While interviews remain a chance for decision-makers to evaluate you and vice versa, the past few decades have introduced some new interview formats into the game.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common interview styles, both old and new, with quick and easy insight on the purpose of each, what it means to you, and how you can prepare:

PHONE SCREEN INTERVIEW

Generally the first step, phone screens are usually quick, and in larger organizations are often conducted by a more junior member of an HR department or recruiting team.

What They Want: The phone screener’s goal is to assess if you have the knowledge, experience and qualifications for the role.

You may be pressed for salary requirements – if you can’t avoid it by saying you’d like to learn more about the role and total compensation before providing information, it is best to be direct and offer a range (not an exact figure).

Bottom Line: While it is important to be friendly, facts are more critical than establishing rapport during this first round.

Tips: Speak from a quiet, distraction-free location, and prep by highlighting areas of your resume you feel are relevant to the position and to the organization.

MEET UP FOR COFFEE INTERVIEW

A quick pull-up over a cup of coffee has replaced first-round one-on-ones for some, and also serves as a forum for an informational interview.

Coffee chats are a great opportunity to learn about potential job openings, information about the company, and even get advice.

What they Want: These chats tend to occur with recruiters juggling multiple open roles, or hiring managers with a need but not an official job requisition.

Bottom Line: Though it may feel casual, it’s nevertheless important to do your homework through research of any potential companies and industries.

Keep at the ready examples of recent achievements, and be prepared to give your elevator speech which includes why you are looking and what value you bring to the table.

Tips:

Business casual wear, versus formal business attire, is appropriate. Be sure to bring something to write with, a business card if you have one, and several copies of your resume.

ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW

The most familiar format of all, the in-person, one-on-one usually takes place after the phone screen.

What They Want: The interviewer usually wants to get a sense of how you will fit into the company, but may also ask questions to confirm that the phone screener did their job in assessing your skills and qualifications.

Bottom Line: The end goal of the face-to-face is to build rapport and show them how you are well suited to the culture and in a unique position to solve their pain.

Tips: Stay focused and respond to the questions…don’t go off on any tangent.

ONLINE INTERVIEW

The advent of decent WI-FI gave rise to online, face-to-face interviews. While these certainly save on cost and time spent traveling for an in-person one-on-one, there are pitfalls to consider.

What They Want: During an online interview, just as with a face-to-face, the interviewer wants to get a sense for if you’re a good fit, and confirm that you have the chops for the job.

Bottom Line: While, from a pure conversation standpoint, an online interview should be regarded like an in-person format, take your preparation to a whole new level, as there’s a lot that can go wrong.

Tips:

• BACKGROUND: Aim for a professional setting that features an uncluttered background.

• LIGHTING: Make sure the lighting doesn’t drown out your face (try throwing a thin cloth over it and/or aim the light in front of you, not behind) and that your voice volume is just right.

• EYE CONTACT: Stare at the camera pinpoint on your desktop and not at your interviewer’s face, as this will make it appear as if you are looking down and not directly.

• BELLS + WHISTLES: Close out any software applications and put any ringers on mute so there are no unexpected bells or alerts sounding off.

• MURPHY’S LAW: Prepare for the worst by planning on technical difficulties. Keep your phone at the ready in case you have to resort to a call should the video connection fail.

GROUP INTERVIEW

Many find group or panel interviews stressful because you are interviewed simultaneously by several members of the company.

What they Want: Although a time savings for all parties, this format also gives some insight into how you deal with additional pressure as compared to a one-on-one.

Bottom Line: It is critical to maintain eye contact while listening to whichever panel member is firing the question.

When it comes to response time or asking your own questions, however, seek eye contact with all members as perhaps you would when delivering a small group presentation.

Tips: Make sure to address each interviewer and repeat their names during introductions so you can connect with them individually.

Ask for each person’s business card so you have their info on hand for post-interview thank you letters.

DIFFERENT TYPES CALL FOR DIFFERENT MEASURES

Different interview types call for different responses and preparation. Understanding the purpose of each and having a game plan in place offers you your best shot at interview success.

Book NOW for your free resume consult.

Along with everything else, the pandemic changed up interviewing. As a resume consultant, I noted the rise of AI-driven digital or virtual, on-demand video interview platforms a few years back when they first came on the scene.

Post-COVID, these interviewing software platforms have gained traction because they allow en-masse interviewing and eliminate the need for multiple in-person interviews.

For those new to this digital, one-way interviewing platform, here’s what you need to know as you encounter them in your job search.

One-Way Video Interviewing 101 – A Career Search & Resume Consultant’s Take

The solution providers with the lion’s share of the market right now are HireVue, Spark Hire, Modern Hire, HackerRank, Jobvite, and BreezyHR.

Video interviewing software allows companies to interview candidates 24/7. Unlike a Zoom call, neither HR, a recruiter, or the hiring manager is present in this one-way interviewing method. Instead, the candidate receives a link to the interview containing behavioral or situational job search questions. Interviews usually are around 10 questions, so wrap up in 30 minutes, but to be safe, allot 45 minutes.

The decision-maker pre-selects the questions with each candidate receiving the same questions. As the interviewee, you have a few minutes to read and gather your thoughts, then another couple minutes to answer it while your computer camera or phone records you.

The software then passes the video to the hiring manager to review your video later — with some software assessing and scoring your responses.

Acing a One-Way Video Interview

As a resume consultant, I’ve always said that candidates have a tall order – they must get to the point quickly and succinctly while aiming for prepared versus scripted, warm and friendly versus overly excited or monotone.

The bottom line? Aim for natural, not overdone. Slow down your speech a bit more than seems your normal pace, remember to smile, and follow these steps:

#1 Research Likely Questions

A quick visit to Glassdoor or these leading providers (HireVue and Spark Hire) contains lists of common questions. YouTube is also chock-full of videos with folks sharing tips on nailing digitally recorded virtual interviews.

Generally speaking, the questions you’ll receive are not meant to be “gotcha” or curveballs. Expect questions common to traditional or face-to-face first-round interviews – designed to learn a bit about you, gauge your interest, demonstrate how you might respond to a future scenario, and how you reacted in the past to certain scenarios.

Here are some sample questions I help people craft in my role as an interview coach and resume consultant:

• “Tell me about yourself.”

• “Why do you want to work for us?”

• “Why would you be a good fit?”

• “XYZ happened. Can you describe what steps you would take and why?”

• “Tell me about a time when you . . .”

#2 Get Your Stories Ready

Prepare your C-A-R (Challenge, Action, Result) stories to respond to the most common behavioral or situational interview questions in advance that showcase a CHALLENGE you were presented with, the ACTION you took to address it and the outcome or RESULTS of your action.

#3 Work on Response Time Management

Unlike a live in-person or even Zoom interview, recorded videos use timers, and when the timer runs out, so does your chance to answer your question. Practice will ensure you’re able to respond in plenty of time without getting cut off. If you’re not sure of the amount of time you’ll have (most software will inform you), check-in with the tech-support of the designated platform or your hiring manager.

#4 Appearance

Even though the only live person present during the interview is you, a decision-maker will be watching you eventually. Be sure to dress as you would for any other video interview.

Choose attire that is camera-friendly — this means avoiding clothing that is all black or all white, or tops with busy designs or patterns. Also, ensure you have ample lighting and a clutter-free background.

#5 Practice Under Pressure

Before you hit record, rehearse your responses. Then, record them. Better yet? Have someone else watch them and weigh in. By practicing your speech in front of a camera, you’ll get used to making eye contact with the camera and feel more at ease come interview time.

#6 Do a Tech Check

Now that we’ve all been doing the work-from-home saga for a bit, it’s known that glitches can, and will, occur. It’s more important than ever to make sure your mic, camera, and the platform work BEFORE you hit record!

In addition, be sure to mute any normal computer/phone notifications so all the listener hears is you.

Bonus Tip: It’s OK to Be Human

Even though it might not feel that way, human beings are involved in this process throughout, and the powers that be get that this format can be challenging and feel unnatural.

If you get off track or feel like you are rambling, it’s perfectly acceptable to admit you’re human and say, “Sorry, I think I’ve veered off course. What I meant to say was . . .” or “Sorry, I feel like I’m stumbling over my words! What I meant to say was . . . “ Some platforms even allow you to re-record, so again, know your technology options beforehand, take a deep breath, and press record again.

Remember – just like with other interview formats, one-way virtual interviews are another opportunity to showcase your knowledge and let your personality shine through.

With prep and practice, you’ll do great!

###

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

While interviews remain a chance for decision-makers to evaluate you, and vice versa, the past few decades have introduced new interview formats into the mix.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common interview styles, both old and new, with quick and easy insight on the purpose of each, what it means to you, and how you can prepare:

PHONE SCREEN INTERVIEW

Generally the first step, phone screens are usually quick, and in larger organizations are often conducted by a more junior member of an HR department or recruiting team.

What They Want: The phone screener’s goal is to assess if you have the knowledge, experience and qualifications for the role.

You may be pressed for salary requirements – if you can’t avoid it by saying you’d like to learn more about the role and total compensation before providing information, it is best to be direct and offer a range (not an exact figure).

Bottom Line: While it is important to be friendly, facts are more critical than establishing rapport during this first round.

Tips: Speak from a quiet, distraction-free location, and prep by highlighting areas of your resume you feel are relevant to the position and to the organization.

MEET UP FOR COFFEE INTERVIEW

A quick pull up over a cup of coffee has replaced first round one-on-ones for some, and also serves as a forum for an informational interview.

Coffee chats are a great opportunity to learn about potential job openings, information about the company, and even get advice.

What they Want: These chats tend to occur with recruiters juggling multiple open roles, or hiring managers with a need but not an official job requisition.

Bottom Line: Though it may feel casual, it’s nevertheless important to do your homework through research of any potential companies and industries.

Keep at the ready examples of recent achievements, and be prepared to give your elevator speech which includes why you are looking and what value you bring to the table.

Tips:

Business casual wear, versus formal business attire, is appropriate. Be sure to bring something to write with, a business card if you have one, and several copies of your resume.

ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW

The most familiar format of all, the in-person, one-on-one usually takes place after the phone screen.

What They Want: The interviewer usually wants to get a sense of how you will fit into the company, but may also ask questions to confirm that the phone screener did their job in assessing your skills and qualifications.

Bottom Line: The end goal of the face-to-face is to build rapport, and show them how you are well suited to the culture and in a unique position to solve their pain.

Tips: Stay focused and respond to the questions…don’t go off on any tangent.

VIDEO/ONLINE INTERVIEW

The advent of decent WI-FI gave rise to online, face-to-face interviews. While these certainly save on cost and time spent traveling for an in-person one-on-one, there are pitfalls to consider.

What They Want: During an online interview, just as with a face-to-face, the interviewer wants to get a sense for if you’re a good fit, and confirm that you have the chops for the job.

Bottom Line: While from a pure conversation standpoint an online interview should be regarded like an in-person format, take your preparation to a whole new level as there’s a lot that can go wrong.

Tips:

• BACKGROUND: Aim for a professional setting that features an uncluttered background.

• LIGHTING: Make sure the lighting doesn’t drown out your face (try throwing a thin cloth over it and/or aim the light in front of you, not behind) and that your voice volume is just right.

• EYE CONTACT: Stare at the camera pinpoint on your desktop and not at your interviewer’s face, as this will make it appear as if you are looking down and not directly.

• BELLS + WHISTLES: Close out any software applications and put any ringers on mute so there are no unexpected bells or alerts sounding off.

• MURPHY’S LAW: Prepare for the worst by planning on technical difficulties. Keep your phone at the ready in case you have to resort to a call should the video connection fail.

GROUP INTERVIEW

Many find group or panel interviews stressful because you are interviewed simultaneously by several members of the company.

What they Want: Although a time savings for all parties, this format also gives some insight into how you deal with additional pressure as compared to a one-on-one.

Bottom Line: It is critical to maintain eye contact while listening to whichever panel member is firing the question.

When it comes to response-time or asking your own questions, however, seek eye contact with all members as perhaps you would when delivering a small group presentation.

Tips: Make sure to address each interviewer and repeat their names during introductions so you can connect with them individually.

Ask for each person’s business card so you have their info on hand for post-interview thank you letters.

DIFFERENT TYPES CALL FOR DIFFERENT MEASURES

Different interview types call for different responses and preparation. Understanding the purpose of each and having a game plan in place offers you your best shot at interview success.

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

Weigh your success and explain it against the backdrop of these three bottom line truths to transform your inconsistent stats into a tale of success:

#1 BOTTOM LINE: SOME TERRITORIES ARE EASIER TO SUCCEED IN THAN OTHERS

Explain in the resume the state of your sales territory upon arrival. Was it bottom-ranked? Newly formed? Recently reorganized?

New hires often face a “Wild West” atmosphere or face an underperforming territory from the get-go. In these cases, the true story of success comes from territory turnaround and transforming chaos into order.

The state of a territory upon arrival coupled with the results of your territory to-date will provide the reader with a scope from which to judge success.

#2 BOTTOM LINE: ALL PRODUCTS or SERVICES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

Some products/services are perfectly priced, others solve a unique problem and are an immediate hit. Still others hit bumps along the way or were introduced and met with a lukewarm response.

If your lack of standout numbers stems from obstacles out of your control, explain this and outline any incremental sales results.

Just like explaining your territory, the story of sales success is best judged when the reader can compare where you started against where you ended.

#3 BOTTOM LINE: SOMETIMES THE COMPETITION IS BETTER

To gain traction when faced with steep, strong and often better competition, a savvy sales professional must rely on his/her ability to forge and sustain relationships and make compelling cases.

If the competition’s natural advantage curtailed your sales success, be sure to explain your limited success given these steep obstacles.

Similar to explaining the background behind your service/product(s) and sales territory – the tale of success is gleaned from understanding incremental success given the circumstances.

Numbers Always Tell a Tale

Stats and numbers always tell a story. The trick lies in showing the reader where you started, how you landed and how your sales strategy led to success.

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

A successful IT Executive is one whose strategy yields tangible results and whose steady progression showcases a history of career growth and success. Their resume must tell the reader how results came to be by balancing strategy, leadership, fiscal stewardship and technical know-how.

Let’s take these one by one…

#1 Strategy

IT strategy (and the roadmaps that follow) must be reverse-engineered with the end goal in mind, often to level up teams/organizations or modernize tech stacks. Whether that goal is company turnaround, growth or even post-M&A integration, show the reader the big picture by tying the strategy to Board/CEO vision.

#2 Leadership

CIOs, CTOs, IT SVPs and VPs never succeed solo. Their success depends on building and/or leading teams and managing external partners/vendors and internal stakeholders to make their strategy a reality.

Team Management: IT Executives must build teams who can execute their strategy. Noteworthy considerations include whether teams are centrally located or dispersed, offshore or global,or comprised of 3 or 300 FTEs. To properly convey scope, spell these details out.

Stakeholder Management: IT Executives must continually engage with boards, C-Suites and cross-functional business partners to gain and maintain strategy buy-in — and likely drive post-implementation adoption. Be sure the reader is clear on all parties involved, including those requiring convincing through case-building before giving the green light.

Vendor Management: IT leaders get judged on the success of vendor negotiations, vendor implementation and their contribution to the bottom line. Here’s where it’s critical to include details about enhancements or overhauls to ERPs, CRMs, hardware and software solutions, to explain how much was saved, who benefited and how.

#3 Fiscal Stewardship

IT Executives must manage finances closely (ideally as if it were their own money), make build v. buy decisions and ensure directs are adhering to program and project budgets.

Show results in this area by monetizing wherever possible. Be sure to include the budget size, tangible ROI and any spend reductions or savings achieved during vendor negotiations or from tech investment choices.

#4 Technical Know-How

Although most recruiters no longer expect a Senior IT Executive to be hands-on and current on development or programming, the ability to lead teams who are is a must. A career progression that includes tenures in hands-on technical roles (even if featured under an “Additional Experience” section when earlier than 15 years ago), shows this.

It tells the reader you can confidently “talk the talk” with front-line technologists.

Make Vision Reality

A resume that showcases strategy shaping, strong leadership, fiscal soundness and technical savvy will impress a company looking to fill an IT Executive Leadership role.

More importantly, it will show you have what it takes to champion an IT strategy that turns a company’s vision into reality.

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

As a career storyteller, while most reach out to get a resume professionally written, my favorite part of the job is hearing about their fascinating journeys. In this article, I present three job seekers from three different industries, and yet all have one thing in common.

Three Job Seekers Wanting Change

Each of these 3 job seekers wanted to make significant changes to their careers.

After working together to get a resume professionally written and update their LinkedIn profiles, I got the opportunity to interview each of them to discuss their path to success.

They were in different phases of their careers and had very different goals for their changes. Read how each succeeded in achieving their goal.

Their Starting Points

• Sarah wanted to leap from an east coast Fortune 500 bank where she had worked for 14 years in sales and product development to the West Coast to work in training, which had been a sliver of her past roles but a part she truly loved.

• Laura had worked her way up the corporate ladder for a financial services firm from administrative assistant to a communications VP and spent ten years as an entrepreneur before establishing a successful executive coaching practice.After 16 years as a business owner, she was eager to return in some capacity to Corporate America.

• Drew’s career path included moves from California to Illinois to Wisconsin working as an airline flight attendant, a telecom account exec, and an IT support professional with a Midwest university. He wanted to leverage his newly-earned MBA to make the leap into marketing and product management in the travel industry.

Although each wound up at a different destination, many of the steps they took on the journey were remarkably similar.

Making a Job Search Plan

Sarah and Laura each forged a plan before diving into the job search waters. Drew did not, at first – causing him to regroup and redirect.

• For Sarah, creating a plan required a good bit of research and reading – beginning with LinkedIn.“LinkedIn is an amazing source for learning about people and companies,” she says. “It is sort of a rabbit hole – but I recommend people go down rabbit holes!”She attributes this approach to her ability to speak intelligently about topics that arose during interviews.

• Laura’s journey began by getting her ducks in a row. She went to the web – going to online job portals to get a sense for what companies seemed to have hiring budgets.From there she focused on who she knew and who she wanted to get to know. She wound up reconnecting with a group she’d lost touch with years ago, who still held regular monthly meetings.To her surprise, she recalls lighting up listening to the guest speaker at the meeting. They wound up having coffee, and this led to introductions to others. This happened on many occasions.

• Drew began his job search by diving into job boards. “I figured the more I applied to, the better my chances,” he recalls. “The trouble was, I didn’t hear anything back.”

The Day In/Day Out Job Hunt Routine

While Sarah and Drew were looking to move geographically, Laura wanted to stay put. As a result, while all three had similarities in their job search routines, there were some slight differences.

• Sarah had a super busy day job and a family to take care of when she got home each day. Making the most of limited time, she took advantage of 5 minutes here and there to do research and take notes on her mobile device.

  Then, when she had more time, she’d review her notes and delve deeper, reaching out by phone, email, or LinkedIn’s InMail. “I often spent an hour each day job hunting,” Sarah recalls, “but it was often in 5-minute chunks.”

• Looking to stay local, Laura focused on having face-to-face conversations with anyone willing to listen.These led to other conversations which in turn led to new and sometimes unexpected opportunities.

  She found herself eating breakfast with a friend that at the beginning didn’t seem to be in a position to advance her job search much. To Laura’s surprise, however, it turned out through chatting that she knew of someone who knew someone that led to the company where she now works!

• After his online job search fail, Drew began to leverage LinkedIn to its fullest. “I got in the habit of sharing and commenting on things I found interesting every morning, and then repeated the process at the end of the day,” he notes. “I basically committed to being on LinkedIn daily.”

  He overcame his normal reluctance and began asking people in his targeted industry for advice. “Sometimes they didn’t respond,” he recalls, “but sometimes they did!”This led to discussions that ultimately led to an interview and a job offer. “I learned how important it is to keep communication channels going.”

Overcoming Interviewing Hurdles

• Sarah’s biggest hurdle was convincing career change skeptics afraid to take a risk on someone without specific experience. She tackled this by carefully reviewing job descriptions and tweaking her resume here and there to align closely with the listed qualifications and requirements.

  A great part about this process, she recalls, is that it required her to really think through her career story to creatively show how her experience, albeit in a different role and industry, was well aligned to the targeted role.In addition to creating a targeted resume, this exercise gave her plenty of examples to share during interviews!

• Drew found that job boards offered great insight into skills that may be lacking. While some missing qualifications were insurmountable, others could be tackled through training. “I enrolled in some online classes to close my skills gap,” he says.

Parting Words of Wisdom for Other Job Seekers/Career Changers

Sarah, Laura and Drew all made successful career pivots but also walked away with some lessons learned. They were more than happy to share these learnings with other job seekers and career changers.

• “The grass is not always greener,” Sarah warns. While she urges career changers to get a resume professionally written, it is equally important to be passionate about aspirations, to conduct research, and remain realistic about the pros and cons.

• Laura recommends job seekers keep an eye on how they feel after each encounter during the job search journey – and let these feelings guide whether they proceed forward or go in another direction. “It may sound a bit woo-woo,” she says, “but I found that this led to several serendipitous encounters.”

• “I remember a conference speaker once said that if you wind up in an industry you are passionate about, it won’t feel like work,” he recalls. “I totally agree with that.”

The Bottom Line

While Sarah, Laura and Drew had different career aspirations, their career pivot success can be attributed to a similar multifaceted approach. Each created a job search plan, a framework for structuring their job search routine, and a strategy to overcome obstacles that crossed their path!

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

As an Executive Resume Writer, it’s always insightful to speak with someone with experience on the other side of the hiring table, which is why I was delighted to interview Executive Recruiter David Perry, co-author of Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0.

We discussed his take on the “hidden job market” and shared some outside-the-box job-search methods that may just surprise you.

His Take

“The hidden job market means 1000 things to 1000 different people,” David says. Acknowledging that the term can be confusing, he added, “It’s called the hidden job market, but this doesn’t mean that anyone is actively hiding jobs.”

Instead, 1 of 3 things are likely happening:

#1 There’s an opportunity, but it may exist now within the hiring managers‘ head and they haven’t had time to sit down and articulate it. In essence, it exists, but it’s also hidden because it hasn’t escaped the mind of the hiring manager.

#2 Job boards cost money. The price tag goes up based on how many markets or locations each posting gets published in. While this poses no problem to companies with big budgets, those with smaller ones often spread the word in other ways.

#3 So much of hiring is knee-jerk because someone leaves or retires, and THEN the hiring manager must think about it. They tend to turn to who they know or ask others who they might know.

The bottom line? Much of hiring happens below the surface. It’s not necessarily hidden, but you must know where to look.

#1 Networking with the Newly Departed

This approach doesn’t require you to speak to spirits, but rather people who have recently left a company on your target list.

The benefit? You can save yourself a great deal of pain by gaining invaluable intel regarding what it was really like to work somewhere.

While everyone is certain to have opinions, if 3 of 5 people share similar good news (or horror stories), there’s probably some truth to it. LinkedIn search filters are a great tool to find these people.

#2 Email Chain Letter

Most people don’t like chain letters, but Perry promises that this one works, in part because it makes people laugh. Here’s how to proceed:

1) Make a list of 10 companies

2) Send this email to 10 friends:

Dear Sam,

I’ve left XYZ company am looking for my next opportunity. My top 3 accomplishments are:

Xxxxx

Xxxxx

Xxxxx

If you could help me with 2 big asks, I’d appreciate it!

– Review this list of companies (attached) to see if you might know someone and could make an introduction.

– Please share this email with 5 others.

Many thanks,

Jane

<insert link to LinkedIn profile>

P.S., I promise nothing bad will happen to you if you break this chain letter :)

#3 Digital Breadcrumbs

Remember the story of Hansel and Gretel? Were it not for breadcrumbs, the story might have ended very differently.

Job seekers can and should leave digital breadcrumbs, ensuring the skills/words/terms used by a decision-maker to search for a role appear in their LinkedIn profile (in the headline, summary, experience and certainly the skills section).

Recruiters are looking. Make it easy for them to find you as the owner of the skills they are looking to source.

Outside-the-Box Job Search Techniques

It’s possible these unconventional job search strategies might not be in your comfort zone. Heck, they may be waaaaay outside yours.

If you’re eager to make a bold move, however, and are willing to take a risk, why not give it a shot?

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

As a Resume Writer, I’m an advocate for customizing your resume to the targeted role. Does this mean you need to have 20+ versions of your resume floating around?

Absolutely, and THANKFULLY, not.

Below are the 4 areas where I recommend focusing your attention, allowing for quick customization rather than a complete overhaul:

#1 Headline

There’s no easier way to set the stage for the reader than to ensure your headline aligns with the job target. The best part is that it takes just a few seconds to make the adjustment.

Note the difference in the messaging based on these minor edits:

• IT Program Manager

• IT Program Manager Specializing in Cloud Transformation

• Banking IT Program Manager

As you can see, 3 different headlines set the stage for 3 slightly different job targets.

#2 Summary Paragraph

By adding or omitting a word or 2 or even a sentence, you can connect the dots for the reader as to how you’re ideally suited for a particular role.

Pulling from the above-referenced Program Manager example, if you are targeting an IT program manager role in a different industry, you’ll want to showcase industry diversity.

Your paragraph might include a sentence that reads:

“Directed several technology migrations supporting financial services, healthcare and nonprofits.”

If you are targeting a role in Cloud transformation IT program management, you could highlight that your experience centers on this. Your sentence might read:

“Directed several technology projects from user requirement gathering and testing to implementation and change management adoption, supporting organization’s transition from legacy to cloud-based systems.”

If you are targeting an IT Program Manager role within a bank, if you’ve worked at banks, your sentence could read:

“Directed several end-to-end technology projects for Wells Fargo, Truist and Bank of America.”

By making tweaks to this same sentence, you are

1) Sharing a bit about your unique career history that will differentiate your resume from those of so many others that never take this step.

2) Showing the reader how your experience aligns with the role you are targeting.

#3 Terminology

When I work with a client to craft their resume, I always ask them to send me a handful of job postings of interest.

What I’ve found is that when job seekers are clear on their target, the postings turn out to be largely similar at their core, with one exception: lingo or terminology.

As an example, I recently reviewed 3 different job postings for a Senior HR Business Partner and discovered the same skill referenced 3 different ways:

• “Business Planning”

• “Business Strategy”

• “Organization Strategy & Planning”

In essence, these companies require a candidate with the same skill set but have referenced it using 3 slightly different terms.

While AI Natural Language Programming (NLP) is helping mitigate this issue, not all companies have adopted AI at the same rate.

For this reason, I recommend appealing to the company by speaking their language, which means reviewing skills/terms listed on your resume and modifying them to match.

#4 Strategic Bullet Ordering

When readers are in a rush (and they almost always are), there’s no guarantee they will read every bullet or paragraph in a resume. In fact, I only count on them getting to the first one during that first pass.

I advise job seekers to ensure the first bullet for each role is impactful and most closely aligns with the targeted role.

Example #1: Let’s say the role you are targeting requires you to lead a brand-new team. In this case, you’d want to move this bullet to the very top:

“Built and led ground-up team that grew revenues to $1.5M in 18 months, well surpassing 2025’s $1M forecasted.”

Example #2: Through your research, you’ve discovered the company you are targeting recently merged with another company and has plans to continue growing through acquisition.

You might want to move this bullet to the top so it’s the first thing the reader sees:

“Led company’s post-acquisition culture, process and systems integration, earning accolades from Executive Leadership as one of its most seamless M&As.”

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

I often work with job seekers who are great at what they do. So much so, that they haven’t needed a resume to land a job in years . . . until now.

Sound familiar?

If it’s been years since you’ve been on the job hunt, there are 3 critical points to understand in terms of how resume writing and reading have changed.

#1 Technology Has Changed The Game

Resumes are no longer printed out, at least not during the first several reads. Instead, they are read on screens of all sizes, from desktops to mobile phones.

The human eye reacts quite differently online than in print. Screen reading is much tougher on us than when something is printed out, and small-screen reading is even harder than large-screen reading.

Thus, resumes written for print often don’t make the cut. Get your resume screen-ready by:

• Replacing dense or crowded text (example: a 5-line paragraph or a series of single-line bullets clumped together). Opt for bullets or paragraphs 2- to 3-lines long.

• Inserting at least a half-inch of white space in between each and every paragraph or bullet you create.

• Adding minor design elements. While I’m not a fan of design for design’s sake, bolding, italics and light shading can help draw the reader’s eye where you want it to go.

#2 People Are Always In A Rush

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of a reader leisurely reviewing a (virtual) stack of resumes. Like you, recruiters and front-line reviewers are always pressed for time when making decisions about potential candidates.

Studies indicate your resume has less than a minute to make an impression. That means the salient points must be quickly identifiable and allow the reader to easily connect the dots with regard to how your experience can solve their needs.

Ensure a quick and impressive skim read by including:

Headline with Summary

You know this section is spot on if, after reading it, the reader has a clear sense of the role you’re targeting and why it makes sense you’re targeting it.

Replace descriptive adjectives with a few facts or nuggets of info which are unique to your career. Rather than, “Strong track record of sales results,” you might write “Led sales strategies that grew revenues 30% annually and catapulted team from bottom 50 nationally to #1.”

Next, weave in key phrasing from a handful job postings of interest. A review of 4 or 5 often yields common requirements. By including language in this section aligned with thes postings, you’ve helped the reader connect the dots as to how you are a perfect fit.

Quantifiable Results

Skim readers want to understand the bottom-line impact of your leadership success in past roles. By quantifying this or articulating your before v. after story, the reader will be able to make the connection regarding the impact you could make in your next role.

Remember to show context when including data or figures. For instance, if the standard annual growth in your industry is 12% and yours is 25%, this added detail will resonate more deeply than if you’d just stated you grew revenues 25%.

#3 People Want To Hear Your Recent History

By the time you’ve earned a director or executive title, you likely will have had 20+ years of experience under your belt.

For the purposes of the resume, I recommend providing the greatest amount of detail regarding the most recent 15 years. This technique helps keep the reader’s attention and mitigates your risk for age bias.

If earlier experience is highly relevant to your current target, create an “Additional Experience” section where you list the title, company name and a brief line as to why it’s relevant. You don’t need 4 bullets or resume real estate for something that happened in 1990.

Knowledge is Power

Are you jumping into the job search arena for the first time in years? Your best chance of success involves understanding how time and technology have how resume reading and decision-making have evolved.

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

It’s not you. Job search has gotten increasingly hard since 2024, thanks to companies tightening their belts and the rise of AI tools allowing people to apply to 100s of roles regardless of fit (requiring recruiters to sort through even more applicants than before).

It’s an even tougher pill to swallow coming off the heels of 2022 and 2023, which were some of the best years I’ve ever seen for job seekers.

In the spirit of controlling what’s within your control, here’s how you can differentiate yourself in the face of tough competition:

#1 Create killer career marketing collateral

To stand out from a crowd of well-qualified executives, your resume, bio, website, etc., must impress.

You can’t afford to go with a resume written in using the same format you used 7-8 years ago, designed for a print versus an online read, lacking in quantifiable achievements or skipping strategic, bottom-line impact.

Those vying for a role in the executive space must show they can manage not just budgets but people and initiatives, and back it up with examples.

#2 Start talking

You’ve heard it before. Most executive-level jobs are filled through recruiter searches or networking, not by applying online or posting your resume on job boards.

What’s your best shot when it comes to landing interviews? Devote just 20% of your time applying for roles for which you’re an ideal fit and 80% to networking to figure out who you need to know to gain some inside intel and traction.

Amass names by reaching out to friends, family, friends of friends of families and most certainly acquaintances. Take it a step further by searching on LinkedIn to find people at companies you are interested in, as well as recruiters.

Next, start reaching out.

While some might never respond, remember you only need a few to advance your search.

#3 Get virtual

Like it or not, recruiters, HR professionals and hiring managers will find and vet you online. Why not play this to your advantage by engaging on 1 or 2 social media sites?

By contributing (sharing, commenting, liking or even authoring) just once a week, you will slowly but surely position yourself as an expert in your field. Engage one time a day and you might possibly elevate yourself to thought-leader status.

This way, when hiring managers search online (and they will), what they find will reinforce for them that you are a candidate worth taking seriously.

Secure your status as a contender

If you are hoping to land a new role in the upcoming year, you’ll need to up your game by investing in strong career documents that include writing a resume and a strong LinkedIn profile, building and communicating with the right people and building your online reputation.

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I write high-impact Resumes and LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, in control and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website at VirginiaFrancoResumes.com and schedule some time to chat.

Hopefully, like minds will appreciate this quick fix list, featuring common resume DON’Ts and easy tips to turn them around:

TOO LONG

There’s a lot out there about the ideal resume length, and in reality, the “right” length is how much room it takes to share a story that is aligned to the target, features data and context and is tightly edited.

As a rule of thumb, I often write 3-page resumes for C-Suites or for those who require addenda. A single page is great, but unless you’re new to the workforce or have been in the same role for most of your career, it it’s tough to squeeze it all in.

I’d say 85% of the resumes I write for those with 5-15+ years of experience are 2 pages long.

THE QUICK FIX: Widen your margins to no more than .5 inches all around, choose a sans serif font (easiest for digital reads) and set your point size to 10 or 11. You may be amazed at how much less room this new version takes up on the page.

TOO MUCH TEXT

Heavy blocks of text, and by that I mean text greater than 3 lines in length, are easy to read in print, tougher to read on a large screen and brutal on mobile devices.

When someone’s in a rush (most resume readers are always in a rush) and something is tought to read, you run the risk they’ll skip much of it altogether.

THE QUICK FIX: Whittle your bullets to 1 to 3 lines. For optimal skimming, allow at least .5 point between bullets.

TOO OLD

Those who have read resumes for years can easily tell if you are out of the loop where resume reading and writing trends are concerned, thanks to telltale signs.

THE QUICK FIX: Show you’re up to speed by 1) removing an objective 2) removing “references available upon request” and 3) including your LinkedIn URL in contact info.

TOO HARD TO FIND THE GOOD STUFF

Don’t bury your achievements below your list of responsibilities. It makes it hard for the skim reader to find it.

THE QUICK FIX: For each role, ask yourself these 4 questions.

1) What you were brought in to do/problem to solve?

2) What was the status of #1 when you left (as you prepare to leave)?

3) What role did you play in moving the needle from beginning to end?

4) Why did it matter to the company/customer/client/stakeholder?

Formulate a bullet that includes this information, and feature the most prominent bullet at the top.

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

#1 Text Blaze Templates & Text Expander

After years of creating customizable email templates using Gmail’s Canned Responses, I jumped ship in favor of the Text Blaze.

By letting you create shortcuts of common replies, Text Blaze lets you populate a response anywhere in a matter of seconds, from an email to a DM.

Magical is available via a Google Chrome extension, MacOS or Windows, which means whatever your email tool (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) or operating system (Windows, Mac), it works.

JOB SEARCH USE: Use Text Blaze to queue up customizable outreach to your network and recruiters.

#2 Unroll.me

If you’re like me, you get tons of junk mail and likely don’t really recall adding your name to the list. If your email inbox is in need of a serious decluttering, you’ll want to check this tool out.

Unroll.me lets you unsubscribe from any list you’d like and includes a roll-up feature that lets you read email subscriptions at a time that works for you.

Seriously, this is the greatest thing that has happened to me in my inbox since – well – forever!

JOB SEARCH USE: None that I can think of . . . who doesn’t like a decluttered email inbox?

#3 Boomerang

Boomerang for email, IMHO, may quite possibly be my favorite email productivity tool. Just like Gmail, you can hit snooze or schedule emails to be sent at a later date.

The added features, though, are what make me a huge fan of Boomerang. It can:

1. Schedule reminders to yourself with notes; invaluable for following up on important messages when you don’t hear back, or you’re afraid you’ll forget.

2. Provide intel on message opening and read receipts. It can also let you know if your email was viewed on mobile or desktop.

When it comes to focused productivity, Boomerang lets you Pause your inbox, notify people of it (or not), and block off times when you don’t want to be disturbed.

Boomerang works on all email clients, including Gmail and Outlook, and on Androids and iPhones.

JOB SEARCH USE: By letting you keep on top of one of the harder parts of job search, building and nurturing your professional network, the notes and read receipt features are super valuable.

#4 LastPass

LastPass saves your passwords and gives you secure access to them from any device: laptop, desktop, tablets and phones.

JOB SEARCH USE: No doubt, as part of your job search, you have accounts for everything from job boards to LinkedIn. Access them in seconds without having to remember your passwords with LastPass.

#5 YouTube Yoga

Finding an exercise you can do on the fly is a great thing. Yoga is my go-to on-the-fly workout.

Not only does it help with building strength, flexibility and creaky joints, it also does wonders for reducing stress, relieving anxiety, depression, and insomnia, according to the American Psychological Association.

While I love yoga for all these reasons, another thing to love about it is that you can practice pretty much anywhere with enough room to lay out a towel or unroll a mat.

YouTube is chock-full of videos for everyone, from a total newbie to someone who’s more advanced, with workouts as short as 7 minutes and as long as 90.

I probably do yoga 3X a week, and depending on my mood or body ache, search accordingly. Recent searches include:

1. Yoga for backache

2. Yoga for core

3. Yoga to wakeup

4. Yoga for runners

I’ve included screenshots of two of my favorite YouTube Yogis – Yoga with Tim and Yoga with Adriene.

JOB SEARCH USE: Job search, by its very nature, is filled with ups and downs that can cause stress. Yoga kills 2 birds with one stone by helping you to feel strong both physically and mentally.

I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

As an Executive Resume Writer, I work with many who have worked in Consulting or who have owned their own consulting firms.

They often ask for a resume that allows them to pursue new consulting opportunities and to explore career options on the client side of the table. Consulting is unique in that, over just 3 to 5 years, it’s possible to work on several client engagements concurrently and/or that are often similar in nature.

Below are 3 ways to showcase management consulting career highlights in a resume, along with my take on when it makes the most sense to use each format:

#1 Name-Dropping

When looking to show the types of organizations with which you’ve worked, or to show them you’ve worked with some big or up-and-coming companies (providing you’re not bound by a confidentiality agreement), there’s no better way to impress than by name-dropping.

In the example below, I led with a few sentences that outlined the types of clients who hired my client, then showcased the services she provided.

Next, I selected a handful of clients sure to impress, and name-dropped by including their name in bold before describing each challenge and accomplishment.

#2 Industry Showcasing

Referencing the industry or providing a company descriptor is a great workaround when a client’s name must be kept confidential.

In this example below, I shared my client’s accomplishments and gave the reader a sense for the types of organizations for which he was well-suited, without ever mentioning the client’s name, via a series of telling clues:

1) Mentioned the industry, in this case financial services, in the job title and in the first paragraph.

2) Showed work with a Fortune 500 client in Bullet #1.

3) Referenced working for a large bank in Bullet #2.

#3 Pain Points Highlighting

It’s not uncommon for my consulting clients to be so good at their jobs that they’re sought after to repeat this success across many engagements.

Rather than list every 18- to 24- month assignment, a move that would make for a lengthy resume and might lose the reader, it’s often more effective to highlight the types of problems solved.

In this example below, I have bolded the type of problem/pain point my client was brought in to tackle. If not bound by a confidentiality agreement, it is easy to include the client’s name rather than reference them using descriptive language such as that used below.

Strategies to Overcome Unique Challenges

Consultant job seekers face unique challenges when writing their resume, from confidentiality agreements that prevent listing their client’s name to a history that includes work on dozens of engagements.

The 3 techniques outlined above address each of these challenges and allow these job seekers to present their career story and accomplishments in a way that appeals and impresses today’s digital, skim readers.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

In this evergreen episode of the Resume Storyteller podcast, I walk through my career job-by-job: how I secured each role, what worked and what didn’t, and strategies for explaining it all during your job search.

4 TAKEAWAYS:

#1 Careers can be twisty and turny, and that’s OK.

#2 Don’t be afraid to make bold asks. They can say no but might say yes.

#3 It’s OK to take a job that meets a short-term goal.

#4 Strive for roles that work in the moment, recognizing that as your life evolves, so might your jobs.

Takeaways from a Topsy-Turvy Career

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

When LinkedIn first got its start, all you needed to appear cutting-edge was a LinkedIn account. Once word spread and more joined its ranks, a resume cut-and-paste was still sufficient to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Fast forward to today, and everything has changed. Today, LinkedIn boasts hundreds of millions of users worldwide, with professionals signing up by the millions.

As an executive resume writer, focusing on differentiation between resume and LinkedIn in 3 key areas has helped my clients in the following ways:

1. Increased profile views

2. Increased recruiter outreach

#1 TONE

RESUME: Formal: Resumes generally take on a slightly formal tone. This means avoiding the first-person “I” and keeping the copy crisp and brief.

LINKEDIN: Conversational: Where a resume is a chance to show your story, LinkedIn provides the additional opportunity to let the reader “hear” your voice.

To accomplish this, it must be written the way you speak.

#2 HEADLINE

RESUME: Customizable: Customization shows the reader alignment with industry, job title and position requirements.

LINKEDIN: Skills/Keyword-Searchable: Uncheck LinkedIn’s default box that makes your headline appear as your current job title, especially if your title isn’t something a decision-maker would naturally use in search.

In addition to your target title (searchable options include Director, Vice President, Chief — it helps to check out those available in LinkedIn’s Experience drop-down boxes), incorporate the top 3-4 keywords (think skills, name of industry) a hiring manager or recruiter might use to search for talent like you.

#3 SUMMARY/ABOUT SECTION

RESUME: Brief and to-the-Point: The summary must convey to the reader how you are ideally suited for a particular role. Given that you have limited real estate on a resume to work with, I this take no more than 1/4 of the page (3-4 lines, perhaps a couple more if the text isn’t organized densely).

LINKEDIN: Use the Space Allocated: LinkedIn supplies 2600 characters in this section. I recommend maximizing this to the fullest by building on the themes in your resume, including your contact info, and expanding upon your work and/or leadership style.

To capitalize on searchability, continue to write conversationally, weaving in the Top 10 keywords/skills associated with your job target into this section, so that if someone were to ask an LLM/AI tool what type of problem you solve, your About section would answer it.

Differentiate, Don’t Cut-and-Paste

Although making sure your headline, summary/about section and tone are different on LinkedIn from how they appear in your resume may take work, I can attest to the fact that the ROI is well worth it.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

When it comes to cover letters, there’s good and bad news.

The bad? In my experience, they only get read about a third of the time.

The good? When read, a cover letter can make a difference, especially for a career changer.

When powerfully written and sent to the right decision-maker, a cover letter can serve as a tipping point that encourages the reader to take a risk.

Below is my 5-step formula for writing a cover letter that tells your story, acknowledges that you are a career changer, and helps a decision-maker visualize how your experience can benefit them.

5 Steps to Career Change Cover Letter Success

Put yourself in the shoes of the reader (assume hiring manager), and share the information that makes it clear you can do this job, explaining how your experience will help you help them:

1. Lead with the Transferrable

A cover letter must never leave the reader guessing as to how your experience might make you well-suited for a role.

To this end, rather than opening with a ho-hum statement about how excited you are to apply for the role, Paragraph One must hook the reader by showing that your skills are a strong MATCH.

Here’s an example of an opening paragraph for an IT Executive trying to move from the world of healthcare to academia.

Dear [hiring manager’s name]:

From leading a technology strategy to advance an organization’s mission to building a team and establishing partnerships both within and beyond IT, I love the challenge of building a scalable and cost-effective tech stack that well-serves the needs of our community of users.

This paragraph directly addresses points from the job posting: the need to 1) build a team, 2) establish partnerships and 3) serve users.

Equally important, the paragraph addresses a pain point by demonstrating that the candidate can build technology infrastructure on a lean budget to support growth.

2. Call Out the Elephant in the Room

Once you’ve hooked the reader with your transferrable skills, I recommend that Paragraph 2 address the elephant in the room – in this case that the job seeker has not previously worked in academia – and show that it is a non-issue.

Aim for language that is transparent and direct.

Here’s an example:

While my career does not include tenure in academia, I’ve successfully jumped into unfamiliar industries before, building and leading technology teams and advancing highly successful IT strategies.

3. Share Compelling Achievements

Decision-makers respect achievements, especially those that align with what they’d like to see occur within their own companies, divisions or departments. With that in mind, I advise career-changing job seekers to carefully select 3 or 4 achievements that highlight successes relevant to the role they are targeting.

In the case of the IT Exec, here are 3 we picked that aligned quite closely with much of the language in the job description:

During my career trajectory to become my organization’s most senior IT leader, I:

• Built a virtualized environment, data center and security solutions from the ground up.

• Evolved the IT infrastructure from ad-hoc to mature and compliant, then steered its cloud migration.

• Instilled a collaborative culture with team members dedicated to customers and quality.

4. Share Your Origin Story (as it Applies to the Organization You are Targeting)

Once you’ve hooked them, addressed the elephant in the room and dazzled them with relevant achievements, it’s time to close out by explaining the WHY behind the move.

Did a volunteer or side project spark your interest? Have you always been passionate about the industry? Use this next paragraph to provide insight into why, even with your untraditional background, you’re eager to throw your hat into this particular ring.

Here’s what I wrote for our IT Executive:

As a French major with a degree from a liberal arts university, I’m proof that a well-rounded education can prepare students for the business world.

XXX University’s mission as a liberal arts institution speaks directly to this, and at this junction in my career, I’d like to consider a career move where I can contribute as a mentor, technologist and senior leader.

5. Express Your Passion for This Employer

Close out your cover letter by sharing a bit about why you’ve targeted this company or industry. In my experience, decision-makers are more willing to get excited about someone who really cares versus someone who just wants to leave their old job.

Here’s an example:

Passionate about paying it back and forward, as a public institution, serving as the University’s CIO would further reward me by making giving back a full-time endeavor.

I look forward to learning next steps.

The Potential Tipping Point

Since your resume may not scream relevant experience the way someone who has been in the role/industry for years might, embrace your cover letter as a chance to show you are a great fit despite the specific lack of employment history.

In fact, when looking to make a pivot into a new industry or field, a powerfully-written cover letter may turn out to be the tipping point that convinces the hiring manager you are worth a second look — and bring you in for an interview.

The Bottom Line

Yes, your cover letter may be ignored. But why take the chance when a solid cover letter demonstrates your interest in the job and helps make the case they should, at least, speak with you.

A well-written cover letter may open doors for you that would have otherwise remained closed.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

Two steps forward, one step back. We use this phrase to express our frustration when our efforts aren’t yielding results or when progress made feels heavy or taxing. While I understand the sentiment, I’ve never been a huge fan of this phrase because, in my experience as an executive resume writer helping job seekers, it discourages action.

When it comes to setting a goal, forging a path or trying something new, I’ve long been in the camp that believes it’s better to take 2 steps forward and 1 step back than never to take any steps at all.

Why? A step forward – even with a backslide – is still a step in the right direction!

When it comes to social media engagement as part of personal branding, a strategy for career advancement, networking, side gigs or job search, embracing ANY steps forward over time can spell real PROGRESS.

Below are 2 examples from my own journey as a solopreneur executive resume writer to show how any progress – big, small and sometimes unexpected – is better than ZERO progress resulting from inaction.

1. My Experience with “Stop and Go“ Social Media Engagement

TWO STEPS FORWARD: I began posting regularly on LinkedIn years ago as a strategy to share my knowledge with job seekers on the platform, cement my brand and build my resume writing business.

Over time, I began to receive regular post-engagement and saw an increase in the number of people who would contact me inquiring about my services.

ONE STEP BACK: I never forget the summer I calculated the cost of day camps for 4 kids and chose to step away from work and posting altogether (6 weeks!) but stuck around to comment on posts where I felt I could add value.

My profile views dropped (dramatically), and I was scared I’d lost every bit of hard-earned earlier momentum.

UNEXPECTED PROGRESS: When I returned from my self-imposed sabbatical, to my unexpected delight, people welcomed me back graciously! Thanks to this supportive community, rather than starting from ground zero, I was able to regain my lost momentum within a matter of weeks.

Today, while I no longer have childcare costs to contend with I intentionally take a break from social media posting – and my mental health is all the better for it.

2. My Unexpected Podcasting Journey

TWO STEPS FORWARD: I launched the Resume Storyteller podcast in 2017 – with nothing but a cell phone and a free video-conferencing account (thank you freeconferencecall.com)!

The goal? Give job seekers an insider peek at how job search decisions get made – and learn along the way from those who make hiring decisions day in and day out.

ONE STEP BACK: Comparing my podcast to those of others, my audio quality was dismal (putting it mildly); there were times when the call dropped or when you could literally hear me typing notes as I was conducting interviews. Cringeworthy for sure.

UNEXPECTED PROGRESS: Despite the amateur quality, I began receiving notes from listeners who wanted to work with me as a result. This encouraged me to (slowly but surely) invest in a better microphone and some noise-canceling software. I even found an awesome audio editor through Fiverr.

My knowledge of job search grew thanks to so many who shared their expertise. What I didn’t expect, though, was that the platform would give me a much-needed confidence boost to accept requests to speak before a camera.

Fast forward to today – while I prefer to remain hidden behind a keyboard (and I never monetized my podcast), I credit it with growing my network and increasing my comfort with public speaking.

Job Search Parallels

Most job search journeys are filled with zigs and zags, ups and downs. Progress, followed by setbacks, occurs across all stages – including outreach, networking, applying online and interviewing.

While it’s understandable to want to throw in the towel after a setback, consider an alternate perspective.

As I hopefully showed from the personal examples shared above, setback or not, any progress made (no matter how small) positions you more strongly than if you’d never made the effort – and may yield some unexpected benefits.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don’t read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

Curveballs or unexpected events have a way of making us re-evaluate and reprioritize what is important. As an Executive Resume Writer, I’m seeing a huge rise in folks worried their industry or role is at risk for layoffs and are evaluating their best next move.

Several considerations go into a successful pivot. Ignore these 6 and risk jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

#1 Running Away vs. Running Toward

Before going forward with your leap, it’s critical to be clear on why you are leaving and where you want to head next. Some questions to gain clarity:

• Are you unhappy more than not? Have you had a lousy week or an even worse month, but things were decent before? Your next steps might look different than a person who has been miserable for a long time.

• Upon reflection, is it your boss, your role or your industry (or all of the above) that makes you miserable?

• What talents and skills would you like to tap into for your next role?

• What type of people and workplace environments bring out the best in you?

• What types of challenges make me eager to jump in?

• What are non-negotiables or dealbreakers?

These answers should inform your next move and help you ensure your next step is toward something that gives you satisfaction, not just away from what makes you miserable.

#2 Making it All About the Money

Is money important? No doubt. But is it the end-all to be -all? Being financially strategic is important, but it doesn’t need to be the sole basis for your decision-making.

While a well-paying role or industry may match with your skills, it might not match with your values or goals, which might mean you will trade one type of unhappiness for another.

Therefore, if more pay is reason #1, 2, 3 and 4 for making a career 180, you may regret your choice down the road.

#3 Skipping the Homework Phase

It’s always wise to spend a large chunk of time in the research phase to identify industries and roles that align with your skills AND goals. Otherwise, it’s the equivalent of throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks.

In my role as an Executive Resume Writer, this is the phase I see so many skip to their detriment.

A key part of the homework means speaking with those in your network and getting introduced by them to new people who work in your field of interest (and who will then make up your expanded network) to learn exactly what this new role might look like day in and day out.

It’s important to understand – through research and meaningful conversations:

• Where is the industry going?

• What professional associations support that industry?

• What tasks are required of the role to see if any skills gap need to be closed?

#4 Enrolling in School Without Knowing its ROI

While some fields (medicine or law, for instance) have clear educational requirements, many don’t, which means an advanced degree may not always pay off the way you’d hoped.

It is important that as part of the homework phase, you research the likelihood a new degree will help you attain your goal. Your bank account will be grateful!

#5 Quitting Before Landing

While there are absolutely toxic workplace situations where staying in a miserable role may compromise your mental health, studies reveal evidence of historical hiring bias against the unemployed.

While as a resume and LinkedIn writer, I employ techniques to help those who feel they have no choice but to leave, rightly or wrongly, it is often easier to get a job offer when you have one currently. If possible, consider sticking with your job but doing what you can to make the day-to-day more pleasant.

Consider taking on a new project of interest within your organization or volunteering outside your company in a way that lets you test out your new role pro bono.

#6 Jumping without a Transition Plan

Career changes are rarely smooth or seamless, and they usually don’t happen overnight. They often require more time and effort than a traditional job hunt.

Pivots are often tough both mentally and fiscally, so make sure you have a plan in place that includes either a source of income (or a way to live with less) and a support system that can help you see the forest through the trees and lift you up when you feel down.

The Bottom Line (My Two Cents)

Don’t assume a different career will be the magic bullet to your happiness without going through the above 5 steps to evaluate if what you think might be the case is reality.

While the challenges of a career pivot are no doubt difficult, they are not insurmountable. Jumping without knowing may mean trading one set of woes for another. It’s worth it to go through the steps and get it right.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don't read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

In today’s competitive job market, a resume and cover letter alone won’t cut it. You likely will benefit from a supportive network to carry you across the finish line.

But how do you build one and how can you harness it to help you leap to the front of the line and secure interviews?

I’m a fan of the “networking in 3s” technique. It’s a simple strategy that can help you expand your network swiftly and I’ve seen it accelerate job search while providing long-lasting benefits.

Here’s how it works:

1. Start by making a list of everyone you know who might be able to help you in your job search. This could include friends, family, former colleagues, vendors, consultants and fellow alum . . . you get the idea).

2. Once you have your list, reach out to each person to set up time to chat in person or virtually. At the end of each conversation (aka informational interview) ask for names of 3 people they think you would be a good fit for.

3. Repeat steps 2 and 3, again setting up times to chat in person or virtually.

Tips to Maximize Networking & Outreach

• Be specific. When you reach out to people, be sure to tell them what type of role you’re targeting, the industry of interest and the names of companies or types of companies where you’re hoping to land.

• Be prepared – and a good listener. People are more likely to want to help when you show authentic interest and come prepared with thoughtful questions.

• Be grateful, follow up and loop back. When someone helps you out, be sure to thank them. A simple e-note of thanks, followed up with a note once you’ve connected with the suggested referral can go a long way toward building and sustaining relationships.

The ROI

These conversations, when held as part of a “networking in 3s” strategy – have the potential for huge ROI:

#1 You might learn about job openings and companies that you may not have known about, or that haven’t yet been posted.

#2 You may emerge with a champion or advocate, someone who will vouch for you to decision-makers and serve as a trusted internal referral.

#3 You might walk away with intel on industry trends, company developments or workplace cultures. In fact, I’ve seen these conversations help people make “make or break” decisions as to whether a role or a company is good fit and worthy of pursuing (or not).

An Interview Fast Pass

If you’re looking for a job, a great resume or cover letter will likely not be a magic bullet. A strong strategy that includes persistent networking is essential.

While it takes time and effort on the front end, I’ve seen it work as the equivalent of a Disney World Fast Pass when it comes to results that get you to the “front of the line” come time to schedule interviews.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time.

If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don't read like AI, I invite you to visit my website.

As a former teacher, farmer’s wife, poultry business owner, columnist and children’s author, I consider Laura Ingalls Wilder an authority on career resilience. In honor of Women's History Month, thanks to ChatGPT, I asked her a few questions.

Here’s the 4-part advice she gave me on how to approach today’s difficult job market:

#𝟭 EMBRACE CHANGE & ADAPTABILITY

From small-town living to the wilderness, a log cabin to a sod home, and even life in a Conestoga Wagon, she saw it all and had to adapt. She would likely advise job seekers to embrace change when faced with new situations.

#𝟮 BE OPEN TO LEARNING

The skills needed to be a chicken farmer are quite different than those needed to be a teacher to young children and teens. There’s no doubt she had to remain open to mastering many new skills to succeed.

#𝟯 LEVERAGE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

Laura began writing the Little House books in her 60s, when Pioneer living was almost a thing of the past. Her observations of this time in US history were novel to younger audiences. They informed her writing, made her stories engaging and books successful.

#𝟰 MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

She often emphasized the importance of optimism in the face of adversity. This perspective clearly served her well as she faced steep obstacles — from financial struggles to illness, crop failures to tornadoes and even locust swarms.

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I write high-impact Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles that protect your career, keep you visible, ready, and in control, and help you land interviews in record time. If you might benefit from custom documents that tell your unique story and don't read like AI, learn more and schedule a chat: VirginiaFrancoResumes.com.