According to Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate increased by 0.2% in January 2011. This is 1.9% higher than January in the previous year. If there are more job opportunities, then why is it that I am still asked so often to refer jobs, critique resumes, and offer pointers for seeking employment? More importantly, could they be missing out on a few things that would greatly increase their chances of landing a desired job?
Let’s start with the resume. There are 4 myths that I usually tell people when it comes to creating an effective resume:
1) Good Resume ≠ Getting a Job. The resume doesn’t get you the job. The purpose of the resume is to get you the interview which will help you to get the job.
2) Most people prepare to make a good first impression during their interview. This is good, however it’s not entirely true. The first impression is made on your resume rather than your interview. That means you need to shine on paper as well as in person!
3) Many people consider applying a job as a game of probabilities – send out as many resumes as you can and hope to hear back from at least one or two of them. DON’T do that! Instead, create focused and customized resumes that are relevant to a particular company or industry.
4) Another common myth is that if everyone is putting something on their resume, then you must too. That is not true, and trust me, it will backfire on you if you do. It seems like everyone these days are self-proclaimed to be extremely motivated candidates that can work effectively independently and in team settings. An HR representative reviewing 50 resumes for a job opening would just consider that to be fluff. Don’t just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. In other words, an employer would rather see proof that you can work well in a team setting rather than just stating a claim.
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