25+ Information Technology (IT) Resume Examples for 2020

25+ Information Technology (IT) Resume Examples for 2020 An information technology professional resume sample is just around the corner.But first, think about this:Diagnosing system malfunctions. Quality-testing changes in the sandbox before deployment. Racing your coworkers in your rolly chairs when the IT director aint looking.This job seems coded specifically for you.You know youll excel at the IT job being offered, but how to prove it?How to write an IT resume that will showcase your exceptional skills?Dont worry! Its easy as plug-and-play. With just a bit of time and this guide, youll soon be talking about your professional IT resume at the interview.This IT resume guide will show you:Great IT resume examples better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.How to write an information technology resume that will land you more interviews.Excellent IT resume tips and examples of how to include skills and achievements.How to describe your experience on a resume for IT worker to get any job you want.Heres a sample resume for IT jobs made using our r esume builder:Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample Information Technology ITResumeSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowIf youre looking for specific resume samples for computer and information technology occupations, weve got them:IT Specialist ResumeSoftware Engineering ResumeEntry Level Software Engineer ResumeIT Project Manager ResumeProgramming ResumeWeb Development ResumeJava Development ResumeDevOps ResumeNetwork Admin ResumeSystem Admin ResumeData Scientist ResumeData Analysis ResumeWeb Designer ResumeUI Developer ResumeUX Designer ResumeNetwork Engineering ResumeComputer Tech ResumeTechnical Support ResumeSystem A nalyst ResumeQA Resume SampleCyber Security ResumeConsultant ResumeComputer Engineering ResumeOr check out our general Technical Resume Writing Guide1Whats the Best Format for an IT Resume?Like modern UX catering to ever-decreasing attention spans, you need to catch the IT manager's attention fiber-optic quickly.How?With the best information technologyresume format:How to Format an IT Resume with ExperienceGot experience working in IT before?Use the reverse-chronological format for IT resumes.This format emphasizes your tech duties, work experience, and IT work history.Recent work positions or current employment go first, with previous positions listed below that.How to Format an IT Resume With no ExperienceNeed an entry-level IT resume format?This time you wont simply fill them in on your past information technology duties and job responsibilities. Rather, you'll just use your bullet-point entries to talk up any skills and duties you did have related to IT.Don't have any profession al experience at all? In this case, your education area becomes the topmost section after the heading statement.Pro Tip: Save IT resumes in the PDF format, but check the job ad first to be certain a PDF is OK. Some Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) get jammed like an infinite loop on PDF formatting. An ATS functions by scanning your job application for certainresume keywords; if it's unable to read your resume file, they'll move on to the next applicant.Not 100% sure the reverse-chronological format is best for your IT professional resume template? See our guide: 3 Resume Formats: How to Choose the Best One [Examples]2IT Resume Summary or Resume Objective?You hopeto catch the IT directors eye like a 1 in a string of 0s.That's where an ITresume objective or resume summary.But which one?Lets look at the differences:Example IT Resume Summary StatementIf you have years ofIT experience, opt for the resume summary:A summary statement acts as a short introduction about you, letting the IT m anager understand your past tech achievements, computer skills, and professional background.Here are examples of IT consultant resume summaries:rightPersonable IT consultant with 4+ years of experience in a global technology firm. CompTIA A+ Certification. Scored region-leading QST rating based on internal review (98.76%). Seeking to leverage solid technical skills and abilities to advance my career as the next IT consultant for Linsang Group.wrongI have been an IT consultant for the last 4 years. In addition to my knowledge of various front-end and back-end duties, I also handle server infrastructure, hardware, software, and key maintenance and administration procedures.Do you see the differences?The wrong example sounds decent, initially. However, it doesn't have the impact the right example has without the personalization and the numbered accomplishments.Writers block? If youre having trouble getting started on your IT specialist resume, check out this guide: How to Start a Resum e: A Complete Guide With Tips 15+ ExamplesPro Tip: Personalize your IT resume example by dropping the companys name into your resume summary or objective.If youre craving more advice and examples of summaries for IT resumes, check out our guide: How To Write A Resume Summary: 21 Best Examples You Will SeeExample IT Resume Objective StatementIf you've got no professional IT experience, stick with the IT resume objective:An objective statement fills them in on your career aspirations rather than your IT achievements thus far. However, it still uses numbers to win them over.Here are examples of objectives for IT technician resumes without experience:rightDiligent support specialist with 3+ years experience with large cloud services agency. Obtained highest grades in build spec (100%) and quality (97.3%). Seeking to further IT career by growing with the Lansing team as the IT technician.wrongI am a support specialist eager to become a field technician. I dont have experience in field w ork, but coworkers often say that I am a quick learner. I am highly motivated because I enjoy being outside for work rather than behind a desk in a dismal, gray box.See the differences here? Lansing is taking a bigger chance by hiring someone without exact experience - in this case, a support specialist for a technician role. Youll need to show them that you have what it takes.In the Right one, we used some transferable skills from the cloud services company and some proud achievements for a quantifiable win. The Wrong one doesnt show enough to hold the IT managers attention.When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.Fancy more advice and examples of a resume objective for IT gigs? Check out our guide: 20+ Resume Objective Examples - Use Them On Your Resume (Tips)3How to Describe Your IT ExperienceWow. This is friggin awesome!Thats not only what youd like end users to say upon trying out any updates you push them - its the reaction you want from the hiring manager when they look at your professional IT specialist resume.To get there, youll rave about the experience on your resume in a way which stimulates their senses like the next big thing in VR. Heres how:Experienced IT Resume:If youve held one or more tech jobs before, youve got a head start. Still, pick the best tech responsibilities that match the companys interests.Take a look at these IT resume samples:rightIT SpecialistJanuary 2014 - December 2017Amazon, Seattle, WAKey IT Qualifications ResponsibilitiesCoached newly-hired IT specialists on advanced technical procedures.Assisted clients with diagnosis of software and hardware issues and concerns.Encouraged timely and relevant upgrades for clients products as necessary.Key IT AchievementsIdentified new parts-ordering sol ution which led to a client wait time reduction of 17% and an increase in client satisfaction by 39%Assisted IT director with administration applications, reducing workload by 19%wrongIT SpecialistJanuary 2014 - December 2017Microsoft, Seattle, WATrained employees in IT tasks.Helped customers with their products.Upgraded clients products.Tailoring your resume will not only help you find your ideal resume length, it will turn recruiters into believers: 6 Tips on How to Target Your Resume to a Job Description (Examples)IT Resume With No Experience:Never been in IT before? Switching fields within information technology?No problem. We just need to find a way to show them that youre worth your weight in Bitcoin.rightHelp Desk AgentJanuary 2013 - December 2015The Kall Center, New York, NYKey IT ResponsibilitiesCoached other help desk support agents on technical duties and managed hardware and software training on product catalog.Encouraged and influenced email and phone clients to make so ftware-pairing decisions based on budget and need.Instituted customer promotional survey to assess software demand, which soon became adopted call center-wide.Key IT AchievementsIdentified ticketing management solution which led to a queue reduction of 18%Assisted IT manager as liaison to clients on software updates, reducing workload by 49%See what we did here?At first, having a help desk resume doesnt seem too similar to a job in IT. But, we played up those duties and achievements which translate well for a resume in information technology - whether for an IT consulting resume or an IT supervisor resume.Pro Tip: Take some time to think about your past jobs. Which areas relate best to having strong IT skills and know-how? Pick those for your ITResume.But what if you have no past experience at all? Not to worry! See this guide: First Resume with No Work Experience Samples (A Step-by-Step Guide)4Is Your Education Section Underperforming? It Might Be.The education section - a waste of space, like unminified comments in your style.css, right?Youd better think again. The education section is a valuable part of the perfect resume for IT positions.So, how to make an IT resumes education section?Heres how to include your completed degree:2018 BA in Network AdministrationGolden Gate University, San Francisco, CA3.9 GPABut what if you are still completing your university degree?Heres how to list a degree that is still in progress:BA in Network AdministrationCity University of New York, New York, NYExpected Graduation in 2022And what if all you have is your high school diploma?List your high school, styling it like this:Townsend Harris High School, Flushing, NYGraduated in 2018If youve completed a degree, skip listing your high school.Pro Tip: On your IT specialist resume, when applicable, only include your GPA if it is as close to 4.0 as possible. Too low will hurt instead of help. We dont want that!Would you like some more ways on how you can make the best use of your tech resume? Then check out: How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips Examples]5How to Put Skills on a Resume for ITTwo things make IT management sit right up: a flawless software deployment and a great IT resume.So far, youve done a good job, but how can you make it great?Lets audit the computer skills to put on resume and include the perfect ones on yours.Skills on your resume for information technology are important, but only the right ones. Also, not too many and not too few.How do we add just the right amount to describe your IT job experience?First, make a list of some generic hard and soft skills to put on a resume for IT. Hard skills are specific abilities and know-how (e.g., Devops Debugger 5000). Soft skills are self-developed, life-learned attributes (e.g., people skills, adaptability).Here are some basic IT resume skills examples:IT Skills ListIT Resume Hard SkillsIT Resume Soft SkillsAgile DevelopmentAttention to DetailDatabase AdministrationTime ManagementUI / UXM ultitaskingDevops Debugger 5000 UseAnalytical SkillsFront-End Back-End DevelopmentTeamworkCloud ManagementCreativityData SynchronizationProblem SolvingHowever! These are good skills for a resume - for average technical resume examples.But youre not average, right? Dont let your IT resume be average, either. To make your resume unique, dont just list these generic skills relevant to all tech staff.Its time to browse the job listing and underline IT resume keywords that match their needs.Pro Tip: Type a bunch of your IT skills into an Excel column, with a number (1-10) of importance and relevance in the next column. Then, filter the worst ones down like a perfect query until you have the best 5 or 6.IT technician resume job description skills and requirements:Job objectives and responsibilitiesThe following represents the key activities that the IT Technician will be responsible for:Installing and configuring computer hardware, operating systems and applications [1]Conducting electri cal safety checks on computer equipmentMonitoring and proactively maintaining computer systems and networksReplacing parts as requiredTroubleshooting system and network problems and diagnosing and solving hardware or software faults [2]Monitoring Help Desk tickets and resolving user issuesResponding within agreed time limits to call-outsWorking continuously on a task until completion (or referral to third parties, if appropriate)Talking staff or clients through a series of actions, either face-to-face or over the telephone, to help set up systems or resolve issuesRapidly establishing a good working relationship with colleagues, customers and otherprofessionals, such as software developersSetting up new users' accounts and profiles and dealing with password issuesProviding support, including procedural documentation and relevant reportsFollowing diagrams and written instructions to repair a fault or set up a systemSupporting the roll-out of new applications or updates [3]Testing and evaluating new technologyMaintaining documentation and hardware/software registersSee the skills on this IT technician job description? Let me show you a few examples:goodExceptional understanding of computer hardware, operating systems and applications [1]Quick and accurate diagnosis of network problems [2]Terrific knowledge of application and update rollouts [3]badMicrosoft Excel WordDatabase administrationCustomer serviceNotice the differences between the two? In the second one, your laziness is obvious - you just googled basic computer skills resume and stuck the results in. In the first one, you look like just the one the IT manager has been searching for.Dont have the right skills, and you could miss out on your ideal job opportunity. See our guide: 30+ Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume (Proven Tips)6How to Add Other Sections for an Effective IT ResumeContact info, got it. Experience, check. Education, Objective, Skills - yeah, yup, and yes.Youve got all the mai n ingredients, but its missing your secret ingredient: extra resume sections.Extra sections make IT resumes more unique. Everybody puts their name, experience, and skills. This is where youll list relevant things that youre proud of to really stand out.wrongVolunteered after Nor'easter Nellie reconstructing homes.Voracious reader (over 200 books per year).Voted Strongest Employee three years in a row.See whats wrong here? You have every right to be proud of these accomplishments - hell, I would be. However, theyre just not relevant for information technology.But which ones are right? Lets go over some of the most popular additional sections for your resume now, along with some better, more relevant examples.Volunteer ExperienceHelped reconstruct damaged homes after Nor'easter Nellie swept through? You are a hero and a saint! However, it isnt relevant on IT position resumes. Check out a better example:rightVolunteered in community upgrading elderly citizens networks.Volunteering on a resume looks great, but only if you format it the right way: How to List Volunteer Work on Your Resume [+Sample]Hobbies InterestsLike a keyboard and mouse, here are interests and hobbies that would pair well with a resume for IT:rightSoftball - captain of local team for three years.Avid tech blogger and gadget reviewer.Team sports show that you function well on a team, an important trait for the fast environment of a growing tech startup. The tech blogging and gadget reviewing show that you are knowledgeable and stay up to date about technology and cutting-edge equipment.Need more examples of hobbies and interests which work well on IT specialist resumes? Still not sure if you even want to add extra sections? Read our guide: 20+ Best Examples of Hobbies Interests To Put on a Resume (5 Tips)Certifications AwardsVoted funniest employee three years in a row? Impressive! But not as relevant as:rightCompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, and CompTIA Security+ Certifications.Microsoft Certifie d Technology Specialist.Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer.VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX).Voted Most Accurate Typist 3 months in a row.Professional certifications are proof you have the IT knowledge and skills to do the tech job right. Dont list them the right way, and you can kiss your chances goodbye: How to List Certifications on a Resume: Guide (+20 Examples)PortfolioDo you have samples of work that you think would help you make your case to the IT supervisor?Perhaps youve open-sourced some code and posted it on Github?LanguagesListing a foreign language on a resume could be very helpful inIT.Especially abroad or in locales where English isnt the first language. Knowing another language is like understanding more than one coding language - it can only help.rightAdvanced proficiency of French (Canadian) language.Pro Tip: Dont add too many extra sections on your resume for IT. Add only enough extra sections to fill the rest of the current resume page - not more that it sp ills over onto a new one.7Pairing a Cover Letter for IT ResumesSo, you ask yourself: Do I need a cover letter?How about: Do I need a job?An IT resume without its cover letter is not ready to turn in, and heres why: 45% of recruiters say they will reject a resume without a cover letter.Thats about HALF.So, its obvious you need an IT resume cover letter, but what to include on the cover letter?Here are a few tip-top tips to deliver an IT cover letter theyll just love:Explain why this particular tech job excites you.Drop names - name the hiring manager and company to personalize it.Inform them why they need you for this IT job.Mention something about the company that you relate to on a personal level.Be witty. Be charming. Be clever. Positively grab their attention - it will mean more than the degrees and certifications you listed in your IT resume template.Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cove r letter builder here.Here's what it may look like:See more cover letter templates and start writing.Pro Tip: Research the tech startup online and mention something in particular that stands out to you. This is something your IT resume cant include and will really catch their eye!There are right ways to do a cover letter for IT positions, and there are wrong ways. Read our guide and learn how to overclock your information technology cover letter: IT Cover Letter Sample and Writing GuideOr see general cover letter writing instructions here: Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps (Examples)Key TakeawayWhether youre a career IT specialist or pursuing an IT internship, if youve followed this guide, you should have a tech industry resume thats sure to get you an interview. Here's a quick recap:Personalize, Personalize, Personalize. The startup or tech firm will be accepting applications by the dozens. Address them by name in your cover letter. Mention the company in the heading. Make yours stand out.You want to join them, so make them need you. Youre eager to take this IT job, so be all in. Spice it up with action verbs and impressive achievements to wow them. Paint the best picture of yourself.Double- and triple-check. Spend an extra few minutes making sure that your IT resume and cover letter are up to par. Did they ask you to include a particular phrase in the email subject line? Are your email and cover letter addressed to the right manager or partner?You now should have a great resume for IT jobs thats ready to be sent to even the most discerning hiring managers. Time to attach the final cover letter and resume to an email and send your job appliaction off.Do you have any questions on how to write an IT resume? Not sure how to describe your skills or achievements on a resume for information technology? Give us a shout in the comments below and we will answer your question. Thanks for reading!

Simple Cover Letter For Resume - How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get Your Resume to the Top!

Simple Cover Letter For Resume - How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get Your Resume to the Top!Writing a simple cover letter for resume is not easy. It is important to come up with the right one for your job as it will be the first thing that would get the attention of the hiring manager. You should remember to follow the format that is generally followed by the company. It can also be helpful to know what to put in your cover letter and how it can help the company in deciding about you and the things that you can do for the company.Before you go ahead and write the letter, you need to prepare yourself about the requirements of your company and know whether you are really the right candidate for the job or not. This is very crucial since your resume will be sent to the company for a particular reason and that is to catch their attention.The main objective of the cover letter is to make sure that the company can see that you are qualified for the position that you are applying for. If you do not seem capable enough to fit the description of the role then they will not want to hire you. Also it is very important to have a basic understanding of the company's products and services so that you can properly write the letter. With that said, you should know that there are many formal methods to put a good resume together.One of the most common methods used to create a resume is to use a template. However, you should note that although a template can give you an idea of how a resume should look like, it will not be able to provide you with the real details. Since you do not have the knowledge and expertise on the topic, it will be better to utilize the actual work of the experts.The proper format of the letter is of utmost importance. You need to highlight your skills and abilities by putting down a few things that you have gained in the past few years and even a few months. Inaddition, you need to put down your work history and professional achievements in a way t hat will make it more appealing. To get the attention of the reader, you need to write the letter in such a way that it makes it sound as if it was written by someone who is aware of the responsibilities that they have been given.When you start the letter, you need to tell the reader about the responsibility that they will be receiving. You should also highlight the good things that you have done for the company. At the end of the letter, you should give out a reason why you are the right person for the position that they are looking for.Aside from the actual format of the letter, there are many other tips that you need to know in order to get the letter prepared. One of them is the format that you will be using when you are sending the resume. In addition, there are some additional steps that you need to take in order to help yourself succeed and get the job.For instance, if you are having trouble writing a resume, you can always seek help from an expert or from someone who has don e it before. They will be able to tell you how to go about this and guide you on how to follow the proper format. You should note that the best way is not necessarily to use the same format as the one you can find in books.

Why Start-Ups Need to Have a Talent Community

Why Start-Ups Need to Have a Talent Community Lets face it, start-ups have 99 problems and surely employer branding aint  one of them? Ive spoken to Erin Wilson of Hirepool.io, who says au contraire; start-ups have to double down on employer brand, or talent community as he prefers to call it. Have a listen  below or keep reading for a summary of our chat. And dont forget to subscribe to the Employer Branding Podcast. Do start-ups really need a talent community? Its no doubt they absolutely need it. They need to start early and they need to talk about it often. I think that the technology, as they say, is a blessing and a curse, and one of the by-products there is that we all live online. Its a digital world, its an extremely noisy world that we live in. So if youre building a company today, if youre part of a start-up and you want to see that company succeed, you essentially need to grow continuously. And in order to do that youre going to need to attract talent. In order to do that youre going to need to tell an authentic story that people can relate to and find. Its really hard to do that if youre not putting effort into it. Meanwhile, companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, Salesforce, Amazon, they will gladly do it and continue to hire the best of the best if you do not. Is employer brand more a corporate concept? Yeah, absolutely. And Id add that while they may not be start-ups, youre competing with them for real-estate online, so as a start-up its something you have to think about. And I think employer branding can be associated with a corporate in a simple sense the idea that this employer brand its something you can do after the fact. It almost feels transactional. But from a start-up perspective, I tend not to use the term employer branding, I tend to lean more heavily on the concept of talent community. And the reason although branding has tremendous value, this resonates with me as more of a transactional initiative, as transactional as a job or in many cases a company, they will come, they will go. But the idea of talent community is much deeper, its the authentic storytelling, its the share of your cultural values, and its continuous. Youre building these communities altruistically, and youre doing it with people in relationships that will persist far beyond any one company. How do you extract and define values? Ive had the opportunity to speak with quite a few start-ups at this point, and the good news is many more are thinking about values earlier in their life-cycle today. A couple of thoughts Ill probably throw out there is, one, keep it simple, really focus around three or four key values that you have, they typically come from the top but ideally you have buy-in from your early teams to help clump those values. You know any more than that it becomes really hard to turn those values into actionable assets which they become in time. So starting with the three or four values, important buying from the team. And then the piece that I would throw out is just its really important to continuously calibrate around those values, so as you grow in scale your company, your community It is not safe to assume that the word used for your value means the same to all people as you continue to grow. So weve got the values which allows us to begin developing a narrative, and we are giving first in this scenario to the external community. We are a group of people who value acts, who operate in a specific way and who interact with each other based on this set of values. And you really have to understand how that narrative plays out in your environment, and be willing to share that, and be willing to receive feedback as well on those values. But I really view that narrative as just the true story that you tell the rest of the community around what its like and whats happening inside of your company. What are some of the mistakes that start-ups can learn from? I think the two biggest mistakes that I see are: The brand just is not authentic. And I dont think thats intentional or malicious. Its a decision to jump into the employee branding game, and then you try to do it through a collective or divide and conquer. And Matt Charney  and I were talking over Twitter recently about whether or not you need a dedicated person or a function to do this type of work, I would argue, absolutely do. Its a deep, three dimensional job, it takes time, effort, and focus. So I think one is just if youre going to be serious about it, you have to invest in it, build a team. The second mistake that I see most often is, its good in theory, it begins, but there is a ton of long-term thought behind it. And so what you end up seeing is this reactionary employer branding. And I think Glassdoor is a good example of that, someone posts a review, lets address it. Someone just quit because of that, lets change it. And thats certainly a good start. But pushing yourself to get to a place where you have a framework in place where you really facilitate that feedback and integrate that feedback into your future actions rather than just react to it. How can we measure ROI from talent community  at a start-up? I think that this is a phased approach, and part of the challenge right now is were still in the early days of employer branding and talent community. And so there arent as many folks out there who have had the experience to forecast this to your CFO, but more will come. Then certainly being able to explain what it will look like over time, and so I would say that in your first year its very likely that you will have almost no ROI to prove. Certainly some anecdotal feedback, you may be able to point to the progress or the consistency of your impact, but in terms of a bottom-line ROI its tough, nearly impossible. That being said, Ill make you stick with it, you get into year 2, year 3, you will have the ability to do a few things. One, you can always measure it from an advertising standpoint. So you can run through concepts like outreach, page views, clicks, and then push the conversion. How many applicants is that turning into? How many referrals does it generate? And of course in the end I think people are looking for, How many hires do I generate from these efforts? So I wouldnt necessarily put that as the most important metric, but it is certainly a way to measure ROI over time. What start-ups are doing it right? So recently Ive been spending time with a start-up out here in San Francisco called HoneyBook, and Ive been spending time with their founders. Theyve already done a phenomenal job at building a community around their product and their vendors which they call the Rising Tide Society. And they really sit out to me because even the t-shirts they built for the community suggest community over competition, which I really appreciate. But theyre beginning to channel all those efforts into their talent branding, and youll see them continue to share the stories of creative entrepreneurs and women leaders in tech, and things that are very important to their core values. And so very quickly youll see if HoneyBook is the place for you where you want to work. So Im really excited to see what they do in the upcoming months. Follow Erin on Twitter @techmatchmaker and be sure to subscribe to the Employer Branding Podcast.

Strategies to Maximize Your Opportunities in Todays Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Strategies to Maximize Your Opportunities in Today’s Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career 5 Steps to Reach Your Career and Life Goals Step 1.  Know What You Bring to the Table and What Drives You! In order to bridge the gap from college to your first career you need to know yourself; what do you bring to the table and what drives you, what you value and what you can do that adds value.  All of this should be succinctly crafted into a personal mission statement. I’d like to quote Eric Hellweg who writes for the Harvard Business Review. He asserts that  most companies, regardless of their sectors, have a mission statement. And most are awash in jargon and marble-mouthed pronouncements. Worse still, these gobbledy-gook statements are often forgotten by, misremembered, or flatly ignored by frontline employees. You can’t anticipate every conflict of interest employees might encounter. But, you can increase the likeliness that employees act in the company’s best interest if you provide clear guidelines.  A well-crafted mission statement serves as a “true north” for all employees to follow and I contend that it can do the same for individuals. Surprisingly, most students spend approximately 18 years in school and less than 30 minutes crafting their resume or personal mission statement. In fact, most of my clients have never written a mission statement at all.   I think that people have a hard time defining their personal mission and making it authentic and memorable for perspective employers. It’s no surprise that many people make costly, painful mistakes in their life and career decisions, as they don’t have a clear focus for their goals, summarized in a personal mission statement. Please see my earlier blog that explicitly teaches how to construct a personal mission statement Strong Personal Mission Statement Works Like a Career GPS. Step 2:  Pick a Viable Industry;   Interview a Key Player For those of you who already know your “passion” you can relax for a moment while I address the majority of the population who typically is not certain what their life calling is. Although some people, like Dr’s, writers, ministers, dancers, Olympic athletes may know their passion from a young age, the rest of us need a strategy for creating a career path plan that will match our interests, skills and abilities to an industry and a specific job that interests us.   Each job will ideally afford us opportunities to hone our skills so we can help add value somewhere!   I contend that one’s passion can evolve overtime, once a person sees he is adding value at work and is appreciated for his contribution. I write in more depth about this in one of my blogs that your passion can follow you Hard Work, Marketable Skills, Feeling Appreciated Leads to Passion! That being said, the next step after writing your mission statement (which can change thousands of times across your career) is to PICK A VIABLE INDUSTRY that interests you and interview a key player there.   This is called an informational interview and it should give you a better sense about the demands and the benefits of a particular job.  I refer to this method as reverse career path planning as it requires that you do exactly that:   “Reversing the career planning process or “reversed career path planning” which involves envisioning your desired finish line and, based on that, figure out how to run the race. Certain industries and careers are “hot” as they show promise for the coming decade.   (Career experts predict increased needs in these fields due to anticipated demographic changes or predicted population shifts.   Renewed focus on conservation and alternative energy sources or expanding technological advances also influences “hot” careers). Some great resources which identify hot jobs for the next decade include; the AIRSdirectory.com, Bigtimejobs.com, CareerXroads.com, Simplyhired.com, Jobster, Ward’s Business Directory, The Million Dollar Directory, 0 Fastest Growing Careers and my personal favorite, The Occupational Outlook Handbook, (the profiles featured here cover hundreds of occupations and describe What They Do, the Work Environment, How to Become One, the Pay, and more. Each profile also includes bureau of labor statistics for employment projections. Health Care, Software Design and development and information technologies, education, auditing factoring, green careers, energy biotechnology biosciences, entrepreneurial option are just some examples of hot careers for the next decade.   I suggest you all do some of your own research on what will be hot for the next decade and beyond so you target your search in an area that will be sustainable and provide you with experience that you can leverage for future career opportunities! Step 3:   Pick a Sustainable Place to Live Where You’ll Be Happy Here are some relevant questions to ask yourself prior to choosing a location: Do I want to walk or drive to work? Do I want to be able to take interesting road trips on the weekends? Do I want to live in an urban area? Do I mind a commute and/or traffic? Do I need to live within a certain community, religious or other?   Do I function better in a certain climate?   Will I be happy with starting completely from scratch building my social network or do I need or prefer to have the support of my family and my friends?   Where do I have the most personal connections?   Does it make sense for me to save money and remain in my hometown while I develop skills in my field?   Can I afford to live on my own (will my parents help support me as I get started in a new city…or can find a roommate to share the cost of living on my own?) These are some of the questions that can help you discern whether to relocate from your home town or to stay put. I have picked cities that have been noted intermittently by Forbes and Fortune magazines studies to have shown robust growth or a strong rebound from the recession.   These cities are among the most sustainable places in the country but this list is not meant to be an exhaustive one.  I would consider the list as a starting point and a guide more than anything else.   So here are the cities: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis,/St. Paul, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, Seattle, Washington DC are places where the economy is relatively strong and where there exist numerous opportunities across a variety of industries. Each city offers something very different for it’s populus and is desirable for its different characteristics. It’s important to realize that where you live will determine the scope of opportunities that will become available to you in your career. I suggest to my clients that “You should always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.” If the job you are initially hired for doesn’t work out, it will be to your advantage to have settled in a city where there are many thriving industries. Richard Florida, a prominent professor of business and creativity at the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), offers academic research that supports my recommendation to research where you may wish to settle. In fact, he suggests that the decision of where to live is the single most important decision you will make in your life. According to Florida in his book Who’s Your City? How the Creative Economy is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life, he claims that this choice is more influential than career or relationship choices. In his book, Florida ranks every city in the United Statesâ€"in detailâ€"including the best places for recent college graduates, young professionals, and young families. The award-winning author also suggests using an online “PlaceFinder” tool to help you find the best fit. The PlaceFinder website programs are designed to generate potential homes from user data and then creates a virtual tour via Google Earth. Florida argues that the most creative people tend to select cities that offer the stimulation of other creative people. This clustering then begins to foster technological progress and economic growth. Moving is very common in this country, with approximately forty million Americans moving each year! This trend will likely continue as more and more young adults choose to leave home and move to a city that suits a particular work interest and lifestyle.   Take pleasure in this part of your journey and investigate all aspects of the city you choose.   In other words, don’t settle for a particular place without thinking through all of your needs and interests and seeking out the place which is the best fit. Step 4:  Brand Yourself: Polish Your Skills! My abbreviated definition of Personal Branding is knowing what makes you special and communicating your message to the world.   In the war for talent, it’s your personal brand that will help you stand out from your competition to get hired.   The first step in developing your personal brand is to identify your transferable skills and become aware of what trait you have that can add value. In a recent article I wrote about the importance of improving your communication skills in order to stand out from your competition Stand Out from Your Competition, Improve Your Communication Skills! Having strong communication skills would be an example of a person’s personal brand. If you choose to “brand” yourself as a strong communicator, youll need to know how to break down your communication skills into areas of strength that are transferable skills.   These are skills that will benefit your prospective employer and add value to the organization or team.   Some examples of transferable skills relating to   Communication skills include: expressing ideas, facilitating discussions or meetings, listening, negotiating presenting, speaking a foreign language, speaking and writing effectively. If you chooses to emphasize your strength in Research and planning skills include: analysis, brainstorming, coordinating events, focusing on details, forecasting, goal setting, information gathering, organizing, problem solving, record keeping.   For Interpersonal skills include: coaching, conflict resolution, crisis management, delegating responsibility, handling complaints, motivatin g, team building. If you choose to brand yourself as having strong Leadership skills include: dealing with change, decision-making, enforcing policies, ethics, implementation, management, persuasion, time management and training. In short, your personal brand can’t be generic or generalized by a cliché!   It must be broken down into what you do best and make you stand out showing how your skills can fill the needs of that organization. Step 5:  Network Your Way to Work This step is rather obvious but often overlooked.   Consider all the people in your past including your past and present employers, professors, guidance counselors, superiors from previous volunteer work, fellow sorority sisters or fraternity brothers, members of clergy and friends of your parents whom you made a positive impression upon and request a reference or a testimonial from them. I also recommend that you find someone you know (even a friend of a friend) but preferably an executive of your prospective employer and request an advice appointment (TM) from them. Don’t waste the limited time you have with a successful executive (usually 15-30 minutes max) to ask about their “typical day” or what the culture is like within their organization.  Those questions will not impress anyone, nor will they give you any insights on how to land the job of your dreams in the current economy.   (You can also conduct basic employer/industry research through public sources, such as Linke dIn discussion groups, professional associations, Glassdoor.com, CareerLeak.com, FINS.com, Jobs.AOL.com, employer career pages, company websites, links to corporate Flickr, Facebook and Twitter pages, and so on) At the end of this brief appointment, you should ask the person if you could mention their name in your cover letter as someone who suggested that you apply to the firm.   Knowing someone from the inside and having their referral is often the “magic bullet” to getting the job! Continue your networking by becoming active in your colleges alumni association and the various groups that are tied to the field that interests you. Connect with group members and follow them on twitter.   Create your own twitter account and tweet timely messages relating to your brand.   Start blogging and sharing useful content to showcase your “expertise.”   Participate in online discussions and provide useful insights for your connections.   Use Facebook to enhance your presence with a profile page that highlights your professional work.   If you’re interested in networking for entrepreneurial ventures or as a freelancer, create a profile with a freelance job board such as Odesk.com, Guru.com, or Elance.com. The stage is now set for you to make it all happen. Let’s talk about what every candidate must absolutely know about getting the interview….the first prerequisite is writing a GREAT COVER LETTER! Now that you’ve decided on an industry that satisfies your skills and wants and chosen a place to live, it’s time to begin looking for the ideal job for you. In order to hook and reel in your dream job, you’ll need to be able to give a phenomenal interview. So let’s discuss how you can best prepare yourself for your opportunity day!   In order to be invited to interview for a given position, you must first grab the attention of the company’s hiring manager or a corporate recruiter. One way to become an obvious candidate for a job is to post your resume on general, industry, and function-specific job boards. Submitting your resume directly to a company when a position that matches your background becomes available is also a great way to get noticed. Keep in mind that if you are submitting your resume directly to a company, you should include a cover letter that will differentiate you from the other candidates. Your letter should convey what makes you special. Your cover lett er must be CLEAR and  CONCISE: As you prepare this very important document, think of the following statement: “I must show, not tell, why I am the right candidate for the job.” There are thousands of examples of cover letters online and in books. Although models are helpful, each job and each candidate are unique.   Get the interview by exciting the employer with your resume. Remember: • Your resume is your marketing brochure • Make sure your resume sells youprovide evidence of how you can benefit the company and how they can profit from you!   Make it Value Based • Tailor each resume to the needs of each company and position To quote Jay Block, an international best-selling author, career strategist and resume expert, “average resumes won’t attract outstanding jobs. Hiring authorities, including human resource professionals, executive recruiters and hiring managers, don’t have time to read stacks of boring biographies from strangers.   They want to know quickly what specific contributions you can make and results you can produce.   So, by definition, a value-based résumé is a marketing document that communicates your ability to produce significant results better than other qualified candidates. Avoid formatting what Jay Block calls a “chronological obituary” biographies prepared on white paper w/black ink formatted like millions of others. Your resume should be a career summary: an information rich snapshot of your accomplishments. And finally, nail your interviews using your resume as your platform.  A well crafted resume should  boost your confidence in your interview and voila ?Congrats…Youre Hired! Author: Beth Kuhel, M.B.A., C.E.I.P (Certified Employment Interview Professional) Beth is Founder and President of Get Hired, LLC.   She advises students on how to bridge the gap from school to career.  Beth is the co-author of  From Diploma to Dream Job: Five Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career  (available on Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/dp/14687082) Her coaching assists students to successfully match their needs, interests, passions, skills, and personal goals with the needs of a sustainable industry in a sustainable location.  Beth is also a resource for print and online media and offers workshops for University Career Service Departments, High School Guidance Counselors and College Alumni Associations. See website for more details about Beth’s services  www.fromdiploma2dreamjob.com

Tips For Using Writing Reviews to Boost Your Sales Skills

Tips For Using Writing Reviews to Boost Your Sales SkillsWriting reviews is a great way to boost your sales skills and they are a great way to help your sales team. Below are three ways that you can use to use writing reviews to improve your sales career.You want to make sure that the information that you write is being sold by the person reading it. The only way to do this is to give them the reasons why they should buy from you and sell yourself to them. Your reviews should be short and sweet and you need to target exactly what they need and want.As you write your reviews, you want to keep in mind how you are doing. You should be able to answer each review question without any hesitation. This means that you need to give your buyer good enough reasons that they would purchase from you again. The last thing you want to do is provide no value at all to your customer.Writing reviews should be short and sweet. There is no need to go into great detail about why you think they are a good purchase. The key is to provide good reasons why you believe they should buy from you and not paint yourself as a value. You should not try to sell yourself or put your business in a bad light.Be honest with your reviews. If you are not happy with what you have written then you need to do something about it. If you are satisfied with the content of your review then it is time to rewrite it and add more value to it.Writing reviews is not something that you should try to avoid at all costs. Your resume and the reviews are your sales tools. If you are having difficulty writing your reviews and can't seem to get them out of your head, then you may need to consider hiring a writer to help you with it.Writing reviews should be done on a regular basis. You want to be sure that you are always writing about your products and what they can do for your company. This will keep your readers interested and will ensure that you have them buying from you again.Reviews should always come from the h eart. Remember that you are selling yourself here. You want your buyers to know what they are getting for their money and how they can benefit from it.

Should I accept a job that I dont really want - Sterling Career Concepts

Should I accept a job that I don’t really want Should I accept a job that I don’t really want? Multiple Job Offers by o5comA client recently called me for advice after receiving an offer for a position which he didn’t want to accept. He wasn’t sure what to do. This scenario is one which unfortunately arises for some job seekers and can play out in two very different ways. As in my client’s case, for someone unemployed one of the first questions to consider is “Can you afford to not accept this position?” This will differ for each job seeker based on personal finances. I would never recommend a client accept a position and continue long-term down a career path he doesn’t like purely for the paycheck. It’s important to enjoy what you do. Rather, if you feel compelled financially to accept a position, I would recommend strategizing and brainstorming on possible paths or transitions from this role. If you must accept the position from a financial standpoint and it’s your only viable option, go in with a game plan. Is there a way to accept this position and transfer within the company later or could this experience be marketed as transferable skills? Is there experience or the skills you are gaining useful to you? If you accept this position and it’s not in line with your career goals, will you have time to continue your job search? Do not go in feeling defeated or that you “gave up” or “gave in” as this will affect your morale and focus. For a passive job seeker who is gainfully employed, this is a very different scenario. In that instance, you need to weigh the risk of accepting it and possibly having to leave after a short period of time if you do not like it. This decision will depend on how happy or unhappy you are in your current position â€" are you willing (and financially able) to be unemployed if the new position does not work out? If you are looking for a new position because you’re desperate to leave a hostile or otherwise unhealthy work environment, it’s best (and tricky, I know) to separate that emotion from the decision of accepting the new opportunity. I know from counseling clients in this situation that this step is not easy, but it’s critical to avoid making a potentially regretful decision. The key is to keep your wits about you to avoid jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. In the long-run, if you don’t make a habit out of jumping ship and changing jobs quickly, having to include one short-lived position on your résumé will not make you look like uncommitted as long as you are able to discuss it and you can show longevity and commitment with the rest of your positions. If you find yourself in this situation and need to consult with a professional for advice, please give us a call.

Do the Two Step Social Media Job Search- Lessons from VMware - CareerEnlightenment.com

Do Your HomeworkIn a recent VMware recruiting blog post,  Dee Dee Dial gave some excellent advice for candidates serious about making the best use of their job applications. With social medias wide spread adoption, there is essentially no excuse any more for not doing your homework and understanding not just the company you are applying to, but also the people making the decision about  you.Dee Dee talks about three critical areas to focus your online research before applying to a job.Understanding the leadership: Look up the board members and executives of the company. Gain understanding of where they come from, their role now and impact in past positions to understand how they impact the company, Dee Dee says.Uncovering the value chain: A company has to add value in the market to be successful. So try to discover why customers buy from the company, any customer success stories you can read? What other companies partner with your target company? What are the main  competitive  diff erentiators?Gaining the insiders edge: With LinkedIn, you can find out within 10 seconds if you have contacts inside of a company. And with SimplyHireds Facebook integration, you can even find out if any of your Facebook contacts work there. Dee Dee says quite emphatically, Call them!.There is no better time to be focused on your next job than now. Social media continues to confuse organizations and other job seekers. So while this gets sorted out, you are in an advantage to build powerful relationships with recruiters who get it. So do the two-step with social media in your own search.