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Greetings!
Welcome
to Between the Trapezes! Often the changes in our lives feel precarious
as we are suspended between two certainties. But the frightening moment
passes as we bravely go on to the next step -- as we always do.
Enjoy
reading, and feel free to forward this e-zine on to anyone, wherever they
are job searching! And if you received this e-mail in error, our apologies
-- just unsubscribe using the easy link at the bottom of this page.
Joanne
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Resume Tricks
Can Backfire
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About
ten years ago, resume writers who knew a little HTML made an interesting
discovery: In HTML, you could put key word meta tags in the backgrounds
of web pages, and by making the words the same color as the background,
you'd make them invisible to the human eye. Yet the search engines would
still find the page. So why not do the same for resumes in Word, making
white-on-white key words that resume screening software can find? Or by
using text (key words) so small that a string of them looked like a plain
line?
Way
back then, I was an outplacement consultant and (here comes the
self-disclosure!) yes, I plead guilty to actually recommending such ideas
then. But it didn't take for me long to realize this was bad practice,
because essentially it's not honest. And because technology keeps
changing, so it would be only a matter of time before such things would
be caught. So I stopped talking about these tricks to clients.
A
recent Wall Street Journal article only confirms such "trickery"
as a bad idea. Why? As the WSJ says, because employers consider it
dishonest and sneaky. And they have upgraded the resume screening
software to find such tricks, then delete or demote resumes that use
them.
So if
a key word is not associated with the text around it, that resume can get
bounced to the bottom of the electronic pile. Or if there's a paragraph
consisting soley of key words, visible or not, the screening software
will give this resume a lower rank, because, as one of the article's sources
said, "it's unprofessional".
So
what do you do? Your career and industry key words must be used well within
the context of your resume. If your gifts do not include writing,
work with someone who is good at it. It could mean the difference between
your resume getting read or not.
If
you have access to the Wall Street Journal online (subscription only),
see the whole article at "Why
Sneaky Tactics May Not Help Resume", by Sarah Needleman on March
6th.
For more about
resumes...
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A Monster-ous
Invasion of Privacy?
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Another
article caught our eye recently, on AskTheHeadhunter.com. It is by Pam
Dixon, the Executive Director of The World Privacy Forum, a non-profit,
non-partisan research firm focusing on all aspects of privacy. The
research causes the reader to wonder what happens to a resume you post on
Monster.com and similar services: what privacy rights do you really have
once you've made public all your information?
This
report is quite long and can be found in its entirety at AskTheHeadhunter.com.
For another, shorter World Privacy Forum article with tips about safely
posting to resume databases, see click
here.
The
main advice: really read the site's Privacy Policy, and check off
"confidential" if you do post your resume online. In our era of
identity theft and other electronic crime, it pays to be careful.
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If Your Group
Needs a Speaker...
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 ...talk to us.
One of Joanne Meehl's favorite activities is speaking to groups of
professionals, graduate students, civic groups, business meetings, and
other organizations. The attendees do not need to be in job search.
Audiences tell her they enjoy her lively, interactive style.
Here are some favorite topics she
addresses:
- What's your value in today's and tomorrow's job
market?
- Avoiding layoffs by polishing up your VALUE
gems
- Why be miserable? Find the work you love
- Doing a value-based job search
- Three ways to a winning resume
- Avoiding interview blunders
- Today's job search isn't like your parents'
These can be
customized for each group.
Joanne speaks next at WIND West in Westborough, tomorrow, Tuesday
morning, March 20th. Her topic: Are You Doing a Value-Based Job
Search? And she partners with business coach Kate Hyland Mercer on April
5th for Finding the Job That Fits You! at Holliston Adult Ed.
If you'd like more details, contact her at Joanne@TheJobSearchQueen.com.
To learn more
about having Joanne to speak to your group...
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Thought of the Day
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If you
woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance.
Andrea Boydston
_________________________
We are proud members of:
- Association of Career
Professionals Int'l
- Northeast Human
Resources Association
- Career Masters Institute
- Career Counselors
Consortium/Boston
- Massachusetts Women in
Technology
- National Resume Writers
Association
- BNI Golden Givers,
Holden, Mass.
Called
"The Resume Queen" years ago by a career counselor colleague, Joanne Meehl
decided to have fun with the nickname (which we've officially
trademarked). But she also takes it seriously by keeping her career
management skills on the leading edge, through research and ongoing
dialog with hiring managers.
You're now seeing us use "The Job Search Queen", which
better reflects the breadth of our services. The trademark is pending.
We'll be using both "queen" nicknames in our materials.
________________________
Next few meetings of Face2Face, the Job Search Networking Group:
Wednesday, March 21st
Wednesday, April 4th
Wednesday, April 18th
All meetings are 9am - noon, in Boxboro, Mass. near the intersection of
Routes 495 and 2.
For details about the programs, and directions, click
here. Also on that page, you'll be able to see notes about previous
talks at Face2Face.
At
Face2Face meetings, we make it easier for you to network, no matter how
shy you are. Come meet new people who might be the link to your next job!
Joanne's Blog:
The Heart of the Matter
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