Career Tools https://careerjamaica.com Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:33:35 +0000 Joomla! - Open Source Content Management en-gb Earn FREE Online Certifications https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/66-earn-free-online-certifications https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/66-earn-free-online-certifications Earn FREE Online Certifications

There are currently a number of sites that offer certification and Diploma courses for FREE.

Here are some of the courses Career Jamaica recommends for job seekers to improve their marketability in the competitive job market. 

Use the links to see course info and to apply to earn a certificate and boost your marketability today:

  1. Diploma in Information Technology Management
  2. Fundamentals of Project Management
  3. Developing Quality Customer Service Skills
  4. Introduction to Managing Employees
  5. Diploma in Social Media Strategy 

Course Details below: 

What is information technology or IT? Definition and examplesDiploma in Information Technology Management

Boost your knowledge of modern Information Technology Management in just a few hours with this free online course.

This free online course in Information Technology management will introduce you to the core concepts and best practices of the trade. The course will also teach you how to implement and control IT in both small and large organisations. Given the importance of Information Technology management today, people with IT management skills make for highly valuable employees.


This course will bring your IT management skills to the next level, for free – Click to Access

 

Project Management | Translational Research Office (TRO) - UCL – University College LondonProject Management

Fundamentals of Project Management

Learn how to successfully manage any project and understand important project phases and project management tools.

This free online fundamentals of project management course will teach you the most important aspects of project management in a clear and simple manner. There are certain project phases, tools, and resources that every project manager needs to know in order to complete a project properly. This course will guide you through all of them, so that you can give your project management skills, and your résumé, a boost today.

Start Learning The Fundamentals of Project Management Today


10 Tips to Improve Your Customer Service | R2 Docuo ECM SoftwareCustomer Service

Developing Quality Customer Service Skills

Learn the important skills to deliver excellent customer service in this free online customer service training course. 

This free online course is for those who are interested in learning to become customer service representatives or are seeking to improve their skills. This customer service certification will teach you the important skills you need to learn and practice to become excellent at customer service. You will learn how to develop the right attitudes toward relating with customers, the general dos and don’ts and importance of making a good impression

Click Here to Improve Your Customer Service Skills Today

 


Effective Tips for a Successful Social Media Marketing StrategySocial Media Marketing

Diploma in Social Media Strategy   

Learn how an effective marketing strategy can make the most out of social media in this free online diploma course.

This diploma course provides the skills you need to become an accomplished social media strategist. We study the rise of social media and explain how to conduct and audit market analysis to help you set goals and select content, channels and platforms. We investigate how to create a social media policy and integrate marketing strategies to improve your client’s brand profile.

This diploma course teaches you how to use social media to get ahead – Start Now


Human Resource Management - The Netherlands Education GroupManagement

Introduction to Modern Human Resource Management

Learn how to effectively manage your organization's human resources as well as recruit and train your ideal team.

This free online Introduction to Modern Human Resource Management course will teach you how to strategically manage your HR responsibilities so that your organization can achieve its objectives and goals. This is one of the core factors that contribute to the success of an organization, as maximizing employee performance is essential for driving a company forward.

Click here to Acquire effective HR management skills to power organization-wide success, today!


The 8 Rules of Service Leadership - Salesforce EU Blog - Salesforce EMEA BlogIntroduction to Managing Employees

Get your employees motivated and learn what it takes to get the best out of them with this free online course.

This free online course will help you learn the important steps you can take to get your employees working the right way. Managing people is often a difficult and complex task and the content in this human resources course will teach you the right things to do to get your job done, keep your employees motivated and productive, and the importance of applying the right conflict management techniques to ensure a happy working environment.


Learn the latest info about Human Resources Management by Clicking Here

 

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Job Skills Mon, 30 May 2022 17:42:12 +0000
This huge email mistake is preventing you from getting hired https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/65-this-huge-email-mistake-is-preventing-you-from-getting-hired https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/65-this-huge-email-mistake-is-preventing-you-from-getting-hired This huge email mistake is preventing you from getting hired
 
ghettoyute@xxx.com, nuhbehaviour@xxx.com? What does your E-mail Address Say to a Potential Employer About You?
 

Your E-Mail address matters. 

 

Using the wrong email address when applying for a job could hurt your chances

 

Using your work email to apply for jobs is not a good idea. Not only is it a misuse of company resources, it's a good way to get caught looking for a job by your current employer. People get fired for less. Plus, prospective employers will not look favorably on this.

 

Also, you're obviously planning on leaving your job. If you leave your job, you will not have access to your email account. What if an even better job offer comes through and they can't contact you? Using your work email to apply for jobs is not a good idea. Not only is it a misuse of company resources, it's a good way to get caught looking for a job by your current employer. People get fired for less. Plus, prospective employers will not look favorably on this.

 

You also should not use the email account your Internet Service Provider gave you. This makes you too dependent on your ISP. If you decide to change ISP's, you lose all your contacts you've been developing unless you contact them with the new address. This is impossible for most people, let alone job seekers.

What you should do:

 

Get a free account from an email provider. The ultimate is to have an email account at a domain you own. This gives you complete control over your domain name, looks more impressive and gives you a permanent email address. This may not be in your budget. So create an email account that allow that professionally represents who you are.

 

Names like partygirl, sexychick, hotboy, ghettob are NOT appropriate or effective for applicants.

 

Plus, it makes it very difficult for a recruiter to find your name when looking through an inbox. It's much better if you actually have a username that is close to your actual name. For instance John.C.Smith@ or JohnSmith@. Of course, this is not recommended for an email address used for the general public. This is only for sending email to trusted companies.There are a large number of email addresses that are just not professional. When choosing a username, you've got to consider how it makes you look. Email addresses used for professional purposes should not be cute, crude or even personal.

 

A good practice is to put yourself in the recruiter's shoes. So once you choose your username, send an email to yourself at another account. Observe how it appears in your inbox. Check your email signature, your name in the FROM line, etc. Make sure that all elements look professional.

 

Best advice: Designate an email account just for your job search

 

Get an email account specifically for applying for a job. It's not advisable to have your real name as a username for general web purposes. But in applying for a job, you'll be giving your full name anyway. So having this email address specifically for the purpose of applying for jobs is a good idea. Another good reason to do this is that you will not have used this new address out on the web in message boards, guest books, your personal web site or the web site of your 'side business'. All of these actions can be indexed in search engines and viewed by your prospective employers. Keeping your job search address separate is also a good practice to help you stay organised and not confuse private email with job search email. You're also likely to have less spam in your job search email so, your risk of confusing an employer's email with spam is much less.

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Job Skills Wed, 28 Jul 2021 18:11:06 +0000
Networking in the Digital Age https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/64-networking-in-the-digital-age https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/64-networking-in-the-digital-age Networking in the Digital Age

Networking has gone completely digital. Just like they have impacted everything else in the free world, sites like Facebook and Linkedin have altered the entire structure of professional networking.

Here are a few tips to help you survive in the digital networking age:

Find Contacts Everywhere

When you apply to a new company, it never hurts to scour your social media friends’ lists and see if anyone works there - or if anyone knows someone who works there. Sites like LinkedIn are especially great for this because you can see the contacts of contacts and what positions they hold. It only takes one positive review to give you that special “in.”

Join Online Groups

One fantastic way to unearth contacts is to join online groups. Facebook hosts everything from the “Toronto Finance Geeks Association” to a “Montreal Lawyers” group for those who have passed the Quebec Bar. If there’s one thing that I’ve noticed through my own networking, it’s that people like to talk about themselves. Don’t be scared to ask an online contact how he or she started out in the industry or for advice on your job search strategies.

Get Resume Help

You have nothing to lose by getting your resume out there. One of the greatest ways to use a contact is to have them take a look at your resume and help you tweak it. Either they will tell you it looks great (and maybe even pass it along to people they know) or they will make helpful pointers on how to better market yourself.

Remember to check our resume tips by clicking here


Think Big

The idea of six degrees of separation in the working world is fast diminishing. These days it only takes two or three contacts to get you to the person you need to meet to land that job. The magic of the Internet is that we have the capabilities to reach out to all sorts of prominent individuals that we would never have had any means to contact years ago. Never assume that someone is too far out of reach.

Use Blogs as a Tool

Nowadays, it’s hard to find an industry without at least a few blogs devoted to it. Since it’s vital that you keep up with the trends within your field, you should bookmark these blogs and do your research. Who are the power players? Who do you know who is connected to them? How can they help you? The more you dig, the more connections you will find.
 
 
 
Three things to remember about online networking:
  1. Manners still matter. When working online, people have a tendency to forgo a lot of the polite gestures that one would extend when approaching someone new in the physical world. Be careful to approach contacts with the proper amount of decency and respect.
  2. Be realistic. Not every person you contact is going to respond. In fact, most probably won’t. But the more people you reach out to, the better chance you have of increasing your online Rolodex. Try not to take things too personally and know that even the best and brightest sometimes go overlooked.
  3. Don’t pester contacts. It’s important not to get too caught up in the networking game. People are busy and may not respond right away (or ever). That doesn't give you license to hound them on a different form of social media. Stick to one initial message and a polite follow-up a few weeks later just in case they missed your note.

Adapted from www.monster.ca 
By Brandon Miller
Monster Gen Y Contributing Writer


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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Job Skills Fri, 07 May 2021 21:28:35 +0000
Resume Mistakes to Avoid https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/61-resume-mistakes-to-avoid-new https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/61-resume-mistakes-to-avoid-new

Top Resume Mistakes

It is extremely easy to make a mistake on your resume. There is no way to repair the damage that is done once an employer gets it. Preventing these mistakes is the key to landing a job interview and making the best first impression to potential employers. Here are the top resume mistakes employers continue to report: Here are the top resume mistakes and ways to avoid them:

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

Your resume needs to be grammatically perfect. If it isn't, employers will read between the lines and draw not-so-flattering conclusions about you, like: "This person probably cant speak well or write" or "This person doesn't pay attention to details.
Avoid making this mistake by having at least two persons proof read your resume for you before sending it off. Also, if you are sending your resume in via email, send it to yourself first to see what the employer will see once they get it.

2. A Bad Objective

Employers do read your resume objective, but will often overlook candidates that use clichéd phrases like "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth." Your objective should provide employers with a clear impression of your professional goals and how they would potentially benefit their organization. For example: "Seeking a challenging entry-level marketing position that allows me to contribute my skills and experience in fund-raising for a non governmental organization."

Be sure your objective fits with each position you apply for. Do not send an employer hiring for sales reps the same objective you would if you were applying for a post as a brand manager. Read the job posting carefully and tailor your objective to match.

3. Lack of Specifics

Employers what to know what you have accomplished not a list of you duties. For example:

From the perspective of an HR Manger there is a huge difference between a candidate who states, "Worked with employees in a restaurant setting" as opposed to one that states "Recruited, hired, trained and supervised more than 20 employees in a restaurant with $2 million in annual sales"

Both of these phrases could describe the same person, but the specific accomplishments given by the second candidate will make them more likely to be the one called for an interview.

4. Attempting One Size Fits All

Whenever you try to develop a one-size-fits-all resume to send to all employers, you almost always end up with something employers will toss in the recycle bin. Employers want you to write a resume specifically for them. They expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in a specific organization.

5. No Power Words/Action Verbs

Avoid using phrases like "responsible for." Instead, use action verbs: "Resolved user questions as part of an IT help desk serving 4,000 students and staff." Click here for a list of our top Power Words to help you get started.

6. Leaving Off Important Information

You may be tempted the jobs you took "just because" or "just for the money" The soft skills you've gained from these experiences (e.g., work ethic, time management) are more important to employers than you might think.

Be sure to include them on your resume

7. Visually Unappealing

If your resume has four different fonts with italics, colours and and stylization, it may be too busy on the eyes. This may give a negative impression to the employer and in general, is just difficult to read.

Show your resume to several other people before sending it out and ask them if they it visually attractive? If what you have is hard on the eyes, edit. Remember: sometimes less is more!

8. Incorrect Contact Information

janine.b@mymail.com / janine_b@mymail.com. Notice the difference?

One incorrect digit, character or letter means that an employer will not be able to contact you. Check and recheck your contact information to make sure it is current and correct. Most importantly (and yes, more people than you would this do this) ensure that your full name is on your resume!

CJ Admin

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Resume and Cover Letter Writing Tips Wed, 02 Jun 2021 21:06:08 +0000
What You Need to Know about a Company Before a Job Interview https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/36-what-you-need-to-know-about-a-company-before-a-job-interview https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/36-what-you-need-to-know-about-a-company-before-a-job-interview What You Need to Know about a Company Before a Job Interview

What You Need to Know about a Company Before a Job Interview

Before heading to job interview, it is extremely important that candidates know as much information as possible about the Company/ Organization. Getting this information is fairly simple, and it's a good idea to memorize a few key points to bring up during the interview. Human Resource Managers are impressed by interviewees who are well-informed about the company.

Consider researching the following information about the company:

  1. What the company does and what product or service provides “About Us”
  2. The size of the company
  3. How the company started
  4. Company values and goals, usually found in the Vision and Mission Statements
  5. Current projects, work, publications and the work of competitors
  6. Names of key members of staff: Owners, Managing Director, C.E.O, the Interviewer etc.
Most of this information can be found on the prospective employer’s Web Site. A simple online search for the company name should direct you to it. If you are able to get a copy of annual reports this will also be helpful.
Make notes on all this, and commit them to memory before the interview. If you do this, it will be much easier for you to answer common interview questions like “explain why you’re a good match for the company”, “what you can contribute to the company’s goals” and “where you see yourself going with the company in the future”.

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Job Skills Fri, 18 Dec 2020 22:00:13 +0000
Structure of a Cover Letter https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/7-structure-of-a-cover-letter https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/7-structure-of-a-cover-letter Structure of a Cover Letter

Structure of a Cover Letter

If you’re unsure how you’re actually going to write a cover letter, it can help to break the letter down into its various parts and concentrate on just one section at a time. Here’s what goes into each of the four main sections of a cover letter:

The Beginning:

This is where you tell employers who you are, why you’re writing , and how you heard about the organization or the specific opening. The “who you are” part is a brief introduction of yourself with a phrase like: “I am a senior at XYZ University graduating in May with a major in biology.” Just mention the basic facts about you and your situation, choosing the ones that will be most relevant to the employer. The “why you’re writing” part is where you mention which position you are applying for, or what your job ­objective is if no specific opening has been advertised. Then be sure to tell them how you heard about the organization or the job. You might say, for example, “I saw your posting for a Marketing Assistant at the Career Services on Career Jamaica.” Or, “I read about the expansion of your East Coast operations in the Jamaica Gleaner and am ­interested in ­discussing entry-level opportunities you might have ­available.”

The Middle:

1. The Sales Pitch

It’s best to get right to the point. The objective of this part of the letter is to list–either in paragraph form or as an actual list of bullet points–the reasons why the reader should see you as a viable candidate. It’s best to start with a statement that provides an overview of your qualifications, then go into them more specifically, using the examples you ­identified ­before you started writing. A typical opening statement might sound something like: “As a political science major and former campaign volunteer for the Liberal party, I offer the following skills and accomplishments.”

2. The Flattery

This is the “why them” section of your letter. It’s where you flatter the reader a bit by commenting  on something positive about the organization and letting them know why you would want to work there.

You might mention the organization’s reputation, sales record, size, corporate culture,  management philosophy or anything else that they take pride in. Prospective employers like  to know that you have chosen them for a reason and that they’re not just one of hundreds of  companies you’re writing to as part of a mass mailing. (Even if you are doing a mass  mailing, you must tailor each letter to “flatter” the reader and show that you’ve done some  research on that organization or that person.)

 The End:

A Request for Further Action

Some people think of this final section of a cover letter as the closing , but it’s much more than that . The closing paragraph isn’t just about thanking the reader for taking the time to read your letter or for considering you as a candidate for a job. It ’s also about where to go from here–about opening the door to fur ther contact . It’s where you suggest how to proceed, usually by saying that you will call or email the reader to follow up and see if a meeting can be arranged.

The important thing is to end the letter in an assertive, but courteous way by taking the initiative to follow up Once you’ve gotten these four sections of the letter completed in terms of content, go back and smooth out any rough edges of your writing and check for typos, misspellings and grammatical errors.

Then you’re ready for “Sincerely” or “Best Regards” and your signature,and you’re off and running on the road to a great job.

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Resume and Cover Letter Writing Tips Sat, 19 Dec 2015 05:13:58 +0000
Resume Checkist https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/6-resume-checkist https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/6-resume-checkist Resume Checkist

Resume Checkist

Did you know that a resume will only get less than a 15-second glance at the first screening?

If you don't make a good impression within those 15 seconds, it's straight to the "no pile". Before sending off a resume to an employer, be sure that ALL your answers are YES to the following questions: 

First Impression

  1. Does the resume look original and not based on a template?
  2. Is the resume inviting to read, with clear sections and ample white space?
  3. Does the design look professional rather than like a simple typing job?
  4. Is a qualifications summary included so the reader immediately knows the applicant's value proposition?
  5. Is the resume's length and overall appearance appropriate given the career level and objective?
Appearance
  1. Does the resume provide a visually pleasing, polished presentation?
  2. Is the font appropriate for the career level and industry?
  3. Are there design elements such as bullets, bolding and lines to guide readers' eyes through the document and highlight important content?
  4. Is there a good balance between text and white space?
  5. Are margins even on all sides?
  6. Are design elements like spacing and font size used consistently throughout the document?
  7. If the resume is longer than a page, does the second page contain a heading? Is the page break formatted correctly?
Resume Sections

Are all resume sections clearly labeled?
Are sections placed in the best order to highlight the applicant's strongest credentials?
Is the work history listed in reverse chronological order (most recent job first)?

Career Goal

  1. Is the career objective included toward the top of the resume in a headline, objective or qualifications summary?
  2. Is the resume targeted to a specific career goal and not trying to be a one-size-fits-all document?
  3. If this is a resume for career change, is the current objective clearly stated, along with supporting details showing how past experience is relevant to the new goal?
  4. Accomplishments
  5. Does the resume include a solid listing of career accomplishments?
  6. Are accomplishments quantified by using numbers, percentages, dollar amounts or other concrete measures of success?
  7. Do accomplishment statements begin with strong, varied action verbs?
  8. Are accomplishments separated from responsibilities?
Relevance
  1. Is the information relevant to hiring managers' needs?
  2. Does the resume's content support the career goal?
  3. Is the resume keyword-rich, packed with appropriate power words, buzzwords and industry acronyms?
  4. Is applicable additional information, such as awards and affiliations, included, while personal information like marital status, age and nationality unrelated to the job target omitted?
Writing Style
  1. Is the resume written in an implied first-person voice with personal pronouns, such as
  2. I, me and my, avoided?
  3. Is the content flow logical and easy to understand?
  4. Is the resume as perfect as possible, with no careless typos or spelling, grammar or syntax errors?

    Adapted from: Resume Critique Checklist
    By Kim Isaacs, Monster Resume Expert
    www.monster.com
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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Resume and Cover Letter Writing Tips Sat, 19 Dec 2015 05:01:26 +0000
5 Things You Should Never do in a Job Interview New https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/3-5-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-job-interview https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/3-5-things-you-should-never-do-in-a-job-interview 5 Things You Should Never do in a Job Interview New

5 Things You Should Never do in a Job Interview

Congratulations! you have just gotten called in for a job interview. You now need to know the simple ways to candidates make a bad impression during an interview. There are a few things that most Human Resource professionals agree are “pet peeves” guaranteed to ensure you do NOT get the job.

1. Ask, 'What Does Your Company Do?'


Candidates must do their homework and be prepared for an interview. The fastest way to “fail” at a job interview is to as “what does your company do”
What Do You Need to Know About a Company Before Your Job Interview

2. Bring the Family

We understand the need for support and encouragement when going through the job interview process. At the same time, brining this support to the interview with you, is a definite no-no. Spouses, friends and even children, should not accompany you to the interview.

3. Use Your Cellphone during the Interview

Human Resource Managers are reporting that more and more job candidates are using their cellphones during interviews. What many candidates do not realize is that doing this gives the impression that they are unfocused and easily distracted. The best advice here is to turn off your phone (not put it on silent or vibrate) as soon as you are about to enter the building for the interview.

Managers often ask secretaries and other staff members candidates encounter before the interview their impression of them. It is very important that candidates make the best impression fro the moment they enter the building to the moment they leave.

4. Don't Smile. Or Laugh Too Much. Or Cry

Smiling and engaging the interviewer are important in an interview, but going overboard with constant laughter or continuing to smile while being asked serious questions may cause an employer to not take you seriously or make it seem that the candidate is trying too hard to be liked.

Crying, is also a negative; Interviewers understand that candidates may be grateful for the opportunity, or even nervous given the situation, especially given how difficult is it to find jobs in this economy, but at the same time, recounting tales of hardship that will move you to tears or being unable to answer a question because of nerves will give them the impression that you are unable to cope under pressure.

Excessive smiling, laughter or crying may just cost a candidate the job.

5. Bring food or Drinks to the interview

This may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised how often it happens. Interviewees who are scheduled within the common 12-2 lunch hour, tend to be guilty of this. Eating in the waiting room of lobby may present a bad first impression and make a job candidate memorable in the wrong way. Chewing gum or eating sweets during the interview should also be avoided.

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Job Skills Sat, 19 Dec 2015 03:23:01 +0000
10 tips for an Excellent Résumé New https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/2-10-tips-for-an-excellent-resume https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/2-10-tips-for-an-excellent-resume 10 tips for an Excellent Résumé New

10 tips for an Excellent Résumé

1. Résumé length

You may have heard that your résumé should fit on one page. This is nonsense. Recruiter or hiring managers don’t care if your résumé is one or two pages long. But they do care whether it is easy to read and gives key information upfront. Your résumé can be one, two, or (occasionally) even three pages. The only rule is that the length should be appropriate for you. If in doubt follow the (very general) rule of thumb that less than 5 years experience probably only requires one page and more than that may need two.

2. Clearly state that you can meet the needs of the employer

Think of a résumé as an advertisement for a product, only this time the product is you. Just like any other advertisement, positioning is everything. The person who receives your résumé will scan it quickly ­ perhaps for no more than 20 seconds ­ to determine whether you can help her company. Your job is to say quickly, clearly and loudly that you can!

Don’t just launch into a chronology of your career history. Instead, determine your own positioning by spelling out your message at the start of the résumé and giving the reader your version of events upfront. For this reason, you should use the first 1/3 of your résumé to create a compelling personal profile which highlights your key strengths in an attractive, easy-to-read format.

3. Don't start with an objective - try a profile instead

Don’t start with an objective. Recruiters and hiring managers don’t like them because they focus on the needs of the job seeker rather than the needs of the potential employer. Consider this objective statement: “Seeking a software engineer position with a progressive employer where I can contribute to the development of new technologies and work with bright, committed people.”

This may be very honest but it is irrelevant to the reader, who does not care what you want and only cares what you have to offer. Instead of an objective, try using a positioning statement or profile that clearly and concisely explains what you have to offer.

“Senior Software Engineer with 10 years experience developing leading-edge technologies.”

Now the reader can immediately see your value to the company. (For even greater impact, tailor this statement for each position so that the reader immediately sees a match between his/her needs and your skills.)

4. Include specifics

You must place your achievements in context by providing specifics. For example, don’t say something vague like “contributed to product design.” This tells the employer nothing about your actual contribution. Instead be specific about what you did: “Conducted market analysis for (name of product) to determine design and mechanics. Led changes to original design spec. despite initial developer objections. Received critical acclaim and sold over 4 million units.” See how being specific makes a difference? This level of detail shows the reader the contributions you have made in the past (and therefore the contributions you can be expected to make in the future.)

5. Outline achievements and responsibilities

Don’t provide a laundry list of responsibilities without showing what results you achieved. Most employers already know what the main responsibilities of your job were. They want to know what makes you different from all the other applicants. An effective résumé summarizes job responsibilities in a few sentences and then provides details of quantifiable achievements.

Focus most of your résumé on the results you accomplished, not the regular duties of your job.

6. Are there any typos?

Your résumé has to be perfect. Proofread it over and over again. When you are sure it’s perfect, have other people proof it! If even one word is misspelled the reader will assume that you didn’t know how to spell the word (this is bad) or that you didn’t care (this is even worse!) Nothing puts the reader off more quickly than misspellings or typos.

7. Is the résumé easy to read?

At least 50% of the impact of your résumé derives from design. A strong résumé design will pull the eye through the document, making it easy to keep reading and will highlight your key strengths clearly. But if your résumé is badly laid out, disorganized or hard to read, it will be discarded before the reader knows how qualified you are.

To see examples of how to lay out your résumé, go to the library or bookstore and look in the career section. You will find collections of sample résumés. Take time to understand how the page has been laid out and then apply what you’ve learned to your résumé.

8. Exclude irrelevant information

Don’t list your hobbies unless they directly support your qualifications for the position. Don’t detail your marital status or the number of children you have. Don’t mention non-professional affiliations such as political or religious volunteer work unless it directly relates to the position you are applying for. Any personal information runs the risk of turning the reader off. However proud you are of personal achievements, you should not run the risk of alienating someone before you even have your foot in the door.

9. Are you too modest?

Don’t be uncomfortable about blowing your own trumpet. Too many people play down their achievements. While you should never exaggerate on a résumé, you should definitely take credit for the things you’ve accomplished. Some people feel uncomfortable boasting on paper preferring to explain in an interview. But if your résumé doesn’t spark interest, you may never get that opportunity, so don’t be modest!

10. Have an internet-ready version of résumé

If you have to post your résumé online, or apply to a job via an online system, you will need to convert your résumé to a text-only format. If you don’t do this, your résumé will be almost impossible to read because most online systems cannot support the type of formatting used in a résumé (bold, italics, bullet points, lines etc.)

Following these tips will allow you to have the best chances with Jamaican employers while you are job hunting.

- CareerJamaica.com

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Resume and Cover Letter Writing Tips Sat, 19 Dec 2015 03:08:47 +0000
10 Rules to follow when Writing a Cover Letter https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/1-10-rules-to-follow-when-writing-a-cover-letter https://careerjamaica.com/career-tools/item/1-10-rules-to-follow-when-writing-a-cover-letter 10 Rules to follow when Writing a Cover Letter
 
What is a Cover Letter?
 
A cover letter is an introduction, a sales pitch, and a ­proposal for further action all in one. It gives the reader a taste of what’s to come–not by simply summarizing the resume, but by highlighting the aspects of your background that will be most relevant to the position. A cover letter also demonstrates that you can organize your thoughts and express yourself clearly and appropriately; in other words, it reflects your ­communication skills and, to some extent, your personality.


Cover letters are typically one page documents. Like lots of things in life, they have a beginning, middle, and end: usually an introduction saying who you are and why you’re writing, followed by a sales pitch of what you have to offer and then a closing in which you propose steps for further action. These three components often amount to three or four paragraphs, but there are no hard and fast rules about exactly how you break up the information.

10 Cardinal Rules of Cover Letter Writing

  1. Tailor your letter as much as possible to the target reader and industry.
  2. Talk more about what you can do for the prospective employer than about what they can do for you.
  3. Convey focused career goals. Even if you’d be willing to take any job they’d offer you, don’t say so.
  4. Don’t say anything negative about your employment situation or your life in general.
  5. Cut to the chase–don’t ramble.
  6. Don’t make empty claims that aren’t backed up with to examples.
  7. Don’t write more than one page unless the prospective employer has asked for a detailed or extended cover letter.
  8. Check, recheck and triple check your letter for typos and other errors.
  9. Get other people’s opinions of your letter before you send it.
  10. Keep easily accessible copies of all letters you mail, fax or email along with a log of when letters were sent so that you can follow up on them.

Five Things to Think about Before Writing

  1. If you find yourself struck by writer’s block at about the “Dear Mr. or Ms. So-and-So” point, ask yourself the following five ­questions. This will help you build a foundation for your letter and will make the actual writing go much more smoothly.
  2. What is the prospective employer looking for? Which skills, knowledge and experience would be an asset in the job you are targeting? What are your objectives? Are you applying for a specific job, trying to get an interview, or simply hoping to get someone to spend 10 or 15 minutes on the phone with you discussing opportunities in general at that organization?
  3. What are three to five qualities that you would bring to this employer or this job? If you’re responding to a job listing or classified ad,look for “clues” that will tell you what they are really looking for. If you’re not applying for a specific job opening, then think of which skills, ­knowledge and experience would typically be valued.
  4. How can you match your experience to the job? What are at least two specific accomplishments you can mention which give credence to the qualities you identified in question number three?
  5. Why do you want to work for this particular organization or person? What do you know about them? What is it about their products or services, philosophy, mission, organizational culture, goals and needs that relates to your own background, values and objectives?

When you’ve addressed these five issues, you’re ready to put fingers to keyboard and start hammering out that letter.

 

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careerjamaica@gmail.com (Career Jamaica) Resume and Cover Letter Writing Tips Sat, 19 Dec 2015 02:19:18 +0000