How to Select the File Format for Your Resume

How to Select the File Format for Your ResumeHow to Select the File Format for Your ResumeIt is often the last thing you think about when writing a resume, but the file format you select for your resume is extremely important. If you send your resume in a format that is impossible or simply difficult for the employer to open, he or she may toss out your application. How to Select the File Format for Your Resume According to employer surveys, 99 percent of employers want a .doc (a Microsoft stimmt genau file) or a PDF file of your resume. However, there are many factors to consider when selecting your resume format. Follow Any Directions The file format an employer wants may vary based on the companysapplicant tracking system(ATS). For example, some tracking systems are leid compatible with PDF files. The employer may also ask for a particular format depending on how you are submitting your resume- posting it online or emailing. If you are posting your resume online, there sho uld be instructions on which file format to use and how to upload your resume. Some job listings even specify in which format you should email your resume. For emailed applications, employers may be concerned about viruses, which are often found in email attachments. On the job ad, employers may specify that any emailed documents be PDFs, which are virus-free. Some employers may request that you copy your resume copy directly into the body of your email, avoiding attachments entirely. Its very important to follow the instructions in the job posting. Dont send a different file formator your resume may not be viewable and may not even be reviewed. Should You Use .doc or .docx in Microsoft Word? Be careful about saving your resume as a .docx file, which is the default in the latest versions of Microsoft Word since 2007. While .docx is becoming more and more common, not all applicant tracking systems can read them, and your resume may come out garbled. Instead, save your resume as a .doc file. To save your resume as a Word (.doc) document, click on File, Save As, and type in the file name you are giving your resume. Under Format, select Word 2004-2007 Document (.doc). The Benefits of Saving Your Resume as a PDF While nearly every company either has Microsoft Word or access to Google Docs, which makes opening a .doc or .docx file easy, there are some significant advantages to saving your resume as a PDF. Microsoft Word and other ja processing programs often place squiggly lines under misspelled words or grammatical errors. But many of these mistakes are not errors at all when it comes to resumes. A lot of jargon words or company names, for instance, may not be in the word processing programs dictionary, but that does not mean they are spelled incorrectly. By saving your resume as a PDF, those squiggly lines, which could be distracting to hiring managers viewing a document on the screen, will not show up. Plus, while both Macs and PCs can run Microsoft Word, documents often appear differently when opened on a Mac than when opened on a PC. Its possible that some of your careful formattings will not show up correctly if hiring managers use a different operating system. Thats not the case with PDF documents. If you are sending a resume directly to a contact or hiring manager through email, a PDF is often your best option. For resumes submitted through an application system, follow the directions specified. To save a document as a PDF, go to File Save As in Microsoft Word. In the box that opens up, select PDF from the Format drop-down menu. To save a Google Doc as a PDF, go to File Download As and choose PDF Document. Naming Your Resume Whatever format you choose, make sure the title of the resume file is clear and straightforward for the employer. Unless the job application advises otherwise, use your name as part of the file name (i.e., JaneDoeResumed.doc), not simply the word Resume. Dont Give the Employer Extra Work The goal is to make it as easy as possible for the employer to open your resume and learn about your qualifications. Therefore, follow directions carefully, and keep your format and resume title as straightforward as possible.

Ways to Deal With Nervous Tics in Job Interviews

Ways to Deal With Nervous Tics in Job InterviewsWays to Deal With Nervous Tics in Job InterviewsJob einstellungsgesprchs can be stressful situations. At times, this stress and fear manifests itself in the form of visible nervous twitches known as tics. Before you know it, the job interview question you were nervous about answering has now led to facial muscles visibly twitching, teeth grinding, hands shaking, or you start a nervous habit of playing with your hair. The interview becomes too much to handle.You know they can see it. But this has nothing to do with your ability to perform the job at hand. And you see or feel it happening, so what is the best way to address it?We offer some ways to deal with nervous tics in job interviews.Preparation is keyThe most powerful way to liberate yourself from fear and anxiety is with preparation. By nature, humans are most nervous when they do not know something. People fear the dark, change, feeling embarrassed and in this case...losing out on a job opportunity.The best ways to reduce or eliminate fear and nervous tics is with preparation for answering interview questions, explaining your experience, choosing the right clothes and properly researching the company. Very few people in this world can wing it and do a great job.The mora you are prepared, the more confident you will be. And that will reduce or eliminate nervous tics.Arrive early and relaxIf you fear things like being late or unfamiliar surroundings, a great way to avoid the nervous tics involved is by arriving early to get comfortable with the surroundings. You do not want to arrive too early and become an inconvenience.But getting to an interview early enough will give you time for your nerves to settle down. By the time you get into the interview, your nerves will no longer be a factor. Treat the interview like a friendly conversationTypically, two friends having a conversation about hobbies, sports, or activities will not cause nervous tics. Essentially, y ou are talking shop ie. talking about what you love and know best. You are not nervous because you feel comfortable just having a conversation. There are no perceived consequences as a result of your conversation.So, treat your job interview the same way. Talk shop with the hiring managers about what you know, why you are right for the job and answer their questions like a person who belongs on the team.This may require you almost tricking your mind into thinking about the conversation and not the consequences of messing up interview questions.Breathe and take your timeAnxiety, stress or fear usually accompanies shallow breathing. Breathing normally and taking your time allows the mind to slow down and regain perspective that every little things gonna be alright. Breathing properly, as a person who is not nervous, offers the following benefits for job interviewsLowers blood pressure, which helps you stay more relaxed.Brings your nervous system to a state of equilibrium, lowering str ess levels.The oxygen flows more easily to the brain, helping you think clearly.It sounds like such a small thing but if you ever find yourself getting nervous, just stop for a moment and take a deep breath. It will do wonders for your job interview. You can even try this the night before an interview to practice.If you know it is really bad...be honest about itSadly, there are times when the nervous tics become so obvious that it begins to make the interview awkward, or in some cases, the people interviewing you become concerned.If you have nervous tics that can be quite obvious and you are aware it makes others feel awkward, the best thing to do is be honest with others about it. Let them know what is happening and many times it will be an icebreaker that helps stop the nervous tics. You can then turn the interview around in your favor.The hiring manager will do one of the followingSee your honesty and confidence as a sign of strength.Assume this interview and the nervous tics are a warning of things to come.Be honest with yourself. Some nervous tics are actually the result of diagnosed chronic conditions. And some are the result of poor preparation for job interviews and personal issues.The more honest you are with yourself about the reason for nervous tic, the faster you will gain control over them and not allow them to dictate your success in job interviews. You may even find it is simply time to find a new, low-stress job or career.

Should you use exclamation points in business emails!

Should you use exclamation points in business emailsShould you use exclamation points in business emailsWe have already covered the difficultquestion of how to use emojis in the workplace. Now I will be leading you through an advanced course on whether or not you shoulduse exclamation points.Lets be honest Its a divisive subject. Apple strongly advisesits advertisers to avoid it in their promotions. The U.K. government restricted exclamation point usage in its primary schools, saying that sentences with exclamation marks must departure withwhat or how to becreditworthy for tests. People who are against its use believe exclamation pointsare insincere - is anyone ever that enthusiastic about submitting expenses - and a sign of unprofessional behavior.But despite the bad reputation this punctuation mark gets in certain circles, I use them in moderation at work. One colleague of mine explained plainly why he uses them so liberally too in his emails I want to be liked Me too We all know too much gets lost in translation when it comes to abbreviated tone over the internet. When youre writing business emails to clients, adding an exclamation point can be the difference between sounding coldly brusque or pleasantly friendly.I like to err on the side of an exclamation point andwould rather come off too enthusiasticthan cold.Im not alone in thinking this. A 2006 study found that women use exclamations points more than men, not as markers of excitability, but to signal friendliness to others.Not even people who make their living from good grammar are immune to the exclamation points reign of supremacy. Although my training tells me not to overuse exclamation points because they are shouty and juvenile, I find myself using them because I fear being seen as unfriendly or insincere if I only use a period, Grammar Girls Mignon Fogarty told New York Magazine.When to usean exclamation pointAs a general rule of business correspondence, you should see how other people email you to get a gauge on how you should email them back. If a clientis reaching out to you with multipleexclamation points, then you know that their baseline level of politeness requires liberal use of the exclamation point. Fine You can adapt Otherwise, you can stick to your authentic self as someone who prefers periods. (Which, by the way, make you sound like a jerk in text messagesand other informal communications, like Slack direct messages or Google chat.)Exclamation points can also soften demands and make sentencessound encouraging instead of accusatory the difference between Ill need this by Friday. Thanks or Ill need this by Friday. Thanks.The stakes to using an exclamation point become higher around celebratory events. If someone is emailing you about their promotion, express your sincere joy through multiple exclamation points. And even if youre not a big fan of the move, social pressure dictatesthat anexclamation point is needed over a period. In a onlineworld where every commu nication can be loaded with meaning, you cant say congrats. without coming off as a grump. But congrats always sound right.When not to use an exclamation pointBut dont go crazy and start using exclamations in every sentence of your business correspondence. That level of enthusiasm may make you sound unhinged in professional settings. There are also, of course, emails where you want to sound firm and friendlyexclamation points wouldnt help signal that.The Muse recommends sticking to one exclamation point per email if you feel the urge Pick the place that you think it fits best in your written message, and then delete all of the others. Yes, its a little cutthroat. But, its undoubtedly effective. That way, when the recipient reads it, the lone exclamation point gets the emphasis it deserves.Whenever youre in doubt, try reading your emails out loud. If the level of enthusiasm and emphasissounds appropriate, send it off