In a consistently competitive job market, it takes hard work to set yourself apart from the crowd. Perhaps you've struggled before in the overwhelm that comes with applying for job after job, only to find that you are one of hundreds of candidates being considered. The specific experience and education that you have under your belt does not always seal the deal in achieving the highly sought after position that you desire. Your resume must be polished to perfection and uniquely formatted in order to draw attention to your tremendous aptitude. Your cover letter, references dossier, and all other corresponding documents should be specifically targeted toward your job of choice with keywords that reflect your sense of purpose and your dedication to your field of service. Your social media presence and branding efforts must remain professional and intentional at all times, [...]

Do you ever just get completely annoyed with everyone at your office? Regardless of how extroverted you may be and how greatly you desire social interaction, it might be that you just need some space from crowded ignorance. The individuals that surround us every day at our workplace can be our biggest buddies or our greatest source of frustration. For better or for worse, we often have no control over the team members with which we are paired. Perhaps you have been with the same company for several months or even years, and patterns of communication and interaction have started to take root. There may be times in which projects require full team participation, yet there are personalities that always seem to take over or cause tempers to flare. It’s always easiest to just avoid such opportunities of conflict and get [...]

Do you ever step back to consider the range of your potential network? Do you feel stuck in a certain career field or a particular city without an outlet for growth or change? Many of us feel tied down to our jobs or potential jobs because we lack the resources necessary to move on. We feel as though we don’t know enough people to get our foot in the door of any other company. Perhaps we just sit back and watch how effortlessly our colleagues approach new opportunities and wish that we could have a similar experience. Oftentimes we get hyperfocused on our current or future circumstances and forget to consider the links and connections that we have solidified in the past. There could be old friends or coworkers that have not crossed our mind in years yet hold a strong [...]

Do you struggle with being overqualified for the job at hand? Perhaps you have a track record of multiple jobs with a diversity of experience, and you’re not sure quite where to draw the line in representing your exhaustive skill set. There are those that fight the issue of having too little to share and those with too much, and it takes a finesse to craft a resume that best defines your aptitude while remaining direct and concise. When you are applying for a job, you want to target the desired qualifications as much as possible. In short, you should extract the parts of your story that speak most directly to the job description that has been provided for this potential role. For example, you may have a unique gift and years of experience in blowing glass or sculpting. However, in [...]

Is it spring already?! When the winter seems to be dragging on and on, there is an insatiable thirst for a change in seasons. Something new to break the repetitive cycle that seems endless, with clouds hanging overhead and a gloominess that seems to invade not only our lives but the lives of those around us. Maybe you’ve noticed that your coworker is just not his or her cheery self. Maybe your loved ones are extra irritable and obviously weary of being cooped up for long hours with an itch to get out and resume activities that they so enjoy. The desire to see signs of spring and a reprieve from dreary weather is much like the ache that many of us feel in our professional realm. We long for something new, something different. In short, we need change! For some, [...]

Despite the innate sense of failure that covers us when we can’t seem to do it all on our own, there is success to be found in leaving certain tasks to a qualified professional. When your toilet is misbehaving, you probably want to let a plumber handle that one. When your trampoline stunt didn’t go so well and your leg appears to be broken, then you probably want to let the doctor take over. And, when it comes to setting yourself up for career advancement and evolving opportunities within your field, you want to wisely keep that competitive edge, right? There are elements of your job search and application portfolio that you can afford to put together yourself and there are pieces that can maximized by bringing a career expert on board. At Platinum Resumes, we serve our clients by drawing [...]

Understanding what is expected of you in a professional interview leaves a lot of gray area to be explored. Many job candidates want to know the black and white of what to expect when they enter into a new company or sit before a group of hiring managers for the first time. However, there are not always absolutes when anticipating an upcoming interview. There are common questions that you can think through, and there is definitely a professional air about yourself that you must exhibit. However, there are many ways in which you must read the situation in order to know how to best carry yourself. And that can only be done by practice and more practice. Reading body language and determining social cues are critical components of a successful interview. Not every office environment is the same, and each interview [...]

Have you taken the time to get to know your neighbor at the cubicle next-door? Perhaps you are just settling in to a new company and still haven’t gotten to know any of your coworkers. Or, on the other hand, maybe you are years into your current job but have not yet connected with anyone on your team. However, knowing who you are working with can very much play to your advantage. If there comes an opportunity for advancement within the company or a promotion elsewhere, it helps to know what sort of connections are available at your very fingertips. Fellow employees might be able to steer you in a helpful direction and speak on your behalf when the time is right. Also, when focusing on your current work environment, it helps to know what assets are sitting right there beside [...]

Have you been using LinkedIn to its full advantage when it comes to your current job search? Many job seekers fear that all of their hard work in building the right brand will go to waste if the right recruiter doesn't come along at the right time to recognize and appreciate their career footprint. However, before your profile is ready for recruiters, there are probably several updates and tweaks that need to be made if you are going to stand out among other competitors. The team at CV Nation has put together a helpful tool for determining just what considerations must be put into play in order to attract recruiters and gain leverage toward the job of your dreams.   More info can be found at https://cv-nation.com/.