Resume Padding

Although one can make an innocent typo or mistake when compiling a resume that doesn’t get caught in proofreading, intentionally misrepresenting credentials can get you into serious trouble. Resume padding has been in the news again lately as Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson was recently fired for claiming to have both a computer science and an accounting degree. When people throughout an organization have put their trust in someone who has lied to them, directly or indirectly, it becomes an issue of confidence and credibility.  According to a recent blog Resume Padding: What’s the Problem?, “The judgment and ethics of the individual who has perpetrated the lie are called into serious question, spurring concerns about the reliability and trustworthiness of that individual in other areas of his/her work and life. If an individual can justify lying about something on the resume to get a job, who’s to say he or she wouldn’t decide that other lies are equally justified down the road somewhere? Where does the line get drawn?” 

 Most Human Resource departments have stories of situations where they have to let an employee go due to misrepresentations on their resume or application. As GCDFs, let's educate our clients on the importance of accurate and truthful application materials.

Santa's Resume - How would a GCDF improve it?

While browsing my career related blogs this week, I came upon a post featuring a make believe resume for Santa. While it was likely fun to create and made me laugh, I couldn't help but to notice all the things that a GCDF, who had been to our fall Resume training, would have done differently. I encourage you to print out the link and update it as if Santa were your client? Which resume template and section headers would you use?

Building Your Linkedin Profile

Hello everyone!!!

We look forward to seeing our GCDF colleagues who are registered to attend the November 18-19 training in Lexington.  It will be focused on the importance of resume editing and development along with social media tips.  We will study Twitter, LinkedIn and the power each tool provides for you are a career advisor.

For now, we encourage you to build your LinkedIn profile and continue to increase your connections.  A recent poll suggested that 80% of hiring managers (nationally) will "google" potential job candidates.  The stronger your LinkedIn profile is, the more likely you are to have that at the top of your Google search.

http://www.linkedin.com/

Video Resumes

"Savvy job seekers know that the paper resume is a dated approach to your job search. Having a professional video profile complete with your traditional resume, personality profile, and relevant accomplishments will increase your chance for hire by 30% or more - it just works."

- David DeCapua, CEO TalentRooster


While recently visiting a staffing agency in Lexington, I learned about emerging video resume technology from a company called TalentRooster. TalentRooster allows job seekers to create a video profile that employers can use as a preview of the candidate. Employers, staffing agencies, and recruiters are also using technology such as TalentRooster to conduct initial candidate screenings and to determine who to invite to the interview. Employers can pre-select which questions they would like for the candidate to answer. The candidate then answers the questions using a webcam or built in computer camera, and emails it back to the employer. It is inexpensive and convenient for the employer. A benefit to candidates is that they have time to think about their responses and can record their answers until they are pleased with their responses. Good Morning America even recently spotlighted this new tool. Learn more at TalentRooster. As GCDFs, do you see this type of technology replacing a traditional paper resume?

Trends to Watch

As GCDFs, it is part of our job to keep up with the latest trends. Last December, career counselors from around the globe linked up to brainstorm best practices, new programs, and trends that are impacting and projected to impact global employment, job search and career management. A white paper from the first ever Career Thought Leaders 2010 Global Career Brainstorming Day: Trends for the Now, the New, & the Next in Careers was recently published outlining their discussions. A few things I found interesting were the general consent that resumes are quickly going by the wayside. Google searches and LinkedIn will be the new tools. Another resource that was mentioned was Wordle.net. Wordle allows you to paste any text into it and then it creates a word cloud based on the words that occur the most frequently. This will prove to be extremely helpful in branding and making sure that our clients have the most effective industry key words in their resumes and LI profiles. Just last week I spoke to a group and one gentleman said is HR department just started using Wordle.

GCDFs, what are your thoughts on these new trends and how they may emerge in your region?

Resume Section Headers - Not Set In Stone

We are all familiar with the most common resume section headers - Objective, Professional Experience, and Education. However, in our fall GCDF resume training, we shared that resume headers are not set in stone. While this can be very freeing for our clients, it can also keep us on our toes as GCDFs. Which section headers will help your client put their best foot forward and showcase their experience, skills, training, in the most effective manner? What may work for one client, is not necessarily the best way to showcase your next client. One of my favorite section headers that I use with clients is "Community/Civic Involvement". This section header captures ways in which the client may be involved in the community (often in leadership roles). Unfortunately, this excellent information tends to get left off since clients do not think to put it on their resume or they are just not sure where to put it on their tradition resume. I recently stumbled upon a post that will give GCDFs an extra tool to help expand that list of header options for our clients. Take the time this week to review 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles. Which new headers and titles will you be sharing with your clients?

KCEOC Site Visit

Mid-October led us to the Barbourville KCEOC site. What a beautiful drive! The fall color is certainly prettier this year as we head outside of Lexington. A highlight of our Resume and Interview CEU training was a discussion on how to help clients who feel as if they do not have anything to put on a resume. Or how to help those clients who when asked what are their qualifications, they say "none" or they can't answer. Ultimately we are striving to help our clients see that they have transferable, marketable skills and then to take ownership of those skills. Our group felt that asking a client to describe their skills was less intimidating than to ask them what are their qualificaitons. For those clients who perhaps lack self-confidence, try to get them to talk about their skills in each of the following categories - 1) tools/machine 2) Ideas 3) People 4) Data. This information can then be translated into roles and various other resume headers. Are you asking your clients the right questions when it comes to helping them build their resumes and see their transferable skills? What questions do you rely upon to get your clients to share their skills? As always, we welcome your comments.