January 18th – The #NumberOfTheDay is 1
You have one chance to make a first impression, not only with your résumé but in all aspects of the job search.
- Will employers think you’re lazy if you don’t put together a customized cover letter?
- Are you really in tune with current trends and technologies if you don’t have a developed LinkedIn profile?
- How do you portray yourself if you respond to a text from a recruiter with a thumbs-up emoji instead of typing up a well-crafted response like, “I look forward to meeting you on Tuesday to discuss how I can help your team grow?”
- Will you seem interested in the position if you show up to the interview without in-depth knowledge of the company?
- If you are rude to a receptionist, what impression will that make on the hiring manager?
Everything you touch in the hiring process makes a difference.
January 19th – The #NumberOfTheDay is 274.3 Billion
According to The Economist, the world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil but data. This statement holds when preparing your résumé. By 2022, annual revenue from the global big data and business analytics market is expected to reach 274.3 billion dollars.
The key to preparing an effective résumé is to showcase your brand and highlight your accomplishment; there is no better way than to have quantifiable data that shows what you have accomplished. On your résumé, saying that you grew sales is fine, but showcasing that you increased sales 7.4% within the first twelve months tells a much deeper story.
I’m glad your project was a success, but I’d rather you show me that you completed your project $95,000 under budget and 2 weeks ahead of schedule.
As you go throughout your career, keep a brag book. Document your successes regularly, so when you go to prepare your résumé, you will have easy access to your quantifiable data. It can make a big difference in your career.
January 20th – The #NumberOfTheDay is 35
“Treat others the way you want to be treated,” 35 letters to live by. Seems like a pretty simple concept, yet more and more people tend to think of only themselves.
When it comes to your career, we have all had someone instrumental in helping us succeed. Yet some people only care about themselves, making more money, and moving their career forward.
As the country gets ready to inaugurate the 46th President of the United States, take time this week to thank someone who has helped you reach the pinnacle of success.
Tag someone you would like to say thank you to.
January 21st – The #NumberOfTheDay is 2
Back to the age-old question, “How long should be résumé be?” A résumé should be as long as it needs to be but not longer than it needs to be. In most cases, 2 pages are right on point. The idea that your résumé needs to be condensed to 1 page went out the door with Windows 95.
Don’t leave out content that could help gain new employment; however, most job seekers tend to overshare and overvalue the information on their résumé.
For many new graduates, a single page résumé is fine, and some senior-level executives may need three pages. Most mid-level professionals need 2 pages to correctly highlight their career successes without eliminating critical information or cramming so much into one page that the document becomes unreadable.
Preparing an effective, modern-day résumé is a delicate balancing act that integrates keywords into the document while capturing the essence of your brand. In summary, don’t be scared to use 2 pages as long as the content adds value.
January 22nd – The #NumberOfTheDay is 140.
According to TalentWorks, The Science of the Job Search, beginning each bullet point on your résumé with an active verb increases your hireability by 140%
When describing your accomplishments, make sure you use different action verbs within the same section.
Some of my favorite action verbs are Championed, Masterminded, Conceptualized, Fostered, Changed, Optimized, Cultivated, Streamlined, Captured, and Selected.
What are some of your favorite active verbs?
