Dear Joanna,
I’m almost finished working on my resume and cover letter with my Employment Counsellor at JVS Toronto. I’m following the professional branding approach with my documents.What is the best way for me to write the headers so that it looks professional and can get noticed by the hiring managers?
Signed: Header to Header (H2)
Dear Joanna,
After three interviews for a job at the bank, the recruiter checked my references, education, resume, credit and did a criminal reference check. I didn’t get the job. I was informed that the dates on my resume were inaccurate and therefore the bank could not move forward with a job offer.
Are they allowed to withhold a job offer from me because of this minor mistake?
Signed: Mega Mistake (MM)
Dear MM
Lying on your resume is a big huge mistake. Misrepresenting yourself regarding your dates and any other information can block your success. This is especially true in the financial field, which requires employees to have an extra attention to detail and superior honesty.
It’s a shame that after all that work applying for jobs and going through the interviews, you lose the job offer because you made up the dates (or any other information for that matter) and possibly ruined any other chances of getting a job with that employer.
Take it from me: it’s just not worth it.
Moving forward with your job search, consider the following advice from both myself and blogger Liz Ryan at Forbes :
On the resume, state it clearly, if dates are approximated:
If you don’t remember the dates of your work history, then I would put an asterix sign (*) next those dates of which you are unsure and write a footnote at the bottom of the resume mentioning that the dates are approximate.
Be proud of your accomplishments on your resume.
Be specific. Be honest. Follow the 3 step method as taught in the job search workshops, when describing your accomplishments: Situation, Action and Results. Don’t spend too much time on the tasks and duties; anybody in the job would have done that stuff. Employers want to know how you performed your duties, what your part was in the project and your contribution to the team and company.
Don’t exaggerate or under-play your work, education and qualifications.
Don’t make up stories on your resume. You will be called on to explain your experiences in the interview. Lying will only get you so far. And even if you get hired, chances are you will be found out eventually and your reputation will be marred.
Don’t be afraid of your boss.
Don’t be too shy or modest — claim your accomplishments and “triumphs”, that you made in front of or behind your boss’s back, says Ryan. Perhaps your boss didn’t want you working on these projects but you believed they were good for your career and professional network. Add this to your resume. No employer or boss can take away your achievements and education. It’s yours, as long as it’s true.
All the best,
Dear Joanna,
What does one do when the boss is blocking your career development and success at your workplace?
I have a reputation of being a top performer, and have received tons of positive feedback from customers, co-workers, managers and other employees at the company regarding my work as a help desk associate. I have countless emails and cards to prove this. Yet, my boss gave me a mediocre performance review and when I asked for a promotion, or approval to learn new skills and knowledge that would enhance my work and career, he said that I am not ready.
Any advice at this point would be greatly appreciated.
Signed: Blocked By Boss
Dear Blocked,
The best advice that I found in my research is Anne Hamill’s post on talentandpotential.com. She recommends the following:
Face the facts: it’s always better to not get involved in any office politics; don’t let your negative feelings and emotions get in your way with your work, relationships and attitude. This can ruin your chances of ever being considered for promotion. Focus on the positives and keep up your great attitude and work.
Do not assume that no one has observed your accomplishments. Find out if other managers, including the HR, know your work. Build relationships with these professionals. But be careful and sensitive to the workplace culture. If it’s safe (check with co-workers or managers that you trust) to approach your HR manager. Have a conversation about your interest to move on in the organization in order to make a more significant contribution to the growth and success. Ask “Can we talk about how I can help my career progress?”, recommends Hamill, who posits that this conversation could go a long way to help you understand the situation, possible opportunities in the near future as well as your options.
You CANNOT CHANGE systems and workplace cultures. The only person that can change is you. If you’re good at what you do and you know how to demonstrate that, then figure out how you can drive business or add value to your employer. Don’t wait for things to happen to you. Research on social media and at work to find out who, in a position of influence, would be interested in your expertise and would have the authority to help you with your career move. Secure a meeting with this person for an informal exploratory conversation or information interview about opportunities. Invite them for a cup of coffee. Prepare and present a proposal of your ideas. If you can keep it confidential, great. Otherwise, tell your blocking boss that you are meeting this manager to learn more about the business.
When an opportunity does arise, you want to be sure that your name is raised for consideration. Keep an eye out for projects you can get involved with or lead. These can help you get out from under your boss’ shadow so that you become visible to senior management and other departments.
Also, be sure to communicate your activities and successes outside your immediate team – for example, you could look for opportunities to be featured in company magazines, present your work to other interested teams, or keep your wider network aware of your good results by informal emails.
The resume is not just a document to be submitted when formally applying for roles. You can also share it with people, when you talk about your career ambitions. Also, make sure to build an impressive LinkedIn profile that showcases your skills and achievements. When job openings become available in your company, you’ll find you’re much more likely to be considered for the opportunity. So take the time to consider the skills you’ll need to succeed in the role you want and then actively seek out opportunities to develop them. If you need to demonstrate financial acumen, take on some budgeting responsibility; if you need to be able to chair meetings, look for opportunities to run meetings now.
Don’t quit yet. Keep your job search confidential as well — use LinkedIn to find job postings and companies of interest.
Best of luck with your career,
This is the final post in my ongoing Resume Writing Basics series, which included the following:
All that remains is to list your education and training, and volunteer experience, if relevant. Most resumes also end off with a mention of references.
Most employers are impressed by the candidate’s education, regardless of whether it is directly related to the job, so it is always worthwhile to include your highest education, as well as any other degrees of certifications. The best format: the degree, the school and its location (e.g. Bachelor of Art, Ryerson University, Toronto).
It is generally not necessary to include dates, as these just give the employer too much information about your approximate age. However, if you just recently graduated and you want to explain the employer what you have been doing in the last few years, add dates and consider bringing the section up higher up in the resume, above the Employment History.
In addition to all your degrees, it may be useful to list any relevant courses or certification you might have obtained. This might include any on-the-job training, as well. List only courses that are relevant to your work.
Employers tend to be impressed by involvement in community activities, so it’s well worth including it in the resume.
You can add it, using the same format recommended for Employment History under a separate heading, or you may include the volunteer jobs in your employment history. If you add your volunteer roles to your jobs, make sure to clearly indicate the volunteer jobs clearly as such.
It is generally recommended that candidates do not include references in or with their resume. So, by way of reassuring the employer that you do have references and will share them when the right time comes (i.e. at the interview), you can add a line at the end that states something to the that “References are Available Upon Request” (One of my clients even cheekily stated that “Enthusiastic References are Available Upon Request”).
For resume samples, there are some good online resources such as The Balance’s Sample Resumes, Monster.ca and WorkBloom. Keep in mind though, that resumes differ by industry, country and sector. This means that job seekers should thoroughly research the best resume formats by consulting with employers and employees who work in their target jobs, before finalizing the resume.
Once your Profile Summary has been written for your resume, the next step — arguably the most important — is to showcase your work history in an easy to read, yet comprehensive way.
JVS Toronto is accredited under Imagine Canada’s national Standards Program dedicated to operational excellence.