Job Search Tips | The OnStaff Group Blog

Take Note! Don’t Forget to Say “Thanks”

September 29th, 2009

In a competitive job market, just one wrong move during the application process can take you out of contention for the position you seek. Not sending a thank-you note after an employment interview is one of those wrong moves. In fact, no thank-you note may translate into “no, thank you” from an employer that was considering hiring you.

A thank-you note is a chance for you to make a lasting, positive impression on a hiring manager who may have interviewed dozens of candidates. Nearly nine out of 10 executives polled by Robert Half International said sending a brief letter after an interview can boost a job seeker’s chances of landing the position.

Here are some tips for writing a winning thank-you note:

Keep it formal. After an interview, some job seekers use their cell phones or PDAs to send off a quick thank-you note to the hiring manager — in “text speak.” But hiring managers won’t be impressed by “thx 4 ur time.” Just as you wouldn’t wear shorts and flip-flops to an interview, avoid such informal language, which could come off as unprofessional. Also, saying thanks so quickly after the interview makes it seem like you haven’t given the meeting proper thought — that you’re sending the note as routine, not because you truly appreciate the opportunity. A better tactic is to send an e-mail message to thank the interviewer within 24 hours of the interview. Then, follow up with a letter sent through the regular mail.

Be specific. In your note, bring up points from the conversation you had with the hiring manager. For example, if a prospective employer stressed that the open position calls for knowledge of a particular software program, use the thank-you letter as an opportunity to remind the person that you’ve worked with the application on a range of projects.
Repeat yourself. While a lot of what you include in your thank-you note may seem repetitive, remember that a hiring manager who has interviewed a dozen candidates may not remember all the specifics about your skills and experience. Just like an advertising campaign for a consumer product, a certain amount of repetition is necessary to distinguish yourself from the competition.

Make it personal. If you discovered the hiring manager shares your passion for travel or mystery books, referring to this commonality could make your letter even more effective. Personalizing the note will remind him or her who you are and that you paid close attention during the interview.

Allay concerns. A thank-note is your chance to address any concerns the hiring manger expressed, especially if you were unable to do so in the interview. Perhaps the interviewer was worried about your lack of industry experience, and during the interview you forgot to mention a temporary position you had in the sector. You can bring it up in your note, along with a few points about how that experience contributed to your knowledge or interest in the field.

Don’t stop at one. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, send a thank-you note to each person. Address every letter to a specific individual, even if you have to do some research to uncover the spelling of someone’s name or locate his or her contact information. Also make sure the content of each letter differs; hiring managers often compare notes — literally.

Add an extra. Perhaps during the interview you mentioned an article you recently read that’s relevant to the firm’s business. Send it with your note, along with a brief explanation of why you thought your contact would be interested in the information. Indeed, whether it’s a news article or a link to an interesting Web site, you’ll make yourself more memorable by demonstrating that you’ve gone beyond the basics.

Finally, keep in mind that sending a well-written thank-you note at other points in your job search can be advantageous. This communication shouldn’t be limited solely to the employment interview. It’s also worth sending a short letter of thanks to a contact who clued you in to a job lead, a former colleague who served as a reference or a manager who accepted your request for an informational interview. On the job hunt, the little things count. Displaying good manners can help you forge stronger relationships and ensure people are happy to lend a hand when you need their help again.

Source: www.CareerBuilder.com

Posted in Interviewing Tips, Job Search Tips | Comments Off

10 Most Overused Résumé Phrases

September 17th, 2009

Throughout your career, you’ve accomplished many feats, exceeded several goals and mastered countless skills. Now you’re on yet another job hunt and you can’t remember a lick of any of it.

Such is the importance of keeping your résumé up-to-date, whether you’re looking for a job or not. When you don’t, not only will you forget the important details that’ll help your résumé stand out to employers, but in your rush to submit your application on time you’ll end up using the same words and phrases as everyone else – ruining your chances altogether.

Career experts always advise job seekers to avoid common résumé mistakes, but one grave error often left out of the mix is the overuse of clichés and vague phrases – and perhaps it’s the worst gaffe to commit.

“If a job seeker places overused phrases on his or her résumé, the chances of standing out from other candidates are greatly diminished,” says Kathy Sweeney, a certified professional résumé writer. “A résumé is a marketing tool and should be utilized to distinguish the candidate from other people vying for the same position.”

Details, details
From first glance at a candidate’s résumé, employers want to see career progression: concrete accomplishments, any gaps in employment and potential growth within the employer’s company, says Sally Stetson, co-founder and principal with Salveson Stetson Group, an executive search firm. Because employers want to see significant accomplishments, rather than lists of job duties, job seekers must provide solid illustrations of their talent.

“Providing specific examples may allow a potential employer to relate the applicant’s work experience to potential business needs within their company,” Stetson says. “These examples will also demonstrate a business and results orientation.”

Keywords
When employers search for candidates in their databases, it’s based on “exclusion” rather than “inclusion,” Sweeney says. In other words, employers look for keywords as a way to narrow the applicants down the 10 or 20 most-qualified candidates. These chosen few are left standing only after others are weeded out.

But what some candidates think constitute keywords and phrases are actually vague generalities that show up on the majority of résumés.

“Keywords are not ‘team player’ or ‘good communication skills,’” Sweeney says. “If an employer searched for those phrases, they would receive about 1,000 résumés that would be considered ‘relevant’ to their search parameters.” Instead, keywords are solid functions like, “sales,” “marketing” or “business development,” she says.

Here are 10 clichés Sweeney and Stetson see job seekers overuse on their résumés and how to rephrase each one into a strong example of your talent.

Cliché No. 1: “Strong communication, customer service and organizational skills.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Possess strong communication, customer service and organizational skills, which increased customer satisfaction from 85% to 98% and realized 100% on-time delivery of assigned projects.*

Cliché No. 2: “Introduced new products.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Developed, introduced and launched successful new products, which increased market share 3% and contributed $3 million to bottom-line profitability.*

Cliché No. 3: “Track record of success.”

Let Sally rephrase that: Consistently surpassed sales goal by 10% or more each year.*

Cliché No. 4: “Possess leadership, communication, motivational and inspirational skills.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Highly-effective leadership, communication, motivational and inspirational skills, which led to 98% employee retention ratio and four out of six employees promoted into management positions.*

Cliché No. 5: “Exceeded all productivity goals for the department.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Exceeded established department productivity goals 16% through development / implementation of best practices to increase employee output, communication of corporate objectives and introduction of compensation plans to reward high-performing individuals.

Cliché No. 6: “Go-to person.”

Let Sally rephrase that: Selected by CEO for special customer service assignment that improved customer retention by 14%.*

Cliché No. 7: “Team player.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Possess strong commitment to team environment dynamics with the ability to contribute expertise and follow leadership directives at appropriate times.

Cliché No. 8: “Served as company spokesperson.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Served as highly-successful company spokesperson, which generated positive media relations, resulted in identification as an industry expert, and garnered coverage in business / industry publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and PC World.**
Cliché No. 9: “Partner with others.”

Let Sally rephrase that: Collaborated with key members of the finance and information technology departments to develop and implement a new sales tracking tool.

Cliché No. 10: “Spoke with existing customers on a daily basis.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Successfully interacted with clients to generate repeat and referral business, which resulted in $1.5 million in new product orders.*

Cliché No. 11: “Expert presenter, negotiator and businessperson.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Expert presenter, negotiator and businessperson able to forge solid relationships with customers, which improved sales 33% and increased customer base from 10 to 50 new clients.*

Cliché No. 12: “Managed cross-functional teams.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Led diverse, cross-functional teams in the fulfillment of corporate productivity, quality and bottom-line objectives.

Cliché No. 13: “Resolved customer difficulties quickly and tactfully.”

Let Kathy rephrase that: Honored with the “Customers Come First” award for consistently resolving customer difficulties in an expedient and tactful manner. **

*The numbers provided in examples are not real. Please use your own data if using example on your résumé.

**Awards and publications are for example only. Please use your own publications and awards if using example on your résumé.

Source: www.CareerBuilder.com

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Posted in Job Search Tips | Comments Off

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Take Note! Don’t Forget to Say “Thanks”

10 Most Overused Résumé Phrases




Categories At the Watercooler eJobFair Info En Espanol Interviewing Tips Job Search Tips Video Blogs Workplace Health and Safety Recent Posts Weekly Wrap Up! 5/18/12 OnStaff Video Blog – May 2012 05/14/12 OnStaff USA Job Blog! QA Failure Investigator Wanted! Friday Cinco de Mayo Blog! 5/4/12 Check Out Our Video Blog! Ya Gotta See This! Watch our recruiters describe our current job openings and much more! Follow us on and	On Staff USA Blog Take Note! Don’t Forget to Say “Thanks” September 29th, 2009 In a competitive job market, just one wrong move during the application process can take you out of contention for the position you seek. Not sending a thank-you note after an employment interview is one of those wrong moves. In fact, no thank-you note may translate into “no, thank you” from an employer that was considering hiring you. A thank-you note is a chance for you to make a lasting, positive impression on a hiring manager who may have interviewed dozens of candidates. Nearly nine out of 10 executives polled by Robert Half International said sending a brief letter after an interview can boost a job seeker’s chances of landing the position. Here are some tips for writing a winning thank-you note: Keep it formal. After an interview, some job seekers use their cell phones or PDAs to send off a quick thank-you note to the hiring manager — in “text speak.” But hiring managers won’t be impressed by “thx 4 ur time.” Just as you wouldn’t wear shorts and flip-flops to an interview, avoid such informal language, which could come off as unprofessional. Also, saying thanks so quickly after the interview makes it seem like you haven’t given the meeting proper thought — that you’re sending the note as routine, not because you truly appreciate the opportunity. A better tactic is to send an e-mail message to thank the interviewer within 24 hours of the interview. Then, follow up with a letter sent through the regular mail. Be specific. In your note, bring up points from the conversation you had with the hiring manager. For example, if a prospective employer stressed that the open position calls for knowledge of a particular software program, use the thank-you letter as an opportunity to remind the person that you’ve worked with the application on a range of projects. Repeat yourself. While a lot of what you include in your thank-you note may seem repetitive, remember that a hiring manager who has interviewed a dozen candidates may not remember all the specifics about your skills and experience. Just like an advertising campaign for a consumer product, a certain amount of repetition is necessary to distinguish yourself from the competition. Make it personal. If you discovered the hiring manager shares your passion for travel or mystery books, referring to this commonality could make your letter even more effective. Personalizing the note will remind him or her who you are and that you paid close attention during the interview. Allay concerns. A thank-note is your chance to address any concerns the hiring manger expressed, especially if you were unable to do so in the interview. Perhaps the interviewer was worried about your lack of industry experience, and during the interview you forgot to mention a temporary position you had in the sector. You can bring it up in your note, along with a few points about how that experience contributed to your knowledge or interest in the field. Don’t stop at one. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, send a thank-you note to each person. Address every letter to a specific individual, even if you have to do some research to uncover the spelling of someone’s name or locate his or her contact information. Also make sure the content of each letter differs; hiring managers often compare notes — literally. Add an extra. Perhaps during the interview you mentioned an article you recently read that’s relevant to the firm’s business. Send it with your note, along with a brief explanation of why you thought your contact would be interested in the information. Indeed, whether it’s a news article or a link to an interesting Web site, you’ll make yourself more memorable by demonstrating that you’ve gone beyond the basics. Finally, keep in mind that sending a well-written thank-you note at other points in your job search can be advantageous. This communication shouldn’t be limited solely to the employment interview. It’s also worth sending a short letter of thanks to a contact who clued you in to a job lead, a former colleague who served as a reference or a manager who accepted your request for an informational interview. On the job hunt, the little things count. Displaying good manners can help you forge stronger relationships and ensure people are happy to lend a hand when you need their help again. **Source: www.CareerBuilder.com Posted in Interviewing Tips, Job Search Tips \| Comments Off 10 Most Overused Résumé Phrases September 17th, 2009 Throughout your career, you’ve accomplished many feats, exceeded several goals and mastered countless skills. Now you’re on yet another job hunt and you can’t remember a lick of any of it. Such is the importance of keeping your résumé up-to-date, whether you’re looking for a job or not. When you don’t, not only will you forget the important details that’ll help your résumé stand out to employers, but in your rush to submit your application on time you’ll end up using the same words and phrases as everyone else – ruining your chances altogether. Career experts always advise job seekers to avoid common résumé mistakes, but one grave error often left out of the mix is the overuse of clichés and vague phrases – and perhaps it’s the worst gaffe to commit. “If a job seeker places overused phrases on his or her résumé, the chances of standing out from other candidates are greatly diminished,” says Kathy Sweeney, a certified professional résumé writer. “A résumé is a marketing tool and should be utilized to distinguish the candidate from other people vying for the same position.” Details, details From first glance at a candidate’s résumé, employers want to see career progression: concrete accomplishments, any gaps in employment and potential growth within the employer’s company, says Sally Stetson, co-founder and principal with Salveson Stetson Group, an executive search firm. Because employers want to see significant accomplishments, rather than lists of job duties, job seekers must provide solid illustrations of their talent. “Providing specific examples may allow a potential employer to relate the applicant’s work experience to potential business needs within their company,” Stetson says. “These examples will also demonstrate a business and results orientation.” Keywords When employers search for candidates in their databases, it’s based on “exclusion” rather than “inclusion,” Sweeney says. In other words, employers look for keywords as a way to narrow the applicants down the 10 or 20 most-qualified candidates. These chosen few are left standing only after others are weeded out. But what some candidates think constitute keywords and phrases are actually vague generalities that show up on the majority of résumés. “Keywords are not ‘team player’ or ‘good communication skills,’” Sweeney says. “If an employer searched for those phrases, they would receive about 1,000 résumés that would be considered ‘relevant’ to their search parameters.” Instead, keywords are solid functions like, “sales,” “marketing” or “business development,” she says. Here are 10 clichés Sweeney and Stetson see job seekers overuse on their résumés and how to rephrase each one into a strong example of your talent. Cliché No. 1: “Strong communication, customer service and organizational skills.”** Let Kathy rephrase that: Possess strong communication, customer service and organizational skills, which increased customer satisfaction from 85% to 98% and realized 100% on-time delivery of assigned projects.* Cliché No. 2: “Introduced new products.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Developed, introduced and launched successful new products, which increased market share 3% and contributed $3 million to bottom-line profitability.* Cliché No. 3: “Track record of success.” Let Sally rephrase that: Consistently surpassed sales goal by 10% or more each year.* Cliché No. 4: “Possess leadership, communication, motivational and inspirational skills.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Highly-effective leadership, communication, motivational and inspirational skills, which led to 98% employee retention ratio and four out of six employees promoted into management positions.* Cliché No. 5: “Exceeded all productivity goals for the department.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Exceeded established department productivity goals 16% through development / implementation of best practices to increase employee output, communication of corporate objectives and introduction of compensation plans to reward high-performing individuals. Cliché No. 6: “Go-to person.” Let Sally rephrase that: Selected by CEO for special customer service assignment that improved customer retention by 14%.* Cliché No. 7: “Team player.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Possess strong commitment to team environment dynamics with the ability to contribute expertise and follow leadership directives at appropriate times. Cliché No. 8: “Served as company spokesperson.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Served as highly-successful company spokesperson, which generated positive media relations, resulted in identification as an industry expert, and garnered coverage in business / industry publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and PC World. Cliché No. 9: “Partner with others.” Let Sally rephrase that: Collaborated with key members of the finance and information technology departments to develop and implement a new sales tracking tool. Cliché No. 10: “Spoke with existing customers on a daily basis.”** Let Kathy rephrase that: Successfully interacted with clients to generate repeat and referral business, which resulted in $1.5 million in new product orders.* Cliché No. 11: “Expert presenter, negotiator and businessperson.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Expert presenter, negotiator and businessperson able to forge solid relationships with customers, which improved sales 33% and increased customer base from 10 to 50 new clients.* Cliché No. 12: “Managed cross-functional teams.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Led diverse, cross-functional teams in the fulfillment of corporate productivity, quality and bottom-line objectives. Cliché No. 13: “Resolved customer difficulties quickly and tactfully.” Let Kathy rephrase that: Honored with the “Customers Come First” award for consistently resolving customer difficulties in an expedient and tactful manner. ** The numbers provided in examples are not real. Please use your own data if using example on your résumé. Awards and publications are for example only. Please use your own publications and awards if using example on your résumé. *Source: www.CareerBuilder.com** Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Posted in Job Search Tips \| Comments Off Newer Entries »