How NOT to Differentiate Yourself From Everyone Else

<h1>How NOT to Differentiate Yourself From Everyone Else</h1>Author: <a title="Brad Remillard" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/brad-remillard/279016.htm">Brad Remillard</a> As candidates become more and more desperate in their job search they often turn to desperate measures that more often than not hurt the candidate. One example of this is with the resume.
Lately we have been noticing an increase in resumes that contain some sort of gimmick or strange presentation to get noticed. This is not necessary. If your resume is focused, well presented, and easy to read, it will get noticed - at least by us.
If your resume has a lot of highlighting, gimmicks, smells like perfume, or is on bright colored paper, all that is saying to the reader is, “I’m desperate.” Companies today don’t want to hire desperate people. They still want to hire the best and the brightest.
The best ways to get  your resume noticed and read is:
<ul>
 <li>Have a good cover letter. Download a free sample from our Web site. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.impacthiringsolutions.com/index.php/cover-letters">CLICK HERE.</a> </li>
 <li>Have an easy to read resume. Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs, make sure it is not over crowded, has white space, 12 point fonts, two pages,  and does not have a lot of abbreviations, functional or industry jargon. </li>
 <li>Make sure vital information used for screening stands out such as,company description and industry, title, dates, organization, number of people managed, scope of responsibility, etc. </li>
 <li>Pleasing to the eye. </li>
 <li>Well organized and laid out. </li>
 <li>Highly recommend chronicle not functional. </li>
 <li>It should be as targeted to the position as possible and that bullet points address what the hiring manager is looking for. NOT a generic one size fits all. </li>
</ul>
There are probably more and feel free to comment and add  your ideas. Just don't try and stand out by using desperate gimmicks and tricks.
Join our Linkedin Job Search Networking Group along with the other 3000 members. The group contains extensive articles and discussions on conducting a job search. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1781587&trk=hb_side_g">CLICK HERE</a> to join it FREE.
Please download our free sample cover letter to make sure your background aligns with the job needs and stands out. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.impacthiringsolutions.com/index.php/cover-letters">CLICK HERE</a> to get your copy.
I welcome your thoughts and comments.About the Author: Brad Remillard, an executive recruiter with over 25 years of experience, has conducted over 10,000 interviews and been involved in more than 2,000 executive searches. Brad previously served as President of CJA Executive Search, which was recognized as one of the top search firms in Southern California. In 2005 he co-founded IMPACT Hiring Solutions a retained executive search firm and best practices hiring company. He is co-author of two books on hiring. You're NOT The Person I Hired. His second book helps candidates dramatically reduce their time in-transition is, This Is NOT The Position I Accepted In 1999, Brad co-founded the American Association of Senior Executives (AASE), one of Southern California's largest career management and business resource organizations exclusively dedicated to VP and C-level executives. The AASE has assisted more than 1,500 corporate executives manage their careers. Brad has personally coached many of these executives on success-based interviewing, 21st Century networking techniques, and career transition. He is a frequent speaker on the subject of career management and executive networking.Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/how-not-to-differentiate-yourself-from-everyone-else-1432995.html" title="How NOT to Differentiate Yourself From Everyone Else">How NOT to Differentiate Yourself From Everyone Else</a>

As candidates become more and more desperate in their job search they often turn to desperate measures that more often than not hurt the candidate. One example of this is with the resume.

Lately we have been noticing an increase in resumes that contain some sort of gimmick or strange presentation to get noticed. This is not necessary. If your resume is focused, well presented, and easy to read, it will get noticed - at least by us.

If your resume has a lot of highlighting, gimmicks, smells like perfume, or is on bright colored paper, all that is saying to the reader is, “I’m desperate.” Companies today don’t want to hire desperate people. They still want to hire the best and the brightest.

The best ways to get your resume noticed and read is:

Have a good cover letter. Download a free sample from our Web site. CLICK HERE.
Have an easy to read resume. Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs, make sure it is not over crowded, has white space, 12 point fonts, two pages, and does not have a lot of abbreviations, functional or industry jargon.
Make sure vital information used for screening stands out such as,company description and industry, title, dates, organization, number of people managed, scope of responsibility, etc.
Pleasing to the eye.
Well organized and laid out.
Highly recommend chronicle not functional.
It should be as targeted to the position as possible and that bullet points address what the hiring manager is looking for. NOT a generic one size fits all.

There are probably more and feel free to comment and add your ideas. Just don't try and stand out by using desperate gimmicks and tricks.

Join our Linkedin Job Search Networking Group along with the other 3000 members. The group contains extensive articles and discussions on conducting a job search. CLICK HERE to join it FREE.

Please download our free sample cover letter to make sure your background aligns with the job needs and stands out. CLICK HERE to get your copy.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Brad Remillard, an executive recruiter with over 25 years of experience, has conducted over 10,000 interviews and been involved in more than 2,000 executive searches. Brad previously served as President of CJA Executive Search, which was recognized as one of the top search firms in Southern California. In 2005 he co-founded IMPACT Hiring Solutions a retained executive search firm and best practices hiring company. He is co-author of two books on hiring. You're NOT The Person I Hired. His second book helps candidates dramatically reduce their time in-transition is, This Is NOT The Position I Accepted In 1999, Brad co-founded the American Association of Senior Executives (AASE), one of Southern California's largest career management and business resource organizations exclusively dedicated to VP and C-level executives. The AASE has assisted more than 1,500 corporate executives manage their careers. Brad has personally coached many of these executives on success-based interviewing, 21st Century networking techniques, and career transition. He is a frequent speaker on the subject of career management and executive networking.

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/how-not-to-differentiate-yourself-from-everyone-else-1432995.html

Article Tags: Resume, Resumes, Resume Help, Resume Tips, Professional Resumes, Writing Resume, Types Of Resumes

Related Videos
Related Articles
Ask / Related Q&A

Play

How to Find a Job

Play

What do I put in my cover letter without repeating my resume?

Play

Maximize Your Resume Online

Play

How to Write Resumes that Get Results

Play

How to Job Hunt - Learn how to Write a Modern Day Resume

Latest Resumes Articles
More from Brad Remillard

Which CV Template Should You Use?

By: Mike Kelley | 25/11/2009
Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) plays an essential role in shaping your career. You may wonder how? This is because it's not just a piece of paper containing information about you, it is much more.

Free Cover Letter Example and Sample

By: Allan Tan | 23/11/2009
In this post, we are going to go over the process of writing a cover letter. At the end you will find sample cover letters written in the appropriate format.

Free Resume Writing Examples and Samples

By: Allan Tan | 22/11/2009
In this exercise, we are going to go through step-by-step instructions on how to create a resume. At the end of the post, you will find sample resumes available for download.

Writing a Job Search Thank You Letter With These Ten Tips

By: Candace | 21/11/2009
You think you are done with the entire job search process. You have written the perfect resume and cover letter had a great interview and now you think your part is done and all you have to do is wait for the interviewer decision. This is where many job seekers fall short… they don’t follow up after the interview. Regardless of how smoothly you think everything went you need to continue your job search campaign. Take action and write a thank you letter to increase your chances of receiving a job

Resume are Used to Market a Product – and That’s You!

By: Candace | 21/11/2009
Picture the recruiting process like a sale. The person who is recruiting (hiring) is the buyer and you are the actual product. To start selling the product, you need to create a strong advertisement which describes the benefits of purchasing. Just like the packaging of a product attracts the attention of a shopper, your resume and cover letter must catch the interest of the reader.

Securing a Teaching Career

By: Candace | 21/11/2009
If you have just finished college and have received your teaching degree, or are currently a professional not in the teaching field and you want to transition into teaching then read on.

Teacher Resumes for Teaching Abroad

By: Candace | 21/11/2009
Anyone who has ever applied for any teaching position knows the importance of having a quality, targeted resume. Your teaching resume is the first impression a school or school district will see, making it imperative to standout. Usually, the employer will decide to interview or not to interview a candidate based solely on the resume and cover letter.

Is it Time to Rethink Your Resume’s M.O.?

By: Lisa M. Newman | 21/11/2009
What does a criminal’s M.O. have to do with your resume? Glad you asked. The criminal who never deviates from his or her modus operandi is more likely to get caught. Likewise, if you have been sending out your resume to potential employers without realizing appreciable results in the form of interviews, it may be time to rethink your resume’s M.O.

Stop Your Job Search Until 2010 – Dumb Move

By: Brad Remillard | 25/11/2009 | Interviews
I get this all the time from candidates I’m working with in our job search coaching program. It usually starts with, “The holidays are here and nobody is hiring during this period.” or “Why look now? I will wait until the new year. It is time for a break.”

I’m Getting Interviews But No Offers. WHY?

By: Brad Remillard | 25/11/2009 | Interviews
This was a question a potential job search coaching candidate asked me. Although frustrating, at the same time it is a very good problem to have. At least she was getting interviews.

Interviewing Faux Pas To Avoid

By: Brad Remillard | 21/11/2009 | Interviews
One small mistake like these can ruin an interview.

Avoiding Age Discrimination in Your Job Search

By: Brad Remillard | 21/11/2009 | Recruitment
My last article, “Busted, Age Discrimination Reveal” I gave two examples of reverse age discrimination. As a short refresher, I was working two searches for two different companies. In both case they selected the older more experienced people, over the younger candidates with less experience. These were both very senior level positions and even the younger candidates had 20+ years experience. The older candidates had 30+ years experience.

Get Your Resume On Google. SEO Your Search

By: Brad Remillard | 21/11/2009 | Resumes
Leveraging the social networks is a great search strategy tactic. Facebook and LinkedIn are both vital to one’s ability to be found by recruiters, HR, hiring managers, PE firms, or for that matter anyone looking to find you, or someone with your experiences. However, a big one that is often overlooked by many candidates is Google.

Do you have the right tools for your search?

By: Brad Remillard | 21/11/2009 | Resumes
Like most recruiters, I attend too many networking events. Once a person hears that I’m a recruiter, they generally want to engage me in some conversation that usually ends up with giving me a business card or resume. WRONG TOOLS.

A Critical Interviewing Mistake!

By: Brad Remillard | 21/11/2009 | Interviews
Candidates more often that not miss one of the best opportunities during the interview to shine, to differentiate themselves, and demonstrate their ability to do the job. What a great opportunity missed!!

6 Reasons Why LinkedIn Is So Critical In A Job Search

By: Brad Remillard | 21/11/2009 | Recruitment
A candidate recently asked me, “How do I find a hiring manager in a large company like Microsoft?” There are a lot of ways to do this but one of the easiest and best is using LinkedIn. When I recommended this to the candidate he completely agreed, however, the problem was he only had about 60 connections. Too few to be effective.