When JSR was asked to build a resume development practice, you might imagine how we reacted as former search firm owners who hated editing resumes. The thought of doing this as a regular service was repulsive.

We did however, agree to research the industry, hoping we would find some firm we could simply endorse. We are posting this in an attempt to give you some insight into the recruiting world.

So in this process we had to research multiple areas

1. Employment communication

2. The mind of the employer (from the moment they first look at a resume until they make an offer)

3. The existing resume services available in the market (hoping we could simply endorse someone)

4. Why candidates build their own resumes

Employment Communication

Employment communication all by itself is a limiting factor in obtaining new employment.  It is much different than ordinary communication. At least in ordinary communication each party has the same options. They can;

1. Set up a face to face meeting
2. Make a phone call
3. Send an email
4. Send a letter

With employment communication the candidate is forced to send only a resume first. This forces the candidate to decide the most important information that the employer will learn about them and limits the candidate to 2 pages. So now, instead of having an interaction, it is a one way statement that limits the candidate to what the resume says they offer.

The Mind of the Employer

Our research revealed that each employer has their own specific job requirements relative to the position they are trying to fill. They had questions about the candidate relating to those requirements. Here is what we found that was interesting to say the least;

1. Every employer has 7 questions on their minds that have nothing to do with the job description
2. Every single employer has these same 7 questions
3. These are questions the employer has to answer in order to actually hire the candidate
4. These questions have nothing to do with the job description
5. Employers know the questions but are not conscious that they can be anticipated and strategically answered in a resume

The employer is then forced to schedule a series of interviews to obtain the answers.

1. First Interview – The resume is out, the questions are about statements in the resume. The employer is attempting to clarify missing information; Information that could have been in the resume.
2. Second Interview – The resume is still out but the employer has picked certain topics that they want to know more specific information about; Information that could have been in the resume.
3. The Third Interview – The resume has been put away, the employer is now revealing the true nature of their need for a new employee and asking the candidate what they would do if they had the job.

We thought, what if the answers to all of those questions were written into the resume? How would that affect the questions in the interview? We tested it and learned that the candidates with that kind of resume were being asked 3rd interview type questions in their first interview. While their competitors are providing the missing information from their resumes, our candidates were being asked for specifics of what they would do if they were hired.

The types of Resume Writing Firms out there now

This was a frustrating experience to say the least. We knew that a great resume writer was someone who can write about a candidates ability in such a way that it communicates well with a potential employer, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, we also learned the following;

1. Career resume writers spent their days talking to people who are in a job hunt and did not know the mind of the employer. They were not even conscious of the 7 questions.
2. Career resume writers build essentially what would be called a brochure to be presented to the employer in an attempt to secure an interview but few to none of them had any real experience selling to employers.
3. Most of the Career resume writers were people who had a journalism or writing background. They could write well but could not be strategic in their writing.
4. Most of them did not become Career resume writers by choice but rather by circumstance (long term unemployment).

So here are the questions that developed in our minds;

1. If a career resume writer spends their time talking to people in a job hunt, how do they know what the employer needs to see on the resume?
2. Why would anyone hire someone to build a brochure for them that had no exposure to the buyer lthey are targeting?
3. Why would anyone hire someone to build a strategic document that had no strategic experience.

So the final piece of our research was to understand why people, especially executive and leadership types built their own resumes but by this time, we already had our answer.  That is what led us to develop the 7 questions into the 7 dimensional resume communication system.

Just a thought; unless the core competencies that built your career to what it is today are resume writing core competencies, get a referral from one of our partners and let us show you what people who have made their living selling to the same people you are trying to sell to can do with your resume.

We look forward to hearing from you soon

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Getting Interviews; How can I be sure my
resume is ready for distribution?

We get this question all the time. It is really quite simple. First, you have to be ready to be completely honest with yourself and look at the resume objectively. If you cannot do that, you are wasting your time.

According to our recruiting and search firm partners, there are 4 factors that determine whether or not you will get responses;

• Everyone is desirable to someone and to a certain level. You must determine who and what level you should be targeting.
• If your background is desirable there are 3 factors that will weigh in on your success.

1. Whether or not your resume accurately reflects the sum total and detailed description of what you offer
2. Whether or not your  resume is being sent to the right people
3. Whether or not your resume is not being sent to enough people

To find answers to the above questions, ask yourself the following;

Stage I; Accurately reflecting the sum total and detail of what you offer

It is possible to have a perfect resume, but you must be able to answer “yes” to the following questions;

1. Is every major achievement or milestone I have achieved in my career identified on my resume? (Is it Complete?)
2. Are those achievements described accurately and in enough detail (from inception to final solution)? (Is it Accurate?)
3. Are the top 8 to 10 most desirable attributes of the role I am seeking represented by the achievements or milestones that are identified and communicated in my resume? (Is it Targeted?)

If the answers to the above questions are all yes, then you have a Complete, Accurate, and Target document. If the answer to any of these is not “yes”, you need to STOP here, do not continue or send your resume to anyone until all 3 are “yes”. If you need help, contact one of our recruiting partners for a referral. If you are at the leadership level, we may be able to help.

Stage II; Accuracy in Targeting Employers and Recruiters

Once the answer to the above is “yes” then it is time to get the resume to the right people.

The next series of questions is about your process for getting the resume to the right people. Since you know that your information is Complete, Accurate, and Targeted, this is probably your final effort. How long that effort takes place will depend upon the 3^rd
set of factors. For now, we will deal with this set;

1. Do I know who to send it to?
2. Have I been sending it to people where I know they currently have an appropriate opening?
3. Have I been sending it to people whom I know have will have an appropriate opening in the near future?
4. Have I been sending it to people where I know they are in an industry that everyone knows is relative or the same as the industries I have worked in?
5. Has anyone told me that I am not marketable?

Stage III; Getting enough resumes out

1. Am I sending the resume to enough people?

If you need help identifying which recruiters to send your resume to, we can help. Our team can build a customized list for you. Go to the free resume critique icon and put that message in the message box to us. We will contact you. make sure to attach a recent copy of your resume.

Contact Us

If you have gone over your résumé several times and cannot see a way to improve it, you are probably perplexed. You may even be asking yourself the question; What’s wrong with me? Don’t do it. There is a job in America for everyone and every company needs Executives. So if everything looks as it should and you are not getting opportunity, then you need to consider a different method of distribution. You also have to look at you depth of penetration into the market – the numbers.

Now if your job hunt is Passive, don’t waste your time reading this article;

Passive Candidacy: Putting settings on your LinkedIn profile that indicate you are open to new opportunities, twitter, facebook statements that you are open. Contacting recruiters you have worked with in the past and posting your resume “confidentially” (OK, but not recommended for leadership candidates) on job boards. Sending your résumé to the occasional opportunity you come across.

On the other hand, if you are seeking to affect a change, read on.

The obstacles to getting a new job; First you have to ask yourself a couple of questions;

What is my Forum;

Are you in an industry and role that are uncommon?

What is the level of competition?

1. Monster and CareerBuilder vs. Networks and Corporate Websites
   • Monster & CareerBuilder jobs may have as many as 400 applicants per job per week. Networked and Corporate websites may have as few as 1 to 3 applicants per job per week (depending upon the size of the corporation/larger corp., larger number of applicants).

Is your submission appropriate?

1. If you apply for positions that have a requirement you don’t have, you are wasting your time and theirs.
2. If you apply for positions that you have all the requirements but you do not have experience in their industry, you have a 50% chance but your cover letter better explain why you don’t need experience in their industry to succeed and it needs to be backed up by your résumé.

So the question is; how public are these jobs and how well do you really fit? If you find positions in your network, you can get someone on the phone and ask them what their impression of your submission was and why they felt you did not fit.

You may have obstacles you have not considered. They fall into 2 categories;

Natural obstacles;

• Niche experience
• High level
• Narrow industry
• Narrow field/discipline/role experience

Circumstantial obstacles;

• Unemployed
• Looming or scheduled downsizing
• Not getting along with employer
• Failure to meet established objectives within 1 year of employment may lead to separation

If what you offer is good, you don’t fit the Natural obstacles above, and your résumé accurately reflects what you offer, then your issue may be that the hiring authority is surrounded by people who are not showing your résumé. You need to seek out the actual hiring manager. If you fit 100% of the qualifications, they will want to speak with you. If you have an achievement that describes their problem, go ahead, call them.

 The only other options you have are;

1. Improve the quality of the résumé and the forum of the submission
2. Improve your association with the prospect.
3. Widen your audience -  get your résumé to more people

Launch a “Direct approach campaign”. This would dramatically increase your exposure.

Direct Approach Campaign = Sending your résumé directly to companies and Recruiters in your industry and following up with a phone call (see article on getting a referral interview). Be sure to consider revising your résumé/CV and cover letter before you begin this kind of campaign and don’t send your résumé to people that do not make sense.

• Research news about companies you are interested in and looking for reasons to contact their leadership and then contact them.
• Post your résumé in the public view i.e.; job boards (leadership candidates should never ever post their résumés on job boards or in any public forum) etc.
• Build a list of companies in your area and set up a systematic approach program. (Do not buy a job hunting program (see what if a firm contacts me article) or résumé blaster service (see resume blasters article). You can obtain information in the Library on how to set up your campaign a good book on the subject is “What Color Is Your Parachute by Richard Bowles).

Remember, you are overcoming a poor market by getting more people to look at you, sort of fixing the odds. You will experience 99% rejection in job hunting activities so be prepared. Don’t look at it as 99% rejection, look at it for what it is; you only need 1 job.

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

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This is a very common question. So common in fact, if it is not asked, one might question the experience and preparedness of the interviewer. Every executive or manager is expected to have goals. The higher the level of the position, the more refined those goals are expected to be.

The following list of responses was compiled from our recruiting partners. These are responses candidates gave as their primary goals.

Take a moment and review the list to see if your primary goals are listed and make a note of it;

1. To get back to work
2. To find stability with an employer where I can work for the long term
3. To make more money
4. To gain a better challenge
5. To attain a higher level or responsibility
6. To Find a job that I really enjoy
7. To shorten my commute time
8. To work for a more stable company
9. To obtain a better work life balance
10. To retire
11. To obtain a position where I can get excited about what I do

Did you identify if your goals were similar?

Now let’s break it down;

When an employer is hiring a leadership candidate, they want to know that the person they are considering is driven and focused. How could one be focused without an established benchmark to focus on?

If a leadership candidate does not have developed and documented goals, they will probably not be advanced. Remember; in the mind of the employer you are always replacing someone. Either they had someone who was very good at the job or who was very bad at the job. Either way, the employer has goals for that position and they want to be sure you line up.

There are 2 types of goals we found when surveying our recruiting partners;

• Exocentric
  • Goals that are outwardly focused
    • For the good of the team

And

• Egocentric
  • Goals that are inwardly focused
    • For the good of self

The entire list above is egocentric and would not help to advance you in the interview process. If you identified any of those common responses, you will not create differentiation in your candidacy.

An executive or manager who does not have well established exocentric goals is sending the message that they are not driven beyond their own benefit. Professional career goals are target points for the improvement of the organization. Anyone who has succeeded long term at anything that was worth while did it using exocentric goals.

Most often when you are asked this question in an interview, the employer is looking for the following information;

1. Does this candidate have goals at all?
   1. If not, why would I hire them?
2. Are this candidate’s goals in line with our organizational goals?
   1. Are they too aggressive?
   2. Are they too passive?
3. How developed are this candidate’s goals?
   1. Do they extend to and beyond 5 years?
   2. Do they extend to and beyond 10 years?
4. How visionary is this candidate?
5. When asked this question, did the candidate focus on themselves with their goals or on our organization?

Now for some answers;

We believe the best answer is to thoroughly research the organization you are interviewing with and find where their goals are already in line with your goals. Don’t be too specific about your goals but find the balance. Make sure you have taken the time well in advance of your research to really think about, and then write out your professional goals.

Don’t focus on your personal/professional goals; making more money, having greater responsibility, or finding work life balance. Those goals are not likely to ever be in line with what an employer is looking for. Instead think about your potential contribution and focus on that.

Here is an example of some statements that were created by some of our résumé writers;

 Employer: What is your 5 year goal?

Candidate: Are you looking for professional or personal goals?

                       (Shows how the candidate thinks)

Employer: Professional

Candidate: Would you mind if I started with my first year?

                        (Confirms how the candidate thinks)

Employer: That would be fine

Candidate:

I believe goals have to be fluid. You set a goal based upon what you know and then your augment it based upon what you achieve. My focus the first year would be to continue the momentum that has already been established by your company and do everything in my power to fuel that momentum. I would not make any change for the sake of change itself. Once I have a clear grasp on the methods and processes that are already in place and working, I will be able to develop improvements, check them against the team and my leadership, and then implement them.

I have learned that to succeed in attaining goals one has to teach their subordinates to make momentum the rule and not the exception. I would not do anything that interrupts momentum.

I have led teams that have worked hard and achieved fantastic results. My job is to facilitate and motivate.

So my first year goal would be to fuel what is working while identifying what is not.

Then carefully implement the changes monitoring results. To me this is continuous improvement at its core. Within 5 years we should see a dramatic shift in momentum and have to restructure our 10 year goal based upon our successes. That is what I mean by goals have to be fluid.

I have done my homework on your organization and I have a vision for what we could do together. I brought an outline with me, would you like to see it? I am not an insider yet but what I learned from the outside might benefit you. 

The candidate then lays out a 5 year plan based upon all available information about the company’s goals. The interview runs on for several hours as the hiring authority asks more questions and becomes more interested. The offer comes a few weeks later. 

This article was written by one of our resume writers; a former search firm CEO with more than 25 years experience in the industry and is available to give you a free resume critique (see below).

JSR has lots of free interview training modules on the way. Watch for these insights to help you navigate these uncharted waters. Good luck to you!

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

Contact Jackson Stevens Resumes

We heard this statement so many times we decided to survey our recruiting and search partners on this subject. There was not one who has not heard this statement hundreds of times. Interestingly, few could give us examples where in the end, the statement was found to be true.

If you are a job search candidate and have never been a recruiter you just don’t know the lay of the land. You rely on your instincts, just like   when you drive for the first time in a city you are unfamiliar with. You make mistakes. Interviewing is both tactical and instinctive but it is not like making a sales pitch. It is like making a sales pitch without looking like you are making a sales pitch. How much experience could a person have doing that?

The search firm owners and managers we surveyed said that thay work in the profession every day and see business titans make silly (some said stupid) mistakes during the interview and then rationalize why they did not get the job.

Here are a couple of comments we heard when we asked our search firms about this subject;

“When a candidate says; “Just get me in front of them. I will get the job!”, it’s like my 5 year old asking me to let them play with the real shotgun because they are good with the plastic one!”

“Dad, let me take the motorcycle out, I ride my bicycle every day!”

Have you seen that commercial where the dad is giving his daughter the keys to the car and when they show the daughter she is 8 years old? It’s not until the end of the commercial that you see the 8 year old is really a young woman going off to college. Unfortunately, false reasoning is the most common mistake made by executive level job seekers. The second is the notion that a great writer makes a great resume writer. In desperate situations it is even more common. The frustration we heard from our recruiters when asked about his subject was

“I cannot get executive candidates to just stop talking and listen.”

Our advice to the recruiters was that they have to do something that will convince the executive or manager that they don’t know the lay of the land. To ask them some of the questions that have caused others to lose the opportunity in an attempt to show the candidate what they don’t know and convince them to be more prepared.

It is interesting that we as human beings will plan and prepare for a presentation to sell a product that does not mean all that much to us personally, but do not prepare nearly as intensively for something like this, which is so much more important to our future.

If we truly were all great presenters then why so often are there people in authority over us who do not offer as much as we do?

The moral of our story is;

Try not to fool yourself into thinking that interviewing is a core competency. Ask any recruiter anywhere about the people who interview for positions in leadership and they will tell you what they told us.

Think about it for a moment. If you are really great at what you do at work, how could it be possible to develop a core competency in an area that you have so little experience? Have you ever seen a commercial where the star is the business owner? Have you ever seen one where you thought the business owner was fabulous? Have you ever seen a freeway billboard with a confusing message? You think; I know they didn’t have professionals involved in that one!

If you have only interviewed from the candidate’s side of the desk a few times in your life, how could you be an expert?

Expert candidate interviewing is a gift that very few people in the world have. We polled our Search firms and they agree. Most cannot think of one candidate that “aced” every question but they could all think of several situations where a candidate was fabulous at what they did at work but failed to make an impression on the employer.

So take the time to truly prepare yourself for the interview, just like you would an important sales call. If you are not the persuasive type, ask around and find someone who can help you but make sure they have worked at your level in an organization and have extensive candidate side interviewing experience, then, only work with a firm that will allow you to pay them by the hour.

JSR has lots of free interview training modules on the way. Watch for these insights to help you navigate these uncharted waters. Good luck to you!

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

Contact Jackson Stevens Resumes

Cover Letter 101 – The Targeted cover letter – How to write a cover letter Part 1;

The Opening Statement

There are many opinions about cover letters. Some say that a good summary in your resume is all you need. Others argue that the market is looking for the cover letter and when it is not there, it becomes a hindrance.

We at Jackson Stevens Resumes believe that the cover letter is essential. Just as you should have a customized resume for every targeted submission, you should have a Targeted cover letter as well.

When we develop a cover letter, we build it as a conversation with the reader. This is something that is difficult to do on a resume. A Targeted cover letter addresses the position directly, as well as addressing the company and the person who is responsible for filling the position.

Targeted Cover letters have 4 sections

1. The opening statement

   • Why you are contacting the hiring authority

     • In this section you have to show the hiring authority that you have a level of enthusiasm for the opportunity – but not too much as it may be seen as insincere or reaching.

2. Your background and experience as it relates to the opportunity

   • A broad statement clarifying your experience in relationship to the opportunity. Here you must show them you have done this before.

3. The presentation

   • The primary bullets of the position and how you have specifically addressed those elements successfully in the past

4. The closing statement

   • Why you should be interviewed immediately

For this article we will be dealing with the opening statements.

Opening statements should be sincere

They should be fact based and direct. Here are some examples;

Dear Ms. Or Mr. Hiring Authority,

When referred by the employer’s website

During the course of some research, I noticed a listing on your company website for the Director of XXX. I am sending you this note because the requirements you advertised are directly in line with my experience. I would like to formally express my interest.

When referred by a person

While researching your company I spoke with Mr. John Johnson of XYZ Corporation. Mr. Johnson stated that you were looking for a person with (type) experience to be responsible for your (discipline). You will see in the attached resume, that I have many years with that level of responsibility and specific achievements in that (discipline). Please consider this note as an expression of interest.

When referred by a 3^rd party website

During the course of some research I was alerted to a posting you had on XXXX.com and was intrigued. You list several requirements that reflect my recent/current work experience. After further research I found that your company was (featured in or was quoted as etc.) which was impressive. The attached resume highlights only a few of my achievements but will give you an overview of my experience as it relates to your opportunity.

Watch for more articles to come!

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

Contact Jackson Stevens Resumes

In this modern, internet driven job market, Search Firm owners and operators need help sourcing some of their most difficult searches. JSR works on behalf of the Search Firm sourcing and forwarding resumes of appropriate candidates. Since we work on behalf of the search firm there is no fee to the candidate. Post your resume in our system and be found when appropriate searches are conducted.

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

Contact Jackson Stevens Resumes

NO!

This is one of the most common job search myths out there. The notion is that hiring is down during Holiday weeks, which is true. This is such a widely touted notion you should use that to your advantage.

Since most will wait until after Holiday weeks to submit their resume, the competition is nearly zero.

While everyone else is waiting around for Memorial, 4^th of July, or Labor Day weekend to be over, make sure you submit your resume the evening of or the morning after the actual holiday. You will be on the top of their email list in the morning. When the hiring authority comes in that morning your resume will be there. Do this even if the Holiday is between October 1^st and December 31^st.

Since they are not bombarded with resumes, go for it, even step it up a little!

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

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RUN!

The internet is full of services offering to “help” you find employment. Candidates we’ve spoken with state that the only thing magical about these firms is they make your money disappear.

Now, to be clear, they are not all bad and there have been some legitimate search firms that have been falsely accused of being Employment Agencies, simply because they offered Job Search Assistance. Don’t think for a minute that a legitimate search firm is working for you to find you a job just because you paid them for job search assistance. We understand that anyone contemplating a job search is in new territory. Hopefully, this article will help you avoid the pitfalls of job searching. If you have never job hunted before, even the conception of a job hunt is a daunting experience and anyone offering to ease that transition will at least at first seem attractive. But what is it all worth?

Most of these firms want about $5,000. Recently we discovered one that offered this kind of ”help” service and wanted $30,000.00!

You’re a grown  up. If you spend money, make sure you know what you are spending it on. No organization can guarantee you a job. The very notion is ridiculous. We found 1 firm that claimed they had a 90% success rate, think for a minute, if a firm could actually find you a position with 90% accuracy, why wouldn’t they take their money after you get the job?

We have yet to see a firm who charges an up front fee, claiming they will find you a job that actually could substantiate the claim.

If you have been successful in your career you can do the job hunt, probably better than they. If you need advice hire a consultant by the hour that has some legitimate accreditation but do not expect them to find you a job. Use their knowledge to do your own job hunt. You are smart enough to do this. No person or firm can possibly control an employer’s opinion of what you offer? If you have been a hiring manager you already know this.

Here is the moral of the story;

Don’t hire anyone to find you a job.

As former Search Firm owners and operators, it is our opinion (and is supported by the industry) that all you need is a solid résumé and someone with an appropriate opening to read it. If you fit the job perfectly on paper, in the interview, and you are truly a better candidate than your competition, the employer is going to hire you even if the recruiter says not to.

If you feel you have been a victim of one of these firms, send us an email and we will give you some ideas on how to get some money back. Email us at Admin@Jacksonstevensresumes.com.

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

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Objective, Summary, Profile, and many others. With so many options, which is relevant? What influence does the market economy have? How does the term become relevant in the current business climate?

A “Seller’s Market”

25-30 years ago, the term “Objective” was commonplace on a résumé. This was due to the fact that it was a good economy from a jobs perspective or what we in the industry call a “seller’s market”. In a “sellers market” the candidate’s “Objective” or what you are looking to get out of the job is relevant or at least a weighting factor.

Today’s “Buyer’s Market”

In today’s difficult economy, it is clearly a buyer’s market. Until the employer expresses interest in you, they are not interested in your objectives. Jackson Stevens recommends the use of a “Summary” or “Profile” to show potential employers that you are focused on their needs.

Jackson Stevens Resumes

Click here to hear why more Search Firms partner with Jackson Stevens than any other Executive Resume Service

Click here to put your resume in our system and get notification on new positions

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