Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect ResumeTen Steps to Finding the Perfect Job

DC’s Leading Careers Expert

Carolyn Thompson| media kit

2009

Expert

resides in the Washington, DC area and has been an executive recruiter since 1988. Carolyn is a creative entrepreneur and a certified career coach. Her articles on career development and the employment industry have been published in various national magazines, trade journals, and on the Internet. A frequent speaker on the subjects of career development, recruiting and motivation, she is a member of the Pinnacle Society* and the International Coach Federation**.

Carolyn is an alumnus of Kansas State University and author ofTEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME and TEN EASY STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB, now available in select bookstores and on Amazon.

*www.pinnaclesociety.org The Pinnacle Society is the nation’s premier consortium of top recruiters within the permanent placement industry. Since 1989, membership is limited to 75 of the nation’s top recruiters.

**www.coachfederation.org The International Coach Federation is the largest

worldwide resource for business and personal coaches.

Carolyn Thompson

The Careers ExpertMeet ExpertExpertExpertExpertExpertThe Careers Expert

ExpertThe Careers Expert

Recognizing that a resume is only a mechanism to getting a face-to-face interview, Carolyn has laid out the characteristics

that will set you apart from the others in achieving that goal-Mark Ross, The Washington Post “

olyn has laid out the characteristics

“olyn has laid out the characteristics ““ Recognizing that a “ Recognizing that a

Job-hunting Today, A New Emphasis on Strategy

WASHINGTON – In a job-market where open positions are few and far between and talent is in no short supply, strategy has become the cornerstone of successful job hunting.

"It's a buyers' market right now, and the product is talent" says Carolyn Thompson, DC's Leading Careers Expert and author of the newly released Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job, "being qualified isn't enough anymore -- from the resume to the negotiation table, job-seekers need to focus on developing a strategy as unique and impressive as their own experience."

Carolyn Thompson is a 20-year career-industry veteran, notable author and President of CMCS (www.cm-cs.com). An active member of the Pinnacle Society and the International Coach Federation, Carolyn speaks frequently across the United States on the subjects of career development, recruitment and motivation.

In her newest book, Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job, Carolyn Thompson has focused 20-years of experience as an executive recruiter into outlining the ten key steps to developing and executing a successful job-search strategy. “Hiring managers are looking to fill open positions with problem-solvers and forward-thinkers," says Thompson, "the best way to set yourself apart and show your abilities as a leading candidate is with a well-formulated strategic approach."

Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job provides strategic insights into: Understanding the process, networking, recruiters, appropriate follow-up, negotiating the offer and other key areas of the job hunt.

Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job is a must-have resource for every job-seeker competing in today's market.

You can find this book along with Carolyn's other titles on her organization's website, www.CM-CS.com, and at www.Amazon.com. Thompson can also be found lending her experience, advice and stories on her new blog, www.JobSearchJungle.com.

Carolyn Thompson is available for interview.

Media Contact: Marc Samson(240) 501.7212marcesamson@gmail.com

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21

STEP SIX

STEP SIX: FORMATTING THE PAGE.

At this point you are ready to start some formatting:

bolding, underlining, etc.

As for the text, a 9, 10, 11 or 12-pt typeface is fine, but now

that you have a lot of great content, you need to make

it jump off the page. Pay attention to consistency in

formatting, meaning if you underline dates or bold the job

titles, you need to be consistent on the page and underline

or bold all of them. Also, if you make changes or additions

later, pay attention to tenses in your job descriptions. Only

the current job should be written in the present tense. All

your previous jobs should be in past tense.

Keep your resume to two pages. Five years of work

experience for each page is a good rule of thumb. If your

professional experience is longer than that, a statement

at the end of the resume such as “References and work

experience prior to XX date available upon request” is

appropriate. Just make sure you have that addendum

prepared in case anyone asks for it. If your resume is three

pages long try using a smaller font. You can also easily

TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME

16

XYZ Partners is a privately held company with 2,000 employees in six states.

Senior Associate 8/2005–12/2006Responsibilities included assisting in training and supervision of three staff associates performing word processing and proofreading as assigned. Ensured that quality control guidelines and project deadlines were being met. Reported to senior manager of production. Staff Associate 5/2004–7/2005Received job-specific training on document control and word processing as required by diverse clientele. Position required attention to detail, accuracy, and strong computer skills in Word. Reported to senior associate and was subsequently promoted into that role.

5/2002–4/2004123 Incorporated, New Town, USA 123 Incorporated was a small company that was subsequently bought out by 789 Corporation.

Staff Associate 9/2002–4/2004Worked on a variety of projects as assigned using Excel, Word, and database research. Liaised with management and clients regarding content-related issues and supervised interns performing basic Internet research.

Intern 5/2002–8/2002 Performed basic Internet research as assigned by staff associates.

} }“Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect Resume is a must have for all job seekers. Entry level candidates will gain valuable staging insight -- answering questions like ‘where do I start?,’ ‘what information is important?,’ seasoned candidates will gain an advantage over their competition by using the steps to critically examine and fine tune their resumes -- pack it with pertinent perfection. Thompson’s book is easy to read, logical, and results oriented -- after all, the interview process starts with the ‘Perfect Resume’.”

-Lori Koffler, USA TODAY

STEP ONE

3

STEP ONE:

KEEP YOUR LAYOUT SIMPLE AND MAKE SURE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS

ACCURATE AND CORRECT.

Sounds easy enough, but the most common errors on

resumes are not in the body of the resume; they are in the

contact information in the header.

Modern technology has opened up many opportunities

for finding jobs, but the receiver on the other end of your

carefully crafted cover letter and resume submittal is

usually an e-mail parser. Parsing is a term that refers to the

software technology that reads the information on your

resume and adds it to a database so that the reviewer/s at

the company can access it later.

. e m u s e r r u o y g n i t a e r c r o f e t a l p m e t a

Templates can be difficult to expand upon later. As

newer versions of software emerge, the template format

you choose may not transfer well, which will require you

to retype the entire document at a later date. Parsing

technology can also have a hard time reading templates

STEP TWO

9

Susie Smith 555 Any Street Anytown, USA 00000(555) 555-5555 Susie_Smith@whateveremail.com

1/2007–present ABC Company, Anytown, USAManager 1/2008–present Senior Associate 1/2007–1/2008

5/2004–12/2006XYZ Partners, Anytown, USA Senior Associate 8/2005–12/2006Staff Associate 5/2004–7/2005

5/2002–4/2004123 Incorporated, New Town, USAStaff Associate 9/2002–4/2004Intern 5/2002–8/2002

STEP TWO: ADD COMPANIES AND DATES

TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME

16 17

STEP FIVE

STEP FIVE: ADD YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

There is a big difference between what the company has

hired you to do and what you individually accomplish in

each job compared to your peers.

Go back to each job and think about what you made,

saved, or achieved in this position. What did you contribute

that set you apart from your peers? How did you make

your company more profitable? How did you contribute to

better efficiencies within your group? What special awards

did you receive? Why was your work there important?

The easiest way to add these is to bullet point one or

two measurable accomplishments in each job under

your descriptions. Be specific about the value of those

accomplishments to the company and your involvement

in them. Your ability to distinguish your responsibilities

and accomplishments is what sets you apart from your

competition. Don’t be afraid to be proud of what you

accomplished beyond what they hired you to do.

XYZ Partners is a privately held company with 2,000 employees in six states.

Senior Associate 8/2005–12/2006Responsibilities included assisting in training and supervision of three staff associates performing word processing and proofreading as assigned. Ensured that quality control guidelines and project deadlines were being met. Reported to senior manager of production. Staff Associate 5/2004–7/2005Received job-specific training on document control and word processing as required by diverse clientele. Position required attention to detail, accuracy, and strong computer skills in Word. Reported to senior associate and was subsequently promoted into that role.

5/2002–4/2004123 Incorporated, New Town, USA 123 Incorporated was a small company that was subsequently bought out by 789 Corporation.

Staff Associate 9/2002–4/2004Worked on a variety of projects as assigned using Excel, Word, and database research. Liaised with management and clients regarding content-related issues and supervised interns performing basic Internet research.

Intern 5/2002–8/2002 Performed basic Internet research as assigned by staff associates.

17

STEP FIVE

STEP FIVE: ADD YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

There is a big difference between what the company has

hired you to do and what you individually accomplish in

each job compared to your peers.

Go back to each job and think about what you made,

saved, or achieved in this position. What did you contribute

that set you apart from your peers? How did you make

your company more profitable? How did you contribute to

better efficiencies within your group? What special awards

did you receive? Why was your work there important?

The easiest way to add these is to bullet point one or

two measurable accomplishments in each job under

your descriptions. Be specific about the value of those

accomplishments to the company and your involvement

in them. Your ability to distinguish your responsibilities

and accomplishments is what sets you apart from your

competition. Don’t be afraid to be proud of what you

accomplished beyond what they hired you to do. }

a e s u o t T O N t s e b s ’ t I

} }“Carolyn has done it again..Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job helps you understand the process, evaluate alternative successful strategies in the marketplace, and making the transition from your current to future employer. More importantly, her book allows you to ‘take a step back’ and assess where your passion lies, truly finding the job where you look forward to waking up every day, and being excited about going to work.” -Mark Ross, The Washington Post

:

Understanding The Process

Even though the world and its processes are automated, it’s still an individual or a group of people who will hire you. Finding a job requires not only determination and skills but also e ective, professional communication and follow-up to ultimately be the one who receives the coveted o er letter.

Your goal in sending out your resume should be to reach the decision maker as soon as possible, ideally rst. If you can avoid placing yourself in the pile of all the other resumes, you are one step ahead of the game.

Whenever possible, try to communicate with the nal decision maker without circumventing the proper recruiting protocol. If you can identify who your future boss might be, reach out to him or her. You can inform this person of your quali cations and interest in the position and ask for guidance through the proper channels to receive an invitation to interview.

Starting at the top and working your way back through the recruiting process will give you a lot of information that you cannot get by simply responding to ads. Communicating with the managers rst will ensure that you are, in fact, submitting your resume for a viable position. These people will understand what work you have done and furthermore they will know if there is a current or future need for someone like you.

STEP ONE :

Customized Searching

When conducting a con dential, strategic, career-oriented job search, responding to Internet postings is enhanced by your ability to perform customized research.

There are three ways to search and identify possible places of employment:

Geography

Industry

Skills

Finding companies in your area that might need your knowledge and skills requires you to sort through your resume and make a list of keywords in the following areas:

Speci c expertise and certi cations you have acquired

Technical skills you o er

Industry knowledge you possess

Choose three Internet job search sites that you will use for research. These sites vary widely and their popularity is based on your location as well as your industry. You will perform searches in your geographic area with your individual keywords. Indeed, HotJobs, Monster, and Careerbuilder may have some overlap, but we are NOT

STEP TWO :

Networking

Since over 80 percent of new jobs are obtained through personal referrals or networking, this is probably the most important step. You’ve already identi ed the key companies in your area that are looking for people with your skills and expertise, so let’s nd people you know to help you get in there.

Personal referrals are great. If you get a job because of a referral from someone you know you will already have a friendly colleague at your new company. Ask your friends and colleagues to think beyond their current employer as well. Even if your acquaintance left a company in the past, that doesn’t mean you should avoid that company. People leave companies and jobs for a wide variety of reasons. Individual departments at the same company can be drastically dissimilar so your employment experience with any given employer could be 80 degrees di erent from what your friend experienced. Remember, you’ve done a lot of research into where you may be a t, and you should welcome any avenue you nd to explore those companies further.

Professional associations and industry groups are terri c places to meet people who work at your target companies. Many o er career-speci c certi cations. You should pursue any and all opportunities for continuing education and leadership positions in these groups.

Alumni organizations and community groups o er fun and useful venues where you can meet people you

STEP THREE

Keywords

Geography Industry Knowledge Skills Cer

Other

Companies to look into

Marketing Plan: I would report to someone titled _______________ or possibly _________________. Search online databases, my contacts, and www.LinkedIn.com for people with those titles at these companies to contact. MAKE A LIST AND TRACK INFORMATION GATHERED.

Your reference list —you should have two former supervisors, a peer, a subordinate, and perhaps an associate or outside vendor you have a business relationship with. Friends and family members are never appropriate. Professors and instructors are appropriate only when you are a recent college (or high school) graduate. Make sure these people have given you permission to use them as references. It’s important that you o er current daytime contact information since anyone who may be checking references will be working during the day, not evening.

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} } WORKSHOPS& ResumeCareer

To coincide with the launch of her two new books, Carolyn is hosting free workshops across the country, offering her and her colleagues' expertise to the public.

People are invited to bring their resumes and job-search questions for professional direction and suggestions -- Carolyn also lends her expertise and individual career consultations to those interested.

Las Vegas, NVMcLean, VA

Baltimore, MD

Miami, FLFt Lauderdale, FLOmaha, NE

Washington, DC

To date, Carolyn has held free public workshops in:

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}A better resume, Thanks to you…Wow! You really do have a gift for what you do, a true resume wordsmith. I would never [have] thought to structure it [the resume] that way and the verbage grabs your attention… I'm sure I can modify your suggestion and make it my own. Thanks again! -Steve Chinn}}}}A better resume, Thanks to you…A better resume, Thanks to you…A better resume, Thanks to you…}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}Thank You Carolyn!...

Last evening’s hour with you was the most productive and informative time I’ve spent during my 3 week job search… I’m looking forward to ‘fine tuning’ it [the resume] with your solid advice and expanded ideas from your book. I will then post it on linkedin.com, hot jobs, and craigslist as you suggested.       - Jennifer Hedden 

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}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}A True Expert...

Carolyn, thank you so much for your time after yesterday’s workshop. With your help, I have a completely new outlook on the job search and I am finally motivated again! You are A True Expert and I hope many, many other job-seekers will get a chance to learn from you. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

-Rebecca Bloom

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}In the MediaCarolyn Thompson’s careers industry-expertise and her commitment to teaching others has not gone unnoticed.

Interviewing regularly on TV and radio stations across the nation, Carolyn has helped thousands of people struggling to secure a job build their resumes and approach the job-hunt with a strategic understanding of how to set themselves apart from the competition.

Las Vegas, NV

Washington, DC

Las Vegas, NV

Washington, DC

Omaha, NE

Carolyn Thompson’s careers industry-expertise and her commitment to Carolyn Thompson’s careers industry-expertise and her commitment to

Lindsay SellnerLSellner@cm-cs.com(703) 734-6340

ContactContact

ContactContact

ContactContactContactContactContact

Carolyn Thompson

Purchasing Inquiries:

DC’s Leading Careers Expert

Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect JobAuthor, Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect ResumePresident, CMCS, LLC

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}Carolyn Thompson is available for interview

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}For more information on the Careers Expert, visit: www.CarolynThompson.net

For more information on the job search, recruiting, staffing and executive searching, visit: www.cm-cs.com

Follow Carolyn on her blog: www.JobSearchJungle.com