e-mail and other forms of electronic communications. Generation X brought back the art of writing … well, kind of. They wrote but not like the Greatest Generation. No more pen and paper. Learning cursive penmanship was on the decline. Then came the rise of the personal computer, word processing software, personal printers and finally spell checkers. This kind of writing was very different from that of the Greatest Generation. Their preferred communication style is written… well, kind of. Generation Y (Born 1983-2000) The rise of electronic communications was complete with this generation. Texting or instant messaging became the preferred method of communications. Like Generation X, their preferred communication was writing, but now it was really different from the Greatest Generation. Do not think of leaving a note written in cursive for a Gen Y! They may not be able to read it! Their preferred communication style is written… well, kind of. What is your preferred communication style? Does it match with your generational norms? Cross-Generational Communications This is where we get into trouble. What if you have an office full of multiple generations each with their own preferred communication style? What if you interacting with people of different generations in your job search? Let’s play a game! You come to work and you want to ask a colleague to lunch today. Their office/cubicle is a 5-minute walk from your office/cubicle. How do you approach them? Walk over and ask them face to face Call them on their phone Send them an e-mail Text them What would you do if you were: 65 years old 55 years old 45 years old 35 years old 25 years old Would you change your communication style if the person you are asking was much older or younger than you? Hopefully, I have gotten you to think! Can we adapt? YES! For example, many Baby Boomers and Generation X have learned to text better so they can communicate with their children. Here is the problem. Teaching Generation Y to adapt their communication style once they get into the workplace. This does not mean we all have to just text, e-mail or talk. We need to use mixed communication styles depending on who we want to communicate with. As a professional trainer for most of my career, I learned that I needed to adapt to the learning style of my clients or students. Similarly, if you want to be understood and get your message across, you need to adapt your communication style to the preferred method of the listener. As a Baby Boomer, I want my Generation Y employee to be able to clearly articulate in both oral and written forms (not texting). I may have to teach them that texting a baby boomer may not get them the results they want. I have told many generation Y employees, that if they want their baby boomer boss to listen to them, they need totalk to themand quit texting. Similarly, I may have to text my Generation Y employee when I need something from them! If you have not figured out, please do not leave a voicemailfor a generation Y employee as they probably will not listen to it. Just go ahead and text them. We all need to be able to adapt! There is no right communication style! Does this have an effect on how you will interact with recruiters, hiring managers, and others in your job search? What is your next step? This is the second in this series on the Multi-Generational Workplace. Read the rest hereMulti-Generational Workplace Series. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Log Off Your Computer

Log Off Your Computer My computer was broken, leaving me without one for almost a week. What an odd experience that was. I couldnt look up phone numbers or information. I felt disconnected because I couldnt get on Twitter. I couldnt check email or blog. As inconvenient as this was, it did force me to do things differently. In talking with a colleague we thought it would be interesting to ask job seekers to go without logging into their computers and smart phones for a few days to see what happens. Anyone up for that challenge? Part of the logic for asking you not to log in is that it will force you to do things differently- change behavior. Frequently, this is what needs to happen with your job search anyway. Remember the old adage If you continue to do the same things, you will continue to get the same results! It is so easy to hide behind the computer. Job search is not about applying to jobs on-line. It is about meeting people and building relationships. This is possible to do on-line, however, my hunch is that you arent really doing that. This challenge is about finding new solutions and it is asking you to be proactive. These are some of the behaviors that might change by going without a computer for several days: You stop sending emails to strangers and hoping for a response. You stop checking email every 15 minutes hoping there is an invitation to an interview You stop searching the job boards for the perfect job Instead of Googling for an answer, you pick up the phone and speak with a person Unplugging can be frustrating. But remember life before computers? What did we do? It is about building RELATIONSHIPS! Let me know if you try logging off and what happens.

How To Write An Objective In English Resume Writing

How To Write An Objective In English Resume WritingIf you are going to be preparing a thesis or research paper, it is important that you utilize an objective to show your employer the importance of what you have to say. A thesis example can help you write an objective correctly.Thesis writing is a very useful exercise in teaching students about what they should expect to find when writing a thesis. Students may be unsure of their own teaching abilities, so making use of a thesis example is a good way to make sure that they are using the right vocabulary. A student can find the lesson plan they need by finding a sample of an English thesis. This is much easier than actually completing a thesis, as it only requires a few sentences to translate into their chosen language.Thesis examples can be found online at the university's main website. This can be a great help for students who are unsure of how they should format their thesis. It will also make them familiar with the formats they wi ll encounter when preparing a thesis.English teaching is often considered as a learning experience. As such, your thesis should also be one that teaches other students, as well as yourself. This can make it easy for you to learn the correct English grammar as well as the right way to create a document to present your idea to your classmates. There are many things that you can teach your classmates through a thesis, but the one most valuable thing it can do is give your classmates a sense of the intellectual satisfaction that comes from completing a thesis.Abstracts are extremely important in professional writing, as they contain valuable information that can give potential employers a better understanding of your abilities. A good idea for a thesis is to write a short essay about yourself, where the focus is on you and not the institution that you work for. This is the way that you will gain more insight into your capabilities as a teacher.Using your specific skills, your passion, a nd your knowledge of the subject matter, you can give your potential employer a good idea of what they are getting. From there, the employer will be able to determine if they want to hire you based on these things alone. If the employer does decide to hire you, then you will have gained more experience in the field.Keep in mind that a thesis is a whole different type of English writing. As such, when you are preparing your thesis, it is important that you use other things to help make it clearer and easier to understand. This is especially true when it comes to English grammar and formatting, as they are somewhat essential to making the thesis stand out.One of the best ways to show your employer what you have to say in a thesis is to write an objective. A thesis example can help you write an objective correctly. This is particularly helpful for students because they have so many words that they can use to explain themselves and why they deserve the position that they are applying fo r.