Practical Advice

for Job Seekers

Resume Editing and Formatting Tips

• Avoid long, wordy paragraphs. White space is desirable and gives the eye a rest.

• Remove words that don’t add value to statement.

• Don’t use first-person.

• Use bullets, numbers in numeric form, symbols (i.e. %) to highlight information. Use

bullets to organize information and show results.

• Try to keep resume to 1-2 pages, but don’t cram just to adhere to this guideline.

• Use 10-12 point font for body of resume. Anything under 9pt font is too difficult to read.

• Use a professional email address.

• Use headers, footers and page numbers for a polished, professional look.

• Put contact info in header to save space and allow contact info to carryover to next page.

• Make sure your name “pops” by using bold and larger font (but not too big!). Address,

email, and phone can be in a smaller but readable font.

• Don’t force your resume into a template. Templates are guides only.

• Remember that excellent grammar is essential:

o Use past tense and action verbs consistently

o Avoid passive verbs

o Use commas consistently when listing items

o Use ending punctuation consistently, especially with bullets

o Proof read by reading out loud. Then have a trusted friend or two proof

again.

o Use spell check but be aware that it won’t catch everything

• Limit number of bullets. Try 3-6, depending on job. Not all jobs need bullets or text.

• Group like items into one bullet. For example: “Reconciled cash accounts, performed

month-end closeouts, and invoiced clients . . .”

• Omit unnecessary information:

o Details for jobs > 15 years old

o “References Available Upon Request”

o Personal information such as interests, hobbies, children

o Trainings or certifications that lack substance or relevance or are outdated

o If resume is more than 1 page, make sure the page break is in the right

place.

• Use a standard font type, and test by viewing on another person’s (older) computer.

• Preview your resume online, if possible.

Sample Interview Questions

1. Please walk me through your resume. Highlight your responsibilities, accomplishments, and

factors driving your job transitions (movement from one job to the next).

2. What is the ideal job for you iWn terms of work environment, type of work, conditions, etc.?

3. What are your specific career goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

4. What do you think it takes to be successful in this career or job? How have you demonstrated

these skills and characteristics in past jobs? Please provide examples.

5. What are your greatest strengths? How would you market yourself to me or another prospective

employer?

6. What areas do you need to improve and what techniques or tools are you employing to do so?

7. Which of your past jobs was your favorite and why? What drives you to perform your best?

8. For what kind of supervisor or manager do you work best? Provide examples.

9. Give two examples of things you've done in previous jobs that demonstrate your willingness to

work hard.

10. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

11. What is the most compelling reason we should hire you? What degree of training do you feel

you will require?

12. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision that impacted your personal and

professional life.

13. How would you evaluate your ability to (provide examples):

Work in a team setting

Lead a team

Deal with conflict

Deal with crises or high-pressure situations

Be resourceful

Be creativity

Manage time efficiently

Make decisions

Communicate in writing

Speak, present or communicate verbally

Solve problems, use good judgment

14. Please provide an example of when and how you handled the following:

Played a key role in resolving a crisis or conflict

Went beyond expectation / demonstrated initiative and willingness to work

Handled the toughest challenge you have ever faced

Used persuasion to convince someone to see things your way

Thought on your feet in a difficult situation

Used good judgment and logic in solving a problem

Worked with a wide variety of people, situations and environments

Used your written communication skills to make an impact

Conformed to a policy or decision with which you did not agree.

Approached an important assignment

Set and reached an important goal

Dealt with a difficult boss or colleague or customer

Had to get help or assistance on a project or assignment

Worked through a compromise

15. Tell me what you know about our company. Why did you decide to seek a position in this

company?

16. Be prepared to express your desires/conditions for the following:

Schedule

Travel

Start date

Salary

Benefits

How to Respond To Difficult Questions Concerns

Raised In Interviews

Gap in Resume

If you left the workforce to raise children, care for an elderly family member or respond to a health

issue, be sure to indicate family readiness and commitment or resolution of the eldercare or family

health issue. Do not apologize for break or provide too many personal details. Acknowledge break

but quickly move discussion to your skills and accomplishments. Reinforce eagerness to re-enter. In

some instances, you may want to offer to complete an assignment or small project to prove yourself.

“I took time off to raise my children, but I am now excited to re-enter the workforce and have support

in place at home to be able to do so smoothly. While at home, I have kept my marketing skills sharp

by attending classes and keeping up with new trends and technologies, including social media

platforms, digital marketing campaigns, and Adobe Creative Suite. I volunteer at a local homeless

shelter, maintaining their website and social meeting as well as serving as editor of their on-line news

letter. I am confident that I am current on industry trends, and I see this opportunity as a way to put

my marketing, writing, and creative skills to work in a new setting.”

“I took a break to deal with a family health issue, which is now resolved. I can’t wait to get back to

work. The reason why I found this job so appealing is because . . . “

“I understand you may have difficulty convincing your colleagues about my candidacy because of my

career break. I would be willing to take on a small project or assignment to demonstrate that I have

the analytical skills, proficiency in MS Excel, and attention to detail that this position requires.”

Overqualified for Job

Address the concern head-on. Shift focus to why you find the job appealing and identify the skills and

traits you have to be successful and happy in the job.

“I intentionally sought this job out even though I may look overqualified for the position. I love the

mission of your company, and my strong organizational, administrative, and project coordination skills

are a good fit for the role as you have described it. Although I managed a large staff and budget in

my previous job prior to my career break, it was also a high-stress position that required lots of travel

and long hours. I am not looking for this level of responsibility right now, but I do want to contribute to

a growing company that could benefit from my “jack of all trades” skillset. “

Weak Technology Skills

Embrace and use new technology prior to the interview. When asked about technology, be specific

about proficiency and give examples. Weave into the conversation stories and comments that reflect

that you are up to date with technology. If you are a quick learner, say it but also give examples to

prove it.

“I am proficient with the most recent version of MS Office, including MS Word, Excel and

PowerPoint. In my previous jobs as a bookkeeper or accountant, I have always had to use MS Excel

and consider myself an advanced user. I can import and export data; create formulas; link

spreadsheets; use pivot tables; and create charts and graphs for presentations. I am currently taking

a refresher course to learn how to use macros, which is considered a very advanced feature of

Excel. I understand that many small businesses use Quickbooks, so I recently took a class and

received my certification as a Quickbooks Pro Advisor. After mastering several customized and more

robust accounting software tools over the years, I found Quickbooks to be very easy to learn and

can’t wait to use it in my next job.”

Lack of Commitment to Company and Job

Understand that flexibility works both ways. Don’t start with your demands but show how you are

willing to be flexible too.

“I would be thrilled to be a part of your marketing team, and I think my writing, social media, and

creative skills would be a great fit. I am very eager to work, and I have made arrangements so that I

can commit to the required 20-25 hours week. I can absolutely be available between 8:30am and

2:30pm, and I can commit to checking email/voicemail at some point that makes sense after 2:30pm

so that I am responsive to the team and to client needs. I understand that your annual conference is

in May, and I do have the flexibility and am willing to work additional hours the week before and

during the week of the conference.”

Reason for Leaving

Be honest and forthcoming, but limit the information to what the interviewer needs to know. Make

every attempt to put the reasons why you want to leave or left a job in the best possible light so that

the interviewer does not conclude that you job hopped. If you have a history of job hopping, you will

need to honestly assess the situation and address it.

If you are currently working and want to leave your job:

“I am very proud of my many accomplishments as Controller for XYZ Company. In 5 years, I have

been promoted twice and have taken on increasing responsibility and several new initiatives,

including successfully leading a time-sensitive conversion of our accounting system to a new, more

robust software. I am now looking to put my strengths and experiences to work in a new

setting. Specifically, I’d like to work for a mid-sized technology company with revenues in the $50-

100 million range.”

If your job was eliminated:

“Like other technology companies in the region that are dependent on the federal government, XYZ

company lost several key contracts during sequestration. This meant the elimination of many

positions, including mine. I was lucky enough to survive three rounds of layoffs. After each layoff, I

took on additional responsibilities due to an overall reduction in my department of 60%. I was laid off

during the last round.”

What is Your Greatest Weakness?

A common – but often less effective – response is to state a strength and then explain that it can also

be a weakness.

“I am a perfectionist and insist that any work product of mine is 100% complete and

accurate. Sometimes, though, I miss deadlines or spend too much time on a lesser priority task

because of my perfectionism.”

A better approach is to identify a weakness that hindered job performance and then to explain what

you did to correct the weakness and what you learned from the experience. You should end by giving

an example that demonstrates you overcame the weakness and seized the opportunity to

improve. Note: Interviewers appreciate honesty, a good balance of humility and pride, and a logical

thought process when taking action.

“In the past I had a history of being a micro-manager. During a review, my boss raised this issue with

me and stated that it was negatively effecting my relationships with the staff I supervised. I took a

valuable management training class, met individually with the staff I supervised, and came up with a

plan to identify key priorities and actions needed as well as corresponding deadlines. We worked

together to develop these so there was buy-in at all levels. I then left them alone, other than our

scheduled check-ins, and made it known that I was available for support if they needed it. Although

my team completed the work following a different process than I had envisioned, the end product was

excellent and our working relationship much improved.”

Another option is to identify a weakness that is totally not relevant to the job at hand.

“In my last job as VP at XYX Bank, I was a valued employee who had been with the bank for 17

years, but I consistently received poor marks during my annual reviews for my selling abilities. I am

not good at sales, and the bank always wanted me to sell more products. In fact, that is why I am

transitioning to a pure finance role. This job is appealing to me because I would be working with

small businesses to support their bookkeeping needs, and this is really my sweet spot that utilizes my

financial analysis as well as my client service skills.”

Video and Phone Interview Tips

Video Interviews

There are several video conferencing software tools that companies use to conduct video interviews.

They all work similarly. SKYPE is the most common. It is free to download and use. If you are not

already a user, get on Skype and use it before your interview.

Tools: skype.com,www.gotomeeting.com

Make sure your microphone/webcam on your computer or laptop is working.

Make sure that your internet connection is strong to avoid freezing of the video screen, dropped

calls, etc.

Create a professional skype username. If possible, similar to email.

Look into the camera on your computer and not at the interviewer’s face, which causes you to look

down. It is sometimes helpful to put your laptop on top of a big book like an old dictionary.

What does your background say about you? Organized? Messy? Distracting?

Wear solid clothing and avoid busy patterns that may distract. Choose a color that is not too bright

but that does not blend into the background.

Good posture is very important! Try not to fidget.

It is also important to maintain focus and project that you are listening.

Phone Interviews

Challenge: because you can’t see the interviewer, it is difficult to tell if he/she is engaged in what you

are saying!

Always answer the phone professionally. Your voicemail should have a professional message too.

If the call is unexpected, it is OK to express appreciation for call and politely ask if you can call back.

Treat phone interviews as you would an in-person interview: dress professionally. This will help you

avoid coming across as too casual.

Try standing up. You will be less nervous and will project enthusiasm.

Only use a cell phone if you are stationary and know reception is good. Old-fashioned phones work

great!

Be careful to avoid cutting the person off (3 second rule).

Tips for Both Phone and Video

Smile when you speak! You will be amazed at the effect smiling has on your energy level. Your voice

will change, and you will project yourself more strongly.

Have a copy of your resume in front of you so you can refer to it.

Minimize distractions. Pets? Children? Make arrangements so they are not heard or seen. Turn

off ringers to phone, text, and instant messaging. Close windows in room to avoid outside

distractions. Close out of windows on computer to also avoid distraction.

Strategies for Stay-at-Home Parents

Reentering the Workforce

Introduction

Re-entering the workforce after a stint as a stay-at-home-parent can be a daunting proposition. How

will you explain and justify to prospective employers the time you took off? How do you shake the

creeping insecurity you might feel about the adequacy of your skills and experience for the positions

you want. Are you really ready to enter the workforce, or are you fooling yourself and your family?

We work with many candidates grappling with these issues. In fact, since we focus almost

exclusively on recruiting and placing part-time business professionals, well over half of our candidates

are Stay-at-Home-Parents transitioning back into the workforce after taking time out to care for

family. We have seen first-hand, many who have made the transition successfully and are now

enjoying a healthy balance of work and family. We have also witnessed, however, those who have

awkward forays back into the workforce only to realize they were not ready.

This article shares the lessons we have learned as well as advice from our candidates for re-entering

the professional workplace. We hope this article helps you to market yourself in the best possible

way, ease employer or personal apprehensions about your preparedness to enter the workforce, and

facilitate a transition that is as smooth as possible and a win-win for both the new employee and

employer.

Employer Climate

Before we begin, let us set the stage for the employer climate into which most of our candidates

enter. The majority of our clients are small, rapidly growing businesses. They are in desperate need

of experienced resources to support their business growth, but they have tight budgets and little time

to train new hires. They need on-demand experts that can hit the ground running. We have found

this client base to be open to the untapped re-entering parent talent pool, especially for part-time

arrangements. It is a good value and fit for their business models. However, even this set of clients

is anxious about hiring former Stay-At-Home-Parents because of long-held stereotypes and

perceptions. They are worried the candidates will not be as committed – that their families versus

jobs are their top priority. They are worried the candidates will be inflexible and unable to roll with the

inevitable ups and downs of the workload. They are worried that the candidates’ skills have gotten

stale and that they may be out-of-touch with new business norms. Of course these are the same

anxieties that the candidates have, so the fears feed one another.

Handling the “GAP”

The “gap” is the time period during which you left the professional workforce and the time at which

you are ready to re-enter. This may be one year, ten years, or much longer. You may have worked

part-time during these years, dabbled in a new interest or occupation, volunteered your heart out,

immersed yourself in family, or all or none of the above. From our experience, the best way to deal

with the gap is honestly, but smartly, emphasizing any parts of the gap that are valuable to the

prospective employer while deemphasizing those that are irrelevant to the employer.

Resume Strategies for Handling the Gap

Let’s start with how to do this in your resume. As you assemble the parts of your resume, the general

rule of thumb is to ask yourself, “Does this experience, job, training, other endeavor, improve my

qualifications and readiness for the job I want?” If the answer is, “yes,” highlight it but only relative to

the importance of your other professional experience. If the answer is, “no,” downplay or eliminate

it. Here are some guidelines for how to do this in your resume. Example resumes can be found on

our job seeker resource page.

Start with a Profile of Summary of Qualifications

To help the employer’s first impression of your resume to be your professional experience and not

your recent gap, begin your resume with a summary statement highlighting your professional

identify. This statement should include your primary field, level of experience, critical skills or

expertise, and if desired, your job search objectives. For example, “Registered Engineer with over

twenty years of experience in management and planning of projects ranging from $200,000 to $13

million,” or, “Seasoned results-driven marketing professional with over 20 years of experience in

corporate, government, and non-profit environments.” This section does not need a title. It should be

centered at the top of your resume just under your name and contact information so that it is the first

thing the employer reads on your resume. It should be no more than two or three sentences and may

be followed with a brief bullet listing of your skills.

If Gap Is Three Years or Less, Ignore It in Experience Section

We have not found employers to worry too much about a two or three year gap, especially in this

economy. Unless you have work experience during the gap that is relevant to the position you are

pursuing, if the gap was less than three years, do not mention it. Just start the Experience section of

your resume with your last professional job experience.

Include Paid Jobs in Experience Section

If you worked a paid job during your gap, include it whether or not it is relevant to the current job or

field you are pursuing. If it is a job that is relevant to your current field, for example if you did some

part-time or limited independent consulting work in your field, include it in the Experience section of

your resume and take the opportunity to highlight some specifics about the clients you worked for and

projects on which you worked. These types of jobs can raise skepticism in employers who want to

know, “How much did she really work, was the work consistent, and was the responsibility and scope

of work worthwhile?” So make sure you craft these work experiences in a way on your resume that

highlights specific accomplishments, job titles, and client names so the employer can get a sense of

the substance of the work you were doing.

If the paid job, however, was in an area different than your primary professional experience and

different from the job or field you are pursuing, for example if you were a substitute teacher, real

estate agent, or part-time business owner during your gap, include it chronologically in

the Experience section of your resume, but keep the content brief, stating the position, years you held

that position, and perhaps a brief bullet or two highlighting any significant accomplishments. These

jobs should never outweigh the content of the jobs you held that are directly relevant to the position or

field you are pursuing.

Include Only Relevant, Very Substantive Jobs in Experience Section

If you held a volunteer position during your gap and it was relevant to the current job or field you are

pursuing, include it in theExperience section of your resume, but do not make it the focal

point. Examples of this might be jobs you held for non-profit organizations that utilized your area of

expertise (e.g., construction project manager, bookkeeper, legal counsel, etc.). Highlight some of the

specific accomplishments you achieved including any measurable results.

Put Other Volunteer Work or Pursuits in Volunteer/Community Service Section Toward End of

Resume

You most likely held volunteer roles and pursued other unpaid endeavors during your gap that may

not have been relevant to the current position or field you are pursuing, but kept you busy, engaged

and productive and made significant contributions to a community or organization. For example you

may have chaired fundraising committees (a stay-at-home-parent staple), chaired a charity event,

volunteered for the school library, served on the PTA, etc, etc. Volunteer work may be important to

an employer as evidence of character traits such as resourcefulness, initiative, creativity, leadership,

flexibility etc. Include any of these pursuits you feel exemplify your character, but put them in

summary format near the end of your resume in a Volunteersection.

Include Relevant Training in Education Section

If during your gap you took any courses that are relevant to the field you are pursuing, include them in

the Education section of your resume.

What NOT To Include…

Some of the biggest no-noes we have seen were entries in a resume that called attention to the gap

in a way that tried to justify or embellish it. Whatever you do, do not try to disguise the gap with a

cutesy name like “Domestic Engineer” or “Head of Household” or a bullet list of your domestic

accomplishments. While this is important to you and your family, it has no relevance to the employer,

except to distract him or her from getting to the meat of your resume which is your professional

experience. It may be read instead as a righteous defense of your choice to stay at home which may

put the employer on the defensive. Instead, if you feel compelled to share with a prospective

employer the reasons for your gap and re-entry into the workforce, include the explanation in a cover

letter, but again, try to be brief and focused on how your story is relevant to the job at hand.

Interview Strategies for Handling the Gap

Once you are satisfied with how your resume positions your gap, you will need to prepare for how to

address the gap during an interview. Again, our advice is to be honest and forthcoming, but

brief. The prospective employer is going to want to understand your motivation for taking time off as

well as your motivation and commitment to getting back in the workforce. Look for a comfortable

opportunity to share that with him or her during an interview in an efficient way. Do not get too

personal or devote too much time to it, but just succinctly explain that you needed to spend more time

to home due to children’s needs, a spouse’s travel or schedule, a move, etc. Do not share your

personal views or opinions on why you think staying home is better for children or how the workplace

should be more flexible, etc. This is not the right audience for that and it can only distract from the

subject that is at hand which is your qualifications for the job.

By all means, do not be apologetic about your gap either. We have had some candidates so grateful

to be given an opportunity to get back into the workforce at a professional level that they have fallen

all over themselves thanking the employer for the “chance” that they are being “given.” Most

employers do not view it this way at all and would not have given you an interview if they did not think

you had something significant to bring to the table. So don’t be a charity case. Be proud of what you

have to offer and show your gratitude to the employer through the value you will bring to their

organization.

One final mistake we have seen our candidates make and about which we have received negative

feedback from our clients, is dwelling too much on personal flexibility needs (hours, vacation time,

etc.) early on in an interview. Even if you are applying for a part-time job, start with your credentials

and ability to fill the position before broaching the schedule question. An employer will be a lot more

open minded about potential flexibility needs once he or she has determined you are a strong

candidate than before he or she knows what you have to offer. We have seen entire interviews derail

before they even start due to a standoff about schedule.

Conclusion

Yes, it is true that the time you took off from your professional career track can be an obstacle in

positioning yourself on a resume or in an interview with a prospective employer. However, if you

think of the gap from the prospective employer’s mindset and ask, “How does the gap affect my ability

to do this job?” you may be surprised at how you can draw nuggets of the gap to highlight as assets,

while minimizing other aspects to not distract. Check our website out for some of our favorite

example resumes of stay-at-home-parents who have effectively dealt with their gap.

flexprofessionalsllc.com