One of the biggest challenges in resume writing is making sure you get full credit for job responsibilities that go above and beyond your job title. You might have been in this situation. Read on…

Resume Writing: Have you ever been in this situation when job hunting?

Linda holds the position of Office Manager in a small company. Her job encompasses all of the typical duties of her job title. She also has many other responsibilities, such as working with her employer to set policies, communicating with freelance contractors on marketing materials, working with vendors and shipping companies, and following up on sales leads from trade shows. Her job title clearly doesn’t cover all of these job responsibilities.

Now that Linda is looking for a new job, several potential employers have questioned the differences between her job title and the position she holds in the company in terms of responsibilities. One or two have even wondered if she has exaggerated in her resume writing.

Another challenge when looking for a job is the situation where your job title is specific to your current job and company and is not generally understood outside of your company. This may lead to confusion about the nature of your job experience and responsibility.

Both of these situations cause challenges in resume writing, since they represent difficulties in correctly portraying your level of professional experience.   This can be a tough problem if you are committed to remaining truthful in your resume about your job title.   Unless you want to risk having your potential employer think you have lied on your resume, then remaining truthful is the best way to go. Therefore, you are faced with the decision of how to portray your job on your resume. Should you change your job title to better represent the job you actually do, or should you list your actual title and then try to explain what your responsibilities are? Let’s look at both options more closely.

Resume Writing: Upgrading your job title

Let’s first examine the option of changing your job title when writing your resume. If your title is unique or specific to your employer, look for an equivalent title that is well-known and accepted in your industry. As an example, say you provide customer support for a specific product or service, and your title reflects the name of the product or service. Try changing your job title to Product Support Specialist or Customer Support Representative in your resume.

Here is one note of caution in your resume writing. Don’t give yourself a promotion by changing your job title. Making it sound like you have more responsibility or authority or a much higher salary is dishonest and can destroy your credibility with a potential employer.

Resume Writing: Providing more detail about job responsibilities

The second option for handling the problem of your job title implying less responsibility than you actually have is to include your current job title but to also augment it with more information. For example, if you are a Customer Support Representative but also are responsible for new employee training, list your job title as Customer Support Representative / Trainer. After you list the job title, provide a strong description of your actual responsibilities, listed in order of priority and relevance.

This second option is more honest because you are only adding to your job title to add more information about your actual job responsibilities. If an interviewer were to run a background check or call one of your references, you wouldn’t have to worry about misrepresentation of your job title. Your credibility will not come into question.

Resume Writing: The Final Tip – Be Honest

One of the most important tips in resume writing is to keep your resume truthful. Present yourself honestly, focus on your strengths and positive traits, and you will have a winning resume that you can be proud of.

Resume Writing Format Rule #1 – Avoid resume templates

There are several rules which will help you create a winning format for
your resume. The first rule is to begin with an empty page. This means
stay away from templates which are available for Microsoft Word and
other word processing packages. These templates are widely used and can
make your resume look common and out-of-date. Your resume won’t stand
out when you use a template.

Another problem with using templates for your resume writing is that it
may not convert well for email and job website uploads. Instead of
using a template, search online for contemporary resume samples. You
will be able to find samples which are tailored for your particular
industry. Take your empty page and craft a resume that has all the best
features of the resume samples you find online.

Resume Writing Format Rule #2 – Keep it simple

A longstanding rule of resume writing says to keep it to one page.
However, if your educational background and experience are extensive,
it’s acceptable to add a second page. Don’t go beyond two pages! Before
adding that second page, see if you can leave out experience and skills
which aren’t relevant to the job you’re seeking.

Avoid adding images or pictures to your resume, even if you’re
seeking a position in a creative field. Save the creativity for a
portfolio of your work.

Resume Writing Format Rule #3 -  Keep the style consistent

One
inch margins at the top and bottom and sides of the page are standard.
Left justification of text is more modern looking than centered text.
Use a single font throughout the resume. A good font size to use is 12
point. Use a larger font size, such as 14 point, for your name and any
headings and make them bold and all caps. Avoid underlining text in
your resume, since this resembles a hyperlink.

Resume Writing Format Rule #4 -  Keep the layout neat

Watch your use of tabs and spaces. Use tabs instead of spaces for
alignment to help ensure consistency in the layout of your resume. As
you lay out the various parts of your resume, keep in mind that if it’s
being viewed electronically with a different version of software, some
aspects of the formatting may change. Margins may shrink or grow,
paragraph styles may differ, bullets may have an alternate appearance,
etc. By keeping your layout as simple and consistent as possible, you
can avoid some of these unexpected changes.

Creating a PDF version of your resume will allow you to avoid the
problems of layout shifting. Many PDF creation programs are available
online, such as the one found at www.cutepdf.com

When you’ve finished your resume writing, get the help of family and
friends. Ask them to review your resume and give you feedback on the
formatting. Email the resume and see how it looks in electronic form.
Also verify that a print version of the resume looks good, with correct
margins and well laid out content.

The most important thing to remember about formatting your resume is to
aim for a clean and simple presentation. Once you have that in place,
focus on the writing and content, and you’ll get the job you’re
seeking.

The “stumper” is any question that stops you in your tracks, and can threaten to derail your interview. Even though you can’t prepare for the content of the stumper, with the proper interview techniques you can prepare for encountering a stumper in the first place.

Here are some tips to help you do that. 

Interview Techniques for when you don’t understand the question

 Ask the interviewer to elaborate on the question, or give an example of what he or she means. More information may help you understand what end result the interviewer is looking for, and is much better than plunging ahead with an answer that doesn’t truly fit. Your interviewer will appreciate you taking the question seriously enough to give an answer that helps them. 

Interview Techniques for when your mind simply goes blank

This is normal – it happens. Silence during an interview is not only ok, it’s also one of the most effective interview techniques. (Refer to the article:"Awkward Pauses": Good or Bad during an Interview?  ) It’s acceptable to ask for a moment to think. It’s also alright to ask to come back to that question at the end of the interview to give yourself a chance to think about it in the back of your mind. Make a note, and be sure to address the question later. 

Interview Techniques for questions from left field

 Sometimes an interviewer will ask you a question that seems to have nothing to do with the job at hand. Just because may you don’t see how the question relates, don’t skim over it lightly. He or she may be curious about the breadth of your knowledge outside of their industry, or may simply want to see how your mind works. Answer the question as thoroughly as possible.

Interview Techniques for inappropriate questions

Interview techniques work both ways, and interviewers are not always up to par with theirs. If your potential employer asks you a question about your age or family situation, try to give an answer that creatively promotes your skills without directly answering the question. For instance, you can play down questions about age by saying something like:  “Even though I’m fairly young, the experience I gained at xxx would be beneficial…” or “I’ve lived enough years to gain valuable experience in xxx…”  Most interviewers will pick up your queue and back down. If the question is even more sensitive (such as regarding your sexual preferences or religion), it’s acceptable to politely say that you’d rather not share that private information, and gently guide the interview back to the skills you can bring to the job.

 Encountering the dreaded stumper is not the end of your chances to win the job. Use these interview techniques to climb gracefully over this obstacle and continue with your interview on its original path. Visit this link to understand more about this tactic: How to Answer Difficult Questions in Job Interview 

Add this fear to the already stressful interview situation, and it can
seem pretty overwhelming. While I don’t necessarily recommend the old
trick of imagining the panel of professionals in front of you naked in
order to put yourself at ease, I do have some tips for gearing your
communication skills toward dealing with a larger audience than you may
be accustomed to.

Tweaking Your Communication Skills for a Larger Audience

• Make eye contact

You already know that
maintaining eye contact is one of the most effective communication
skills, but now you have to maintain eye contact with multiple sets of
eyes. So that you don’t end up looking around like a scared rabbit, try
keeping your eyes first on the person asking each question, and then
direct your answer them all. Look at each person casually as you
answer, changing your gaze no more than about once every 10-15 seconds.
(Practice this the next time you’re talking with a group of friends,
and notice how easily it can be done.)

• Listen

We all know the communication skills mantra:
we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. While interviews are meant
for presenting yourself to potential employers, be sure to really hear
what each person is asking, and allow time for your answers to sink in.
If you notice someone looking confused or unsatisfied with an answer
you give, it’s ok to ask them if they’d like for you to elaborate.

• Practice

Ask some friends to help you prepare. Have
them sit in front of you in a semi-circle, give each a copy of your
resume, and have them ask you questions. Practice your eye contact, and
including each person in your answers. Ask for feedback on how you’re
coming across, and make adjustments until you’re able to appear relaxed
and confident.

Beyond Communication Skills –

• Prepare Yourself

The person who schedules your
interview may not volunteer the fact that you’ll be interviewing with
more than one person. It’s ok to ask exactly who you’ll be interviewing
with so you can prepare yourself mentally. (Added bonus: knowing and
memorizing their names up front will help during the interview, since
the first few minutes of introductions are usually a blur!)

• Adapt your answers

During the interview, try to
think about the questions you are asked from the perspective of each
person in the room – or at least from one other angle than the obvious.
These people probably represent different departments and/or management
levels. For this reason, expect follow-up questions and strive to
understand what angle they’re looking for and help them learn what they
want to know.

However, don’t be thrown off or insulted if some people in the room
never say a word. They could be there simply to observe and not ask
questions. Include these people in your eye contact and answers anyway.

Interviews are already stressful situations, and compounding them
with the added dimension of a panel can certainly be intimidating, but
think of this as your opportunity to show how you can perform under
pressure. After all, you must be considered a viable candidate to
warrant all this attention and time. Let that thought give you that
extra boost of confidence you need to let your natural communication
skills shine through.

Really? 

Actually, there are very few good excuses for being late to a job interview, and Mary’s just don’t cut it. If she is lucky, Mary’s potential employer will give her a chance and interviewer her despite her tardiness. However, even if the interview continues, most employers will view this negligence as an indicator of her time management skills – and this is not a good representation!

Here are some time management tips to help you make sure that you don’t make the same mistake Mary did.

Scout it Out

Make absolutely sure that you know exactly where the interview is to
take place. Online driving direction tools such as MapQuest are
helpful, but remember that sometimes they can be wrong. The best policy
is to do a “dry run” and drive to the building yourself ahead of time.
If it’s a crowded downtown area, scout the best parking opportunities.
If possible, make the trip around the scheduled time of your interview
so you can take into account how traffic might affect your drive time.

Allow Plenty of Time

I’m not talking about leaving 15 minutes earlier than you think you
should. I’m talking about at least an hour. Especially if you tend to
live by Murphy’s Law, bad things can and will happen, and time
management experts agree that the trick is to plan for them.

Get to the interview site at least 30 minutes early, and an hour is
better. Pay for parking as close to the building as possible, if
necessary, instead of circling around the area looking for a free or
cheaper space. Then find a coffee shop or someplace else to sit quietly
and relax. Spend some time reviewing your resume and your prepared
questions to get your mind ready for the interview. (Click here for
more information about preparing for an interview.)

Then, check in with the receptionist at the office at least ten
minutes prior to your scheduled time. This will give you a few minutes
to sit quietly, take a few deep breaths, and allow your heart rate to
slow down. You’ll also have a few minutes to get the “lay of the land”,
and maybe even scope out a few of your fellow applicants.

Communicate

Despite this preparation, if you do find yourself running late for
some reason, call the office as soon as you realize it and give an
accurate estimate of your time of arrival. It may be that your
interviewer’s schedule won’t allow enough time for a sufficient
interview, and to continue with the plan would be a waste of both of
your time. If this is the case, politely ask to reschedule the meeting.
If you’re lucky, this will work. If not, chalk it up to experience and
use better time management to be on time for your next interview!

Remember, your potential employer is a busy person, and to
disrespect his or her time is rude and will not bode well in your
chances of winning the job. Use these simple time management tips to
ensure that you arrive on time and put your best foot forward.

“Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a boss or co-worker.
How did you handle the situation?”
“What kinds of things make it difficult for your to do your job?”
“Why are you leaving your current job?”

In asking this type of question, interviewers are trying to find out
how you deal with difficult situations and whether you are able to
solve problems constructively. Also, they want to learn about your
personality, and how you react to negative situations.

Here are some presentation skills and tips for projecting a positive attitude even when answering the most difficult questions:

Use Positive Body Language

It’s hard to project positivity when you’re slumped in your chair,
not smiling, or listless. Sit up straight, smile pleasantly, and look
alert and enthusiastic. These small actions are some of the most basic
presentation skills that go a long way in helping you put your best
foot forward.

Choose Stories that Have a Good Ending

It’s okay to take a moment to formulate your best answer. Think
through where your example will end before you begin the story, so you
don’t talk yourself into a negative outcome. (For more information
about pauses and silences during an interview, click here .)

Balance the Bad with Some Good

In every example you give, be sure to include some redeeming
quality. For instance, in explaining how a lack of information impeded
your progress during an important project in your last job, you can
mention that as a result you learned about a little-known website that
was very helpful and that you were able to share it with your
co-workers.

Be a Problem-Solver

Don’t just talk about the problem. Demonstrate your problem-solving
skills by explaining how you turned the negative situation into a
positive one.

Never, Never, Never Bad-mouth Anyone!

No matter how you feel personally about the story you’re telling, or no
matter how much the other person was a fault, it is a big mistake to
say anything negative about another person. This can make you sound
like you may be likely to badmouth people in your new job. Even worse,
your potential employer may wonder if you might speak this way about
him or her if you leave this job. The best policy is to just present
the facts objectively, and then use your presentation skills to apply
your positive spin.

Another favorite question interviewers like to as is, “When you’re in a bad mood, how does it show?” 
Your first inclination may be to answer that you’re more quiet than
normal, or you keep to yourself. However, this tells the interviewer
that you may be prone to letting your personal life interfere with your
work. The answer to this question should be, “It doesn’t!” (And then, when you get hired, be sure you follow through with this answer!)

Interviewers do not expect you to be perfect, or to never encounter
difficulties. However, they do want to know that you react to and deal
with adversity in a constructive way. So use these simple presentation
skills to put a positive spin on negative situations, and you’ll excel
at answering these difficult interview questions.

In our fast-paced society, with a constant stream of information, talk,
and even just “white noise” flowing around us at all times, we are
trained to feel the need to fill the empty spaces. And when these
pauses happen, especially during a job interview, most people’s first
thought is that something has gone dreadfully wrong with their
communication skills.

But this is not always the case. Pauses and silences are not
necessarily a breach in the communication skills of either the
interviewer or the interviewee. Instead, they are a necessary part of
processing information effectively, and can even be an indication that
the interview is going well!

Here are some examples of “healthy pauses” and how they can be used successfully during an interview.

• If the interviewer asks you a difficult question, it is
  perfectly fine to ask for a few moments to think about your answer.
  Most likely, the interviewer will be impressed that you are taking the
  time to carefully formulate your best response.
• If the
  interviewer is taking notes, give him or her time to write between each
  question. The fact that the interviewer is writing down your answers
  and their impressions means that they want to remember them – and
  that’s a good thing.
• Sometimes the interviewer may need a
  moment to think about your answer to a question. He or she may be
  considering an idea that hadn’t occurred to them until something you
  said triggers it, and may come up with a follow-up question or two that
  will help reveal something unique and useful about you in relation to
  the job at hand that would not come out if you nervously “fill the
  spaces”.

Some additional tips for using pauses and silence:

• Practice being comfortable during pauses. Learning to use
  silence effectively is as important to cultivating effective
  communication skills as what you say.
• Use this time to look
  around the room and find ways to “make a connection” with your
  potential employer (click here for more information on this technique).
• Don’t
  be alarmed if the interviewer does not respond to your questions. Most
  interviewers are trained to remain neutral, and do not want to give an
  indication of how the interview is going at this time.
• If
  the interviewer pauses after an answer and is not taking notes, it
  could be a signal that your answer was not quite what he or she was
  looking for. It’s ok to ask if you misunderstood the question, or
  whether he or she would like you to elaborate.

As awkward as pauses and silences may feel to us naturally, they are
actually a vital part of effective communication skills. Try to retrain
your reaction to them, and use pauses to your advantage in your next
interview.

Another advantage of this interview technique is that it can help the
interviewer understand more about you personally, and how you interact
with people. If your job is people-facing, this can be an important
determining factor. Also, aside from your qualification and experience,
another important consideration for your interviewer is how you will
likely fit in with other people in the office.

Even if you are not particularly good at making small talk, this is
still a skill that you can learn. Here are some tips for using this
effective interview technique to weave in conversation that will help
you connect on a personal level with your potential employer.

• Look for Clues

Look around the
interviewer’s office for any personal effects that might open the door
to a connection. For example, if you see a photograph of a very large
family gathering, you comment on it and mention that you, too come from
a large family (if you do). Find something in the room that you can
personally connect with, and then make a casual and sincere comment
about it.

• Listen for Cues

The skill of listening is
just as important an interview technique as presenting yourself well.
If your interviewer seems uncomfortable talking about personal
information, follow his or her lead. You do not want your attempt to
feel forced or fake. However, if a conversation does develop, do not
take the reigns: let the interviewer remain in control of the
interview.

• Cost your Line

Once you have developed a
personal connection with your interviewer, use it as “bait” you cast
out with your line. For example, if you’ve discovered that you both
have read a certain book, offer to send an interesting review you found
recently. And here’s an extra-special tip: you can use this interview
technique if you haven’t actually read a review! Thanks to the
internet, you can always do some quick research and find one later.
Think creatively, and find some chance to follow up after the interview
is over

• Follow up

To
continue the fishing analogy, don’t forget to “reel in” the bait you
left, and actually follow through on the offer you made. The purpose of
leaving the bait was so that you would have a valid excuse for
contacting your interviewer again, which further cements you in his or
her mind. Send the materials you promised

You never know – even if you are ultimately not chosen for the
position, making this connection may still be valuable to you if
additional positions become available with the company. And making
yourself stand out in the interviewers mind may help them remember to
recommend you to other hiring parties within their company or even
external contacts in his or her network.

So give this little-known interview technique a try in your next
interview. Making a personal connection with your interviewer may just
be the thing that tips the scales in your favor over other candidates
with the same skills and experience. I think you’ll find that it
increases your chance of winning a job position that is an excellent
fit for you.

Choosing the best resume writing service company requires a little bit of homework.
That actually sounds a little more painful than it really is. All you need to do is access the Internet and search under “resume writing services.”

It is important to keep the 3 “Cs” in mind: Capacity, consideration and compensation.

The resume writing services firm preparing your resume should have the capacity to write a variety of strong, captivating resumes.

They should have consideration of the ultimate goal of your resume. Are you looking for a new job or to advance at your current employer?

Compensation is also very important. You want to be sure you are
getting the best value for your dollar. The cost of a resume is small
considering the money already invested in one’s job preparation (e.g.
$100,000 for four years of college). Just make sure to shop around a
few a resume writing services firms before making a decision. This will
help give you an idea of what you should be paying.

It is also important to ask to see samples of their previous work.
Ideally, they will have samples similar to the field you work in. Find
out if you will be able to communicate directly with the writer
preparing the resume. This communication can be vital in getting the
best resume′ possible.

How to get the most out of a resume writing services firm

A resume writing services firm will give your resume a polished and professional look
that most people cannot achieve on their own due to time or other
reasons. A good resume writing services firm has a staff of writers
with strong writing skills and experience in recruiting or human
resources. Resume writers with a background in recruiting or human
resources can help you create a resume that will get noticed and will
elicit a phone call from the hiring manager. These writers also know
the fine line between not including enough and adding too much
information on a resume.

A knowledgeable resume writing services firm will also recommend the
right format based on your experience and career goals. This extra
service by a resume writing services firm can make a significant
difference in highlighting your strengths on a resume. This is
especially important if you are transitioning in careers or have just
left the armed forces. It will also save you time, so you can actively
look for a new job or apply for advancement at your current employer.

Other helpful tools a resume writing services firm will provide:

• Interactive worksheets for submitting your resume information
• Toll free number for direct communication for technical assistance
• Cover letters and personal statements samples to enhance your resume

Many resume writing services firms guarantee your satisfaction or at
least offer an additional re-write at no charge. Once in a while
resumes need to be tweaked. This is an especially helpful service in
case you are not getting the results anticipated from your resume. But
beware of services that offer unusually inexpensive costs or make
promises that sound too good to be true. Remember that no resume
writing service firm can guarantee you a job from the resume they
prepare, but they can greatly improve your chances of getting that
interview.