What Skills and Abilities Should Be on Your Resume?

The more job experience you have, the more difficult it becomes to keep your resume concise. At some point, you need to decide which skills and abilities are still relevant for your resume. I have noticed that this is difficult for many of my clients and I can understand why- we keep adding and adding to our resumes as we accumulate more and more experiences; experiences that we might be proud of. We do not want to leave something out since it could be potentially relevant for the application, right?

Ready to use for all applications

There is also this other aspect: if we pack all our skills and abilities in the resume, maybe we can use it for all job applications. It is all there, the employer just needs to read it. Many of us have taken this lazy approach in the past because we have a busy life and do not really want to spend too much time writing job applications.

Hardly any of my clients enjoy spending time with their job applications, so most want to keep the effort to a bare minimum. I have been asked many times if it is necessary to adjust the skills and abilities on the resume to the position and the company. Well, of course you can, no one is stopping you, but do not expect much. Recruiters can easily spot whether you invested time in your application or if it is a copy and paste deal. Spending some time on identifying which skills and abilities are relevant for your resume is definitely worthwhile and will substantially increase your chances of landing an interview.

Identifying relevant skills and abilities for your resume

You probably accumulated all kinds of different skills and abilities in your career so far and not all of them are relevant for each position you apply for. I therefore prepared several drafts: my resume for leadership roles focuses on different skills and abilities than my resume for an education role does. If you’re in a similar position, take this as a starting point and prepare different resumes for your different skill sets.

Make a hard cut

Take a critical look at your resume and remove all parts that aren’t interesting for employers anymore, e.g. high school or student jobs (unless you are in college and this is all you have so far). Take a look at the position description and ask yourself which of your skills and abilities are really relevant for this position. Even if you’re very proud of your academic achievements, they might not be so relevant at a later stage of your career. I recently worked with a client who had provided a lot of detail on the academic achievements and included a long list of publications but only two bullet points to describe the work experience. Once you have years of work experience under your belt, your work experience is most relevant. Cut back on your academic achievements unless you’re applying for a position where an academic career is a prerequisite.

Another client was looking for an entry level job in a hospital setting. She just graduated from a healthcare career college and listed about 4 bullet points summarizing her entire healthcare experience (education, skills, and clinical experience) yet she included about 6 bullet points for retail jobs and office work that extended into a second page. Not to be rude, but I have been told by recruiters and HR personnel that they would NEVER even look beyond the first page for someone looking for an entry level position.

Personalization is key

The third step is to go all in on personalizing your resume. You can describe your skills and abilities using the same language as the employer in the job posting, but do not simply list the tasks that are required. Think a little more globally and think of more qualitative achievements instead of rote tasks that are expected. Look for the key words the employer uses to describe the position and rephrase your resume to include these keywords. This creates an immediate connection with the employer when they recognize that you “speak the same language” and lets them instantly go through the checklist in their mind. You can go one step further and visit the company website and look for their mission statement, or their commitment to excellence and try to capitalize on that language to include some descriptive words that you can include on wither your resume or even your cover letter.

I hope these tips for resume skills and abilities will help you to achieve better results in your applications.

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How To Tackle The Job Market After Being Fired

Getting a new job after being fired can be really stressful. You will have many questions such as:

• What will I be asked in an interview?

• Will someone want to hire me?

• Should I mention the firing?

The circumstances of you being fired will help to answer a few of these questions. However, if you are still unsure about how to best approach the job market after being fired, here are a few guidelines on how to tackle this delicate situation.

Get Your Resume or CV in Order after Being Fired

When was the last time you looked over your resume? Before you start applying for a new job, make sure that it is up to date and relevant to the positions you are applying for. Do you have to mention on your resume that you were fired? It should not have to be stated. However, the time you are away from work can leave a noticeable gap on your resume, so you should be prepared to speak about this in a positive way. While you are looking for a new job, consider taking part in courses and volunteering so it does not bring up questions in your interview.

Network after Being Fired

Hiding away after being fired would not be the best protocol. How you react to being fired is extremely important, so grasping the situation by the horns and running with it will be far more effective than hiding away. Hopefully, you have made some useful connections in your previous job so it would be best to utilize them. Contact people to see if they are aware of any opportunities that are available within your industry. Consider networking at conference and professional events and you can start with social media websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

Be Honest In Your Interview

You may be tempted to make changes or lie on your resume after being fired. The hassle and stress of being asked about your previous firing after drawing attention to it is never an ideal situation. However, if you lie it is likely to cause further problems. It is important to be honest during your interview about being fired. Keep your answers short and factual and then try to redirect the conversation to something more positive, such as your accomplishments rather than dwelling on the situation.

Consider Contacting A Recruitment Agency

If you are having trouble getting interviews lined up or you find that your industry is competitive, you should consider contacting a recruitment agency. Some business owners only work with recruiters to find new employees, so it can be a useful route to take.

Remain Positive

Being fired is tough. However, it helps to remember that you are not the only one in this situation. You have many talents and experiences that are worth hiring. Being fired does not have to define your career. How you react to being fired is the most important step in the process of recovering from your dismissal and getting a new job. Stay positive in your job hunt. Take the time to reinvest in yourself, keep going and do not give up!