On June 14, 2022, SGO is bringing together the collective wisdom of some of our favorite career coaches, sponsored by Starburst Data, for our virtual Get a Job You Love Summit. While …
On June 14, 2022, SGO is bringing together the collective wisdom of some of our favorite career coaches, sponsored by Starburst Data, for our virtual Get a Job You Love Summit. While the last few years have brought up some big career shakeups with “The Great Resignation,” there has also been some “Great Regret,” with one in five people who switch jobs regretting their moves. To ensure your next step is the best one for you, we’re asking this expert pool of coaches how to get a job you LOVE.
Jenn Walker Wall of Work Wonders Careers will be leading a session on Creating a Stand-Out Resume from 1 pm-2 pm ET. Learn more about Jenn and her approach to resumes below, then join us for her sessions (and more) on June 14!
What brought you to coaching?
I spent the early part of my career working in hiring, watching people go from applying online to being a finalist. Eventually, I took what I learned and started applying it to my friends’ resumes and their job searches – and that turned into Work Wonders Careers. I’ve been working directly with professionals and job seekers for the last eight years, teaching them best practices, helping them manage overwhelm, and land jobs that feel aligned with their goals.
What’s been the most challenging part of being a coach?
The hardest part is working with people who’ve been so mistreated that they come to the job search feeling burned out and like they don’t have any valuable experience to bring to their next role. It’s absolutely possible to land a great role coming from a terrible one, but starting the search when you’re exhausted and resentful can lead to a longer search.
My favorite part is watching people who once struggled with confidence set higher expectations for potential employers and say no to things that don’t feel like a good fit.
Jenn Walker Wall
What’s your favorite part about being a coach?
I love watching people accept fantastic job offers. Still, my favorite part is watching people who once struggled with confidence set higher expectations for potential employers and say no to things that don’t feel like a good fit. It can be scary, and so many job seekers want to take the first thing that comes along, so I always get excited when clients draw a line in the sand.
What’s one strength everyone should work on building?
Learning how to tailor your resume effectively is such a game-changer. Little tweaks here and there may be helpful, but most people undersell their impact and miss an opportunity to speak directly to the role’s qualifications. The best part is that learning to do this makes talking about your work much easier when you’re networking or interviewing! It’s a good way to invest your time.
What are the “new rules” of resume writing?
Well, first, we’re ditching some traditional “rules” like keeping your resume to one page, using an objective statement, and using “keywords” to get past the applicant tracking system. These aren’t necessary and may not be helpful.
There’s more than one way to write a strong resume, so we keep our rules minimal: make sure it’s easy to read/scan quickly with healthy font size and margins, ensure that your qualifications are obvious, and focus on aligning the content for your target roles.
What is the biggest resume mistake people make?
When new clients come to work with us, they’re almost always either “spraying and praying” (sending out as many applications as possible!) or looking at jobs but not applying.
We want our clients to find a sweet spot in the middle.
I generally recommend 4-8 target roles per month for a couple of months – and most of our clients get interviews from this round of applications.
We have a saying with our clients that the best kind of resume is a submitted resume. Obviously, we want our clients to have a great, strategic, tailored resume – but you can make improvements over time and apply as you go. Many of our clients still get results this way!
What’s the best way for people to learn more about working with you and your team?
The best way is to visit our site, review our offerings and Request an Assessment. We’ll schedule some time to discuss your challenges and goals and find a service that provides the support and strategy you’re looking for. We’d love to hear from you!