Here is a great video on writing a powerful nurse resume. Check it out:

Nurse Resume – Five Secrets to Writing a Powerful Nurse Resume

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It could go something like this:

Managed effort to remove eight ton whale carcass from beach utilizing advanced explosive techniques.

Someone from Good Morning America was interviewing a job seeker and asked “What kind of job are you looking for?” The job seeker replied “at this point I’ll take any job I could get”. This comment made my skin crawl.

I understand getting into job search hell, and getting desperate. However, one of the biggest mistakes that I see people make, during the job search process, is to become unfocused. They tell me they have no idea what kind of job they want or that they will take any kind of job that comes along.

This is a mistake. This is like getting onto a plane and saying “I don’t know where I want to go, just take me anywhere”. People live there life this. They sit behind the wheel of life and they don’t bother to grab the steering wheel.

To be successful in your job search you must have a target job/career. Generally the more specific you can be the better your job search prospects will be. This is true regardless of the level of employment you are seeking.

So if you are looking for a job and are having difficulties you need to assess the job market and your skills, and pick an appropriate job target. Then focus all of your job search energies toward this direction. You will have just greatly increased your changes of finding success in the job search game.

1. Know your objective.  Not an objective statement, but what position are you looking for?  This is key to knowing how to structure your resume.  If you are not focused and have a general resume, chances are your phone will not be ringing off the hook.  Imagine the person reviewing those resumes…they do not have the time to figure out what you are qualified to do, you must tell them.

2. Add a summary. You must figure out, what you are all about.  What are you known for?  Do you specialize in a specific area or field?  Are you licensed or certified?  Do you speak a foreign language?  There are many things you can incorporate in this summary. Be specific, even unique. 

3. Focus on accomplishments.  Every time I review resumes, I run into this problem.  Clients write down their responsibilities or duties, instead of their accomplishments.  What did you do for your last employer that had a significant impact? What were the results?  Did you implement, create, or establish something?  If yes, what? Be specific, but do not blabber on.  Short, crisp, clear, and concise bullets.

4. Length and format. I agree with Forbes, .com that it can be longer than one page, especially if you have ten years of experience.  I would not go more than two pages, unless you are in specific industries that warrant it like government or medical.  Formatting is also key.  Again, I like saying…have your resume look crisp, clear, and concise!  Of course error free!

Don’t forget the keywords!

Remember, your resume is the first impression the potential employer receives of you.  This is your marketing tool, so be professional. 

If your phone is not ringing, your resume may be the problem.  Have a certified professional resume writer review your resume.  The job market is very competitive.  If you would like an advantage, you should invest in professional resume services.

Q: What are the main benefits to hiring a “pro?”

A: By hiring a professional, you’ll gain access to:

§         Expert resume writing/editing/design skills.

§         Needed objectivity and expertise to play up your strengths, downplay your weaknesses, and position you for interview success.

§         The precise know-how to target your career and industry correctly.

§         Winning resume, job search, and interviewing strategies.

§         Their commitment to the profession by obtaining ongoing training.

For more information about resume services or to sign-up for our free professional development newsletter go to: www.myjobsearchtips.com

Happy job hunting!

Violet Nikolici Lowrey

A Plus Professional Resumes, Inc.

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Happy Job Searching

The job search blues can happen to anyone. One day you unexpectedly get a pink slip. After cobbling together a resume and blasting it to thousands of job boards, you wait by the phone. Nothing happens! The days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months. Your phone rarely rings, and when it does ring, the job is totally wrong or you don’t make it through the interview process.

Mild depression starts to set in. Maybe you sleep all the time or start overeating. I’ve seen some people start to withdraw from friends and family while struggling with a job search. Pretty soon you feel like a total failure and start to wonder if you’ll ever find another job.

You start to lower your job standards and even jobs that held no interest start to seem appealing. “Hey someone’s got to clean up those cages at the pound.”

Before you pick up your broom set, here are seven way to beat the job search blues:

1. Stop and take a breath. Forget about your job search for a weekend and do something that you love. Go golfing, fishing, scuba diving, or even bowling. The purpose of this is to break out of your negative state.
2. Target your job search. When someone is having problems finding employment they tend to start broadening their job search. Rather than increase your chances of finding a job, this approach actually ensures that you will remain on the bench longer than necessary. Employers are much more likely to call if your resume is specifically targeted to the position they are trying to fill.
3. Visualize your perfect job. Many people use visualization to help them achieve goals. First thing in the morning, visual your perfect job in vivid detail. What are you doing? Where are you doing it? How short is the commute? What are you co-workers like? How much are you getting paid? There is nothing magical about visualization. When you visualize your subconscious kicks into gear and helps you take steps to make your vision a reality.
4. Leverage your network. Your network is much larger than you realize. Have you spoken to aunts, uncles or cousins about employment opportunities? How about former co-workers? Have you successfully worked with a recruiter or head hunter in the past? Don’t be afraid to contact someone that you haven’t spoken to in a long time. If you are trying to find someone, use social networking sites such as Linkedin.com. If a former contact has created a profile on Linkedin.com, you can easily reconnect with them.
5. Get involved in the community. Don’t stay home thinking about your job search woes. Get out there and participate in community you live in. The list of potential organizations to join is endless, and includes the local Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement or Kiwanis. Don’t just join and attend meetings passively. You want to identify a committee to participate in. Sign up for a committee and offer to do a task that on one else wants to take on. Show people that you have skills to contribute and they will be more likely to open doors for you.
6. Target a Company. Identify your dream company and focus some of your job search efforts towards that company. Research what industry they are in and who the key players are. Find out how this company hires new employees (do they hire direct or use a recruiting agency). If they use a recruiting agency, try and find out which agency they typically use. Then find out who the key recruiters are for that agency. Next, try and meet these recruiters. You always want to be as targeted as possible when trying to find a job.
7. Seek professional help. Engaging the services of a professional resume writer or career coach can dramatically reduce your job search time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked individuals who have been looking for work for months. After redoing their resumes and helping them target their job search, suddenly their phone starts ringing, and they start booking interviews.

If you are dealing with the job search blues call us at (954) 839-8552 or visit our website. Take action today and get closer to your dream job.

Kenneth Lowrey

A Plus Professional Resumes Inc