When describing your job on a resumé, do you use the -ing form of the word, the present tense or the past tense?

It should be 1st person simple present. The easy way for candidates to remember this is for them to remember the invisible "I" before each bullet point... [I] Manage quality improvement processes; [I] Oversee day-to-day operations of office, etc. That invisible "I" seems to be understood by candidates when they write in the past tense for older positions but for some reason they often seem confused when writing in the present tense. The same rules apply: the proper tenses are simple present tense and simple past tense. Employers know job descriptions.They don't know what their candidates accomplished in the job. 

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LinkedIn to replace Resume

For lower income, less experienced, non-professionals a resume may be their only tool. Your profile in LinkedIn should contain much the same information as a resume. Branding is not in everyone's ability to establish. We have blogs, personal websites, etc. Those venues are being utilized by companies, recruiters and anyone else with an agenda on who they are seeking. A resume and the exercises used to populate it are still in demand. For those who are career changers or good in several different fields because of ability or their own interests in life will find it difficult to target one thing for everyone. LinkedIn would be the most popular venue where Branding is a must. One profile, one direction, but with industries failing and many employers seeking the best of the best in a particular field, some can be overlooked; so LinkedIn can continue to be the networking tool to help you go and find the people you need to connect with. The fact that Recruiters are using it to find candidates will also limit their choices because at the time of the search, the perfect candidate is trolling and not specific enough to get caught. Candidates should still reach out, find those who can help and use the Social Media for that purpose. How do you stand out from the crowd? Go to the leaders, not wait to be found.

Yes, recruiters and hiring managers look at LinkedIn profiles to get the gist of someone's experience, see their photo and read what people say about them. LinkedIn is a very important tool for a job search and for building your professional brand.

But depending on a social profile to present your experience tailored to a specific opportunity is a bad idea, and when you sit down in an interview, as Perry says, the interviewer is not going to be using your LinkedIn profile as a guideline, nor can they take notes on it.

A resume is your chance to present yourself for a specific job. It's your marketing document and it presents the information you want them to have about you in the way you want them to see it. It will be evaluated and filed digitally, but not showing up to an interview with one printed on paper is a big mistake. A great resume creates the impression you want, gives the information you want to give, and can be the tipping point for getting the offer.

When you go to a networking event, and someone asks you "what do you do" ... what do you say?

So often, it's My name is 'x" and I'm a "x". (Bad form)

And there are many ways to do an elevator speech or what I call a Business Snapshot --- so let's describe what you do this way... with saying the name of your company or your title!


I'm (first name). I help ______who_____ to do ____what are the results____ by providing ____what services".

Should An Older Job Seeker Use LinkedIN? What Are The Risks And Rewards?

 I strongly recommend that all job seekers research social networks sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Additionally, utilizing LinkedIN will afford you the opportunity of connecting with many employers as well as building your professional network. Before using LinkedIN, you should ensure that all your employment history is current and up to date. I have noticed that most employers are utilizing LinkedIN as a way of researching applicants. LinkedIN is your one stop shop for networking as well as applying for positions. It is the official job site as Facebook.

But I don't wanna use a picture on LinkedIn

For LinkedIn to be at 100% compete you need a picture, and if you are not at 100%, LinkedIn will not be optimized.A photo is essential especially if you are job searching or open to new opportunities.Your picture allows people to connect with you--even if only subliminally. Not having a photo is like saying, "How I dress shouldn't matter." Linked In is about personal branding--and so is job seeking.

Is your Linkedin profile now more important to you than your CV?

It is becoming more important for professionals, and is definitely a more versatile tool. But until employers begin to request a link to your LinkedIn profile and not a resume/CV and cover letter, the resume is still that initial introduction and hand shake that puts the hiring process in motion. They are both important. LinkedIn provides an opportunity for potential new employers to get a glimpse of your professionalism. It is more of a living document than a resume.

I believe it is transforming the way people seek and find talent. At the very least, it is providing an important first step for quickly and efficiently evaluating candidates. Conversely, as a candidate, it is providing members with a great marketing tool to present their capabilities and talent to a broader pool of opportunities, often bypassing the traditional recruiting channels and filters. It is a great tool.

In my opinion it is neither more or less important; it is a compliment to your careers achievements. Just like your playbill, your LinkedIn profile provides organizations and connections a consolidated overview of who you are and where your are in your career.  Life has evolved! Our parents used to end their studies, grab their diplomas, got a job and practically stayed there for life…

Today life is the opposite. Each one must be a multitask, multidisciplinary person and specially be on the “radar”. Being on the “radar” means that you have a LinkedIn profile at least, where all the headhunters or companies try to find the best person for their new job offers. Now, not being on the web having a CV profile, also represents the equivalent of not existing on this planet and therefore, not being up-to-date in what regards professional availability and the knowledge to understand a global community – the world is really so small, that you have to move on! You can even be the best there is for the job inquiry, but no one knows you exist…

SCS reader says:

LinkedIn Profile Picture vs. Resume Picture

It is widely advised that applicants should NOT put their picture on their resume, however applicants are being advised to put there LinkedIn profile on there resume, which most of them have a picture. For individuals who do not want to be discriminated against, is it a good idea to advise them to not put there LinkedIn profile on there resume or remove the picture from their profile?
 
SCS Answer

No, I do not think you should advise to have no picture, as long as the picture is professional. The resume is a document, that is often scanned into ATS so a picture would not be ideal. The Linkedin profile is just that, a profile. I see it as a passport to get you to where you want to be and shows where you have been. Having no picture will hurt most candidates, no matter how well their profile is written. (this coming from the majority of employers I have spoken to) because without a picture your profile is incomplete.