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If so, you may be sending unwanted signals to an employer.
(see CNN.COM)

Vaguely positive words and phrases such as these, are increasingly seen as empty and valueless, according to Scott Bennett, author of "The Elements of Resume Style." They flag up to employers that you might just be full of *BS*

You would do better to replace them with your specific accomplishments. Show don't tell.

SO
Instead of... "Experience working in fast-paced environment"
Try... "Registered 120+ third-shift emergency patients per night"

Instead of... "Excellent written communication skills"
Try... "Wrote jargon-free User Guide for 11,000 users"

Instead of... "Team player with cross-functional awareness"
Try... "Collaborated with clients, A/R and Sales to increase speed of receivables and prevent interruption of service to clients."

Instead of... "Demonstrated success in analysing client needs"
Try... "Created and implemented comprehensive needs assessment mechanism to help forecast demand for services and staffing."

Posted by Mark at 03:52 PM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2005

Ask not what a company can do for you...

Dear Susan,

In my search for work, I have sent out many résumés and had several interviews. I wrote an extensive résumé pouring out my work history. When I go to the interview, I am asked more questions and am often given little time to ask questions myself.

I am bothered by how little information the recruiting companies disclose about themselves during the interviews. Shouldn't the company provide a résumé of its own, stating the history of the company, its accomplishments and a short covering letter regarding its requirements of the employee?

-- In the Dark

Dear In the Dark,

Your question reminds me of the exploits of a young family member who shall remain unnamed. On a quest for summer employment, she dropped off several dozen résumés to prospective employers around town. Ten days went by without a word. When I queried how her follow-up calls were going, she looked astonished. "Why would I call? They have my CV with my contact information on it. If they were interested, they would call me."

That wasn't the first time I had to shatter her illusions and now I'll have to do the same for you. Unless you are Bill Gates or a newly minted orthopedic surgeon, you have to market yourself to the employer, not vice versa. Your role is to convince the company you are indispensable to them and doing your homework before the interview is critical to your sales pitch.

You can research the employer via the company's web site, by searching the company's name on the web, through public documents in the library and via your network. Openings are usually posted on a company's web site, but if it's a small, private company without a site, you can call to request the job requirements well before the interview stage. You'll know then whether you fit the bill and how to present yourself as "the one."

That's how Sara Nixon, a marketing co-ordinator at an international negotiation and coaching firm, landed her job. Ms. Nixon resolved to set herself apart from the competition with an unusual ploy. She created a prototype of a company newsletter complete with a fictional corporate logo, an article about the company's goals and another one about herself.

"I thought, if I were doing the marketing for this company, what would I do?," she said, one year into the job.

Not everyone has the moxie to create a marketing vehicle for a company they haven't worked for yet, especially when in the doldrums of a job search. It's an exhausting, demoralizing business.

Being handed an information packet that includes everything you ever wanted to know about the position and the employer would be lovely. Being given the time to ask a few thoughtful questions during the interview is simply courteous. But going into the process expecting both is setting yourself up for a fall.

Globeandmail.com

Posted by Mark at 05:00 PM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2005

Google gives job offers to the naughty

Search supremo Google has been inviting UK internet users who tamper with their 'secure' products and programs to visit the company's HQ to try out for a job.

A series of candidates have been called to Mountain View in California, after they tried illegally to tweak Google products or hack the search site for company secrets.

The phenomenon, dubbed 'Google Hacking' is now so prevalent that stand-alone sites have been set up to display already exposed secrets, so hackers can't claim someone else's discovery as their own.

from ContractorUK

Jon Barker, from Woking in Surrey, was one of those who believed Google had done well with its Gmail product but thought improvements needed making.

He set about creating 'Pop Goes the Gmail' - a handy piece of software that enabled account holders to download their GMail messages via POP3.

After tens of thousands of downloads and some cash to show for it, Barker awaited the backlash from Google for his breaking of Gmail terms and conditions.

"The terms of service [for Gmail] forbid reverse engineering – which I had done," said Barker, speaking to the Independent Review.

He said he was then contacted by a Vice–President at Google, who congratulated him on his creation and asked if was interested in a job.

"I was expecting a lawsuit rather than congratulations," recalled Barker.

His Google experience is similar to other Gmail users, such as 22-year-old Mark Lyon, who made his way from Mississippi to California, after passing a rigorous phone interview.

He said his rogue creation of the 'Gmail Loader' - an application that allows other message formats to be loaded into GMail - afforded him interest from 37 different organisations, but none of them as interesting as Google.

Lyon said on attending Google HQ he was overwhelmed by a unique corporate culture that among many ingredients blends the informal with hard work.

"People were outside playing volleyball, and everyone I ran across, including those not interviewing me, was willing to stop and chat for a few minutes and tell me what they were up to. A few even asked my thoughts on their projects."

His comments reflect innovative corporate code at Google that dictates that all staff spend 20 per cent of their time devoted to their own personal project of their choice.

Like Barker, Lyon proved unsuccessful in passing his big day out even after confronting the all-day test of programming, maths and new ideas for Google.

One candidate said he struggled more with the theory-based questions of the test, like 'how many different ways can you colour an icosahedron with one of three colours on each face?'

For those fancying their chances, the site also runs 'Google Code Jam,' in which techies can use Java, C++, C# or VB.NET to battle Google engineers by cracking code and programming problems, for the first prize of $10,000.

The 50 finalists who qualify in set times also receive a visit to Googleplex, where the chance of "changing the world" through getting a job at Google is on offer.

Alternatively, those IT experts already cash-enabled and sure of their skill sets can forward their CVs to Google.

The search giant states it is interested in outstanding software developers, computer scientists and product managers, who should "consider sending resume and a brief cover letter" to greatpeople@google.com.

Posted by Mark at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)

January 07, 2005

Better CV

Jonathan Cainer, founder of Marketing Professionals UK, a marketing recruitment agency in Manchester says that despite calls for an ‘EU-CV’, the creative industries are keen to resist ...
Although unemployment figures are at an all time low, competition for jobs in the creative industry remains as fierce as ever. The days of a ‘job for life’ are long gone as candidates are far more likely to switch jobs regularly in order to move up the career ladder and employers rarely reward long service.

Employers and recruitment agencies still receive thousands of CVs every day and have little time to spend on each one. This has led to recommendations from some companies for generic CVs containing only specific information with other details kept to a minimum. It has also resulted in calls from the European Commission for every applicant to a job in the EU to set out their CV in an identical way.

Howlers
Any employer in the creative industry is bound to have a list of CV howlers to hand and one of the most common mistakes is the inclusion of completely irrelevant information and unnecessary detail, sure to put off a potential employer. A standard one page CV would certainly eliminate this and allow for quick perusal, saving employers and recruiters valuable time.

Employers are said to scan rather than read a CV and spend less than 30 seconds on each one, so a CV containing only the key facts on a single page may seem like the perfect answer. With longer, rambling offerings it is much more likely that relevant information is overlooked. Some think that a common CV would also make it easier for employers to compare the status of qualifications awarded in different countries.

Problems
However, a standard CV may not be the answer for all sectors. Every career is different and it would be difficult to impose effective universal rules as to what should be included. Important details and diverse skills relevant to the position are likely to be omitted in a candidate's attempt to fit everything onto a single page.

A generic CV may be useful for larger agencies but smaller specialised companies are much more interested in how specific achievements relate to their sector. An individual CV is also a means of conveying a candidate's personality and this may not be reflected in a standardised format. In industries like marketing, advertising and PR, a generic CV would severely restrict self expression and stifle creativity.

In my view, a generic CV may be appropriate in the case of applications for vocational work and positions requiring young school leavers, graduates or first time job hunters but they are certainly not the answer for every sector. EU-CVs would save time, but this could be at the expense of finding the right employee.

Following feedback from our clients and with our own experience as a recruitment agency, a standardised CV template with a maximum length of three pages is the ideal compromise. The uniform layout makes candidate comparison easier and also allows more experienced candidates to add greater detail.

http://www.marketing-professionals.co.uk/

Posted by Mark at 04:55 PM | Comments (0)

December 13, 2004

Self Assessment

MAPP is Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential.
Take the FREE MAPP Assessment

These paragraphs are taken from the results of the free test taken by Mark from jobtube:



Preferences for Mark fully support being perceptually, subconsciously, and consciously aware of fantasy, symbols, symbolic relationships, abstract ideas, options, and choice of options as they relate to creative or innovative activities. Perception triggers ideas in Mark's mind, a process that just happens - a process often called intuition. It is not a conscious effort to logically "come up with" creative ideas; instead, the process is best identified with the statement that "a thought struck me." A quote by Carl Jung probably makes complete sense to Mark: "Art is innate in the artist, like an instinct that seizes and makes a tool out of the human being. The thing in the final analysis that wills something in him is not he, the personal man, but the aim of the art."



Mind and mental activity are very central to Mark's vocational activities. (NOTE: "Intuition is very different from thought, from feeling and from sensation, by the major characteristic of insight. Intuition comes from the Latin meaning, literally, `in to you'. Intuitive insight results from `identification with,' rather than `looking at' the object of attention. It is `being a part of.' Intuiting is a process, not of perception, but of experience. There is no need for interpretation in intuition. Intuitive relationship implies contact. So one does not perceive; one experiences." ~~Quote from Robert Ashby) Mark has a preference or perhaps the talent or ability for experiencing abstract ideas, creativity, concepts, theory, assessment, and choice of options. New ideas and creativity must have an important place in vocation.



Philosophical, cultural, scientific, literary, managerial, and/or computational work, more than likely, represent very important types of mental activities for Mark. Being capable in those activities, Mark's mind is naturally receptive to consider abstract ideas, theory, concepts, inquiry, exploration, analysis, logic, systems, and procedures. Factors in this aptitude section, plus the data and reasoning sections show the degree of motivation and talent Mark has for each of those mental activities. High rating for this trait indicates an intellectual orientation that is functional in, or has potential for, academic, scientific, research, literary, executive, or consulting activities.



"Mentor: a trusted counselor or guide." Mark is interested in and consciously prefers to consider the existence, meaning, purpose, potential, and destiny of mankind, people, persons, and self; with self-felt, self-accepted responsibility to influence and/or cause good, growth, and gain in the lives of all concerned. Mark has intuition and philosophical curiosity that causes an awareness of personality, intentions, emotions, ethics, values, and moods of other persons, and of self. By itself, this is not benevolence. If Mark is highly motivated for benevolent activities, this trait is compulsively central to personal and vocational activities. If there is a lack of personal motivation, then the preference for consideration tends to be more philosophical or academic in nature, but still service oriented.



Mark is motivated toward activities involving mechanical engineering, including: 1) mechanical awareness of assembly, fabrication, operation, leverage, motion, force, and power, 2) design and/or draw technical plans, 3) technical, statistical, and numerical analysis, and 4) layout and installation. This highly motivated engineering orientation probably means professional dedication to a major engineering vocation.



"Synthesize: putting two or more things together to form a whole; the combination of separate elements of thought into a whole; the operation by which divided parts are united" (Webster). Mark is motivated by seeing the big picture so much so that (s)he, attempts to see all parts of the picture in that larger context, then sees all parts relative to each other, but still within that larger context. Perception and thinking are therefore holistic and conceptual. Philosophical and intuitive processes are involved. Scientific, managerial, and/or literary preferences may also be involved. Other mental factors in this section are subordinate, secondary, or complementary to this primary motivational attribute. This is an overview and scanning activity that includes ideas, concepts, theory, fiction, hypothesis and assessment.



Mark is strongly motivated to apply thinking to the big picture through holistic ideas, concepts, options, and strategies. This does not mean, suggest, or imply that thinking is kept only in a holistic context but it does mean that the first and constant priority or preference for consideration and focus are on the big picture. (Example: Mark more likely prefers to be an executive rather than a manager, and more inclined to be a manager rather than a supervisor.) Considering how pieces of the picture are brought in to the big picture stimulates motivation for the activity.

Mark is motivated to work with a wide variety of theoretical math concepts; make original application of those concepts; apply knowledge of advanced mathematical or statistical techniques to new areas of challenge, interest, or opportunity. Motivation is derived from conceptual, analytical, curious, and exploratory thinking. Research and theoretical logic probably appeal greatly to Mark's mind.


Mark is highly motivated to consider creative writing and communicating at professional levels. Preferences are holistic, conceptual, imaginative, and creative. "Ideas trigger more ideas" can probably be said about Mark. High motivational levels for this worker trait indicate an interactive combination of literary and philosophical traits. As Dean W. R. Inge said, "Literature flourishes best when it is half a trade and half an art." That probably makes a great deal of sense to Mark. Motivation at this level indicate preferences that probably include writing fiction, poetry, scripts for movies or television, advertising copy, marketing copy, teaching creative writing, etc.

Posted by Mark at 12:12 PM | Comments (0)

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Posted by Mark at 10:56 AM | Comments (0)