Stay tuned for downloadable resume templates in the near future! 
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Posted by: phattphudge | January 31, 2012
Resume Layout Suggestion #2
Posted in Resume Templates | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, capabilities, careers, education, employment, goals, job search, new grads, power words, references, resume, sample, samples, students
Posted by: phattphudge | November 16, 2011
Resume Layout Suggestion #1
Stay tuned for downloadable resume templates in the near future!
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Posted in Resume Templates | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, careers, cover letter, education, employment, job search, new grads, resume, sample, students
Posted by: phattphudge | June 27, 2011
***SAMPLE*** Student Resume Before/After
Hello everyone! I thought it would be useful to give you some insight into the impact the choice of layout + wording makes in a resume. Down below, I have provided before/after samples of resumes to view, along with some quick criticisms and suggestions.
SAMPLE OF STUDENTS RESUME (Before edited)
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Criticisms and Suggestions:
Presentation/Layout:
- it is very simplistic and scattered; novice
Objective:
- too vague
Qualifications:
- unnecessary to refer to yourself as an “individual”
Education:
- this category is poorly organized as dates, schools, diplomas etc. are not aligned at all
Employment:
- the descriptions are far too simplistic as well.
Interests:
- avoid using any personal pronouns altogether in resumes.
Overall impression:
Looking at it realistically, this resume does not provide much information about anything. After skimming through it, it is hard to pinpoint any specific skills that this individual may have (although vaguely mentioned), due to lack of specification.
SAMPLE OF STUDENTS RESUME (After edited)
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Criticisms and Suggestions:
Presentation/Layout:
- appears much more professional.
- suggestion -> would be to try and align the dates all on one line.
Objective:
- although a little vague still, it is headed towards the right direction
Experience:
- much more specific (the more specific you can be, the better!)
- suggestion -> instead of merely stating what you did at each job, it is far more important to indicate what you have accomplished and how you have made yourself valuable to past employers focus on results and achievements
-also keep in mind, to be consistent in your tenses when phrasing your descriptions (all previous job experiences should be written in the past tense for example…etc.etc. [this WOULD appear to be self explanatory, however, it is often something that many people tend to overlook/neglect]
Overall Impression:
It is a great improvement from the initial draft, although work stills needs to be done on it. I would suggest you to edit many drafts before submitting a final resume. Remember, you have one chance to make an impression to an employer. Make sure that the resume you are submitting is absolutely flawless!
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Posted in Resumes | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, capabilities, careers, cover letter, education, employment, follow up, goals, interview, job search, new grads, power words, presentation, references, resume, samples, students, thank you letters
Posted by: phattphudge | June 22, 2011
***SAMPLE** Wording Suggestions for Soft Skills (Students/New Grads)
Although I’ve mentioned that the presentation of a resume is important, the choice of wording is equally, if not, more important!The presentation is the bait that will hook the reader; the content/choice of wording is essentially what will reel them in.
I have reviewed many of my peers resumes and cover letters, and have found that the choices of wording were either too simple, or filled with very complex words.
Note: Do not use big words for the sake of using big words! It does not make you look any more intelligent, especially if misused or if it is out of context. Keep it fairly simple so that the reader should not have to struggle trying to make sense of what it is you’re trying to say. (In fact, I’m sure most people won’t even waste their time trying. If the resume is not articulated coherently, it won’t reflect greatly on you, and they’ll just move on to the next resume!) This is why peer reviewing is useful and helpful! It never hurts to receive a second opinion.
With that said, I have listed a few more “wording-choices” that should help guide you with your resume/cover letter writing.*refer to post on power words for more examples*
I also have read too many resumes that merely state that they have good communication skills, organizational skills, time management skills etc. *yawn* Not only is that incredibly boring and redundant to read one resume after another, it doesn’t tell me very much about anything. So here are some suggestions to detail aspects of those very general soft skills.
*My suggestions are brief, as I do not approve of spoon-feeding lazy people. This is merely to guide you with examples. If you are interested in receiving my opinion or would like me to review a resume or cover letter, please leave me a message!*
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Posted in Cover letters, Resumes | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, capabilities, careers, cover letter, education, employment, goals, job search, new grads, power words, resume, samples, students, thank you letters
Posted by: phattphudge | June 14, 2011
***SAMPLE*** Professional Reference Template
General Rule of Thumb: Don’t send your references with your resume (unless it is asked for). You won’t need them at this stage.
However, when you’re called for an interview, bring your references as it will probably be asked for by the employer.
Here is a simple template you can use.
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Posted in Interview Tips, Job Search Methods | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, capabilities, careers, cover letter, education, employment, follow up, goals, interview, job search, new grads, power words, presentation, references, resume, samples, students
Posted by: phattphudge | June 13, 2011
***Sample*** Resume for New Grads (or students with little to no work experience)
This is a sample I have provided for those who are a complete and utter loss as to how a resume may/should look. I have made the content specific for recent graduates + students who have very little to no work experiences. Below the sample, I have provided notes and suggestions for what/why I have included the contents I have.
I have also made the template/structure very simple for your viewing convenience. This by no means is any indication that you should follow the outline below. Personalize your header and template to make it unique. The categories (highlights of qualifications, education, experience etc.) is also just a sample. You can organize it however you wish to! ***REMEMBER!!! (THE FIRST HALF of the FIRST PAGE of your resume is the most crucial component of the resume!!)***
I will provide more templates in the future that will be accessible for you to use!
In the mean time, I hope this is helpful!
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Notes:
-Objective: As you have probably read, I note that it is completely optional to place an “objective” section into your resume. However, I recommend it for students who don’t have a lot of experience, because it gives you an opportunity to briefly express your interests and how you want to add value to the organization/company.
-Highlights of Qualifications: Even if you don’t have specific skills, you can still put in soft skills like “team player, excellent communication skills, strong organizational skills” that are specific to the position you are seeking. Just make sure to refer it back to where you developed these skills (through school work, extracurricular involvements etc.)
Education: In the sample above, it is apparent that the student has graduated. However, if you are working towards getting your diploma/degree, be sure to write down “expected completion” date (month/year).
- I also wrote down examples of courses that the student may have studied throughout their undergraduate studies because 1). it makes up for the lack of on-the-job experiences 2). it may be relevant to the position
Other Facts:
- I have mixed feelings as to whether you should/should not add anything that is irrelevant (such as how you enjoy painting on your spare time, or that you are part of a bowling league), so I have left extra curricular activities blank. It is completely up to you whether you wish to put anything there
-Finally most resumes have “References upon request” or something similar at the very end. This is also optional! You can choose to omit it if you wish, because it is just a given that if a reference is required, it will be asked for.
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Posted in Resumes | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, capabilities, careers, cover letter, education, employment, follow up, goals, job search, new grads, power words, presentation, resume, samples, students
Posted by: phattphudge | June 8, 2011
***SAMPLE*** Thank you Letters (Follow-up)
Follow-up thank you letters are probably a last crucial step in the job-seeking process. If you follow up with EVERYONE you met during the interview, you increase your chances of getting a job dramatically. (..especially since not everyone does this)
Don’t neglect this! You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain from it. Do whatever you have to, in order to maximize your potentials of securing that job!
Keep in mind, it should be brief. Do not use this as an opportunity to sell yourself one last time, especially by discussing things/experiences/skills that have not been mentioned previously.
For your convenience, I have provided a sample thank you letter template:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dear (NAME HERE),
I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound interest for the (___name of position___) that we discussed today. Based on the needs of INSERT JOB DESCRIPTION outlined in our conversation, I am sure that my skills in (___Insert 2-3 Skills___) can serve to be of value.
In any event, I want to thank you for your time and consideration. It was indeed a pleasure to meet you and (Insert all other names). Please let me know if you require any additional information to make your decision. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Posted in Job Search Methods | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, capabilities, careers, education, follow up, goals, interview, job search, power words, presentation, thank you letters
Posted by: phattphudge | June 7, 2011
***SAMPLE*** Cover letter for New Grads
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Posted in Cover letters | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, careers, education, goals, interview, job search, power words, presentation
Posted by: phattphudge | June 7, 2011
***SAMPLE*** Highlights of Qualifications/ Summary
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Another example for an entry level programmer:
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Like this:
Posted in Resumes | Tags: advancement, advice, aptitude, attitude, education, employment, goals, job search, power words, presentation, resume
Posted by: phattphudge | June 6, 2011
Aggressive Job Search Do’s and Don’ts
Anyone can land a job. It’s landing a job that you really want that is difficult. Here are some Aggressive Job Search Do’s and Don’ts.
DO…
1). Target you’re job search .
Don’t apply for everything you see. Sending out mass applications as a “shot-gun approach” will ultimately fail you in securing the job you desire. Everything should be job specific. It would be productive to send out, and continue sending out quality applications to all of the companies/organizations you are interested so you can maximize your chances of landing as many interviews as possible. (worst-comes to worst, even if you don’t end up getting/taking the job, it’s great interview practice!) With that said, also keep in mind to:
2). Look beyond the surface
-One of the greatest weaknesses of traditional job searches is that people tend to focus only on the visual job market (monster, workopolis, indeed.ca etc.) Almost three quarters of the jobs are not posted on the visual job market. So what do aggressive job searchers do? Tell everyone that they know that they are available. You don’t have to wait for a hot economy to land a job you really want. Chances are, somebody, somewhere is hiring. Worst case scenario, you build up a network of valuable persons and keep in touch until something opens up for you. It is fundamental to let people know that you exist!
3). Make Contacts
This will probably be the most challenging aspect, but chances are, if you succeed you will reap the benefits! If there is a position available that you are interested in, but don’t have access to a name or extension number, don’t be afraid to contact the organization and find someone productive to talk for assistance. I will tell you right now, most people are not a big fan of cold-calling on both ends. Don’t be discouraged by people’s reluctances to help you. You just have to be persistent (this is where wording is everything!) All it takes is one person to get connected with to put you at leverage over all those people you are competing with. I will provide a separate post on what works/doesn’t in terms of what to say in “cold-calling” situations.
DONT…
1). Follow up incessantly. Don’t e-mail them everyday asking for an update. Don’t call them everyday asking for an update. You will sound desperate and it will most likely turn people off
2). Send out mass applications to companies. Again, the shot-gun approach will not work to your benefit!
3). Sit back and wait for interesting job searches to show up on job boards.
4). Wonder why you’re not getting a response after having sent out a whole 10 resumes in the past month.
5). Ever settle for a job you know you can get. Challenge yourself and see what you can do with your skills and expertise!
REMEMBER!!! “A JOB is a JOB is a JOB” doesn’t have to apply to you!
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Posted in FYI Articles, Job Search Methods | Tags: advancement, advice, careers, education, employment, goals, interview, job search, resume
