Ed Herzog on LinkedIn: Should you list credentials such as degrees or certifications after your… | 25 comments (2024)

Sometimes my clients are afraid to put numbers in their resume bullet points. Because they're not 100% sure of the exact number. So here's my advice:Ballpark estimates are okay.Ranges are also okay. Lies aren't. So if you think an action you took had a 15-25% impact put that. Or put "about 20%". Or if you really want to be cautious, you could put 15%. Just don't lie and put something like 50%. ----------Numbers on your resume are important. Both recruiters and hiring managers look for them.Which means that they're one of the best ways to make your resume stand out. If you're not 100% sure of a number, I encourage you to use a ballpark estimate or a range.-----------➡️Follow me for resume, LinkedIn profile, and job searching tips. ✔️ Drop me a DM if you want my help with your resume.

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POLL FOR RECRUITERSWould love to get your feedback on this. Please only respond if you're a recruiter or have been one in the past. Thanks!

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ABCThe first 3 letters of the alphabet? NopeIn this case, ABC stands for...ALWAYS BECONNECTINGI read story after story after story here on LinkedIn of people getting fired without a warning. And they're left scrambling.Because they didn't expect it, because they didn't see it coming, they're suddenly without a job and have no idea how to get their next one. And it doesn't have to be getting fired. You might have the world's best boss, someone whom you respect and admire. And then one day she calls her staff into the office and tells you that she's taken a job elsewhere. And you're left wondering "What do I do now?". "Do I want to stay at this job or not"? (yes, this happened to me). This is why you need to...ALWAYS BECONNECTINGLife can and does change in an instant and you need to be prepared. ➡️ Connect with people here on LinkedIn. ➡️ Connect with people who live in the same geographic area. ➡️ Connect with people who went to the same university. ➡️ Connect with people in your profession. ➡️ Connect with people who work at companies that you might want to work at in the future. Comment on their posts, send them a message letting them know why you want to connect with them, ask for an informational interview if it makes sense. Connect, connect, connect. And don't limit yourself to just virtual connections. Connect with people in the real world as well. Go to business meetings in your geographic area. Go to conferences in your profession. Prepare for the unexpected. Build a network of people who can help you in case the unexpected happens. If you don't, you're going to be months behind where you could otherwise when/if the hammer comes down...

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Today I'm covering bad LinkedIn headlines. Before I start, two points: 1) If you see a headline that is similar to what you have, remember that the point of this post is to educate and help you create a better headline. It's not to make you or anyone else feel bad. 2) Your LinkedIn headline should include 2-3 related job titles along with a few hard skills. You want people who look at your profile to know immediately who you are and what you have to offer so they'll read more. This will also help you show up higher in the search results when recruiters and hiring managers are searching for candidates. So let's take a look at some bad headlines:➡️ No headline I've seen several profiles that have no headline on them. That's a definite missed opportunity. ➡️ Software That was the whole headline. Just a single word. Recruiters may search for "software developer" or they may search for certain types of software skills. But that single word "software" creates way too many questions. ➡️ Booz Allen Hamilton Including the name of the company where you work is fine. Having that as your whole headline isn't. ➡️ Transitioning mortgage underwriter with a skill set to be utilized and a desire to learn more. The problem with the headline is that we have no idea what this person wants to transition to or what their skill set is. ➡️ hashtag#opentowork/Seeking new opportunity This person already had the green banner turned on so this headline doesn't add anything. And like the one above, we have no idea what type of opportunity they're seeking. ➡️ Your job site just got safer This headline is too vague and provides no information about what this person does or how they make job sites safer. ➡️ Always Improving I see a lot of headlines like this one that focus on personal characteristics. A recruiter is never going to search for something like this when they're looking for candidates. ➡️ To secure long term employment with a reputable company where I can best utilize my skills gained through my professional growth, solid work ethic, integrity and commitment to superior performance. Do you know anything at all about this person from their headline? It's just way too vague and general. ----------Remember your LinkedIn headline should tell people what you do and what you have to offer. This is NOT the place to be cute or confusing..

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Most resumes are generic. They start off with a generic career summary that could apply to anyone who has held similar positions. Then they have generic bullet points, focused on duties and responsibilities. Duties and responsibilities that could apply to anyone who's held those job title. And somewhere, there's a list of skills. A list that provides no context on how those skills were used. Skills that others with similar job titles also have. ----------I see this type of resume a LOT. And trust me on this...you do NOT want a generic resume. You have no chance of standing out from the competition with that type of resume. Not if your resume sounds like it could apply to anyone who's held the same job titles as you. Write a Career Summary that's focused on some of your biggest accomplishments. Add details, context, specificity, metrics, and numbers to your bullet points.Talk about how you've used the skills you have, giving specific examples. Don't be generic.Be you!-----------➡️Follow me for resume, LinkedIn profile, and job searching tips. ✔️ Drop me a DM if you want my help with your resume.

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Lots of people are using ChatGPT to write cover letters. But they're doing it wrong. Most AI generated cover letters sound the same and won't make you stand out. Here's what you want to do instead. Ask ChatGPT to write a cover letter in the style of Dr. Suess (or any other famous author). For example:"I am [Your Name], and oh, what a tale, Of managing programs, I surely won’t fail! With a mind full of plans, and a heart full of zeal, I’m the Program Manager who can truly appeal.I’ve led many teams through thick and through thin, In projects, in programs, where we always win! With timelines and budgets, I’m never askew, If there’s a challenge, I know just what to do.I gather my people, I rally the troops, I guide them along, through all of the hoops. From kickoff to close, every detail I see, So your projects are smooth, like the calmest of seas.I juggle the risks and manage the scope, With strategies clever, and outcomes of hope. I’m great with stakeholders, communication’s a breeze, I’ll keep them all happy, as pleased as can be!Now, I’d love to join in at [Company’s Name], To manage your programs and bolster your fame. With passion and skills, I’ll make sure you’re the best, And lead every project to ultimate success.So, let’s set a meeting, let’s chat and explore, The great things we’ll do—I know there’ll be more! I’m eager to help, to drive and to lead, With my Program Manager skills, you’ll surely succeed."----------This is a joke by the way. I was just having some fun with ChatGPT and wanted to see what it could produce. I think it did a good job. And hey, sending a cover letter like this would make you stand out...

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Today I have some LinkedIn profile tips for you. So here goes:➡️ To the extent possible, make sure your LinkedIn profile and your resume are aligned. Want to turn off a recruiter or hiring manager fast? Then present a confusing picture of who you are, what you've done, and what you have to offer. This is one of the many reasons why I encourage people to have focus in their job search - so that they can present a consistent picture and tell a consistent story. Yes, you can create an infinite number of resumes for all sorts of different positions. But if you do that, the vast majority of those resumes will be misaligned with your LinkedIn profile.-----------➡️I suggest having a background image that includes your name, the job title (or titles) of the position you're seeking, and your email address (if you're comfortable sharing it). This makes it evident to recruiters who you are, what you are (or want to be), and how to contact you. If you don't have the design skills for something like this, then you can have a background created on Fiverr for $5-20. Just make sure to keep it simple and professional. (btw, if you do include your email address, make sure it's readable - I often see email addresses that are too small to read). -----------➡️Finally, make sure that your headline includes 1-3 related job titles + a few hard/technical skills. The headline is one of THE most important parts of your profile. Similar to my suggestion re: your background photo, your headline will tell people right away what it is that you do. AND LinkedIn ranks your headline quite strongly in search results. DO NOT MAKE PEOPLE GUESS WHAT IT IS YOU DO OR WANT TO DO. I can't stress that enough. I was looking at some profiles of job seekers this morning and their headline gave me no clue of what type of job they're seeking. Seriously, if you're looking for a job, do NOT be cute with your headline. Even if you're not looking for a job, don't be cute with your headline. You have no idea what opportunities you might miss out on because people have no clue what you do. ----------So that's it...a few tips to help you improve your LinkedIn profile!

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Your resume bullet points should talk about your accomplishments. Not your responsibilities. But there's a problem. There's not always a clear difference between a responsibility and an accomplishment.Take a look at the following:➡️Respond to customer product inquiries via ZendeskIs that a responsibility or an accomplishment?It's both, right?The person is responsible for that particular task. And...every time they respond to a customer inquiry, they've accomplished that task. Still, the way that the bullet point is written above sounds more like a responsibility than an accomplishment. To transform the bullet point into an accomplishment, you need to add a number or two to the bullet point. Like this: ➡️Respond to over 100 customer product inquiries every month via Zendesk, leading to monthly sales of over $100,000or this➡️Respond to over 30 customer product inquiries every week via Zendesk, with an average customer satisfaction rating of 4.8By adding a number or two into your bullet points, you've shown that it's not just a responsibility. You've shown that you've actually accomplished your responsibility!And guess what?You're also going to stand out against all the other applicants who don't have numbers in their bullet points...

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Today I'm giving you...The Top 10 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out!These are ones I've never seen anyone else share. So let's do this!----------➡️ Upload your resume to MySpace. I hear it's all the rage. PRO TIP: Make sure to sign up for an AOL email account. Guaranteed to make you look hip and cool.➡️ Write your resume in invisible ink. If they can't figure it out, you don't want to work for them. For the electronic version, set the font size to 0. Again, let them figure it out. ➡️ Tattoo your resume on your body. Remember, you are your resume. ➡️ Fold your resume really small and bake it into a cake that you send directly to the hiring manager. This is how they smuggle things into prison in the movies so you know it works. ➡️ 3 Words: Comic Sans Font.➡️ You've seen two-column resumes, right? But why limit yourself? I've heard recruiters LOVE 10-column resumes. PRO TIP: Create a 10 x 10 grid for your resume. Think about it...you'll have 100 boxes to show how awesome you are. ➡️ Write your resume in crayon. But not just any color will do. You want one that will make you stand out. I personally use Razzmatazz to create crayon resumes. ➡️ Write your resume in the style of William Shakespeare. Granted, no one understands what he was talking about, but he's been popular for 500+ years so he must have done something right. PRO TIP: Never, ever worry about resume length. Critically acclaimed authors like James Joyce, Leo Tolstoy, and Marcel Proust didn't worry about the length of their books. Be like the greats!➡️ Glue your resume to posterboard and cut it into a 100-piece puzzle. Just imagine the anticipation you'll create when you mail them one puzzle piece a day for the next 100 days. ➡️ Don't even have a resume. Why should you? Remember, resumes are for ordinary folk. You? You're a Rock Star Ninja. Companies should come to you, begging you to work for them. And if anyone asks for your resume just tell them "I don't have a resume. I'm a Rock Star Ninja". They'll understand what that means. Trust me. ----------So there you have it!The Top 10 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out. Or...You know....You could just try a plain, boring black and white resume that shows you're qualified for the position. And see where that gets you...

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Most job seekers waste the Career Summary space on their resume.They include a Career Summary that's generic, that could apply to anyone who's held similar job titles. For example:"A results-driven Project Manager with 5 years of experience leading cross-functional teams and delivering projects on time and within budget. Skilled in Agile and Waterfall methodologies, risk management, and stakeholder communication. Known for strong organizational skills, teamwork, and a focus on achieving business goals efficiently."The Career Summary above describes almost every single Project Manager out there. Compare it to this Career Summary:"Project Manager with 5 years of experience leading technology and business projects. Successfully managed a $1.5 million e-commerce platform migration, reducing downtime by 40% and improving site speed by 30%. Led a 15-person cross-functional team on a CRM system implementation that automated 60% of customer service tasks, enhancing team productivity and reducing response times by 25% using Waterfall methodologies."This Career Summary gives us much more information - we now know the types of projects this person has led, the scope of the projects, and the results that were produced. ----------Career Summaries on a resume aren't required (though I always include them on the resumes I create). If you do include one, make sure it includes specific details about what you've done in your career (preferably tied to the job requirements). Otherwise, you're going to blend in with everyone else who's held similar job titles...

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