Barack Obama

Barack Obama is arguably the most recognizable figure in the world as he embarks on his journey as the 44^th president of the United States. Obama’s election as president has been well-documented as the first election of an African-American president in the US. Prior to being elected to president beginning in 2009, Obama served as the junior US Senator from the state of Illinois. The graduated of Columbia University and Harvard Law School held that position from 2004 until November 16, 2008.

Widely considered a president of the people, Obama’s background as a community organizer in his early days was also well-publicized in his run for presidency. Less talked about, though, was his work as a civil rights lawyer and college professor in Chicago. Along with his civil rights work, Obama taught Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago from 1992-2004. Obama served three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997-2004 before his run for US Senate.

There are many tremendous professional qualities that Obama demonstrates. First, Obama’s election as the first African-American president has helped give renewed hope to the idea that anyone can accomplish great things in the US if they have goals and work hard. Obama also set new standards in marketing in the new media age. Obama was actually named 2008 Advertiser of the Year by Advertising Age, and his so-called “marketing machine”, that used online and social media to reach many new and young voters, is credited for much of his success in building his campaign.

Obama also can credit his strong communications skills for his success and election. Much research among the most successful professionals suggests than communication skills are the number one key to success in most any profession. Obama’s charismatic charm and captivating speech helped him garner attention from previously apathetic voters. Communication skills can be developed and improved by anyone who wants to maximize their opportunities and potential.

Retire Your Resume – TheLadders.com Article

I was just sent a great article by Mark Cenedella at TheLadders.com. Provides great insight in how different a resume can promote and marketing your core skills.

Last week I told you about the biggest mistake people make in their job hunt: writing their resume from their point of view.

This week, I’d like to share with you two “before” and “after” resumes to show you what I mean:

Take a look at Robert Jetté from Pleasanton, California. He’s kept on the move over nearly 30 years in business. Great jobs, big achievements…but the resume he brought us didn’t have any of that energy.

The first thing we needed to do was fix the tired language: his old resume started, “Accomplished senior executive with a strong track record of successful…” Yawn.

Now he’s a “Driven, analytical, astute and business savvy executive level financial strategist with 28+ years experience in investment management, wealth management and trust services.” Which Robert Jetté would you want to talk to?

Robert Before
Robert After

Then there’s Ben Prozinski, an IT star who didn’t give hiring managers a clue about why they should care. His resume began midsentence – he had nothing above his work experience but his name and contact information!

And Ben’s job descriptions, the meat and potatoes of a resume, were more a series of thoughts strung together that did not tie-in to one another at all. He “executed and lead onshore and offshore projects,” “drove integration and performance management” and “Facilitated successful exchange between leadership, business and technical stakeholders.” This was nearly all he explained about his most recent job! That who-cares stuff will not get you calls, folks.

Now Ben’s resume not only paints a clear picture of what he did, but also lists the value that he added and gives the reader a reason to pick up the phone and call him for an interview.

Ben Before
Ben After

Well, Readers, I hope that gives you some insight into the difference between writing your resume like a product manual or having a professional write it for you like a great advertisement.

Voice mail etiquette tips

A relatively new area of professional etiquette that is often misunderstood or underappreciated is voice mail etiquette. Many people are unaware of the importance of voice mail etiquette. Still others do not understand what makes for good voice mail etiquette. The ability to leave an impacting voice mail can be strength, while poor voice mail skills can prevent success with a job search process or a client relationship.

There are many types of situations in which voice mail communication takes place. For our purposes we are going to focus on a couple important scenarios where good voice mail skills are important: Leaving messages for recruiters and leaving messages for clients or customers.

When seeking a job, telephone communication is most often a part of the communication process. Candidates regularly use the phone to return calls from recruiters or employers, follow up on steps in the application process, or say thank you for consideration. Presenting yourself in a professional and concise manner should always be the main objective.

Voice mail messages are also common place in the process of doing business, or any kind. Organizations that rely on clients, or customers, often must use the telephone as part of the communication process. Thus, as an employee, you need to understand what makes a good voice mail message. Maintaining and enhancing client relationships should be the main theme behind a voice mail message for business.

Along with the specific objectives stated, here are a few essential tips for voice mail etiquette that are vital to each of these two situations:

<!–[if !supportLists]–>1) <!–[endif]–>State clearly who you are and your purpose for calling – Voice mails are not about deception. State first and foremost who you are and why you are calling. This lets the recipient know why they should care, and listen.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>2) <!–[endif]–>Let them know both the phone number (speak clearly and slowly) and best times to return your call. Playing phone tag can get frustrating and busy recruiters or clients give up quickly. Let them know how to reach you and times that you are definitely available.

Be concise – If you are not prepared to leave a voice mail message, hang up and call back. It is better to have a prepared message that is to the point than to be caught off guard and leave a long, rambling message. This is a turn off to a potential employer, or a customer. The voice mail should address one to two main points, including why and how to connect personally.

Top Ten Most Important Resume Criteria – Recruiters perspective

From Reuters:

TheLadders.com Survey Identifies Resume Essentials, Experts Offer Advice on How
to Stand Out
NEW YORK–(Business Wire)–
What are the most important pieces of information recruiters expect to see in an
executive-level resume? And how do you design a resume to deliver them
effectively? TheLadders.com, the world’s leading online platform for the $100K+
job market, sought input from the experts, surveying 564 recruitment
professionals on the top criteria they look for in every resume, and asking
certified professional resume writers their advice on how best to package that
information.

RECRUITER SURVEY

Following were the top ten resume criteria named by recruiters:

* Areas of Expertise: Recruiters said that demonstrating a strong area of
expertise is what sets a candidate apart from the pack.

* Relevant Industry Experience: Recruiters want to know instantly that a
candidate has a solid track record of success.

* Leadership Capabilities: Has the candidate managed a business unit? A sales
team? Recruiters in the $100K+ job market are looking for proven leaders.

* A Strong Professional Summary: Akin to the liner notes on a best-selling
novel, a succinct and engaging professional summary is one of the first things
recruiters read on a candidate`s resume.

* Education Credentials: Recruiters want to know where candidates went to school
and how well they did when they were there.

* Professionalism in the Presentation: An effective, well-organized resume helps
recruiters quickly and easily focus on the candidate`s qualifications.

* Strong Quantitative Accomplishments: Candidates must demonstrate quantifiable
accomplishments and results that show how they contributed to the bottom line.

* Technical/Business Skills: What certifications does the candidate have? If a
candidate has a strong skill set in a particular area, make sure the recruiter
has the technical details.

* Stability at a Company (Tenure): Has the candidate job hopped every other year
or do they show a consistent track record on tenure? Commitment is important.

* Summarized Job Descriptions: Rather than providing a bullet list of duties, a
candidate should summarize key responsibilities and focus on measurable
results.

“The job search has never been more competitive and a generic, passive ‘job
description’typeresume simply will not make the cut in this job market,” said
Tina Brasher, Certified Professional Resume Writer. “Due to the large number of
resumes they receive, recruiters need to see an instant connection when reading
your resume. What areyour quantitative results that set you apart from your
competition?What have you accomplished and for whom? How did you
positivelyimpact the bottom line? These are the most important points that you
need to show to make your case.”

“The vast majority of people facing career changes are immensely better
qualified than their self-written resumes reveal”, said Bryan Newman, Certified
Professional Resume Writer. “An important key to writing a successful resume is
to tell the reader what you have accomplished that makes you a better candidate
for the job than others in your field. Recruiters look for candidates whose
resumes are crafted around a solid list of career achievements.”

Since TheLadders.com launched its Resume Service in 2006, a team of executive
resume writers, who have been certified by at least one of the national resume
writing associations, have written more than 25,000 executive resumes for its
members. Additionally, Wendy Enelow, author of 30+ books on executive resume
writing, cover letters and interviewing, provides these resume writers with
ongoing training and guidance on marketing the executive level candidate.