8 Keywords to Look for in Every CV

8 Keywords to Look for in Every CV When searching for the best candidate for a role, it’s essential to reflect on which keywords an applicant uses within their CV. Paying close attention to certain keywords can help you easily identify a candidate’s marketable strengths and transferable experience. Below are 8 keywords you should look for within a candidate’s CV. 1. Coached When reviewing CVs regardless of the position you’re recruiting for look for candidates with the ability to not only support their own development but also their team’s. The capability to coach others shows a level of expertise in their industry, as well as demonstrating leadership potential for the future. Reflect on examples where a candidate has highlighted how they coached new starters or even facilitated training sessions. This could be coaching team members on how to use a new system or helping a colleague better understand a new way of working. 2. Exceeded All employers are looking for candidates that can excel within a role. By searching for the word ‘exceeded’ within an applicant’s CV, you’ll be able to establish whether a candidate can go above and beyond within a role, rather than simply doing the bare minimum. Whether it’s exceeding targets or exceeding client’s expectations, the best candidates will also be able to qualify their examples with facts and figures. For example, they might state that they “exceeded sales target by 25% within first 3 months”. 3. Achieved When filtering applications, it’s important to focus on an applicant’s accomplishments throughout their career, educational experience or even through their hobbies and interests. This will help you further establish whether a candidate has the right skills for the position you’re recruiting for and if they have the drive and determination to succeed. They might have they have achieved a specific qualification related to the field with an exceptional grade, won an industry award or had notable success in a personal project or hobby. 4. Presented Public speaking is a valuable strength, whether that’s speaking in front of a large group at a conference or lecture, or simply being able to present ideas to a group of colleagues. This keyword can help you identify a candidate’s confidence to speak about their area of expertise, as well as their ability to eloquently communicate with their colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders. For example, “Presented a performance update to management on a monthly basis.” 5. Influenced The proficiency to influence is key in driving performance or increasing productivity. Look for candidates who can influence others; either to achieve a certain outcome, secure new business or maintain an existing client base. Keep an eye out for candidates who have been able to use their influence to bring about positive changes within their prior employment. Has a candidate been able to persuade others to come around to their point of view, or used this strength to advise a client or stakeholder to embrace a change of direction? This skill will become more essential within management or consultancy roles. 6. Maximized When recruiting for a role in any industry, employers are looking for candidates who are able to be resourceful in the way they work to maximise results. So, it’s vital to find candidates who are able to showcase this marketable strength within their CV. Look for examples where a candidate has been able to maximize profits by reducing costs or maximise performance by implementing new processes or ways of working. Remember that the word maximized is not limited to company profits. A candidate could showcase their capacity to maximise through the training and development of themselves or other team members to attain better results. 7. Negotiated Negotiation isn’t a skill reserved for salespeople all industries can benefit from a candidate with strong negotiation skills. This could include a candidate who has experience of negotiating better rates from suppliers/contractors or negotiating a mutually beneficial agreement to a customer complaint or query. Search for candidates who can provide examples of when they have been diplomatic in difficult situations or worked with clients or colleagues to reach the best outcome for all. 8. Saved All employers are looking at better ways to save within their business, whether this is cost saving, reducing resources used or even being more productive in order to save time. Search for applicants who have been able to show specific facts and figures relating to the way in which they have saved time or money for their previous employers, and how they could replicate these results within a new role. For example, has a candidate introduced a new procedure which helped to reduce time on a project nor have they been able to save by making an agreement with a new supplier? By highlighting the keywords that candidates have used in their CV, you’ll be able to better select the most capable person for the role.

Professional Resume For Writing - How to Write a Professional Resume

Professional Resume For Writing - How to Write a Professional ResumeIf you are looking for a list of questions that you need to ask yourself when writing a professional resume, the first thing that you should do is read this article. It is meant to provide a set of questions that you will need to ask yourself in order to be as effective as possible when writing a professional resume.The next thing that you should do is read through this list of questions that you need to ask yourself when writing a professional resume. Once you have read through this list, you will be able to make sure that your resume is designed for maximum effect.First, you need to make sure that the content of your resume is comprehensive. In fact, this is what people are looking for when they are reviewing your resume. They want to see everything that you have accomplished and how your experience matches up with their own.If you are not able to answer any of these questions, then you should add an objective sect ion to your resume. In this section, you will be able to explain exactly what your objective is and why you are applying for the job that you are applying for. You will need to make sure that this is included in your resume.Next, you should also make sure that your writing style is appropriate. A good resume is an important part of your application package and you will want to make sure that you use it to its fullest advantage.It is crucial that you pay attention to this when you are trying to write a professional resume. The last thing that you want to do is try to follow someone else's resume or attempt to turn it into something that it is not.Remember that everyone is unique and no two resumes are the same. Your objective should be an indication of what your objective is. This is also a way to get your interests across in an objective which makes it easy for the reader to recall.If you follow these suggestions, you will be able to get a professional resume that you can be proud o f. You will also be able to use this resume as a tool to help you get an interview at your dream job.

Celebrity Branding Case Studies Kanye West, Serena Williams Joe Wilson - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Celebrity Branding Case Studies Kanye West, Serena Williams Joe Wilson - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I just got back from New York City and today is my 26th birthday.   I was going to blog about my time spent in New York, but I think Ill save that for another day.   I would have also blogged about my accomplishments to date and some future projects that youll be hearing about soon.   Instead of these two posts, I would like to tackle some celebrity incidents that have appeared in the news recently and share some branding lessons.   The three I would like to discuss are Kanye West at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), Serena Williams at the U.S. Open, and then Joe Wilson during Obamas health care speech.   I dont watch TV, so I missed out on each of these three events, but was filled in by stories shared on social networks and friends who spoke about it. In each case, a celebrity has stepped out of line and has brought negative attention to their brand. Some say that all press is good press, but I guarantee that a lot of people have lost respect for these stars and are not fans anymore.   In fact, I bet many people will cheer against them.   When it comes to your personal brand, you want to try and get as much positive exposure as possible.   When you become more and more well known, the stakes are higher and everything you do will be exposed to a greater audience.   In this case, the entire world heard about these three stories and they spread through many different forms of media very rapidly. 1.   Kanye West If you havent seen the VMAs from last night yet, then you still probably heard about this whole Kanye incident. During Taylor Swifts acceptance speech for Best Female Video, Kanye grabbed the microphone and gave a shout out to Beyonce, who was one of the other nominees for the award.   He said that Beyonce had the best video of the year and the crowd was not happy.   In fact, I heard that his publicist is no longer working with him and that he might be banned from future events of this nature.   From the social media side, there were over 5,000 tweets when the incident first occurred, and then suddenly over 50,000!   Taylor Swift fans on Twitter started the hash tag and trending topic #teamtaylor to support her. If you examine this more closely, youll notice that Kanye is one of the producers for Jay-Zs new album, Blueprint 3, which is coming out soon.   This media spark might be a huge promotion for it.   Of course Kanye, Beyonce and Jay-Z are all friends and work with each other, so there may be something sketchy going on here.   The results are clear: a People Magazine poll stated that 77% of people would pay money to see Kanye shut his mouth till New Years and another poll from TV Guide stated that 84% of people felt that it wasnt staged.   It was obvious that Kanye was either drunk, on drugs or all the above. 2.   Serena Williams Serena was defending her U.S. Open title in a match against Kim Clijsters, got into a verbal fight with the line judge.   Serena disputed a foot fault and supposedly she said that she would killer her.   This resulted in a penalization of one point, which ended up costing her the match.   Previously, she was given a violation for smashing her racquet.   Obviously Serena needs anger management classes or a shrink.   The results were that she was fined $10,000, which probably isnt a lot to her.   The video below has been viewed almost one million times since it was uploaded! 3.   Joe Wilson Joe Wilson is the South Carolina Republican congressman, who is now famous for screaming You lie! to President Obama during his healthcare speech to Congress last Wednesday.   Now the liberals and conservatives are up in arms wanting apologies.   This incident might have been a planned attack because the results were that Wilson and his Democratic opponent, Rob Miller, raised over $1.5 million dollars.   Punishments for this type of interruption can range from censure through a resolution or expulsion. Brand analysis All three of these celebrities have had their Google search results sprayed with poor headlines. What youll notice when you do a search for their name is that stories from major news outlets will appear towards the top, which is the first impression a viewer will get of their brands. Another trend for celebrities is that their Wikipedia page, which ranks high in search engines, will get blasted with their bad press as well, which creates a more powerful and consistent effect. What you can learn from these mistakes Dont do things just to get attention. Focus on building your brand in a positive light because youll have more rewards later and less stress. Think about the people who are already associated with your brand.   When you mess up, they look bad.   This can be the company you work for, your parents, friends, teachers, etc. Even if you mess up, try your best to remedy it as soon as you possibly can, otherwise social media will take over and word will spread faster than you can imagine. Branding is a long term process, so even if you attract a lot of attention with a stunt, your brand will get hurt in the future, based on what you do today.

4 Ways to Turn First Impressions Into Lasting Connections - Classy Career Girl

4 Ways to Turn First Impressions Into Lasting Connections Anyone youve ever met has decided whether they want to build a relationship with you within the first few moments of meeting you. There have been countless studies showing the time it takes to form a first impression can  be as little as zero to thirty seconds. Some people call it judging or making an assumption, and whether you agree that it’s right or not, we can all agree that these first impressions happen every moment of every day. Think back to the time you met your now best friend. Or the very first date with your spouse. For the most part, all of the significant relationships and opportunities in our lives have come as a result of positive first impressions. Making a good first impression is important in general, but it is especially critical for your career. Take the interview process, for example. Hiring managers are expected to make a judgment call on how well you will do in a particular job on the basis of a 30 â€" 45 minute conversation. Although I agree that it’s not the best way to make such a big decision, the fact remains that this is currently the main process we have to work with. At best, the pressure to make an appropriate first impression to a hiring manager, a future client, or a new team member can be nerve racking.  Here are 4 tips to ensure you effectively use your first thirty  seconds to make the right impression when you meet someone and lay the groundwork to build a lasting connection. 4 Ways to Turn First Impressions Into Lasting Connections 1. Look the part The first 3-5 seconds of meeting someone new is critical to setting the stage for the rest of the conversation.     Each person has a number of thoughts racing through their mind during this time. Do I like this person? Does she seem open? Do I want to get to know him better? It is extremely important to give off a friendly demeanor. One simple way to do this is to smile. This small gesture goes a long way. No one wants to get to know someone who looks unapproachable or standoffish. Along with a friendly demeanor, pay attention to your energy. Positive vibes win every time. 2. Be engaging Now that initial judgments have been made, the next 10 seconds serve to either reinforce the first impression or completely destroy it. Become an expert in sparking and maintaining conversation. The art of small talk is just that â€" an art. Take the time to hone your skills so that you are better able to converse with any person for any length of time. The key is to be authentic. If you are genuinely trying to learn more about this new connection you have met, it will come through as you ask sincere questions and really listen and internalize the responses. 3. Always have an agenda With the remaining 15-17 seconds, you should be trying to determine how you could build a mutually beneficial connection with this new person. This does not mean being an opportunist. Having an agenda just means you should be looking out for ways this person can be of service to your professional goals in the future and vice versa.     The fact is we are always connecting with people, but seldom do we stop to think about our connections in a deliberate and strategic way. 4. Follow through This is probably the most underutilized part of the first impression. Often times we assume that once the initial meeting is over, our work is done. This could not be further from the truth. Exchange contact info with the people you would like to cultivate a relationship with and ACTUALLY USE IT. You could make introductions between old friends and new connections, circulate relevant articles to people in different industries, or simply check in from time to time just to say hello. The art of building relationships begins at the first meeting, but it shouldn’t end there. Following these tips will make you a relationship-building machine in no time! Creating positive first impressions and lasting connections is the foundation for building a diverse and strategic network. To learn more about networking and career strategy, check out KIR Consultang Group today and sign up to join our community!

Writing a Resume Based on Skills - How to Write a Resume Based on Skills Instead of Education

Writing a Resume Based on Skills - How to Write a Resume Based on Skills Instead of EducationShould you decide to write a resume based on skills instead of on education? It's not necessarily the best way to go. Education can have an effect on your skills, but you don't want to be misled by a resume written for an educational purpose.There are many kinds of qualifications that you may find in a resume, including skills, specific skills, relevant experience, or specific results. The job requires these specific skills, so they are listed on the resume as skills. Often, however, a skill listing can lead a prospective employer to the wrong job. If the job is too technical, the skills will seem irrelevant.Most resumes still list the education and training for the position at the top of the resume, just like the skills are listed. Even if a company doesn't look specifically for any skills or specific education, they may see the education first. If they see a degree, they may assume that it' s the one they need to fill the position.So, how do you write a resume based on skills instead of education? Use the same format as with a skills-based education resume. Be sure to list the main job objective (the reason you're applying) along with your qualifications and specific skills.Next, list the results of those skills. Take the time to describe the results you've had in any field, such as a network administrator, medical transcriptionist, technical writer, or secretary. Finally, use the skill to describe how you would benefit the position. Make sure that it fits with the job description.Using the same information on both your resume and skills-based education resume will make it easier for the employer to determine the value of your qualifications. They also know that they're considering a skill-based candidate, not an educational one. In addition, you'll not only give them a skill-based resume, but you'll also know exactly what the company expects.Another thing to consider is the order of the resume. In a skills-based education resume, you're going to get a little more room to describe your qualifications. However, this doesn't mean that you should be limited to a skills-based education resume, especially when the skills apply to your career as well.Finally, because your resume is based on skills, it must contain both academic skills and non-academic skills. You may wish to list your skills on the right side, next to your education, so that you know you're being included in the same group.

2 fears shared by job seekers and my 2 cents - Hire Imaging

2 fears shared by job seekers and my 2 cents - Hire Imaging I’ve worked with job seekers for more than 20 years. Though every person and situation is unique, there are common fears that hold people back. In fact, in listening to what my clients (and others) say about what holds them back in the job search, I’ve discovered two fears that consistently top the listâ€"two that may surprise you. Scared to do the work Any professional career coach will tell you that finding a job is a job. You have to do the work. This is an easy concept to grasp logically. In practice, not so much. I work with very bright people whose intentions are genuine. Unfortunately, too many hope for a magic pillâ€"something that will happen so that things will just fall into place. Only in the movies. Too many job seekers have no plan, no strategy. They want a resume to blast out. Worse, they often want it a one-size-fits all because they “are open to anything”. Don’t jump to conclusions. When I’ve dug further, these people are not lazy at all. Once they realize what’s entailed, the truth comes outâ€"they’re afraid. Afraid that if they do the work and run out of all options without a job, what then? What if they contact everyone in their networks to come up short? What if they register on all the job boards, apply to company websites and get no interviews? They’re afraid of the unknown. They’re afraid to work at this job search without guaranteed results. But here’s the deal: there are no guarantees in this life. The good news is that forethought, follow-through and persistence   are what yield results. Not doing the work does not. Scared to ask for professional help A career coach or counselor can give you an outside perspective to help you identity your strengths, pursue your passions, and guide you through strategies and a plan of action to reach your goals. A good career coach can provide you with: Objectivity. A career coach is not typically deep rooted in your life. Even if you know the coach, he / she is trained to view your situation from a different perspective, to offer you fresh ideas or resources. Most importantly, a coach knows how to ask you the right open-ended questions to help you find your own answers. And without judgment. Support.   A professional coach wants you to succeed. Whether you’re trying to figure out what you want to do, find it, market to it or keep it, the coach’s goal is to help you go where you want to go. A good coach will communicate clearly with you and will not tiptoe around issues. A good coach will be direct but always respectful. Accountability. A career professional will ask you to explore what may be helpful to you; but will not tell you what to do. It’s like having a personal trainer at the gym. The trainer is right there with you, reminding you that you set goals when you miss a session or forget your shoes. You’ll be called out on not following through; and be given tools to push through your barriers. But you have to follow the plan to lose the weight and build the muscle. A common objection to asking an expert for help is cost. There have been times through the years when I have offered my services for free. Sometimes the person accepted; more often, they did not. The thing is, many people are afraid. Afraid they don’t look as good as they say they are. Afraid of any constructive criticism they might receive. But sometimes, they go all the way. One lady took me up on it. Armed with a new resume   and job search coaching, she faced fears   and landed a great new job. I’m in business of course; I do usually charge. It has to be comfortable for the client. Often, however, the job seeker has not considered the cost in not seeking professional help. If out of work, what does it cost each day without that income? If frustrated in a job, what are the daily costs of doing something one dislikes? Everyone is afraid sometimes. So am I. And the job search can be one of the scariest things out there. The key is to not let the fear stop you from keeping on to do the work-and get the help if you need it. There’s an acronym I love for fear: False Expectations Appearing Real. Photo:   Poppy Thomas-Hill

Creating a Growth Mindset to Gain Self Confidence

Creating a Growth Mindset to Gain Self Confidence Please read this guest blog from a client of mine. Its an uplifting story about the power of exploring who you are. I saw a great job description the other day Director of Operations at a downtown start-up. It had all the things that I want to be doing! I felt confident about meeting many of the requirements listed, even though I had never been a Director in my career. However, the other 20% of the requirements really made me doubt myself. I was worried what would happen if the management team found out that I didnt know exactly how to do something they wanted. So I put together my standard cover letter and resume and only changed a few items. I patted myself on the back for applying but had already accepted that I would never get the job. A short while later, I started listening to an audio book titled, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck. In the book she discusses two different mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. Fixed Mindset When you believe that you have a special gift, for example, that you are smarter than others because you performed so well on a test. This mindset results in people being afraid to fail and under performing after being labeled special. Growth mindset When you believe that it was your effort that helped you performed better than others on a test. These people enjoy the process of learning and dont worry about failure but, rather, getting better. Im putting these two very simply but the book helped open my eyes to how I was reacting to challenges in my career. Was I afraid to fail at this start-up? Do I stay in my current job because I know how to succeed or, at least, not fail? I then recalled something that happened during my high school years. Setback in 8th grade Apparently, in 8th grade I was given some kind of test to determine our place in high school and I didnt perform as well as I could have. My best friend and I had similar good grades in grade school but in high school he went into the honors track and I went into first track. I was crushed. Not only wasnt I in any classes with my best friend but also was labeled not as smart as him. Hard work overcame destiny If I were of the fixed mindset I would probably accept my fate and begin fulfilling the destiny that was handed to me. Only thats not what happened. I worked hard at my homework and I tried my hardest on the tests. At the end of my freshman year I had a 97% average in my classes and won the Algebra and World History awards for first track. They moved me up to the honors track for my sophomore year one of two people who moved up. In the honors track, the work was harder but the results were the same. I went from being ranked in the top 20 in school to being in the top 5 now that I was in honors classes. Clearly, Im proud of my achievements but it wasnt until I read this book that I realized what it meant. It tells me that I have the ability to learn new things and excel in unknown environments. Thats possible because my mind is capable of growing. Slipping into the fixed mindset This reflection also helps me realize that I regularly fall into the fixed mindset. I did this in college when I believed that I was supposed to be gifted or special because I did so well in high school and earned a scholarship to college. In college, I struggled. Lost my scholarship because of my low GPA and was kicked out of the honors curriculum. I often put it this way: I was playing not to lose, instead of playing to win. I was worried about my grades in college and making sure that they reinforced my gifted status. I turned away from challenges that might expose my weaknesses and I never really enjoyed the learning aspect of my courses. I clawed my way to a 2.98 GPA and accepted that I wasnt good enough to be a real mechanical engineer. Could I break the mindset? After working for a few years, I went to grad school an expensive, full-time, 2-year MBA program. I got my very first test back (in statistics) and failed it! I was in the lower half of the class. I was so emotional that day, fearing that whatever held me back in college was inside of me and I would never be able to overcome it. Fortunately, I was wrong. The difference this time is that I focused on the learning and the experience of grad school. I joined clubs, I wrote for the paper and I worked with other students to learn. Of course, I worked hard too. Turns out it was fun and I wound up getting into Beta Sigma Gamma a club for the top 20% of the class. Fortunately, I learned, again, that it was my effort, not my innate ability or any gift, that produced the results. Applying the growth mindset to my career Coming back to my recent job application, I have since remembered that lesson. I am capable of learning new things and excelling at them. The key is to embrace learning and letting go of the vanity metrics of grades and the fear of failing. I read an article on LinkedIn Pulse the other day that said managers at companies are too afraid to fail. I understood the benefits of trying new things but never really grasped what it meant to be afraid to fail. For me, it means embracing the problems/issues/challenges that your team/company faces and trying to learn and get better and, most importantly, letting go of the fear of failure and trying something that may not work. Playing not to lose, will always deliver lackluster results average at best. When it comes to applying for new jobs, Im now excited because I want to learn and take chances on the things that are new to me. Its the spice of life! What is really surprising to me is that my current job seems so much more interesting. Im pushing myself to see the issues we have and learn about how we got these issues. Instead of fearing these challenges and not knowing how to solve them, I want to try to figure it out! It turns out that when I put in the effort, I can learn new things and excel at them and get a lot of enjoyment out of my career.