Diversifying your search tactics sure to yield stronger response

Dear Sam: I'm one of those 50 something Dads who has slowly warmed up to the internet wave. I am also a father of a 25 year old daughter who seems to pursue opportunities EXCLUSIVELY via the internet! I have casually nudged her toward the concept of looking for a new job through networking, hand written/typed letters, business journal classified advertisements, personal letters "mailed" to specific companies inquiring about possible openings etc. She assures me "today, no one goes about recruiting any other way except via the internet. That is where any openings would be posted!" Can you offer some advice as to which approaches are most used and, better yet, most successful today! - Old Fashioned Dad

Dear Old Fashioned Dad: Your daughter is limiting her search, and depleting its effectiveness by solely using the Internet. She, along with hundreds of others, will apply online for the same job, hoping their résumé is enough to differentiate their candidacy. Unfortunately sometimes that isn’t enough and is where using offline methods such as networking, referrals, cold contact letters, job fairs, custom portfolios, etc. can play a key role in increasing a candidate’s exposure, prompting interest, securing interviews, and possibly even landing that dream job. I don’t suggest avoiding the Internet, but DO NOT underestimate the power more “old fashioned” tactics can play in the success of your search. A recent survey by a leading placement agency found while the Internet was most popular with job seekers with 32% of candidates finding jobs online, the majority actually found work via other offline methods such as the newspaper, word of mouth, direct recruiter / employer contact, etc. With stats like that it would only be prudent to diversify ones search methods. In today’s job market the most successful searches stem from a combination of a great résumé and cover letter and a well executed job search plan exhausting all possible approaches to get your candidacy in front of hiring managers.

Dear Sam: My husband was laid off from a career position in capital equipment sales last year. I was in the middle of a small business startup (a licensed childcare facility). He helped me a great deal with site selection, setup, licensing, and all the things we do when we start a business. Should he leave a gap from his layoff to present, or should he include his work in the family business on his résumé? What specifically should he say as he continues his search for a new position in his own field? – Maria

Dear Maria: In this situation strategy is key in opening versus closing doors. I would rather he present the most related highlights from his time assisting in new business launch instead of having a gap in his employment. Positioning is vital in this situation, so even though I suggest he present his time with your business, I want him to present achievements in his field first. To do this, develop a strong summary serving as an overview of his career in capital equipment sales. Next, present a Career Highlights section, organized by employer, with select achievements from his sales career. By doing this you will likely drop his most recent experience with your business to page two, which in turn, will make it play a lesser role in the screening process. In the Professional Experience section present only those most related skills/experiences from your family business. You don’t even have to mention what type of business it was, just present the experience researching, negotiating, and selecting the site; establishing a compliant organizational infrastructure; and developing new business through strategic sales and marketing efforts. While the experience is not directly aligned with his former positions, there are many related aspects that can be highlighted as complementary. By executing this strategy your husband will position himself as a capital equipment sales professional while minimizing the impact of his recent absence from the field. All the best.

Dear Sam: Due to downsizing, I have recently found myself back in the market searching for a job. I have not had issues getting my resume noticed in the past. I have more than seven years experience in outside sales and have my resume organized in chronological order. Do you think I would get noticed by choice employers more quickly if I used a functional resume format as opposed to chronological? Thanks - Lauren

Dear Lauren: Absolutely not! In fact, functional resumes are rarely effective because they leave the reader wondering what you did where and when. Functional formats should be resorted to only in situations where you have no chance of getting past the screening process if you use the traditional, and much more widely accepted, reverse chronological format. These situations could include frequent job hops, limited related experience, large employment gaps, and more. Now, you can certainly pull out some career highlights and organize those by functional area, creating a combination or hybrid format, but be sure to note where each was achieved. Your qualifications summary should serve as the overview of your related and/or transferable skills and experiences, and in that summary, you can pull out keywords which will focus attention on the areas you would likely highlight in a functional format. There is no need to resort to the functional format. Instead, use great content, organization, formatting, achievements, and a strong qualifications summary to grab the reader's attention.

Dear Sam: I have been laid off from four straight employers and none of them have been my fault. How can I get across the fact that I have been laid off, not fired or terminated, instead of appearing that I have jumped from one job to another and had gaps of employment. Is there a good way to put the information in the résumé and cover letter that brings attention to it, but won't make it sound like I am "making excuses?" Thanks for your time. I appreciate any suggestions you have. - Brett

Dear Brett: In today's market most people have been victim of a downsizing or two, so it will not come as a shock to the hiring manager that you have been laid off multiple times. Only include months of employment and not years, which only highlight gaps in employment. There are few reasons you would note the reason for leaving an employer on your résumé, but on your cover letter you could make a statement that you were seeking a career opportunity with a stable and growing organization. By making a positive statement as to what you want, rather than a negative statement about what you don't want, you are letting the hiring manager in on the fact that your career moves were not by choice. In your résumé, be sure you are focusing on areas in which you contributed value to the organization. By doing this you negate assumptions that you may have been terminated due to lack of performance, and further reinforce the value you can offer the potential employer. In addition, just be sure to remain positive about your past employers regardless of any negative feelings you may have. It is important that you are able to make your experience shine on your résumé and in an interview, despite having been through several trying and unfortunate experiences. I wish you the best of luck in finding a long-term opportunity.

Samantha Nolan is a certified professional résumé writer and owner of Ladybug Design, a full-service résumé writing firm.

Reach Samantha at dearsam@ladybug-design.com, www.ladybug-design.com, or 1-888-9-LADYBUG (1-888-952-3928).