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3 Ways to Make Your IT Resume Stand Out

Even in our sluggish economy, the IT industry has remained comparatively robust. Technology is an integral part of our lives, and innovations are always being made. There are always opportunities for new jobs, but the competition is still pretty high.

Your resume is the first thing that potential employers will see — and it may be the last thing they see. You have to find ways to set your resume apart so that you can get noticed and get beyond the initial screening phase.

Here are three ways that you make your IT resume stand out:

Highlight Your Skills Right Away

Don’t waste time with your education or your previous job experience at the top of your resume. Instead, right after your summary of qualifications or your statement of purpose, list your relevant skills. These can include programming languages that you know, software that you can use, or operating systems or platforms with which you’re familiar.

IT employers want to know that you know the proprietary systems or programs that they use. Don’t make prospective employers search for this information. Put it right at the top of your resume, then follow up in more detail in your list of employment and experience.

Include Hyperlinks

Very few people send in a resume through snail mail these days. Most resumes are submitted online, either through an employment database or by e-mail. Take advantage of this by including hyperlinks in relevant sections of your resume to online examples of your work.

For example, if your resume notes that you were the lead designer on the company’s new website, you can link the word “website” to the URL for the site that you designed. If you note that you developed a new software system that streamlined your company’s accounting procedures, you can link to a portfolio site or e-commerce site that has information about the program.

You can link to live examples of your work or to an online portfolio that you have created.

Create an Inforgraphic

Infographics are a hot marketing tool for bloggers and company websites. They are visually appealing and help make information easy to understand. Why not create an infographic out of your resume? You’ll highlight your skills, experience, and education, creating a visual argument for why employers should hire you. You’ll also show that you’re relevant and are on top of current trends.

An infographic resume is a sure way to get employers to notice and remember you. Check out these examples (http://www.informationweek.com/news/galleries/hardware/reviews/232301330?pgno=24) for ideas to create your own.

A good resume with all the information about your education and experience isn’t enough to get you noticed in today’s market. You have to highlight the most important aspects of your skills and experience right away, make it easy for employers to find samples of your work, and find creative ways to showcase your skills. The key is to grab an employer’s attention and then make it easy to find the most pertinent information about why you are the best candidate for the job.

Carlina Yepinski is the primary researcher and writer for networkmonitoring.org. Her most recent accomplishments includes graduating from Kentucky State with a degree in communications and computer science. Her current focus for the site involves network analysis and network tools.

3 Rules for Using a Headhunter for the 1st Time

Ken Sundheim, CEO of KAS Placement

1. You don’t have to take the call at work. There is a big misconception among younger job seekers that if they can’t take a headhunter’s call regardless of time, location or even convenience, they have lost the chance.

In all actuality, it could not be further from the truth. If that staffing professional thinks that you are good for the job, they will call you rain, sleet, shine or even in a hurricane. If you’re not comfortable, don’t take the call at work. Nothing good can come of a bad interview.

2. The headhunter does not have to be pleasant to work with. Here is another misconception because the recruiter is the one helping you find a job even if they are paid by the employer. You wouldn’t trust a distant, cold stranger trying to give you free anything would you?

A recruiter‘s demeanor towards you says a lot as to how positive their intentions are for you and whether they have a vested interested in placing you at a job you will thrive in or simply placing you in a job.

Now, you don’t have to be best friends, but if you despise that recruiter, I would suggest to stay away.

3. The headhunter has to have some knowledge of the job and the industry. If you get on the phone with a recruiter who is simply reading off of a job description this means a few things:

 1) They probably don’t deal with the hiring director directly which puts you, the job seeker at a grave disadvantage.

2) They haven’t taken the time to research the position which, directly or indirectly says they really don’t care about the job.

3) They are simply not that good at what they do.

In the End:

In the end, don’t trust your job to anyone whether it be a headhunter or a friend’s advice, but if you are going to go with the former, make sure that staffing professional is legit.

Bio: Ken Sundheim is the CEO of KAS Placement an executive search firm based out of New York City.  Ken has been published throughout major media over 400x as well as lectures at universities regarding job search techniques.  Ken’s blog is kensundheim.com

Interview With A Teacher

I am a high school English teacher dually certified in Special Education for grades 7-12. I have worked in this field for the past three years.

As an English teacher for sophomores and juniors, I prepare lessons in the study of literature and NYS Regents Prep while accommodating students with both learning and emotional disabilities. A common misunderstanding is that my job ends at 2:30 p.m. every day. The truth is I stay after school to help with after school activities and grading, and usually end up bringing work home with me on a nightly basis.

Currently, my job satisfaction is about a 6. My district is currently going through a slight financial crisis which has resulted in layoffs and major reduction of funds to the classroom. I love my job and I enjoy working with young people; therefore, I am sure my enthusiasm would reach the max if the political and financial hurdles were not an ever-present issue.

Teaching is definitely my calling. The job is extremely rewarding. There is nothing like seeing students you have worked with for years show growth, and thank you for causing great changes in their lives. When I see my students gain an appreciation for literature, relate to a character, or identify with an author I know I have done my job.

When considering my accomplishments I believe there is something unique about my particular situation in that most teachers have degrees only in Education. I felt that I should go a step further, and get master’s degrees in both Education and English. Doing so has definitely helped me in terms of landing a teaching position in a difficult job market, and the second master’s degree made me more marketable in terms of where I fit in on the pay scale.

I originally started working as the manager of children’s literature at a major book retailer. I soon realized that my calling was not only to sell literature, but teach it as well.

I have learned that the education field is a very difficult one to be in. With the economy in the shape that it is currently in, teachers like me face a job loss every year. As a young teacher, I have been told every year since I started that my job was in jeopardy. There are very few jobs in the education field available, and the competition is fierce. This type of negativity can take its toll on a person, and create extremely high levels of stress.

The single most important thing I have learned outside the classroom is that college does not prepare you entirely. You learn by experience, outside research, and through those who have been in the field longer than you have.

I get up and go to work every day because I am anxious to move forward with my students in their learning. It makes me proud when I see accomplishments and progress made by them.

High school students are highly energized individuals. Their crazy behavior makes me want to pull my hair out. Challenges in a school setting are not just academic. Many times they are social and personal as well.

My job is very stressful, especially with the pressure of state standardized testing. I make sure to exercise regularly to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and also relieve stress.

A rough salary range for the position I hold is in the mid 50′s. We as teachers never think we are paid enough, but we knew what our salaries would be like when we entered the field.

One of the perks of being a teacher is having all holidays and the summer off, so I do not need to take any vacation time during the year.

To be hired as a teacher, you need at least a BA in Education. However, the more degrees you get, the higher you move up the pay scale, and the more marketable you become.

If I had a friend who was considering a career in the education field I would say that it is an extremely rewarding field that comes with many benefits. Nonetheless, it is a very difficult to find a job right now. Hopefully the field may be easier to enter within the next few years as older teachers begin to retire and the market opens up.

In the next five years I would like to hold a higher position in my department, and possibly pursue a degree in Administration, or a related field.

This is a true story as told to JustJobs Academy which houses career interviews and job search advice for professionals in any industry.  Visit to read about how to tame your ego and ask for feedback on the job.

Interview With a Technical Writer

I am a freelance writer of both technical articles and more creatively worded fare such as movie reviews. I have been working in this field to some degree for the past 12 years.

The work that I do is mostly done from home. I set my own hours and don’t go to an office, and as a result, people do not always perceive me as having a “real job,” and it’s difficult to impress upon them that just because I’m at home doesn’t mean that I can talk to them. My job involves being assigned articles and writing them with as quick a turnaround as possible. I need to be speedy and accurate in my work, and I have to be disciplined since I am paid by the article.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would probably rate my job satisfaction an 8. I am happy to be doing something that I am good at and love to be able to set my own hours, but I would rather be earning more money than I currently am, and I would prefer to write on topics that excite me and to be doing more in the realm of fiction and poetry. I need to find more outlets for this type of work that will pay me for what I do.

Some of the writing I do moves me very much. I particularly love writing about books, movies and other related topics. I am good at what I do, but I am happiest when I feel my writing makes a difference to someone. Unfortunately, I often find that the type of writing I find most enjoyable tends to pay the least.

I live at home with my parents, so my monetary needs are not as great as they would be for someone who is completely independent. I don’t need a lot of money, so I have always managed fine on my writing income, but it might be more of a challenge for someone in a more financially demanding situation.

I have always wanted to be a writer, so I have sought out any and all opportunities that allow me to write. If I could do something different, perhaps I would have gone to school for either songwriting or television writing, but I am reasonably happy with what I am doing now.

The hardest thing for me has been the realization that if I am going to be a true freelancer, I really need to take ownership of my time. I am easily distracted, so I have had many times when I haven’t earned as much money as I ought to because I am doing something frivolous instead of writing. That is something I need to work on.

The most important thing I’ve learned about the working world is the fact that it encompasses much more than traditional 9 to 5 jobs. A lot of people will tell you that you have to get a job like that, but it’s not the right path for everyone, and you should do what is best for you personally.

The strangest experience I have had in this job is having random people I don’t know comment positively on my writing. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is a very good feeling.

I get up and work every day because I have been given a gift that I need to use and because I want to be a contributing member of the household. I am especially proud of the writing I have done that has promoted something I love and helped other people to appreciate it as well.

I am good at writing to a tight deadline, and it doesn’t bother me much. What aggravates me most is when I have to contact someone before I can start writing and I can’t get ahold of them.

My job is not very stressful most of the time. The main frustration is when work assignments dry up, especially if I have a big bill coming due. However, I’ve always maintained a comfortable work-life balance.

Writers like me tend to make somewhere in the ballpark of $10,000 to $30,000. I’m on the lower end of that range, but given my situation, I’m happy with that.

Flexibility is one of the upsides to my job. I take vacations when I want to and when I feel I can afford them, and I have no complaints on that score.

You need to be a proficient and disciplined writer to make it in this field, and a degree in English or Communications will help get you in the door.

If you want to pursue this line of work, make sure you have a space for yourself to work and can discipline yourself to ignore outside distractions.

In five years, I still want to make money writing, but I’d rather it be on the more creative end of things.

Considered pursuing a career as a Technical Writer? This interview takes you through the ups and downs you can expect, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to DiversityJobs and is one of many interviews with editors and publishers.

Interview with a Chef

I am a chef in the food service industry. I have been in this business for ten years.

My job is essentially creating delicious dishes and making sure my kitchen runs smoothly. This involves ordering all of the right food for these dishes, hiring great staff, scheduling staff correctly and being available in the kitchen. People tend to have a generally good idea of what I do based on the myriad of television shows on my profession at the moment. One thing that I do not see enough of are dirty chef coats. Chef coats do not stay clean. Cooking is a messy job. If a good chef comes out to your table wearing a clean chef coat, it is because the coat was changed specifically for your benefit.

I would rate my job satisfaction a 10. I would not change a single thing about it.

Working in a kitchen is definitely something that requires a lot of heart. The entirety of the job relies on caring about what people consume in the dining room. I know that every dish that leaves the kitchen is going to be consumed by people who have paid their hard-earned money to eat what I have to offer. I have a very strong passion for this and it is certainly at least one of my callings in life.

Some chefs go to school to learn to cook. Some chefs get training from great chefs. Other chefs still combine school with experience. For me, it was all about experience. I never could have learned to cook if I was not thrown into a kitchen with a demanding kitchen staff. Proving yourself to people who have been at it for years is a very good feeling.

I started out as a prep cook. For those who do not know what that is, a prep cook is essentially the peon who stands in the back chopping, portioning, boiling and otherwise prepping food for service. They get this food ready for the big boys on the line. Gradually, they may be permitted on the line until they become a regular there. That was the case with me. I needed a job. I took one that was offered, having no idea that cooking was going to be anything more than a paycheck for me. I would not change how I did it in the slightest. It allowed me to learn with no preconceived notions.

I learned everything I know about cooking the hard way. I learned to pay attention to the cooks around me on the line when my arm was closed in an oven door. I learned that a dry towel is safer than a wet towel when I carried a pot of boiling water across a kitchen as the heat conducted easily through the wet towel, burning the palm of my hand. I could go on for ten years worth of lessons, but that is the gist of how chefs learn.

The single most important thing I have learned about my job from my job is that there is no saving a sinking ship with a listless crew. If all of the line cooks stop caring, a kitchen will forever be in the weeds with no mower.

The strangest thing that ever happened to me as a chef was actually gruesome. Through an accident, part of my finger got chopped off and has since healed wonderfully and normally thanks to a great doctor. Anyway, I learned that you only feel pressure when something is lopped off. Oh, it hurts later, but not at first. I honestly think that is the weirdest thing I learned from cooking.

I get up and go to work each day excited to make people happy. Any service without complaints and with at least one compliment from diners is an accomplishment to be proud of.

The worst challenge of doing what I do is dealing with the waitstaff. Oh, I wish I did not have to say that, but it is true. Waitstaff that does not pay attention to what is happening in the kitchen will be the death of me.

Being a chef is stressful at times. It is long hours. It is dealing with crews that define the word “motley.” It is living like a vampire with the kitchen as your coffin. In many ways, work becomes life.

Chefs can make a pittance or they can make a king’s ransom. It depends on their success and whether they own their kitchens. It also depends on what position they hold as chef. However, chefs can expect to make more than 50,000 dollars a years as executive chefs. It is not a bad income.

To get into the cooking industry, you must be ready to learn and put in a lot of hard work. I would tell any friend who wanted to do what I do to embrace chaos.

This is a true story as told to JustJobs Academy which houses career interviews and job search advice for professionals in any industry.  Visit to read about how to find the perfect job and how to get promoted once you land it.

Leaders Can Adapt to Change

Some leaders may see things from only one perspective.  However, what happens when there is a need to change that perspective and adapt to new situations?

Fields Wicker-Miurin, social entrepreneur, believes good leaders can change the way they look at the world by understanding their roles and by coming together.  In the following video, she shares stories about global leaders who are making a difference.

William Frierson is a staff writer for CollegeRecruiter.com.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Left Behind – Making Your Move in Your Job Search

“Change before you have to.” – Jack Welch

The other day I had to start my day in a different building for my company. While I’ve visited this building many times, I never started my day there. As luck would have it, the building is the same subway stop as my previous job (some 3 years ago). So I headed directly to the corner coffee guy and, believe it or not, he not only remembered me from 3 years ago, but also remembered how I liked my coffee! We chatted for awhile and it was as if time was turned back to 3 years. I then realized that, although I had moved to a new job and my little world changed, everything that existed in my previous routine continued on as if in some parallel universe. So, I’m sure you are wondering, what’s the point? Changing jobs is a big deal. Your entire routine changes, new people, new responsibilities and new pressure to perform (maybe a new city or country). So often we forget that the “change management” aspect of a new job. There are many reasons to change your job: new opportunity, more pay, job loss, etc. And, while everything changes, everything also stays the same. Today’s post is about managing the change.

• Career Change – How to Change Careers – Okay, so you’ve made the decision and now you want to change jobs. But, maybe you’ve never done that before and have no clue where to start. And, like everything else in life, there are so many reasons for change (and everyone has a different path). This article, from About.com, has everything you need. From links on your career goals to links on how to be prepared to change jobs. This is definitely worth a look.

• 10 tips for dealing with change in the workplace – Dealing with job change can be stressful. How you deal with it is often related to why the change occurred. Obviously self-imposed change is easier to deal with than forced change. This article, from TechRepublic.com,  provides 10 tips for dealing with your change. Not all will apply to you but most will.

• 10 Career Change Mistakes to Avoid – If you are making a career change, you want to avoid some of the common mistakes. Some mistakes are obvious, like changing careers because you hate your job. Others are not so obvious like changing careers based on the success of others.

• When Is It Time to Change Careers – Lots of stuff about what to do and what not to do but what about knowing when your should change your career? When your heart is no longer in it? This article, from CareerJockey.org, covers what you need to consider to know if it is time to change jobs. Lots of good advice, like making a pros and cons list and considering external factors. This is definitely worth a read.

• 6 Reasons to Make a Career Change – So why would you change your career? According to this article, posted on About.com,  you will likely change your career several times during your working life. Not sure why? Maybe your industry has disappeared (like the people that used to make typewriters) or you just don’t like what you do. Take a look a the 6 reasons highlighted in this article. While you are there, don’t forget to look at the links to related articles.

Good luck in you search.

By: CareerAlley

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Tips From The Pros, Part 1

Jeffrey Metzger, Your Resume Consultant

This will be the first in a series of blogs made up of great advice from the best and brightest voices in the Career Services industry.  When asked for their best piece of advice for the job seeker in 2012, these pros responded with great enthusiasm.

Please feel free to leave your comments and visit these contributors online!

• Keep a folder of documents you may want to refer to when you next update your resume. Include performance evaluations, letters of commendation, notes about your achievements, a list of workshops or courses you complete, etc. This will make the update much easier as you will have all those details in one place. Betty H. Williams, www.customresumes.net

• Only put one telephone contact on your resume. Recent research shows that the majority of people under the age of 30 no longer use land lines. Having two telephones, makes you look “older.” Susan Geary,  www.1strateresumes.com

• Remember you are not auditioning for a spot on The Jerry Springer Show – it is OK to NOT disclose everything. Only include what supports your goal for this resume – where you want this resume to take you. Axe everything that does not do that.Faith Sheaffer-Polen, www.careercurve.com

• It’s all about networking – whom you know and who knows you. The best resume is worthless in the wrong hands. How do you market yourself? Doris Appelbaum, www.appelbaumresumes.com

• Take some time to figure out who you are, what you do and what you can do for the employer BEFORE you do anything else. As part of this process, figure out who you are targeting. Until you know what you are “selling” what sets you apart from the competition and what your buyer (aka “the employer” ) needs and wants, you can’t possibly write your resume or begin your search. Norine Dagliano,  www.ekminspirations.com

Please check back regularly for more great tips from the pros!

Hug your children and commit a random act of kindness.

By Jeffrey Metzger

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.