How to Raise Your Resume I.Q.

• SELL, DON’T TELL … Stress the results or outcomes of what you do on the job, not just the doing.
• USE NUMBERS … to indicate breadth and scope whenever possible; how much, how many, how large can be impressive.
• DON’T BURY IMPORTANT SKILLS … at the bottom of the resume; especially if they relate specifically to a job you are applying for.
• STAY AWAY FROM TIRED PHRASES. . .like “responsible for.” Start with an action verb that tells what you did.
• START WITH A “SUMMARY” OR “PROFILE” SECTION … which tells your reader what your occupation is and what your top skills are.

10 Reasons to Use Our Career Counseling Service

1. Job Search Assistance — Leave no open position behind! Conduct an active job search – don’t just wait for the phone to ring.
2. “Right” Your Resume! — Go beyond cookie-cutter, formula documents; don’t let your resume disappear into the black hole!
3. Make a Career Choice —It may be a hot career today, but is it right for you? The Strong Interest Inventory and The MBTI, two popular career assessment instruments, can help determine your personality/career fit.
4. Cope with the “Unemployment Blues” —Being downsized or laid off is no picnic. Let’s discuss strategies for staying “up” and moving on.
5. Burned Out or Fired Up? —The job is tedious, and the office gossip is often more interesting than the work. Is it time to start something new? Let’s sort it out.
6. One Career, Many Skills —Job titles don’t tell the whole story. Take inventory of your skills. Assess your strengths. Maybe you’d like to “market” other skills.
7. Do Meaningful Work –Was family income the primary driver for your whole career? Do you want to get beyond just working for a check?
8. The Other Side of 55: Strategies for Working in the Second Half of Life —Discover new ways of marketing yourself, turn “weaknesses” into strengths.
9. Become an Independent Worker — Diversify! There are many ways to work independently. Learn to make a living without a job. (And without a franchise!)
10. Use the Internet in your Job or Career Search — If you haven’t used this tool, you might need help in getting started.

6 Tips for Better Resumes

1. Know Your Strengths. Identify your three strongest skills and talk about them. Be prepared to show how you have used them in your career, especially recently
2. Give Examples of Accomplishments. Be able to speak about how you have used those 3 skills in achieving accomplishments in your career. How have you added value? Have you made money for your organization; saved time; improved morale?
3. Be Prepared for “Behavioral Interview” Questions. These invite you to tell a story. For example: “Describe your most frustrating work experience and how you handled it?”
4. Be on the Alert for “Relationship Questions.” These ask how others at work would describe you, or how you got along with your manager/colleagues/direct reports.
5. Take Notes Afterward. Make sure you write down the questions you’ve been asked as soon as you exit the interview. You’ll be better prepared for the next one!
6. Practice with our Career Coach. Make an appointment to see the library’s Career Coach Diane Reynolds. Call 883-4400, Ext. 111. She will lead you in a mock interview. After all, interviews are hard to get; why not do everything you can to succeed?