Why You Need a References Dossier Alright, you have a polished resume, an impressive cover letter... You're done right? Don't forget about your references dossier! But, this should be the easy part, right? You can just put down one of your best friends at work; you know they'll vouch for you. Many people underestimate the importance of having quality references. It's more important than you realize to have a polished, well-spoken references with some clout. You should select a few professional individuals who will represent you well and be able to speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities as they relate to your past experiences. Don't put someone's name down just because they are a friend at work. Include references who are about to speak to specific examples of achievements or projects. References should be able to highlight your strengths, represent you well, and clearly articulate your aptitude. It's also imperative that you first ask [...]

Why You Need an Interview Coach When you are thinking about your upcoming interview, do you start to sweat and get butterflies in your stomach? Have you ever frozen up during a job interview? Interviewing is something that requires practice, just like anything else. Many people looking for careers don't have a lot of experience interviewing. You are not alone.  Without preparation, you are setting yourself up to fail. You should hire an experienced interview coach to help you prepare for your upcoming interviews. Our interview coaches will facilitate a series of  mock interviews and will provide real-time feedback. If you have an area that you need to work on such as body language, explaining scenarios, or confidence, we are here to help! Reasons you need an interview coach: 1. Phone screening This is stage zero of the job interview process. If you can't make it past the phone screen, you are not getting a [...]

How to Overcome Common Resume Challenges When coming up with the information for a professional resume writer to help you with your resume, you may have a few challenges. Here are some of the most common challenges that we help our clients overcome. 1) Lack of Experience Our certified resume writers are experienced at showcasing skills and talents, not just job experience. You may have more experience than you think. Provide our resume writers with a summary of some of your extracurricular  activities, skills, and achievements. Be sure to include any relevant education or certifications that you possess. 2) Gaps in Employment With many career layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, career gaps are easily explained. Our resume writers will help you smooth over any gaps on your resume. Don't be discouraged over career gaps. Employers understand the nature of the job market and will not discard your resume just because you were laid off, [...]

Tips to Consider This April Fool's Day at Work Ah, the first of April means the beginning of Spring--and of course, a day where many people partake in office pranks. While having fun at work is important, it's very important to consider a few things before you fool your co-workers into doing something embarrassing. Consider your company culture - What is the culture like in your office? While some office cultures can be silly and playful, some offices are more serious and practical. Be careful to consider your company culture before pulling a prank. Think about your audience - Not everyone shares the same kind of humor that you do, so be careful to consider your audience first. What one person finds hilarious might be way out of line for someone else. Be sure that you know what you're getting into before you pull a prank on an unwitting victim. Keep it "G-rated" & work [...]

Discover a Fulfilling Career Path with These Tips Whether fresh out of college or years into a dead-end job, how do you discover a fulfilling career path? Here are 3 simple ways to help you figure out what career would be a great fit and help you feel satisfied at work. Self-reflect - Think about times in your life when you have felt most happy--was it helping others, was it helping someone pick out the perfect solution for their needs, was it resolving an issue? What types of activities make you feel energized, enthusiastic, and motivated? Can you remember then last time that you lost track of time because you were so enthralled in your work? Try to self-reflect on what really fuels your passions and interests Assess your strengths - You could take a strength finder's assessment, or you could poll your colleagues and friends. Try to figure out what your greatest strengths are and [...]

Highlighting Accomplishments on a Resume When used correctly, accomplishments on your resume, cover letter, and interview conversations will help set you apart from the rest of the applicants! It's important to share your accomplishments on your resume, cover letter, and of course speak to them during your interview. Hiring managers want to know that you are capable of successfully accomplishing goals. Accomplishments also help to show that you are results driven. Being able to acknowledge your accomplishments is a very important part of the application and interview process. Consider the job description and position requirements when deciding what accomplishments to include in your professional profile. You should try to think outside of the box here if you are changing industries. For example, if you managed an event from start to finish, this is a form of project management, so you could include a successful event on a resume for a project manager position.  Select some [...]

How to Deal with a Difficult Boss Most of us will have to deal with a difficult boss at some point in our careers. A difficult boss might micromanage you, talk down to you, steal your spotlight, dominate conversations, or even create conflict. This may cause heightened stress, decreased productivity, and low satisfaction at work. We spend around 1/4 of our life at work, so our boss can have a substantial impact on our overall happiness. When you see these behaviors in a boss, there are some things you can do to improve the situation. First, you should spend some time self-reflecting. Are you being too sensitive? Have any of your actions led your boss to treat you this way? Are you meeting your boss's expectations? Really try to figure out why you believe your boss is being difficult. Once you have examined the situation objectively, if you still believe the issue is with your [...]

How to Handle a Mistake at Work Have you ever made a big mistake at work, and thought you would never recover? Don’t worry—we’ve all been there! And believe it or not, even the biggest mistakes will be forgotten with time. So, when you make a mistake at work, what do you do? First and foremost, accept responsibility and tell your boss as soon as possible. Don’t let your fear of getting in trouble keep you from admitting a mistake. The sooner you can start mitigating the issue, the better off you will be. Reasonable bosses will understand that human errors occur, and they have made mistakes before too. The mistake is going to come to light either way, and the longer you put off talking to your boss, the worse you’ll look. Don’t deflect blame, accept responsibility for your part in the mistake. If you get defensive or point fingers, you will only look [...]

Boost Your Career Are you looking to boost your career, navigate a career change, get promoted, or develop new career goals? Heartland Resumes can help! At Heartland Resumes, our goal is to help you reach your career growth goals. We offer interview coaching, resume writing services, and online professional profile assistance. We will teach you how to develop and showcase your personal brand potential employers. Even the strongest writers & interviewers can benefit from our services. With our help you will be able to land the opportunities you’ve always wanted. You will learn how to leverage your own authentic skills, personality, and voice to gain influence in your career. By using our services, you will be able to boost your career, and the investment will be well worth it. We guarantee our services. If you are feeling stagnant in your career, don't despair. There are steps you can take to invest in yourself. It may [...]

5 Ways to Catch your Manager's Attention The difference between an average employee and a top performer often depends on the manager's perception. Here are 5 ways to catch your manager's attention and improve their perception of you. Be positive - Managers appreciate employees who create solutions not complain about problems. If you need to address something negative, make sure to provide an idea to resolve the problem. Managers look for employees who have a positive attitude that do not complain. Be reliable - Reliability is so important in the work place. Are you on time? Do you complete tasks by their deadline? Managers want to know that if they assign you a project that they can rest assured knowing that you will complete the task on time and meet expectations. Be friendly - Personality can go a long way in the workplace. Managers want to work with people that they can get along with, and [...]