Prospex

Where Experience Meets Personal Touch in Recruiting.

Dear Abby

10 Helpful Resume Tips from the Experts at Prospex Recruiting

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Dear Abby: I haven’t written a resume in years and I need HELP! or I’ve sent my resume to more places than there are Swifties with no response – HELP!

Don’t worry, I got you. Here are some tips that get the best response from hiring managers:

The Basics of a Great Resume

Key Resume Tips

  1. Chronological Format > Functional Format. I want to know what you did, when you did it, and where you did it.
  2. đź‘Ť bullet points, đź‘Ž paragraphs. If a hiring manager is thumbing through 50+ resumes, make sure your content is as digestible as possible. I’m fine with a 1-2 descriptive sentence detailing the size of company, etc., but concise bullet points are easier to consume.
  3. Bullet Points – Have a good mix of key accomplishments and daily responsibilities, either separated out with the respective headers or mixed together…your personal preference. The more quantifiable and objective details, the better: revenue generating/expense saving initiatives, reducing ME close X amount of days, presidents club, % achievement of quotas, etc.
  4. Outline/Header Format – This is my favorite view to construct your resume. This can show longevity, progression, and highlights of what you did at each role. If you’ve had more than one position at the same company, start with the name of the company as the master header with the total years you’ve been there. Under the master heading, your secondary heading is the most recent title you held, the dates/years you held it, with bullet points under that; then your next secondary heading with the next most recent title, dates, bullet points; so on and so forth!
10 Helpful Resume Tips from the Experts at Prospex Recruiting

Highlighting Your Skills and Achievements

  1. Section for Technology, Certifications, Skillsets. Show the level you’re at as much as you can, i.e., Excel (v-lookups, Macros, Pivot Tables). Include all softwares and ERPs. You can list out general responsibilities like Cost Accounting, Budgeting, Forecasting, etc. Be as objective as you can. I don’t care as much about “hard working, detail oriented, etc.” because those are so subjective. Show that with your accomplishments in your bullet points.
  2. Less is more – save a little for the interview! Keep your resume 1-2 pages with the top highlights.
  3. Add more details under your most recent positions. What you’ve done in the last 5 years is much more relevant than what you did 15 years ago. All of it is important, but I want to know what your recent experiences have been!
  4. If you have any certifications, list them after your name. This starts the review of your resume on an optimistic note!
  5. I’m indifferent about an Objective or Interest section. To me, the objective is implied by applying to any position. I’d rather take that space to add more details about what you’ve done.
  6. If you have less than a 3.8 GPA, leave it off the resume. 🙂

Need Help? We’ve Got You Covered

If you want help or a review of your resume, reach out to our Prospex Recruiting team!!

Need help?? Reach out to anyone on the Prospex Recruiting team to review your resume and LinkedIn profile and ensure you’re presenting your best on-paper self.

Are Thank-You Notes Dead? Prospex Recruiting Weighs In

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DEAR ABBY: Is the art of a Thank You Note dead?? Should I still send one? Should I send one after each interview if there are multiple rounds?? If I’m not interested in the position, should I still send a Thank You?

Call me old fashioned but…ALWAYS SEND A THANK YOU!! I love a Thank You after each round. I have never seen anyone get disqualified because they were too gracious.

I have had multiple hiring managers tell me they will not hire someone if they don’t send a Thank You.

An email works great! I have seen people do hand-delivered notes but I definitely don’t think that is necessary. If it is a group interview then you can either do a combined Thank You or you can personalize each one – I think either gets the intent across!

Are Thank You Notes Dead in Job Interviews

A Few Pointers:

  1. Highlight a few things that you spoke about in the interview to make sure it’s personalized
  2. If you have any additional questions, this is a great place to ask
  3. Reinforce how your background is relevant for the position
  4. Assuming you’re interested in moving forward, let them know and ask for next steps
  5. If you aren’t interested in moving forward, thank them for their time and let them know that you are pursuing other opportunities at this time but would love to stay connected

Contact the Pros at Prospex Recruiting Today!

What has been your experience with Thank You’s? What extra tips do you have? Love hearing from you!!

Reach out to anyone on our Prospex Recruiting team for help or to review a thank you.

From Average to Outstanding: Tips for Workplace Success

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DEAR ABBY: What is the “secret sauce” – what differentiates a top performer from someone who is barely scraping by?

The reality is, there isn’t a “secret sauce”. It comes down to good, old-fashioned work. Aside from the day-to-day basics, below are the top 5 actions and mindsets that I’ve found have always elevated my performance and kept me motivated.

Consistent and Persistent

I always joke with that once you speak with me, you never get rid of me ;). Strong focus on consistent, proactive follow ups whether you have their business or not. If you work that hard for them before you are working with them, just imagine how hard you’ll work for them once you’re engaged. Have a hunter mentality constantly. Use your planner/calendar religiously to stay organized and always have a follow up action. Have a positive attitude and understand the big picture of what you do.

Personal Branding

Not everyone will use you for everything they do, but when they do, I want the only name that comes to their head to be me. And make sure you back up what you preach!! Branding may get you in the door, but effective actions will keep you there!

Portrait of a happy businesswoman sitting at her workplace in office

Relationship Building

My goal with almost every business interaction is to build long-term relationships. I never want anyone I work with to feel like they are only a dollar sign or that this is a one-time conversation. I genuinely LOVE getting to know my network, fill my day with real conversations, and build a mutual trusting/professional friendship.

Scarcity Mindset/Gratitude

With every opportunity I work on, I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked it and am constantly humbled by this job every single day, regardless the size of the deal. I never want to take anything for granted and always keep my foot on the gas pedal to make sure I am giving everyone the best experience. There is a lot of competition in any space, I want to make sure that I show them why they chose me and my team and make sure they feel that gratitude and have an exceptional experience. No entitlement here 🙂

Calling the Play and Working Intentionally

Prioritizing what makes the most sense each day to be able to keep a strong pipeline while simultaneously taking care of your clients (whoever they may be). Working intentionally and having a purpose for each action and not doing something just to check a box.

Connect with Prospex Recruiting Today!

What have you seen that has helped you succeed in your role or in general??

Reach out to anyone here at Prospex Recruiting to have an exceptional experience!!

Balancing Career and Parenthood: Prospex Recruiting’s Guide

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DEAR ABBY: I love having a career but also love being a mom/parent – how do I feel accomplished in both??

There is no right or wrong way to approach this. There is no perfect answer. There is only what is right for you and realizing that as your kids grow and demands change, your solution will need to be fluid.

SACRIFICE

There will always be sacrifice as a parent whether you are in the corporate world or not. When I am home, I try to put my phone down as much as I can and give my kids focused attention – even if it is 10 minutes of undivided attention, I want my kids to know they are important. When you are at the park, play with them. When you’re in the kitchen, have an impromptu dance party. I’ve had to sacrifice different things at different phases. I’ve started my calls at 7:00 am and I’ve logged in after my kids are asleep to get caught up. I’ve passed on different activities with friends to spend time with my kids. I’ve had to consume more caffeine than I’m proud of on sleepless nights to snuggle a sick kid, and I’ve had to take work calls during carpool while trying to mime to my kids that I’m on the phone or locked in my closet to have a quiet environment when I’ve worked from home. AND IT’S ALL BEEN WORTH IT. There are different seasons and the sacrifices will change as your kids grow.

GIVE YOURSELF GRACE

You will have times that you feel like you are dominating everything and times you feel like you are failing at everything. Give yourself grace. Acknowledge the proverbial Mom Guilt, feel it, and then let it go. It won’t always be a perfect balance. Your kids love you. You are doing better than you think you are!

Working mother concept. Young woman working on laptop with her child from home

GOOD CHILD CARE SOLUTION

When you have a place where you know your babes are being loved, you can focus on crushing your work. We’ve personally lucked out with childcare that has become part of the family. Our kids have an awesome support system built on a foundation of loving people!

DATE NIGHTS

I have a non-negotiable calendar invite the first Thursday of every month for a date night rotating between each of my girls. These are just as much for me as they are for them. They get to choose the food, the activity, the treat and we get to spend a whole night just having fun together with just the two of us!

FIND A PLACE THAT VALUES HARD WORK AND FAMILY VALUES

Ultimately – work needs to get done. Deadlines need to be hit. Reports need to be delivered. Find a place that allows you to get everything done while giving you the flexibility you need to be the parent you want to be!

Connect with Prospex Recruiting Today!

What have you experienced as a working parent?? How have you allowed yourself to find success in both? I love hearing everyone’s experiences and having this wide-reaching support system!!

Having 11 working parents here at Prospex Recruiting (8 being working moms) – we’d love to talk through anything. Reach out!

Prospex Recruiting: Your Partner Beyond Exclusivity Agreements

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DEAR ABBY: I really want to use your agency but we signed an exclusivity agreement with another agency and aren’t seeing any relevant candidates!!

WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN EXCLUSIVITY agreements here at Prospex Recruiting and here is my soapbox as to WHY WE WILL NEVER USE EXCLUSIVITY (or a retainer) as a bargaining chip when working with clients.

Why We Don’t Believe in Exclusivity Agreements

  1. We believe that exclusivity gives agencies an excuse to be lazy – it removes any competition and only benefits the agency you’re signing with, not your company.
  2. We want to make sure you get the right fit FOR YOU! We hope to be the ones to show you the right candidate, but we want to make sure to show you a killer process, relevant candidates to use to benchmark, and good market intel whether we find the right candidate or you find them through your own efforts.
  3. If an agency isn’t delivering the right candidates for you, you shouldn’t be handcuffed to only use them.
  4. I’ve seen agencies use exclusivity as a bargaining chip to decrease their rate. We are at a 20% rate, 100% contingent upon us delivering results and will always give our best effort on each position – not just if you agree to give us exclusivity.
handshake colleagues from the business team near the workplace in the modern office.

Connect with Us

Who has had an experience with signing an exclusive recruiting agreement? We’ve heard more and more horror stories over the past few months of companies signing one and getting horrible results – would love to hear your experience!!

Reach out to me or anyone on my Prospex Recruiting team to talk more in depth about our process and how we can work together to get the right fit for your team!!