* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
​

When it comes to creating a compelling resume, it's crucial to present yourself in a way that highlights your qualifications and skills rather than personal appearance. By omitting your picture from your resume, you eliminate the potential for  subjective evaluations. Remember, employers should be interested in your capabilities and what you can bring forth to their company. Let your qualifications speak for themselves, and increase your chances of securing the job based on merit and expertise.
 
For those who wish to share their photo with potential employers, LinkedIn offers a convenient and professional platform to do so. Take advantage of this opportunity by creating a LinkedIn profile that showcases your professional image along with your qualifications, experience, and skills. Membership options are also available on LinkedIn, but anyone can create a basic profile for free, allowing you to present yourself professionally without the need to include a photo in your resume. For further assistance, you can also hire Professional LinkedIn profile writing services.

YOU MAY ALSO CONSIDER:

BEST COLORS FOR RESUME: https://www.market-connections.net/blog/best-colors-for-resume

RESUME WRITING TIPS AND SAMPLES: https://www.market-connections.net/blog/resume-writing-tips-and-samples

CUSTOMIZE YOUR RESUME: https://www.market-connections.net/blog/customize-your-resume

EDIT YOUR RESUME: https://www.market-connections.net/blog/edit-my-resume

RESUME WRITING OR RESUME REWRITE: https://www.market-connections.net/blog/resume-update-or-resume-rewrite

​When asked for a resume for a board position, you might wonder how it's different from a job resume. Writing a resume for a board position requires understanding your target audience.
 
Whether corporate or nonprofit, industry-specific, or skill-focused, knowing how board members are recruited and what they seek is key. Tailor your resume's tone, content, and keywords accordingly.
 
Let's explore the essential elements for an impactful board position resume.

Before examining the similarities and differences between the two types of boards, first keep in mind the overarching differences between corporations and nonprofit organizations.
​

• For-profit corporations are owned by stockholders; their focus is on generating money for the owners, and they measure success by profits.
• Nonprofit organizations are owned by the public; their focus is on serving the public, and they measure success by meeting the needs of the public.

 
Whether the board oversees a Fortune 500 company, another type of for-profit company, or a nonprofit organization, there are more similarities than differences.
 
Every board has written articles of incorporation, bylaws, and governing principles that outline the responsibilities of the board of directors. Standard board policies cover member independence, conflict of interest, conduct/ethics code, expectations, confidentiality, and indemnification. Taking the time to familiarize yourself with these when targeting a specific board of directors will help you formulate your resume strategy.
 
Both for-profit and nonprofit boards have a responsibility to approve, remain current with, and oversee the organization’s strategic plan, putting considerable emphasis on strategic thinking as a desired skill in filling board seats. Because they generally have a higher level of participation in developing the plan from its initial stages, members of nonprofit boards and start-up companies often serve on one or more strategic planning committees.
 
Overseeing the financial wellbeing of the organization they represent is a primary responsibility of corporate and nonprofit boards; however, there are some key differences. Corporations have an obligation to deliver a financial return to stakeholders; therefore, corporate boards are focused on net earnings, stock prices, and dividend rates.
 
Although many nonprofit organizations have turned their attention toward building and managing investment portfolios, they still rely heavily on fundraising. Because of this, nonprofit boards have a different focus in how they operate, and they consider a member’s net worth or ability to financially support the organization as essential to fulfilling their mission and goals.
 
Bringing in a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences can be key to an organization’s success. Whether the board is a for-profit or nonprofit, board member diversity (e.g., gender, socio-economic background, race, religion, and nationality) has become a high priority. Boards strive to mirror the demographic of their customers/clients and meet the interests of their regulators and stakeholders.
 
All boards have an obligation to serve as ambassadors for the organization they support, educating influencers and the community about the importance of what they do. And all boards face the same key challenges — rapidly changing technology, market competition, regulatory restrictions, limited resources, and finding and retaining good people. Just as a jobseeker’s resume must illustrate an understanding of these challenges and the candidate’s ability to address them, a resume for a board of director candidate must do the same.

Before we begin looking at the structure and content of the resume, it is helpful to know who will be reviewing the resume, and what they are looking for.
 
For-profit board searches are often conducted by executive search firms, like Spencer Stuart or RSR Partners. Typically, a nominating and governance committee will work with the recruiter to discuss their needs and identify board candidates. The company CEO — and possibly the entire board — will interview and select finalists.
 
Th competition for a spot on a corporate/for-profit board is always fierce. Since for-profit companies have an obligation to deliver a financial return to shareholders, they seek board members with experience starting, running, and growing successful businesses. Expertise in a specific area of operations — such as finance, mergers & acquisitions, or legal — may also be desirable.
 
BoardProspects.com, an online community and recruitment platform for existing and prospective board members, is a reputable source for gaining insight on what companies look for and learning about the skills and backgrounds of existing board members. To get a feel for what a specific publicly traded company looks for, it is also helpful to read their annual proxy statement.
 
With the exception of large, high-profile organizations — like AARP or the American Red Cross — there is far less competition for nonprofit board positions. Like for-profit boards, they look for members with a wide range of skills, but they also want people with expertise in running nonprofit programs, managing community relations, and facilitating fundraising initiatives.
 
BoardWorks has characterized the board selection process as more complex than selecting a job candidate for a management position. When recruiting for a management position, a company is looking for someone with an identifiable skill set to fill a well-defined slot in an organizational chart.
 
By contrast, board appointments tend to be something of a jigsaw puzzle in which the final picture is not crystal clear and can be assembled in many ways. The challenge is to find someone to appoint on their merits who will also fit into and complement an existing boardroom team. BoardWorks states in one of its newsletters that “a particular challenge for selection panels is evaluating applicants who can strengthen the board in ways that were not anticipated before the recruitment process commenced.”
 
Both for-profit and nonprofit boards are legally obligated to follow their bylaws, which may include specific criteria for board size, structure, and composition. Beyond what is specified in the bylaws, the board selection process often involves a more or less formal version of a grid by which to assess and rank candidates. Knowing what is included in this grid will certainly help in knowing what to emphasize on the resume.
 
BoardSource, a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to building strong nonprofit boards, created a board recruitment matrix that breaks down a candidate’s areas of expertise, leadership qualities, access to a variety of resources, network/connections, as well as personal style, age, gender, race, and ethnicity. Similar matrices can be found online for assessing for-profit board member candidates.
 
In an infographic entitled What Makes a Good Board Member?, BoardSource identified these six characteristics:

• Members create a partnership with the executive director or CEO.
• They focus on listening, not just participating.
• A good board member understands the balance between giving the CEO ample room to manage the organization and ensuring that ethical standards are met. They are overseers — not implementers — and they don’t micromanage.
• They ask bigger picture questions and are not afraid to ask “naïve” questions others may shy away from.
• Board members serve as ambassadors for their organizations and understand the responsibility that comes with that role.
• Above all, they enjoy their role. They remain energetic in learning about and helping the organization.

​
At the top of this list for both corporate and nonprofit boards is the ability to get along well with others, combined with a high degree of self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.

Now that you know a little more about the type of board you are targeting — corporate or nonprofit — and what criteria go into the selection process, you can begin planning what to include in your resume and how to present it.
 
Identify your areas of expertise and how they might benefit your target board. Both corporate and nonprofit boards have a need for members with executive resumes whose experience and expertise fall within the following areas: budgeting and finance, human resources, technology, strategic planning, risk management, succession planning, legal, compliance, marketing, public relations, and consensus building. Experience within the same or similar industries, and insight about customer/client needs is also essential. And both types of boards value members who have access to a variety of resources (government connections, attorneys, accountants, consultants).
 
Corporate boards also look for global experience and expertise in matters such as mergers and acquisitions, research and development, IPOs, shareholder proposals, and investments. A few terms that are commonly heard in corporate boardrooms — and that you’ll want to consider including as keywords in a corporate board resume — are earnings per share, EBITDA, quarterly returns, stock buyback, real estate transactions, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Dodd-Frank.
 
On the other hand, nonprofit boards seek members whose expertise may include grant writing, fundraising campaigns, donor relations, endowments, 501(c)(3) applications, and volunteer management. Some of the keywords that you’ll want to include in a nonprofit board resume are donor capacity, donor relations, restricted/unrestricted gifts, pledges, stewardship, community education, foundations, and capital campaigns.
 
Keywords representing personal style that belong in both corporate and nonprofit resumes include consensus builder, collaborator, motivator, strong communicator, and diplomatic. Although you want to draw attention to your contributions and accomplishments, avoid language that suggests you single-handedly brought about results.
 
Whereas the content and tone of a jobseeker’s resume is geared toward promoting the candidate and, ideally, elevating his or her career, the president and CEO of BoardSource made the distinction in tone and content clear in the following statement: “When you join a board, what you are really saying is that you agree to put your personal interests and ambitions in the background. You are there to best serve the interest of the company or organization.”

The overall format of your board resume is not that different than your job search resume; however, sections that are considered optional or secondary to actual work experience have more credence when positioning yourself for a board of director’s role.
 

• Letterhead: As with your job search resume, design your letterhead so that your name is formatted as the most prominent feature. For contact information, include your city, state, and ZIP code (street address is not necessary), as well as an email address and phone number (because you are not targeting employment, a work email address and/or phone number may be acceptable). Including the URL to your LinkedIn profile is also a good idea — provided your profile is complete and you have taken the time to create a custom (vanity) URL.

• Headline: Instead of beginning with an actual job title that identifies what you do, the headline should make it clear that you are targeting a board position. The headline may include some key functional areas of expertise you bring to that position and the industry in which you have gained this expertise. For example:

• Profile: This can be a paragraph of three to five sentences. In a CareerTrend blog post, Ashley Henshaw offered these suggestions: “Broadly describe your professional qualifications in a sentence or two, focusing on how your leadership led to identifying goals and achieving consensus to overcome obstacles. Use the remaining sentences to explain your personal interest in becoming a board member for that specific company or organization.” You want to also highlight your knowledge of, connections in, and commitment to the industry or community in which the board is involved.
• Employment Experience: As you develop this section, think more big-picture and less detail. Unless your responsibilities and tasks are specifically relevant to the role you would perform on the board, try to keep the information very high level. Make sure you integrate relevant keywords and, when specifying accomplishments, spin them in such a way as to show they were the result of a collaborative effort.
• Optional Sections: Here is where you might feature more examples and details than on your employment resume. Create a section for board experience; include organization names, cities, states, and service dates (even if they are not relevant to the position of interest, because they still demonstrate your commitment and leadership skills). Also include sections and details for professional affiliations/memberships, recognitions/awards, community involvement/volunteer experience, and presentations. And because diversity (age, gender, race, and ethnicity) is a key consideration when selecting board members, you might include things that you would normally downplay on a job search resume.
• Education: In addition to the type of degree and field of study, include leadership roles and honors received, even if they are somewhat “dated.” Also include in this section professional credentials and certifications, as well as conferences and workshops attended.

In her article, Boardroom Bound? Ten Steps to Get You There, Kay Koplovitz nicely summarizes the key points:
​

• Ask yourself why you want to be on a corporate board.
• Consider what you can offer the board, not what the board can offer you.
• Take an on-boarding class for first-time board members.
• Join online discussion groups and registries.
• Learn about board governance responsibilities.
• Learn the responsibilities of each committee.
• Read the company’s annual report.
• Make yourself visible through networking.
• Attend events for board members.
• Prepare for the interview. Competition for a spot on a corporate/for-profit board is fierce

​Writing an executive resume requires a unique approach that goes beyond the standard resume format and content. This article will will explore the key elements that make an executive resume stand out and attract the attention of hiring agents. You will also find valuable tips to help you create a concise, confident, and impactful executive resume.

​An executive resume distinguishes itself through its format, content, and personal marketing strategy. It is tailored towards a hiring authority who seeks more than the typical qualifications of a job seeker. Executives must showcase specific leadership and visionary qualities that surpass achievement-based resumes. By combining these finer points, the executive resume becomes a highly crafted document. 

​As an Executive Resume Writer, I specialize in producing executive resumes that not only exhibit a top-tier appearance but also incorporate personal branding and sales strategies essential for securing executive interviews. I am known for producing resume that will effectively communicate every client’s leadership competency and demonstrate their vision for the future, both for themselves and their target employers.

​Unlike mid-career level or entry-level resumes that focus on skills and concrete accomplishments, executive resumes must provide a comprehensive overview of the client's career path. They should highlight how the executive has taken charge in previous positions, leading organizations towards steady growth, new markets, expanded offerings, or new directions.

To produce an executive resume for clients to get more interview invitations, collaboration with clients is crucial. By gaining an in-depth understanding of their management style, goals, and career selling points, I design a communication strategy that persuades hiring managers to reach out for interviews. The executive resume must not only portray professional experience but also convey a desire to succeed and a profound industry knowledge.

While some job seekers prefer writing their resumes, successful executives recognize the significance of investing in effective marketing. The executive resume serves as a strategic business communication tool, which is why many executives choose to outsource it to professional career marketing firms like Market-Connections Professional Resume Writing Services. It is widely recognized that many executives often seek information on how to hire a resume writer. These services specialize in crafting resumes that highlight executive-level experience, leadership skills, and strategic achievements.

​Crafting an executive resume requires a distinct approach that showcases your expertise, accomplishments, and potential. It will help you attract the attention of hiring agents and get invited to interviews faster. 

We celebrate Teacher's Appreciation Week every year during the first full week of May and we recognize the hard work and dedication of educators who go above and beyond to make a difference in our lives. We value the incredible dedication and impact that teachers have on our lives and we teach the children to do the same.

For educators seeking new opportunities, a well-crafted teaching resume is an essential tool to showcase their skills and experience. This article provides the key components to include in your teaching resume, ensuring you make a strong impression on potential employers.
 
Clear Career and Summary

• Start your teaching resume with a concise and compelling career summary that demonstrates your sense of direction and passion for education.
• This will give employers a glimpse of your career as an educator.

 
Employment History

• Include the names of each of your previous employers and your corresponding job titles. If you have worked for  multiple schools within the same school district, identify the school district as the employer and list the names of the schools  underneath the school district.
• This section provides an overview of your teaching experience and demonstrates your commitment to the field. If you can, describe classroom sizes. 

 
Scope of Responsibilities

• Highlight the number of staff you have managed (if applicable) and provide a clear breakdown of the subjects you have taught and the age group of the students.
• This information helps employers understand your expertise and the breadth of your teaching experience. 

 
Teaching and Learning Methods

• Describe the teaching and learning methods you employ, such as interactive discussions, field trips, or innovative techniques.
• This showcases your ability to engage students and create dynamic learning environments. If you have experience in any kind of special education, be sure to include the details and the teaching methodologies you implemented.

 
Curriculum Development

• Outline your involvement in curriculum development, emphasizing any contributions you have made to enhance the learning experience.
• This demonstrates your commitment to staying up-to-date with educational trends and your ability to adapt to evolving teaching techniques.

 
Holistic Student Development

• Illustrate how you foster practical, creative, academic, and social skills in your students through well-rounded learning programs. Students learn much more from you than what is published in books.
• Emphasize the importance of balanced education and highlight any successful initiatives you have implemented.

 
Administrative Duties

• If applicable, mention any administrative responsibilities you have undertaken within your workplace. This could include coordinating events, managing resources, fundraising for special events, training others, or participating in committees.
• These additional duties demonstrate your ability to handle diverse tasks and contribute to the overall functioning of the school.

 
Assessment Methods

• Explain your methods and procedures for setting and marking homework, coursework, and exams.
• Showcase your commitment to fair and effective assessment practices that promote student growth and achievement. 

 
Collaborative Relationships

• Highlight how you establish and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, parents, counselors, social workers, and other stakeholders to support student development.
• This demonstrates your ability to work collaboratively and create a nurturing educational environment.

 
Student Support and Guidance

• Describe your role in providing guidance and support to students, both academically and personally.
• Highlight your commitment to addressing individual needs, offering advice, and fostering a caring and inclusive classroom environment.

 
Extra-Curricular Activities and Achievements

• Discuss any extra-curricular activities or initiatives you have organized that have had a positive impact on students' holistic development.
• Whether it's leading a club, organizing a community service project, or coaching a team, these activities showcase your dedication beyond the classroom.

 
Notable Achievements

• Lastly, highlight any other achievements that have benefited your department and organization as a whole.
• This could include accolades, awards, or recognition for your exceptional contributions to education.

Crafting a comprehensive teaching resume is essential for presenting your qualifications, skills, and achievements to potential employers. By including the suggested components in your resume, you'll have a powerful document that demonstrates your expertise and commitment to shaping young minds.

​Hiring managers don’t see candidates in terms of black and white. Not anymore, anyway. Color is becoming an increasingly important part of résumé design. Color on the résumé shows how to make your resume stand out to human readers. Color can direct the reader’s eye to important information — especially accomplishments.

​When using color on career documents, it is important to consider both color theory and color psychology.
 
Color theory is the collection of guidelines and principles designers use to communicate with users.
 
In 1666, Sir Isaac Newton defined three groups of colors:

• Primary (red, blue, yellow)
• Secondary (mixes of primary colors — orange, purple, green)
• Tertiary (also referred to as “intermediate” — these are mixes of primary and secondary colors)

 
The breakdown of colors is as follows:

• Red (primary)
• Orange (secondary)
• Red-Orange (tertiary)
• Yellow-Orange (tertiary)
• Yellow (primary)
• Yellow-Green (tertiary)
• Green (secondary)
• Blue-Green (tertiary)
• Blue (primary)
• Blue-Purple (tertiary)
• Purple (secondary)
• Red-Purple (tertiary)

 
Note that colors you see on a screen don’t look the same in print. The RGB color profile consists of red, green, and blue hues that combine to create color variations. This color mode applies exclusively to digital displays (computer monitors, mobile devices, and television screens). However, color elements vary across different computer systems and models, so a RGB color on an iPad may look different than a RGB color on a Surface or a Chromebook.
 
A RGB profile uses an “additive” process to produce color by blending light. The color displayed on your screen depends on the presence or absence of RGB base hues. The presence of all RGB hues at full intensity yields white, while the absence of color produces black.
 
In contrast, print documents are primarily based on a CYMK color profile, which contains cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) that combine to produce a range of hues. This four-color process works for any type of printer. If you’ve ever taken a magnifying glass to a printout, you can see the four-color dots that layer to create different hues and gradations. As with RGB profiles, a CYMK color profile varies among different styles and models of printers.
 
CYMK uses a “subtractive” color process. As inks and dyes are layered upon each other, they subtract from the white of the paper. (Think of it when you were a kid — when you mixed lots of different paint colors, it created a dark color — sometimes an ugly brown or black. Using fewer colors created a lighter color, an example of the subtractive color process.)
 
Most modern résumés are viewed on screen, so RGB is the primary factor in choosing colors. However, résumés are sometimes printed out, so make sure the résumé still looks appealing in print form.
 
Like font choice, color choice is often a matter of personal preference. Color theory is a fact (the practical application of mixing and matching various hues), while color psychology is a choice. Color psychology is the influence of colors on human mood and behavior.
 
At its most basic, résumé colors should reflect your personality and positioning. You can also apply color psychology to create a positive psychological impact on the résumé reader. Color choices should also consider accessibility — for example, being mindful of red-green color blindness in some readers.
 
While dark text on a light background is almost always readable, white letters on a dark background does still meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility guidelines because it provides sufficient contrast for readability. Reverse text (for example, black text on a blue background) can be an issue when using a low contrast color on a low contrast background, so high contrast is preferred. Text that is larger and has wider character strokes is easier to read; therefore, an 18-point bold font can have lower color contrast than a 12-point serif font.
 
Some hiring managers and recruiters express a strong preference about use — or avoidance — of color on career documents. Color is best for certain industries for sure — among them, design, art, education, advertising, music, and fashion. But even more “traditional” industries are recognizing how effective color and design can be in attracting the reader’s attention.
 
However, some hiring managers like tradition and don’t like to see color anywhere on a résumé. If you are asked by a recruiter to remove the color from your résumé to submit to a specific hiring manager, do a “Save as” of the file and remove it. But for most direct applications with a company, it’s perfectly acceptable to include color, unless otherwise specified.
 
Color psychology is largely impacted by personal preference and perception. However, research has identified some specific characteristics that are often associated with particular colors.
 
For example:

• RED can portray strength, confidence, power, and passion. It’s an effective way to draw user attention (a “call to action”) but should be used sparingly to avoid negative reactions. Commonly used in sales, marketing, and technology résumés.
• ORANGE is fun, energetic, warm, bold, adventurous, and friendly. It connotes power and confidence. It can also demonstrate creativity and adventure. It is commonly used on customer service, design, arts, and sports résumés.
• YELLOW can signify happiness, optimism, inspiration, and confidence. However, too much yellow may bring negative reactions, such as a feeling of anxiety or fear. Yellow is sometimes used on résumés for artists, designers, and educators.
• GREEN is calming, peaceful, and can convey the impression of growth. It has more positive energy than other colors, but can sometimes be associated with inexperience or new beginnings. It can be effective for résumés for science, sales, health industries, and nonprofit careers.
• BLUE is the color of trust, security, and stability. Aside from black, blue is the most commonly used color on résumés. It can also be associated with distance and sadness. Blue is commonly used on résumés in finance, business, law, and education professions.
• PURPLE is associated with luxury, wealth, and creativity. Deep purple is especially effective for female executives. However, a big concentration of purple text may distract readers, so use it carefully. Purple is effective for medical, higher education, and executive résumés.
• PINK conveys feelings of hope, sensitivity, and romance. It is often associated with youthful femininity and playfulness, which can make it effective for résumés targeting the beauty industry and health fields.
• BROWN reflects security, experience, protection, warmth, and comfort. Brown can be associated with dependability and reliability, or it can be considered dull. It is often used in conservative fields like law and finance.
• BLACK is classic and sophisticated and is seen as both traditional and modern.

 
Subtle, jewel tones (navy blue, burgundy, dark green, deep purple) — when used as an accent especially — are appropriate for almost all conservative industries, including legal, finance, engineering, politics, and medicine. Muted, natural tones and pastels are also acceptable.
 
Colors are assigned “meaning” but this can be affected by the age, culture, and gender of the reader. Different parts of the world view some colors very differently.
 
For example, regarding gender preferences, research shows:

• Both men and women like blue and green
• Men dislike brown the most; women dislike orange
• Men prefer achromatic colors like white, black, and gray

 
Color can be used judiciously to highlight key information on the résumé — such as résumé headings — WORK EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, AFFILIATIONS, etc. Color can help the reader find important information.

​DO consider your personal brand and personality when selecting colors for the résumé. Also consider matching the color on the résumé to the brand colors of the company being applied to. Mirroring company colors shows you have done your homework and changing colors is an easy adjustment to make in Microsoft Word.
 
For example:

• RED – Coca-Cola
• BLUE – JetBlue
• ORANGE – Amazon

 
When using color on a résumé, DO maximize contrast by using “opposite color” pairs — for example, blue/yellow, blue/orange, navy/gold, and purple/gold.
 
DO add color to the design, not just the content. Include color on design elements such as lines, boxes, and callouts.
 
DO make sure the color works both on the screen and when the résumé is printed out.
 
DON’T use too many colors. A maximum of three colors is recommended — one color for the résumé header and sections, a second color for body text, and an accent color to add emphasis (for example, bullets or subheadings). Black or a dark gray is recommended for main body text.
 
DON’T put a light color on a light or white background. From a technical standpoint, color on the résumé has little bearing on résumés filtered through applicant tracking system software, as long as there is sufficient contrast between the text and background. However, some color choices can reduce readability of the résumé if not carefully considered.
 
DON’T be afraid to stand out. You can’t go wrong using black (and white and gray) on a résumé, but it may keep you from standing out in a crowded field of candidates.

​In addition to the dos and don’ts listed above, also consider the following best practices:

• Keep the design simple. Don’t overload it with graphics and design elements
• Use 1” résumé margins
• Have well-defined résumé sections with clear headers
• Choose an easy-to-read font, especially for body text and subheadings using color
• Make sure the cover letter matches the color use on the résumé
• Print the finished document in black and white to make sure it’s still readable

 
“Color is like a spice” — use it to accentuate. Too many colors, not enough contrast between colors, and using bright primary colors are just some of the common mistakes made with color on résumés.

Every job seeker has a unique story.... You might be searching for job search ideas.
​

• Chances are you will have to network your way to your next  job.
• Maybe you're looking for simple networking ideas to find a new job.
• Chances are you are in the process of moving and are looking for ​​​relocation cover letter examples.
• Perhaps you've been laid off, let go, or fired... Now what? 

This post will offer you a cover letter teamplate free of charge to help you with either of the three situations above.

Dear (Contact Name):

I am reaching out to you to ask for your help. As you know, my position was eliminated when Chandler-Roth Department Stores was acquired last month.
 
I am looking to stay in the retail industry and, ideally, remain in the Minneapolis area. My “perfect” job would be another associate manager position — one focused on operations or merchandising (or a combination of both) — in Minnesota or Wisconsin.
 
I would appreciate any advice, contacts, or industry insights you can share with me. I’ve attached my résumé — please feel free to pass it along to anyone you think may be interested in it. If you know of a company that is looking to grow its retail management staff — or fill any open position — please let me know. I’d also appreciate any recommendations of retail recruiters, or recruiters who work on placing management candidates in the Minneapolis area. (I’d prefer to stay in the retail industry, but would potentially consider a management opportunity in a new industry.)
 
Highlights of my qualifications include:

• Success in delivering year-over-year same store growth — contributed to 12% growth in 2012 (well ahead of the industry average for non-food sales growth of 2.26%).
• Introduction of innovative product merchandising and customer service programs that have increased average transaction size by 22%.
• Led an employee engagement initiative which reduced turnover by 18% over a six-month period, reducing hiring costs by more than $22,000.

 
I’m lucky enough to count you as a (friend, colleague, client, co-worker) and I want to thank you (in advance) for any help you can give me.
 
Thanks.
 
Your name
 
P.S. — If you’re on LinkedIn, let’s connect on there. You can find my profile at ​www.linkedin.com/in/mandyfard
​

When it comes to presenting your resume to prospective employers, you may have wondered whether or not you should update the content or just create a brand new document. It may be helpful to also review the content about what employers want to see in a resume.

This checklist will help you make a more informed decision about when to update and when to rewrite your resume.​

SOURCE: https://www.market-connections.net/blog/resume-update-or-rewrite-checklist 

​Are you in need of guidance around updating your resume and wondering about a resume update or resume rewrite? You may feel a bit rusty if you’re just getting back into the job search scene after spending years or even decades at the same place of employment. Or you could be someone who is returning to the workforce after a long-term stint as being a stay-at-home mom. You wonder how the career landscape has changed. Should you dust off your old copy of your resume? Or is it better to start from scratch?
​
Below find some great ideas for how to approach updating your resume to get on the fast track to making that strategic career move that’s right for you. For more resume writing tips and samples, please be sure to visit my job search blog.

What is my vision of the ideal career for me?
Before you do anything, it’s worth giving some thought to the type of work you’re looking for. The internet age brings many more options and directions to go in, as well as increasing competition. So ask yourself: what is my ultimate career goal?

You might start by visualizing the ideal work scenario for you. Do you hope to work for a progressive company that offers flex-time and work-from-home options? Is a part-time gig what you want? The best way to get what you’re hoping for in your new career is to put it out there and see if there’s a match.

The internet brings many more work opportunities that simply were not accessible in decades past because we didn’t have a way to connect or to work remotely. So if you have a career dream, don’t be afraid to get specific in describing it on your resume and cover letter. You can always decide later how much of a concession you’re willing to make based on other factors like salary, location, or an opportunity to break into a new field.

Am I ready for a leadership position?
Are you looking to advance into a leadership role? Perhaps you have acquired many years of experience in your field of expertise. This could be the perfect time to translate those lessons learned into a promotion with the paycheck to match.

One good question to ask: am I already functioning as a leader at my job? Often in a corporate environment, upper management begins to lean on more seasoned employees to carry out some fairly impressive responsibilities and thus drive production.  If the person who is unofficially “in charge” of a team or department does not speak up for that pay increase, chances are there won’t be a big incentive for upper management to move them forward. 

A good leader knows when it’s time to advocate for oneself. So begin by typing out a list of leader-type responsibilities that you’ve been entrusted with at your workplace. Are you in charge of scheduling, team building, and project management? Do underlings report to you? Have you spent a fair amount of your work experience training new employees? If so, then this list of accomplishments should fit nicely into its section of your resume. If you label it as “Leadership Roles” then bullet out the points, you’ll be giving your potential employer an easy way to zone right in on your capabilities as a manager or director of a team.

Of course, you may not feel ready to serve in a managerial capacity, and if that’s the case, then you’ll want to structure your resume accordingly. Instead of highlighting a “Leadership” area, you might instead bullet out a list of your career skills and strengths. Hiring managers want to get right to the meat, to see if the skills you offer will be a good fit for the role they’re looking to fill.
Some common questions to ask yourself in this case include:

What am I good at?
Maybe you’re someone who works cooperatively on a team. Perhaps analytical thinking is your strong suit. You might work best independently, or you could be a rapid producer. If you have trouble coming up with ways that you excel in your work, then do this. Imagine that you are your own boss. How would your supervisor be likely to list your strengths?
Some of your career strengths could be:

• Team-oriented
• Excellent attention to detail
• Positive communicator
• Works well under pressure
• Organized and efficient
• Big-picture thinker

There are many more possibilities if you’re looking to bullet out your strong points to get the attention of a hiring manager. If you’re still having trouble, head to Google and type in “resume samples” to get an immediate return of any number of resumes that can help you come up with a fresh description of you and what you do.

Does your experience translate to the digital world?
If you’re looking to compete in the current career market, then don’t forget to count your proficiency with the latest apps and gadgets. You might be one of the many small business owners who have taken on the role of online marketing manager for your company, or your family business. Don’t be shy about including this on your resume, and don’t take your skills for granted.

Sometimes it helps to talk with a friend or colleague who can ask the right questions that remind you of your unique skills. Maybe you manage an email newsletter online. Perhaps social media promotional campaigns and digital marketing has become something you’re good at, thanks to your real-world experience.

Even if you’ve been out of the “career world,” you should know that online skills are in high demand due to the nature of the online market. Many companies may be struggling to catch up in developing a website presence. Your skills that you learned by way of the “school of hard knocks” could just land you that new position you’ve been dreaming about along with the salary and benefits package you’ve been hoping for.

If you think about it, your resume is just an advertising tool designed to get you noticed by the right hiring manager or a business owner. So now that you’ve given a run-through to the more important questions like your vision of the perfect career and what your strengths and skills are; let’s talk about how to retool your resume to attract the right people who already want what you have in the way of career background and proficiency.
 
Begin with awareness of your future employer’s time or lack of. The longer it takes for the hiring manager to figure out what you’re good at and whether you’re a right fit for the position, the less likely they will be to contact you for an interview.
 
So get into the skimming frame of mind. Imagine that you are the person sorting through the pile of applicants. What types of things will help your resume stand out and offer easily-absorbed information:
 
Concise headings
In marketing, the headline does the heavy lifting to attract readers who will then want to know more. So use the available space to include headlines that speak directly to your future employer.
 
Keep it to one page. A resume that’s more than one page is more likely to be lost in the shuffle of a busy work day. So be brief, and try to keep things to a single page. You will have a chance to explain yourself in detail during the interview process. For now, choose the words that they want to hear most.
 
Short paragraphs. There may be a temptation to include lots of detail on your resume, especially if you've acquired a lot of experience and years in your field.
 
Brief, bulleted points
If at all possible, bullet out your ideas on one line apiece. So, if you’re conveying a series of steps that you completed for a long-term project, then be sure to go back and shorten the text to be as succinct as possible. It may help to consider a resume and cover letter checklist.
 
Give your resume a spin
Generic is boring, and these days you’re competing with the entire world. So don’t be afraid to be bold with your resume. Learn how to make your resume stand out. Think about the type of career that would get you excited to wake up to a new day on the job. Do you hope to work for a more progressive company? Then how about tucking in a phrase like “Forward-thinking” in your career objective. Values are also important nowadays. If you have specific beliefs such as equality, being kind to the planet, supporting working families, wellness in the workplace environment, or any other type of currently trending words that will pique interest, include these as part of your objective or as one of your strengths.
 
If you have a lot of room on your resume or perhaps on your cover letter, you might even offer a brief “ideal career wish list” that could get hiring heads turning in your direction. But if this is too radical for you, that’s okay too.

When it comes to personal branding and self promotion, alwyas keep in mind that your approach to landing the ideal job will depend on whether the type of worker and person you are is a match for the company that will hire you.

The approach that you take in the “career history” section of your resume will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re a person who just wants “a job” and to get back into the workforce, then you may not have a strong vision of what you’ll be doing and that’s okay.
 
If that’s the case for you, it may work best if you take a more generic approach and include as many details as you can in your Career History. Then, as opportunities present themselves or your career vision becomes clearer, you can update your resume as needed. Or, you may just decide to emphasize that you’ve had a varied career experience over the years. This could be the exact type of flexible employee that someone out there is looking for.
 
It’s also perfectly acceptable to have multiple resumes for multiple purposes. You might decide, for example, if you’re looking for either a Real Estate Sales role OR a Catering Chef, that these are two decidedly different career choices, each in need of its own resume development. Your career history can be different for each of these resumes. Simply select the one that applies, as any job opportunities make themselves known.
 
Take a few minutes to run through companies, locations, and dates. In the Career History section, you’re generally expected to make a list of the company, city, state, and dates that you were employed at said location.
 
If you don’t know the exact dates, or if you’re someone who has had many years of experience in the workforce and is now emphasizing leadership capabilities, then you may not need to flesh out the exact months that you worked for one employer or another. The important part is to give the person reviewing your resume a general idea of your career path and the impact of your leadership.
 
Q: What if you owned your own business but are looking to return to working for someone else?
More and more people are trying their hand at a remote career, owning a small business, or working part-time for multiple places of business. You may have been off the radar for a while due to a situation like this. So you might be wondering what to put on your resume in this case.
 
The short answer to this is that if your personal experience or your role as a small business owner wearing many hats has gifted you skills that make you an asset to a corporate or small company’s work environment, then by all means organize this information in a way that presents you in a rightfully positive light.
 
If you have trouble with this, just imagine that you are your own boss. What marketable skills would you describe yourself as having? Indeed, being in the trenches of small business or online business ownership may have bestowed you with some incredibly sought-after strengths that now translate well into other environments or businesses. 

​Now more than ever, hiring managers want to hire people who are comfortable using the latest technology, including operating systems, software, apps, and tools that the majority of users are proficient and comfortable with.
 
So, to assess your digital communication skills, think about all of the tech knowledge you have acquired, both in your job and in your endeavors. It could be customer account management, document creation, photo/video editing, email list management, or any other number of programs. This is a very important differentiator between you and your competition in the job marketplace. Digital proficiency even could mean a jump in salary for you.
 
Even if you feel like your knowledge is basic, that still could put you ahead of another contender. So DO spend some time running through your tech proficiency and listing everything.