What Are Your Qualifications?

When someone is updating their resume in preparation for a job search (or during a job search), they sometimes struggle with figuring out what the should put in the "Qualifications" section.  An aside: do you have a Qualifications section in your resume?  You should!

There are a couple of sources that can be helpful in figuring out what should go there.

1. Look at your previous jobs and find the common skills that you needed to perform the job well.  Even though you may have been in different types of positions, you will find there are some commonalities such as organizational skills and communication skills.
2. Look at job postings for the type of position you are interested in.  What kinds of things do they list as "requirements?"  These are things that you should highlight by putting them in your Qualifications section.

Identify your top 5-7 qualifications.  The ones that should fall in the top are things that you feel very skilled at (and have examples to back you up) and/or the ones that are commonly asked for in job postings.

For each of your qualifications, right a statement about it that includes an example of your skill with that qualification.  For example: "Excellent organization skills as evidenced by consistent on-time reporting."

Your Qualifications section should go at the top of your resume so the employer sees right away that you have the skill set they are looking for.

For more career ideas, sign up to listen to the FREE teleseminar (in the right column). 

Laura Allan, MA, LMHC, CPC  LinkedIn
Live. Learn. Grow

Laura Allan Career Coaching: Facebook  Twitter

Laura Allan Counseling and Coaching:  Facebook  Twitter

206-999-1192
www.LauraAllanCounseling.com
Laura@LauraAllanCounseling.com

Relationships and Your Career

The past several years have seen the job market become a "buyer's market," meaning that because many people are looking for work, employers have their pick of the litter.  How's that for mixing metaphors?  Because of the buyer's market, it is more important than ever to find ways to differentiate yourself; to stand out.

One way that can be extremely valuable is through relationships.  You've heard the saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know."  In these times, that is even more true. 

When employers have hundreds of applicants, if one of them just happens to be an acquaintance of a current employee it saves them lots of work reading through resumes, doing dozens of interviews, etc. Plus, the candidate is a known quantity - they are being recommended by someone who already works in the organization.

So if you're a job seeker, spend some time networking, and then building relationships with the people you meet.  You never know who they may know.

Coming next: How do I start networking?

For more career ideas, sign up to listen to the FREE teleseminar (in the right column). 

Laura Allan, MA, LMHC, CPC  LinkedIn
Live. Learn. Grow

Laura Allan Career Coaching: Facebook  Twitter

Laura Allan Counseling and Coaching:  Facebook  Twitter

206-999-1192
www.LauraAllanCounseling.com
Laura@LauraAllanCounseling.com