Fill that Hole in your Resume!

Candidates often find themselves between jobs. Layoffs, family leave, or whatever the reason. Thus, it’s not unusual for job seekers to have what’s known as a "hole" on their resume, or a “gap” in employment.

In employers’ terms, that time is unaccounted. Without proper context, an employer might imagine that you’re spending your time on the couch eating bonbons and watching Roseanne reruns.

The point here is not to advise you how to hide such gaps on your resume. Rather, how do you really use that time effectively so that you don't have a hole?

Okay, let’s paint a picture.

You and your employer have parted ways, leaving you unemployed.

Yes, it sucks. You’ve indulged in the obligatory week of self-pity and doubt.

Now, shake it off! We’re going to make some lemonade out of these lemons.

You now have an abundance of a resource which was in seriously short supply. I refer to time.

Here are some suggestions on ways you can close that pending gap on your resume, by keeping busy with meaningful activities. Fill the hole!

• Assuming you know what type of position you would like pursue, devote a standing portion of every day to your job hunt. Block the time on your calendar when you will check job listings, apply to jobs, send out resumes, visit an outplacement center (assuming your prior employer gave you that benefit). Routine will reinforce in your mind that searching for a job is a job in itself. Consider dressing in business attire to put yourself in the mindset.

• Find temporary, part-time work to keep busy. A few years ago, I left a recruitment position without another job in hand (the position and I were a poor fit for each other). Through my network, I came across a part-time opportunity with a staffing firm. We were able to come to an arrangement where I was able to work a flexible schedule. They allowed me to interview for full-time jobs on an as-needed basis, and at the same time, I kept my skills sharp. Plus, after taking the ego hit of being unemployed, I was able to rebuild my confidence and demonstrate to potential employers that my skills and I were still in demand.

• Volunteer. Do you have a favorite cause? Skills you can share? Consider volunteering with a charitable cause close to your heart. In the nonprofit world, dollars are tight – and giving freely of your time a few hours a week can ease a substantial burden. A benefit in addition to adding some karma to your account, is that you can pick and choose the work you wish to contribute. Are you an accountant, and your church could use some help installing QuickBooks? Or does the local food pantry need help boxing meals? Or can you provide extra assistance in some other area of your expertise?

Obviously, if the hole in your résumé is in your past, try to think back of how you spent that time. If you used it working in an unrelated field or volunteering, account for that time on your résumé as such.

Oh - in case you were wondering, full-time parenting counts as work. Take your credit where it's due.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

I Can't Wait To Show Off My New Tattoo At The Job Interview!

Tattooos

Tattoos are becoming more prevalent. Once the domain of the few, body art has gone mainstream. Even grandma has a heart inked onto her bottom. People want to express themselves in a way that accentuates their uniqueness and creativity.

Employers don't necessarily want to stifle individuality. But the truth is that tattoos presents a conundrum for employers. They don't necessarily want to stifle individuality, but they have a certain level of decorum they want to maintain.

And a tattoo isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't exactly fit within the traditional dress code guidelines companies have established, either.

Then there's the matter of what the tattoos depict. A tattoo featuring naked people might be more objectionable than a simple tattoo that says, "Mom."

Companies can legally decide not to hire a candidate if they feel that an applicant is showing too much ink, or if the subject matter is inappropriate or offensive. In addition, if the role has customer-facing responsibilities, the employer may not wish to place somebody with visible tattoos in such a role.

I realize that those of you with tattoos might find this annoying, or even offensive. But it's true. What (and where) you decide to display on your body makes an impression. So, what do you do if you have a passion for ink, but need to apply for a job?

• Know the culture of where you're interviewing. Some companies may not care. Edgy bars, restaurants and boutiques may view having tats as an asset. Startup tech companies may have no dress code at all and not care a whit about appearance. On the other hand, a stiff-shirt major consultancy with constant client interaction probably won't want to know that you've got a tattoo.
• Cover up during the interview. If you've decorated your arms, make sure you wear long sleeves. If you have tattoos on your upper chest, wear a fully-covering shirt and jacket. Try to make the interviewers focus on you as a candidate, so they don't get distracted and potentially turned off by the tattoos.
• Once you're hired, observe what everybody else does and follow suit. If the employees wear short sleeves and show off arm tattoos, it's probably safe for you to do the same. Follow the lead of your peers.
• Think twice before getting that tattoo somewhere on your body you can't cover it up. I'm all about personal expression, but every decision a person makes has consequences, and this is no exception. Tattoos up the neck and onto the face, or on the hands, are near impossible to cover tactfully. Once you've made the decision to place ink somewhere you can't hide it, you - rightly or not - may have limited your career options. It may not be fair, but it's reality.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Three Weekly Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Job Hunting Tips – July 27, 2015

Lemon Squeezy

Here are three simple job hunting tips for you to begin your week!

1. If you're actively interviewing, keep a lint roller in your car. If you've got pet dogs, cats, ferrets, or even llamas, you're bound to get hair and dander on yourself. That lint roller will help you from looking like you're wearing a mohair jacket when you're not.
2. Do you have a non-compete agreement in place? A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, you signed a mountain of paperwork when you started your job. One of those documents may have been a non-compete, which places restrictions on the types of   of jobs you can accept and at what companies for a period of time (usually one or two years). These are implemented to stop the workforce from directly bringing their experience and knowledge to their company's competition. Before even interviewing with another company, it helps to know whether you signed something saying you can't work for them. Don't waste your time - or theirs.
3. I'm sure this one won't make me too popular with the body art crowd, but if you have tattoos or piercings, make sure you cover these up best you can for an interview. Like it or not, people are judgmental, and one of the things interviewers will question if you have visible tattoos is your professionalism, and the impression you would make on internal and external clients. Better to let an employer hire you first, then you cangradually expose some of your more safe-for-work body art.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.