Greg Ryan

5 Easy Ways to Strengthen Your Résumé

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.

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!!

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;
1. Worked to increase sales productivity each quarter.
2. Increased sales productivity by 73% last quarter, leading to a profit growth of $1.2M. Which sounds better? The answer is ‘statement 2’. 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!!

7 Ways to Make Your Interview a Success – From the One Asking the Questions

7 Ways to Make Your Interview a Success – From the One Asking the Questions

For this blog entry, I decided to take a break from focusing specifically on résumés and cover letters to address another topic that I have become very familiar with: The Interview. For many people, simply reading those words can be intimidating. Today, I’m going to show you simple steps to take that will both reduce anxiety while also increasing your chances of getting a job offer. If you have read my previous blog posts, you may know that I regularly select candidates and lead interviews for my department. Since I work for one of the largest companies in the area, this process can occur quite often. I have also been the interviewee on many occasions so I can sympathize with both sides of the interview process. Speaking from an interviewer perspective, here are 7 ways to make your interview a success.

Study common interview questions and prepare responses. There are certain common topics addressed in the majority of interviews (these can be found through a simple google search). That is not to say that you will get these exact questions, but chances are that you will be asked something very similar. Having responses ready to go will greatly reduce stress and lead to more elaborate answers as well.
Research the employer. While sometimes difficult, it goes a long way to be able to base your responses on specific needs or interests of the employer. This will make it very easy for the interviewer to envision how you will benefit their company.
Be a PRO. As in Prepared, Respectful and On-time. Take time to investigate what the job opening requires, brush up on current industry lingo, go back and review everything you have accomplished to this point in your field, etc. It is equally important to be respectful, toward both the people you meet during the interview and to the position itself. Even if the person is someone you just pass by and not in the actual interview, treat them as though they are. You never know who they might know or what position they hold. Also, bringing coffee or food into the interview may give the impression that they don’t have your full attention. Be sure to formally thank the interviewer(s) via e-mail, mail or phone call after the interview has ended. Lastly, be early for your interview. Not only do you not want be late for obvious reasons, arriving early and having a few minutes to sit will help to relax you before going in.
Be CONFIDENT. Always remember, if the interviewer wasn’t interested in you, you would’ve have been called in for an interview in the first place! You’re there because you have something valuable to offer.
Give specific examples. Actual success stories from your previous positions will show that you are an important asset for any company. Specific and detailed examples are much more impactful than general statements or theoretical ideas.
Ask insightful questions. This will make you seem well-versed in the industry, as well as committed to improving yourself and your potential future employer.
Sell Yourself. Don’t be modest… or cocky. Very often, the candidate that is offered a position is not necessarily the most qualified, but instead the one that best promotes his/her strengths and value to a company. The one caveat is that you don’t want to come off as cocky. This can turn off employers and give the impression that you aren’t easy to work with. Be confident, not cocky.

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

5 Reasons Why Hiring a Certified Résumé Writer is Worth It

Top 5 Reasons Why Hiring a Certified Résumé Writer is Worth It

When I first decided to become a certified Résumé Writer, I promised myself that I would only continue doing it for the right reasons. I truly enjoy working with all types of people with a wide variety of career interests and goals. I get real enjoyment from hearing back from people that they did land that interview that has passed them by so often in the past. That is one of the reasons that I’m proud to offer my services for far less than other Résumé Writers you will find at larger companies (higher cost doesn’t always mean a better product). Additionally, I have spent countless hours honing my craft and, I think, I’ve become a pretty effective Résumé Writer. With all of that being said, I’ll be the first to admit that not everyone needs to hire a résumé writer. However, there are some very valid reasons why using a Certified Résumé Writer (whether it be myself or someone else) generally turns out to be a worthwhile investment. Here are my top 5 reasons to hire a Certified Résumé Writer.

Studies show that professionally written résumés are 40% cleaner and easier to read. With the applicant pool being as competitive as it is, the need for a reader-friendly résumé continues to grow in importance. Many times, résumés got pushed aside simply because of a poor layout.
Current on latest trends & demands. For most people, the only time they look at their résumé or read up on prospective employers is when they are looking for a job. This is completely logical, but it also means that you may not have done this in many years. Times change. What should be included on an effective résumé changes as well. Certified Résumé Writers make it their job to stay current on the most recent demands of employers.
Skilled writing & communication matters. Just like not everyone is trained to fix a leaky pipe, not everyone is highly trained to write a professional looking résumé and cover letter. That is another reason why it is important to be sure that any Résumé Writer you hire is actually certified. You are paying your hard-earned money for this service, so don’t be afraid to ask for proof of certification. Certified Résumé Writers spend hours doing this and have to pass a rigorous certification exam that includes being scored on being a skilled writer.
Know how to get noticed. Certified Résumé Writers see countless résumés in a short period of time and know best what attributes to highlight so that you stand out. This is difficult for people who only see their own résumé.
Save time & stress. Job hunting is one of the most important things any ambitious employee goes through. It is also one of the most stressful. When you add that to everything else going on in your life, it can be overwhelming. The comfort of knowing it is being taken care of and being done well is very valuable and well worth the money when it leads to more interviews and opportunities.

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

8 Reasons You Need a High Quality Résumé and Cover Letter

Top 8 Reasons You Need a High Quality Résumé and Cover Letter

I wanted to begin the New Year by discussing something that I believe every potential job seeker needs to know – that it is absolutely critical to have a quality résumé and cover letter if you plan on landing your desired job. Too often, I hear people question why they matter or worry that they don’t have enough to include to make it worthwhile. I will address the former in detail shortly, but to the latter I respond, “You know what it better than nothing? Anything!” Even if you aren’t sure where to begin, just start somewhere. Everyone has some sort of positive experience to draw on, volunteer work to include, degree to mention… You get the idea. Start somewhere and add to it as you go. If nothing else, it will show you where you need more exposure so that you can work to strengthen your résumé.

As for why you need a high quality résumé and cover letter, here are my Top 8 Reasons.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. Use yours wisely. You don’t want to be fighting an uphill battle heading into an interview.
The average employer literally spends only a few seconds looking at a résumé before deciding if it’s worth his/her time. A neat, clean professional looking résumé goes a long way toward capturing the reader’s attention.
Maximize your worth. Very often, interviews are fairly scripted in which questions are asked of you. This can make it difficult to highlight your strengths and accomplishments. Use your résumé as your chance to highlight these points.
Promote Why They Need You. As the pile of candidates continues to grow, you need to show the employer that you stand out as the best person for the job. A glowing résumé paints the best picture of you and can give you an advantage before the interview even begins.
Boost Your Confidence. We all strive to better our place within a company or in a new company. However, job descriptions can be intimidating and the fear of being unqualified can start to creep in. Preparing a high quality résumé and cover letter can build that inner confidence that you have accomplished a lot and are qualified for the job.
Elaborate on your strengths and accomplishments in a cover letter. Your cover letter is the place to truly delve into why your past experience sets you apart as the best candidate. Résumés are short and compact in nature and interviews can fly by quickly, so the cover letter is your one chance to really explain just how impressive you are.
Show off your writing and communication skills. All jobs require employees to communicate in one form or another. The cover letter is a great opportunity to prove to employers that you can communicate eloquently with potential colleagues, customers, etc.
Be your best you! There is only one you. And that’s a good thing! Show your creativity and uniqueness through your writing. You want an employer that wants the real you, not a fabricated version you cooked up for a résumé or cover letter.

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