The Resume: To Embellish or Not to Embellish

A strong resume is crucial to securing an interview, but should you ever embellish on a resume in the hopes of getting an interview?  During this time of high unemployment, many people are looking to find creative ways to “get a foot in the door.”  An article published last week in CNN’s Money section reported that Yahoo’s CEO was let go over false claims on his resume, so we figured this was a good time to address resume inflation.

Yahoo’s former CEO, Scott Thompson

As a recruiter, I have seen many resumes over the years and would like to share the following tips for anyone who is looking for a new opportunity.  Resume inflation has become very common, and so I caution you to be aware of the following:

1. In the past, I have come across resumes with fictitious colleges and degree programs listed.  All degrees can be verified, and many companies verify education credentials.  College is expensive, and people drop out or take a break for any number of reasons – cost, time constraints, etc.  It is okay to note that you attended college but did not receive a degree.  Many employers are even sympathetic toward people who have had to drop out of school to work, so don’t feel as though you are automatically ruining your chance for an interview if it’s discovered that you don’t have a degree.  Remember that any false claims of possessing a degree when one does not could mean automatic termination of employment or discontinuation of the interview or offer process.
2. When it comes to listing your skill set, concentrate on the skills with which you are most comfortable and expand on them.  If you gained some of your skills while in college but do not have field experience with those skills, feel free to enter them under the “Education” section of your resume so that it is clear to recruiters and HR staff who review your resume what your actual experience is with these skills.  Also, recruiters and HR personnel typically check professional references.  Make sure the references you provide can validate your previous titles and job duties included in the “Work History” section of your resume.
3. There is a strong chance that you will be asked very specific questions about your skills and the work you have done in your previous roles and current position.  Be prepared to answer such questions in detail.  If you are unable to answer these types of questions in a clear and concise but thorough manner, then you may put doubt in the interviewers’ minds.  In order to sound confident during an interview, it helps to practice interviewing with friends or relatives.  Let them “dig in” to your background, and have them ask you specific questions about work you have done. The more you practice, the more confident you will feel.
4. Many companies require complete background checks, which, depending on the company, may include criminal checks, professional reference checks, credit checks and drug testing.  Criminal checks can date back to age 18, so if you have ever been convicted of a crime (regardless of age), it is important to be honest and upfront if you are asked this question.  Even if you are not asked this question during the interview process, it is important to keep in mind that if you are given an offer, a background check will usually preclude it.  Depending on the company, the type of job you will be doing, and the crime that was committed, a past conviction may not be a huge issue leading to immediate rejection if you were honest from the beginning about your criminal history.
5. Remember, honesty is the best policy!

-Kristi Brewster, Senior Recruiter at BRIDGE

We’re curious – do you think Yahoo was right to fire Scott Thompson, or was their reaction too harsh?  Leave it in the comments!

BRIDGE Named the 2nd Fastest-Growing Tech Company in RI!

Providence Business News recently ranked Bridge Technical Solutions 2^nd on their Top List of Fastest-Growing Technology Companies, featured in this month’s issue.

Moving up from our 6th place ranking in this category in the 2011 Book of Lists, which came out last December, we are proud to share this local achievement recognizing our growth and successes over the past year.

BRIDGE Partner James Wright reflects, “We’re excited to be listed as the 2^nd fastest-growing technology company in PBN’s Top List, as our growth speaks well for the health of the IT industry in RI.  Our success is in part a reflection of an improving economy, but it’s also a result of the investments we’ve made in our business over the past years.  We’ve put tremendous resources back into our business – investing during a down market in people, training, infrastructure and countless other areas – in an effort to grow our organization and be prepared as the market improves.  That effort and those risks have paid off.”

Wright adds, “We’re very excited that the BRIDGE team is seeing the success of their efforts.  We’re happy for the many IT professionals whom we’ve been able to place into permanent and consulting roles, and as always we’re grateful to our customers who trust BRIDGE to provide the best resources for their hiring needs. One of the great satisfactions of this job is helping a company find the skilled employee they need to meet their goals, and helping a talented professional take another step in his or her career.  The past few years, BRIDGE has been a partner in making many of those connections, and it’s a great feeling.”

Thank you, Providence Business News!  We look forward to accomplishing even more in the Ocean State with our outstanding team and network of clients and IT professionals!

5 Simple Communication Tips to Make Yourself More Attractive to Recruiters

There have been many articles written on interviewing such as interview do’s and don’ts, how to dress for an interview, etc. The 5 simple tips below are far more fundamental, and will go a long way to opening the line of communication between you and  recruiters who are looking for candidates to fill their open positions.

1. Check your phone on a regular basis to make sure your voice mailbox is not full and is able receive incoming voice mails. Several times over the last few months, I have called candidates and have received an automated voice message stating “the mailbox is full, and cannot accept messages.”  If you are looking for a new opportunity, it is critical for recruiters/HR to be able to reach you so they can start a conversation about your resume and the opportunity at hand.
2. Make sure the email address listed on your resume is correct and that you check it on a regular basis. I recently came across a resume with an email address of “personsname@yaho.com” instead of “yahoo.com.”  I realized there was an “o” missing and changed the email address accordingly. Automatically generated emails would not have caught this error, and a bounce back would result. Also, if the email you have listed is not one that is checked often, you could very easily miss a great opportunity. There are a lot of people out of work, so it is crucial to respond in a timely manner so you do not miss out due to lack of communication.
3. It is important to have an updated resume available. When recruiters see your resume, (and before we speak with you) all we have to go by are the jobs/skill sets that are listed on your resume. If your resume has not been updated in a year or more, we will call you based on the last skill set you have on your resume, with no way of knowing that you may have a new or completely different skill set than the ones listed previously. For instance, if I see a resume with many years of  C++ experience, and I call you for a C++ job, I would not know that you have switched to .Net, Java, etc., because C++ is the last skill set shown.
4. In this economy, some people have had to relocate for jobs. Please ensure that your correct address is shown on your resume. I noticed several resumes lately that show a local address and cell phone number, only to call the candidate and find out they now live in California and is only looking for work there.
5. If you have found employment and are no longer looking for any new opportunities, please remember to remove your resume from the job boards. This saves recruiters time when searching for candidates in a time-sensitive situation. If you want to start a relationship with a recruiter for future career opportunities, we recommend you add your resume and contact info. to our database, which is an easy way to start a conversation.

As a recruiter, I am always looking for candidates and if you follow the above guidelines, you will go a long way towards opening the lines of communication and landing your dream job!

-Kristi Brewster, Senior Recruiter at BRIDGE