Greg Ryan

7 Things to Consider When Offered a Job

Hi! Welcome to my Blog. I like to use my experience as both a Certified Résumé Writer and administrator in charge of the candidate selection and interview process for my department to share helpful tips that I have picked up along the way. This blog will be updated frequently. I hope you enjoy it! Positive Testimonials and remembering to “Like” my Facebook page are GREATLY appreciated.

7 Things to Consider When Offered a Job

We all know the saying, “The grass isn’t always greener on the other side”. Well that is true with job hunting as well. Often, people have an urge to constantly search for new jobs due to the fear that something better is out there. While there usually is something else out there, that doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily better. Receiving a new job offer is exciting and a meaningful accomplishment, but you still want to make sure that the switch is right for you. Moving to a new job can certainly be a great move for you in terms of future potential and salary, but it’s not a guarantee. Here are 7 things to consider when offered a job that can help you determine if a new job offer makes sense for you.

Room for growth. This is a key topic to consider, especially if you have a desire to move up in the future. Many companies offer a good starting salary, but there isn’t really anywhere to go from there. Often, the easiest place to move up is within your own company, so it’s worth looking into growth potential in the new company.
Stability of position and company. Sometimes a position sounds almost too good to be true. Before leaving a solid job at a stable company, you may want to consider the stability of the new company and position. Has each been around awhile? If there is a risk – which is not always a bad thing – are you in a position to take it?
Does the position spark your interest? If you plan on being at your new position for the foreseeable future, you probably don’t want to be miserable each day. Some items to consider include: Will you be able to learn about new areas, products or programs? Are you truly interested in the field that you are considering entering?
Does the new schedule and commute make sense for you and your family? It’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of a new job (and potentially higher salary), only to forget to consider how it will impact your personal life. Everyone’s situation is different, so be sure to consider the new schedule and commute when deciding on a job offer.
Can you envision yourself working with these people for years to come? Most people spend just as much time with their colleagues as their own families. If something gives you a bad feeling about working with the people in the interview, it’s worth thinking about if the job is truly right for you.
Are you simply following the crowd? You’d be surprised to hear how many people begin applying for new jobs simply because their friends or co-workers are changing jobs. I assume this is due to a fear of being left behind. Still, switching jobs or careers is not the right move for everyone. Be sure to find the right opportunity for you, not simply the next opportunity.
Does the actual role match the description? Occasionally, employers will try to lure in applicants with job postings that promise interesting & creative opportunities, travel, etc., but then in the interview the job doesn’t seem to match the description for which you applied. That should be a red flag. Especially if you are leaving behind a solid career, you don’t want to have buyer’s remorse within a few weeks on the new job.

Visit gregryanresumewriter.com to perfect your Résumé and Cover Letter today!!

6 Important Things Hiring Managers Look For in a Resume

6 Important Things Hiring Managers Look For in a Resume

Over the years, I have talked with countless hiring managers, human resource directors and managers. While each industry may be looking for different specific information, there are some common trends that every job seeker should be aware of when preparing a resume. Here are the top 6 things that Hiring Managers will be looking for in your resume.

Powerful Opening. Studies have shown that employers will focus on the top portion of the first page of a resume before deciding if they want to continue reading. Therefore, burying key information lower on your resume may mean that it never even gets read. Opening your resume with a powerful (and brief) professional summary and list of key skills will engage the reader while showcasing why you are qualified for the position.
Significant tangible positive impact. It may seem like employers want to get to know you from your resume, but mainly they just want to know how hiring you will benefit them. That may sound cold, but it’s just the nature of business. That means it is imperative to demonstrate how your skills and experiences will directly benefit your potential employer’s company.
Do you wait for someone to tell you how to solve a problem and what to do next? Or do you take initiative to proactively identify and resolve issues before they arise? If you answered the latter, then employers will be interested in you. After all, they pay you to deliver quality results while they are busy with other responsibilities. Make sure your resume reflects your initiative.
Keyword Usage. Keywords usage has become a hot topic in resume writing these days. Employers are hiring you for specific reasons with specific goals in mind. Do your best to utilize the job description and your knowledge of the company to highlight how your skills align with their needs.
Targeted Information. As much as possible, steer your accomplishments and previous responsibilities to match what you will potentially be doing in this new position. That makes it easy for employers to visualize you succeeding in your new role.
Easy-to-Read Professional Layout. Like books, resumes are often judged by their “cover”. That is, an employer’s first impression is determined by how inviting and well-formatted your resume appears. If they like the layout, they are more likely to like the content as well.

Visit gregryanresumewriter.com to perfect your Résumé and Cover Letter today!!

5 Easy Ways to Strengthen Your Résumé

5 Easy Ways to Strengthen Your Résumé

We’ve all been there before. We want to start searching for a new job but we feel like our résumé is lacking. Then doubt begins to creep in that we will be able to land a quality job in our desired field. Either that, or we continue to get passed over for interviews. While visiting this page and considering enlisting the help of a Certified Résumé Writer is a critical step in the right direction, even we can’t simply make stuff up to put on résumés. Luckily, there are easy ways to add more power to your résumé. Here are my top 5 easy ways to strengthen your résumé.

Get involved in relevant groups or associations. This will show potential employers that you are invested in your work and serious about becoming a better employee.
Attend workshops and conferences. Conferences can be beneficial for multiple reasons. First, the wealth of knowledge shared by leaders in the field is invaluable for improving your potential. Second, the dedication to being a lifelong learner can look great on a résumé. Third, there are immense networking benefits to attending these workshops (always a plus!). Even if you have to attend on your own time, it is usually worth it.
Further your education and/or credentials. Acquiring additional degrees or certifications will make you a more well-rounded employee and open up doors that were previously out of your reach. Often, these degrees and certifications are preferred when it comes time to apply for promotions and management roles as well.
Take on added responsibility at work. If you know that your boss or company needs help in a certain area, ask if you can be of assistance. It will make you look good while simultaneously providing you with new experience and knowledge. Not to mention that you can now include the new responsibilities on your résumé.
Volunteer! Volunteer work implies that you are an integral part of your community, a hard worker and simply a good person. None of those can ever be a bad thing. If an employer is deciding between two candidates, they may lean toward someone that they trust to be a team player and good colleague.

Visit gregryanresumewriter.com to perfect your Résumé and Cover Letter today!!

7 Areas You Don’t Need To Include On Your Resume Anymore

7 Areas You Don’t Need To Include On Your Resume Anymore

With the desire to create the perfect resume that includes all key information for employers, it can be difficult to know when you’ve included too much. There are certain areas that not only are unnecessary, but may also decrease your chances of getting a call back when they’re included. Here is a quick rundown of 7 areas that you no longer need to include.

Objective Statement: If you applying for a financial advisor position, you don’t need a statement saying that you’d like a job as a financial advisor. That’s obvious and wastes valuable space on a resume. Instead, try including an Intro paragraph and/or Summary of Qualifications section that highlights the value you would add to that company/position.
Date Created: This was never necessary, but I still see clients saving and sending their resume with the date created in the title. There is no value in that. Be sure to include your name but not a date created.
Personal Information Beyond Contact Information: If employers need more personal information, let them ask for it. Your name and contact information is enough for the resume. You also do not need to include a picture on your resume for 99% of job industries.
GPA – Unless 3.5 or better: There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your GPA regardless of the final number, but it should only be included on your resume if it’s likely to be higher than most/all applicants. Otherwise, it’s starting you off in a hole if you list a GPA of, let’s say, 3.1 when dozens of other candidates may have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
High School Diploma: This doesn’t apply to applicants that are still in college or just graduated. Otherwise, any higher education above high school and real-world work experience should be the focus of your resume.
Hobbies: Remember that resume space if limited and an employer’s time is valuable. If you don’t think that the fact that you enjoy hiking will help you land the job, then don’t include it on the resume.
References: I’ve mentioned this before, but listing references is no long necessary. Employers know that you will provide references if/when they are needed. Resume space should solely focus on why you are the best candidate. That being said, it is fine to have a separate document with reference information to bring to interviews.

Visit gregryanresumewriter.com to perfect your Résumé and Cover Letter today!!

Top 3 Do’s and Don’ts of an Effective Résumé

Top 3 Do’s and Don’ts of an Effective Résumé

One of my responsibilities at work is to lead the interview and hiring process for my department. Over the years, I have noticed certain common inclusions that appear on many résumés. Some good and some bad. Unintentionally, I find myself interviewing candidates with résumés that include the following positive characteristics. Since each résumé and job description are different, there are a plethora of rules I could list here, but in the interest of your time I decided to focus on the top 3 Do’s and Don’ts of an effective résumé.

DO:

Be easy on the eye. Résumés that are too wordy and/or unorganized are not pleasing to an employer’s eyes. With sometimes hundreds of résumés to go through, these résumés will often get quickly pushed to the “NO” pile. Make sure your résumé is reader-friendly.
Lead with action verbs. Remember that you are highlighting what you have personally accomplished, not your team or company. Action verbs can help show that you are a key part of these successes.
Use quantifiable statistics and results when possible. There is no better way to show your effectiveness than to prove it with numbers. Consider the following statements;

Worked to increase sales productivity each quarter.
Increased sales productivity by 73% last quarter, leading to a profit growth of $1.2M.

Which sounds better? The answer is ‘statement b’. Anyone could make the first statement, but it’s generic and doesn’t hold much weight. The second statement proves that you know how to make the company more money. Employers will like that!

DON’T:

Use slang. Just because you and your friends or colleagues know what a word means doesn’t mean that your potential employer will. Key information can easily get lost in translation. The one exception would be commonly used verbiage used in a specific industry.
Include outdated and irrelevant past experience. This could give the impression that you are trying to cover up the fact that you don’t have much relevant experience or are unqualified for the position. It’s better to beef up relevant experience to fill space.
This may sound obvious, but the temptation to lie can creep in as you do your best to stand out. While your intentions may be justifiable, having to continue that lie into the interview, and potentially throughout your career, is not worth the trouble. In fact, it can lead to ugly dismissals as well. You should find a job that wants the real you. You’ll be much happier that way.

Visit gregryanresumewriter.com to perfect your Résumé and Cover Letter today!!