An Objective look at Objectives

An Objective look at ObjectivesAn Objective look at ObjectivesAn Objective look at ObjectivesAlternatives like Job Goal, Career Summary, and Executive Summary all pop up, but theres no piece of a resume that inspires heated debate like the Objective. Heated supporters on the one hand, loud dismissal on the other. No two hiring managers seem to agree, so how do you know if you should use one?Objectively BadWhen your resume space is limited, adding an objective eats into that. If your career progression and titles speak for themselves, an objective is redundant and takes space away you could use on your achievements and accomplishments.Using an objective thats too specific can block you from other positions you might be suitable for, and signal a lack of flexibility. A bad objective is worse than no objective at all Filler and buzzwords make you seem out of touch. With hiring managers scanning a resume in under 10 seconds, do you want to waste that time on fluffy filler text?Objectivel y GoodIncluding an objective gives employers a clear picture of your goals and skills. Some hiring managers might not see the full job posting and an objective makes it clear which position youre aiming for.Career changers or recent graduates can use an objective to show their enthusiasm for the new direction, as well as highlight their relevant skills. This could be put in a cover letter, of course.Another advantage is that as more employers use ATS to scan resumes for keywords, you can position the important ones right in the objective.If you choose to use an objective, make sure to focus on what you can do for your employer, not what you want from them. Be specific, clear, and brief leave out the buzzwords and keep it under 15 words maximum.Putting it togetherYour objective (if you use one) should ONLY contain three thingsThe title (if known)The area of workSkills, specialization, and experienceGOOD Graphic Designer with 10 years of experience specializing in UXBAD Looking for a challenging but rewarding position using my extensive skills as a Graphic DesignerObjectives can hurt you as well as help you remember that they are optional. If you prefer to leave it to a professional, use azugreifbar resume writing service. They know whether or not you need an objective and how to tailor your whole history to the role you want.

The Secrets Recruiters Wont Tell You (But Really Want To)

The Secrets Recruiters Wont Tell You (But Really Want To)The Secrets Recruiters Wont Tell You (But Really Want To) Recruiters may seem intimidating, but they genuinely want the best for both candidates and the company. Good recruiters want you to have the best experience possibleduring the application and bewerberinterview process - but even though they want the best for you, there are some things that they just cant share.Salary bands, candidate competition, internal HR tactics - lets just call them trade secrets. They are the confidential information that, unfortunately, recruiters cannot divulge.To get to the truth, we reached out to Omer Molad, CEO/Founder of Vervoe , a recruiting company that replaces face-to-face interviews with online simulations for small and medium-sized businesses. Molad built his business on the premise that hiring is painful, and he has unique insight into the frustrations and insights of recruiters.Here are a few of the secrets that Molad says recruiters wont tell you, but really want to.Salary negotiations are like a game of poker - both job seekers and recruiters are trying to maintain control and win the hand. Very few (if any) recruiters will be so bold as to say we took advantage of you and we dont value you highly, says Molad. In fact, there is often a salary band or range that recruiters have for each role. Their initial salary offer is very rarely at the top of theirsalary band, so base pay - as well as benefits like vacation days, work hours, etc. - can usually be negotiated.Its smart to include keywords in your resume and to come off as knowledgeable about your particular industry. However, dont try to look smarter than you really are, says Molad unabashedly. Authenticity is key. Recruiters and employers want your partality to shine - not your ability to throw out words and phrases like synergy, move the needle, ROI,feed the funnel, etc.Its not about specific questions or answers that stand out , but rather the candidates who display a great deal of passion about what they do that really stand above the rest, says employer Academy Sports + Outdoors .Your mother was right first impressions are everything. And according to Molad, few recruiters can get past a bad first impression. Unreturned phone calls, poor manners and clumsy interviews will all hurt your chances of moving on to the next round. Hiring managers and recruiters will bite their tongues, fighting back the desire to say, We just dont like you, says Molad. However, take it from us You must really dazzle if youd like to make up for a rocky first impression.Interviewers often care more about the likability of entry-level candidates than whether or not theyre actually qualified for the job, says career coach Peter Yang. This is because the person interviewing you will often also be your future boss and mentor, so it makes perfect sense that they would want to hire someone whom they personally like and want to w ork with. A strong interview performance means establishing a strong connection with your interviewer. Try to show off your personality instead of just answering questions robotically. You can even get a bit personal if youd like to.If a recruiter or hiring manager had doubts about you, they wont let you know if unflattering references just confirmed their doubts, Molad says. Your references should talk about your strengths in specific situations - not just basic information, adds HR expert Jordan Perez. References should be ready to provide examples of actual projects where you exceeded expectations. Your reference should easily cite one or two situations that highlight your strengths.Bad references can ruin your candidacy as much as good ones can strengthen it, says Sam Keefe, Digital Marketing Manager at AVID Technical Resources. Her advice to ensure that only the good shines through? Give only references who will say positive things about you. Work hard to build good workin g relationships with coworkers and bosses.Backdoor references, or back-channeling, is one of the sneaky ways hiring managers and recruiters gather more information about you - it refers to when employersreach out to mutual connections in order to get their honest opinion of you.This phenomenon is even more prevalent in the last five years or so because of LinkedIns growing popularity, says Keefe. Even if you choose not to give anybody there as a reference, backdoor references can reveal the skeletons in your closet. Backdoor references can be especially common when youre looking for a job in sectors like tech.Unfortunately, its perfectly legal to advertise a job that is almost certain to be filled by an insider. In fact, some research has shown that internal hires generally perform better than external ones. However, phantom jobs can be downright annoying when youre looking for a new position. Even though federal labor rules dont require employers to post openings, many HR depart ments require roles to be listed on a job board for some period of time to ensure a fair hiring process. Therefore, Molad says, dont expect recruiters to come right out and say, It was a beauty parade to show management we ran a process, but it was a sham and you were never really considered.Instead, shake it off and get back on the horse - there are plenty of opportunities out there , and the job that fits your life is just a few clicks away.Roughly 80 percent of recruiters and hiring managers use social media to look for and vet job candidates, making it extremely important to have a professional presence on the Internet.Hiring managers are reviewing social media pages to become educated about the background and brand the person is articulating and to look for red flags, says Alan Weatherbee, senior vice president of talent search for Allison+Partners . They arent using it to find ways not to hire someone who is qualified, but to make sure they present themselves in an accura te way.According to employment experts, you should make sure that your social media pages, whether its LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, mesh with what youre saying on your resume, cover letter and other application materials. After all, no one is going to hire someone who claims to be a head of marketing in their resume while their Facebook page is full of complaints about their job answering phones at an advertising company.Janet Elkin, Chief Executive of workplace staffing company Supplemental Healthcare , says you want to make sure your social media pages are void of any political comments, inflammatory messages or anything else that might offend the person who might just hold your future in their hands.Even the most direct recruiters and hiring managers will hesitate to tell you that youre Plan B, says Molad. So if an employer seems to be dragging its feet or delaying in giving you the green light to proceed - or the red light that youre not right for the role - chan ces are they have another candidate in the pipeline.Dont take it too personally - being a runner-up isnt a horrible thing. Often times, other candidates fall out of the running because of personal circumstances or other job offers . Being number two still means you are in contention. If you feel like a recruiter is slowing your process down in order to accommodate a preferred candidate, use it as a challenge to convince the recruiter of your awesomeness and your true fit for the role.No matter what, remember that the secrets recruiters keep are withheld with the business in mind, not because they are trying to be malicious. If you are faced with any of these, the right opportunity probably just hasnt come your way yet. Dont be afraid to be upfront with a recruiter and communicate both your concerns and your goals.

Less Common Signs You Have a Bad Manager - The Muse

Less Common Signs You Have a Bad Manager - The MuseLess Common Signs You Have a Bad Manager Its pretty obvious when you have a horrible boss. From the verbal abuse to the micromanaging to the refusal to respect your time, it doesnt take a genius to recognize when your manager is the sole cause of your misery.But sometimes, the signs arent so obvious. Especially when the person you report to is likable, perfectly pleasant, and competent. But those traits dont mean jack if, actually, your boss isnt a good boss. In fact, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but its entirely possible that what you have on your hands is a bad manager, and its high time you face it, unless you dont give a fig about your career.These five signs might surprise you, but stop for a second and think about the damage theyre causing (think stunted career and lack of advancement). While it might be nice to work under someone you get along with, thats far from the only thing you should value in this relationship.1 . They Never Offer Critical FeedbackTheres always plenty of praise. Your supervisor knows how to say thank you and lets you know youre doing good work, but they dont know how to give you constructive feedback, which can ultimately help you produce better work and grow you into a leader yourself. What to DoAsk for feedback. Say, I appreciate hearing what Im doing well, but Im always looking to improve, and so itd be useful to me if you were able to start incorporating critical feedback into our meetings so I know what to focus on.2. They Dont Recognize Your PotentialYou may be OK with the way things are going at work. You wouldnt exactly say youre coasting- you just know how to do your job really well. After all, youve been doing the same thing for the past two and a half years. Youve been given mora tasks, and you always handle them with aplomb. Dont mistake this with growth or realized potential. If its true that youve been handling the same items since you started (even if your to -do list has steadily increased), you may be stuck in a rut, your mental muscles atrophying. What to DoArticulate your desire to expand your skill set and take on more responsibility that goes beyond simply taking on more of what you already do. If your request goes unheard and nothing changes, it might be time to look for a new job, one where you can make the most of your abilities and rise through the ranks like you deserve. 3. They Have No Idea How Hard Youre WorkingYour manager sees you in the office and assumes your hours are more or less similar to theirs. The reality, however, is that youre doing a couple of hours of work each night and many more over the weekend. Your vacations are not unplugged. Nope, youre answering to clients and putting in an hour of work during your morning commute. If you did the math, youd estimate youre working about 65 hours a week. You like the work, so its not the worst thing ever, but its stressful and exhausting. What to DoAdmitting youre feelin g overworked and overwhelmed isnt fun, but its necessary if, all things considered, youre happy doing what youre doing, but you just cant sustain the pace. Muse writer Jennifer Winter offers three options for broaching this tough topic.4. They Play Favorites (and Youre the Favorite)Its nice to be the teachers pet, isnt it? Who doesnt want to be appreciated by the person in dienstgrad of their paycheck? Step back though and try to put yourself in others shoes and ask yourself how it would feel to have your manager favor your co-worker and regularly snub you. Being best buddies might feel good in the moment, but its inappropriate and unprofessional, and it isnt teaching you a darn thing.What to DoSince you probably dont want to call him out for this behavior, you can try to work around it. Praise your co-workers efforts and regularly point out the teamwork involved in completing projects. This might as well be called advanced managing up. Your goal is not to get him to start ignoring you, but to envelop the whole team5. They Prioritize the Team Over the CompanyYour managers super territorial and cares about each and every person on their team like youre all their own children. The work your group is responsible for is the number one priority, and, as a result, they often reject cross-collaboration opportunities with other teams or refuse to modify their way of thinking and doing to better work as a whole company and not just a small part of it.What to DoThe next time you get wind of a project that would allow you to work with another department, speak up before they have a gunst der stunde to pass it onto someone else. Let them know you recognize your priorities within the team but that youre also quite interested in this new initiative and think it would ultimately benefit the company if you were able to spend time on things that speak to the organizations overall mission.The good news is that most of these situations can be resolved with a frank conversation. Considering the nightmarish work situations out there, these arent so awful. Still, you dont want to be deceived by seemingly harmless things that could negatively impact your career. And the sooner you take action, the sooner you can get ahead.