Help for Senior Job Seekers - Refining Your Resume

Are you a senior looking for work? In today's economy, many older people are finding themselves in need of a job. 

Do you feel out of the loop?  It helps to have some idea how to go about job hunting as a senior, because it is different from job searches as a young adult and very different from the job search techniques you might have been taught just a few short years ago. 
Here are some tips, and inspiration, to get you back into the world of work and hopefully increase your chances of success in getting that elusive job. 

Update Your Resume

Oh yes, I went there. Look carefully and objectively at your resume. You may find that it is extremely long after many years of experience. Perhaps several pages, in fact. What to leave and what to cull out? Consider going over your resume with someone who is an expert or experienced. (www.MyA1BestStaffing.com ) 
The experts can help you pare it down to include only relevant information and highlight pertinent skills and experience. Even if you don't go with an expert, do your research to find out what modern resumes look like and what employers want. The perfect resume five years ago is a dinosaur today. 

Some DO NOT’s:

• Don’t list your whole entire work history, this draws attention to your age and can actually make you seem overqualified to a recruiter (if they even read that far into it).  Fifteen to possibly 20 years max should be listed, chronologically, or your most recent three to four jobs. You can include those older jobs,  that you are proud of and which seem relevant to the position you are applying for, in a separate category possibly labeled ‘Additional  Experience’, but do not include those dates of employment.

• Ask yourself if those long-past skills and experiences are even still relevant in a modern workplace. I have seen  skills like ‘electric typewriter’, ‘key punch machine’, ’office intercom system’ and even ‘Teletype machine’ on resumes. I am not kidding. Hint: if there is a picture of an office machine on this site that you specialize in, then don’t list that skill on your resume.
( www.officemuseum.com/communications_equipment.htm )

• Don’t list your dates of graduation, neither High school nor college. It is a dead giveaway of your age and could cost you an interview. HR personnel are very good at counting back the years and eliminating otherwise excellent candidates based on their perceived age.

• Don’t leave huge gaps of unemployed years on the resume. List what you did during that time and word the responsibilities as they would apply to the job you are seeking. Be prepared to talk about it in the interview.

• Don’t include your references on/with the resume. Wait until the face to face interview and present a neatly printed short list of business and personal references. You can also have copies of your best reference letters ready to hand over with a confident smile.

Ok, you knew all that? So here are some important DO’s:

• Do pick a modern look for your resume and err on the side of plain, simple formatting. (unless you are applying for graphic designer leave the flowers and fancy fonts alone) And print on good medium heavy stock, plain white paper. Believe me, it will stand out.

• Do emphasize your transferable skills, even those you gained outside previous work. If they relate to the job you are applying for, put them on the resume. Ex: volunteer work titles and duties, self study foreign language classes, self taught computer skills, etc.

• Do describe how you used specific skills at your previous jobs and include examples of how you benefited the company. Ex: “Increased sales Leads by 35%”.

• Do downplay former executive job titles if you have retired and are seeking less stressful or even part time employment. Over qualification is a very real concern to HR personnel. Ex: “Finance Manager” instead of “CFO”

• Do get up to speed on the latest computer and social media jargon. If you have been left at the computer-age train station by choice, please reconsider. It is never too late to do some training. Most local colleges have technical classes for seniors that are short (6 wks or less) and to the purpose. And the purpose here is to make you the most desirable employee candidate. You'll have fun and be networking with others at the same time. In every skill set, self-improvement is never wasted.

This is week one of a six week article series by Cathy Townley-McGaughey, Recruiter and managing partner at A1 Best Staffing.

Free Job Seeker Webinars from A1 Best Staffing!

Tips for finding a new job. These and other tips are available in the A1 Best Staffing career portal at www.myA1BestStaffing.com If you are looking for work and haven't registered, what are you waiting for?

UPCOMING FREE JOB SEEKER TRAINING WEBINARS:
Cover and Thank You Letters
October 15th @ 3:00 pm EST (12:00 pm PST, 1:00 pm MST, 2:00 pm CST)
What type of cover letter is most effective? Do you email a thank you, send a card or type a formal thank you letter? These are just a couple of questions we will answer during this Webinar. Topics will include:

• The pros and cons of cover letters 
• Cover Letter that get the best results
• When, How and Why to say Thank you
• How long is too long for either a cover letter or thank you?

I will also share some samples of cover letters and thank you notes.

Finding Your Passion, Purpose, and Power in Your Career Transition
October 23rd @ 3:00 pm EST (12:00 pm PST, 1:00 pm MST, 2:00 pm CST)
One of the great discoveries you make in life is the answer to the question, “Who am I?” One of the deepest needs of human existence is to know that our lives count for something; that our gifts and talents are being used to make a difference. Since work is so much a part of our lives, we want it to be meaningful.

Are you eager to live the life you deserve yet just don't know where to start? Do you want to feel passion for life and use it towards your life purpose?

It's time to stop yearning for an extraordinary life, and start living your passion, purpose and power. Stop trying to survive your day to day life and learn to direct your steps with new energy and optimism as you head into the future “you” get to choose. Being in a career transition is a perfect time to explore what’s possible for you.

See if any of these sound familiar to you:

• Have you ever had the feeling that your life is wasting away?
• Are you worried about your future stability?
• Is it too late to choose what you want to be when you grow up?
• Do you have a definite direction, or do you feel like you are drifting through life?

Come learn how I found my purpose and how you can find yours. You will get inspired to powerfully move forward.

• Learn how to be captain of your own ship
• Learn how to instantly build your self-confidence
• Learn the essentials needed shift your emotions empowering you toward your future
• Learn how to accelerate your success and how to stay on your path
• Learn how to eliminate unwanted habits and behaviors that are holding you back
• Learn what relationships are necessary to drive you forward

When people establish a connection between what they do and a larger effort to change the world for the better, their work becomes an act of passion. The ultimate value you bring to the world.  Join us to discover your unique contribution and gain access to all the resources within you to fulfill your passion, purpose, and power. It will be powerful, energizing, inspiring, and fun! 

Login to your career portal at www.myA1BestStaffing.com (registration is free and is for everyone, anywhere) and click on EVENTS on the Main Menu. Register for the upcoming webinars by clicking on the event and then clicking the webinar registration link for each event listed. FREE.

Note from Cathy:  These webinars are useful for any job seeker and we offer our career portal site as a tool for EVERYONE, ANYWHERE.  A1 Best Staffing places temporary, temp to perm and direct hire candidates in the Galveston County area. 
I would love some feedback from you; that you found the career portal useful, if you were truly motivated and inspired by any particular webinar, that we have made your job search easier, that you found your dream job through our company or our career portal,  or if you have any comments about ways we can improve. 

You might not ace the job interview because of your red hair?!

Job hunting tips.

Are redheads less desirable as job candidates than dark or fair hair applicants? We all know that first impressions are important in every job interview. That's why we polish our resume until it shines like the beckoning bright star we are, and put on our best bib and tucker to impress HR.
I am a carrot top myself and subconsciously always credited my "room presence" to stature, red hair and confidence. There is absolutely no way I go unnoticed anywhere, ever. That's a good thing, right?
It has always worked for me, but here are a few quoted sources that seem to say differently:

• "Its latest report shows that, per head of population, redheads suffer more discrimination than ethnic minorities. Only disabled people suffer more." http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/newsreview/features/article1006495.ece
• "...Sadly redheads also receive a great deal of abuse. The Centre for Equality Policy Research think tank recently claimed that redheads suffer more discrimination per head of population than ethnic minorities. Having carried out an experiment they said, “A job applicant with ginger hair is seven times more likely to be rejected than a dark-haired applicant, and eight times more likely than a fair-haired applicant.”
  http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Could-Irelands-cloudy-weather-be-the-reason-for-the-stereotypical-red-hair-178077221.html#axzz2BkJgG0pd#3

Let's step back and look at this. The first quote is from a British source and the second from an Irish website, last year, where it appears to describe an ongoing form of discrimination. Is the situation different here in the USA? In fact 2-6% of our population has red hair, which gives the US the largest population of redheads in the world!
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_hair)

An interviewer at a traditional type business in the US is more likely to reject an applicant because of  dramatic false hair color more than any color of a natural appearing shade. So, is your hair color holding you back if you are a redhead? Probably not.

If you can't honestly blame the failed job interviews on your red hair, or black/brown/blonde hair then take another look at your resume, or have a friend look over it for you. Pick your interview clothes carefully, be sure they are business-like and make the desired impression. Know more about the company you are interviewing with so you can visualize yourself fitting into its corporate culture.

We seldom get the first job we interview for, or sometimes not even the 12th. Consider having a quiet time of introspection after each interview to critique what you might do better, or differently , in the next interview. And don't be too hard on yourself. A job interview is always a mix of both interviewee and interviewer. 

More tips, inspirations and webinars at our career portal. Registration is free. www.myA1BestStaffing.com 

But I have to lie on my resume, just a little bit, to fluff it out!

NO. Do. Not. Lie.  Why? Because the staffing agency WILL find out and you WILL not be considered a placeable candidate.

I will explain why - and how - we catch those lies and what the most common lies on resumes are.

(Yahoo News posted an excellent article on this subject at  http://news.yahoo.com/top-10-lies-people-put-r-sum-133032231.html)

Most reputable staffing firms use third party vendors and software to ferret out dishonest applicants long before the process gets to client contact. After all, our client trust us to provide top candidates, so it is very important that we find and promote the best candidate for the job.

The costs for standard criminal country-wide background checks and standard skills tests are included in our basic rates and we run these on all final candidates (signed agreement form) selected as good skills matchup for an open job posting .

A1 Best Staffing uses Kenexa Prove It!, an IBM company, for our skills testing. We can test on over 1,500 assessments. No room for false skills claims here.

We partner with Intellicorp, a Verisk Analytics Company, for risk-assessment solutions and decision analytics. We personally phone and/or fax previous employers; verifying dates of past employment. The state of Texas prohibits former employers from stating false or defamatory information about your employment at their company.

Honesty really is the best policy when you fill out an employment application. A new employer can even fire you for lying on your application, after you have been hired!

If you are tempted to do any of the following, think again.

• Stretching dates of previous employment. 
• Inflating accomplishments and skills. 
• Enhancing titles and responsibilities. 
• Exaggerating education and claiming to have earned degrees you don't have. 
• Unexplained gaps in employment history. 
• Fake credentials. 
• Falsifying reasons for leaving prior employers. 
• Providing fraudulent references. 
• Misrepresenting military records. 

If you really can't land a job with your honest resume then do something about it, honestly. Need more training or skills? Do it now, there has never been a better time. Online classes and community college extended education classes are available and affordable for everyone. Check with your local TWC (Texas Workforce Commission) to see if you might be eligible for tuition reimbursement or for open programs that cover tuition costs. Some companies offer on the job training. 

Don't lie - just fix the problem.

The Perfect Resignation Letter – My 5 Minute Rule

Marvelous day! You have just been recruited for a wonderful new company, but you are still working for the old firm. How do you break off work relations without burning years of bridges? The future looks good, but you know there may be a time on down the road when you will need that job reference.

Your recruiter can and usually does help you write the all important ‘Letter of Resignation’. They know you well by now, they have sung your praises to their clients and quickly located a better job for you. 

A1 Best Staffing frequently helps our candidates with this last hurrah. It’s all about how the letter is written and constructed. Give the customary two-weeks notice, but consult your employee handbook to verify company expectations. State a specific last day of work date.

Sample wording for the first paragraph: “after much reflection and consideration,” I have decided to leave __________ (your old employer) on ______ (a specific date). 

Remember, you are moving on. You deserve this better job. Don’t sell yourself short and stumble now over regrets about leaving. Your decision has been made, and now all that is left is to resign in style.

That said, definitely avoid any criticism of the present employer. Rein in your temper; this is not the time/place to rant about your old work place. If you do they won’t care, nothing will change and the resignation letter will be in your permanent file for eternity to come back and haunt you.

You are a pro, so leave them wanting more not wiping their brow with relief that you are gone. If you do this step right you will have great references from your old company.

Sample wording for next paragraph: “Thank you to ___________(your old supervisor) and the whole ___________ company for the opportunity to work with you.”

Next, mention your most specific accomplishments. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to ‘toot your own horn’ in your own words. Make it count.

Give a paragraph or two to reciting how well you did your job, giving specific examples. Do refresh their memory, get those high points down in print for all to see, crafted in your own language. Don’t be shy here.

Got the resignation letter printed and signed? Now, verbally carry your goodwill to a new level as you announce to management your decision to quit. Five minutes talk time max, and then offer to help them find and train your replacement, if possible. If this goes well they will remember you fondly. (Also an excellent opportunity to earn a confidential referral commission from your recruiter.)

Now, the final step.  Deliver the letter personally and with a smile within five minutes of your verbal announcement.  That’s it, you are done. Moving on - with a smile. 

Still Good Advice

Interviews. You gotta love 'em, no matter which side of the desk you find yourself sitting at.

I ask every new employee at A1 Best Staffing: "Be candid with me. I want to place you in a job that is a good fit for both of us. I won't judge you and I won't put you in a job that you aren't qualified for. Will you really talk to me? What you tell me today, right here, will help us both in the long run."

And they do, tell me. Followed by the plaintive cry temp recruiters hear so often - "I'm here because I can't find a job. Why don't I ever get called back after the first interview? But they seemed so interested, what did I do wrong?" My standard answer -  "Maybe you didn't do ANYTHING wrong. Maybe it's more what you  didn't do."

I place temp, temp to perm, and direct hires through A1 Best Staffing. Most of our temps don't interview with the client, we are trusted to provide the best candidates and we do. However, our direct hires, unlike temps, always interview first. We are sometimes asked to be a client's HR Agency - to screen and skill test, then send a few hand picked candidates for interviews.

So, of course I want to make sure our candidates ace the interview. To be chosen for the job, they have to stand out and step forward. My advice to them for that important interview? This article continues to sum up what our clients expect from top candidates, even now in 2013.  

4 Essential Questions To Ask At The End Of A Job Interview
By Amy Fontinelle | Investopedia – Tue, Sep 25, 2012 11:14 AM EDT

"I am always surprised how some interviewees tend to trail off towards the end of an interview instead of finishing strong and leaving a lasting impression," says Zachary Rose, CEO and founder of Green Education Services, a green jobs training firm in New York City. Whether you're a senior preparing for campus recruiting or a recent graduate still hunting for a job, here are the top questions experts recommend asking at the end of a job interview to leave a great final impression on hiring managers and establish yourself as a top candidate.

"Is There Any Reason Why You Wouldn't Hire Me?" 
Kelsey Meyer, senior vice president of Digital Talent Agents in Columbia, Mo., says, "A recent candidate asked, 'If you were to not offer the job to me, what would be the reason?' This was extremely straightforward and a little blunt, but it allowed me to communicate any hesitations I had about the candidate before he left the interview, and he could address them right there."
"This one question is something I would suggest every single candidate ask," adds Meyer. It lets you know where you stand and if you need to clarify anything for the interviewer. "If you have the guts to ask it, I don't think you'll regret it," she says.
Rachel Dotson, content manager for ZipRecruiter.com, says, "All too often you hear about candidates leaving an interview and thinking they aced it, only to get a swift rejection email soon after. Take the time while you're face-to-face to ask about and dispel any doubts that the hiring manager has." Make sure a key asset of yours hasn't been overlooked.

"As an Employee, How Could I Exceed Your Expectations?" 
Michael B. Junge, a staffing and recruiting industry leader with Irvine Technology Corp. in Santa Ana, Calif., and author of "Purple Squirrel: Stand Out, Land Interviews, and Master the Modern Job Market," says that one of his favorite interview questions is when a candidate takes the lead and asks, "If I were offered this position and joined your company, how would you measure my success and what could I do to exceed your expectations?"
"The question shows confidence without being overly brash, while also demonstrating that you have an interest in delivering positive results," Junge adds. What's more, the answer you receive can reveal what the interviewer hopes to accomplish by making a new hire, and this information can help you determine whether to accept the position if you get an offer.
"How Could I Help Your Company Meet Its Goals?"
Dotson also suggests job candidates ask the interviewer, "How does this position fit in with the short- and long-term goals of the company?" The response to the short-term side of the question gives you further insight into your potential role and helps you tailor the remainder of the discussion and your interview follow-up, she says. "Second, by bringing up long-term goals, you are telling the hiring manager that you're there for the long-run, not just another new grad that is going to follow suit with her peers and job-hop every six months," Dotson says.
Junge also recommends that interviewees ask, "What challenges have other new hires faced when starting in similar roles, and what could I do to put myself in a better position to succeed?" He says few students or new grads will ask this question because most haven't witnessed failure. To a hiring manager, this question demonstrates maturity and awareness, and if you're hired, the answers can help you avoid the pitfalls of being new.

"What Excites You About Coming into Work?" 
Murshed Chowdhury, CEO of Infusive Solutions, a specialized staffing firm in New York City, suggests that candidates ask the interviewer, "What excites you about coming into work every day?"
"This is a role reversal question that we often suggest candidates ask," he says. People love the opportunity to talk about themselves, so this question provides an excellent chance to learn about the hiring manager and find ways to establish common ground. "This is also a great opportunity for the candidate to determine whether he/she is excited by the same things that excite the hiring manager to see if the culture is a good fit," Chowdhury adds.

The Bottom Line 

Although it is important to provide a great first impression to a potential employer, as well as acing the basics of a job interview, closing the interview strongly is just as important.
"Prove to your interviewer that you want this position and you are in this for the right reasons, not simply to fill your day with something to do," Rose says. Ask these questions before you leave, and leave your potential new employer with a great impression.

Integrity and Being Perfectly Centered

A1 Best Staffing had a great day yesterday at the Oceans of Opportunity Job Fair at the Galveston Island Convention Center. We were thrilled to meet so many eager potential candidates, and even some new clients. Enthusiasm and optimism ran high throughout the packed exhibit hall.

It was a fantastic shot of adrenaline to immediately put a face to a resume and just plunge in talking about job planning, how the applicant's industry was changing, what their strongest skills were and hear incredible 'war stories' of the latest job separation. We didn't have a spare moment all day, the steady stream of qualified job hunters stayed consistent.

Some old friends came by, happy to see me and looking a bit embarrassed that they were out of work.  We all arrive at that place sometime in our lives, and need a bit of help.

If all the hundreds of applicants I spoke with yesterday, the most notable were those who left the job field years ago and are now job hunting, and only beginning to realize how tough the playing field is for someone of  ‘a certain age’ to get back into the game. Word of caution: Never set idling. Constantly keep training and learning new skills which add accomplishments to your list as you advance through life.

·      Coursera is a great free online college course site and offers classes from all the best universities. Less stressful than paid course and lets you try out new interests.

·     Volunteering locally is always welcomed by the community and is obviously self fulfilling.

Back at the office, my team sorted and looked over the resumes and applications. So much talent here for our clients. So many solid skills and personable candidates that we want to help.  Happy recruiters on my team.

Caution: As much as I know my candidate will be a perfect fit for them, I also know I will have to set perfectly centered between my client/hiring employer and my candidate, a position where my ability to facilitate, mediate and negotiate is dramatically increased.

I won’t be present at their meeting and interviews, I will introduce them separately to each other via inside information about my client’s business to my candidate, and via my candidate’s resume to my client. I relay information as thoroughly and accurately as possible; and then I sit back and listen. 

I want that great feeling when you receive the phone call from a satisfied CEO telling me that after a lengthily interview process, that she just spoke to my candidate and they both agreed to the terms I outlined. That they have a start date, and by the way, go ahead and send me an invoice. A match made by us, everyone happy. Very heady stuff.

So, I always remember that, even though our client companies pay the fees, the way we earn that fee is by maintaining equal respect and admiration for both parties and staying centered. It’s all about integrity.

Affordable Care Act

Many of our business clients are discussing how the Affordable Care Act will affect their company. They know it will have a significant impact on every element including hiring, profits, and taxes.

They are reaching out to us, to completely bypass some of the problems and lessen the resultant administrative and recruiting hassles.

In response to the Affordable Care Act a staffing industry survey completed by R.A. Cohen Consulting found that 28% of temporary staffing users stated they are increasing temporary and contract staffing usage.

We would like to discuss the effects of the new rulings with you. ACA guidelines do not apply to our client’s temporary workers.  Instead, A1 Best Staffing is responsible for providing healthcare options to our temporary workforce.

Partnering with a staffing firm will provide an intelligent option to employers and still allow them to be productive in their business.

Keep your eye on the ball.

“Where can I get more qualified employees? I don’t’ have enough staff, what do I do now? Do I run an ad? Do I contact the workforce commission? How can I get good people, fast?” These are questions we hear every day. At A1 Best Staffing we provide qualified candidates for your business team. Any good company needs to be able to make a game plan for steady, consistent growth which highlights their key strengths and will make them successful; no matter how fast their segment of the market grows.

As a whole, business owners know they need to do a much better job of being flexible, quick and nimble. They look to their HR Department to get the ball rolling. But, when an HR manager tells me they have 800 resumes for a position and have been working on them for two weeks or more, that's a problem.

Every day I read reports saying how big a certain facet of our business industry is growing, or how big the pool of unemployed applicants is. Yet even with that, I see many businesses wait and agonize over the decision to hire more staff. They decide they no longer need to focus on hiring, but rather on new products and services that don't really align with their current pool of talent. Then problems pop up and those 800 resumes set on someone’s desk, leading to lost productivity and an overwhelmed HR dept.  Why are you taking your eye off the ball and losing focus?

A1 Best Staffing fits the right candidate to the right job. And most of the reason for that is our laser focus on our clients’ needs. Call today and ask about our special rate package. You save and you get the right employees you need.