Yes, I know it's Friday. But I got my days mixed up because my hockey team played yesterday (Thursday) instead of today (Friday). So I sent out my new "Thursday survey" on professional association conferences today.
I sent an e-mail to all active subscribers today with the link to the survey. If you have NOT yet signed up to receive your free subscription to Resume Writers' Digest, use the form in the upper right hand corner of the blog.
Already, I've received more responses to this survey than I did for the Subcontractor Survey (although that survey will remain open until March 31, so if you haven't taken the survey yet, do it!)
I will report the results on the blog.
Ideas, information, and resources for professional resume writers.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Getting Your Mojo Back
I came across an article in Fast Company magazine from January 2005 in the "Corporate Shrink" column. A reader asked Dr. Kerry J. Sulkowicz:
Having built many successful business relationships with customers, I suddenly find myself experiencing call reluctance. I've lost all confidence in my ability to create the win-win scenario. How can I get my confidence back?
Does that sound familiar? Do you ever find yourself dreading answering the phone, because you just "know" there's going to be a price shopper on the other end? Or worse, it will be a good prospect, but you won't be able to "close" the sale?
Dr. Sulkowicz offers some excellent advice:
First of all, realize that everyone "is prone to slumps." He says that "sometimes you have to understand why you've lost something before you can get it back." Was it a particular client that shook your confidence? Was it a series of calls that just didn't seem to go your way? Or is something going on in your personal life that is affecting your business?
Just thinking about these issues might be enough to get you back on track. Maybe you'd benefit from writing out a call script to help guide the conversation. Or maybe you need "a mentor whose confidence is contagious," as Dr. Sulkowicz put sit.
Having built many successful business relationships with customers, I suddenly find myself experiencing call reluctance. I've lost all confidence in my ability to create the win-win scenario. How can I get my confidence back?
Does that sound familiar? Do you ever find yourself dreading answering the phone, because you just "know" there's going to be a price shopper on the other end? Or worse, it will be a good prospect, but you won't be able to "close" the sale?
Dr. Sulkowicz offers some excellent advice:
First of all, realize that everyone "is prone to slumps." He says that "sometimes you have to understand why you've lost something before you can get it back." Was it a particular client that shook your confidence? Was it a series of calls that just didn't seem to go your way? Or is something going on in your personal life that is affecting your business?
Just thinking about these issues might be enough to get you back on track. Maybe you'd benefit from writing out a call script to help guide the conversation. Or maybe you need "a mentor whose confidence is contagious," as Dr. Sulkowicz put sit.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Me and My Space Heater
I've written before that my favorite spot for writing resumes is me, on the floor, parked in front of my space heater ... even if it's 98 degrees outside. Now I've got science on my side:
In a landmark study evaluating the impact of environmental conditions on productivity, Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge found a 74% increase in typing mistakes and a 46% reduction in typing output when office temperatures fell from 77 degrees (Fahrenheit) to 68 degrees.
Hedge says, "This study shows that when employees get chilly, at least in this case, they are not working to their full potential."
-- From a news release from Onset Computer Corporation, as reported in Fast Company magazine (1/05).
I could have told you that!
In a landmark study evaluating the impact of environmental conditions on productivity, Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge found a 74% increase in typing mistakes and a 46% reduction in typing output when office temperatures fell from 77 degrees (Fahrenheit) to 68 degrees.
Hedge says, "This study shows that when employees get chilly, at least in this case, they are not working to their full potential."
-- From a news release from Onset Computer Corporation, as reported in Fast Company magazine (1/05).
I could have told you that!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Publicity Opportunity: Lying on Resumes
Another celebrity has been caught using an embellished resume -- and this is a publicity opportunity for you!
Customize the following news release and fax or e-mail it to your local television news stations, radio stations, and newspapers. (Click on the highlighted text to download the Word document, or copy-and-paste: http://www.rwdigest.com/LyingonResume.doc)
JOB SEEKERS: LYING ON A RESUME WILL GET YOU IN HOT WATER
Job searchers can learn from the misfortunes of Robert Irvine, a British-born chef and presenter of Dinner: Impossible on the Food Network. Claiming credentials you don't have is a recipe for disaster, says [YOUR NAME], a professional resume writer.
"Job seekers are most likely to lie about things like their education or number of years they worked for a company -- and these are the easiest things to check," says [YOUR LAST NAME]. "If you're not caught when the company checks your references, you will likely get tripped up somewhere along the line. And many companies have a policy to fire employees caught lying on their applications -- even if that's several years later."
Lying on resumes is on the rise. An online survey conducted for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that more than 60% of the 373 human resources professionals who responded reported finding inaccuracies on the resumes they review. Inaccuracies aren't necessarily lies, but anything that brings the job seeker's character into question is likely to end his or her chances for getting the job.
Irvine admitted that he lied about being a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and exaggerated his role as a traveling chef for numerous heads of state.
"If the issue is the job searcher's insecurity about his or her qualifications for the position, there are ways to address the issue without lying," says [YOUR LAST NAME]. "It's just not worth the risk when there are perfectly legitimate ways to position your credentials -- for example, your lack of a degree -- and still win the interview."
Note to resume writers: If you use this news release, be sure to customize it. And be sure to include a phone number where you can be easily reached -- and monitor your calls. The biggest response to a story like this will come in the next 72 hours.
Other resources:
The Lying Game
Lying on Resumes
SHRM Survey: Resume Inaccuracies
Customize the following news release and fax or e-mail it to your local television news stations, radio stations, and newspapers. (Click on the highlighted text to download the Word document, or copy-and-paste: http://www.rwdigest.com/LyingonResume.doc)
JOB SEEKERS: LYING ON A RESUME WILL GET YOU IN HOT WATER
Job searchers can learn from the misfortunes of Robert Irvine, a British-born chef and presenter of Dinner: Impossible on the Food Network. Claiming credentials you don't have is a recipe for disaster, says [YOUR NAME], a professional resume writer.
"Job seekers are most likely to lie about things like their education or number of years they worked for a company -- and these are the easiest things to check," says [YOUR LAST NAME]. "If you're not caught when the company checks your references, you will likely get tripped up somewhere along the line. And many companies have a policy to fire employees caught lying on their applications -- even if that's several years later."
Lying on resumes is on the rise. An online survey conducted for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that more than 60% of the 373 human resources professionals who responded reported finding inaccuracies on the resumes they review. Inaccuracies aren't necessarily lies, but anything that brings the job seeker's character into question is likely to end his or her chances for getting the job.
Irvine admitted that he lied about being a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and exaggerated his role as a traveling chef for numerous heads of state.
"If the issue is the job searcher's insecurity about his or her qualifications for the position, there are ways to address the issue without lying," says [YOUR LAST NAME]. "It's just not worth the risk when there are perfectly legitimate ways to position your credentials -- for example, your lack of a degree -- and still win the interview."
- END -
[YOUR BIO HERE: For example: Bridget Brooks, CPRW, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with Image Building Communications in Omaha, Neb. She has been writing resumes since 1996 and is a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches as well as Career Directors International. She is available for interviews on the topic of "lying on resumes" and how job seekers can legitimately overcome potential shortcomings in their work history and education. Call (402) 393-4600 or e-mail omahajobhelp@yahoo.com.]Note to resume writers: If you use this news release, be sure to customize it. And be sure to include a phone number where you can be easily reached -- and monitor your calls. The biggest response to a story like this will come in the next 72 hours.
Other resources:
The Lying Game
Lying on Resumes
SHRM Survey: Resume Inaccuracies
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)