6 Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs

6 Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs6 Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs You only get one shot - do not miss your chance to blow. Eminem may have been referring to rap battles when he dropped this lyric back in 2002, but he just as easily could have been talking about resumes and the job search. Resumes, after all, are your first chance to show a company what a perfect fit you are for a position - but if done incorrectly, they could also be your last. Thats why its absolutely critical to get them right the first time. Otzu sichwise, all the time you spend filling out applications is essentially for naught.But for every resume mistake, theres a remedy. Weve rounded up a few of the most common resume errors that prevent you from moving onto the next round, as well as solutions for how to fix them. It may take some time to tweak, but the payoff is worth it.Its an age-old adage in writing show, dont tell. When job seekerssimply state how great they are without p roviding any evidence, they lose credibility in recruiters eyes. One common way job seekers do this is by using buzzwords (strategic, specialized, leadership, experienced, passionate, focused, creative, enthusiastic), shares career coach Jeanne Patti .The Fix Instead of using these words, demonstrate how you use that skill. Its a powerful way to share your experiences and what makes you stand out without boring the person on the other end, says Patti. One common approach is the STAR method - provide the situation, task, action and result of different initiatives you have been involved in, making sure to include specific information like metrics as relevant.If your college career counselor ever told you to put an objective like Find an entry-level position in absatzwirtschaft at the top of your resume, were giving you full permission to disregard them. One of the biggest mistakes that I often see in a resume is an objective in lieu of a professional summary . Objectives should not be used in a resume, says Wendi Weiner, resume writer & career transition coach .The Fix Dont just say you want a job - show recruiters why they should hire you for the job with a professional summary. Your professional summary should resonate who you are as a professional and the high-caliber skill sets you have to offer, explains Weiner. Think of a professional summary as an introduction to the novel about yourself. It should allure the reader and entice him/her with information that will make him/her want to continue on reading to learn more.When youre applying to multiple jobs, its tempting to use a generic, cookie-cutter resume and blast it out everywhere youre applying to. But that strategy may end up preventing your resume from getting in a recruiters hands at all. Most resumes are reviewed electronically before a human sees them, Patti says , and if your resume doesnt have the keywords specified in the job description, it will likely be overlooked by the softwar e.The Fix It may be a pain to create a customized resume for each company, but if youre truly interested in a position, its worth it. Tailoring each submittal with keywords from the job posting is critical to pass the electronic screening, Patti says.If your resume reads like the original job description you saw when you applied, its time to spice it up. Most people focus too much on their job tasks/functions to ensure that the keywords are in the resume, and fail to devote time to strategically marketing their best skill sets and career wins, Weiner says .The Fix Instead of talking about the day-to-day, describe the big picture impact you had. The more effective thing to do is to have a separate core skills section and focus your work experience section on results, major contributions and key projects you have worked on at various companies/organizations, Weiner says. It is the number one way to distinguish yourself among the hundreds of applicants applying for jobs.Many peop le arent using the presence of social media to their advantage and use their resume as a stand-alone document, Patti says. But in a constantly connected world where being transparent and informed iscritical at every stage of the hiring process , it only makes sense to add links to your professional social media profiles. The Fix Give another layer of depth to your resume by linking to relevant, professional social media links. Patti recommends that job seekers remove your physical address and add your LinkedIn URL. By linking to your updated profile, you will immediately gain credibility through your recommendations and endorsements of your skills and show insight into your personal brand and value, Patti adds.When it comes to your resume, your experience and career accomplishments are the most important, but how you present that information comes in at a close second. The way you express yourself on your resume (and in any form of communication) impacts the way others perceive you, says Angela Copeland, Career Coach . Spelling mistakes, clichs and complex, industry-specific jargon will all count against you.The Fix First, ensure your resume is grammatically correct. Then, be sure that it is worded in a professional manner with a somewhat formal tone. Last, ensure your resume is understandable to someone, even if they dont work in your industry, Copeland says. The easiest way to improve your choice of words is to read your resume out loud to yourself. This can catch many of the potential issues before anyone else sees it. Then, ask a friend or family member who works in another industry to read it. If they find your resume to be confusing, consider updating the wording, so that its more clear.

These are signs when you should turn down a job offer

These are signs when you should turn down a job offerThese are signs when you should turn down a job offerI recently got a call on theBossed Up Podcasthotline from Christina in Seattle. She had just turned down a job offer and wanted to hear my take on whether or not she made the right choice.

The History Behind the 21-Gun Military Salute

The History Behind the 21-Gun Military SaluteThe History Behind the 21-Gun Military SaluteThe practice of firing gun salutes has existed for centuries. Early warriors demonstrated their peaceful intentions by placing their weapons in a position that rendered them ineffective. This custom welches universal, with the specific act varying with time and place, depending on the weapons being used. Use of Cannons The tradition of rendering a salute by cannon originated in the 14th century as firearms and cannons came into use. Since these early devices contained only one projectile, discharging them once rendered them ineffective. Originally warships fired seven-gun salutes seven planets had been identified and the phases of the moon changed every seven days. Land batteries, having a greater supply of gunpowder, were able to fire three guns for every shot fired afloat, hence the salute by shore batteries welches 21 guns. The multiple of three probably welches chosen because of the myst ical significance of the number three in many ancient civilizations. Early gunpowder, composed mainly of sodium nitrate, spoiled easily at seabut could be kept cooler and drier inland magazines. When potassium nitrate improved the quality of gunpowder, ships at sea adopted the salute of 21 guns. For many years, the number of guns fired for various purposes differed from country to country. By 1730, the Royal Navy was prescribing 21 guns for certain anniversary dates, although this was bedrngnis mandatory as a salute to the Royal family until later in the eighteenth century. The American Revolution Several famous incidents involving gun salutes took place during the American Revolution. On November 16, 1776, the Continental Navy brigantine Andrew Doria, Captain Isaiah Robinson, fired a salute of 13 guns upon entering the harbor of St. Eustatius in the West Indies (some accounts give 11 as the number). A few minutes later, the salute was returned by 9 (or 11) guns by order of the Dutch governor of the island. At the time, a 13 gun salute would have represented the 13 newly-formed United States the customary salute rendered to a republic at that time was 9 guns. This has been called the first salute to the American flag. About three weeks before, however, an American schooner had had her colors saluted at the Danish island of St. Croix. The flag flown by the Andrew Doria and the unnamed American schooner in 1776 was not the Stars and Stripes, which had not yet been adopted. Rather, it was the Grand Union flag, consisting of 13 alternating red and white stripes with the British Jack in the union. The first official salute by a foreign nation to the Stars and Stripes took place on February 14, 1778, when the Continental Navy ship Ranger, Captain John Paul Jones, fired 13 guns and received nine in return from the French fleet anchored in Quiberon Bay. Evolution of the 21-Gun Salute The 21-gun salute became the highest honor a nation could render. Varying cus toms among the maritime powers led to confusion in saluting and return of salutes. Great Britain, the worlds preeminent sea power in the 18th and 19th centuries, compelled weaker nations to salute first, and for a time monarchies received more guns than did republics. Eventually, by agreement, the international salute was established at 21 guns, although the United States did not agree on this procedure until August 1875. System Changes The gun salute system of the United States has changed considerably over the years. In 1810, the national salute was defined by the War Department as equal to the number of states in the Unionat that time 17. This salute was fired by all U.S. military installations at 1p.m. (later at noon) on Independence Day. The President also received a salute equal to the number of states whenever he visited a military installation. The U.S. Navy regulations for 1818 were the first to prescribe a specific manner for rendering gun salutes (although gun salutes were in use before the regulations were written down). Those regulations required that When the President shall visit a ship of the United States Navy, he is to be saluted with 21 guns. It may be noted that 21 was the number of states in the Union at that time. For a time thereafter, it became customary to offer asaluteof one gun for each state in the Union, although in practice there was a great deal of variation in the number of guns actually used in a salute. When Are They Traditionally Used A 21-gun salute for the President and heads of state, Washingtons Birthday, and the Fourth of July became the standard in the United States Navy with the issuance of new regulations in1842. Today, the national salute of 21 guns is fired in honor of a national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigningroyal family, and the President, ex-President, and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a Presid ent, ex-President, or President-elect, on Washingtons Birthday, Presidents Day, and the Fourth of July. On Memorial Day, a salute of 21-minute guns is fired at noon while the flag is flown at half-mast. Fifty guns are also fired on all military installations equipped to do so at the close of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect. Gun salutes are also rendered to other military and civilian leaders of this and other nations. The number of guns is based on their protocol rank. These salutes are always in odd numbers. Military Funerals At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. It is often mistaken by the laymen as a 21-gun salute, although it is different. In the military, a gun is a large-caliber weapon. The three volleys are fired from rifles, not guns. Anyone who is entitled to amilitary funeral will receivethe three rifle volleys, subject to availability of honor guard kollektivs. The fi ring team can consist of any number, but one usually sees a team of eight, with a noncommissioned officer in charge of the firing detail. Whether the team consists of three or eight, or ten, each member firesthree times(three volleys). The three volleys come from an old battlefield custom. The two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle. The flag detail often slips three shell casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley.