BCjobs Blog

References remain a vital component of every well-planned and carefully considered job search.
What is your approach to finding and sharing reference names? Is there more you could do? Do you need to choose new references? Is it even necessary to worry about it? Lots to consider in this often neglected topic.

It has been a tough couple of years for BC job seekers. The downturn resulted in an unstable job market with many wishful workers unemployed or underemployed in part time or temporary roles. The past year has seen moderate growth and employers are hopeful that this trend will continue through 2011. So why is now a good time to find a job you might ask?

Resume writing has finally reached the point where almost all professional resume writers, and many job-seekers, realize the futility of old-fashioned objective statements like the following:
OBJECTIVE: To secure a full-time position with opportunities for advancement in a nonprofit organization that prides itself on excellent public service.
Telling the reader what you want instead of what you have to offer was a failed formula from the start. Now common practice is to use a headline at the top of your resume followed by a profile paragraph.

Past employment experience is usually the most significant section of a resume, and therefore it’s important not to leave the reader guessing. Most job-seekers like to “zoom in” by describing duties and responsibilities, highlighting achievements, and listing awards and formal recognition. There is nothing wrong with that (achievements are particularly essential on a resume). However, it’s equally important to “zoom out” and look at the big picture of each position.

If you are applying for an advertised job, what important qualifications are they looking for? If you meet those requirements, those will be your key selling features. However, if you are targeting employers that haven’t advertised any positions, then you have to decide what you think will be most important to them.

I’ve been following a recent discussion on an email list about the need for cover letters, and it’s caused me to think about the evolution of cover letters and resumes. Here is what I see. Most resumes are at least 2 pages long (although I believe 95% of them should be shorter than they are), and so we are accustomed to seeing a summary section in the top half of the first page. This profile usually highlights the candidate’s key qualifications for the job they are targeting.

Helen Perruzza, receives tons of resumes from hopeful job applicants everyday. She is a senior personnel consultant with First Choice Personnel, an employment agency in Toronto. Early in spring 2000, a young woman sublimated a resume for a Customer Service position with one of First Choice’s clients. Her resume was outstanding and paralleled the job position. Perruzza invited her in for an interview. Her performance in the interview was very satisfactory and she was introduced to the client, who was also impressed by her. A background check was performed and alas, the diploma she claimed she had received from college never existed. So no job offer!

Grandma knew the importance of brand management. In Grandma’s days, children were not allowed out of the house with holes in their underwear for fear of the proverbial ambulance ride. Housewives cleaned thoroughly under their beds and chesterfields lest dust bunnies be discovered and whispered about.

A strong resume and interview may place job seekers in the running for a position, but a new survey from OfficeTeam finds the results of a reference check can be the real deal maker — or breaker.

What do you think: faced with a choice, will an employer choose to hire a generalist or an expert? Interesting question, and I know that people are confused by which strategy is better, and which one works. I know because I see hundreds of resumes in my business and at job fairs, and most are very general. Let’s analyze the choices.