How to Get Hired When You're Overqualified.

This is a dilemma that many baby boomers have in a tight employment market that finds them unsuitable for hire, through no fault of their own. They helped a company make millions, but now are costing it money because they can command a higher salary because of their commitment and loyalty to their employers.  But smart and experienced people need to eat, too.  So what do you do when it was you who was doing the hiring, the managing, the training, and the organizing,and now, you're out of a job? 

What about you, right? You're not chopped liver, right?

Put those feelings aside. Be humble.  Be gracious.

Then BEG.

Beg for that job!  Show prospective employers what you've done, but then  tell them, "I just want to be a worker-bee! I don't want the responsibility! And this is where and how my skills can be of help to you!" 

Of course, I'm writing this tongue-in-cheek, but there's some truth to my comment about begging.
People need to feel loved and needed.  If you've done your research, you know into which companies you might fit.

What? You haven't done your research?

Well, no wonder you're having a hard time finding work.

You must do the research to know if you'll be a good fit.  Here's a suggestion worth implementing:  follow a business on Twitter. Ask questions: not simple ones, but in-depth questions that show you know about or are interested in learning about the company. Tweet the company questions about when it will be hiring, and what jobs will be available. Introduce yourself. Ask if you can DM them., e.g., communicate in the Direct Message mode on Twitter.

Do you see what you've done?  You've already found someone who is a contact.  The company has to publicly respond, because it's good for business.  You don't need to embarrass the company, but HR will see that the public nature of your communication will reflect upon others' perception of their business, so they will be on their best behavior.

You find that contact, and ask to whom you can write a letter explaining how much you would love to work at their company.  Let them know:  you're a go-getter, but you're not after anyone's position.  You want a job where you know you'll be happy.

No, you don't have to beg for a job. But you can certainly beg for attention.  So, start doing your research, get that resume re-write, and get that job!

Your Resume can "Sing" Without Distracting Bells and Whistles

Many job applicants think that a gimmick or two will increase the changes that their resume will stand out from the crowd. Don't you believe it! Most of the time, "bells and whistles" will just put your resume into the circular filing basket sooner rather than later. According to Resumes for Dummies, 3rd Edition, what the resume reader wants to see is a resume that is:

Carefully constructed to compete, compel, and capture attention,
Too skills-rich to overlook,
Targeted to the job, showing you can and will do the work.
 
The resume reader, who may or may not be the ultimate employer, only spends from 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes reading each resume. Therefore the resume must be to the point, thorough, and targeted toward the specific job you are seeking. Even before the reader gets the resume, it may have been given an initial screening by a computer, looking for specific "key words" relating to the specific job description of the position for which you are applying.  

If you really need to show off your creativity, attach a portfolio (but only if you're an artist or in advertising). Remember, this is a very tough job market right now, and competition is fierce! In order for you to get that all-important interview, your resume must speak loudly and clearly about your value as a potential employee. It must emphasize what has happened in your work life, what actions you took to make those things happen, and what supportive personal characteristics you brought to your prior jobs, including how you contributed to solving problems in the workplace.

Your resume will be your last, most powerful advocate. Even after your interview, it will play a large part in the final evaluation of your application.  Your resume must "tell," not "show." How you write it is essential, but how you present it is crucial, too.  Even without its bells and whistles, you can still sing on key!

Affordable-Resumes.com Receives Complaints-Free Award from the BBB.

Being boastful is not heralded as a good trait for individuals; yet, for a business, it's essential. The trick is to announce the accomplishment with humility, so that one does not appear to be full of oneself.

Well, please accept our humble gratefulness for getting recognized by the New Hampshire Better Business Bureau for achieving Perfect Record Status for three consecutive years (and from 2005-2008, too). The BBB of New Hampshire has awarded our company (among 50+ others amongst 5000 businesses throughout our small state) with special recognition for being BBB complaint-free for three years in a row. Locally, we're known as "Paper-Pushers Resume Drafting Service," or "Paper-Pushers" [paperpushers12@gmail.com]. Our website address, however, is "Affordable-Resumes.com."

What did we do to deserve the recognition?  We did our job. Nothing more. Nothing less.
We engender trust in our customers by explaining our process to them so they know exactly what to expect from us. We also do it in writing (It's the lawyer in Ginny). People are very busy, and don't have time to digest information over the telephone while they're driving, combing their hair, putting on lipstick, walking with a stroller, shopping at the supermarket, etc. But they can return to the emails we send them and feel 100% sure in what we promise. Putting everything in writing for our clients also makes our company live up to its promises.

Have we had dissatisfied clients? Not many, but, yes, we have had some! They are the ones who have helped our business the most! We have learned from every single "mistake" we've made, and have changed our procedures and our explanations to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. After a major kerfuffle with one client, Ginny took the business offline for us to regroup. We had not had a break in 10 years (yes, we even do resumes on our so-called vacations). We really like to serve people, knowing that we're helping them live better lives, through better incomes and other satisfactions, through the jobs our resumes help them to receive.

What is important to note is that even those "dissatisfied" clients with whom we have parted ways didn't report us to the BBB. They know that we stand 100% behind the quality of our service. Sometimes, however, people take advantage of us and try to get a benefit for free; at other times, some people expect something different from what we have put in writing.

We have had only one complaint to the BBB in the 10+ years we've been in business. A young man, from South Dakota, who emailed us effusively that he loved the resume, changed his mind, after his friend told him that he didn't like it. Of course, he wanted his money back. However, he did not get it back; we had copies of his line-by-line acceptance of his resumes content before we charged him.
But of course, he did not get it back, especially with our email copies of his glowing reports during the process.

This isn't about the law. Our business is about putting in 100% to help our clients "win the future," as it were. You have to bear with us, sometimes, as we are a small company. But we stand by our business and our deadlines, and we expect our customers to do the same. We at Affordable-Resumes.com do our best to live up to the image of being Better Business Bureau Certified (and BBB complaints-free).

How's that for humility and boasting at the same time?  OK. We're boasting here, because this information is already on our website. ;-)

Your Resume is Not an Apology for Living.

Resumes 101

The byline, "Resumes 101," isn't meant to be catty. It's just a reminder to stick with the basics. It's very easy to get lost in the quagmire of how to package yourself on

a planet of 7 billion humans.  How can a paper with words on it do justice to you and your experience, as an employee, a family member, someone with likes and dislikes?

Ahem. 

We hear your silent scream. 

So, rather than add to your anxiety by telling you the new trends in resume drafting, and whether you should or should not have an objective in the heading, we want you to do the following:

Chill.

Relax.

Remember:  you can do this.

How? By remembering who you are as an individual.  

A funny thing happens on the way to looking for work. What, you ask? 

Life!

You are living!  And living encompasses a lot.  Every morning you wake up, look for food to eat, clean your body, and clothe yourself to stay warm.  Do you need a resume to explain that? No. And whether you were working or not while waking up every day to bathe, eat, etc., you are living! That's the first thing to remember.  Your resume did not start with the first job you had. Your resume started the minute you were born.

Now, we are not going to walk the reader of your resume through the stages of growth you experienced: being born, becoming a toddler, learning how to walk, attending school, dropping out of school returning to school, et cetera.

However, the resume reader is entitled to see the big picture.  The resume conveys just that: the big picture of your life. The trick is in making the eyes of another human being (or computer) scan that picture and say, "I wanna meet that person!" 

Don’t worry about the latest “bells and whistles” in resumes; don't worry about the job market. A good, honest, solid resume that is up-to-date is what you need. There is no life problem that a proper resume and cover letter cannot solve.  But your resume is not a Hollywood, picture perfect story that you create on paper or video. It's your honest life, explained on paper.

Don't freak out about your resume.  Look in the mirror and say, "You can do this!" Do you know why you can say that? Because you have already done it! The resume just chronicles your work life on paper.

There's nothing you've done or not done that can't be explained. You are telling an employer that you can help them along their life journey because you have a background that could increase their success.

What are you best at? Did you find jobs in which to exercise your gifts? Are you looking for a job now that will allow you to be of service?" That's what your resume should say.

Period.

There is no shame in living.

Let your resume reflect that fact.

What You Don't Know Will Hurt Your Resume. Get Back to "School."

NOT WORKING? WORK YOUR BRAIN TO LEARN NEW SKILLS WHILE LOOKING FOR A JOB.

We’ve all been there: you don’t have a job, and your resume is all around the world and getting nowhere because it reads like everybody else’s. You have a high school diploma. Or you almost finished junior college. Or you may have an Associates Degree, a Bachelors, or even a Masters. But nothing is biting, and you’re getting very discouraged. How do you get your resume to stand out, get past a computer screening, be read by an actual Human Resources professional, and get to the all-important interview? You know how to “Dress for Success” when going to a job interview, but your problem is getting your resume noticed so that you can be chosen for that interview. Without scolding you the way your mother or father might (or a grandparent, whose opinion really counts), there is a chance that you just don’t know enough.

Resume readers spend only an average of 30 seconds for a first resume reading, and there are certain things that they look for: what you did in your last job, your achievements, strengths, and qualifications. If any of that information catches their eye, they will read your highlights and career objective (or summary), glance at your earlier employment, and look at your education. If all goes well, your resume will be put into a “to be considered” pile, the first “short list.” Your cover letter may not be read until the second “round” of resume readings.

We have become a Continuing Education Society, and your competitors who are getting to the interview stages and obtaining jobs in this rough - though slowly improving - economy may be much more current in your field than you. They may have taken more initiative to learn more. While you’re doing all you can to network, peruse the newspapers, and search the Web, ask yourself: Am I really doing enough? Would going back to school help? Chances are, the answer would be yes. Learn a new skill or increase your knowledge about a skill that you already have. If you don’t have a high school diploma, or a GED, well, “by golly, get one (that’s your grandma speaking)!” If you left school before you got your college degree, return to college. There are many local colleges and universities, as well as correspondence and on-line classes that can round out your resume to show that you aren’t a boob who sits around playing video games. Check out some of these free online classes on YouTube. 

Most colleges and universities, public, private, and for-profit, offer on-line courses and degrees,  Take some courses to keep current in  your field. If you've not finished your degree, do it, and do it NOW! If you don't have a high school diploma, get your GED NOW! Even if you have an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, and even Doctorate, if you've been out of work for awhile, get some additional training or certification. You can even do some volunteer work in your field to show that you are keeping abreast of what is happening.

There are hundreds of courses available on campuses, as well as on line, that you can take to become more knowledgeable, more current in your field, and better equipped to reenter the job market.and in a way that may save your resume from dustbin oblivion. 

Returning to school will force you to better master your computer, which is essential.. Most of us don’t really know all that our computers can do. Become an expert on your computer. That additional knowledge could be just what you need to get hired, and eventually, promoted.  Computer classes are available at adult schools and online at the University of Phoenix, on Kaplan online, and at other locations.  If you feel you're too old to go back to school, most Senior Citizens programs have computers, often with individual instruction. But you are never too old. When I returned to my second year of college 23 years after dropping out and having  6 children, many of my professors were younger than I. So it's never too late to go back to school and continue your learning. Being shy is also not an excuse.  Online classes rarely require face-to-face interactions, and are an excellent way to brush up your skills and learning. Listed below are some websites that might give you a head start (I searched randomly, and no one has offered me any income or other remuneration for posting his or her website here):

+ Test your typing skills: http://www.typingtest.com/

+ Test your English (British): http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-test-test-your-level.htm

+ Test your math skills: http://www.hankthecowdog.com/game/math.htm

+ http://www.ehow.com/how_4828839_test-math-skills-reading-comprehension.html

+ Test your wordpower: http://www.askoxford.com/worldofwords/thesauri/test/

Some sites require payment, but they test you in subjects in which most employers expect you to have some knowledge, if you’re seeking an office job (bookkeeping, payroll, etc.)  http://www.icb.org.au/Test_your_Skills_now

Get free downloads of software to learn the basics: http://wareseeker.com/free-quicken-trial-offer/

Become accredited to beef up your resume: http://www.quicken.com.au/partners/accreditedTrainers.aspx

Take any number of courses online at www.free-ed.net. http://www.free-ed.net/free%2Ded/FreeEdMain01.asp

Go to an online “school” to learn any number of subjects: http://www.selfmadescholar.com/classes.html

Computer classes are available at adult schools and online at the University of Phoenix (one of the institutions at which my daughter has taught), on Kaplan online, and at other locations.  If you feel you're too old to go back to school, most Senior Citizens programs have computers, often with individual instruction. But you are never too old. When I returned to my second year of college 23 years dropping out and having  6 children, many of my professors were younger than I. So you're never too told to go back to school and continue your learning. Being shy is also not an excuse.  Online classes rarely require face-to-face interactions, and are an excellent way to brush up your skills and learning. Listed below are some websites that might give you a head start (I searched randomly, and no one has offered me any income or other remuneration for posting his or her website here):

Don't think of any of these types of learning as second rate. I received an external Masters degree from a California state university (there was no internet then, and I had to work and couldn't attend regular classes), and it was accepted at UCLA, where I got my PhD. One of my daughters teaches on-line courses for campuses throughout Southern California, and has done so for many years. Particularly now, in this “recession” economy, you need everything possible going for you. Increasing your educational qualifications shows that you are serious about your career, have the discipline to seek more knowledge, and are thus likely to be a very good employee. And Affordable-Resumes.com will position that information so that it will be noticed early!

So don't despair! Returning to school may be just the ticket to your new job! Go back to school, volunteer, and get your resume updated to meet today's standards. Affordable-Resumes will be rooting for you all the way, and will make sure that your newly revised resume will knock 'em dead!

Time Waits for No One -- Your Resume Must Talk Very Quickly!

THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT RESUMES

In late September, in Portland, Maine, I attended the annual conference of the National Resume Writers Association, of which www.affordable-resumes.com is a member. This is the premiere association for resume writers, keeping us current in our field. There were over 100 members from all regions of the country. I want to share the three most valuable things that I learned, and how those things can be incorporated into the resume that you, we, or someone else may draft for you.

For some time now, legend was that the average resume reader would be expected to take between only 30 seconds to 1½ minutes to give a resume a first look. Well, how times have changed! That time has now been reduced to from 30 seconds to 3 to 7. Seconds.

With all of the technological devices created to make our lives run more smoothly, we’ve run out of time. What does this mean for you, when considering your resume: It means that the first half of the first page of the resume has to “grab” the reader--immediately. How is anyone expected to find a way to catch a readers attention, when they’re speed reading? They have to do what they can before the Big Gong takes them off the stage. You must perform. Quickly. Get a CAR.

No, not that one.

You must tell a story, within those 3-7 seconds available. Speaking fast would help, in person, but the reader is likely reading faster than those disclaimer announcers on our television commercials for drugs. A CAR is a way of telling a story. And here is the plot:

C -- What was the crisis?
A -- What action did you take to handle the crisis?
R -- What was the result? Did you save the day? You better had, or you don’t have a story to tell.

Describing the mundanities of your existence is boring. We know what a dishwasher does. We know what a teacher who teaches third grade does, too. And a Systems Manager or Network Administrator is also likely to bore the reader to death itemizing the [BORING!] things they did on a day to day basis.

What did you do on your job to make your position exciting for you! Think about it, so you can tell the reader! The resume reader doesn’t want to know so much what you did on the job. Any Google Search of jobs, or visits to indeed.com, or sites like careerbuilder.com will help you understand what’s expected of you in your job title.

So, think hard before you write one word about what you did on your day at work. You will bore the Evelyn Wood resume reader within a nano-second. How did you add value to your employer and in what way? Selling a widget is great, but is there a way you broke new ground in selling those widgets? That’s where your creativity should be most focused. What you did that improved the workplace, brought more money in, or turned something around, etc., is essential.

“Branding” statements can also be very important in making your resume stand out from the crowd. Such a statement can be your philosophy regarding your job, position or profession, etc.; the branding statement can be created from a superb recommendation that you achieved, or a marvelous evaluation statement. If you have a great one, or more than one, incorporate those into your resume.

The things we learned at the conference were invaluable and will enhance our ability to transform the lives of our clients in bringing life to their employment history. The trick will be how to keep it short, but full of the proper keywords, yet tell a story. Whew!

You have your work cut out for you. Or we have our work cut out for us, in helping you!

Now, Look as Good in Person as You Do on Paper! Preparing for the Interview.

You have completed the first step toward getting a new job: you have sent your resume and cover letter to prospective employers. Now what’s next?

Do you relax and sit around waiting for your interview?

No--you need to practice and prepare for it.

Many of the suggestions below are culled from Elaine Varelas, “The JobDoc,” in “Little details count in interview,” an article printed in the Boston Globe in 2010.

1) Review your resume and cover letter so that you know everything that is on them. Keep them in your purse or car, and look at them every time you get a chance. Remember, your interviewer will ask you questions about information on the resume and cover letter, and you don’t want to be blind-sided because you can’t answer them. You would be surprised at how many interviewees fumble when asked questions about their resumes and cover letters. Think about how you can expand on the resume or cover letter when asked questions about them. If there are gaps in your job history, be prepared to address them.

2) Have mock interviews. Get family and friends to “play” prospective employers. Practice the interview process from the time that you walk in the door of the prospective employer. How you present to each person during the interview becomes part of your story. People talk about candidates both within and between companies, and you want to make your story represent you as positive, professional, and an asset to any organization. So practice greeting receptionists courteously, and being considerate to wait staff if the interview will include lunch. In your mock interviews, walk in, shake hands with your mock interviewer, be seated in the correct manner (no slouching or legs spread). It may sound crazy, but you should also practice saying goodbye and walking out of the interview. Have at least three mock interviews, and ask for feedback from people you trust.

3) Dress for success. Choose your interview outfit, making sure that it is clean and pressed, with no tears or strings hanging off. Do not wear jeans, no matter what the job entails.

For men:

a) if you won’t need a suit and tie for the job, you can wear casual pants and a shirt, with a sweater or jacket over it.
b) Take off the earring(s) and bracelets, if you wear them.
c) And don’t forget to polish the shoes you’ll be wearing (no athletic shoes, please).

For women:

a) Dress conservatively. A suit (with pants or skirt) is best, with an understated blouse. Be careful of prints and gaudy colors. Your jewelry should also be conservative.
b) Don’t wear lots of rings, bracelets, or anklets.
c) Wear conservative shoes: no stilettos or sandals.
d) Go easy on the makeup. You don’t want your prospective employer to think that you would need to spend a lot of time in the powder room to keep your makeup refreshed. Human resource professionals, whom you will often see first, are generally more conservative than the person who will actually employ you.

For both sexes: leave the perfume or cologne off. Many people are allergic to fragrances, and, increasingly, employers are asking staff not to wear them. Unscented soap will do the job.

4) Men and women: get a manicure the day before (or of) the interview, no matter what job you are interviewing for. Your hands will be in full view, and they say a lot about you. Men should get their cuticles trimmed and their nails buffed. Women should get either a French manicure, have a natural polish, or a nail buffing. Brightly colored nails can chip easily, and nails that are too long might work against you in the interview. Again, you don’t want the prospective employer to think you would spend a lot of time at work keeping your nails up.

All steps completed? You are now ready to go after that job. Good luck!!