The document summarizes a job fair and training expo hosted by Zylog Systems and Monster. It provides tips on resume design, job searching techniques, and how to effectively use applicant tracking systems. Attendees can create a personal portfolio, learn about resume templates and formats, and get advice on highlighting accomplishments and tailoring resumes for specific job postings. Professional recruiters will be available to review resumes and provide career advice.
28. BeKnown™ Manage your professional and social networks in one place, Facebook. The world’s largest and most active social network Initial reaction: “Monster has solved the Facebook problem.” The world’s leader connecting people and career opportunities
37. www.Brainhunter.ca www.Brainhunter.ca Advanced Job Search to search by location, category, keywords, permanent or contract positions, etc Find the job that is right for you!
38. www.Brainhunter.ca www.Brainhunter.ca The new Brainhunter community web portal expands feature benefits and discounts with competing insurance plans and prices facilitated by Marsh Canada Limited.
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41. Global Offices India Headquarters 82/40 First Main Road, CIT Nagar Nandanam, Chennai 600 035 T. +91 44 2435 1600, 4212 8400 F. +91 44 2432 6420 E. salesindia@zsl.com US Headquarters 85, Lincoln Highway, Edison, NJ 08820 T. +1 732 549 9770 F. +1 732 767 6644 E. sales@zsl.com Europe Headquarters 18 Mansell Street London, UK, E1 8AA T. + 44 (0) 207 954 4250 F. +44 (0) 207 954 4251 E. saleseurope@zsl.com Canada Headquarters 2 Sheppard Avenue East Suite 2000 Toronto, ON M2N 5Y7 T. 416.225.9900 F. 416.225.9104 E. canada@zsl.com Zylog Systems Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, #1 North Bridge Road, # 06-27 High Street Centre Singapore 179094 T. +65 6238 1401 F. +65 6238 1402 E. salessingapore@zsl.com Ducont FZ LLC #201, Building No 3, Dubai Internet City, Dubai United Arab Emirates T. +971-4-3913000 F. +971-4-3913001 E. salesap@zsl.com
Editor's Notes
The National Job Fair Features Resume and Search Tips by Experts from Zylog and Monster Zylog and Monster combine to provide expert advice and top tips for Resume Design and Search Techniques to maximize results for Job Seekers. Zylog Systems Canada Ltd and Monster team up to provide industry insider information on Resume Design Tips and Search Techniques to effectively use evolving Search Engine Algorithms. Many organizations use advancements in technology, job boards, and Applicant Tracking Systems to leverage automated software that determines who gets invited to interview. Zylog designs and provides this sophisticated Applicant Tracking Systems and Vendor Management software, so Zylog recruiters understand how this technology is used to screen resumes. Zylog recruiting services combine powerful software, resume advice, interview coaching, and personal attention to job seekers to promote top jobs for top talent. Monster provides job posting and job search tools for hundreds of companies as well as job search utilities for job seekers, so Monster has inside information on this technology. Monster is the most recognized online career portal and respected career brand with an average of nearly three million unique visitors per month. Zylog and Monster team up to provide experienced expert advice for job seekers to get the most out of resumes and job search at the National Job Fair and Training Expo.
When you apply for positions are you getting the results that you expected to get? Are you getting called for interviews? Are you getting responses from employers on the jobs that you really want? Is there anything that you can do with your resume to improve your results? Yes.
The goal for today is for each of you to take away THREE things that you can do differently in each area of your job search to help you stand out from the crowd. So really focus, listen and jot down real tangible changes you can make right away. There will be a test after.
Many organizations use advancements in technology, job boards, and Applicant Tracking Systems to leverage automated software that determines who gets invited to interview. Zylog designs and provides this sophisticated Applicant Tracking Systems and Vendor Management software, so Zylog recruiters understand how this technology is used to screen resumes. Zylog recruiting services combine powerful software, resume advice, interview coaching, and personal attention to job seekers to promote top jobs for top talent.
John Mehrmann is an international speaker, award winning author, and CEO of Zylog Systems (Canada) Ltd. In 2010, Zylog acquired Brainhunter to combine international IT development capabilities of Zylog with Canada’s foremost agency for technical, engineering, and government employment services. With Zylog, Brainhunter has been transformed into an organization that uses social media, technology, and individual commitment to empower consultants, contractors, full-time and temporary employees to provide Top Jobs for Top Talent. Samantha Harris started in Monster’s Enterprise Service Department, supporting Canadian Enterprise customers. It was there that Ms. Harris learned the business from the ground up. Ms Harris managed recruitment campaigns and eventually accepted the position of Client Trainer. This role enables Ms Harris to utilize in-depth knowledge of the industry to train clients on how to effectively utilize the technology to save time and streamline processes. Ms Harris leads the Canadian training department, frequently hosting Recruitment Best Practices seminars and training clients on effective recruiting and selection techniques.
Now that you a plan and an idea of what to listen for in this session…let’s talk about your resume. Getting your resume to its absolutely best is critical in getting you an opportunity for an interview. Your resume is your sales brochure – make them want to talk to you.
Create your own personal portfolio of achievements. Gather copies of diplomas, certificates of training completed, certificates and achievement, and letters of recommendation. If you have online endorsements that other people have written about your performance, you can copy and paste those comments into a document that summarizes recommendations which can be easily confirmed online. Make a list of goals exceeded, quotas and measureable milestones or dates that of your accomplishments. Organize this information about your personal history and create a file with copies that you can access whenever you need it. Sometimes years go by in-between updating your resume or preparing for interviews. Keep a portfolio of personal accomplishments in a place that you can update it and access it whenever necessary. Have copies of certificates, diploma, or letters available to supply upon request.
As you prepare to create or update your resume, use a standard resume format. Standard templates are available in Word® and available online. You may be tempted to be creative and make your resume “stand out” from the crowd by using a unique custom format. That is only effective if your resume is being manually reviewed. Many organizations, private corporations and government, now use an automated tool to import data from your resume based on standard recognized templates. If your resume is not in a recognized template then the automated tool may not be able to identify and match your data properly for employment history, education, and achievements. If your data cannot be read and mapped by automated software then your resume may not make it into the database, you could be ignored or overlooked. To give yourself the best chance of being considered, please use a standard resume template. You can test your template by uploading your resume to Monster. If your resume maps to the Monster import, you are using a good template. If you really want to keep a fancy unique format for your resume then make another copy that you can hand to someone in person, but also create the standard template to upload online.
Your resume is your past, your present, and should tell your future (what do you want to do). Do you have more than one resume? Most resumes are built in the chronological style. This resume type highlights your employment history – where you worked; dates of employment; job titles and accomplishments. Conversely, we also know that things are not always that cut and dry. Sometimes job seekers might be considering changing careers, or maybe they just graduated and are starting out their careers. In either case a chronological resume may not be the best fit, for these or other reasons not mentioned you may want to consider a functional resume. A functional resume highlights what you can do for the employer in the future, rather than what you've done in the past. A functional resume offers you the best opportunity to showcase skills rather than job experience; it's more of a forward-looking resume. The qualifications summary or profile section at the top serves as a sort of editorial page where you can highlight the relationship between the kind of person you are and the job’s demands. This section can be tailored to each prospective employer and position. It’s up to you to decide what type of resume to use that best highlights your skills and accomplishments.
Now that you’ve gathered all the information you need for your job search & resume development in addition to having determined the layout and type of resume you are going to build – it’s time to dig deeper and start getting down to the nitty gritty.
Begin with the end in mind. Chronological resumes list the most recent position title and description at the beginning of the resume and work backwards through your work and education history. When you are assembling and reviewing your resume, start with your first education and employment history, which will be at the end of the resume. Update your job description and achievements for each job, then move forward in time towards what will be the beginning of your resume. As you review your resume in chronological order it is important to consider how your accomplishments and experience at each educational course or work history contribute to the evolution of your experience and knowledge. Your history should show personal progress, rather than fragmented and unrelated work assignments. It is up to you to explain how one experience led to performance at the next opportunity, and how you use your experience to build on your capabilities. This is the story of you.
Once you have updated your resume with job descriptions and work history, review it again to make sure that you have highlighted your achievements. Remember that personal portfolio of diploma, certificates, and letters of recommendation? Remember those documents for quotas achievements and milestones for projects? Review and reflect on your resume to identify opportunities to insert or mention your accomplishments. Your resume should be more than a list of what routines you performed, it should be a list of your accomplishments. Include specific terminology whenever possible and relevant. These terms are very important for search engines in the automated resume review software. Mention names, acronyms, and terms that are relevant for your experience. If you do not have extensive work experience, you should document your educational or training experience. You can also document volunteer work.
In this example, the candidate has called out the most relevant experience, accomplishments and transferable skills that they have acquired at various positions and outlined them under specific headings. They have still listed their work, educational and extra curricular experience, but it is not the core of the resume. Taking the time to really understand the role and the key skills required to be successful in that role will help you to understand the best format, layout and what to include in your resume.
Target a two page resume for upload. If your accomplishments could fill more than two pages, create a summary resume on two pages and keep your full version available to present during an interview. If your personal history does not fill two pages, do not fill the space with puffery or non-essential information, but do try to create at least one full page of information about your educational experience. You should be able to fill one or two pages with accomplishments. Include information on what you have achieved, rather than what you have done as a duty. For example, a list of duties for Accounts Receivable may mention that the position required applying checks to outstanding invoices daily and to maintain current balance. Those are duties. A list of accomplishments for the same duties could state that as an Accounts Receivable professional you maintained a current balance with 100% of payments managed daily and 0% Past Due / Overdue receivables at month end.
An example of a duty is “ Directed recruiting efforts for East Division “ An example of an accomplishment is “Responsible for coordinating a team of recruiters across seven states that were responsible for sourcing, interviewing, and hiring all positions for 20,000 apartment units.”
Be specific with your accomplishments. Add milestones, dates, metrics, percentages or numbers when possible. Make sure that your accomplishments are relevant to the education or work history referenced. Do not worry that your accomplishment may not seem relevant to a prospective employer. It is important that your achievements should be relevant to the job or course in which the accomplishment is listed.
An example of a general or vague achievement is “recruiter and filled open positions” An example of specific accomplishment with metrics is “ Developed a recruiting strategy over seven states that resulted in 137 positions being filled within 60 days.”
Review your resume for typos and punctuation. Don’t rely solely on your word processor to check your spelling and grammar. You should check, double check, and check again. Automated software that screens and sorts resumes for HR and hiring managers uses keyword search and match algorithms. You might misspell a word in a manner that passes spelling for a different with a completely different meaning, in which case your resume does not match and may be improper sorted by the software. If your resume is being manually reviewed, many managers will disregard resumes with poor spelling. The following is an example of an actual resume introduction with improper spelling: “ I am a very detailed oriented personnel with many years of Accounts Relievable experienced.” Unfortunately this resume could not be matched to Accounts Receivable and was discarded after manual review. Make sure that your experience is not diminished by simple errors that can be corrected and polished.
Now you are ready to start looking for the job that you want with the employer that can make the most of your experience. Go to www.Monster.ca and www.Brainhunter.ca to start searching for the job titles and descriptions that you believe are the best opportunity for you. Do not apply for these jobs – at least not yet. First, search for a few similar jobs and collect the job descriptions from each. Collect information on relevant skills, experience, and job requirements. Write down the key words and phrases that you see repeated in these jobs descriptions, skills, and experience requirements. Then prepare to add these keywords and phrases to the relevant sections of your resume.
Do you see some consistent requirements, words or phrases used in the job postings on www.Monster.ca and www.Brainhunter.ca? Do you have these same keywords, phrases, and capabilities listed in your resume? If these are not in your resume then you may need to update your resume to include these words and phrases where applicable and appropriate. Do not lie or misrepresent your skills, always be honest. However, if you neglected to include these words or phrases in your resume and you have the experience, then update your resume before submitted and applying for the job. Automated job match software technology creates a score based on word matches for keywords, phrases, education, and experience. The software uses titles, skills, certifications, acronyms, and common words for experience and education to create a score. The more that your resume matches the job description, the higher your score. When hundreds or thousands of people apply for a position, the individuals with the highest score get reviewed first. You want to be at the top of that list, so use jobs listed at www.Monster.ca and www.Brainhunter.com to collect keywords and phrases for your resume and increase your chance for success!
Craft a short introductory paragraph for your resume. Use keywords and references to your achievements in your introductory paragraph. Use action words like “accomplished”, “achieved”, “exceeded”, and “designed”. The introductory paragraph should highlight your personal achievements, not the achievements of an organization with which you are associated. In other words, it does not matter if your former employer had a great year, what did you do to contribute to the success of your former employer? Use keywords, phrases, and terms that you identified from searching job descriptions posted on www.Monster.ca and www.Brainhunter.ca
Please make sure to include your name and contact information on every page. Don’t laugh, it is sad and true that some individuals have removed contact information from resume documents in an effort to protect privacy and confidentiality. Every employer and staffing agency has an obligation to protect your privacy and confidentiality. There are hundreds of people applying for every position, so it is highly unlikely that any employer or agency will take the time to look up your contact information. Don’t play hide and seek with your contact information. If you hide your information there might not be anyone seeking you.
Now that you have polished your resume with keywords, terms, and phrases, it is time again to check for spelling and grammar. Check dates for accuracy and common sense. Read, review, and critique your own resume. This is the story of you, so make sure that the software can identify your relevant terms, and make sure that a manual review is not distracted by errors. Make sure that your terms match job descriptions posted at www.Monster.ca and www.Brainhunter.ca, then make a positive first impression when your resume is reviewed manually.
Register at www.Monster.ca Register at www.Brainhunter.ca Search for jobs that interest you. Return to search for new jobs at least once a week, as job postings are refreshed daily at these job sites. If you find a job posted that really interests you, you may find new keywords, terms or phrases associated with that specific job. The keywords or terms may be in the job description, experience, or skills required. If there are new terms listed that are not in your current resume, then you can update your resume to include these terms in the appropriate applicable sections of your resume and then repost your resume to apply for that position. It is common to have two or three versions of your resume that contain slightly different keywords and phrases to match specific job categories. This can help you to match the right version of your resume with the target position.
Now that you have a good resume…what’s next?
Have you ever wondered about other careers? In today’s economy, it’s not uncommon for people to be switching careers. Seekers are wondering what else is out beside what I currently do now? How would I ever be able to find out about other opportunities? Well Monster’s Career Snapshots give you insight into thousands jobs so that you may educate yourself on different career possibilities. www.Monster.ca
You have found a new interest; you are building your map to get there; but you still don’t know how you would stack up in the ranks? Well Career Benchmarking can provide you with such information. We at Monster recognize the challenges facing today’s job seeker but we are optimistic. We believe the economy will turn around. These tools are designed for you, to give you an advantage. For more information on any of these new tools please see the video kiosks throughout the fair, and also off the Monster home page. www.Monster.ca
Connect your Monster profile with Facebook
Manage your professional and social network
Many people feel they don’t have a network; they have exhausted their “limited” relationships; or they are just not good at networking. If this is the way you think then looking at networking I would like to give you different ideas and ways to look at networking. First, you are not only interested in finding a job but also making contacts. You would be surprised that when you ask for referrals people are more likely to let their guard down, and talk to you than if you come right out asking for a job. If you go in “just” looking for a job right now, you might miss a future opportunity. Someone you meet today may not have an opportunity for you now, but they might in the future if you have maintained some type of professional contact, and/or help them with a referral or a contact– you never know what or who just might lead you to your dream job. So when thinking about networking…think long term… If you are like most people, deliberate, successful networking is not something you were born knowing how to do. It is a skill, and like any other skill it takes practice and discipline. You owe it to yourself to learn as much as possible about networking and understanding the doors that it can open for you. There are many books available on the subject, such as Monster Careers: Networking. Also, Monster’s Career Advice Center has many articles on the topic to help further educate yourself on the subject. Whichever educational channel you chose…please start learning TODAY how to network at your best.
This could give you a great advantage on the competition. Anyone, anywhere, any time could be your next employer. Be prepared! Your next job may come a simple two minute elevator pitch while waiting for your car to be washed or getting coffee.
Would you like a little expert advice to review your resume and give you some advice? Zylog Systems (Canada) Ltd provides professional recruiting and professional services. As a professional service staffing agency, Zylog is compensated by employers to identify and match top talent for top jobs. Zylog recruiters can help to review your resume, assist with polishing your resume, and then submit your resume to appropriate applicable open jobs. Zylog receives lists of jobs refreshed daily from top employers, organizations and government. Zylog recruiters can review your resume and match your skills to currently available open positions. Zylog Systems (Canada) Ltd Toronto 2 Sheppard Ave East Suite 2000 Toronto, ON M2N 5Y7 Canada Phone: 416-225-9900 Fax: 416-225-9104 Email: [email_address] Zylog Systems (Ottawa) Ltd Ottawa 1545 Carling Avenue Suite 600 Ottawa, ON K1Z 8P9 Canada Phone: 613-789-7000 Fax: 613-722-8756 Email: [email_address] Systèmes Zylog (Canada) Ltée Montreal 1155 Boul. René-Lévesque Ouest Bureau 2500, Montréal, QC H3B 2K4 Canada Phone: 514-842-8888 Fax: 514-842-6235 Email: [email_address] Zylog Systems (Canada) Ltd Vancouver Metrotown 4720 Kingsway Avenue, 26th Floor Burnaby, BC V5H 4N2 Canada Phone: 877-432-7246 Email: [email_address]
Once your resume has passed the sophisticated automated applicant tracking systems and resume screening tools, you may be contacted for an interview. Print copies of your resume to bring with you to the interview. This is a courtesy to the individual who may be conducting the interview to provide a copy of your resume when you arrive. Review your resume the night before the interview, the morning of the interview, and as you wait to be interviewed. The dates, job descriptions, accomplishments and keywords should be fresh in your mind during the interview. Before you attend an interview, research the organization that is about to interview you. Compare the profile and history of the company and the job posting to your resume. Why do you think that they would be interested in your experience and capabilities? Be prepared to explain why you believe that you are the best person for the job, and don’t be afraid to ask what they saw in your resume that makes you a good fit for that organization.
www.Brainhunter.ca Register at www.Brainhunter.ca to take advantage of current job postings refreshed daily, a sophisticated job search engine, and ability to manage your personal profile in a friendly social media environment. www.Brainhunter.ca is offered by Zylog as a tool for job seekers, consultants, contractors, and professionals. In addition to listings of available jobs, Zylog uses www.Brainhunter.ca to provide useful tools to individuals contracted or on payroll managed by Zylog. Professionals on contract with Zylog can access copies of employment agreements online in a secure private portal. Furthermore, the site offers access to insurance benefits, plans and options. www.Brainhunter.ca also contains access to discounts which are only available to registered members of the site.
www.Brainhunter.ca Register at www.Brainhunter.ca to take advantage of current job postings refreshed daily, a sophisticated job search engine, and ability to manage your personal profile in a friendly social media environment.
www.Brainhunter.ca Register to update your personal profile, work history, education, and “likes”
www.Brainhunter.ca Advanced Job Search to search by location, category, keywords, permanent or contract positions, etc Find the job that is right for you!
www.Brainhunter.ca Brainhunter Provides Access to Competing Private Health Insurance Plans and Prices The new Brainhunter community web portal expands feature benefits and discounts with competing insurance plans and prices facilitated by Marsh Canada Limited. New benefits available at www.Brainhunter.com includes access to life, disability, and private health insurance plans. As the premier staffing and payroll contract management agency, Zylog recognized a lack of parity and gaps in coverage of life insurance, disability insurance, and private health insurance for many consultants and contractors. Zylog determined to make such coverage more accessible to the community. Zylog and Marsh Canada Limited offer a convenient one-stop-shop to compare plans and prices to fill the gap in individual insurance services. Zylog is pleased to offer this “Cafeteria Style” selection in cooperation with Marsh Canada Limited. Marsh’s Individual Insurance Services provide a wide range of insurance solutions with optional plans and comparative prices quoted from many leading insurance providers. This means a one-stop-shop to conveniently compare prices among several respected insurance providers and plans to fulfill individual risk protection needs, peace of mind, and personal budget. Traditionally, employer sponsored group plans provide the basis for insurance benefits. As a self employed professional, these products are now available on an individual basis. The risks of premature death, long-term disabilities or health care related expenses can be financially crippling to those affected. Risk protection products are one of the ways to help mitigate the financial impact of one of these events happening. The following types of insurance can be a key component of an overall financial plan: Private health insurance can provide a person or family with coverage for prescription drug, extended health services, dental and more that will fill the gaps left by provincial health plans Personal disability insurance will replace a portion of personal income in the event of inability to work due to an accident or sickness Critical Illness insurance provides a lump sum benefit in the event an individual is diagnosed with a covered condition, including heart attack, life-threatening cancer and stroke Life Insurance protects the family in the event of premature death
Review the Quick Resume Checklist. Have you discovered a few ideas or suggestions that can help you improve your resume and approach to the job market? You can make a difference on your ability to get to an interview and improve your chances to get employed at the job you want. There are hundreds of people applying for positions every day. First you need to have a resume that gets a good score on the sophisticated resume sorting and screening software so you can be automatically matched with the jobs that you want. Then you may have the ability to present your resume and yourself in person to a very interested HR specialist or hiring manager. If you found something useful in this presentation, please share a copy or forward the link to your friends. Chances are that are will not be applying for the same jobs, but helping your friends and associates may help you to expand your network and get a referral for your next career advancement!
About Zylog Systems Limited Established in 1995, Zylog Systems Limited earned a reputation as a respected leader in providing technology-based business solutions and services that leverage a globally positioned workforce of Software Engineers and Subject Matter Experts. From locations throughout the US, Canada, India, Asia Pacific, and Europe, Zylog develops and supports a broad range of industry specific and customer enterprise business applications through a proven delivery model that combines local consulting and delivery centers with highly scalable and cost-effective offshore development and testing facilities. Zylog’s effectively managed intellectual capital is the foundation from which our clients draw upon specialized knowledge in an increasingly broad range of business applications and computing environments. The loyal following of clients seeking to leverage our proven delivery methodology includes many small and midsized companies, as well as many respected leaders in Pharmaceuticals, Finance & Banking, Insurance, Life Sciences, Telecommunications, Marketing, Retail, Transportation & Logistics, Consumer Electronics, and staffing. Zylog acquired Brainhunter in 2010 In 2010, Zylog acquired Brainhunter Inc, with facilities in Toronto and Ottowa, Canada. As the second largest IT and Engineering Canadian Staffing Firm, and globally ranked for professional recruiting services, Brainhunter has been a recognized leader in contract and permanent staffing, project-based-ISO certified teams, and outsourcing solutions. During the acquisition process Zylog retained nearly all of the employees of Brainhunter and demonstrated a commitment to provide continuity for the many client companies and government agencies in Canada. Zylog has embarked on a mission to provide a higher level of service for consultants, self-employed, job seekers, and employees. Zylog has opened offices in Montreal and Vancouver. TalentFlow Applicant Tracking software enables companies to leverage Zylog technology for internal recruiting. TalentFlow Vendor Management software enables organizations to manage the job posting and candidate submission process from multiple staffing agencies in a confidential bid environment. TalentFlow Job Board Network Technology empowers associations to generate revenue from job postings and provide benefits to members for targeted job seekers in the community. Zylog technology powers the Brainhunter network and community portal for Job Seekers, contract management, career management, payroll processing, with access to benefits and discounts.