Interview with Teena Rose, owner of Resume to Referral

For all of you looking to ramp-up your job searches, I took the opportunity to interview Teena Rose, CPRW, CEIP, CCM, and owner of Resume to Referral, so she could share some words of wisdom with you about exactly that.

"What are some things that you know are important about resumes and cover letters that most job seekers don't seem to know?"

Teena Rose: A common mistake found in many documents is a lack of focus. Some jobseekers tend to list everything within their resumes without any regard to the reader, the position, or the industry. Follow these 5 tips:

(1) Weigh the importance of current and older positions. If you're trying to resurrect a past career, then question the amount of space you're dedicating to irrelevant job descriptions.

(2) Are your certifications and licenses applicable? Some credentials shouldn’t have a place within a jobseeker’s resume. You must decide whether listing certain items helps or hurts your job search.

(3) Stay away from a simple objective or summary statement. The top section of a resume serves as your small commercial; if it doesn’t contain the key points that hiring professionals are seeking, you’re hindering your search.

(4) Does your document contain too much information? Avoid listing street addresses for employers, manager’s names and phone numbers, and reasons for leaving.

(5) Once you’ve created a great introductory statement, lead your resume with the next important asset you bring to the table. For example, if the employer has specifically requested a master’s degree listing your education prominently within the top third of your resume will immediately make you more marketable.

"What's the best format/outline for an incredibly compelling cover letter?"

TR: A great cover letter revolves around what you say, not how much you say. It's time saving for a jobseeker to utilize a stock cover letter, but thorough changes should be made to personalize the letter for each recipient.

First, utilize a conversational writing style throughout the letter.

Second, reference specifics throughout the letter pertaining to the company and the position.

Last, leave the reader with the impression that the letter was written specifically for him/her.

"What's the best way to "speed up" a job search?"

TR: With technologies in place, there are methods to optimize the reach of a resume within a short time. These new methods, however, don’t always secure favorable returns for the jobseeker.

Conducting a job search that focuses on quality and not quantity will produce better results over the long haul. Not all jobseekers follow this method because a certain amount of research is involved along with retooling each cover letter and résumé accordingly.

Teena Rose offers a wide-away of helpful products and services for jobseekers through her website www.resumebycprw.com. She can also be contacted by phone at 937-325-2149.