Tag Archives: Professional Resume Writers

May 22, 2018 · 8:00 am

How to Address Long-Term Illness on Your Resume

Your resume is meant to tell the story of your career—but what happens when that story is interrupted by an extended medical leave? When you’re out of the workplace for months or years at a time—either because you’re ill or because you’re taking care of a sick family member—it leaves a gap in your employment history. Addressing that gap can be challenging, to say the least.

Change Your Mindset

The first thing you may want to do is change your point of view. A lot of us tend to think that working hard is the be-all and end-all of life, and that an extended medical leave is somehow a liability. The reality is that your health is critical and taking time to recover from an illness is nothing to be ashamed by.

In fact, taking medical leave can actually highlight positive attributes—including:

  • A sense of balance;
  • Personal responsibility;
  • Endurance through hard times;
  • Pragmatic problem-solving skills.

If your leave was to take care of a family member or loved one, meanwhile, it shows that you have a servant’s heart and a desire to improve the lives of others. All of these are positive things—both for you and for a potential employer.

Fill the Gaps

Even so, hiring managers will have questions about any gaps in your career history. Sometimes, it’s possible to fill those gaps—especially if your medical leave included any of the following:

  • Part-time work;
  • Freelance work;
  • Consulting work;
  • Volunteering

You can use these temporary positions to fill employment gaps, without leaving big openings in your resume and also without lying!

Shift Your Approach

If you have a number of medical leaves in your past, or if your medical leave was quite lengthy, you may benefit from taking an altogether different approach to your resume. Generally, Grammar Chic, Inc. recommends a chronological career history—but if that history has big interruptions, you may be better off writing a functional resume. This means a career history that focuses on particular skills you’ve developed, not necessarily on the straightforward chronology of your employment history.

Don’t Forget Your Cover Letter!

One final note: You have every right to keep the specific details of your illness private. However, it can sometimes be helpful to address it head-on. Use your cover letter to briefly note that you had an extended leave from the workplace, and that in this time you were able to grow and develop as a person and to learn how to face challenges with strength and perspective.

If you need help getting the wording just right, have questions about functional resumes, or simply want to learn more about addressing illness on a resume, contact the Grammar Chic, Inc. resume writing team. You can always reach us at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Job Search, Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

May 21, 2018 · 10:54 am

How to Perfect the Core Competencies Section on Your Resume

Often, hiring managers and recruiters receive dozens, if not hundreds of job applications for a single open position. They hardly have time to study every word on every resume, so what do they do? They skim. And if your resume isn’t skimmable, you may be losing out on career opportunities.

One of the best ways to make your resume skimmable is to create a core competencies section. This is a brief section of the resume that lists some of your basic skills and technical proficiencies, providing a condensed and easy-to-skim rundown of the value you offer to an employer.

Core competencies sections not only make your resume easier to parse with just a passing glance, but they also make your resume more accommodating to the computer programs that many companies now use to scan and review resumes, long before they are ever read by human beings.

In other words, a core competencies section is vital for any resume—but how can you write one that’s effective?

Keep it Short

First and foremost, keep your core competencies incredibly brief—just one to three words per competency. Something like budget forecasting or social media management is sufficient. You can go into more detail in your career history section. Remember that the core competencies section is meant to be “you in a nutshell,” an easily-skimmed rundown of your major talents and professional skills.

Position it Correctly

A core competencies section won’t do you much good if it’s at the end of your resume. We recommend putting it toward the top—just below your executive summary.

Format it for Readability

Remember, you’re trying to list your skills in a way that accommodates quick skimming. Bullet points are ideal for this.

Look at the Job Description

As for what you should include in the core competencies section, it’s always wise to review the position you’re applying for. Does it specify ghostwriting, or customer service, or HTML programming? If so, then make sure to include those exact words and phrases in your core competencies section. Just one catch: Be honest. If you don’t actually possess that skill, don’t list it!

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Often, your core competencies section will serve as the first impression you make to potential employers—a quick way for them to determine whether or not you have the needed qualifications for the job in question.

In other words, it’s a do-or-die section of your resume. Make sure yours is perfectly honed by working with a professional resume writer. Contact Grammar Chic, Inc. today to schedule a resume consultation: 803-831-7444 or www.grammarchic.net.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , ,

April 4, 2018 · 12:20 pm

How Med School Students Can Write the Perfect Resume

Whether you’re midway through your medical training or are nearing the end of it, you’ve probably got one eye cast toward the job market—and as such, you know that healthcare jobs are as competitive as ever.

The best way to get a leg up is to write a resume that showcases your promise as a physician. Here are a few tips for doing exactly that.

Make Education a Focus

Med school is a huge commitment, and as such, it tends to leave very little time left over for work experience. You may not have a long list of jobs to highlight, but you can showcase your educational achievements. Make sure to underscore anything that makes you stand out—including grades or special projects you completed. Put your brightest educational triumphs in a prominent place on your resume.

Include Grants and Scholarships

Has your potential as a med school student landed you with some noteworthy academic scholarships or research grants? These are things to consider including on your resume. Scholarships and grants are like endorsements—proof that someone saw something in you that they wanted to support and encourage.

Note Your Research Skills

As a med school student, you probably have more lab experience than clinical experience. Use that to your advantage. Use your resume to highlight your diligence, insight, and skill in the laboratory. Highlight your research interests and connect them to the field of medicine in which you hope to practice.

Do Some Volunteer Work

Again, you may not have a great deal of professional, clinical experience just yet—but you can still lend your time to medical missions or other healthcare-related volunteer positions. This shows your commitment to patient care and can provide some good fodder for your resume.

Customize Your Resume

While it’s wise to have a single “master resume” on file, we’d also recommend tailoring it to each specific job you apply for. Make sure to work in some keywords from the job listing and rearrange your core competencies to align with the position in question. One resume is never enough; customizing for each individual position is a must!

Get Help from the Pros

You’re going to school to become well-trained and qualified in the medical field—but nobody expects you to be an expert in resume writing. Grammar Chic’s writers have been well-trained and are certified in resume creation, however; we really are the experts! We know how to write and structure resumes for maximum effect, and we’re deeply familiar with the particulars of the healthcare job market.

We’d love to chat with you about your resume needs, and even to offer a review of your current resume documents. Reach out to our resume writers to get started. Contact Grammar Chic, Inc. at 803-831-7444 or at www.professionalresumewriters.net or www.grammarchic.net.

Leave a comment

Filed under Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , ,

April 2, 2018 · 10:06 am

Grammar Chic, Inc. Earns Accreditation with the Better Business Bureau

Since 2009, Grammar Chic, Inc. has been a trusted name in written content creation. Our ghostwriters have helped countless small and mid-sized businesses develop a competitive edge through original marketing collateral, while our resume writing team has assisted innumerable jobseekers land exciting new positions. Now, Grammar Chic’s reputation has been made official, thanks to formal accreditation by the Better Business Bureau.

About the BBB

For more than 100 years, the BBB has been an icon of trust in the marketplace. Companies that go through the accreditation are thoroughly vetted and validated as businesses of immense professionalism and honesty. It’s no wonder, then, that more than 70 percent of all consumers say they’d prefer to buy from a BBB-accredited business.

Grammar Chic, Inc. is proud to come out of this rigorous vetting process with the BBB’s seal of legitimacy, and we hope it further inspires trust from our customers and partners.

Our BBB Reviews

What’s more, our accreditation through the BBB means that customers who do business with Grammar Chic, Inc. can now leave us feedback on the BBB website, letting other customers know what their experience was like.

Our team has always sought honest feedback, and we’re thrilled to have another channel to hear from the clients we serve. Grammar Chic, Inc. welcomes reviews on our BBB profile, and as usual, we take very seriously the insights our clients have to offer.

Grammar Chic, Inc.’s Writing Services

With BBB accreditation in tow, Grammar Chic enters a new era of offering writing services to our clients—including:

  • Development of original, SEO-friendly website content.
  • Creation of blog posts, marketing emails, and other marketing collateral.
  • Management of social media accounts, including strategy, content creation, and reporting.
  • Editing and proofreading for business documents of all kinds.
  • Resume and cover letter creation for jobseekers at all levels.

To learn more about our trusted, value-adding writing services—all provided by in-house, salaried, native English-speaking writers—we invite you to contact Grammar Chic, Inc. today. Reach us at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Business Writing, Web Content

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

March 24, 2018 · 8:00 am

4 Ways Tech Resumes are Different

When you’re applying for work as an IT professional, it’s important to have a resume that speaks clearly and concisely to your technical competencies and the value you bring to employers. Of course, this is true for any profession, but technologists face some unique challenges and opportunities as they develop their resumes.

Before sending your resume to a hiring manager or an Information Technology staffing agency, then, it’s important to make sure you’re sweating the small stuff and paying close attention to the details of your resume.

Many Tech Resumes are Far Too Long

Brevity is desirable for any resume, no matter the field you’re in—but it’s especially valuable for those in tech.

Why? Because technology is always changing, and the skills you mastered a decade ago may have little or no relevance in today’s IT ecosystems.

As such, technologists probably don’t need to go back to 1980 with their career history; chances are, those older skillsets just don’t have much meaning today.

Keywords are Critical

A good tech resume should have a core competencies section, where you bullet-point some of the primary technical skillsets you bring to the table.

Again, this is true for all resumes, but it’s especially important for those who work in technology, and where lack of proficiency in a very specific system or software suite might be a deal breaker.

Your core competencies section is the place where you show off the specific technical skills that make you a good candidate for the job.

List Certifications—Assuming They’re Current

Again, as you write your resume, it’s important to remember that tech is always changing and evolving.

By all means, list any certifications you maintain—but double and triple-check to make sure they reflect current technologies. The last thing you want is to include dated certifications that make you look like a dinosaur.

The Resume Should Fit the Job

Finally, take some time to carefully read through each job opening you plan to apply for—and to tailor your resume to match it.

Remember that IT roles can vary from one company to the next—and the best way to present yourself as the best candidate for the job is to focus on skills, keywords, and verbiage used within the job posting itself.

No matter how you plan to apply for a technology job—through an Information Technology staffing agency or simply through your own online search—having a strong, tech-centered resume is critical. Use these tips to head in the right direction—and for help crafting the perfect resume, reach out to Grammar Chic, Inc. at www.grammarchic.net, or 803-831-7444.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

February 26, 2018 · 4:33 pm

5 Reasons Why You Should Customize Your Resume

For jobseekers, a single resume just isn’t enough. While Grammar Chic’s resume writers recommend having a single “master resume” you can use as a reference, that document should be tailored to meet the requirements of each new job you apply for. Here are a few reasons why.

It Helps You Stand Out

If nothing else, having a customized resume helps you stand out from the competition. Imagine: 150 people apply for a single position, and 149 of them have the same old boring, cookie-cutter resume language—but yours is the one resume that’s actually been tweaked to address the specifics of the job in question. Immediately, you’re a standout candidate (and a breath of fresh air to the hiring manager).

It Shows That You Care

Not everyone takes the time to customize their resume—so what does it say about you when you do take the time? Well, for one thing, it says that you really do want the job. Spending a few minutes tailoring your resume to the job in question shows that you’re already going the extra mile, and that you’re willing to put in some work to land this position. Employers love to see that sort of thing!

It Highlights Your Qualifications

The reality is, most hiring managers spend mere seconds reviewing a resume before they determine whether or not you’re qualified. So you may be qualified, but if all the pertinent details are buried at the bottom of your resume, the hiring manager may never see them. When you customize your resume, it helps you put the best, most qualifying information front and center.

It Gives You a Chance to Include Keywords

When tailoring your resume, you should always read the job posting, make note of any major keywords that it contains, and include them in your resume wherever applicable. Make sure you’re using the same verbiage the hiring manager’s using, emphasizing your qualification for the role.

It Proves Your Awareness

Finally, it’s wise to customize your resume because it shows the hiring manager that you know how competitive the job market is—and you know how important it is to use every tool at your disposal to rise to the top. Again, your potential boss will love to see that sort of initiative.

Of course, having a single master resume is fine—but make sure you take the time to customize it for each role you apply for. And if you need guidance from certified resume professionals, reach out to Grammar Chic, Inc. at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Cover Letters, Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 30, 2018 · 3:23 pm

6 Resume Tweaks for Executive-Level Jobseekers

The job search is anything but standard; the way one person finds his or her dream job—or simply ascends the next step on the corporate ladder—may not be the method that works for you. Certainly, when you reach the C-suite, there are things you should do to distinguish yourself, and to convey your expertise at each stage of your job hunt.

One way to do this is to make some subtle tweaks to your resume—minor changes that can ultimately go a long way toward branding you as the executive of choice to fill the role you seek.

Here are some easy yet substantive changes we’d recommend, based on what we’ve seen with some of our own executive-level resume clients.

Important Tweaks for Your Executive-Level Resume

  1. Don’t list your home phone number. There’s really no need to list home, work, and cell numbers—and in fact, doing so may make you look like a bit of a dinosaur. A lot of tenured executives are simply in the habit of providing full contact information, but the reality is that recruiters and headhunters want someone they know they can access around the clock—and a cell number pretty well covers it.
  2. Update your old email address. We see a lot of executives who are still using antiquated email platforms, like AOL or Hotmail. These addresses may have served you well as you were building your career, but today, they appear a bit dated. Switching to a Gmail address is easy and can potentially be quite beneficial.
  3. Don’t oversell your experience. Your resume should speak for itself and convey your depth of experience through your list of previous jobs and career accomplishments. There’s no reason to oversell it with words like “veteran” or “seasoned.” Those words are a little weak, and all they’re likely to do is make recruiters think you’re old.
  4. Clear out your undergraduate achievements. When you’re seeking your first-ever job, or just starting to climb the corporate ladder, things like summer internships and undergraduate awards can help beef up your resume. Once you make it to the C-suite, though, there’s no longer any need to include these items.
  5. Be a ruthless editor. Executive-level jobseekers are allowed to let their career histories spill over onto a second page, but very rarely do you want to go past two pages, and never over three. Remember that you’re curating your own personal story, and sometimes it’s best to omit things that have little relevance on who you are today. Keep your resume focused and bloat-free!
  6. Ensure an optimized LinkedIn page. Your resume will need an up-to-date LinkedIn profile to augment it—and that means a current photograph, proper keywords, and a streamlined career history.

How to Improve Your Executive Resume

You need a resume that speaks to your success, and to your efficacy as a leader—and that requires you to pay attention to even these fairly minor details.

For help crafting the optimal C-suite resume—or LinkedIn presence—reach out to the resume writing team at Grammar Chic, Inc. Contact us at 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Job Search, Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 26, 2018 · 4:48 pm

How Jobseekers Can Make Their Networking Emails More Effective

Have you ever received an email from an unknown sender, with a generic greeting like “Dear Sir” or “Dear Madame?” Most of us have, and most of us respond to these emails in the same way—by promptly hitting the delete key.

But what if you’re on the sending side of that relationship? If you’re a jobseeker, this isn’t such an unlikely prospect. Jobseekers send cold emails all the time, to hiring managers or recruiters who they may have met at a networking event or a seminar, or who they know through a mutual friend.

These cold networking emails can be meaningful ways to establish key connections, but only if you actually get your message across—and that means sending emails that get opened and read, not immediately deleted.

As you seek an effective email strategy, here are some tips to keep in mind.

The Subject Line is Critical

Let’s be honest: A lot of us immediately delete emails we get from unknown senders, especially if they come with generic subject lines. It’s important to make yours specific, then; did you meet this contact through a mutual friend? Put the person’s name in the subject line. Did you meet this contact at a networking event? Mention the event in the subject line. Offer whatever memory joggers, whatever moments of recognition you can.

Be Personal

Even if the person you’re writing to is a middle-manager in a huge company, he or she still wants to feel like a person—not a cog in the wheel. In your opening paragraph, explain why you’re writing to this person, in particular. Citing common ground is always a good idea to establish that personal connection.

Don’t Beat Around the Bush

It’s always good to be up front about your intentions. You want a job, and should say as much. Don’t try to be too clever or too vague in your phrasing; saying “I just want to pick your brain about potential opportunities” is needlessly watered down. Say that you’re hoping for career advancement and would like to ask for the person’s help.

Keep it Brief

It’s also important to emphasize how much you respect the person’s time—something you can do by keeping your message succinct and to the point. A couple of paragraphs is usually sufficient.

Brag—a Little

Finally, don’t be afraid to shine the spotlight on yourself a little bit. You don’t want to rehash your entire resume, but do offer two or three bullet points that show the value you bring as an employee. This may feel immodest, but within the context of asking about job opportunities, it’s perfectly acceptable.

Have Your Documents Ready

Hopefully, your email will get results—and the next step will be sending along your resume and cover letter. Have those documents honed and ready to go—and if you need help doing so, don’t hesitate to contact our resume writing team. Grammar Chic, Inc. can furnish you with a resume and cover letter that truly help you shine as an employee. Reach out for a consultation today, either at 803-831-7444 or www.grammarchic.net.

Leave a comment

Filed under Business Writing, Cover Letters, Email Writing, Job Search, Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

January 22, 2018 · 4:49 pm

10 Things You Should Remove from Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile Today

Jobseekers depend on their resume—and, to a slightly lesser extent, their LinkedIn profile—to inform recruiters and hiring managers about the skills they bring to the table. With that said, there is such a thing as having too much information on your job search documents—or, rather, having information that does more harm than good.

It’s worthwhile to periodically go through your professional documents and eliminate anything that’s dragging you down. We’ve prepared a checklist for you—10 things you’re safe to eliminate from your resume and your LinkedIn profile now.

What to Exclude from Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

  1. Secondary skills. It’s commonly assumed that your resume should mention every skill you possess—but that’s not always the case. If there are skills you’d rather not continue to hone at your next job, it’s often best to leave them off; focus on the things you love, the things you’re good at, and the things you want to keep doing.
  2. Silly email addresses. If you’re still using a goofy email handle from your college days—that Hotmail account you signed up for back in the day, perhaps—it’s time to set up a new, professional email account through which you can handle your job search.
  3. High school jobs. Unless you’ve just graduated from college and these are the only jobs you can list, it’s better to forget them.
  4. Hobbies and leisure activities. There are some isolated cases in which your hobbies belong on your resume—specifically, if they dovetail with the job you’re applying for—but usually, you’ll want to leave them off. Believe it or not, hiring managers don’t care that you love to play golf or collect vinyl records. They care about the value you can bring to their organization.
  5. Antiquated technology. By this point, there’s no need to specify that you know how to use email, Microsoft Word, or the Web browser. Everyone should be able to do these things—and listing them on your resume just dates you.
  6. Your home phone number. Just include your cell; make it clear to employers that you can always be reached, no matter what.
  7. Paragraphs of text. Your job descriptions should be easy to read—and for that matter, easy to skim. Always use bullet points. Big blocks of text are a major turn-off.
  8. Salary figures. You’re likely to either sell yourself short or position yourself as unattainable—and either way, it’s undermining your prospects.
  9. Generic job titles. Make sure your job titles give a pretty clear indication of what you actually did in that role; just saying “Manager” is usually not descriptive enough.
  10. Duties. This one may surprise you—and to be clear, your resume should provide some insight into what you’ve done at your different jobs. The point here is to focus more on achievements as opposed to a laundry list of responsibilities, whenever possible.

Make Your Resume Sleek and Effective

Writing an effective resume is as much about what you leave off as what you put on. For help fine-tuning your resume and LinkedIn profile—and making them powerful personal marketing collateral—contact us for a consultation. Reach out to the resume writers at Grammar Chic, Inc. via www.grammarchic.net, or 803-831-7444.

1 Comment

Filed under Business Writing, Cover Letters, Resume Writing, Social Media

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 4, 2018 · 11:52 am

Jobseekers Don’t Need New Year’s Resolutions

The start of the year brings with it the promise of new opportunities—a clean slate and a fresh beginning. That’s why so many of us—with only the best intentions—begin each new year with a set of resolutions.

There’s nothing at all wrong with New Year’s resolutions, of course—but if you’re a jobseeker, you really don’t need them. That’s because, for jobseekers, your resolution could only possibly be one thing: to find a job. After all, isn’t that the whole point here?

So scratch the whole resolutions thing. There are better ways to think about your job search, and to revamp it for the new year. Instead of making resolutions for yourself, why not make a checklist—things you can update and refresh to make sure you’re firing on all cylinders as you carry your hunt into 2018?

All Things New: A Jobseeker’s Checklist for the New Year

Get a new cover letter.

Your cover letter is often the first thing a hiring manager will see as they consider your candidacy—and if it’s not written properly, it can be the last thing, too. Scrap your old cover letter and develop a new one that emphasizes two to four of your key skills; that provides some context for your career achievements; and that thanks the hiring manager for his or her time and attention. Also, leave room to customize your cover letter to match the specifics of each job you apply for.

Get a new resume.

Has your resume been reviewed by a professional resume writer? If not, contact the Grammar Chic team today and let us give it a thorough evaluation. We can point out some opportunities to tighten your writing, improve your formatting, and better showcase the values you offer as an employee. If needed, we can rewrite your resume from scratch, and ensure it’s something that will win the attention of hiring managers.

Get a new LinkedIn page.

It’s increasingly common for recruiters to check you out on LinkedIn before they ever consult your resume—which means your LinkedIn profile should be polished and optimized. Again, this is something Grammar Chic can assist with. Contact us for a review of your LinkedIn profile, and we’ll highlight some areas where you can improve keyword use or better showcase your skills and achievements.

Get a new social media presence.

Even Facebook and Twitter can be important to your job search, as potential employers use these social platforms to investigate candidates before making hiring decisions. Do your social media profiles create a strong first impression? Do they make you more relatable? More professional? Or is there some dubious content that needs to be scrubbed?

Get a new list of targeted employers.

Finally, make sure you’re heading into the new year with a well-researched list of employers you’d like to target—complete with information about potential openings and HR contacts. Use this list to guide you as you customize each iteration of your resume and cover letter!

Start Strong

The new year is indeed a new opportunity for jobseekers—but you don’t really need resolutions to take advantage of it. You just need to make sure all your job search collateral is honed and polished. To make that happen, contact Grammar Chic, Inc.’s resume writing team at 803-831-7444, or www.grammarchic.net.

1 Comment

Filed under Cover Letters, Job Search, Resume Writing, Resumes

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,