Articles

The resume has definitely evolved over the last two decades. There are both minor and radical changes that have crept into resume protocol, some of which have been written about by career experts but have not necessarily penetrated the mass market yet.

Resume styles and trends are constantly evolving. A resume that was effective in landing you a job back in the 90’s, isn’t effective for a 2015 job search. Here are 10 reasons why your resume won’t get you a job.

As principal resume strategist for Graham Management Group, I complete hundreds of complimentary assessments every month. On one particular day, I received requests for resume reviews from three experienced sales managers within half an hour of each other. Putting the resumes alongside each other, I noticed that all three were virtually identical. Other than the companies that they worked for, there was nothing to distinguish these highly qualified senior-level professionals. The structure, formatting, opening statement, and duties all looked like they came from the very same template. It was no surprise to learn that each of these individuals had been floundering in an unsuccessful search for months!

The difference between a great resume and an acceptable resume can be measured in dollars; thousands of dollars. Great resumes attract great opportunities and average ones get lost in the shuffle of daily business activity. What makes a great resume is very subjective.

In the last few years, reference checking has been steadily growing in popularity. Current sources indicate that background and reference checks are commonly performed in over 75% of middle management to senior level positions. More importantly, formal reference checking organizations assert that up to 20% of all candidates are eliminated due to poor or questionable references. If you are in the midst of a job search, it is likely that you will be asked to provide a reference. Reference checking usually starts as you near the end of your interview process. So, it is absolutely critical that you produce the very best references to close the deal.

“Practice makes perfect.” “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” There can be no mistaking the value of practice when it comes to job interviewing. Once you have a basic understanding of the most common interview questions and of questions that may be specific to your job category, it’s time to step on to the interview rehearsal stage.

Prejudice in employment interviews is real. But seldom does it equate to discrimination.

Too many operate under the delusion that no interview question can be asked relating to personal characteristics or circumstances. However, Canadian employers are permitted to ask tough personal questions. While human rights legislation prohibits employers from making decisions based on permanent personal features such as race, place of origin, colour, religion or disability, among others, it does not prevent them from asking questions based on these grounds. Therefore, while interview questions may be aimed at exposing personal details, this does not automatically lead to the conclusion that discrimination influenced the hiring decision.

By Bruce van Ryn-Bocking MD, MBA

We all have experienced “interview anxiety” and have dealt with it more or less successfully. But why is it such a powerful phenomenon and what can we do to manage it?

Human beings have two very different parts of the brain that manage difficult situations.

In this article by MD Angus & Associates, Bill Angus notes that there are two common types of tests that employers conduct during the hiring process:

• Aptitude tests measure ability and knowledge
• Personality tests measure integrity and orientation towards a specific job

All your preparation was impeccable and the interview’s done. Although your job interview is over, if you want to stand out, there is still a little work to do before you kick back and relax.