Passion Persuades & Gets Hired
June 14, 2010 by The Career Advisor
Filed under Job Seeker Advice, Resume Writing
There is a lot more to getting hired for any six figure job than just how great or long your list of education and previous employers is. Your attitude and the way to carry yourself is just as important if not more so. Passion persuades! The passion you have for your career, or lack of it is easily picked up by any executive recruiter or hiring manager at all stages of the application process. From an employer’s point of view, it is much better to hire a less qualified yet capable candidate that is passionate and highly motivated than someone with experience that has lost the joy, interest and excitement for their career.
Even from the beginning with your cover letter your passion can shine through and help give you a better shot at that six figure job. Employers and executive recruiters can sense how enthusiastic you are about the position and your career from your writing even if you do not see a big difference. However, you will definitely feel the difference when you are writing it.
If your six figure job cover letter is convincing enough to get your resume read, then employers should find that same passion carried through to your resume both in the form of the opening paragraph and in your job descriptions and any additional information. One big part of the six figure job hunt that far too many applicants overlook is their voicemail messages. If hiring managers or recruiters do not like the message either because of the content, dull tone of your voice or because you have a ring back tone they will likely just hang up and toss your application in the shredder. It may seem harsh, but that is how it really works. Make sure your voice mail message is up beat and positive. Record it with a smile on your face and leave out anything that could be considered negative in any way. While joking is sometimes OK, saying ‘I am currently away from my desk, or hiding underneath it’ just says that you cannot handle pressure and will duck responsibilities.
Of course, the in person interview for your six figure job is perhaps the most important moment to turn on the passion for your career and the hopes for landing the job in question. Be upbeat, alert and let the excitement for your job show through in your voice. If you are not at your best first thing in the mornings then make sure you schedule your interview for the time of the day you feel most energized. Pump yourself up before the interview by blasting your favorite music in the car on the way there and drink a can of Redbull if you have too!
The Career Advisor
6 Figure Job Resumes & Your Education
June 7, 2010 by The Career Advisor
Filed under Job Seeker Advice, Resume Writing
Education is playing a larger and larger role in qualifications for 6 figure jobs. When the economy was hot it wasn’t so important. Everyone was making money hand over fist easily and it was a job seekers market. Now since the global credit crunch and housing meltdown 6 figure jobs are harder to come by and it is definitely an employers market. Employers are now able to be extremely picky about who they are hiring and are demanding higher qualified candidates and working them harder for less pay. Many 100k plus jobs that never required a college degree before are now listing it as a qualification for applying to their firm.
If the education section on your 6 figure job resume is a little light then there are still a couple ways you can beef it up quickly. Firstly make sure you have included all education and certifications that you have gained. Even if you do not consider it totally relevant to the 6 figure jobs that you are looking you may be surprised to find an employer looking for a candidate that has studied on a certain subject. List every course you have taken as well as certifications and training programs you have attended. If you still feel it is not substantial enough, think about taking up a short course related to your industry. Employers like to see candidates that are committed to constantly improving themselves.
If you did not go to college or did not finish for any reason, all hope is not lost. Certainly it has been proven statistically that there are many successful millionaires out there without a college education and you may be more than qualified. Before beginning your 6 figure job search consider enrolling in some more college classes so that at least you can show on your resume that you are in the process of finishing up your degree. There are now many online universities that offer part-time classes that can be taken on the Internet from the comfort of your own home. These include Kaplan University, University of Phoenix and Devry. This is a great low cost way to finish off your degree in order to set yourself up for the perfect 6 figure job. You will also find that you should get credit for your work experience that you have already clocked up which can add up to a significant amount of credit.
The Career Advisor
Make your cover letters stand out!
May 20, 2010 by The Career Advisor
Filed under Resume Writing
In today’s job market, are cover letters still necessary? While opinions differ, many hiring professionals believe a cover letter is beneficial. It allows the applicant to show off his/her skills, demonstrate attention to detail and ability to follow instructions, gauge interest in the opportunity versus desperation for any job, and measure enthusiasm and communication skills. As yet another opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition, why wouldn’t you? Just make sure you are effective in doing so.
Tips on drafting an effective cover letter:
► Avoid using form letters. Cover letters that appear generic do little to separate you from the crowd and make you appear lazy and uninterested. Make sure to customize each letter.
► State the position to which you are applying and make sure to adjust this for each posting. Be careful not to leave in other companies’ names or positions.
► Try to match your skills and experience to those noted in the job posting. Use specific examples from your background to provide evidence.
► Be brief yet specific. With hiring managers spending less than 20 seconds on each letter, you want to supply the necessary information in as little space as possible. Three to four paragraphs is sufficient.
► Refrain from asking for a specific salary or making other work-related demands. The purpose of your letter is to explain what you can do for the company, not vice versa.
► Check for errors. As the first document seen by a prospective employer, it must be very well written and free of spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors. Always ask a trusted friend or colleague to review the document before sending it out.
The number one factor to keep in mind when deciding on whether or not to include a cover letter is to follow instructions. Though most industries and most companies seem to prefer a cover letter, there are some situations where it is not required. At the very least, include a short paragraph of three to five sentences describing how you learned of the position and why your qualifications are a perfect fit.
Written by
Sharon Rivera
Tips For Creating A Winning Sales Executive Resume
May 16, 2010 by The Career Advisor
Filed under Job Seeker Advice, Resume Writing
Tips For Creating A Winning Sales Executive Resume
With the competition there is for jobs today making your resume stand out is even more crucial then ever. Regardless of what position you are applying for, whether it is for director of operations or as an executive recruiter your resume is a sales tool that could close that six figure job. This even more true if you are applying for a sales executive job. As a sales executive, your resume is like a portfolio that showcases your sales talents. If you do not make the most of the sales opportunity of submitting a winning resume then how do you expect a potential employer to take you seriously as a qualified, knowledgeable and skilled sales person or manager.
For a hiring manager, qualified candidates for a sales executives job are expected to be up-to-date on current trends and the newest marketing tools. The presentation of your resume is your opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and ensure you are on the shortlist of top applicants. This means not only using sales language but visual tools as well. Typically you will only have seconds if that to make an impression and make sure the rest of your resume is even viewed.
Video resumes are of course one of the latest trends being used by more and more 100k job search applicants. It is well worth investing the extra few minutes of your time to create an effective video resume even if it is just a short introduction to yourself and your abilities. If you really do not feel that you come across well on video yourself, then consider at least creating a short video presentation with a voice-over using stunning visuals without yourself in it. This will still catch a hiring manager’s attention and show them you are serious about getting this sales executive job.
Delivery of your resume is important for a sales executive job. There are several programs out there that will enable you to deliver your resume electronically looking like a color brochure with your video embedded. Whether you use a video or not, use of color and photos will also help you distinguish yourself, tailor your resume to the individual employer and can show them your have researched their operation.
As a professional sales person you know a long drawn out script can bore any potential client and have them glazed over, resulting in losing your momentum and a sale. The same goes for resumes. Even if it is good material too much information can have the reverse of your desired effect. Treat your 100k jobs applications like a sales pitch and system. Give them enough to be interested and want to know more, while providing enough detail. Recruiters and decision makers simply do not have the time an patience in most cases to read through resumes that are pages long. Make sure a potential employer can quickly get to the information and highlights they are looking for. One way to do this when applying for your six figure job is to provide links in your resume (if sending by email) that can instantly take an employer to the data they want and will make the best representation of your skills. Consider setting up a blog or short website that the links will take them to, which can feature your portfolio, photos and other demonstrations of your ability that support your experience for this sales executive job. Seeing that you have put this much effort (which in actual fact can normally be done with a few clicks with WordPress or Google’s Blogger) into to your application should definitely demand a position on top of the candidates pile.
When it comes to the actual text in your resume and in particular your previous sales experience for 100k jobs be sure to highlight facts that demonstrate your sales ability in seconds. Were you achieving a high 1-in-4 closing ratio, did you help improve sales week over week or did you increase sales by $X for a $2billion dollar company?
Just as important is your follow up after submitting your resume. This is an area often overlooked when it comes to job career advice. Wise employers often will play games to see exactly how serious you are about the sales executive job. They may keep you waiting and see which applicants follow up the hardest. While you should impress them on the how diligent you are and would like to work with their company, do not come off desperate (even if you are). Remember assuming the sale and playing hard to get are two of the best tools in your sales arsenal. Use them wisely.
The Career Advisor
