Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Should You Include a Summary on Your Resume

Should You Include a Summary on Your Resume Gone are the old days of the â€Å"Objective† paragraph at the top of a resume. Everywhere you look, job gurus are insisting that the â€Å"Summary† statement is the next new thing. Does that mean we should all run out and add one to our resumes? Not exactly. In some cases, it’s just a matter of fashion. Style, not substance. In those cases, it’s best to resist the trend and stick with the traditional. Here’s a primer for determining whether or not you need a summary statement- and, more importantly, whether one could help or hurt you.Ask Yourself: Where are you now?Figure out what you would feature in the summary. Just a distilled repetition of information you already have in the body of your resume? Are you just taking up valuable real estate on the page to repeat yourself?If you have a wealth of seemingly disparate experiences that require a bit of context to tie together- i.e. you want to feature a particular core set of skills to unify your job history, or you have multiple years of experience and would like to highlight the arc of your work journey (aka, your brand)- then it can be an incredibly useful tool.Ask Yourself: Where do you want to be?Do the requisite soul searching to figure out what you really want in your next position. What kind of job are you after? What skills do you enjoy utilizing the most? What accomplishments highlight those skills best? What are you passionate about? Once you answer these questions, you’ll be much better prepared to highlight the skills and special information that would make you more appealing to hiring managers in that area.Ask Yourself: Where is your industry?Do a bit of legwork to figure out what your ideal industry is after. What skills will matter most to hiring managers in your field? Are these skills you have, but perhaps aren’t clear enough in your work history?Wield your summary to show HR you have what they need most. Consider what your biggest selling points might be and focus on those. Show how uniquely equipped you are to tackle their biggest issues and address their biggest needs. Show you care about their core concerns.Craft your statement.Be concise. You have limited space and you really don’t want to just regurgitate the bullet points in your resume. Try not to repeat anything that follows in the Summary. Instead, focus on providing valuable context, narrative-shaping, and synthesis that will hopefully prove to be game-changing. Use this space to show your potential employer what you have to offer, but make sure to target and match that with what they’re looking for and need the most.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Tips and Examples About Asking for Information in English

Tips and Examples About Asking for Information in English Asking for information can be as simple as asking for the time, or as complicated as asking for details about a complicated process. In both cases, its important to use the appropriate form for  the situation. For example, when asking for information from a friend, use a more informal or colloquial  form. When asking a colleague, use a slightly more formal form, and when asking for information from a stranger, use an appropriately formal construction. Very Informal Structures If you are asking a friend  or family member for information, use a direct question. Simple Question Structure: Wh? Helping Verb Subject Verb How much does it cost?Where does she live? More Formal Structures Use these forms for simple, everyday questions in stores, with colleagues at work, and in other informal situations. Structure: Pardon me / Excuse me   Can / Could you tell me Wh? Subject verb? Can you tell me when the train arrives?Pardon me, could you tell me how much the book costs? Formal and More Complicated Questions Use these forms when asking complicated questions that require a lot of information. These should also be used when asking questions of important people such as your boss, on a job interview, etc. Structure: I wonder if you could tell me/explain/provide information on... I wonder if you could explain how health insurance is handled at your company.I wonder if you could provide information on your pricing structure. Structure: Would you mind verb ing   Would you mind telling me a little bit more about benefits at this company?Would you mind going over the savings plan again? Replying to a Request for Information If you would like to provide information when asked for information, start your reply with one of the following phrases. Informal Sure.No problem.Let me see. More Formal Id be happy to answer that.I should be able to answer your question.Itd be a pleasure to help you. When providing information people will sometimes also offer to help in other ways. See the example conversations below for an example. Saying No If you do not have the answer to a request for information, use one of the phrases below to indicate that you are unable to answer the question.  Saying no, is never fun, but sometimes its necessary. Instead, its common to offer a suggestion as to where someone might find the information. Informal Sorry, I cant help you out.Sorry, but I dont know that.Thats beyond me, sorry. More Formal Im afraid I dont have the answer to that question.Id like to help you. Unfortunately, I dont have that information / dont know. Role Play Exercises   Simple Situation Brother: When does the movie start?Sister: I think its at 8.Brother: Check, will you?Sister: Youre so lazy. Just a second.Brother: Thanks, sis.Sister: Yes, it starts at 8. Get off the couch sometimes! Customer: Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find menswear?Shop Assistant: Sure. Menswear is on the second floor.Customer: Oh, also, could you tell me where sheets are.Shop Assistant: No problem, sheets are on the third floor at the back.Customer: Thanks for your help.Shop Assistant: My pleasure. More Complex or Formal Situation Man: Excuse me, would you mind answering some questions?Business Colleague: Id be happy to help.Man: I wonder if you could tell me when the project is going to begin.Business Colleague: I believe were beginning the project next month.Man: and who will be responsible for the project.Business Colleague: I think Bob Smith is in charge of the project.Man: OK, finally, would you mind telling me how much the estimated cost will be?Business Colleague: Im afraid I cant answer that. Perhaps you should speak to my director.Man: Thank you. I thought you might say that. Ill speak to Mr. Anders.Business Colleague: Yes, that would be best for that type of information. Man: Thank you for helping out.Business Colleague: My pleasure.