One Darn Good Writer

‘Why Did You Leave?’ How to Address Past Employment

lisavaas — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:27:33 +0000

Parting can be such not-sweet sorrow if your explanation is clunky in an interview. In this article I give tips on positioning your resume (and your head) to provide a positive answer to the question: “Why did you leave?”

How to Explain Employment Gaps, Sabbaticals and Negatives on Your Resume

lisavaas — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:15:02 +0000

Here’s how to avoid putting a negative spin on your work glitches and how to stop hiring managers from wondering what you really did with your time. Read the story here.

Negotiate a Bigger Salary with Your Resume

lisavaas — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:14:25 +0000

Careful with that phrasing! Certain words and phrases can reduce your compensation. Read the whole story here.

Where Does Your Resume Go?

lisavaas — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:05:36 +0000

The step-by-step process that a job listing goes through in order to get filled. Click here.

Making Your Resume Format Machine-Friendly

lisavaas — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:03:21 +0000

I wrote this last spring but need to get it on my blog because I keep referring to it and have to keep tracking down the URL! Click here if you didn’t catch the package in the first go-round. It covers how to format a resume so that the software that recruiters use to store resumes doesn’t garble your document and wreck your chances to score an interview.

Resume Objectives that Catch Hiring Managers’ Eyes

lisavaas — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:44:28 +0000

Most people use an Executive Summary instead, but objective statements can still be crafted to be pithy and to the point. If you do use an objective on your resume, this article describes how to make them clear and present yourself as exactly the person they want to hire.

Top Resume Mistakes

lisavaas — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:21:03 +0000

I interviewed HR managers to find out which resume mistakes they see over and over again and how to avoid them. Click on through for the checklist I came up with to make sure your resume isn’t one of the clunkers.

Brainstorm Your Way to a Kick-Ass Resume

lisavaas — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:57:57 +0000

Writing about yourself is hard, even for many professional writers. But brainstorming techniques can get the ball rolling and the creative juices flowing. Check out the story here.

Customize Your Resume for That Plum Job

lisavaas — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:59:42 +0000

With resumes, there’s no such thing as one size fits all; know where, how and why to tweak, advises resume pro Steve Burdan. Check out the full story here.

Resume Verbs: Before and After

lisavaas — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:52:47 +0000

Certified professional resume writers Andrew Pearl and Tina Harlan provide some examples of how they’ve punched up bland resumes with action verbs. Click here for the full story on TheLadders.