Executive Resumes: Using Your Hiring Perspective When Writing

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

As an executive in search of a new position, you have a distinct advantage that many other job seekers don’t have: experience with hiring. Most executives have been responsible for hiring direct reports or, at the very least, have taken part in the hiring process with other company representatives. If you have this experience, why not use it to your advantage?

As you write your own executive resume, you can embody the people who will be responsible for hiring you by utilizing your own hiring perspective. If you’re not sure how to get started, here are four steps to help you move in the right direction: Continue Reading

Are You Listening?

You might think you are a good listener, but think again.  In a noisy world with many distractions, sometimes people just don’t listen.  When listening, you’re trying to make meaning from sound.

Julian Treasure is a sound consultant who believes that people should listen consciously in order to live fully.  In the following video, he explains why people are losing their listening and offers solutions to become better listeners. Continue Reading

Boosting Your Confidence by Carole Martin, The Interview Coach

Carole Martin, The Interview Coach

You say you’re feeling nervous about interviewing?

Guess what – so is everybody else. It is very common to be nervous before the interview. It’s also OK to be nervous. Being anxious can raise your energy level and that’s a good thing.
Here are some tips from successful job searchers –what works best and what doesn’t work. Continue Reading

Dazed and Confused – College Job Search

“Been dazed and confused for so long, it’s not true.” – Jake Holmes

In college on your “own”, trying to figure out midterms, finals, spring break, dealing with roommates, meal plans, rushes, finding time to party, etc. It’s a delicate balance. At some point (hopefully after 4 years unless you are on the “5 year plan”) it will all come to an end and you will need to find a job. Four years sounds like a really long time, but trust me, it will all be over before you know it. The last thing you need when you graduate, as you try to assimilate back to your parent’s house, is to linger on the unemployed line. College grads are finding it more difficult than ever to find jobs in their chosen field, and many have to resort to jobs that were traditionally filed by those without a college degree. Whether you are a freshman or a senior (or anywhere in between), there are lots of things you can do now (or should avoid doing) to improve your chances of getting a job when you graduate. Continue Reading

Understanding Tribal Leadership

A tribe is a large group of people formed by individuals.  Tribes are created when people come together around a common interest that is greater than themselves.

David Logan is a professor of management who says it’s natural for people to form tribes.  In the following video, he goes through a series of tribal stages and their importance in leadership. Continue Reading

Can the Words You Use on Your Resume Really Make That Big of a Difference?

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

You hear a lot of talk about using hard skills versus soft skills or using strong adjectives versus passive terminology on your resume, but can the words you choose really make that big of a difference?  Absolutely!

The right word choice can be the difference between sounding like you are barely knowledgeable about something or having a full mastery of it.  Let me provide the following example.  Which of these statements sounds like the person is a go-getter capable of taking action:

Effectively build and maintain key professional relationships, expand customer base, and target new markets.

OR

Builder and maintainer of key professional relationships, expander of customer base, and targeter of new markets. Continue Reading

Take Control of Your Career

If you are not satisfied with your current job, it may be time to consider a change.  However, not necessarily changing jobs within the same career field, but moving to a different one altogether.  While you might be hesitant at first to do so, making a career change could be what you need not only for success in the workplace, but your happiness.  Here are some tips to help you make a career transition: Continue Reading

Developing Your Executive Brand On LinkedIn

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

One of the most important aspects of any job search is developing a brand that helps define you as a top professional in your field. At the executive level, it becomes even more pertinent that others are able to quickly identify the level of expertise you can bring to the table by seeing your name or title.

LinkedIn has become an amazing tool for the executive job seeker who wants to build his or her brand. But the site is useful only for those who make the most of the opportunities it presents. So what steps should you take to effectively develop your executive brand on LinkedIn? Continue Reading

Reality Checks for Your Career

Do you have an idea of how you want your career to go? While you may have a career plan, it is important to realize that everything does not always go according to plan. That is why you need a reality check. Keep these thoughts in mind as you prepare for the future: Continue Reading

7 Resume Tips for New Grads – Prove You’re A Great Hire!

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

Millions of college students throughout the country recently threw their caps up into the air and are now ready to make a fresh start in the workforce. If you’re a recent college grad, you’re probably excited about your prospects—and you should be!

While it’s no secret that you are entering a tough industry—with fresh ideas and a spirited attitude—you are undoubtedly a great candidate. You just have to prove it by writing a quality resume. Here are tips to get started: Continue Reading