Resume Writing - Rhetorical Strategies in Resume Writing

Resume Writing - Rhetorical Strategies in Resume WritingWhen it comes to effective resume writing, making the most of your rhetorical strategies in resume writing is one important part of a successful job application. If you use these tactics correctly, then you will be able to make your resume stand out and grab the attention of the reader, resulting in them clicking through to your job application page. The key is to ensure that the tactics you use are relevant and something that can be achieved with ease.The three most common rhetorical techniques in resume writing are: stating facts, highlighting an individual's accomplishments and describing specific skills and qualifications. Each of these techniques has its own merits and there is no right or wrong technique to use when writing your resume.Stating facts is one of the oldest ways of conveying information. A factual resume is basically telling the reader exactly what the person applying for the position does and how long they ha ve been employed by the company. This is the traditional approach, which should be utilised when you are unsure how to state the facts.In poetic style, you can do away with the use of facts and instead use examples. Use statements and uses of images in order to tell the reader about your capabilities and the results of your work ethic. The biggest advantage of using this technique is that it is very artistic and while you may be well aware of your skills, using examples from past achievements can assist you to draw the reader's attention to certain skill areas.The second tactical strategies in resume writing is to highlight an individual's accomplishments. What you need to remember is that it is not the length of time that the person has been employed by the company but the kind of results he or she has achieved. It should be noted that having a long list of accomplishments is not necessarily better than having a short list of accomplishments.The third part of this strategy is to de scribe specific skills and qualifications. One of the best ways to sum up an individual's skills and qualifications is to describe how the person's skills contribute to the team's success and how those skills are beneficial to the future company as a whole. Some people may feel uncomfortable being too direct when writing their resume, especially if they have not had the opportunity to meet the prospective employer.Resume writers can come up with a great deal of different ways of summarizing their previous experiences and achievements. When choosing a way to summarize these facts, it is important to realise that it needs to be relevant to the job requirements. Many employers find it easier to hire individuals who can provide them with an explanation of their skills and abilities, rather than someone who has put a lot of emphasis on their knowledge of a particular subject.Resume writing is an art, but using the best of tactics in resume writing will help you obtain the results you are looking for. If you have the talent for this sort of writing, then using these tactics may make it easier for you to excel at your job.

The 9 Types of People Who Ruin a Meeting

The 9 Types of People Who Ruin a Meeting Meetings represent those snippets in our day where we have to sit and confront our deepest fear: social interaction. Steve Thompson, Managing Director of the marketing, analytics and digital recruitment agency Forward Role, highlights the importance of meetings in an organization: “Meetings can be useful, but we’ve all been in a meeting that’s been ruined by some bad habits. Whether it’s cutting people off mid-sentence, people twiddling their thumbs with their eyes on the clock or slurping down a late lunch, these habits â€" if left unchecked â€" can turn a good meeting into a bad one.” Hes picked out some of the worst offenders, with a few tips on how you can deal with them. 1. The late arrival Arriving “fashionably late” might work for parties, but in the world of business, your delayed entrance will only frustrate everyone involved. Late arrivers are creatures of habit, and â€" like the proverbial hare â€" they chronically underestimate how long it will take them to get from A to B. In dealing with a late arriver, do: Take a minute or two once the meeting has finished asking your late arriver why they’re late privately. If their excuse isn’t legitimate, challenge them with improving their punctuality, so it doesn’t impact others. Don’t: Do a quick recap on their behalf of what’s happened up to that point. No one sits through recaps on Netflix, so don’t force the other people in your meeting to do so either. 2. The phone checker Research shows that we touch our phones 2,617 times a day; phone checkers bring the total average up. In meetings, they’ll meet the minimum eye-contact quota before slowly succumbing to the allures of the world in their pocket, and before you know it, they’re four articles deep into Buzzfeed taking a quiz on how many types of bread they can name in three minutes. When dealing with a phone checker, do: Politely ask them to put their phone away. If their habit is particularly extreme, you could implement a “no phones in meetings” policy. Don’t: Confiscate the phone or complain about “kids these days”. That’s why no one liked Mr. Wilson at school. If you’re reading this, Mr. Wilson, I want my Nokia 3310 back. 3. The multi-tasker Everyone loves a hard worker. The problem is that hands-on individuals often fail to see the value of “sitting and talking”, no matter what the issue might be, and insist upon bringing their work along with them to the meeting. If you find yourself talking over the pitter-patter of laptop keys while you’re trying to explain the scope of a new marketing campaign, you might have a multi-tasker in the room. When dealing with a multi-tasker, do: Wait until after the meeting to ask them about their work. Do they have too much to do? Are the deadlines too tight? Help them figure out which meetings they can skip if they need to, but be clear that if they’re in a meeting, they need to be all in. Don’t: Try to shut their laptop on their fingers while they’re still typing. Even if you do it hard, it won’t be enough to stop them jabbing out a strongly worded email to HR. 4. The skeptic The skeptic or “Doubting Thomas” makes a regular appearance in essential boardroom brainstorms, with the sole aim of crushing ideas underfoot while failing to provide any viable alternatives. Skeptics often discourage others from speaking up for fear of being made to look stupid, which means they need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. When dealing with a skeptic, do: Ask that everyone bring at least a few ideas to the meeting in preparation. This will help ensure skeptics have to contribute something to the meeting and encourage them to suspend judgment. Don’t: Put on a silly voice and mimic them whenever they criticise anything. 5. The conversationalist Conversationalists are friendly people that suffer from one fatal flaw: they talk much more than they listen. They’ll dip between their conversation and the wider one when it suits them, failing to realize that there’s even a meeting happening. They would probably bring along a few beers if it were socially acceptable to do so. When dealing with a conversationalist, do: Set the tone by going around the room and asking for the input of each person one by one. By having just one person speak at a time, conversationalists are more exposed and get policed by their peers. Don’t: Ask them if they would like to run the meeting thinking that it’s a punishment for them. It’s not â€" they’ll probably take you up on it. 6. The font of all knowledge They’ve done their research. They’re passionate about what’s being discussed. On the surface, the font of all knowledge is the person you want at every single meeting you have. The only problem? Fonts don’t see the need for letting others add anything, because they’ve already thought of everything themselves. They’ll probably get to that idea eventually if you’d just, you know, let them keep talking, ideally for the whole meeting and maybe even when the meeting has finished and everyone is looking at their watches and oh gosh it’s lunchtime already, but Brian is still talking. In dealing with a font of all knowledge, do: Thank them for their idea (they’ll be the first to share) and quickly direct a question at another participant in the meeting. Don’t: Yell “BORING!” while they’re mid-sentence. 7. The interrupter Interrupters aren’t malicious: most often, they simply lack the self-awareness needed to prevent them from saying “What do you mean by that, exactly? Interrupters often bring good ideas along with them and, unlike skeptics, tend to challenge ideas in order to improve them rather than to assert their authority. But all that interruption breaks the flow of the conversation and doesn’t allow people to reach the end of their thought before being â€" “I’m just trying to get a scope of what you’re saying, here.… cut off. When dealing with an interrupter, do: Orchestrate the meeting so that there are regular times in which questions about a thought or a proposal can be raised. For example, let one person in the meeting communicate an idea, and then ask “Does anyone have any questions about that?” Interrupters will jump right in there, allowing them to use their critiquing ability for good. Don’t: Deliberately interrupt them when they’re speaking. They’ll probably interrupt you back, and then you have to shout over each other to save face, and that’s just awkward. 8. The human statue Human statues subscribe to the Jurassic Park school of meeting etiquette: “Don’t move! They can’t see me if I don’t move.” Though they don’t appear to be doing any harm, human statues are among the most dangerous characters to have in a meeting because they encourage passivity in others. When dealing with a human statue, do: Approach them before the meeting and let them know that you’ll be asking them for input in the discussion. That way, you dispel the “what if” factor â€" they know for sure they’ll be picked, and should come prepared to speak up. Don’t: Inform them that T-rexes actually had good vision and that keeping still wouldn’t save them in a life-and-death scenario. 9. The gastronomist Fresh coriander, smoked paprika, melted cheese, roasted chorizo These are all smells that you’d love to catch a whiff of in your favorite restaurant, but in the boardroom, it’s a little distracting. Nevertheless, gastronomists will bring along their little gourmet lunch boxes and proceed to noisily devour their meal while you try to explain why conversion rates are down for the third month in a row. When dealing with a gastronomist, do: Check their schedule. If they physically have no time in their day for lunch, you should work with them to clear their diaries of less essential meetings to give them some “me time” to enjoy their Tupperware-packed duck confit with rosemary and thyme. Don’t: Try to one-up them with a pan-seared filet mignon and a nicely paired Chianti. About the author:  Steve Thompson, is the Managing Director of digital marketing recruitment specialists Forward Role Recruitment.

Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Your Next Business Trip

Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Your Next Business Trip According to an infographic by Certify, Inc., the average trip can cost nearly $950 per person for domestic travel, while international travel can cost $2,600 per individual. In fact, the cost of the plane ticket alone makes up half of the total cost of a single business trip, with the cost of board and lodging being the second most expensive item on the travel budget list. If you’re already cringing at the prices, then you’ll be glad to know that you can shave off a few dollars here and there with a little creativity. In this article, we’ll discuss a few tips and tricks that can help you save money on your next business trip, whether you’re funding yourself or have it all covered by your employer. Take Advantage of Rewards Programs According to an advice from Anthony Saladino, as cited in an article on Lifehack, you should choose and use credit cards that have aggressive rewards programs. Then, charge every single thing that you need, whether it’s for your personal or business needs, to earn points while making your usual purchases. Once you’ve racked up enough points, you can trade them in for plane tickets as well as board and lodging. Downgrade Your Ticket and Accommodations If you really want to save money for more important goals, then it’s time to sacrifice a few luxuries and switch to Economy Class airplane tickets and hotel rooms. You might even find that they aren’t as bad as you initially thought. Just make sure you don’t scrimp so much that you end up staying in an unsafe part of town or a vehicle so uncomfortable that you have to endure body pain for the rest of your trip. Pick something that will ensure you’re still comfortable while avoiding any expensive extras that you can live without. Try looking for mid-range accommodations online using sites such as Traveloka. Be Careful Where You Convert Your Currency Though it may be super convenient to just walk up to the currency converter counters at airports or hotels, you’ll wind up getting way less for your money by using their services. Though some may say they offer 0% commission, you still end up on the losing side because they’ll give you a drastically reduced exchange rate, according to an article on Quick and Dirty Tips.   Instead, withdraw cash from an ATM that covers your network, since they tend to have much lower fees. Better yet, sign up for a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees so that you can sidestep these costs completely, according to an article by Melissa Lambarena on NerdWallet. In Short: Always Think Before Transacting Though you’ll have to do a lot of planning and research in order to get the best deals, your wallet will thank you for the extra effort later on. Always look for new ways to make the most out of your money, and you’ll be able to afford even more business tripsâ€"and perhaps even a personal vacationâ€"without breaking the bank. Image Source; Image Source

Engineering Resume Writing Workshops For College Students

Engineering Resume Writing Workshops For College StudentsEngineering resume writing workshops for college students are becoming a trend among college graduates and recent graduates. These workshops help them write their resumes in the most professional way possible. They learn how to focus on their accomplishments and make sure that they have at least four to six months' worth of work experience.Students who attend these workshops to learn more about writing a resume. Most workshops take about three hours to complete. They help students to determine what they are qualified for and then help them create a proper job description. During these workshops, students will be able to learn about various resume topics including asking the right questions, creating a good cover letter, completing a portfolio, applying for jobs online, preparing an email to their potential employers, typing essays, learning more about writing a CV, and how to send a resume.A very important factor that these wor kshops help students to learn is how to properly prepare a job application. This is important because it shows prospective employers that the student is serious about getting the job. Most students do not do this correctly and it can be very detrimental to their chances of getting hired. This is where many of the workshops teach students how to properly use the resume format to make sure that their application is organized. They also teach students how to use technical skills like bullets and table of contents effectively to make sure that they include all of the important information for the job that they are applying for.Students are also taught how to build their resumes properly. They learn how to make sure that they include every aspect of their resume in their application. It includes the contact information, their career goals, a summary of the past employment, as well as the educational background of the applicant. They are taught how to create effective letters of recommend ation, they are taught how to organize their application by making sure that they are not wasting any space, and they are taught how to make sure that their applications are completed in a timely manner.A great thing about these workshops is that they teach students how to get the most out of their engineering resume. After a student has learned how to write a good resume, they will be able to change the way that they view resumes. They will be able to write better engineering resumes because they will know how to format their resumes properly. They will be able to make sure that they include all of the important information on their engineering resume and they will be able to create better letters of recommendation.Many students attend these workshops because they want to learn how to create a better engineering resume. Engineers, executives, and college graduate all look for engineering resumes on a daily basis. Engineers are constantly hiring new employees, so engineers need to k eep track of who they are hiring so that they can start a new position quickly.These workshops give students a chance to look at an engineer's resume so that they can determine how much information should be included in the resume. After they have learned how to format a resume, they can then send it off to prospective employers. They will also learn how to increase their chances of getting hired with a professional approach to their engineering resume.These workshops help students learn how to put together a resume in a professional manner and how to apply the information from their engineering resume to their employment situation. These workshops are great for people who want to learn how to write a professional engineering resume. Engineers graduates alike will benefit from attending these workshops.

Why Do You Need Biased Advice from Others

Why Do You Need Biased Advice from Others Photo credit â€" flickr.comWhy listen to other people?What advice do you think they will give you?They will give you the “benefit of their experience”; what worked (or didn’t work) for them. Or what they’ve heard worked for people they know.They will load you with their bias and their baggage.It always amazes me that we ask “What would you do?” when we find ourselves in a predicament or have a decision to make about some aspect on our life. “I’ve been offered this job. What do you think?” is a question I am often asked.If you are going to ask for someone else’s opinion do your homework prior to popping the question.Think about the issue facing you and think about the potential solutions that you can conjure up.Evaluate what makes sense and what doesn’t;what’s in bounds and what’s not.THEN at least you will have a context when you ask the question of someone else and hear their views; a perspective on their answer.NEVER ask the question without knowing the ra nge of possibilities that might work in your unique circumstances. To do so presumes you are prepared to be influenced by their answer without thinking it through yourself.If you expect others to bail you out of your dilemma and provide you with a silver bullet, think again.They won’t.They can’t.YOU need to take control of your shit.Decide your life context; define the boundaries within which decisions make sense.Make the call and get on with it. Socializing your dilemma with others is agreat excuse for not doing anythingâ€" this does you NO GOOD at all.And be prepared to adjust your decision on the run when things don’t unfold the way you expected them to (and they won’t).Your own imperfect decision (they all are) modified in response to unexpected and unpredicted challenges along the way is far better than one based on the views of others.Following the advice of another person is a copycat tactic.It’s personal benchmarking.It rarely works.

The 7 most dangerous jobs

The 7 most dangerous jobs We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. Oscar Wilde Not everyone heads into the office each morning wondering whether or not they are going to make out alive, but for some, this is a reality. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program compiles data annually on the number of fatal work-related injuries. The good news is that 2010 figures, the most recent numbers reported by the BLS, show promise towards safer occupational environments as a wholethere were 4,547 fatalities in 2010 as compared to 5,734 five years previously in 2005. But the bad news is that the top of the list is filled with many of the same culprits each year. Although some may view fishing, logging, or piloting aircraft for a living as adventurous and exciting, the data has proven that these occupations often come with steep risk. Below is a list of the 7 most dangerous jobs in America based upon the number of fatalities per 100,000 full-time workers. For those not looking to put their skin on the line, the BLS data would recommend finding a job in the peaceful settings of education, training, and library occupations Top 7 Most Dangerous Jobs in the US Structural iron and steel workers: The Bureau of Labor Statistics recommends that potential workers in this field make sure that they are not afraid of heights. These construction workers specialize in erecting buildings from scratch or upgrading existing ones, but this involves climbing high and risking a potential monumental fall with one false step or misjudgment. Structural iron and steel workers, like most of the occupations on this list, are put in great danger depending on weather conditions, with icy or windy conditions topping the concerns for these concrete climbers. Roofers: Roofing is such a strenuous and demanding job that the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists it as an occupation with plenty of openings for newcomers due to the unwillingness for most current roofers to stick with the profession for long. The workplace is atop a buildings roof, and these can vary greatly in potential dangers. Workers risk slipping off of scaffolding, falling off ladders, getting burned from hot bitumen used to roof, and during the summer months, heat-related illnesses from prolonged exposure to the sun. Farmers and ranchers: Farming ranching is a uniquely dangerous occupation, as according to a recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study, it is one of the most emotionally stressful job categories. The strain caused by the uncertainty related to the business end of the profession, that is, predicting profits and crop production, has been proven to lead to a number of stress-related ailments in farmers and ranchers such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, nervous disorders, and ulcers. Aside from the mental anxiety caused by the profession, farmers often deal with dangerous machinery and limb-risking tools in their daily duties. Miscellaneous extraction workers: This broad category primarily includes those that list mining or drilling on their job description. Similar to logging, these occupations often involve the use of behemoth machinery by squish-able human operators. The primary dangers of extracting resources from the Earth are the opportunities for large-scale disaster, be it a mining tunnel collapsing, or an oilrig exploding (see Deep-water Horizon oil spill). Adding to the danger of the field, some extraction jobs call for the removal or transport of hazardous materials such as nuclear waste or toxic asbestos. As such these workers should be in touch with law firms dedicated to mesothelioma and other deadly diseases so that they know when their companies are not fulfilling their safety requirements. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers: Rookie pilots just beginning their careers already have around 4,000 hours of flight experience under the belts on average. This translates to a lot of time spent in the air, managing a lot of weather conditions, instrument failures, jet-lagged sleep hours, as well as a laundry list of other potentially unforeseen variables. Pilots vary greatly in their duties across the occupation, and so too does the list of potential hazards, from test pilots perishing in sketchy concept planes, to crop duster pilots inhaling toxic chemicals. Loggers: Being a professional lumberjack isnt everything that its all chopped up to be. Loggers spend their entire workdays outdoors, cutting down surrounding trees with hand-held industrial chainsaws and transporting felled logs to and fro. These trees however, are heavy, covered in branches, and potentially lethal if you happen to be beneath one when it collapses towards the Earth. Additionally, incremental weather doesnt help your safety, especially when combined with the use of enormous industrial machinery. Logging is one dangerous job for only the boldest of mountain men and women. Fishers and related fishing worker: Commercial fishing remains at the top of the list as the most dangerous job in America. According to the National Institute for Occupational Hazards, commercial fishings fatal nature comes from the common dangers of harsh weather, vessel instability, being struck by a large wave, disease and sickness, and even getting snagged by the large industrial fishing equipment. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by

What hiring managers dont want to see -

What hiring managers dont want to see - You finally got that interview youve been hoping to land. Dont blow it by making a bad first impression by doing something the hiring manager doesnt want to see. Expect your interviewer to begin sizing you up the minute you step foot on the companys property. Everything you do can, and will, be held against you, so make sure you dont open the door to any negative snap judgments right from the start. What will cause the employer to wrinkle his or her nose? 1. Youre already offering excuses. Youve never been to this part of town at this hour, and youre late. You have a good excuse â€"- or many excuses. Perhaps traffic was terrible, there was an accident, the road was closed or your GPS gave you the wrong directions. They could all be true, but the result is that you are late and coming up with reasons to explain away your mistake. While some employers may be willing to overlook this faux pas for extremely good candidates, expect to be digging yourself out of the proverbial hole if you cant make it to the interview at least 10 or 15 minutes early. 2. You look like a slob. Perhaps you heard everyone wears T-shirts, flip-flops and cutoffs to work. Thats fine once you have the job, but its not interview attire. A three-piece suit would clearly be out of place in an extremely casual environment, but its professional and more respectful to dress a little better than the office dress code for an interview. In this case, don a pair of nice khaki pants and a shirt or blouse with a collar in order to avoid making the wrong impression. 3. You talk too much. Its good to demonstrate your enthusiasm and interest in the position, but do not go overboard and start telling the employer about how long youve been waiting for this opportunity, and how you really need this job so you dont lose your car next month. 4. You dont appear confident and poised. Studies show that body language speaks volumes, and employers will decide if you are professional and and self-assured from the moment they see you. Stand up straight, smile and look the interviewer in the eye. Practice your firm handshake and learn to sit up straight without appearing stiff or uncomfortable. Otherwise, you risk coming off as someone who isnt prepared for the position. 5. You cannot get to the point. People do not generally have very long attention spans. If you bore the interviewer with long, overly detailed replies to questions, you will quickly lose your opportunity to land the job. Practice succinctly answering questions so you dont lose your listeners attention before you get to the point. 6. You are unprepared. One of the biggest pet peeves interviewers share is that candidates are unprepared and do not conduct crucial research about the position or the company before their interviews. Do not expect to show up and ask things such as, What does this company do? or What job is this, again? if you want to impress the employer. Instead, do some research and be ready to ask questions during the interview that you could not easily answer via your own research. Its even better if you can illustrate that you know important things about the company in the course of the conversation. For example, I read in last months Forbes magazine that your company is looking to acquire a tech firm. How do you think that potential acquisition may affect this department? Its even better if you can follow up with some specifics about how your skills and background will make you a great candidate to help accomplish whatever goals the employer mentions. If you are interested in the job, dont inadvertently give the impression that you could care less. Focus on both the big and little details if you want to stay in the running for your dream job. This post originally appeared on AOL Jobs. Photo by Giulia Bartra