2 posts tagged “personal branding”

About a year ago I read an article in e-Week entitled 10 Ways to Tweak Your Tech Résumé. A more appropriate title would have been How to Slow Down Your Job Search. Although the article make a few good points. I found some of the tips so contrary to what I know works for project managers and other professionals seeking new opportunities that I posted a response on e-Week. With the current unemployment rate holding at 5.5%, I thought it would be worth updating and reprinting my response to e-Week:

The quality of your résumé can have a direct impact the length of your job search. Therefore, the following is a list of effective strategies, used by certified professional writers, worldwide:

• To maximize the effectiveness of key words use both the acronym and full spelling of the phrase. For example, ERP ( Enterprise Reporting Programs)

• The format of your resume can either reflect favorably or negatively on you. To give your resume a profession al look  use a 0.7" margin all the way around. set the point size for your name at 16 point, content at 11 or 12 point and heading at 12 to 14 point. Be sure to balance the white space in proportion to content - generally I use about 80% content / 20% white space. Check out Pat Criscito’s "Designing the Perfect Resume" for more ideas on layout and design.

• Accomplishments are the heart and soul of an effectively written resume. While hiring managers are interested in knowledge and skills,  it is more important interested to demonstrate how you have used these talents. Instead of writing "Used Java to implement a redesign" try "Increased Web Traffic, tenfold, with implementation of site redesign.

• When composing your resume keep in mind it may reviewed by a member of the Human Resource Department or a hiring manager who has limited technical knowledge. Therefore avoid having your resume sound overly technical as it may intimidate and confuse readers. Instead create a section that clearly defines the technologies you have worked with. 

• Cover Letters are IMPORTANT! Not including one is like arriving empty handed to a dinner party. Cover letters can point hiring managers to specific areas of the resume. The following excerpt is from the cover letter of a Project Manager seeking a director level opportunity:

  My track record, which is outlined in the enclosed résumé, fully demonstrates my ability to achieve desirable results. In addition to uniting a disconnected organization I have built a supply chain management system which consolidated purchasing processes for buyers worldwide.

• Writing a top-notch resume takes time and effort. Give considerable thought to what questions hiring managers want answered. Your résumé should answer such key questions as: what have you done to meet the target completion date. reduce life cycles, prevent / mitigate scope creep or risk, salvage failing projects, cut project costs, and drive performance?
  

• In the early 90's  technology grew at a breakneck pace, causing the war for any talent. Today, the war is for the best talent. The most successful candidates have found that defining their personal brand has helped distinguish them for the competition. The following three questions will help to define your personal brand:
1. What do I stand for?
2. What am I best known for?
   
3. What distinguishes me from the competition?
   

Resumes are like technical projects, some are easier than others. You can get off to a  good  start by simply jotting down your greatest accomplishments and the skills and responsibilities you enjoy the most. If there is something that you are experienced with but dislike doing you can either leave it off your resume or place it further down in your list of experience. If you get stuck in the process, seek a colleague, friend, or professional to help you. A poorly written resume can seriously slow down your search while a professionally laid out and written document can significantly cut your time.

If you have ever tried to call me and reached my voice mail you most likely were greeted with "It's a wonderful day here at First Impression Career Services..." I choose this greeting because every day that allows me to help people to achieve their goals and stretch themselves is a wonderful day. As I thought back on what I  accomplished over the past year I concluded that 2007, was a wonderful year, too. Here are some of the highlights of the past year.

• Personal Branding - Companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi stand out in a highly competitive market because they have strong brand awareness. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart and Donald Trump have built empires on their personal brand and you can, too! Over the course of 2007, I participated in a number of workshops and seminars to expand my ability to help people like you tap into their personal brand. I am proud to say many of these individuals have moved on to new and better opportunities where their personal brand and talents are valued.
  

• MBTI Qualified Practitioner - In May I attended a week long training in preparation for the Myers Briggs Qualifying Exam. The class was difficult as it involved an understanding of statistics, not one of my greatest strengths. None the less I persevered  and  in  August I was awarded a certificate. As a MBTI Qualified practitioner I administer and validate the Myers Briggs Personality Assessment, a tool that is instrumental in helping people gain a better understanding of themselves and others. This awareness can be leveraged to assist in making rewarding career choices.
  

• Professional Speaking - This was the year that I got out from behind the desk and got in front of people. I delivered several presentations to the The Center for Women of New York, The American Association of University Women, Project Management Institute in New York and Westchester County. The most recent one being "What Do You Say After Hello? How to Network Your to Job Search and Professional Success!" In addition, I joined Wendy Enelow and several colleagues who volunteered their time to conduct resume reviews at The New York Times Support Our Troops Job Fair.
  

• Professional Advancement - In November I enrolled in  a Coaching Certificate Program at NYU. The first class Foundations of Coaching I was very enlightening. We explored the underpinnings of coaching which are rooted in the disciplines of learning, change and systems theories, philosophy, positive psychology and contemporary neuroscience.  I have already begun to implement what I learned with favorable results. I am looking forward to   Foundations of Coaching II, which begins next month, as well as the subsequent classes.
  

• Job Club Leadership - Last month I joined The Center for Women of New York as a Job Club Leader. Twice a month I am conducting classes in Resume Writing, Job Search Strategies, Interviewing Skills, Salary Negotiations and Career Exploration for underprivileged women returning to the workforce. Currently I am assisting 2 very bright and capable women. It is personally rewarding to make a real difference in the lives of people who don't have readily have access to private services. 
  

• Giving Back - Over the weekend of October 9th, I joined over 2000 women and men who walked 39 miles on behalf of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. To participate in the walk I had to raise a minimum of $1800. With the help of my family, friends and congregation I raised over $2100. This event taught me a lot about myself and what I could accomplish when given the right conditions. Without the support of others, proper  nourishment, rest, and the drive to succeed I could not have walked through the finish line.
  

I am proud of what I accomplished  over the past year and hope that when we ring in 2009  the above highlights will  have paled when  compared to what I plan to accomplish this year.