Phoenix, AZ, December 23, 2006 -- Many job seekers believe
their knowledge of and ability to complete daily job duties
alone will secure them a new job. However, this thinking is
what separates unsuccessful job search candidates from their
more successful counterparts.
What
do winning job seekers know that other candidates do not?
They realize that when searching for candidates or reviewing
resumes submitted for specific positions, recruiters and employers
look at a combination of position responsibilities and specific
achievements when deciding which job seekers to contact for
an interview.
Since
most job search candidates do not realize that adequately
portraying their accomplishments in a way that is meaningful
to potential employers will make the difference between being
called for an interview or not, they miss opportunities for
great positions. Further, these individuals do not understand
that those same accomplishments are the criterion which employers
utilize in the interview process to determine which candidate
to hire.
A
recent survey of professional recruiters conducted by Kathy
Sweeney, NCRW, CPRW, CCM, and president of The Write Resume
(www.awriteresume.com), revealed that 91 percent of those
completing the survey wanted resumes that had "position descriptions
with a good mix of duties and accomplishments." Further, 65
percent of the respondents stated they wanted cover letters
with "specific accomplishments or results."
So,
why don't more job seekers include accomplishments in their
resumes and cover letters? Sweeney believes job search candidates
do not know how to identify and quantify their achievements.
"As
a professional resume writer and interview coach for more
than 19 years, I often find the toughest area for my clients
to clarify is their career achievements. However, it is the
most important part of a resume, as employers believe that
past performance equals future success," stated Sweeney. "It
is also imperative that job seekers keep a record of their
success, as the information will be critical when the time
comes to interview for their next job, whether it is an internal
or external position."
To
make the task less complicated, Sweeney advises her clients
to keep a "career success journal." She says it does not have
to be fancy; just a notebook job seekers keep with them at
all times. Sweeney further advocates that job search candidates
adopt a habit of completing their success journal at least
once per week, including entries which detail contributions
made in the workplace.
When
keeping a career success journal, Sweeney suggests job seekers
ask themselves the type of questions below when considering
successes in their positions:
Did you sign on a new account that contributed either a significant
dollar amount or percentage of overall business to the company?
Did you recommend, develop and implement a process which increased
productivity, improved accuracy or eliminated a step in the
overall process?
Did you source a vendor or negotiate a contract that saved
the company money?
Did you help increase your company's brand awareness through
an innovative marketing campaign?
Were you part of a team that worked on a major project for
the company? Team contributions and achievements are just
as important as individual successes. If you were selected
as the Project Leader, that lends even more credibility to
the success of the venture.
Did
you receive an award for your contributions (either an individual
or team award)? Be sure to detail why the award was received.
By
answering these types of questions, job seekers should be
able to identify achievements and contributions in the workplace.
Sweeney maintains that by keeping a current career success
journal job seekers will be able to remember their achievements
more clearly when it is time to prepare their resume.
"Many job seekers believe they are in a position which cannot
produce quantifiable achievements," commented Sweeney. "I
tell my clients it does not matter the industry in which they
are employed -- there are quantifiable achievements which
can be garnered from their daily work experience. Further,
I advise them no matter how insignificant they think an achievement
is, chances are, an employer will find value in their contributions."
Kathy
Sweeney is the president of The Write Résumé, a Phoenix-based
Resume Writing and Career Consulting Firm established in 1987.
Ms. Sweeney is a Nationally Certified Resume Writer, Certified
Professional Resume Writer and Credentialed Career Master.
She works with job search candidates on a global basis. She
specializes in preparing job seekers at every level to maximize
their ability to gain employment through the composition of
effective resumes and career marketing documents and conducting
personalized interview coaching sessions. To contact Ms. Sweeney,
call 866-726-9052 or visit her website at www.awriteresume.com.
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