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The Exclusive Online Magazine for Administrative Professionals July 2013 FEATURES: Dealing with Office Chatter Business Attire for Women on the Move Is My Boss Trying to Force Me to Quit? A dminA dvantage Business Attire for Women on the Move

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Page 1: Business Attire for Women on the Move - DeskDemon · *20% off discount will appear upon checkout. Minimum purchase of $29.00. Does not apply to gift cards or certifi cates, same-day

The Exclusive Online Magazine for Administrative Professionals

July 2013

FEATURES:Dealing with Office ChatterBusiness Attire for Women on the MoveIs My Boss Trying to Force Me to Quit?

AdminAdvantage

Business Attire for Women on the Move

Page 2: Business Attire for Women on the Move - DeskDemon · *20% off discount will appear upon checkout. Minimum purchase of $29.00. Does not apply to gift cards or certifi cates, same-day

*20% off discount will appear upon checkout. Minimum purchase of $29.00. Does not apply to gift cards or certifi cates, same-day or interna-tional delivery, shipping and handling, taxes, or third-party hosted products (e.g. wine) and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Discounts not valid on bulk or corporate purchases of 10 units or more. Offer expires: 11/15/13.

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4

CONTENTSof July ‘13

AdminAdvantageUS & North AmericAN editioN

303 twin dolphin drive, 6th Floorredwood city, cA 94065 - usa

tel.800.406.1348 Fax.888.215.1852

editoriAl teAm

Susan Silvamanaging editor

[email protected]

ProdUctioN & deSigN

robert olszewskigraphic designer

[email protected]

Kulasekaram Vimalarasa (raj)Web developer

[email protected]

Suresh KaruppannanWebsite designer

[email protected]

AdVertiSiNg

Susan SilvaAdvertising & Sales US

[email protected]

Jane olsendirector Advertising & Sales UK

[email protected]

BUSiNeSS StAFF & Pr

mek rahmaniFounder, ceo & Publisher

[email protected]

Business Attire for Women on the Move10

Is My Boss Trying to Force Me to Quit?15

How to Determine the ROI of Your Corporate Meeting

13

Professional Resume Writing Tips to Stand OutFrom the Competition

18

Gossip Girls (and Guys): Dealing with Office Chatter

6

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66

Every organization may be different, but each has one thing in common: office

gossip. In many firms, this casual chatter touches on everything from the upcoming

company picnic to potential promotions. Far from being harmful, this kind of sharing

can actually help coworkers bond by promoting stronger working relationships. It can even

boost worker productivity due to the friendships it forges.

Gossip Girls (and Guys): Dealing with Office Chatterby Robert Hosking, OfficeTeam

CAREER

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7 JULY 2013 7

But when gossip goes to the next level – when

it consists mainly of destructive rumors, cruel

comments and brutal bad-mouthing – it can fuel

conflict within the organization. Some people can

turn an office into an unpleasant, nerve-wracking

place with their gossip.

Dealing with these individuals can be difficult. You

want to make sure you’re not a part of negative

discussions, but you also don’t want to add to

the drama by responding inappropriately. Here

are some strategies to help you handle a few

common types of office gossips:

The Oversharer: Before you’ve

even had time to turn your

computer on in the morning,

this coworker is pulling a

chair up to your desk and

getting ready to give you the

full scoop on business and

personal gossip. But that’s

not all – she’ll also make sure

to update you when you pass

in the hallway before lunch and

yet again when you’re leaving a

meeting together at the close of

the workday.

In other words, the Oversharer

loves to reveal all the latest

rumors with whomever’s willing

to listen, and she rarely responds

to nonverbal cues that you’re not

CAREER

JULY 2013

all that interested. As a result, she can waste long

stretches of your valuable work time.

The best way to handle the Oversharer is to

change the subject when you feel a pause in the

conversation. You also can gently and politely

explain that you’re dealing with a tight deadline

and need to get back to your work. If you do this

enough, the Oversharer will eventually get the hint.

The Detective: Word around the office has it that

a new branch manager has been selected, but

nothing official has been announced. Will it be an

internal candidate or an external hire? Is it the kind

of person who will make major changes or promote

the status quo? The Detective is on the case, and

he can’t wait to share what he uncovers.

Sure, it’s tempting to debate different scenarios

with this type of office gossip. But it’s best not

to play along – that will only encourage the

Detective to keep digging for information.

Instead, if he asks you a question, try to

answer in a straightforward, honest manner.

For example, if the Detective starts to grill you

about the change in management, you might

respond that you don’t know who’s going to

get the job, but you’re sure that the firm did

a thorough search, so whoever was selected

should be a good fit.

The Broadcaster: You confess to a coworker that

you’re concerned about a fellow employee’s

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88

CAREER

sloppy writing in memos and emails. It doesn’t take long before you hear

through the grapevine that everyone’s talking about your “confidential”

discussion, and it’s not hard to figure out who spilled the beans. The

Broadcaster takes conversations you thought were private and airs them to

everyone in the office – not to get you in trouble, but just because she wants

other people to see her as important and “in the know.”

Keep your guard up when you’re talking with the Broadcaster. Stick to neutral topics

such as business projects and assignments, and by all means, avoid sharing opinions

or discussing your personal life. If you find yourself wondering what’s safe to say in

conversation with the Broadcaster, ask yourself, “Would I be comfortable if this

information were repeated to all of my coworkers?”

The Grouch: The Grouch is the quintessential pessimist.

Every day he has a new complaint – maybe it’s the

new software training he has to endure later that

day, the boring new assignment he just got, or

even the soap in the bathroom that’s drying out

his hands. He also spends a lot of time criticizing

others in your company. Michelle in IT won’t

respond to his emails, for instance, and Mike in

human resources keeps messing up the new-hire

forms he sends to him.

It’s natural for people to vent when they feel

frustrated. But the Grouch isn’t just occasionally

confiding in someone he trusts – he’s routinely

complaining to anyone who will listen. He prefers

to talk to other Grouches, so the best approach

is to be upbeat. You’ll just fuel his fire if you say

that you’ve also had issues with Michelle in IT. But

you’ll likely deter the Grouch if you lightheartedly

say, “I’m surprised to hear that about Michelle.

I’ve never had any issues with her.”

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9 JULY 2013

CAREER

The Double-Crosser: Unfortunately, the way most people learn that they’re dealing with a Double-

Crosser is after a bad experience. This type of gossip plays both sides, saying negative things

about someone to you, then turning around and criticizing you to that person.

If you’ve had a run-in with a Double-Crosser, it’s best to calmly confront her. Tell her that

you heard what she said about you, and you don’t appreciate it. You may not change her

behavior, but you won’t be an easy target again.

Then, if you have to speak to her again, be very cautious about the way you say things.

Sarcastic remarks, for example, can easily be relayed to others in a way that suggests you

were serious. Also, avoid complaining about anything, even if you’re just making

a general observation about a department taking too long to sign off on

forms. You never know who she might share your comment with, and

how she’ll spin it.

Office gossip may be a mainstay of the business world, but it

doesn’t have to be a destructive force. Take a look at your own

behavior to make sure you’re not contributing to the problem. Then

do your part to put an end to downbeat or unhealthy conversations

and redirect attention to more productive matters. You’ll help

to lighten the mood at work while also highlighting your own

professionalism.

Robert Hosking is executive director of OfficeTeam, the nation’s leading staffing

service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and

administrative support professionals. OfficeTeam has more than 315 locations

worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com. For more

career advice, connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

9 JULY 2013

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10

Business Attire for Women on the Move

From zipping around the city from client meeting to partner lunch, to traveling cross-country or cross

continent on a regular basis, business often requires women to be on the move. For women who

need to look their professional best and want to maintain comfort through long hours and distances,

this can pose a challenge. Not to worry: You can still look chic after spending days on the road or

hours on the go, with a few extra wardrobe considerations.

by Diane Craig

TREAT yOuR FEET In choosing shoes that will take many steps,

make sure you have support - with a proper

insole. These can be bought separately and

inserted into any shoe, but some are already

made with excellent support.

For business casual attire or when on the road,

a classic-yet-contemporary loafer will go best

with cropped pants and is a comfortable choice.

The Johnston & Murphy pewter loafer has a

supporting insole, and the pewter adds shine to

an otherwise simple look. This season’s Coach

Nicola penny loafer also has a plush insole and

adds a pop of colour to a spring outfit in coral

or mint shades. Both are made of soft leather,

which adds both comfort and class to the look.

For outfits where high heels are a must, turn to

Canadian designer Ron White, whose design

combines comfort and style in high heel shoes.

Ron White’s All Day Heels are just that - a

heel you can wear all day! Don’t believe it?

The designer incorporates NASA-developed

material into the shoe to create a long-lasting

comfortable fit, while his unique design makes

for a beautiful heel.

WE’vE alSO GOTTEN GREaT aDviCE FROM liSa Ferguson, the founder of Decor Mentor, on the

six essential elements of a perfect trade show

shoe. Watch the video on TheHome.com to

WORKSMART

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11 JULY 2013

hear Lisa elaborate on these six qualities:

1. Rubber soles to absorb the impact of hard surfaces

and decrease back fatigue

2. Platforms keep your sole farther away from the

ground, lessening the impact of hard surfaces. look

for about.5”

3. Wedge or chunk heels for stability

4. Supple real leather uppers with openings or

perforations to allow your fee to breathe (no

manmade materials!)

5. Minimal stitching across the width of the shoe to

allow for stretching

6. Cushiony suede in soles are like shock absorbers,

feel like slippers and allow your feet to breathe!

a CRiSP lOOk After hours moving between work and meetings

with more to go, a shirt can begin to look

rumpled. Want to look sharp until the last

appointment of the day is over? Try a wrinkle-

free blouse, like these non-iron women’s dress

shirts from Brooks Brothers. Not only will these

shirts hold their crisp look for the day, they also

travel well for those on the road without time to

spare for ironing. Also, stow one of these shirts

Subscribe to our FREE monthly newsletter http://www.

corporateclassinc.com/index.php#subscribe

Diane Craig, President of Corporate Class Inc., is a leading

image and etiquette consultant. For over 20 years she has

provided corporate consultations, helping hundreds of

men and women realize their professional and personal

goals. She is a sought after speaker at national business

meetings, regularly gives comprehensive workshops to

corporate groups, and offers private consultations on

business etiquette, dress and dining.

in a drawer or closet at the office, for those

times when you need to refresh with a quick

change or take a last-minute flight for a meeting.

FREShEN uP Few and far between can look their very best

after hours of work or travel without freshening

up every so often. There are a few tricks and

techniques to keep you looking like you did at

9:00 am - and luckily, they all fit into your purse

or briefcase!

In choosing a perfume, find a scent that has a

complementary travel sized roll-on or mini-bottle

format. Spritz your fragrance in the morning

when you get ready, then refresh later in the

day with a quick swipe from your purse-sized

perfume. Most fragrances offer packages that

include both regular and travel sized formats.

WORKSMART

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12

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13 JULY 2013

How to Determine the ROI of Your Corporate Meeting

by Maureen Santoro

Being mindful of dollar spend is not a new

concept, yet in today’s atmosphere of financial

meltdown’s, consumer watchdogs, and the

everyday struggle to remain viable in a volatile

market, never has there been so much riding

on it. Meetings are one area that can be either

a bottomless money pit or they can end up

enhancing your bottom line. Achieving the latter is

of course the goal, but how does one get there?

When the bottom line is so important, how can

you determine if all of the expense is worth it?

Anyone who is responsible for planning meetings

should know how to determine the return on

investment (ROI), especially since management or

ownership within your company may want you to

show them proof. Determining ROI starts in the

planning stages.

TRAINING

JULY 2013

1. The first thing you need to know is what

is meant by return on investment? ROI is

an indicator used to measure the value of a

project relative to its cost and to determine

whether a project adds value and yields a

positive payback for the company.

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14141414

Interestingly, ROI is not always measured in

dollars and cents. Sometimes, the program

may not yield a positive margin in fiscal terms,

however, it may yield a positive margin in terms of

good press or public perception, and that, quite

honestly, is priceless.

2. Next, sit down the people who are responsible

for the event and discuss the overall purpose of

the meeting, who will be invited to attend, what

goals are expected to be met. What are the

determining factors that will be used to measure

success? Will it be new orders or sales leads

resulting from contacts made at the meeting?

Will the company perception in the public eye be

changed? Will the company meeting be used

to introduce a new product? Will the meeting

extend the company’s reach into new markets,

or solidify dominance in old ones? Determining

these metrics is important so you know how and

what to measure.

3. Now it’s time to set up some benchmarks.

How much of an increase in sales are you

shooting for? Will you determine that local

press coverage of the meeting will constitute

an increase in publicity? How much? Once

you determine the metric, you now need to set

the bar for that metric so you know if you have

achieved it. It will tell you what went right and

what might need improvement the next time.

4. Think about a survey. There is a reason that

businesses still use them - they get results.

Maureen Santoro, CMP, is Manager, Group Operations for

Atlas Travel Meetings & Incentives.  She has 23+ years of

experience planning meetings and group incentives for

companies of all sizes.

TRAINING

Question the people that participated in the

meeting. Did they find it eventful or meaningful?

Did they get anything out of it? Sometimes the

best ROI is that it creates more enthusiasm within

the company. What did the people who had to

come from out of town, put their lives on hold,

and potentially miss work find valuable? If they

found it invigorating, exciting, made new contacts,

networked or learned something that they think

they can use to improve things, then you should

factor that into your ROI. There are numerous

ways to do surveys these days, be it via email,

corporate social media, or online survey systems

that allow you to collect stats quickly and easily.

Depending on what you learn during your initial

ROI analysis period, there may be instances

where a remote meeting or video conference

makes sense for your needs. However, in most

cases, there is simply no substitute for meeting

face-to-face. The task that has been assigned to

you is to plan the best one that you can, with the

budget that you have been given and then back

up the outlay of cash by using the information

gathered to prove the meeting you planned was

worth the effort.

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15 JULY 2013

Have you ever had a job and it got so bad that you finally had to quit? Maybe that’s

exactly what your boss wanted you to do. When employers don’t have just cause

to fire an employee, they’ll often do things to try to force them to quit. Where I come

from, that’s called constructive dismissal, but I’m sure there are lots of other names for it.

If they can force you to quit your job, employers don’t have to pay you severance or other

forms of compensation, and they don’t have to worry about wrongful dismissal lawsuits, or so

they think.

Is My Boss Trying to Force Me to Quit?by Bruce Goett

15

CAREER

JULY 2013

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WhY WOulD aN EMPlOYER WaNT TO GET RID OF A gOOD EMPlOyEE?

Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense.

You’re a hardworking employee, you always

do a great job and you have years of experience

and knowledge. Yet, for some reason, your

employer has started to treat you like garbage.

Don’t take it personally (well, do take it

personally), but don’t blame yourself. There are

lots of reasons why an employer would want to

get rid of a good employee. Sometimes, when

a company is in financial trouble, they’ll resort

to getting rid of their more senior, high income

employees to save money. On occasion, a new

manager comes along and they just can’t stand

or are threatened by someone so they try to

get rid of them. Maybe someone has a grudge

against you for something you said in a meeting

six months ago and they want you gone, no

matter what.

What does a constructive dismissal look like?

I became the target of a constructive dismissal

and didn’t realize that there was a term for it

until I talked to lawyer about things that were

happening to me at work. After I described

my situation, the lawyer said “it sounds like a

constructive dismissal and they are trying to force

you to quit. Don’t do anything without talking to a

lawyer first.”

When your employer decides that they want to

get rid of you, they’ll do things that they know will

irritate, insult, infuriate, and demoralize you. They

might start slow, but over time they’ll resort to

more blatant and overt acts if they’re not having

any luck nudging you out the front door. There

are several things that your boss might try to

force you to quit:

1. Take away perks and privileges that you’ve enjoyed

for a long time, for example, flex hours.

2. Switch you to a horrible shift like graveyards.

3. Force you to cancel vacation time that’s already

booked and paid for at the last minute.

4. Force extra work on you while co-workers who

aren’t pulling their weight are left alone.

5. Pass you over for a promotion and then hire

someone with less experience or ability.

6. Insult you in meetings. For example, you make a

comment and your manager says something like

“good thinking, Einstein.”

7. Post your position while you’re still in it. This

actually happened to me. A company I worked for

advertised my position and my manager made a

point of coming over to my desk and saying “there’s

no one internal or in this area with the experience

to fill this position. We might have to hire someone

in another city.” Meanwhile I’m sitting there thinking

“are you serious, there’s no one anywhere more

qualified to do this job than I am.”

8. lateral movement or demotion. You have a

position that you really like but suddenly

you are moved into a different role. It may

not involve a reduction in pay or level in the

company organizational chart, but it’s a slap in

the face nonetheless.

CAREER

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17 JULY 2013

Bruce Goett is a technical writer, cyclist, archaeologist,

active blogger, and budding SEO guru. He specializes in

writing optimized web content, blog articles, and software

user manuals, and developing WordPress websites.

Taken on their own, none of these things are

likely to make anyone quit their job but in

combination, they can wear down the most stoic

person and sent them racing for the door.

WhaT ShOulD YOu DO iF YOu ThiNk ThaT YOu aRE BEiNG FORCED TO quiT?

If you think that your employer is trying to force

you to quit, you have to make some difficult

decisions. No doubt, when it gets to this point,

you are miserable at work and the temptation is

walk away is pretty strong. If you decide to hang

on for the bumpy ride, here are some things that

you can do to help make a softer landing.

1. Start looking for other opportunities. Your dream

job could be right around the corner and if you

aren’t looking, you might miss out.

2. Talk to your manager and make it clear that their

behavior is inappropriate. If they know that you are

going to stand up for yourself, they may back off

and pick an easier target.

3. Don’t give anyone ammunition or cause for firing

you. Do a great job and cheerfully take on any extra

work that is thrown at you, within reason.

4. Document everything. Save nasty e-mails, take

notes at all meetings, and if someone says

something insulting at a meeting, document it.

5. Talk to someone in your hR department. Always

remember that HR is on the company’s side but

you should have your concerns officially recorded

in case things get nasty later.

6. If you belong to a union, talk to your union

representative and let them know what’s happening.

7. Talk to a lawyer. If you feel like you are being

unjustly victimized and bullied, get legal advice.

What to do if you lose your job

If you manage to swallow your pride and hang

on, but in the end your employer dismisses you

and offers you a severance package of some

sort, don’t sign anything until you’ve had it

looked at by a lawyer. Call it whatever you want,

but constructive dismissal is a form of wrongful

dismissal, and you have rights when it happens

to you. Make sure that you are getting what you

are entitled to.

CAREER

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18

Professional Resume Writing Tips to Stand Out From the Competitionby Gavin F Redelman

CAREER

18

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19 JULY 2013

If you are a current job seeker you no doubt

have one more thing to stress about -

writing the perfect resume. The resume is

often regarded as one of the most difficult

documents to develop. An effectively written

resume will get the reader’s attention within

the first 20 seconds. However, with such

demand for jobs, 20 seconds is often too

long to make an impact. You need to ensure

that your resume makes an immediate and

positive first impression.

CAREER

It is an undisputed fact that if a hiring manager

has two resumes sitting on the table, they are

instinctively going to be drawn to the resume

that is professionally presented and formatted

in the correct way. No matter what the resume

has to say, the first impression is already made.

If both candidates share similar skills, education

and experience, just take a guess at which

resume the hiring manager is going to choose.

When you sit down to write your resume,

remember one thing. Your resume is a

marketing document. This document is all

you have to prove to the hiring manager that

you are the right person for the job. Present a

professional picture and make sure that you

stand out above your competition.

10 Tips to Writing the Perfect Resume

Create a qualifications Profile:

A great way to begin the resume is by creating

a 2-3 sentence qualifications profile. Rather

than an objective statement (telling the reader

what type of job you want), focus on creating a

powerful profile that highlights your value-added

skills and qualifications. A hiring manager is

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20

interested in the skills and qualifications you are

able to bring to this particular role, as opposed

to being told about the type of job you want.

include keywords:

With the demand for jobs so competitive,

hiring managers and recruiters can often

receive upwards of 500 - 1000 resumes

for one particular position. As such, many

firms now use software programs as a way

of performing “first round interviews”. Using

selected keywords will ensure that your resume

passes the first stage of selection and will

not be deleted before a hiring manager has

even had a chance to read your application.

The best way to find these keywords is by

simply reading the job positions. See what the

company is looking for and make sure your

resume is full of these keywords!

Provide Specific Quantitative Examples:

Hiring managers hate to read clichéd resumes.

It’s boring and adds no value to your resume.

Use quantitative examples as much as possible

to highlight your experience and the value-

added skills that you can bring to the job.

Target the Position that you are applying for:

As a job seeker, everything you include in your

resume needs to reinforce the message to

the reader that you are the right candidate for

the position. Don’t waste time on information

that doesn’t reflect your suitability for this

particular position. Being a good skier and

having an interest in tennis will probably not

be relevant to the job that you are applying

for. Focus your resume on the value added

skills and experience that you have to offer. If

the job requires management experience than

provide these specific examples. Your resume

is your marketing document so ensure that your

document is marketed correctly.

highlighting achievements/accomplishments:

Does your resume show off all the wonderful

skills and talents that you have to offer? If

you were the hiring manager would you want

to employ yourself? If the answer is no, it’s

time to have a serious think about rewriting

your resume. If you wouldn’t hire yourself

then why would a hiring manager hire you?

Turn your resume from a boring resume into

an achievement based resume focusing on

highlighting achievement based examples.

From a hiring manager’s perspective, would

you rather read “strong communication

skills” or read this statement backed up by

an example. “Strong communication skills

capable of projecting a strong, credible,

articulate and engaging personal presence

with experience in producing and creating

PowerPoint presentations”

Error Free:

When you open your resume do you see the red

or green lines underneath words or sentences?

This is such a major turnoff to a hiring manager

and will create an immediate unprofessional

first impression. The easiest way to avoid this

CAREER

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21 JULY 2013

CAREER

from occurring is convert your word document

into a PDF. Not only will it enhance your

professionalism but will also ensure that those

ugly looking lines don’t occur!

Clean Font:

Make the reader’s life as easy as possible by using

an easy to read and professional looking font. Weird

looking font not only looks ugly but will detract from

the professionalism of your document.

Be Concise and Succinct:

Use bullet points to emphasize your skills and

experience. Long drawn out sentences are

boring to read and when a hiring manager is

staring at a table full of resumes, they do not

want to read long winded sentences. Ensure

that you are able to catch the reader’s attention

immediately and portray the professional image

that is required.

Power Words:

A great way to make your resume stand out

is by including action words throughout your

resume. A clichéd resume is boring to read and

can lead to the reader losing interest in your

application. Strong action words will further

highlight your skills and expertise.

Demonstrate Flexibility, adaptability and innovation:

In my experience employers want to hire

individuals who can demonstrate flexibility,

adaptability and innovation as well as a

passion for wanting to gain further knowledge

and experience. Remember that an employer

wants to know that you are going to bring

value to the organization. Your job duties

will change constantly and you need to be

able to demonstrate that you are a forward-

thinking self-starter with vision and desire to

implement innovative solutions to any problem

that may arise.

Final Thought...

Job seeking is a cut throat business and in order

to succeed your resume needs to be 100% right,

and it needs to be presented and formatted

professionally and correctly. When you apply

for a particular job you only have one chance to

succeed. Make sure that you give yourself every

opportunity to get that new job!

RedStarResume Publications -

http://www.redstarresume.com

RedStarResume are the Resume Writing Experts.

Specializing In Over 35 Industries! - Turn your resume

into an achievement based marketing documents

in just 48-72 hours

Stand Out From the Crowd With A Brand New Professional

Resume, Cover Letter and LinkedIn Profile From

RedStarResume

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22

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