Cover letters can be tricky.

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For those of you who struggle with what to include, think of your cover letter as an opportunity to tell one story.
Pick a bullet point from your résumé that deserves more in-depth discussion, and use your cover letter to tell the story of how you solved the problem, came in under budget, completed a project ahead of schedule, or increased market share.
Let your personality shine in your cover letter. It’s your chance to share your success story and tie it back to the hiring organization.
This is yet one more way you can ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ.

ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ: NUMBER THREE

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This July we are going to ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ.

Today is résumé refresher number three.

Describe how you left your last position better than you found it.
Answer these types of questions:
How did I increase revenue?
Increase sales?
Multiply market share?
Save time?
Come in ahead of schedule?
Come in under budget?
Save money?
Streamline tasks?

Until next week, ensure your bullet points are specific and measurable as we continue to ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ.

ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ

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Today is our second résumé refresher.
Describe what you achieved and accomplished rather than simply listing your job responsibilities. Your résumé shouldn’t be a regurgitation of your job description. Remember, specifics sell.

Instead of: Responsible for calling on accounts in a two-state territory
Say: Increased a $3.5 million territory to a $11 million territory, surpassing our five-year sales goal two years ahead of schedule
Until next week, check your bullet points and STRIVE FOR SPECIFICITY as we continue to ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ.

ROCK YOUR RÉSUMÉ

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This July we are going to ROCK YOUR RESUME!
Today is your first resume refresher.

These days we are relying on technology and AI to apply for jobs and even interview. To stand out in the marketplace, whether using a job-posting site, a professional recruiter, or even LinkedIn, a good old-school résumé can come to the rescue.

So consider this one easy edit.

Use VIVID VERBS to describe what you achieved and accomplished.

What did you CREATE? What did you SURPASS? What did you RESTRUCTURE?
Strong action verbs suitable for résumés include:
Oversaw
Increased
Supervised
Bolstered
Recruited
Refocused
Until next week, dust off your current resume and check your bullet points for VIVID VERBS in order to ROCK YOUR RESUME.

Rock Your Résumé with One Easy Edit

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These days we are relying on technology to apply for jobs and even interview. To stand out in the marketplace, whether using a job-posting site, a professional recruiter, or even LinkedIn, a good old-school résumé can come to the rescue.

You may not need to totally rewrite your résumé, but as you look to refresh and update yours, please consider this essential wording advice.

Use strong action verbs to describe what you achieved and accomplished rather than simply to list your job responsibilities. Remember, specifics sell.

Before: Responsible for calling on accounts and growing business in a three-state territory

After: Increased a $3.5 million territory to a $11 million territory, surpassing our five-year sales goal

Strong action verbs suitable for résumés include these examples:
Oversaw
Organized
Increased
Surpassed
Grew
Led
Supervised
Bolstered
Created
Developed
Recruited
Restructured
Refocused

To update your resume, contact Mandi@MandiStanley.com. We offer two résumé packages:
Rock Your Résumé REFRESH
Rock Your Résumé REWRITE

Prefer Performance to Chronology in Your Résumé

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Ditch the chronological résumé.

Scratch the traditional format of simply listing your educational background and previously held jobs.

Rather, use your résumé to highlight your specific accomplishments at the top. Word them in such a way as to be meaningful to the employer. Use strong action verbs to describe what you achieved rather than simply listing your job responsibilities. Remember, specifics sell. Your accomplishments must translate to their organization; they should be able to see you doing the same good work for them.

Consider this order as you draft your next résumé:
First, list your preferred name and all of your contact information at the top.
Next, use the heading Career Accomplishments for your performance highlights in a bulleted list.

Note these examples:
– Increased a $3.5 million territory to a $11 million territory, surpassing our five-year sales goal
– Grew market share 43 percent between July-December 2019
– Recruited 110 new all-school accounts during the last calendar year (2021)

Use the heading Career Track to list your previous positions and jobs and related experience.
Use the heading Skills to highlight the strengths you know will be relevant to the organization.
Use the key words in their job listing.
For the last heading, use Education, and list your schools and degrees and special certifications.

To update your resume, contact Mandi@MandiStanley.com. We offer two résumé packages:
– Rock Your Résumé REFRESH
– Rock Your Résumé REWRITE

Nix Nerves: Pro Tip 5

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Hold the caffeine

Talk about a practical and tactical solution to the public speaking jitters. Hold the
caffeine.

Coffee and colas serve to heighten your anxiety, causing you to become tense and
slowing the flow of oxygen to your brain. And, for what it’s worth, caffeine is a natural
diuretic—and that’s all I’ll say about that side effect before you step onto the stage
before your next presentation!

Nix Nerves: Pro Tip 4

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Pinpoint the root cause of public speaking nerves

What are you actually afraid of? That’s a great question to ask yourself.

Are you afraid of going blank and forgetting what to say? That’s a legitimate cause for
concern.

Are you afraid of looking bad in front of your colleagues? That’s a legitimate cause for
concern.

Are you afraid the technology isn’t going to work? That’s definitely a legitimate cause for
concern these days. (It happened to me last week in Alabama.)

Are you afraid of a certain critical audience member who may be out to get you? That’s
a legitimate cause for concern.

The good news is: for all of these genuine causes for concern, there’s a proactive
solution. Take the time to ask yourself, “Why exactly am I so nervous?” Pinpointing your
root cause can lead you to a tangible solution.

Speaking of nixing nerves, these high school juniors weren’t nervous at all about their recent Speak Tank presentations at the Montgomery Youth Tour. They exuded energy and creativity as they took the stage and amazed their peers.

Nix Nerves: Pro Tip 3

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Meet and greet your audience

Some of the most highly rated professional speakers I know and admire will stand at the
convention room door one hour early awaiting the first attendees. They shake hands,
converse briefly with audience members as they enter the meeting room, and even refer
to some of them by name throughout their presentation. Putting names with faces and
having brief but meaningful conversations with participants will set many jittery speakers
at ease.

So, arrive early.
Say hello to people as they come into your conference room.
Focus on the gift you are giving your audience: the special message you’ve prepared
especially for them.

Nix Nerves: Pro Tip 2

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Remind yourself it’s all about your audience

Consider that when we are genuinely nervous, another contributing factor is—and let this sink in—that we’re too focused on ourselves and our own performance. Rather does anything positive happen when we are fixating on I-focused questions such as:

– What if I mess up?
– What if I forget to say something?
– I wonder if they’ll like me.
– I wonder if they’ll think Bob did a better job.
– Did I wear the right suit?
– Are my pants zipped?

(Actually, that last one is a good question to ask.)

Instead of focusing on ourselves, turn that I-focus into a you-focus. Think of your
presentation as a gift you are giving your audience; it’s a special message you’ve
customized especially for them.