How many times have you heard someone say, “Just put it on your resume. There’s no way they’re going to find out”?

It is tempting to put little white lies on your resume. These might include overstating your knowledge of required software (“If they call me, I’ll teach myself over the weekend”), a certification (“They’ll never go through all that trouble to find out”) or extending dates at a former employer (“They can’t find out. The company went out of business”).

So what’s the big deal? It’s not like you’re claiming to be a medical doctor, right? Who are you hurting anyway? You’re just stretching the truth a little to get your foot in the door — or so you tell yourself. If these are familiar thoughts, you might want to re-think them. Why? Because the risk of getting caught is real. The odds of getting away with listing false information on your resume are probably, well . . . who really knows? Do you really want to find out the hard way?

There are many reasons that could prompt a human resources manager to conduct an employment background check. Maybe you are not performing your job as well as expected. Maybe a co-worker has the same credential and became suspicious when your facts did not add up during a conversation. Some companies have never experienced a dishonest employee who lied on his/her resume, and does not routinely verify work histories and the validity of credentials. In short, they have a false sense of security. Just the same, many hiring managers are keenly aware that lying on a resume is becoming a costly problem for many companies, and thoroughly check all facts even after they hire a candidate.

Sadly, it is quite common these days to learn of employee terminations because background checks revealed dishonesty. Depending on the level of the position or the severity of the falsification, this could sometimes lead to legal actions. So, before you decide to make yourself look better on paper, think again. It is not worth getting the job if you are not going to be able to live up to it or hold on to it.

The moral of this story? Don’t risk your future by lying about your past! Honesty is always the best policy

About The Author:

Ann Baehr is a CPRW and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her former role as Second Vice President of NRWA and contribution to 25+ resume and cover letter sample books. To learn more visit http://www.e-bestresumes.com

Need a guide to reputable online degree programs?  Take a look at this helpful site. (thanks to Daryl L.)

Graduating With a Plan of Action

Congratulations, you’ve just graduated or are planning to graduate soon with a degree in your chosen field. After you plan a graduation party, your next step should be focused on starting your career. Like a young racehorse at the starting gate, you have tons of energy and determination, and are anxious to get out there and seize new career opportunities. But are you ready? Do you know what you need to do? Do you have a plan of action to turn those opportunities into a reality? If you don’t, you will need to get one.

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage that the quickest route from point A to point B is a straight line. Well, jumpstarting your career is no different in terms of setting your job search goals and carrying them out diligently and methodically. You might have a few corners to navigate, but you should do your best to avoid deviating from your goal as much as possible.

One of the first things you need to decide is what type of job interests you the most. Depending on what your degree is, there might be many positions in your field to consider. For example, if you are a graduate nurse you can work in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, childcare center, school, private practice, or field setting. Then, within those settings you can work within various units such as medical-surgical, pediatrics, and maternity. Then there are transitional opportunities. Let’s say you tried your hand at nursing and realized it was not what you expected. You can always consider pharmaceutical sales as a new career. Some fields, such as business management, are even more flexible. The key is to decide which direction you are headed towards and learn as much about that field as you possible can.

Okay, you hate to admit it, but you spent all of that time and money, but you’re still not sure what you want to do. You have an idea about what you might want to do, but it’s just not clear yet. None of the possibilities you’ve explored get you excited. In fact, you’re feeling downright frustrated and depressed. Don’t worry. It really isn’t that bad. Keep in mind that you don’t have to start at the top, and don’t have to commit yourself to an employer. So don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Maybe you just need to get your foot in the door somewhere to test the waters before you decide to go full steam ahead. You might even want to spend the first year to discover what it is that you really want to do. That way your mind will be open to possibilities and you will have a positive attitude.  Just don’t waste time. Set weekly goals. Use that year to WORK at finding out what you want to do. Then prepare to do it – and do it well.

If you want to explore your career without the assistance of a job coach or career counselor, a good way to start is to conduct some independent research. Let’s assume your degree in is law enforcement or criminal justice. You will need to decide if you want to work in corporate security or private investigation. But how do you decide? Well, if your college’s career center cannot provide you with specific information, visit Occupational Outlook Handbook online (http://www.bls.gov/oco/) to get an overview of various positions in your field. Join industry specific chat rooms to see what everyone is talking about. Go to the websites of various companies. Get involved in conversations. Ask lots of questions. Get advice from friends, family members, and neighbors. Ask them what they do and how they got started.

If you are not sure if a particular area of your industry is right for you, call or write professionals already in positions of interest to request an information interview. An information interview will allow you the opportunity to question a professional about the nature and requirements of a position. Some people will not be available, whereas other people will welcome the opportunity to give you fifteen minutes of their time. If someone avoids you, don’t take it personally. Just move on to the next possible contact. Once you make a connection, you will need to be polite, organized, and demonstrate exceptional professionalism and communication skills. During your information interview, remember to take detailed notes. When you are done, thank them wholeheartedly for their time. Be sure to get their full name and contact information so you can send them a follow-up thank you letter. They might even have an opening, so be sure to make a good impression.

Once you have narrowed it down, have your resume developed professionally and post it on major job boards, such as monster.com, careerbuilder.com, and hotjobs.com to see what contacts can be made. While you are there, search job openings to glean what the job descriptions are so you can see what will be expected of you. Your resume writer will probably want you to do that anyway so they can get a good idea of the jobs you are interested in to ensure your resume is very targeted. Be proactive and tell your resume writer that you have done that and would like to share that information with them.

Okay, so now you know what you want to do and you have a great resume and cover letter. Now what? You’ve probably heard how important networking is – that it’s not what you know but who you know. Well, that’s not always the case; but knowing the right person sure can’t hurt. With that in mind, let everyone you come in contact with know you are looking for a job. Be sure to keep your resume updated and in your car (protected from spills and creasing) so you can hand them out at a moment’s notice. Join an organization to become acquainted with people in your industry, attend career fairs, become affiliated with recruiters, and research companies online (post your resume at their websites), at the library, and even in the yellow pages to get leads to mail your resume and cover letter. This last approach is a great strategy. Let’s say you recently graduated with your Masters in Social Work. You can open your yellow pages to Adoption Agencies to acquire the mailing addresses of several social service agencies. Be sure to call the receptionist first to request the proper name, title, and department of the contact to send your resume and cover letter. Other strategies include creating a web resume so people can view your formatted, interactive resume online. If you don’t know how to do this, research how or hire someone to do it for you. Be sure to have business cards made and add your web resume address to it!

Another great way to get started is to temp for a while. If you do decide to temp, be selective. You should only work for the best companies in your field to get the very best experience possible. It is also a great way to prove yourself as a favorable candidate for a permanent position. Don’t temp for too long because it might cause a potential employer to wonder why you haven’t secured a permanent position for a certain length of time. If during an interview you are asked why you temped, confidently state that you chose to temp to gain well-rounded experience in your field. Don’t apologize for anything!

No matter what your plan of action is, be sure to keep organized notes and track every move you make. Prepare a list of names, company names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, and website addresses. Keep the list near the phone of every company you sent your resume and cover letter. That way you will know whom you are speaking with when they call to extend an initial or follow up interview. This is especially important if you are going on several interviews. If you are not organized, you will get confused and seem unprofessional. You will want to make a great first impression from the very beginning, starting with a great resume and cover letter. If you have your baby sister’s cute little voice or a musical greeting on your answering machine, replace it with a professional message that says, “You have reached John Smith at 555-5555. I am not available at this time. Please leave your name and reason for calling. I will return your call as soon as possible. Have a great day!” If your email address is bowlingkingpin@aol.com, be sure to change it to JSmith1234@aol.com. If you are on the road all of the time, or if members of your family do not speak English, get a cell phone so you can be reached anytime, anywhere. List that number as your only number without the word “cell” listed on your resume. If you list both your home number and your cell number, then indicate which number is your home number and which number is your cell number. They will probably call your home number first. If you have a lot of friends who call you on your cell, be on guard to answer your cell phone professionally. If you are going on an interview, leave your cell phone in your glove compartment. You don’t want your cell phone to ring in the middle of the interview.

Be prepared and on time for the interview, if not early. Make sure you have several outfits to wear to go on several interviews in a week’s time so you don’t stress. Make sure you dress appropriately for your interview. You can’t go wrong if you are conservative. If it is a creative industry, you can dress with more flair or even casual, but don’t dress too crazy. Have extra resumes handy (don’t bring your cover letter) to give to the hiring manager so he/she can distribute them to other managers without having to make copies. Practice your interviewing technique. Ask a friend to role-play with you. Get a book with commonly asked interview questions. In addition to learning what to say, you need to learn what not to say and what not to do. Send out thank you letters within 24-hours that mention something important discussed in the interview keeping the position in mind at all times and reiterating your strengths.

Above all, be professional in behavior and appearance, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, organized, interested in the company and position (have about  ten questions to ask them that have nothing to do with you), and try your best to be interesting when you talk about your experiences, regardless how limited they may be. If you are nervous, keep in mind that you are interviewing them, too. You don’t want to work for just anyone, do you? Be sure to convey that. You don’t have to be arrogant about it, but you should come across as a commodity, not as a desperate, nervous job seeker. If you think like that, your confidence will shine through naturally because you will feel good about yourself and will be ready for anything! Before long, you’ll be jumpstarting your career.

About The Author:

Ann Baehr is a CPRW and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her former role as Second Vice President of NRWA and contribution to 25+ resume and cover letter sample books. To learn more visit http://www.e-bestresumes.com

YOUR JOB INTERVIEW IS LIKE A BLIND DATE

You are off to a good start. You know a little about your date and your date knows a little about you. The description of your blind date seems too good to be true – a perfect vision of your ideal partner. They have the right physical attributes and personal qualities. Your matchmaking friends are even more excited than you because they’re convinced you are perfect for one another. The date has been set. You can hardly wait!

The night arrives and you see your blind date walk through the door of the restaurant. So far so good. The introductions go very well. They are very attractive and have a great personality. They seem to like you too. You can sense each other’s nerves, and are very careful about saying the wrong thing and turning each other off. After about fifteen minutes of slightly awkward conversation mostly dominated by your friends, your date, who by the way is a nurse, says, “So, I hear you’re a successful pharmaceutical sales representative with one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country. That sounds so exciting. How did you get into pharmaceutical sales? You begin by talking about how you’ve always been interested in medicine, enjoy selling, and never saw yourself at a desk job. You explain how you joined the company when they launched one of the best selling nebulizers on the market. As you humbly mention that you grew your sales territory to rank as one of the highest in the country, the waitress interrupts to take your plates and asks if you’d like desert. Wow, the conversation just flowed. You even forgot you were on a date! Your date was so interested in what you had to say, and they responded so well to the great questions you asked them about their work and family. Your date can sense you are truly interested in them. In the first half hour, you both realized you have so much in common. Deep down inside you are praying they like you as much as you like them, and hope they aren’t seeing anyone else. By the end of the night, it seems your date feels the same way. You both agree to a second date – this time alone!

Okay, let’s rewind the tape. You’re not in pharmaceutical sales yet. But, that is what you want to be. You’ve just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with a concentration in Psychology. You’ve had your resume professionally developed and it’s time to send it out. You scour all the job boards and classified ads, and talk to everyone in your personal network. Things are looking up. In less than two weeks, you have lined up four promising interviews.

So, if everything is going so well, why are you so nervous? Is it because you’re afraid you are going to fail at making a great first impression? Take a deep breath. There is a way to overcome this fear — and you hold the key. Remember that blind date? What was the hardest part? That’s right – it was the anticipation! Once you got there, everything went smoothly – especially when they asked you about your {future} job. Why did it go so well? Because it was about YOU! Know one knows you better than yourself, and that’s who they want to get to know better — YOU. THEY WANT TO MEET YOU. THEY ALREADY LIKE YOU!

And therein lies the secret. The very fact that they have invited you for an interview means they have PRE-QUALIFIED YOU FOR THE JOB! Can you believe that? It’s true! They are hoping that you are as good in person as you are on paper. If you are, like your blind date, they’re going to pray that you’ll stop interviewing with other companies and accept their offer to join their company.

So how do you gain the confidence you need to overcome your interview jitters? First, believe in yourself. Know how talented and knowledgeable you are. Remember, your resume says you are – and that’s why they want to meet YOU. Next, do your homework. Learn about the company. Ask genuine questions to show how interested you are in what their company does, why the position is available, what the position is about, and what the potential is to grow with the company. Volunteer to tell them what you know about their company, using it as a lead-in for a question you might have or save it as a response to a question they may have. Do not fail to ask questions! Do not wait until the end and say, “No, I think you answered all my questions (that were silently in my head!). BE PROACTIVE in the interview. As long as you know who you are and know something about them, you should have no problem hitting it off. If for some crazy reason they decide to offer the position to someone else, don’t be discouraged. There are other fish in the sea. Think of it as a great experience and opportunity to practice your interviewing skills.

In summary, the interview is a meeting between two interested people. They already know about themselves. So, it’s about YOU. They want to meet YOU. They want to get to know YOU. Just be yourself, be interesting, polite, and show your interest in them. If it is meant to be (hey, remember, you might not like them. Did you ever think about that?), you will be invited to a second interview or will be offered the position after the first meeting.

Best of Success!

About The Author:

Ann Baehr is a CPRW and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her former role as Second Vice President of NRWA and contribution to 25+ resume and cover letter sample books. To learn more visit http://www.e-bestresumes.com