How to Select a Resume Writer

How to Select a Resume WriterHow to Select a Resume WriterQuestions you should ask and qualifications you should seek in a professional resume writer.Competition is fierce. This time around, youre notlage going to cheap out.You have to spend money to make money. So youre going to do it right Youre going to invest in a deluxe coaching package. That way, youll be ready to flatten the competition with your locked-and-loaded, shiny new resume. For that much money, you tell yourself, a resume has to be better than the one your friend is offering to do for free. Right?Not so much. The truth is, job seekers can get burned whether they get a freebie, nonprofessional resume - or yes, even if they max out their credit cards and go for broke.I once had a job seeker in technology sales call with a resume that welches awful, that was written for him as part of a $1,200 coaching package, said Kathy Robinson, a career and business consultant who founded the career coaching firm TurningPoint. He wa s not getting anywhere with his search because his resume communicated no direction and had nothing on it that would actually resonate with a hiring manager.The more time you spend talking to professional resume writers and career coaches, the more often you hear stories like these. It doesnt matter how much money you spend if you dont vet your resume writer, youre asking for trouble. Bear in mind, these days, a lot of unemployed people are hanging out their shingles to set up shop as resume writers.Many out-of-work recruiters are pitching themselves as resume writers these days, and Ive seen some resumes from them that arent up to par, so buyer beware, Robinson said.Out-of-work professionals are also getting certified as professional resume writers, but even that shouldnt be enough of a recommendation to coax cash out of your wallet without first getting some good answers to probing questions about a writers hintergrund and qualifications.Ladders talked to career coaches who help j ob seekers find the right resume writer for their specific circumstances. What we came up with is the following list of questions to ask and qualifications to look for before committing to a resume writer.What to look forSharon DeLay, a certified professional resume writer and career coach, was kind enough to suggest the following list of qualifications people should seek in a resume writerRecommendations If possible, find a writer by asking for referrals from people you know and trust who have used the resume writer with satisfactory results.Certification Look for a writer with training or certification from an independent organization, such as the CPRW certification from the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. The Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches combines course work and tests to train and evaluate resume writers.What to askDeLay and Robinson suggested that job seekers ask these questions of prospective resume writersWhen were you certifi ed? Robinson said she doesnt trust that a resume-writing certification is enough, unless its from the last three or four years or the person has kept up with changes in resumes and can articulate the current trends in resumes. For example, resume writers who are out of touch might use an objective statement instead of an executive summary and/or a descriptive title at the top of the resume top these changes in resume-writing conventions occurred in just the past few years.Id recommend that a client ask when the person was trained on resume writing, what the most common fields are that they work with, the writers own personal background, and how resumes have changed over the past few years, Robinson said. If the person answers, ?Nothings new, Id keep looking for someone whos more in touch with the marketplace.What do I receive in return for the resume fee?What you want is a consultation and the right to edit a draft version or two, DeLay said.How do I customize the resume?Besides hav ing multiple resume formats as indicated above, Robinson suggested that a good resume writer should show you how to customize the resume as you apply for various positions. This includes, for example, adjusting keywords to reflect a job posting or tweaking your executive summary to reflect that youre the perfect candidate an employer is seeking.Can you provide examples for me to review?A writer who does not have examples is likely inexperienced or not qualified at all, DeLay said. When looking at examples of the writers work, keep an eye on how she brands a candidate. Do you have a good sense of what the candidate offers in terms of skills and expertise? If the writers not constructing a crystal-clear, strong brand for her clients, look elsewhere.Can you provide references?Hearing from those with whom the writer has worked can give you great insight into whether youd be a good match with a given resume writer.How long will it take you after our consultation to produce the resume?The write should be able to provide a deadline to deliver the resume or may set deadlines for each step in the process.Do you have any guarantees?If a writer guarantees you a job, run DeLay advised. Resume writers arent, in most cases, placement specialists. Youre the only one whos responsible for landing a job. With that said, a writer can offer a guarantee on the accuracy and correctness of the final resume. Youre not off the hook when it comes to checking resume drafts before the writer concludes the final versions, however it only means that after the writer has received the clients approval for the accuracy of the facts and the writer has checked grammar and mechanics, the writer may offer a guarantee on the grammar and mechanics of the final document, DeLay said.Whats your domain expertise?Try to find a resume writer with experience in your domain, Robinson suggested. A resume writer whos worked in your industry is ideal but often hard to find, so look for one who has at least wo rked on resumes for other professionals in your line of work.How familiar are you with keywords?Good resume writers should understand how and where to insert keywords in a resume, Robinson said. They should also show a good grasp of how applicant tracking systems (ATS) work and how to create a resume that doesnt glitch electronic resume-handling software. (For more on ATS software, please read making your resume format machine-friendly.)

This is how to help guarantee youll beat out robots for a job

This is how to help guarantee youll beat out robots for a jobThis is how to help guarantee youll beat out robots for a jobOur goals as workers have changed over the centuries as technology has evolved and us with it. First, people wanted to be Renaissance men, able to adapt to any skill set they needed. Then, we became specialists,answering all the questions people had about ur assigned craft. And in the 21st century, as artificial intelligence floods the market and robotics become more sophisticated, people are entering the next phase of our workplace identity. Now, we are kreuzungs.Or perhaps some of us are not everyone has adapted to the landscape. But according to a report from analytics software company Burning Glass Technologies, we should be. Otherwise, well lose out on major job opportunities and our roles in the workforce may become obsolete.Whereas 42% of all jobs can be automated, according to the report, hybrid work can only be done by people. While that may be an exagger ation (12% of highly hybrid jobs can still be automated), it appears that these roles are expanding and may be the new wave of opportunity in an automated society.So what does it take to be considered a hybrid worker?Well, you have to be able to go digital. We are all being augmented by machines, so your ability to learn new systems, configure and customize these tools, and code them, if necessarily (sic), is critical, writesJosh Bersin, president of Bersin Associates, in the reports forward.You also need to be fluent in data, analytics, business, and management. And you have to think creatively.So really, being a hybrid worker means being able to use both sides of your brain - both creative and analytical. Robots cant do that, but if we work hard, we can. And this news comes at just the right time Demand for such workers is growing. Burning Glass found in 2018 that one in eight job postings in its database was highly hybridized.This trend has the potential to exacerbate a divide in the workforce, with some workers gaining ground in the future economy, and others - those who fail to keep up with changing skill requirements - at risk of being left behind, the report finds.But, it counters, as jobs get reshaped by new skills and new technologies, there are also clear opportunities For employers to upskill existing workers and develop more effective talent pipelines for workers to make themselves more competitive by acquiring new skills ahead of the market and for education institutions to deliver learning to the broader community of workers who will increasingly need to acquire new skills.Some of the jobs that have high or very high hybridity Bioinformaticians, financial quantitative analysts, data scientists, cybersecurity analysts and health information managers.In a world where work is changing, its good to have a pulse on the kinds of careers that are here to stay. And now we know - we have to focus on how to combine analytics and creative thinking if w e want to beat outthe machines.

How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering Design

How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering Design How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering Design How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering DesignIndustry 4.0the combination of digital processes such as the Internet of Things, automation, robotics, and additive manufacturinghas a disruptive impact on mechanical engineering entwurf. Not only do engineers need to redesign processes and operations to accommodate these new advances, Industry 4.0 impacts how they design products for increasingly smart manufacturing facilities.As Industry 4.0 takes hold, forward-thinking engineers will embrace these digital tools and technologies. This allows them to make higher-quality products mora efficiently and react more quickly to shifting consumer demands, building customer loyalty and gaining market share. Millennials, for example, are a rapidly growing population that expects tailored products that match their personal preferences.Brands that offer personalized products typically enjoy a 50 percent higher loyal ty rate. Unfortunately, traditional manufacturing methods are designed for mass production, not customization. Companies that can rapidly adapt production lines to exploit consumer trends are more likely to have implemented Industry 4.0. This is confirmed by a 2016 McKinsey and Company study that showed Industry 4.0 factories are better at designing and manufacturing individualized products than traditional factories.What Drives Industry 4.0The following technologies are typically considered key components of Industry 4.0Internet of Thingsuses sensor technology to connect the entire manufacturing ecosystem with real-time communication and data from interconnected machines and devices, tracking operational performanceBig data and analyticsutilizes the Internet of Things to capture, analyze, and store data on every stage of production, from design through productionEngineering simulationrelies on virtual reality and augmented reality to create realistic, perfectly scaled, three-dimens ional images or holograms that speed up product design, reduce iterations, and shorten time to marketAdditive manufacturing, including 3D and 4D printingthese rapidly-advancing technologies allow engineers to design and manufacture products that often cannot be made using traditional manufacturing methodsAugmented reality could help shape the way engineers work in Industry 4.0.Each of these Industry 4.0 components has big impacts on engineering design.For You Filling the Talent Gap For example, with the Internet of Things, data can be used to optimize manufacturing processes, often through engineering adjustments. Robotics and automation, also key Industry 4.0 technologies, need to be integrated into manufacturing equipment, often in the form of added material-handling features. Data-collection features such as RFID can also be designed into parts and products.There will be more consideration for automation and modularity, both for parts and assemblies, and for the machines making a nd handling them, says mechanical engineer Betsy Megas on Quara.com. Manufacturing capabilities, and the rules around design for manufacture and design for assembly, will continue to evolve. PrototypingQuick, production-ready prototypes are essential for efficient manufacturing and speed to market. Modeling/simulation scenarios early in the design process help determine the best possible design for prototyping. Virtual reality and augmented reality programs are rapidly becoming potent visualization and design tools, especially in medical RD. For example, Stryker, an orthopedic implant manufacturer, is using Microsofts HaloLens holographic technology to design the operating room of the future, along with the necessary tools and instruments. 3D printing and other additive manufacturing (AM) technologies can prototype production-ready parts within a matter of hours, giving engineers a part they can hold and examine and even reiterate in the same day. An increasing number of complex pro ducts can only be made through additive manufacturing. Therefore it is essential for engineers to fully understand the capabilities these machines provide, which also continually evolve.For example, Caterpillar trains its engineers in its own AM Factory, which is stocked with the latest AM equipment. Engineering teams learn how to apply 3D printing to new products, the supply chain, and even operations (for example, making parts and fixtures for their manufacturing equipment). Much of their product research and development is carried out in this facility.Designing for AM is where we will see huge advances in manufacturing technology, says Stacey DelVecchio, additive manufacturing product manager for Caterpillar in Mossville, Ill. Manufacturing companies have spent years training people to design for manufacturability. That means we have parts that are limited by how we traditionally manufacture them. At Caterpillar, we are removing these boundaries from our engineers. Having the cap ability to design what could never be made before, with features we didnt think were feasible, is tremendously exciting.Data-DrivenWhen companies embrace Industry 4.0, they must also embrace big data and analytics. This sometimes requires hiring their own data-management scientists. Big data is essential for optimizing performance at every stage of development, from design through production. Performance data from the end-use environment can also lead to engineering design changes for future versions. Big data is also needed to identify and analyze consumer trends, which can directly impact what engineers make, and how they make them.Smaller companies can buy data studies larger companies can use the Internet of Things to collect their own data and identify trends to deliver better customer experiences. Internet of Things data by itself, however, is not always useful, comments Jesper Grode, director of product strategy with Stibo Systems, a provider of customer management solutions. Only when combined with other data, such as product master data, customer master data, or location master data, will a better understanding of how products are being used ascendthereby paving the way for improvements.Mark Crawford is an independent writer.Read MoreArtificial Intelligence Transforms ManufacturingUltrasound Patch Monitors Critical ComponentsThe Blockchain Gang