THE BLUEPRINT

What is an E-Resume?

2009-10-05T11:55:00.002-04:00

We get this question a lot! Do you plan to post your resume to Monster, Career Builder or any other job search engine resume board? Have you been posting your resume and notice the text is scattered or there are extra strange characters throughout the resume once it's posted? If so this is where an e-resume comes into play, because it eliminates those problems. An e-resume (the e is short for electronic) is simply a resume specifically formatted for the job search engines to interpret the text correctly on your resume. You can create one or two formats, an ASCII or a Plain Word Text version. They're pretty easy to do, although they can be a little time consuming.

Don't think you'll be posting your resume to any of the job search engines? How about company websites that instruct you to upload or copy and paste your resume into their fields? An e-resume comes in handy for those systems too! Most of the software is similar, so be prepared. You don't want to get passed over because a Hiring Manager or Recruiter couldn't decipher what your resume was saying. They won't take the time to figure it out so put your best foot forward!

Still Working For You!

2009-08-06T21:16:00.002-04:00

Hey everybody! I know long time no see in the blog world. Well, it's because I've been busy opening up new offices around the U.S. Our goal is not to be the biggest resume writing company, but the best. In order to achieve this I am trying to accomodate as many of you in the various cities as I can. We've had tons of clients in almost all 50 states and some internationally as well. Just check our link on the home page of the website that says: Top Resume Service in the U.S. here: http://blueprintresumes.com/TopResumeService.htm and click on the highlighted links for the states. You'll see a list of cities where we have provided resume services and interview coaching to numerous clients.

Our most recent opening is Orlando, Florida in beautiful Lake Mary! We are so excited. You can schedule a consultation between the hours of 9:00 to 5:00 EST Monday through Friday. If you are in Charlotte, North Carolina you can schedule a consultation there as well. Same hours and days. Stay tuned for more locations to come. If you would like to see BluePrint Resumes & Consulting in your city drop us an email!

There are NO Jobs Out There! True or False?

2008-10-27T10:46:00.001-04:00

FALSE! Even during a (dare I drop the "R" bomb) recession, there are still plenty of jobs out there. Now, it's true that many of them may not be what you want, require a degree and maybe if you don't have one that could hinder you, but what we're mainly finding are a few things:

1. Job seekers not willing to take a drastic pay cut
2. Under-experienced job seekers for a particular position
3. Job seekers not willing to relocate
4. Job seekers who do not go about their search correctly
5. Those who don't interview well
6. Negotiating salary too high
7. Distributing non-effective resumes
8. Impatience
9. Just a lot of competition!

What I recommend:

1. If you are unemployed, take the lower pay for now. Even if it's not much more than unemployment, or will barely make a difference once you pay taxes, bills, food, gas and child care (if applicable). The reason I say this is because some pay is better than NO pay, and when you're working, the easier your job search will be. The old saying it's easier to find a job when you already have one is true! The longer you stay out of work the more difficult it is because your former employer may leave, which may shorten your list of references, and hiring managers like to see that you are remaining productive despite what may be odds against you.

2. Update your skills! Seek out free or low cost courses at your community colleges or high schools. If you are currently working for a company, find out what courses they offer. Today, a degree is just not enough. Take advantage of every free (or low cost) opportunity for professional development out there!

3. I know it's a lot to relocate, especially if the company you want to work for does not cover any portion of relocation expenses (I went through this), but if it's a good paying job, benefits and you've exhausted all other options why not do a temporary move for now? If it's selling your home and transferring your kids from one school to another try finding someone to rent your home and someone to help out with the kids until you're settled in. I know it's not easy, we're talking about a total transition! Remember this is if you've exhausted all options.

4. When conducting your job search you should hit the ground running! In addition to responding to newspaper job postings, visiting your labor department, signing up with recruiters, networking, door-to-door company visits and cold-calling I'm a firm believer in using online job search engines. But... in order for these to be effective you have to do several things. When my former company announced layoffs I remember one contractor colleague of mine who quickly found a very good paying, full-time, permanent position before they gave us the final ax. I asked him how he did this and he said: "I just signed up with multiple search engines!" He said he signed up with about 30 and he kept searching and applying everyday! Follow up calls are good too if the company welcomes these. Don't hound them!

5. Even if you're an expert at playing the game and think you've heard every possible question or scenario out there, it's always a good idea to polish up those interviewing skills. Get some coaching from a Career Expert if necessary! We do interview coaching by the way. There are tons of articles online with free interviewing tips. Get a friend or someone to practice with you.

6. When it comes to salary negotiating you do want to let the Hiring Manager know your worth, but don't expect to go into a new company or position commanding $75,000 or more when you only made close to $50,000 on your last job. I don't care if you did just complete your Master's degree or received those highly sought after certifications, remember there are others inside the company who would gladly take the average starting salary for the position you're applying for. Not only that, but you still have to prove yourself to the company. Don't negotiate yourself out of the job. If you can, find out before the interview what the position normally pays, or do some research to find out what most companies pay for the position. A range of no more than $10,000 what you currently or used to make is safe. I would even go lower than that depending on the benefits and compensation package. Ask about this!

7. Does your resume list all of your duties from your current and previous jobs? Do you find that these same duties are a direct correlation to the positions you're seeking? Well if your resume is loaded with numerous duties and no examples of how well you did those duties then it may look like everyone else's resume. You need to make it stand out. Hire a Professional Resume Writer! If you can't afford a Professional Resume Writer (We're one of the few companies that offer a 50/50 payment option and various discounts) then go to your local bookstore or library and check out some resume books. Not all of them are good and they'll work better for you if you at least have a general idea of what elements go into a resume, but hey it's a good start!

8. I've heard on more than one occasion, 'It's been two weeks, my resume is posted on all of these search engines and I'm not getting the kinds of job postings I want!' Or, 'It's been three weeks and I'm barely getting any postings sent to my email address.' Well... first of all it could be your resume and/or the kinds of positions you're applying for. Is your resume tailored for these positions? Second, you can't just post your resume to search engines and sit back and wait. You've gotta put the work in too and seek out positions. Go to the company sites too! Third, your dream job may take a few weeks to appear. If it's for federal government jobs it can take at least 2 months before they even contact you. And that's just to say you've past the initial screening process!

9. The competition is fierce! That's why you absolutely must have a high impacting, value-based resume and cover letter ready before you even begin your job search. They should be tailored for the positions you're applying for as well. Remember there are millions of job seekers out there just like you with the same skills and qualifications. You have to show why you should be a company's first choice!

Remember, these are just my recommendations based on what I've seen. I worked in Corporate America for over 10 years and network with many recruiters and hiring managers on a daily basis.

Good luck in your job search!

It's Not About You!

2008-07-17T19:29:00.001-04:00

Does this sound like you? 'Seeking a position in management that will allow for advancement opportunities and professional growth' or... 'Self-Motivated IT professional seeking to use my technical skills for a Fortune 500 company with excellent benefits and opportunity for advancement.' I used the opportunity for advancement statement twice since I see this the most. Well is this you? Do you start your resume out with an objective, always stating what you want? Well STOP!!! You can get to all of that later. Truth of the matter is employers don't care what you want (well they do, somewhat once they realize you're a value to the company), it's really all about them and what you can do for them! How you can solve their problems, cut cost, and increase their bottom line. When preparing your resume you need to give examples!

So, get rid of that objective, use a summary or profile instead and show hiring managers your worth from the very beginning! Your resume should say: Look this is what I can do for you, not Hey if I come work for you what's in it for me? Remember to STAND OUT! You have about 10-15 seconds to "wow" them from the start.

CIAO!

Wendy "Stormy" Steele
Owner & Certified Professional Resume Writer
BluePrint Resumes & Consulting

Back by Popular Demand!

2008-07-17T18:43:00.001-04:00

That's right The BluePrint is back! I didn't think you all were actually reading my little tidbits of advice before, but now I realize you do! Thank you for taking the time to read them, because with all of the resumes I write, it's a little difficult sometimes to squeeze this in. And... it's not easy for most resume experts to give away their secrets! LOL! Well some of them anyway. Hey I don't mind, because not only am I helping some of you who may have some writing skills of your own, but those of you who use a professional writer can make their job easier by being somewhat prepared. Now let's get to the juicy stuff of what this blog will offer:

Do's and Don'ts of Resume Writing
Interview Tips
Recruiter News
What Hiring Managers Want
Special Circumstance Advice
Military Transitioning
Relocating Tips
Best Ways to Find Employment
Career Services You Really Need and Those You Don't

and more... in additon to:

How BluePrint Resumes & Consulting is Growing!
Our Affiliate and Incentive Program
Stormy Steele's Next Book
Current and Future Discounts and Services

So stay tuned and visit often for weekly updates. We're happy to help!

Take care and remember to Make Yourself Marketable!

Wendy "Stormy" Steele
Owner & CPRW
BluePrint Resumes & Consulting
Kennesaw, GA (Yes it's Atlanta!)

Save Something for The Interview!

2006-11-14T12:37:00.000-05:00

Listen up! You do not have to list every job and every thing you’ve done your entire career on your resume. I know many of you want to show how you got from point A to point B, but… the rule of thumb is to list the last 10 years of employment history. You can maybe stretch it to 15 depending on the career and position you are applying for. If it’s not needed, I say save it for the interview. For example, if you are a Restaurant Manager… even better, a General Manager and you started off as a bus person, and then worked your way up to Assistant Manager before finally making it as the head honcho. If your bus person position was more than 10 years ago, (and it probably isn’t relevant to the position you are applying for) then leave it out! Save it for the interview. It will make for great discussion when the interviewer asks how you got into the restaurant business.

Stay tuned for my next tip: What NOT To Do In The Interview

What People Are Saying About BluePrint Resumes & Consulting

2006-09-07T21:26:00.000-04:00

For months I've been saying I'm going to post some of these comments from previous clients. It really warms my heart to know that we're helping people reach their career goals one step at a time. By the way that's BluePrint's mission statement: Helping you reach your career goals one step at a time. Here are just a few of the comments:

From a recruiter, on a candidate's resume and cover letter...

Hi Wendy,

I didn’t see any changes that needed to be made. I thought both were very well done and reflect Sam’s experiences and capabilities relative to the areas we are looking at for him. You effectively captured Sam’s areas of talent.

Thanks,

David
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From a client...

Wendy,

God bless you and thank you for your services, I am so impressed I finally met someone who knows what they are doing and honest, you get my vote, and referral as well.

Respectfully,
Michelle
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From a client and recruiter...

The staffing agency referred me to you for help with my resume. Once you did mine, I got an interview the very next day!

Thank you so much!

Adriana

You laid her resume out!

Katherine
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From a client, based on the Basic Plus package...

You did a great job! This resume looks as good as those that charge $500 or more!

Benny
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From a client, based on 3 resumes for multiple positions...

I wasn't getting any interviews or call backs from my previous resume, but after having you create them, now I have three interviews lined up! All within the same week.

Jeanette

Well folks that's what they're saying! Remember we are fast, efficient and affordable!

Keep Your Resume Out of The Slush Pile

2006-09-07T18:18:00.000-04:00

Do you wonder why you're not getting any results from your resume? After all, it's neat and shows all of your experience right? And you just know based on the qualifications you're a perfect fit for the position right? Well... if your resume doesn't show that then guess what? On to the slush pile. One way to avoid the slush pile is by listing your accomplishments. Remember this rule.... the average employer spends less than 10 seconds reviewing a resume. If it doesn't jump out at the interviewer right away then guess what? On to the slush pile.
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Who Says Cover Letters Are Important?

I do! That's right. Think of a cover letter as breaking the ice, and a way to get the interviewer to put your resume ahead of all other candidates. It gets you noticed quicker. I always advise my clients to address each cover letter to a specific person and their company. It's much more professional and it impresses them. Your cover letter should not say all of the same things your resume says, because then it sounds redundant. Make it stand out and answer most of the questions that your resume just can't put into words, because after all, your resume isn't a letter, it's a profile, or you could call it... a blueprint!