Put your words into action

This post came out from The Straits Times (18 August 2016)
Title - Put your words into action - Action verbs help to add punch to your application

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Make your words count
2. Use the right verbs

On Make your words count

• Think about the passive, weak, or ambigious words that clutter up far too many resumes - words like 'results driven', 'motivated', 'hardworking', 'professional' etc. Those words are easy to use because they sound good - who wouldn't want to hire someone who is motivated and hardworking? But they don't really mean anything.
• You may be the most 'results-drive' employee on the planet, but that does not mean you have actually delivered results. The way recruiters and hiring managers see it, those are the words you use when you don't have anything concrete to talk about.
• The people you are trying to impress do not really care about how much effort you pit into your job - they want to know what you have accomplished. That is why your resume should contain lots of verbs - but not just any verbs.

On Use the right verbs

• Verbs like 'is', 'was', 'served' or 'became' are all verbs of being. They say a little bit about what you were, but nothing at all about what you did. That requires resume action verbs. 
• The specific words vary depending on the job, but they all have a few things in common: They are action-oriented, specific, and create powerful visual images. 
• A quick online search will churn up dozens of lists of verbs, which go along the lines of: accomplished, achieved, advanced, boosted, delivered, developed, founded, and generated. 
• So what do you do if you have a sneaking suspicion your resume needs a booster shot of resume action words? Get it out and read it ruthlessly. Highlight or circle every weak, ambiguous, cop-out verb, and find precise, clear, powerful, action verbs for resumes to replace them.
• Here is a hint: If the word invites you to include specific details, it is probably a good resume action verb. Just be sure to proofread carefully after you make your revisions - it is really easy for a typo to sneak in. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Ge that job you want

This post came out from The Straits Times (1 April 2016)
Title - Get that job you want

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Create an eye-catching resume
2. Go small
3. Take up internships
4. Stay optimistic

On Create an eye-catching resume

• Ensure that there is consistency in font size, style, colour and spacing. Comb through your resume to avoid any spelling mistakes, and ensure that it is no longer than two A4 sides. 

On Go small

• Fresh graduates are encouraged to cast a wider net by looking at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to start career. SMEs would make a good choice for fresh graduates before they move up the career ladder. In a multi-national corporation company, job scopes re more defined, with a specific function. 
• In a SME, one can wear many hats and take on many challenges to help the company to improve its productivity. This flexibility and opportunity to learn in various roles will hone their skills, increase their knowledge and competency which prepares them to take on higher responsibilities in future. 

On Take up internships

• Not only will internships give you a first hand experience in the working world, it signals to the employer that you are able to take on different challenges. 
• Fresh graduates should not be overly concerned if they do not get into the preferred industry that they majored in school. Interning in a different industry would offer fresh graduates a different perspective and provide a fertile ground for creative solutions that can be used later on in their career. 

On Stay optimistic

• When you do not receive favourable responses from companies you applied to, do not take it personally. One needs to frame the rejection in the right context and not allow the temporary rejection to constitute as something permanent. 
• Spend time and review the type of companies that you sent your resumes to. Do a post-moterm analysis of the number of resumes sent, interviews granted and rejections received. 
• Keep yourself occupied by doing other physical activities to keep your focus away from negative thoughts. If possible, take on temporary assignments to keep oneself active during this period of job hunting. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Streamline your resume

This post came out from The Straits Times (26 March 2016)
Title - Streamline your resume

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Think before you write
2. Include a well taken studio photograph
3. Customise your cover letter and resume
4. Sell your skills and experience
5. Use a professional email address
6. Make your resume appealing
7. Sum up each job scope effectively
8. Show your personality
9. Highlight your achievements
10. Keyword-proof your resume

On Think before you write

• Be focused about what you want to convey in your application. Which are the key areas which would be more pertinent to the hiring manager? Frame this in your mind before you start any writing.

On Include a well-taken studio photograph

• This makes your profile much more memorable

On Customise your cover letter and resume

• A resume must include the type of information that employers want to see and read. Show they that you have done research on the company and have understood their most pressing challenges. Targeted, customised cover letters always get read by the hiring manager

On Sell your skills and experience

• Experienced workers should remember a resume is an advertising tool or sales brochure to sell themselves, instead of writing resumes or CVs in response to job postings. 
• Make it obvious that you are the perfect candidate. Highlight your relevant skills by tailoring your executive summary and content to fit the position. 

On Use a professional e-mail address

• Set up an email address that is as professional as the business you will conduct through it.

On Make your resume appealing

• Too many jobsekers will stick to the same Microsoft Word document template they used a decade ago. Having a well formatted resume show you have put in effort. But avoid using hard to read fonts or making your resume too colourful.

On Sum up each job scope effectively

• A recruiter or human resource manager reading your resume should know, in one line, exactly who you are and what you do, and why they should keep reading. This applies to both your executive summary, and each of your job scopes.

On Show your personality

• If your resume is ordinary, it is likely to be cast aside. Employers want to hire a person, not just someone to fill a position.

On Highlight your achievements

• Accomplishments should be presented as: Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]

On Keyword-proof your resume

• To get past the initial round of resume screening conducted by automated robots which scan for keywords in the applicant's resume, applicants need to identify and use the right keywords in their resumes. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Write to impress - Hook potential employers with a well written resume

This post came out from The Straits Times (9 July 2012)
Title - Write to impress

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Choose from four formats
2. Four important elements

On Choose from four formats

• Education oriented - This format is generally suitable for new entrants with little or no work experience. The primary focus is on educational qualifications, academic achievements and key skills. Skills can include internships, volunteer work and other campus experiences relevant to the applied position. Any employment history is briefly summarised or avoided.
• Experience oriented - This is an appropriate format for people with many years of working experience but who lack education qualifications or training. As experience is the major focus, facts on the person's employment history are listed in reverse chronological order.
• Expertise centred - This format is only suitable for professionally qualified individuals with specialist qualifications, extensive training, experience and achievements in a specific field or industry. Prominence is given in the document to work experience supported by summaries of key competency areas, expertise and career accomplishments.
• Integrated - This is appropriate for young graduates with the necessary educational qualifications and a few years of relevant working experience. The emphasis is on the candidates's educational level and skills - and hence, his potential to achieve - while his employment history and relevant experience underscore his suitability for the position.

On Four important elements

• Suitable length - A resume is essentially a summary of what is covered in slightly more detail in a CV. Generally, a resume is about two pages long and a CV about five pages. Employers usually evaluate and judge a job application within five minutes when there are many applicants. Within the time frame, the document should be able to attract the employer's attention to salient information about the applicant.
• Professional image - The first impression of the jobseeker comes from his job application. As such, it should be neat, consistently well organised and readable. Sentences should be short and clear with consistency in headings and fonts. 
• Relevant content - The CV or resume has to be clearly structured to help the potential employer find important information easily. Generally, strengths should be highlighted and weaknesses given less emphasis. Avoid sending a single standard document for all job applications. Each document should be tailored to emphasise only competencies and experiences directly relevant to the job position applied for.
• Error free - Sufficient thought and time must be invested to carefully write, edit and proofread the job application. There should never be any factual, typographical, spelling, grammar or punctuation errors in the final document. Even a small error can dent a professional image and cost the jobseeker the opportunity for a job interview. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Writing a good bio can get you a better job

This post came out from The Straits Times (11 January 2016)
Title - Writing a good bio can get you a better job

Some pointers that I've got are:

Working adults should invest in creating an updated, professional bio in addition to their resumes, which can be an important stepping stone towards getting them their dream job, experts say. You bio is a strategic play, which can get you hied, gain visibility and win you serious respect.

Bios are a concise version of a resume or online profile focused on bolstering credibility, and should be a crisp summary to convey a person's background and interests.

Syntax errors, stale and boring information or not linking to one's work are common stakes of bio writing. If the reader cannot figure out who you are in 30 seconds, you've lost your chance.

It is important to revisit the bio page every six months to change and add what other experience the professional has accrued. Professionals also need to keep their typical audience in mind while creating bios. Avoid high level buzz words that carry little meaning. Use clear, specific functional terms like 'acquisitions' or 'new product development' etc. Choose key words that are understood and desired in your field.

Creating bios of three different lengths - a full bio of maximum one page, a short bio of 75 words and a mini bio of one or two sentences - to serve different purposes. The short bio can serve as a default bio, while the mini bio can go under the byline or panel description. Cutting out the use of passive voice or weak verbs in the bio, as they may downplay a person's achievements. Referring to oneself by the first name in the write up is also discouraged.

Finish the bio with some information outside of business. Unlike a resume, it is okay to sprinkle in some personal colour. This helps people to see you as a more rounded individual.

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Escaping the toxic boss

This post came out from The Straits Times (13 October 2012)
Title - Escaping the toxic boss - If you dread working with your supervisor, take these three steps to a better career

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Gain perspective to think rationally about your career options
2. Take inventory of your career accomplishments and contributions
3. Update your resume

On Gain perspective to think rationally about your career options

• Fear in the workplace tends to leave people thinking they have no better options than to stick it out. Such thinking is a result of loss of confidence and the inability to see beyond the present distress. 
• If you keep an open mind, you will see that there are many options for you outside of your current job. One way to get the most out of this career reconnaissance is to search for job postings based on skills rather than job titles. 
• Do a job skills self-analysis to identify the tasks and activities you enjoy performing on your job. Use those skills as your search terms at online job boards. You may be surprised to see that you qualify for positions you had not thought of before.

On Take inventory of your career accomplishments and contributions

• To get moving towards a new position, you will need to regain your confidence. Think about, and then write down, situations in which you (1) came up with an idea of saving time, (2) helped your team reach a production goal (3) identified cost savings opportunities and (4) solved a customer problem leading to increased customer satisfaction. 
• As you think back on your accomplishments, you will begin to realise the value you have added to your company. Remember, other employers have similar problems to solve. They are looking for candidates who have experience in handling difficult situations. The more specific the examples of your accomplishments are, the more marketable you will be in the job market.

On Update your resume

• Once you have your accomplishments listed use them to update your resume. Think of your resume as your initial marketing tool - it should announce to potential employers your ability to help them reach their bottom line corporate goals. 
• Your resume should also have a clear career focus. Updating your resume does not mean simply adding your current work history to your old resume format. Without a careful strategy, your resume will being to resemble an old house with too many tackled on additions. 
• Make sure your resume presents a cohesive, well thought out, professional front. Additionally, if your career has taken several interesting turns, you will want to adjust your resume to refocus on your current job search. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Play up right skills to get the job

This post came out from My Paper (3 November 2015)
Title - Play up right skills to get the job

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Revamp resume, focus on skills
2. Prepare for objections

On Revamp resume, focus on skills

• A resume gets you an interview and an interview lands you the job. You cannot land a job if your resume screams "I'm over qualified", filtering you out. Scale down your resume to prevent a hiring manager from overlooking you because of your extensive experience.
• Be strategic when deciding how to scale down your resume. Make sure that your resume tells a story and follows a logical sequence.
• When revamping your resume, remember to focus more on skills and accomplishment than on job titles. Use the words from the job advertisement to match your skills with what the employer wants. De-emphasise your skills that are not required for the job. 
• If you are consistently told that you are over qualified, tap into your network of contacts to open doors for you. A recommendation could go a long way. You could also get the opportunity to speak to the hiring manager or another person of influence. 

On Prepare for objections

• Prepare before the interview to handle objections to hiring you because the hiring manager feels you are over qualified. Some of these objections may be disguised, so pay attention to the hiring manager's non-verbal communication such as facial expression and body language. 
• Objections could really mean, "You won't be happy here", or "You won't be here for long because this is a stepping stone for you", or "You are after the hiring manager's job". Prepare a response that will address each of the objections, and discuss them before the hiring manager raises them.
• For instance, you could say: "If there's any concern that I won't be happy here, that cannot be further from the truth." Then state what you have researched about the company (or role), and why you would like to apply yourself to adapting to the new skills needed for the role.
• If you have new training, skills and certifications that show that you are up-to-date, talk about that in the interview. 
• Demonstrate a positive attitude by showing that you are interested and enthusiastic about the new position. That said, do not overwhelm or overload the interviewer with your vast experience. Certainly, do not lie to talk about non-existent skills.
• In the end, the hiring manager wants to know that taking you on board would not be a lost cause in short term investment (in orientation and training), but that given your long time experience, you will be an asset to the company.

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

5 tips for new graduates to get hired

This post came out from The Straits Times (23 Sep 2015)
Title - 5 tips for new graduates to get hired

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Craft an effective cover letter and resume
2. Leave a positive impression during interviews
3. Be an intern who over delivers
4. Follow your passion
5. Network to open doors

On Craft an effective cover letter and resume

• Highlight your assets and achievements in a concise manner instead of rambling about laundry lists of insignificant duties. Use direct action verbs including led, troubleshot, researched, innovated, demonstrated and attained. 
• Find out about the qualities, transferable skills, content knowledge and experience level required of the job. Suss out what employers are looking for and highlight how you meet such requirements in your cover letter and resume.
• If possible, quantify your statements using numbers, percentages or costs. 
• Refrain from repeating chunks and paragraphs from your cover letter on your resume. The objective of a resume is to present a succinct factual history of your educational qualifications and employment history.
• A cover letter should provide subjective information such as your interests, values, motivation, and how the company culture appeals to you.

On Leave a positive impression during interviews

• Present yourself well. Do not be overly flustered by unexpected or difficult questions. Interviewers are more interested in whether you are able to maintain your poise and composure when challenging questions are posed to you.
• Competency-based interviews are increasingly common and serve to assess whether candidates have the abilities required for the role. 
• Situation - Provide a concise context (who, what, where, when, and how) comprising real life examples.
• Task - Talk about what you had to deliver and the specific challenges or constraints you faced (client expectations, deadlines or a tight budget).
• Action - Elaborate on specific actions you took. These should indicate the abilities required for the role, like initiative, teamwork, or perseverance.
• Result - Summarise your achievements and the learning points you took away.

On Be an intern who over-delivers

• If you are on internship, treat it as a job and not an academic module you need to pass. Show a keen interest in learning and do your best to deliver consistently high standards. 
• The internship method of hiring is highly favored because of the reduced risk of a poor job fit, as compared to the traditional route of holding several one to two hour interviews with a candidate whom the company had no prior work interaction with. 

On Follow your passion

• Be wise and courageous enough to affirm your strengths, talents, and interests, and stand up for what you would like to do for a living.
• Passion, in addition to a massive dosage of discipline, is key to the enthusiasm, zeal and motivation to keep you persisting when the going gets tough. 
• If you settle for a job because of prestige or career security, instead of how it brings out your strengths, your job satisfaction is likely to fade quickly, leaving you uninspired. 

On Network to open doors

• Stay in contact with your lecturers, internship supervisors, career coaches and classmates. They may be aware of job openings in their company or the industry suitable for you. 
• Tertiary education institutions may regularly hold recruitment talks and alumni mentoring sessions. Attend as many networking events as possible and speak to industry players. If you are painfully shy, teaming up with your friends and classmates might make the experience less daunting.
• Approach key speakers at the end of the event and follow up with specific questions and feedback via email. In this way, you will have a deeper understanding of the industry demands or company culture. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Optimise your resume - How to get your application picked up by an ATS

This post came out from The Straits Times (11 September 2015)
Title - Optimise your resume

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Pay attention to spelling
2. Try resume optimisation tools
3. Stick to the basics
4. Replicate keywords used in the job description
5. Place your contact information at the top
6. Tailor each resume

On Pay attention to spelling

• Not only are misspelled words sloppy, but an ATS may not recognise them. Use spellcheck, but do not rely on that alone - have a friend, teacher, or mentor to proofread your resume with you.

On Try resume optimistion tools 

• An online resume and CV optimisatio tool can help you optimise your resume keywords by analysing your resume. It does this by comparing your application to the job description of your choice, and calculating how well you match the job. The results also tell you which keywords your resume is missing, and what other jobs you match. Such tools allow you to be better prepared and have a competitive edge over other applicants. 

On Stick to the basics

• Fancy borders, shading and strange typefaces, along with pictures, special characters or other graphics, all stand a good chance of confusing an ATS. 
• Your best bet is to stick to a common typeface, and use the traditional bullet-point format when listing your achievements. 

On Replicate keywords used in the job description

• Exact keyword matches can send an application to the top of the candidate heap. Direct, relevant resumes will catch a hiring manager's eye too. Resume keywords can be one of the applicant's biggest advantage. 
• Be sure to use only relevant information. Employers are less interested in your life history and more interested in seeing if you have the required skills and experience for the job. A professional summary that mentions your qualifications, achievements and notable skills is also useful in providing employers with a relevant summary at a glance.

On Place your contact information at the top

• You do not need to include your full street address, but you do need to include your phone number and email address.

On Tailor each resume

• Every ATS and employer wants something a little different. An online resume and CV optimisation tool can make the keyword selection process quick and easy. 
• A career management document means you won't have to start your resume from scratch each time. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Get your resume seen - How to get your CV past an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

This post came out from The Straits Times (4 August 2015)
Title - Get your resume seen

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Don't just copy and paste
2. Give keywords their own section, but also use them throughout your resume
3. Use your keywords sparingly
4. Cover letters do matter
5. Use important keywords with greater frequency
6. Know which parts of a resume matter most

On Don't just copy and paste

• ATS technology has advanced in recent years, and the software can now tell if applicants are placing large chunks of job descriptions into their resumes. To address this challenge, use a combination of language - both exact verbiage from a job advertisement and other keywords - surrounded with your own unique text.

On Give keywords their own section, but also use them throughout your resume

• Remember that while the software programme reviews your resume first, the end goal is to have a person review it. You would do well to limit the length of the keyword section so you do not come across as "gaming the system". Your resume may get to human eyes eventually, and recruiters can tell. 

On Use your keywords sparingly

• Long lists of keywords throw up red flags within applicant tracking systems. Additionally, avoid using "invisible" words written in a white font color and listing out keywords in a Microsoft Word document's "Properties" tab.

On Cover letters do matter

• Cover letters are also scanned along with resumes into an ATS. If a particular job description requires a cover letter, the software creates a "space" for that letter within an individual's application profile.
• If the cover letter is missing, the applicant is then penalised. When a letter is required, make sure it aligns with the resume to show that you are a good fit for the job. 

On Use important keywords with greater frequency

• The more a keyword appears in a job description, the greater weight an ATS places on that particular word. An online resume and CV optimisation tool can help to identify the frequency of the most important keywords.
• There are quite a few resources that offer individualised, resume-specific help, so do look around for options. 

On Know which parts of a resume matter most

• The areas of a resume most emphasised by ATS software and recruiters like include skills, education, years of experience and names of past employers. 
• Due to the wide variety of ATS options (they are all different), it is tough to create a resume that parses well in all systems. So build your resume using the four key components, but be ready to make slight changes when necessary. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Tips to crating a polished resume

This post came out from The New Paper (4 August 2015)
Title - Tips to crafting a polished resume

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Highlight relevant accomplishments
2. Tailor your resume to the position
3. Showcase strengths and achievements
4. Understand that a resume and cover letter have different purposes
5. Include specific keywords relate to the job requirements

On Highlight relevant accomplishments

• Ensure that you make your resume relevant to the position you are applying for in terms of your educational qualifications, job experience, technical expertise and soft skills. Do not include skills and experience that are totally irrelevant to what the employer is seeking.

On Tailor your resume to the position

• Determine what the employer is looking for, and demonstrate how your qualifications, skills and experience make you a strong candidate in your resume. Be sure to have an accurate idea of what the job entails or demands.

On Showcase strengths and achievements

• Avoid rambling off a lengthy laundry list of tasks you have completed. Instead, highlight your accomplishments in a succinct manner. If possible, quantify your statements using numbers, percentages or costs.

On Understand what a resume and cover letter have different purposes

• Refrain from repeating chunks and paragraphs from your cover letter on your resume. 
• The objective of a resume is to present a concise factual history of your education, employment and experience. On the other hand, the intent of a cover letter is to provide subjective information such as your interests, values, motivation and how the company culture appeals to you. 

On Include specific keywords relate to the job requirements

• For online submission of job applications, employers may utilise a computerised database to shortlist candidates. To increase your chance of being invited for an interview, include as many keywords as possible in your resume so that it will appear as the top few "hits" in the pile of resumes. 
• Some examples of such keywords are leadership qualities, initiative, analyse, innovate and troubleshoot. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Secrets to writing an effective cover letter

This post came out from The New Paper (21 July 2015)
Title - Secrets to writing an effective cover letter

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Do your research
2. Showcase assets and achievements
3. Be succinct
4. Ensure a smooth transition from cover letter to resume
5. Pay attention to the presentation

On Do your research

• Before you even write your cover letter, find out the skills, knowledge and experience level needed for the job you are applying for. Suss out what employers are looking for and fulfil these requirements adequately in your cover letter.

On Showcase assets and achievements

• Highlight your achievements in a simple and concise manner. 
• Use verbs including led, troubleshot, researched, innovated, demonstrated and attained.
• If possible, quantify your statements using numbers, percentages or costs.

On Be succinct

• Restrict your cover letter to a page. State clearly your suitability for the post and how you can contribute to the organization.
• Refrain from writing too much about the organization or regurgitating its mission and vision.  Recruiters have ample knowledge about their own organization; they are more interested in knowing how you can contribute.

On Ensure a smooth transition from cover letter to resume

• A cover letter suggesting that you are a strong fit for the job is the best way to entice an employer to flip the page to read your resume. Ensure whatever was mentioned in the cover letter will be consistent with the resume's content.

On Pay attention to the presentation

• Select a reader-friendly and professional-looking layout. This ensures that your application will be given a fair evaluation in terms of content and not be rejected due to its aesthetically unappealing presentation. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big

Resume

This post came out from The Straits Times (7 July 2015)
Title - Get it right

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Lack of response
2. Unfocused response

On lack of response

• Recruiters spend an average of just six seconds looking at an individual's resume before deciding whether to reject them or not. So your resume has to position you as a match for the role in less than 10 seconds. If you have only one general resume and update it yearly, you are going to lose out to people who send tailored resumes for each job. 
• Resume keywords vary from job to job. Your resume should have keywords that vary from application to application. 

On unfocused response

• Getting contacted only for your 'safe' applications means that you are most likely not conveying your experience or accomplishments effectively. Being contacted only for roles that seem like a partial match may indicate that your resume lacks focus. 
• Your resume is not your autobiography. Include only the most relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments that show you are a match for a role. Draw a clear picture for the hiring manager. 
• If your job search has not led to your expected or desired responses, change your tactics. Focusing on submitting concise, keyword-optimised resumes targeted for specific jobs should increase your chances of success. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big