Job Seekers - Getting a Job
Job Seekers:
Getting a Job
How-to Resume Tips, Interviewing Strategies & Resources
"The best story is sold, not told"
It’s up to you to:
- Find or be found by a prospective employer
- Convey your information in an easy-to-follow structure
- Uncover & understand the motivation for their hiring
- Communicate in a way your decision-maker relates to & understands
- Negotiate a win-win situation for all parties
Steps for Getting a Job
- Resume, Cover Letter/Email/Intro Message, Portfolio Links Creation (update to speak to the position)
- Interview Consideration (Be recruited, apply, referred, apply & be referred)
- Interviewing – Initial Interview (phone/video, in-person), SME/technical interview(s), Final Interview
- Contract Offer, Negotiation, Acceptance
- Give notice to current employer
- Job Contingencies – Background Check, Relocation (if applicable)
- Start (Add value, Make a difference, Ascend in your career)
Page Links:
(click the link to jump to the section)
(LinkedIn, Github, Any other Social Media or Website)
Resume
Resume
Goal
The goal of your resume is to provide enough information to your reader that they decide to schedule an interview without turning them off.
Make your Resume:
- Engaging and friendly
- Easy to read format
(good spacing, font formatting, concise) - Easy to understand
(What you do? What was the goal and the result? What tools or Subject Matter Expertise did you utilize? Who did you work with? What was the reporting structure?) - Concise
- Length can vary
(it’s not necessary to limit to 1 page, but 5+ pages may be excessive. The sweet spot is 1-3 pages, unless you have significant experience that may want and need to be seen.)
- Although getting a job is thought to be a numbers game (the more you apply, the greater your chance of consideration), you only need 1 company to say yes, so each resume needs to speak to the Reader.
Resume Errors
- Resume Inconsistencies: Spelling errors, Grammatical inconsistencies (verb tenses), Inconsistent spacing and formatting (applicant appears uneducated or not detail-oriented)
- Font is too small to reader (difficult to read)
- Too many font types, styles, colors (difficult to read)
- Not enough space between Experiences (difficult to read)
- Your resume is difficult to understand, your choice of language makes it hard to follow, (i.e. Listing all job description sentences together vs. using bullet points and lists)
- Your resume is too long (not worth the reader’s time & attention)
- Your resume’s vocabulary and verbiage don’t match the Employer’s job descriptions (the reader/recruiter who knows less about the subject can’t determine if your experience is a match)
- Information is omitted, causing suspicion and assumptions about your character
Resume Length
There’s a debate on how long a resume should be. Some say 1 page, others say 2 pages, and there’s the other school of thought that you should include everything and let the reader choose.
At BR, our opinion is that as long as the reader is engaged and can easily find the information they’re looking for, the length is secondary (although less than 3 pages is preferred, unless your listing Recognition, Awards, Publications, Speaking Engagements, etc.).
Ultimately it comes down to the number of jobs you’ve held and how can you concisely articulate your experience, responsibilities, tasks, and accomplishments.
- If you have 1-3 years of experience, you’ll typically have a 1 page resume
- 4-6 years of experience, 1-2 pages, but 3 may be ok
- 7-10 years (1-3)
- 10+ years (up to 3-5 pages)
Resume Content
Your goal is to get the reader to read your resume, so tailor each resume for each type of job you’re interested in, highlight what’s most relevant for the reader, paint a clear picture, and list it in order. (more below)
Formatting
Font Size
- Make your font type readable
- Not too big or small, 10, 10.5, 11
- Font size 9.5 for some larger font types (possibly
- Font size 12 is ok for individuals with less experience
Font Type
- Make your readable and desirable for your reader
- Make your font type the same throughout
- Make your font size the same throughout (Possible exceptions for Section Headings – Your Name, The resume section Summary, Professional Experience, Education, Skills, Recognition, …)
- Make sure vertical spacing the same between jobs
- Make sure you Job Description Heading has the same Vertical Spacing (i.e. Single Spacing OR Multiple 1.1)
- Make the bullet points (lists) spacing the same (i.e. .25″ left, .25″ hanging)
- If you use periods in your bullet points, make sure each job description has a period. If you don’t use periods, make sure there are no periods.
- Make sure your Degree and School of where you got your degree match the formatting for your Job Company and Title
Would you like Professional Clean Word Resume Templates?
Would you like Professional Clean Word Resume Templates?
Resume Layout
- There’s no right way to format a format, so below is a suggestion of how to order your resume
- If you don’t have a section like portfolio links, publications, achievements, etc. just omit
- Company
- Job Title
- Dates of Employment
- Location
- What the company does and who their clients are
- Type of company – Public or Private
- Size of company, # of employees and geographies
- Revenue (if known)
Job Descriptions
- Verb Tense (Current role in current verb tense, Previous roles in past verb tense)
- For roles with projects or deliverables that have already been met and isn’t continuously done, past tense is ok.
- Your choice of language informs the reader specifically if you were hands-on, hands-off, if you took the initiative and created or were passed the baton to lead, etc.
- It is strongly suggested to use Power Verbs or (Powerful) Action verbs, which are verbs that imply positive actions
- Specifically use Power Verbs that are Industry-Appropriate or Appropriate for your function
Upon doing a quick search, here’s a list of 185 Power Verbs
Here’s another Power Verbs PDF to download as well to add to your toolbox
- One popular method for sharing information, which has many applications, is the STAR method.
- (Situation, Tactics, Actions, Result)
- However, many omit “Tactics” to evoke curiosity so the reader will schedule an interview, and then will share the details.
This results in the acronym:
SAR – Situation, Action, Result or the variation PAR – Problem, Action, Result
- This was the Situation / Problem
- Here’s the Action I took
- This was the Result
Whether you share Tactics or not, the key is to pique the readers’ interest while showing you’re knowledgeable and not giving away your how-to secrets that differentiate you.
- Situation/Problem/Challenge, Action, Results
- Goals
- Milestones
- Responsibilities
- Tasks
- Duties (day-to-day, weekly, monthly, annually)
- Objectives
- Initiatives
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Skills & New Skills Acquired
- Accomplishments
- Positive Results (Quantify with Numbers & Job / Industry-Specific Metrics)
- Metrics – Time, Volume, Money
- Recognition
✔ Show that you have Subject Matter Expertise
(if not, show a comparable situation or skill that is transferable)
✔ Share Results that are quantifiable and understandable
✔ Convey that you have a positive attitude and awareness to do what’s needed by taking the initiative
✔ If you received recognition, share the social proof
(not only are you saying it, but it must be true if you were recognized for your efforts)
✔ Show that you have Subject Matter Expertise
(if not, show a comparable situation or skill that is transferable)
✔ Share Results that are quantifiable and understandable
✔ Convey that you have a positive attitude and awareness to do what’s needed by taking the initiative
✔ If you received recognition, share the social proof
(not only are you saying it, but it must be true if you were recognized for your efforts)
Resume Order of Information
Inexperienced Hires (1st or 2nd professional job)
Inexperienced Hires
(1st or 2nd professional job)
- Summary Overview – Summary of education, internship/experience, industry/functional passion/interest, type of company/position/opportunity you are interested in
- Education – Degree, GPA if the reader will think it’s good, scholarships, activities/contributions, coursework as it relates to the job)
- Professional Experience or internships
- Certifications
- Portfolio Links
- Publications/Speaking Engagements
- Volunteering
- Achievements/Recognition
Experienced Hire
- Summary Overview – Overview, SME, type of company/position you want to apply your SME
- Professional Experience
- Education
- Certifications
- Skills/Core Skills/Areas of Knowledge
- Portfolio Links
- Publications/Speaking Engagements
- Volunteering
- Achievements/Recognition
Experienced Hire – New Function or Subject Matter
- Summary Overview – Overview, SME, type of company/position you want to apply your SME
- Professional Experience
- Education
- Certifications
- Skills/Core Skills/Areas of Knowledge
- Portfolio Links
- Publications/Speaking Engagements
- Volunteering
- Achievements/Recognition
Executive Hire
- Summary Overview – Overview, SME, type of company/position you want to apply your SME
- Professional Experience
- Education
- Certifications
- Skills/Core Skills/Areas of Knowledge
- Portfolio Links
- Publications/Speaking Engagements
- Committees/Board of Directors
- Volunteering
- Achievements/Recognition
Resume Formatting?
Would you like professional help
Formatting or Writing your resume?
Option #1
- We’ll use your resume’s information & Apply a clean resume format (+ 2 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Objectives
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #2
- We’ll Reformat/Recreate your resume or Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses (+ 3 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #3
- We’ll review your resume
- Schedule a call to better understand and articulate your professional experience & goals
- Reformat/Recreate your Resume OR Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses
- Make Modifications as Needed
- Unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #1
- We’ll use your resume’s information & Apply a clean resume format (+ 2 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Objectives
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #2
- We’ll Reformat/Recreate your resume or Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses (+ 3 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #3
- We’ll review your resume
- Schedule a call to better understand and articulate your professional experience & goals
- Reformat/Recreate your Resume OR Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses
- Make Modifications as Needed
- Unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
OPTIMIZING YOUR PROFILE
~ Your profile is only as good as you can be found ~
Keywords
- Recruiters search for job candidates by location and keywords such as skill, title, certification, programming language, accolade.
- Make sure that you have your job’s keywords and experience listed
- Write variations of how recruiters might search
- i.e.
- Project Management, PM, Project Manager, Program Management, PMO
- Certified Public Accountant, (CPA)
- Financial Planning & Analysis, FP&A, Financial Analyst
- Node.js Software Engineer, Back-end Developer
- In LinkedIn, you can list up to 50 skills and you can type them in, so fill them up
- Also, fill in your job descriptions with keywords of skills and job titles that recruiters are looking for. This includes variations when titles vary at different companies
- i.e.
- DevOps, Cloud Automation Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer, SRE
- (I realize that SREs focus on infrastructure automation & DevOps focuses on App & Infrastructure automation), but many recruiters might not be technical & your goal is to be found
Open to New Opportunities
- Most are aware that you can turn on new opportunities in LinkedIn, but if not, go into settings and turn it on (google for how-to)
Make Your Profile Easy to Read
- Make your profile easy to read or the reader will go to the next person. We make decisions very quickly from scanning profiles and resumes.
- Sometimes recruiters will comb through a profile and dig deeper, but if we see a mountain of words with no spaces, it’s probably indicative of the type of candidate you are and we’re onto the next person
- I would use a dash or bullet point symbol (copy and paste from Word)
LinkedIn Profile Optimization
Profile Review +
Recommendations + Modifications
- Profile Review
- Professional Recommendations
(Be contacted by more recruiters, decision-makers & networkers for qualified opportunities) - Up to 3 revisions
- LinkedIn Recruiter Profile Screenshots (see your profile from the Recruiter’s vantage point)
GETTING AN INTERVIEW
Getting an interview can be done in a variety of ways, as there’s many ways to do it.
- Applying
- Networking at the company
- Networking in the industry
- Networking with family & friends
- Working with an External Recruiter/Headhunter
- Contact the individual when you think they’ll be in a business mindset, and when the timing may be right to read your message / connection request
- i.e. Before their day, just after lunch, the afternoon
- Sending a message after work or on the weekends may be seen, but could fall through the cracks and be forgotten by the next business day
- Don’t pester someone. Be casual and confident. No one wants to work or help a nag, so don’t be one. Give at least 3 days or for slower cycles, a weekend in between.
Applying
- For an experienced-hire job, not only does it require that your expertise matches the job, but that you also use title and job description keywords that the recruiter understands that you’re a match
- Additionally, you’ll have to have a job tenure that doesn’t disqualify you (if that’s important to the company)
- Further, you’re assuming that the job poster goes through the job applications, sees your resume, and likes you enough to contact you
- It’s still possible, but a harder path
Networking at the Company (you’re interested in working at)
HR
- After you’ve applied, go on LinkedIn and look up 1-3 Senior Recruiters or Recruiting Manager / Director, send them a connection request, and upon connecting let them know that you are interested in a specific role with your qualifications, and do they think you’d be a good fit?
- Alternatively you could ask for their consideration in reviewing your resume to bring attention to your candidacy.
Same Line of Business (LOB)
- Prior to applying, go on LinkedIn (or other professional social media sites) and look up other individuals in similar roles (same level or one above).
- Send them a connection request (i.e. I’m interested in expanding my professional network in your Industry/Function and would like to add you to my network).
- Once connected, you can message them and say that you’re interested in working at their company and saw a job post.
- Share a few sentences, 1-3 bullet points, a link to a portfolio, etc. (keep it short) about your skill set, experience, job-specific passion.
- Let them know you’re curious to know what it’s like to work, the and the pros and cons, and would they recommend it.
- If they would recommend working there, if they get a referral bonus, would they mind forwarding your resume to the hiring manager or who you could connect with?
Networking with a Hiring Manager
(CXO, VP of …, Director of …, Possibly Manager of your Function or HR)
- Connect by letting them know that you’re interested in expanding your professional network in your Industry/Function.
- Let them know you’re interested in their company
- Share a few quick reasons why they would want you on their team
- Ask them if they are doing x, y, z (your expertise) or ever look for someone with your expertise/traits.
- You should get insight into if they do and if they’re hiring now or possibly in the future.
Networking in the Industry
- Connect on LinkedIn by letting them know that you’re interested in expanding your professional network
- Let them know you’re expertise and value-add (or a compelling reason why they would want to add you to their team)
- Ask them if they are doing x, y, z (your expertise) or ever look for someone with your expertise/traits for their portfolio companies
- You should get insight into if they are responsible for hiring someone like yourself, when they would consider someone like yourself, and if they have an immediate or future need
Networking with Family & Friends
- Networking with family and friends is similar to all of the ways mentioned above
- Whether you are messaging them online or meeting with them in person, you simply let them know that you are actively looking for a new job or are open to a new job, do you know anyone / or know anyone that’s hiring?
- People can only help you if they know
- Just like the other methods, you already have an entrusted connection, so you are more likely to be received in a positive way
Working with an External Recruiter / Headhunter
- Additionally, you’ll most likely need a good job tenure, as companies don’t like to pay an additional fee for someone that is job-hopper.
- For a contract or very tough-to-fill position (that might be centered around the completion of a project), this can be overlooked.
- Lastly, if you’ve applied to a company within the last 3-12 months, a recruiter will most likely not get credit for your placement and won’t compete with themselves to refer you.
INTERVIEWING COMPONENTS & STRATEGIES TO GET THE JOB
Remember that when you are interviewing, it’s not a one-way street.
It’s equally important that you are interviewing them as well for your consideration of companies to help grow and contribute your energy to.
Question Methodology
- Uncover Why they are hiring?
- When they need to hire?
- What (skills, experience, mindset) are they looking for?
- Who will you be working with and what will you be working on?
- What is their decision-making process and timeline?
- What action they will take if both sides agree the role is a fit?
Interviewing Strategy / Framework
Intro
- A little small talk and get rapport (find a common interest, make a comment about something in their office)
- Thank them for taking the time to speak with you & ask them to tell you about the company, the group, & why they are hiring
- Thank them for meeting with you & Provide them with an overview and
- Let them that you are happy to provide specific information as it relates to role, responsibilities, and expectations.
- Ask what are the main responsibilities & goals of this role?
- Find out if there is room for growth, who’ll work with, you’ll report to, who’ll you’ll oversee
- Make sure you’ve done your homework about the company and have 3-5 questions prepared
- Tailor sharing your experience as it relates
- When the end of the interview is in 3-5 minutes, thank them for their time, let them know you this is a great fit/are interested/can immediately add value & ask if they feel comfortable recommending you move forward
- (i.e. Call with the team, final interview, in-person, start date & offer, etc.)
- Then find out Next Steps and Time Frame. “Great, what are the next steps and time frame”
Sharing About Yourself in a Structured, Linear & Easy-to-Follow Format
- Education, (GPA if it’s 3.5 or higher and relevant, Scholarships if of interest)
- Years of experience
- Progressive experience
- Number of years in current role
- Title and Position
- Managing/Reporting Relationships
- Accomplishments/Results
- Job Responsibilities
- Experience as it relates to the role or attributes that match the role
- Certifications
- SME Thought-leadership (Published, Speaker, Author, etc.) – That is interest
- Reason seeking a new role (always say growth, the experience you are seeking, or working with a thought-leader, never say compensation as that’s commensurate on the responsibilities and results)
- I grew up in ______.
- I went to school at ______ where I majored in ______.
- I have ______ amount of years of progressive experience.
- I am passionate about ______ (as it relates to the role),
- My experience and expertise is in ______, ______, ______.
- I’ve worked at for X amount of years and months.
- I’ve directly managed X number of employees, indirectly X, and mentored X employees,
- I currently report to X.
- I am responsible for X, Y, Z.
- I support this amount of people, X number of application.
- On a regular basis I use these technologies/platforms/programming languages/methodologies/am responsible for X, I am also familiar with X, and have a strong knowledge base of Y from Y.
- I’ve had to learn a lot of new industry information, do self-learning, and get caught up to speed on ______.
- I’ve faced similar situations before and was able to succeed.
- I’ve face ______ and was able to overcome it.
- Other pertinent information includes ________.
- Lastly, my motivation for a new opportunity is _______.
You: “That’s a pretty comprehensive overview, if you could share with me area more about the company, the opportunity, and what specifically you would like or need this person to do, I can speak to these points.”
End of Interview Closing Strategy
- Below is a strategy for sharing with the interviewer that you are interested in the job, finding out where you stand, and asking to move forward.
- Feel free to use your own words or modify.
With a few minutes left in the interview:
- Once you have asked your last question or the end or your time deadline is near, I would ask if they feel comfortable recommending you move forward in the interviewing process.
- If the interviewer isn’t winding down the interview, read the situation, thank them for their time, let them know you are interested and confident you can add value to the team, and ask if they feel comfortable recommending you move forward.
Interviewer:
Interviewer:
Interviewer:
Interviewer:
or
(Address it and then ask if they now feel comfortable recommending you move forward)
Character Building
- You directly add value to their function and can do the work
- You take into consideration the bigger picture and micro when making decisions
- You are a self-starter without supervision
- Also can also interact well with a team, make a positive impact, lead and mentor (if applicable)
- Remain calm under pressure
- Fit the personality and ideals of the company
7 points to directly mention or subtly state:
I am familiar with the company, what the company does, and have a real interest in this space (or doing this function)
I am energetic and have a positive attitude
I am an SME in x and have a great deal of experience (share specifics) OR I have these core strengths, am a quick learner, and am interested in industry x
I am a self-starter and also a team player
I am organized and adaptable to change (as changes in consulting and this industry can occur quickly)
I am very interested in this space and am striving to become an expert in this field
I am highly motivated and dependable
NEGOTIATING COMPENSATION
- If asked about what you are seeking for compensation, I would say that you are very interested in the opportunity. Before answering this questions, you’ll need to learn more about the job, responsibilities, and details about the company.
- Inquire about the structure of the compensation (is there a bonus, equity with cliff and vesting period)
- If asked about compensation prior to learning about the role, I would say that you would need to learn more information about the role, responsibilities, expectations, room for advancement, learning, tools/resources, however a similar role at a (Name a Competitor) would offer between X-Y (x is what you are aiming for, but offer a range to allow for a greater upside).
- Where is that within the range that you are offering?
- It’s always better to provide a range than a number, with the amount you want at the bottom or the range
Final Interviewing Tips:
- Communicate at a similar pace as you’re your interviewer (this is how they understand)
- If they speak quickly, speak quickly.
- If they speak slowwwly with lengthy pauses, speak slowwwly with lengthy pauses
- Match their tonality – Most of your inflections will be neutral and matter of fact
- Inflect up (indicates a question)
- no inflection (indicates a statement)
- inflection down (indicates a command)
- Shake their hand firmly, look them in the eye, and smile when introducing yourself (in-person)
- Maintain a pleasant eye contact during your interview (in-person)
- Have your resume, write up, talking points/notes in front of you (phone interview)
- No filler words. If you are using filler words – “Um,” “you know,” “like,” slow your rate of speaking down. Take your time.
- For closing, practice it out loud at least 5 times because it isn’t natural at first.
- The key is to say to casually and as a matter of fact.
We hope this Information on Resumes, Formatting, Networking, Interviewing & Negotiating:
- Makes you better prepared for your next opportunity
- Feel more confident in articulating about yourself & the value you add
- Brings more opportunities to you & makes it easier to get a job
- Enhances your communication & interviewing skills so you rise up faster & have more choices
- Helps land you your next job & promotions to provide you the life you envision!
Professional Help Formatting or
Writing Your Formatting
Option #1
- We’ll use your resume’s information & Apply a clean resume format (+ 2 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Objectives
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #2
- We’ll Reformat/Recreate your resume or Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses (+ 3 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #3
- We’ll review your resume
- Schedule a call to better understand and articulate your professional experience & goals
- Reformat/Recreate your Resume OR Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses
- Make Modifications as Needed
- Unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #1
- Send your resume
- We’ll use your resume’s information & Apply a clean resume format + 1 revision
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- ob Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #2
- Send your resume
- We’ll use your resume’s information & Apply a clean resume format + 1 revision
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- ob Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats
Option #3
- We’ll review your resume
- Speak for 30 minutes to understand your professional experience & goals
- Reformat/Recreate your Resume or Apply a clean resume format (your choice)
- Review/Unify verb tenses
- Make Modifications as Need (5 revisions)
- We’ll unify the spacing, formatting & end-of-sentence periods (or removal)
- Contact Information
- Job Headers (Company, Title, Employment Dates, Location)
- Job Description
- Education
- Skills
- Other if applicable (Summary, Certifications, Publications, etc.)
- Send your resume in Word & PDF formats