Top 5 Resume Writing Tips

By Jeremy | Published: November 18, 2013

 A resume is often your first impression to the company you are attempting to be hired by. As such, making your resume stand out amidst the rest gives you that extra shine above all others.

Here are five simple tips to give you a better chance of getting your foot in the door:

1. Organize the information:
It is very important to organize the information of your resume in a fashion that allows the reader to easily identify how you can become a valuable member of their organization. Most companies are looking for employees that are organized and concise and this shows you have these abilities right off the bat.

2. Define the work not the job name:
A title does not really tell anyone what you are capable of. It simply states the names your previous company decided to use for their organizational chart. Therefore, it is more valuable to describe what you actually did in your previous employment. Again, you should do this in an organized manner that is easy for the reader to comprehend.

3. Gear the information to the market you are applying to:
If you were looking to hire a software engineer, then you would not really care about previous employment as a security guard. You must tailor your resume to the job in which you are trying to get, not the jobs in which you are no longer doing. So make sure that your resume centers around information pertaining the field you are applying for.

4. Career Summary beats an objective:
Most resume builders put “objective” as a beginner and most people usually populate this with a phrase like “To obtain meaningful employment……” As a reader of resumes, I can tell you that I rarely even read the objective because it is obvious that someone is attempting to obtain employment. Instead, replace this with a career summary to catch the attention of the reader. Get them hooked fast so they will be more apt to read the rest in more detail.

5. Consistency in format:
Often times, people reading these resumes are reviewing hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes and default to doing quick scans instead of in depth looks. Because of this it is of high importance that your resume be easy on the eyes. Make sure to use the same line spacing, character format, and font size. Inconsistency in a resume makes them harder to read and easier to put into the bottom of the candidate pile.

In today’s job market, the employer often has hundreds of potential candidates so you must remember that your resume is their first impression. It is said that it takes six months to change a first impression so make sure that you are giving the best one possible right from the beginning.

If you like  our professional resume writers in Miami to have a look at your current resume, then click here.

Miami English: A language all its own?

By Jeremy | Published: October 7, 2013

English/Spanish sign

Miami English is a curious phenomenon. While locals can often pinpoint the so-called “Miami accent” it can still be difficult to describe, and it’s not as notably different as Boston or New York accents.

Miami’s Latin-American community has certainly made a mark on the way locals use language. The cultural influence has even affected non-Hispanic Miamians. One scholar describes Miami English as more of a dialect than an accent, since a dialect refers to the distinct grammatical patterns and sounds of a language.

“What’s noteworthy about Miami English is that we’re now in a third, even fourth generation of kids who are using these features of native dialect,” said Phillip Carter, a sociolinguist at Florida International University, in an interview with the Miami Herald. Carter’s primary focus is language use in Hispanic communities across the U.S. “So we’re not talking — and let me be clear — we’re not talking about non-native features. These are native speakers of English who have learned a variety influenced historically by Spanish.”

Miami English sounds different partially because of the influence of the Spanish language. Vowel sounds are a big indicator – Spanish has five vowel sounds, while English has 11, so certain vowel sounds, like the long ‘A’ in a word like “band,” are softened to more of an “ah” sound.

Syllable weight is also a variable in Miami English – specifically with the letter “L.” Miamians are known to use a heavy “L” sound, like that used in Spanish. The rhythm of the words used in Miami English has a Latin flair to it.

Many Miamians end their sentences in a high rising terminal – making their statements sound more like questions. This pattern, also known as upspeaking is seen in other regional accents, the most infamous of which is Valspeak, or the “Valley Girl” accent popularized by movies.

While it is common to have dialect variations when two languages are used concurrently, Miami is an anomaly because of how quickly the change occured. The Latin American influence in Miami began growing as more immigrants, particularly Cuban immigrants arrived – first in the 1960’s under Operation Peter Pan and with the Mariel Boat Lift in the 1980’s. Over time, immigrants from numerous other Central and South American countries began settling in Miami, and very quickly the distinctive language seeds were sown.

A Miamian may initially be completely unaware of how different their speech sounds compared to the speech of others – even those living in Broward County. Once identified, Miami English speakers may feel self-conscious and think they are not speaking “proper” English. Unfortunately, many Americans still harbor stereotypes about different accents. A University of Chicago study published in 2010 even revealed that Americans were not as likely to trust individuals with foreign-sounding accents.

Whether you have a “Miami accent” or not, it is important to try and avoid feeling ashamed over your accent. Everyone has a story to tell and every accent tells a story. Miami English developed out of vibrant, multi-cultural influences and as demographics change, so might the language.


10 Resume Myths

By Jeremy | Published: September 3, 2013

10 resume myths

Anyone on the job hunt knows that having a great resume is an absolute essential. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there about what it takes to craft an ideal resume. This article will dispel ten of these myths and will arm you with the correct information in creating a resume that will make you stand out among a sea of applicants.

Myth #1: Grade point average is a major consideration for employers

While having a strong GPA is important if you’re applying for grad school, most employees don’t pay special attention to it for several reasons. Although some applicants with high GPAs did well on the majority of their required and non-required courses, some took a lot of easy courses to pump up their GPA, and some had high scores in courses related to their major but their GPA dropped as a result of taking non-major related but required courses. Thus, GPA isn’t exactly a clear indicator of potential job performance or intellectual prowess. Especially if you’ve been in the working world for a few years anyways.

Myth #2: Resumes should only be one page long

Unless you are a recent graduate without a lot of work experience, it is perfectly fine to have a two page resume if you need the extra page to include relevant information such as work experience or relevant achievements, memberships or extracurricular activities. If you’ve been working for 20 years professionally, you’d expect to see more than 1 page.

Myth #3: Achievements should be listed separately

To ensure that the recruiter or hiring manager reading your resume will notice your achievements, it is better to showcase them in relevant sections with bullet points instead of lumping them all in one section that might be overlooked.

Myth #4: You should list your entire work history on your resume

If your first jobs were things like hot dog stand vendor or movie theater attendant and the job you are applying for has nothing to do with these things, you would do well to leave them out. Also, if you have 10-15 years of experience, you can feel free to leave out old internships, unless you want to mention them because of their clout.

Myth #5: Keep your resume content general

A general resume is more likely to get lost in the shuffle. If you target and customize your resume to the job you’re applying for you, have a much greater chance of securing an interview and possibly landing the job.

Myth #6: Paper resumes alone are just fine.

These days, LinkedIn is a major game-changer in the area of hiring. If you don’t yet have one, make one. If you do, make sure to update it and clean it up – a professional profile is essential. Additionally, LinkedIn allows you to post your resume and some employers might prefer just having to click a link rather than open up an attached document. Another plus is that many online job applications give you the option of uploading or attaching your LinkedIn profile, saving you time when applying to several positions.

Myth #7: Avoid social media info

Like with LinkedIn, most employers are looking up the social media pages of potential employees, so including this information can be helpful (provided that your page is professional.) It also gives the impression that you have nothing to hide.

#8: Some white lies on your resume are acceptable

Overstating or embellishing your accomplishments, no matter how small is not a smart move in an age when nearly anything can be verified online. Employers place a high importance on integrity and honesty and many employers also hire out firms to verify credentials listed on an applicants resume.

Myth #9: Send a PDF instead of a Microsoft Word document

This seems like a reasonable idea since some employers using Macs may not be able to open an MS Word file, but PDFs aren’t a great option for another reason. Job boards and tracking systems use keyword scanning software and submitting a PDF can cause the system to miss these keywords and thus render your resume invisible. Send both a MS Word file and a PDF to be safe.

Myth #10: No one is going to notice typos or grammatical errors, so don’t worry about them

People do notice these things, so it’s very important that you double check anything you send out and have a friend or two read over it to see if there is something you might have overlooked. If the person reading your resume happens to place a lot of importance on grammar and proper spelling, then your resume might make you seem careless and unqualified for the job. Attention to detail is important!

There you have it! 10 resume myths dispelled. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or check out our resume writing services to help you reach the top of the stack!

 

What are The Differences Between a Resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

By Jeremy | Published: August 21, 2013

differences between a resume and a cv

Resumes and curriculum vitae (CV) are terms sometimes used interchangeably, but it is essential to know the differences between the two.

A resume is basically a summary of your education and your work experience that is relevant to the job you are applying for. This work experience is listed in reverse chronological order. Resumes can be tailored based on the jobs you are seeking and often people have more than one resume if they have experience and interests in several different fields. Standard wisdom calls for resumes to be one page long, but it is sometimes appropriate to have a two page resume – especially in recent years, when more and more people move from one job to another much more frequently than they had in the past. However, a resume should not exceed two pages.

Curriculum vitae is Latin for “course of life.” A CV encompasses more information about your experience and accomplishments than does a resume. In a CV you can list the publications where your work has been published, awards you have won, accolades you have earned, and other notable information. You can also go into more detail about your education and extra curricular experience – particularly if this information is relevant to the position you are seeking. Also included on a CV are summaries of teaching and research experience, presentations you have given, and your professional affiliations or memberships. Although CVs are expected to be longer than resumes, sometimes employers prefer CVs be limited to two pages. Unlike resumes, CVs remain static. When submitting a CV, it is essential to tailor your cover letter to fit the job. This is also a good policy when it comes to submitting a resume.

In the United States, resumes are typically submitted for job applications and CVs are reserved primarily for positions in academic, research, education, or scientific fields. CVs are also sometimes used when applying for grants and fellowships. In Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, it is expected that job applicants submit their CV to prospective employers. Policies on this vary worldwide – the British typically submit CVs, Americans submit resumes, and Australians often submit both.

We hope this post helped cleared up some of the main differences between a resume and a CV. Feel free to contact us at any time to help clarify anything else for you.

Submitting a resume or CV is the first step in the job search process. Once your documents are reviewed, if your qualifications match what the company is looking for, the appropriate personnel will contact you to arrange a telephone or in-person interview. It is important to remember that most employers or recruiters will take approximately one minute to look over your documents, so whether you submit a CV or a resume, make sure the format and wording makes you stand out from the other applicants.

The World’s Newest Language!

By Jeremy | Published: July 24, 2013

We’ve all heard of dead languages, but a group of children in northern Australia have recently created a newborn language.

This discovery was made by University of Michigan linguist Carmel O’Shannessy. The new tongue, Warlpiri rampaku, (also known as Light Warlpiri,) originated in Lajamanu, a remote village with a population of about 700, nestled in Australia’s Northern Territory.

O’Shannessy has studied Light Warlpiri since 2002 and visits Lajamanu annually, staying between three and eight weeks at a time. Based on her studies, O’Shannessy has concluded that Light Warlpiri is a completely new language with its own set of grammar rules, not just a dialect or a creole.

Approximately 350 people speak the language and all of them are under the age of 35. Unlike most discovered languages, Light Warlpiri is young enough that many of its originators are still alive.

Speakers of Light Warlpiri are also among the 4,000 individuals throughout Australia who speak traditional Warlpiri. Many also speak another language, a late 19th century creole called Kriol, which is partly based on English.

The Light Warlpiri language uses many borrowed English and Kriol words.  It originated from parents who combined three languages when speaking to their children. The children then took this baby talk, changed the verb structure, and a new language was eventually born.

According to Peter Bakker, a linguistics professor at Denmark’s Aarhus University, Light Warlpiri is neither a creole (combination of two established languages) nor a pidgin (a rudimentary creole.) In an interview with the New York Times, Bakker said, “Light Warlpiri is clearly a mother tongue.”

While it isn’t clear what inspired the new language, O’Shannessy suggests that Lajamanu children may have developed it as a way to establish their identity as Warlpiri youth.

The future of traditional Warlpiri is uncertain because of Light Warlpiri’s well-established and robust nature, but older members of the Lajamanu community would like to see it kept alive.

It is thought that Lajamanu’s isolated nature played a role in the development of Light Warlpiri. The village, which was established in 1948, has some partially paved roads but its nearest commercial area is located over 300 miles away.

Looks like we might have to add some new translation services to light Warlpiri!

 

Spanish Language Differences in Latin America and Spain

By Jeremy | Published: June 12, 2013

Spanish Speaking Countries

The Spanish language is one of the five most widely spoken of the Romance languages, ahead of Portuguese, French, Italian and Romanian. While these five are the most common, some experts have listed the actual number of existing Romance languages as nearly 25, although this estimate may be on the low side. The Romance languages were born of Latin, developed between the sixth and ninth centuries, and belong to the Indo-European language family.

There are two commonly used versions of Spanish often used for translation: Latin American Spanish and European Spanish, also known as American Spanish and Peninsular Spanish. As is the case with British English and American English, differences between the two languages exist and should be considered when translating documents.

Latin American Spanish is spoken throughout Central and South America. More than 20 countries, including Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia, all list Spanish as their official language. Latin American Spanish can be understood throughout different Latin American countries because it retains a level of neutrality that makes it an attractive option to use for translations.

Hispanics living in the United States also speak this variety of Spanish (Miami included!). Sometimes users will mix in English and Spanish, forming a new kind of dialect which speakers call “Spanglish,” in a process that linguists refer to as code-switching. At any rate, Latin American Spanish is understood by members of the Hispanic community in the United States, Central America and South America and should thus be used by companies looking to tap into this market.

European Spanish, on the other hand, is primarily used in one country, Spain. Spanish originated in the Castile region of Spain and is sometimes referred to as Castilian or castellano. In some cases, Spanish is referred to as Español, although some natives are offended by this term as it was historically used by Francisco Franco to designate the language as one belonging to Spain, as opposed to other languages such as Galician, Basque and Catalan, spoken in certain regions of the country.

Aside from everyday words and slang, there are grammatical differences between Latin American and European Spanish. The most well-known difference is European Spanish’s use of the second person plural familiar vosotros, which is used as the informal plural form of tú, or “you.”  Vosotros is very rarely used in Latin America, where ustedes is the commonly used verb tense. While many Spanish speakers are familiar with the term vosotros, when translating a document for a Hispanic market, it would be preferable to use the regularly used grammatical forms, especially since the intention of translation is to capture a distinct market, this is also known as localization. Hopefully this post provided a little insight into the progression of Spanish, and the major Spanish language differences.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about our Spanish translation services, click here to visit our Contact Page.

What’s The Difference Between a Translation and a Localization?

By Jeremy | Published: June 3, 2013

When thinking about how best to market goods and services, many people would consider localization and translation to be one in the same. In reality, they are quite different tools. Ever wondered what’s the difference between a translation and a localization? Read on to learn a bit more!

Translation is a necessary tool to reach out to new audiences who do not speak the same language. This tool is partly mechanical and focuses on getting the correct spelling and grammar.

Localization uses different techniques to relate to a new market, including using local currencies and ways of writing out numbers dates and addresses in written materials. Graphic design is also an important tool in localization.

Although the two work together, localization goes a step further than translation. One way to think of it is that translation is like a instruction manual written in several different languages, but localization is several different websites that target specific countries and people, but that all offer the same product or service.

While translation tries to adapt information from its existing language to other languages spoken in other markets, localization is more specific about the cultural differences of the other markets. Localization helps international consumers to relate better to a product or service. This is important because in many cases pure translation is not enough to capture an audience, since speech and dialect differs even within the same language.

Although English is spoken throughout the United States, the Philippines and the United Kingdom, (and m0re countries of course) different terms  and vernaculars are common throughout each one. For example, an American in the U.K who orders “chips” and a “biscuit” won’t receive thin, crunchy potato slices and a fluffy baked good, but instead, fries and a cookie. Speech also differs throughout Latin American countries and some differences also exist between the French spoken in France and that version spoken in Canadian regions.

In short, while translation is always a necessary tool to get across information, it’s essential to go the extra mile and add in localization to increase relatability and make the potential consumers in the new markets “feel at home”.

Team WriteThatRight is presenting on Internet Marketing at the NOSSCR Conference 2012!

By Jeremy | Published: March 22, 2012

So, after a bit of luck and building a name in the world of internet marketing, part of the Write that Right team will be heading to Philadelphia on May, 3rd to present about internet marketing and social media for social security attorneys.

We’re expecting a crowd of about 3-400 for our presentation!!!!

Crappy English on my Favorite Chinese Restaurant’s Menu

By Jeremy | Published: November 27, 2011

“That Right, We do Booze Now!”

This was the menu at my favorite Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia, and while it was nothing like I saw when I visited Shanghai, I still chuckled a bit.

 

 

3 Reasons You Never Reached the Interviewing Chair

By Jeremy | Published: September 28, 2011

Do you apply for jobs, but never hear back?

A few years ago, if you were decently qualified and applied for multiple jobs, there was a good chance you at least got an email or a call back from a few.

Today, there is such fierce competition for jobs that overqualified applicants and just that many more people in general are clawing for the same positions. This means that you most likely won’t be hearing back from most jobs you’ve tried to land.  Most career consultants will say, this is normal these days and to keep on applying and networking without becoming discouraged.  But, there are  a few things you can do to really stand out from the rest of the pack and to start that phone singing that sweet sweet “ringggggg”,  keep on reading to find out.

1. You’re just not their “Golden Child”

You might be good, but another applicant just fit’s their “Ideal Candidate” image better. When the job market is tighter than a drum head, employers have plenty of people to choose from and can usually find exactly what they’re looking for.  Don’t expect a sorry letter.

2. If they got to you, they’d like you

Employers receive so many resumes for any given job, that they would never have to use a phone book as a booster seat for their toddler again.  Ever have that friend that’s not so good looking but always has the best looking boyfriend or girlfriend?  Well, do what they do!  The more people you send your resume to and the more places you network, you will eventually get noticed and receive a call back. Don’t take rejection personally, because in many instances, you never even got a look to begin with.

3. You might have got a call if you had…followed directions!

The majority of job postings online have detailed applicant procedures using wordage like “Must”, “To be considered”, and trust us, they are serious.  Do you think they are going to hire someone who can’t even follow simple instructions?  Make sure you heed any directions listed in a job posting and tailor your resume for every single job you apply for.  They want to know how you can fulfill their position, not just see what you’ve done in general.

While some of the above content might seem a little discouraging, the main point of this article is to accept that getting a job right now ain’t easy.  The best advice is to make sure your resume is flawless, you know what kind of job you’re even looking for, and as the infinitely wise Joe Dirt once said, “you just gotta keep on, keepin’ on”. If you’d like a free consultation on how to write a resume, give us a call!

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