Back in the days before COVID, I had a client who wanted to apply for a first-level management job in a niche field in a somewhat out-of-the-way location. I prepared her resume, she sent it off, and it was no surprise when she was quickly called in for an interview. But when my client called [...]
ChatGPT is the fad of the day; almost every influencer under the sun is busy telling everyone who’ll listen that they need ChatGPT, what it does, and how to use it. Most simply put, ChatGPT is a web-based natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that can answer questions and help with tasks, such as [...]
One of the most common questions a resume writer gets asked is: “Do you know how to work with keywords?” Usually, the questioner thinks that keywords are some arcane combinations of words that magically ensure that their resume will receive favourable consideration. There are even software programs that analyze job ads and come up with [...]
The pandemic moved many HR processes online. One such is virtual, or pre-recorded job interviews, increasingly guided by artificial intelligence (AI). Such interviews allegedly make it easier for companies to find the right talent. To discover which type of AI interview you face, check the fine print in the email you received. Terms like: “machine learning, [...]
The last few years have seen an explosion in resume formatting styles. Today, resume writers employ multi-coloured inks, pictures, images, charts, graphs, headers and footers, columns, tables, and text boxes. So, do we need to revise our resume formatting to keep up with the times? The answer is maybe. Or maybe not. Your decision will [...]
Every three months or so, you’ll see an article in a business magazine. So-and-so, a senior executive at such-and-such organization, gets caught for lying on his or her resume twenty years ago when they joined up. It’s always tempting to hide the black marks and awkward situations in your work history whenever you write or [...]
ChatGPT is much in the news these days. Articles and news reports describing this chatbot’s effectiveness in writing or debugging computer programs, mimicking celebrity CEOs, writing business pitches and student essays, and answering test questions follow one another on almost a daily basis. So, can it help you write your resume? Not really. While ChatGPT [...]
A reference is a crucial tool that helps persuade employers that you are the candidate they need by illustrating your performance in past positions. So how can you get persuasive references? Choose between three and five professional colleagues (managers, fellow employees, vendors, customers or other stakeholders) who appreciate your work and can speak to it [...]
The most crucial part of your resume is its summary section. Or, as I prefer to call it, the profile or ROI section. HR surveys consistently tell us that most hiring managers take only 6-20 seconds to read a resume before deciding whether to put it in the to-be-interviewed pile or the circular file. Unfortunately, [...]
How do you explain to a prospective employer that you want to leave your present employer because of its smelly ethics? One of my favourite employment resources, Nick Corcodilos of asktheheadhunter.com, recently discussed that question. His post and readers’ responses are found at, (www.asktheheadhunter.com/16596/explain-unethical-company) but I'll give you the highlights with my comments. Nick’s answer [...]