ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Don't let those unemployment numbers discourage you. There are jobs available. You just have to know where to look and how to make yourself look good to those companies.
That's where a strong résumé will really come in handy.
Mandy Minor is a Career Strategist in St. Petersburg. She says it's just a matter of looking, and not just at job websites.
"You need to really dial into what you do and follow the local news and business journals and the newspaper and the TV stations to get a read on who's coming to town or who's doing an expansion."
Speaking of your résumé, Minor says it might be time to give it an overhaul.
"Spend the time that you have, which should be a maximum of two pages listing your job title and then who it was for because this is about you and not about the company. And, the things that you helped get done there because it benefited the employer because what they're looking for is, 'What's in it for me? How are you going to help us?'"
Also, virtual networking on sites like LinkedIn can help you find jobs.
Follow companies you're interested in and reach out to people who work there. Try to get an informational interview. That way you won't be just a faceless name on a résumé.
Now that you know what to do on your résumé, here's what not to do:
- Don't offer too much information. No one has the time or wants to read a novel about you.
- No objective statement. The job your applying for is your objective.
- No references on request. Potential employers know if they ask you'll supply those.
Finally, Minor's last tip: Once you finish your résumé, proofread it a thousand times before sending it and have someone else look at it as well. You don't want to lose out on a great job because of a grammatical error.
If you can afford to invest a little money, there are online services that can help you craft the perfect résumé and that could pay off in the end.
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