Many executives (and professionals in general) tend to make the same common mistake on their resume, a mistake that could cost them a call back or interview.
People make mistakes, jobs and companies aren’t what they seem, and there are many who wish they would have stayed in their previous position a little longer than they did.
No one wants to get fired, but it happens – to a lot of people, all the time, and for a variety of reasons. Whether you did something that violated the company’s code of conduct, are not fitting in with the culture, you got downsized, or it was simply a numbers game, the best thing you can do is focus on the future. Regardless of the reason, you can’t change the fact that you were fired, and you need to move on.
All employees want to work for the best companies, and all companies want to be regarded as a top company to work for.
There’s a story about Pablo Picasso that speaks well to the enormous time investment that recruiters make (to know the candidate market, to really understand the industry we serve) well in advance of actually being engaged in a search. It goes; a woman sees Pablo Picasso sitting on a park bench, idly sketching. She approaches and asks for sketch. He says yes, does it and as he hands it to her says “that will be $5000.” The woman is outraged and says “that only took you 15 minutes!” to which Picasso replies, “No Madam, that took me 40 years.”
The skills employers seek are ever-evolving. While core skills such as effective communication, project management, people skills, and skills that are specific to your career specialization will always be a requirement, there is an ongoing change in other skills that companies want from job candidates.
In our desire to advance our careers as quickly as possible, we do open the door for making mistakes. Sure, it’s easy to get caught up with career advancement, but it can also lead to situations where we could actually be doing more harm than good.
Want to get your resume noticed? With 70% of hiring managers spending less than two minutes reviewing each resume, the resumes that get noticed are the ones that maximize every word and phrase. Our Toronto recruiters share 5 common phrases to keep off your resume to help yours rise to the top.
While job fairs do serve their purpose, many question whether or not it’s worth the time and effort. The truth is that it depends – and it really comes down to how much effort you are willing to put in and the objectives of the companies at the job fair. Some job fairs can be a complete waste of time, while others could help you connect with the right people to find the job you are seeking.
