Benefits Of Using Resume Templates

Benefits Of Using Resume TemplatesEmployers are increasingly using a variety of resumes template to create a well-written and polished piece of cover letter that catches the eye of a job recruiter. The most effective resume templates for this task are specifically designed to fit into a standard MS Word document.In the simplest terms, a resume template is simply a document that can be adapted to the details of a particular person's resume. Once the job requirements are placed on the resume, the template is then tailored for that job. Resume templates have several advantages over traditional documents because they allow individuals to build resumes quickly and easily, which saves time for employers.There are two types of resumes - short and long. Short resumes provide candidates with less information than long resumes and provide information to only about one or two pertinent elements of the job. A good resume template is able to do this within one or two minutes, saving a lot of time that might otherwise be wasted in writing a longer resume.Since these kinds of resumes are created using templates, it is important that these templates contain a detailed explanation of each element so that potential applicants can properly understand the requirement for the position. This is not usually done, because many people have an emotional attachment to one or two details, but employing templates will ensure that all elements are included, allowing potential applicants to get a better idea of what to expect from the job.Another advantage to using a template to create a resume is that it is a common knowledge in the industry, and employers will know what the template should contain in order to receive the best results. The templates can be customized by the employer to include keywords, dates and title tags in order to make it more visually appealing to an applicant.There are various resume templates available online, but the most successful ones are created using Microsoft Word, especially if the candidate is using MS Office. Employers have many advantages when employing template documents, as it ensures that resumes and cover letters are both simple and easy to use, thus making them more likely to be approved by hiring managers.A good tip for job seekers to remember is to make sure to apply for the same job in different locations. This ensures that the skills and experience needed for the job are going to be applied to all locations. When an individual applies for a job in one city, it is extremely unlikely that the employer will be interested in hiring someone with very different skill set.

The Secret to Succeeding at Work Without Burning Out

The Secret to Succeeding at Work Without Burning Out I’ve met so many people who believe that a tradeoff exists between becoming great at work and achieving a sense of wellbeing in their lives. They forgo life outside of their jobs and put in huge amounts of hard workâ€"long hours and maximum effortâ€"to become top performers. Over time, however, this effort takes a toll, leaving them burned out, unhappy, and stressed. Yet still they soldier on, rationalizing that greatness at work comes at an inevitable price. As my statistical study of 5,000 managers and employees has shown, that thinking is misplaced. In my study, many top performers were able to maintain a healthy work-life balance and not burn out on the job. That’s because they embraced smarter ways of working, practices that allowed them to extract more value out of every hour on the job. They got more done, yet had more time outside of work to rest and recharge. The Mayo Clinic defines job burnout as a “special type of job stressâ€"a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work.” Such job stress is quite common in the workplace. My research team and I asked a large portion of our sampleâ€"2,000 peopleâ€"to rate their level of work-related burnout. Many experienced some level of mental and emotional exhaustion. About 19% strongly or completely agreed that they felt burned out. Another 25% agreed somewhat, with the remaining 56% reporting little or no sense of burnout. So, how do the best performers lower their risk of burning out? Several “work smarter” practices we tested correlated with both better job performance and lower levels of burnout. Each practice entailed being more selective on the job. Whereas many of us take on more tasks, projects, or priorities in an attempt to excel at work, some people choose just a few key priorities and then channel effort into doing exceptional work in those areas. They work less, but then obsess so as to excel. Likewise, whereas many of us accept any opportunity for collaboration that comes our way, some people are more disciplined, taking on just a few partnerships but then taking steps to help them succeed. Both of these practicesâ€"“Do Less, Then Obsess” and “Disciplined Collaboration”â€"can protect people from becoming physically and mentally exhausted at work, because they leave people with fewer tasks to accomplish and keep track of. There is another part of burnoutâ€"emotional exhaustion. As the Mayo Clinic’s definition suggests, burnout can stem from a sense that work is stressful, bristling with interpersonal friction, and lacking in meaning. Another smart-work practiceâ€"matching passion with purposeâ€"regulated this emotional aspect of burnout. Some people love what they do, while others feel a strong sense of purpose in their jobsâ€"they feel their work somehow helps others, whether it’s their colleagues, their organization, or the wider world. A number of people manage to cultivate both passion and a sense of purpose on the job. These managers and employees go to work excited about what they do every day, exerting more effort per hour worked, as opposed to piling on more hours. They’re more energized about their work and less burned out than people who lack passion or purpose, or both. They also perform significantly better. My colleagues and I interviewed a high school principal and his staff who had turned around a formerly struggling school. Whereas their work had once enervated them, now it energized and inspired them, not least because it allowed them to devote more of their time to teaching students, rather than disciplining them and breaking up fights. For hours when we visited, this principal and his staff talked with us about their innovative educational model, what technologies they were excited to try, and most of all, how their model was impacting the students. They felt deep passion and purpose. They were still working hard, but they were accomplishing more and feeling less burned out. If you’re driven to out-perform, but finding yourself overly stressed, strike out on a different path by adopting these work-smart practices. It’s indeed possible to perform great and have a great life, too. Morten T. Hansen is a professor in the school of information at the University of California â€" Berkeley. His latest book, Great at Work: How Top Performers Do Less, Work Better, and Achieve More is out now.

Every Generation Struggles With Social Media - Work It Daily

Every Generation Struggles With Social Media - Work It Daily A very successful executive career placement specialist was telling me about the struggles with social media some of her Baby Boomer clients have in their job search. But, in my experience, I've found all generations experience very little reprieve when it comes to feeling comfortable with social media at first and then successfully using it for their job searching. In fact, from recent grads to the almost-retired, the typical job seeker struggles with social media in a similar six-step emotional cycle: Total denial of the importance of social media. Then… An acceptance that social is somewhat useful. Then… Realization of the complete and utter adoption of social by hiring professionals today, and a fear that they are missing out. Then… Frustration at the total lack of instruction on what to do about it. Then… Anger that their non-strategic and inconsistent use of social is not producing any of the promised results. And, finally… Determination to figure out social media and seek expert advice. My father is 70+ years old. He was the one who initiated my interest in social media. Meanwhile, I’ve spoken with hundreds of recent grads, and entire audiences have expressed fear and trepidation around social media. Here are some of the struggles each generation must face when using social media in their job search. Gen Y Issues With Social Media This generation may be tech-savvy, but they aren’t born social media experts either. From early on, they’ve texted and Facebooked their way through life. And, in many ways, they are way more aware of the real-life consequences of online behavior. After all, what they said on Facebook might get them beaten up or ridiculed at school the next day. And, because their use of technology has been for play, by the time they face college graduation, they fear what those past rumpus messages might do to their employability. Gen Yers must focus on two key areas when adopting social media: 1. Clean Up Any “Digital Dirt” You had your fun in high-school. Now it’s time to brush off the dirt, and put on some nice clothes. Revisit those privacy policies, and delete what you can. 2. Adopt LinkedIn Consequences of your online behavior will now have financial consequences, not just social ones. Learn what a good LinkedIn profile requires. Gen X Issues With Social Media We didn’t get e-mail until our senior year at college or shortly after. When we grew up, we were still mailing our thank you notes to grandma, and hoping we didn’t die in nuclear holocaust. I needed prodding from an ex-girlfriend to even look at Facebook because I had already invested my time in Friendster and didn’t want to fill out another dang profile. Those of us lucky enough to have signed up for the right social networks label ourselves “early adopters” and glean over the 100 other social networks that failed miserably. We approach new technologies with small amounts of weariness. “Oh, another one.” But often, our curiosity gets the better of us and we fill out a new profile. Gen Xers must focus on these areas when adopting social media: 1. Leverage The Proven Networks Yes, you may have spent countless hours filling out profiles on networks that don’t exist any more, but LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are no joke. These networks have proven themselves to be the largest and highest leverage tools to advancing your career. Take your time and write your profiles with your brand in mind. 2. Understand Facebook Privacy Bear in mind Facebook will probably usurp LinkedIn as a professional network in the next two to three years (my opinion), so don’t wait to understand your privacy settings. Force yourself to spend a half-hour in Facebook’s privacy area. It will pay off. 3. Manage Your Public Message Remember you are publishers when you use social media. The consequences of getting off topic or off brand in your public facing networks could be disastrous. Many Gen Xers were fired for careless Facebook and Twitter posts. Focus on staying on message. Baby Boomer Issues With Social Media Since Boomers often look at the younger generations and assume social media is easy for them, they set themselves up for failure. “Oh, those kids text and play X-box. This stuff is easy for them. But I’m older and don’t get technology.” And, with this thought, every learning curve becomes ten times more frustrating. This is what psychologists call a false schema, also known as a self-fulfilling prophesy. The truth is, every generation has their hurdles when using social media,and there are many advantages to being a Boomer in the social media world. First, you are uniquely qualified to recognize the impact social media has had in the world of hiring. You have seen the rise of many new technologies and you know the power they have in transforming our world. You saw color television emerge, you saw FM change from talk to music, and you saw computers shrink from the size of buildings to the size of fists. Second, you are less likely to screw up with social media than other generations. You approach technologies cautiously because you’ve had computers that would break if you pushed the wrong button. These are some areas of focus for baby boomers when using social media to find work: 1. Use Online Training And Help Don’t be overly cautious, sometimes you need to just bite the bullet, and fill out that Twitter profile, even though you don’t know if you are going to screw it up. Job-Hunt has several articles on using social media for job search you can read. And, plenty of other training and Youtube videos will help you through it. 2. Be Yourself (Within Reason) Don’t be afraid to show a little more personality online then what you are used to. Your job search paradigm is very formal. All of your resumes are written in third person, and you have been trained to be “professional.” Know that, these days, fit and personality may outweigh capability. Let your hair down a little bit when using social media. For you, this will probably feel uncomfortable, but will be seen as refreshing. 3. Leverage Your Knowledge And Experience You understand strategy. You have 20+ years of professional experience and know how to take your time, watch, and make important decisions. Apply some of that strategic thinking to your social media presence. Know who you are targeting in your job search, and then approach them with a plan to add value. You know how to do this! Bottom Line Overall, each generation must face their own unique hurdles when adopting social media. So never fall into the trap of thinking “those other people have an advantage over me.” With social media, the playing field is level, and those millions of Americans winning their jobs with it are the ones willing to go through the stages of adoption and take their time to educate themselves on something new. Related Posts 6 Social Media Mistakes To Avoid While Job Seeking Social Media Guidelines For Young Professionals Why You Should Connect With Co-Workers On Social Media Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!