Career Experts Offer Top 5 New Year's Resolutions During a Recession
January 28, 2009 - Reston, VA - VisualCV, Inc., an online resume company, has released top 5 resolutions for professionals who want to fortify their career in a recession. "With the recession hitting and more people looking for employment, 2009 marks a new opportunity. It's a chance for professionals to move beyond the negative employment headlines and resolve to take a fresh look at their job search strategies," said Jeff Hunter, CEO of VisualCV, Inc. In addition to these tips, VisualCV's web site has online resume samples for different types of professional resumes.
Here's what the experts recommend for standing out and managing your career in 2009:
- "Use "Show and Tell" to Sell Your Value," advises Louise Kursmark, Master Resume Writer and President of Best Impression Career Services, Inc.
- "Develop Accomplishment Stories," recommends Ford Myers, President, Career Potential, LLC
- A work-related task or event about which you feel proud
- A situation where you went "above and beyond" the job's responsibilities
- An example of taking personal initiative
- A time when you may have received special recognition or praise
- "Become Sought After," suggests career expert Lori Davila, www.loridavila.com
- "Build Your Personal Brand Online," says Meg Guiseppi, CEO, Personal Brand Strategist and President of Executive Resume Branding (http://www.executiveresumebranding.com/blog)
- "Network Wisely Online," suggests Jeff Hunter, CEO, VisualCV, Inc.
Remember "show and tell" from kindergarten? Even at age 5, you knew how much more interesting and impressive it was to use a visual aid rather than simply talking about your favorite things. The same is true for your resume. You can "tell" what you've done, and back it up with numbers and statistics. That makes for an effective resume. But why not pump up the power by showing as well as telling? Consider a graph, chart, table, or other visual that lets reviewers instantly see, understand and appreciate what you've done. Even in a traditional paper resume, a visual can be worth a thousand words. And if you have a VisualCV or other online portfolio, you can do even more "showing" -- consider an audio, a photograph, a map, or another strong visual to catch people's attention and strikingly demonstrate what you've accomplished.
Prepare detailed accounts of your achievements to have as a ready-reference. Start by selecting five career events that satisfy at least two of these criteria:
Tell each story by starting with a short title and then answering the following five questions: What was the problem, need or challenge? What did you do about it? (Not the team or department -- YOU). How did you do it, specifically? What positive, tangible results did you produce? (Quantify if possible) What skills did you demonstrate? Try to include skill words such as 'persuasion,' 'innovation,' 'team-building,' 'follow-through,' and 'leadership' into each part of the story. Your accomplishment stories can help you remain focused on the job hunt, enhance your resume, VisualCV and cover letters, and showcase your successes and transferrable skills to potential employers.
The resume strategies you employ speak volumes about who you are as an individual and what value you can bring to an organization. Make the decision right now to be known as a top professional in your industry and not as a washed up "has been". Be proud of your accomplishments, always find a way to capture them for others to view, and showcase them in cutting edge ways that scream out your passions, value and uniqueness. Only then will potential employers see you as someone who is in high demand, innovative, trendy and not afraid of taking risks. Proactively make your uniqueness widely known, whether you're in a job search or not, by creating an attention-grabbing resume and showcasing real work examples such as papers, presentations, testimonials and videos.
Did you know that recruiters and hiring decision makers are searching online for top-level executive candidates like you? If you have no online presence or one that's inaccurate or discredits you, you've probably been missing out on golden opportunities. The very people you need to attract aren't finding what they need to know about you. Building your online personal brand is a must-do, routine career management practice. Start to build a brand-solid online footprint, and go from invisible online to digitally distinct, by creating a media-rich VisualCV; creating a strong LinkedIn profile and actively participating; blogging in some way (commenting, guest blogging, or starting your own blog); joining and participating in professional associations; and writing book reviews of relevant books for Amazon.com or other online sellers.
With so many great online communities and communication tools available, it's easier than ever to stay connected with and network among family, friends and colleagues, which can be invaluable to your career. On the flip side, it's also easier for your employer or potential employer to find you online as well. Yes, employers will "Google" you – are you ready, or will that YouTube footage from Vegas be an issue? Be sure to present a consistent, professional presence online. A simple solution is to link to your VisualCV from wherever you have a digital footprint, from your blog and LinkedIn or Twitter profiles to your email signature and facebook page so that your professional content rises to the top.
About VisualCV, Inc.
VisualCV, Inc. has reinvented the resume to make it more relevant for networking, business development and career progression within today's Web 2.0 environment. VisualCV, Inc. provides technology and support for the VisualCV, the VisualCV community and "Powered by VisualCV" private-label platform. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, the company has received investments from one of the world's leading executive search firms, Heidrick & Struggles (NASDAQ: HSII), and Valhalla Partners. For more information or to create a VisualCV, please visit www.VisualCV.com.
