In the resume business, we’re used to hearing from dissatisfied workers eager to find better jobs, so it seems like everyone hates going to work. Not so, according to a recent study by the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center. The study revealed that 86 percent of workers are satisfied with their jobs. Plus, the job satisfaction rate has been high since the survey began in 1972. That’s great news, because life can be miserable if going to work is misery. Now that’s something to celebrate this Labor Day!

Make it a safe one,

Kim Isaacs

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I saw one of my favorite (okay, my favorite) country singers — Toby Keith — rock the house in Hershey, PA this summer. He sang one of his crowd-pleasing hits, “I Wanna Talk About Me”:

“I wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I
know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about me
I wanna talk about me”

That’s the song that most people seem to be listening to when they write their cover letters. I discussed the importance of getting in the hiring manager’s head in a previous blog post, but I still see cover letters that are completely focused on the writer and not the reader.

Busy hiring managers scouring an inbox full of resumes don’t care about “I did this” or “I’m so great because…” — they want to know how the job applicant will help them solve some sort of problem. Maybe that’s expanding a territory, or creating a smooth-running office, or making sure their students reach their potential — your letter should address whatever the goal is for the position.

The best way to do this is to step out of your shoes and put on the hiring manager’s shoes. Think about what the manager wants in a new-hire, how you will be able to deliver, and the ways in which you will help the organization achieve its goals. If you wear the manager’s shoes even briefly, you can begin to see the problem through their eyes and craft a letter that’s focused on the employer, and not you.

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I don’t ask for much, really I don’t. But one thing I ask is this:

Please update your resume!

How long has it been? Six months? A year? If you don’t know the answer or you’re mentally traveling back to a long-forgotten, distant past, then it’s time to update your resume. I can’t tell you how many clients contact us in a panicked state and request a resume update ASAP (i.e., yesterday) because a great opportunity came along and their resumes haven’t been updated since the Reagan Administration.

Resume emergencies can be avoided if you keep your resume up-to-date and add new accomplishments as they happen. I recommend thoroughly reviewing and updating your resume quarterly, and the change of seasons is a good reminder to tackle this arduous task. If that seems too much, at least update your resume right after you change your smoke detector batteries twice a year for Daylight Saving Time.

Check out Norma Gaffin’s post on Monster’s Blog about Update Your Resume Week and links to helpful articles: Have You Updated Your Resume Lately?

Best wishes,

Kim Isaacs

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How do you handle the cover letter salutation when the hiring manager’s first name doesn’t indicate a clear gender? The best bet is to find out for sure, like by contacting the employer (ask a receptionist - you can be anonymous!) or doing a Google search. Digital Inspiration suggests another way - doing a name search on Facebook and seeing which gender is prevalent in the search results. Here’s a link to the Digital Inspiration post:

“Is This Person Male or Female? Identify Gender from the Name”

Amit Agarwal cautions that this technique is not foolproof. If you’re not sure, you can use the first and last name in the salutation without specifying a gender, like this: Dear Praveen Gupta:

Best wishes,

Kim Isaacs

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Did you take a sabbatical and are now wondering how to include the time off on your resume? I interviewed career expert Ford R. Myers for an upcoming article on this topic, and he provided excellent advice. According to Ford, “Handle the sabbatical very carefully, with forethought and planning. Tie the experience in to your long-term career path, and find a way to express to the employer that even though this was not paid experience, it was still professionally motivated and enriching.” Thank you, Ford!

Here are examples of how to explain a “forced” sabbatical (AKA “layoff”) in a resume and cover letter, provided by certified resume writer Karen Hofferber:

Sample sabbatical listing on a resume:

Sabbatical, 5/06 to 8/07
Used 15 months provided by severance package to recharge, develop personal interest in photography, and give back to the community. Attended MFA program, traveled throughout Africa on two photo safaris, published photographs in several local magazines, and served as a volunteer on two Habitat for Humanity home-building projects.

Sample sabbatical explanation on a cover letter:

“Although my performance was rated highly by my most recent employer, my position was eliminated following a corporate-downsizing initiative. In the ensuing months, I’ve returned to school to become more proficient in emerging technologies. I completed a series of courses in ecommerce applications and website design, and I am eager to leverage my new skills for my next employer…”

Best wishes,

Kim Isaacs

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Susan writes, “A recruiter has asked me to submit a CV. How is a CV different than a resume?”

Kim’s Answer: Check with the recruiter to clarify what he or she means by a CV. Many people use the terms “CV” and “resume” interchangeably, so the recruiter might want to see your traditional resume.

In the US, a Curriculum Vitae (”course of one’s life”) is primarily used by people in medical, academic, and scientific professions. If the recruiter is submitting your resume to an academic, medical, or scientific institution, then you most likely will need a CV. A CV can be multiple pages (especially if you have many years of experience), and you should list all credentials, but not necessarily boast (as in a resume) about your achievements.

Typical headings of a CV include education, internships, professional experience, awards and honors, publications (books, articles, reports, journals), speaking engagements, conferences, and professional affiliations.

Good luck with this opportunity!

Kim Isaacs

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