However, many job seekers don’t bother applying during the holidays because they think companies aren’t hiring or that the process is slow. Some job seekers believe that potential employers take vacations during this time, and there is no point in submitting a resume.

But this isn’t always the case; research by Career Builder shows that about 43% of organizations plan to hire permanent employees before the year ends. That means nearly half of potential employers are seeking top talent at a time when many other people aren’t even bothering to apply. It’s your opportunity to craft a great professional resume and stand out from the competition!

This article will go through all the hiring myths that can hinder your end-of-year job-hunting process.

Myth #1: Employers Don’t Hire Until January

Many people believe the hiring myths that companies don’t hire at the end of the year. But that’s not true. To run a successful business, organizations need to plan. Therefore, many companies start planning for next year before January, which includes their hiring process. Some begin the job recruiting before the start of the year and shortlist potential candidates from the end-of-year job applications.

Many of these Q4 job applicants could become new Q1 hires!

So, don’t wait until January to start looking for a job; you’ll likely miss out on some great opportunities. Instead, be proactive and start preparing your resume now. Getting your resume in front of the hiring team now will increase your chances of being contacted for interviews in the coming months.

Additionally, using a professional resume writing service can provide an edge over the competition by highlighting your skills and experience to help you stand out on your resume. When less people are applying you have an even better chance to wow job recruiters.

Finally, don’t forget to keep an eye on job postings and networking events throughout the holiday season. There’s no guarantee that you’ll find your dream job immediately, but putting in the effort early (and year-round) will yield the best chance of success.

Myth #2: I don’t have to get my resume or LinkedIn done until January (Q1)

Many job seekers make the mistake of neglecting to prepare the required documents before applying. The best time to start working on your resume is now, even if you don’t have all the details finalized.

Finalizing your resume and LinkedIn profile before January is essential. That way, you’ll be well-positioned to take advantage of job opportunities in the fourth quarter. Many people miss out on jobs because their resume isn’t ready, so don’t wait until the last minute.

A majority of job seekers don’t have time to write a resume or lack confidence in their ability to represent their skills on paper. In that case, you can always ask for expert resume writing help to elevate your visibility to hiring managers with a professionally written resume.

Furthermore, having a well-optimized LinkedIn profile in place also increases your chances of getting hired because LinkedIn serves as a passive networking tool all year round. Leading resume writing services like Capstone Resume Services also offer Linkedin profile optimization services. So, take advantage of all the resources available to you and get your resume and LI profile ready for hiring managers!

Myth #3: Companies don’t have hiring budgets in Q4, so best to wait until January (Q1) to submit a resume

As the end of the year approaches, many job seekers wonder if it’s worth submitting their resumes or if companies hire during Q4. After all, shouldn’t companies be wrapping up their hiring for the year? It’s one of the popular hiring myths that simply aren’t true.

It’s a common misconception that companies don’t have hiring budgets in Q4, and it’s best to wait until January to submit a resume. However, this is not always the case. Many companies operate on a “use it or lose it” principle regarding the budget. So, at the end of the year, when heads of departments know they still have an available hiring budget in the company, they may be more inclined to utilize the available resources. Hiring managers would rather spend their recruiting budget than lose it for next year.

Moreover, managers assess organizational performance through annual progress reports and identify what talent they want to bring to fill the gaps or round out the team. This scenario means there may be more opportunities for job seekers during Q4 than at other times of the year.

Therefore, if you’re looking for a job, don’t let such hiring myths dissuade you from applying during Q4. You may find your dream job!

External Factors That Affect Q4 Hiring

While we’ve just debunked several popular hiring myths, there are external factors that can affect hiring during Q4 as well.

Take recent events for example, with the major layoffs at Twitter, Meta, and many other technology positions. Meta alone laid off more than 11,000 people during their workforce reduction measures. With all these major layoffs, a large pool of talented technology workers have re-entered the workforce.

Other companies that are seeking top talent will see this as a major hiring opportunity, and won’t be waiting until the first quarter to scoop up some of the top talents from these technology giants. Technology companies that are growing will be hiring technical workers quickly to make sure they get the best of the best.

To take advantage of this, individuals in technology need to make sure they have an updated technical resume to stand out in the crowd of talent. With so many workers re-entering the workforce, there is going to be stiff competition for technology positions.

That is why it will be more important than ever for technology workers to review and update technical resumes, or find a certified technical resume writer who can improve your resume. With a top technical resume writing service, you can create a resume that highlights your technical skills, talent, and experience in a way that your competitors do not. With a resume written by a technical resume writer, you can be sure that your resume will differentiate you from other candidates, and get you to your first technical interview.

Hire the Best Resume Writing Service, Capstone Resume Services!

If you’re looking for a new job or want to spruce up your resume for future prospects, the CPRW-certified resume writers Capstone Resume Services can help. Our professional resume writers work one-on-one with our clients to learn about their experiences, achievements, and goals so that we can create a resume that best represents them.

At Capstone, a team of professional resume writers optimizes your credentials for entry- to executive-level, federal, technical, and financial job seekers with LinkedIn optimization service, making it easier for you to land your next dream job.

So if you’re ready to take the next step in your career, give Capstone Resume Services a try — we promise you won’t be disappointed!

Set up your FREE consultation with our top resume writers today!

When it comes to getting hired, first impressions matter.

‌Fortunately, there are several ways to make a positive first impression on your future employer both online and in person. Whether you use your resume, LinkedIn profile, or biography, you should consider these application materials as value propositions — because essentially they are.

A value proposition is a business term that encompasses materials used to market a service or product. Companies use value propositions to persuade prospective clients to choose them based on the value they can bring to the client’s life or business. You can use this strategy in your application materials. Aim to persuade potential employers by demonstrating the value you can bring to their brand.

What Values Should You Highlight?

When you begin your job search, it can be challenging to know what qualities to highlight in your application materials. Editing your resume and LinkedIn profile to list your most up-to-date technical skills and qualities is an ongoing process, but there are some essential skills you can use to improve your resume at any stage:

‌‌Candidate Skills

Once you’ve homed in on the jobs you want, one of the first steps toward demonstrating your worth is including the right hard skills. These are technical abilities you’ve gained through education or experience — such as computer skills, data analysis, or editing.‌

How do you know which hard skills to include? Start by considering the company goals of the organization you’re interested in. Gaining an understanding of the work it does and the ways you can concretely contribute to its goals will put you on the right track when crafting your resume and professional profiles.

‌When listing your hard skills, the goal is to demonstrate why you would provide a skill-based fit for the company. Craft your resume to include your most relevant work experience. Make sure to go into detail about the hard skills you have, how you’ve earned them, and the ways you have amassed a proven track record of using them in a professional setting.

Cultural Skills

While hard skills are certainly valuable, cultural skills can be equally as important during the hiring process. How can you demonstrate to your prospective employer that you will be a great cultural fit for their organization? You can highlight an awesome cultural fit by clearly emphasizing the right soft skills — such as time management, organization, initiative, and leadership.

‌One way to tailor the soft skills on your resume to match the needs of your employer is to clearly display that your employee goals align with the company’s goals. A cultural fit is based on the way you will mesh with other employees, contribute to positive workplace culture, and inspire continued productivity. When your goals and values as an employee align with the goals of your employer, a cultural fit is natural.

Value-Added Statements

To paint an undeniable picture of the benefit you will bring to your prospective employer, it’s important to use value-add statements — also known as value-added statements — to your resume, profile, and bios.

‌In business, value-added statements are documents that outline the positive outcome a product or service can bring to its customers, often monetarily. When crafting your resume and profiles, using a value-added strategy can quickly elevate your application materials. ‌

On your resume, you can incorporate value-added statements in the description of your work experience. For example, rather than simply mention that you’ve improved sales at your previous companies, include specific examples with strong action words. “Boosted sales by 3% over six months” provides a concrete example of the value you bring to a company.

Whenever possible, use specific details to describe your soft skills, too. For example, “managed a team of 20 professionals with collaboration and leadership skills” is more persuasive than simply listing “collaborative” or “strong leadership skills.”

Once you’ve crafted value-added skills for your resume, you can easily weave them into your professional profiles and bio to paint a vivid picture of the worth you will bring to an employer.

How Capstone Resumes Can Help

The way you craft your resume, LinkedIn profile, and professional biography will depend on the industry and type of job you’re vying for. No matter what your professional goals are, it is important to illustrate the concrete ways you can help employers reach their goals.

It can be challenging to identify which of your skills and qualities align most with potential employers. Making these connections can help you land among the top applicants at your ideal company. Fortunately, Capstone Resume Services can help you zero in on your most important strengths and showcase them to prospective employers.

If you’re looking for a job during the COVID-19 era, you’re probably eager for things to get back to “normal,” whatever that may look like. The global crisis has had a massive impact on the job market. Unemployment rates have spiked, some companies have shut down altogether, and many offices have transitioned to a completely virtual setup.

In June 2020, a poll found that approximately 42% of Americans were working remotely, 26% were working in-person, and 33% were not working. Regardless of what comes next, it’s clear there has been a significant shift in the workforce — and workplaces may never look the same.

Even if you feel anxious about employment, you shouldn’t give up hope. While the job market may be uncertain at the moment, new opportunities are emerging every day. Remote jobs, new career paths, and unexpected employment opportunities are out there — you just need to know how to find them.

Here are a few strategies you can use to make the most of your pandemic-era job search and prepare for the future of employment.

Navigating Your Job Search

Finding the right job is a challenge even in the best of times, and a pandemic can make it feel impossible. Searching for employment during these times may require changing your mindset and opening up to new possibilities. We have a few strategies that may help make your job search easier.

Look For New Opportunities

After COVID-19 hit, some industries started drying up. But even if a few opportunities fell through, new ones may have emerged due to the pandemic. Take a moment to consider what kinds of new roles are out there.

This might mean broadening your search and stepping out of your comfort zone. Job seekers are now more likely to transition to another industry than they were before the pandemic. We suggest reflecting on how your skills, experience, and interests could open up new possibilities in different roles — within your industry or even outside of it.

Expand Your Location Preferences

When expanding your job search, don’t forget about location. While the opportunities in your area might be scarce, the rise of remote work and work-from-home positions means that you don’t need to limit yourself to the local market.

Some companies may transition back to in-person work, but many organizations will likely embrace remote work permanently.

Stay Informed

Keep an eye on the news in your industry as the pandemic unfolds. Stay informed by reading news articles and online conversations, along with following leaders in your industry on social platforms like LinkedIn.

How are companies adapting to the pandemic and recession? While some businesses may suffer during COVID, others may be innovating and thriving. Knowing this information can help you find the right opportunity and market yourself as a valuable addition.

How To Prepare For a Virtual Interview

Just as many workplaces have gone completely online, interviews have also transitioned to the digital realm. This creates new challenges that force candidates to acclimate to the less-personal Zoom interview.

On top of technical issues, the lack of face-to-face connection can make it difficult to sell your skills and make a solid first impression. We’ve shared a few tips to help you land the job by phone or video chat.

Make the Right Digital Impression

In a digital interview, you won’t get the chance to make that in-person first impression. This means that your supporting documents need to be perfect. Refresh your resume and cover letter to make them sharp, engaging, and full of the right skills and keywords your potential employer is looking for.

Now that so much has shifted online, your internet presence is also more important than ever. Before the interview even starts, take another look at your LinkedIn and other social media profiles, to ensure your digital self is well-represented.

Improve Your Skills

In a job interview during or post-pandemic, an employer might ask what you’ve been doing during the lockdown. This is your chance to show them how you’ve been building up your skillset, whether this means taking classes, keeping up with industry news, or teaching yourself new skills.

Practice Your Interview Presence

One of the challenges of the virtual interview is that you might appear distanced from the employer. You can’t make eye contact, give them a handshake, or demonstrate the engaged and attentive presence you might normally.

Do your best to present yourself as you would in a normal interview. Practice your questions ahead of time, focus on sitting up straight and pulling your shoulders back, and make eye contact with the camera.

Check Your Connection & Devices

The last thing you want in an interview is a lagging internet connection or a sudden technical malfunction. Make sure your laptop is fully charged and that your Wi-Fi is working properly.

Pick an area free of distractions with a clean and simple background. We suggest dressing professionally from head to toe, even if you’re only visible from waist up.

A few minutes before the interview, pull up your Zoom camera to double-check your posture and make sure you’re centered on the screen.

Moving Forward With Your Search

While things may seem difficult right now, it won’t feel that way for long. With the distribution of the vaccine, more businesses will likely start hiring again, creating more job openings and reviving industries.

Even as things start to improve, some recent shifts might be here to stay, like remote work opportunities. As you move forward in your job search, look toward the future and embrace the new opportunities that are headed your way.

Looking to step up your resume for the next stage of your job search? In an increasingly competitive market, a professional resume service can help you stand out from the crowd. Take a look at Capstone’s services and schedule a consultation to learn more about how we can take your resume to the next level.

Start With The Right Format

Generally you’re going to choose from three types of formats for your resume: chronological, functional, or a combination of the two.  If you’re looking to change careers, then a functional resume may be the best solution. See our article on resume tips for career changers. Otherwise, an older candidate looking for a lateral move or promotional opportunity in the same functional area or industry will probably be best served by a combination resume, a hybrid of chronological and functional resumes. Why? A standard chronological resume for older workers can make them appear outdated, especially if they list 20+ years of prior job experience. The combination format allows you to show that you not only have relevant recent experience, but also have current skills needed in today’s competitive workplace.

Keep It Relevant

One obvious hurdle that an older job seeker will have to overcome is being regarded as “too old” by a potential employer. Another potential barrier is the stigma of over-qualification. One way to scale these obstacles is to make sure you are including only relevant information on your resume. With 20 or more years of job experience, chances are you were once using skills or performing activities that are no longer relevant in the job market. When editing your resume, leave those outdated items off of your current resume. They provide no current value, and only make you appear obsolete.

Limit the years of experience you list as well. If possible, it’s best to keep old experience off of your resume entirely, listing only the most recent 10 or 15 years of job history. If you believe it’s critical to put earlier jobs on your resume, include them in a separate section called “other experience,” and leave off the dates.

Use Years With Care

Absolutely include your education information on your resume, however, if your diploma or degrees are more than 10 years old, leave off your graduation years. If you have completed any certifications or other professional courses to update your skills in the last 10 years, be sure to include those, along with their dates. These indicate to an employer that you are keeping your skills up to date, and they might prove to be even more important than your degrees in helping you land that interview. If you have a college education, you can leave your high school information off of your resume.

If you have 20+ years of experience, leave this out of the career summary at the top of your resume as well.

Presentation Matters

How your resume looks and how you send it matters almost as much as what you put on the page.  Ensure your resume format is not old-fashioned.  If you’re still using an “objective” on the top of your resume, it’s definitely time to reformat your resume.

Unless the employer specifies a different method, be prepared to send your resume by email or to upload it online. While one might think it will get their resume noticed by avoiding the email and online clutter, in most instances mailing or faxing your resume will make you seem out-of-date.

Consider enlisting the help of a professional resume writer to help you polish your presentation. After all, your resume is the marketing document that will help you get an interview. If you’re not getting calls, it may be helpful to get an objective opinion from an expert.

1. Expect To Rewrite It

   If you’re changing industries or occupations, it’s unlikely that your current resume will get your foot in the door without changes. The greater the leap, the more changes you can expect to make. You are competing with others who already have specific experience in your new field, so the goal of your career change resume is to help the employer understand how your prior experience is relevant to the new position.  Plan for a serious overhaul, if not a complete rewrite, of your resume to accomplish this.

2. Start With Transferable Skills

   Leadership. Communication. Management. Planning. These are just a sampling of skills that are necessary for almost any type of professional position. Surely there are plenty of skills you have developed in your previous positions that can help you succeed in your new career. Identify your strongest skills and bring those that make sense for the new job to the forefront on your new resume.

3. Focus On Accomplishments

   Employers want to know what it is that you can do for them. Demonstrating a successful track record in your previous positions can go a long way in convincing an employer that you can also do well for them. The more specific you are about your accomplishments (i.e. numbers) the better.  Highlight any previous accomplishments that are relevant to the new position first.

4. Keywords Are Key

   Your resume is probably full of keywords relevant to your current or prior career. Carefully examine job descriptions for your new field to determine how you can incorporate relevant keywords into your new resume.  Relevant keywords will stand out to the hiring manager who reviews your resume and can also help you get through the electronic systems that filter resumes.

5. Relevant Experience Isn’t Necessarily Paid Job Experience

   It’s not so much about how you get the experience, it’s more about having it. And it’s not just paid experience that counts. If you’ve done volunteer work or otherwise gained experience in your new field, be sure to highlight it on your new resume. If you have no experience in your new occupation or industry, it would be helpful to gain specific skills in your spare time that are relevant to the new line of work in you are targeting.

6. Consider Changing The Format

   Most job seekers are used to the standard reverse chronological resume, but there are other resume formats that may be more appropriate for career changers.  A functional resume format puts more emphasis on skills than employment history.  A hybrid version of this would have a strong career profile at the top, emphasize skills and relevant experience first, and save the reverse chronological work experience for the end or the second page.  This hybrid model highlights the relevant information up front while also showing an employer that you do not have employment gaps (if you don’t).

7. Know What To Leave Out

   Your current resume is probably full of specific responsibilities that pertain to the field you are trying to exit. If you have an extensive work history, you don’t have to include great detail for all of your previous responsibilities, especially those which are not applicable in the new field you aspire to enter. Do not fear leaving out irrelevant information. It can clutter your resume and increase the odds that an employer will overlook what you have to offer for the new position.

8. Connect The Dots

   As briefly mentioned above (see tip #1), a hiring manager will probably not automatically make the connection between your prior experience and the new position. It’s important to be clear in your cover letter that you are serious about changing careers and demonstrate on your resume how your skills and prior experience will make you successful in the new position. The more you can help the hiring manager or recruiter make the logical connections, the better your chances of getting an interview.

Affordable resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles created by Capstone Resume Services’ certified resume writers with recruiting and hiring backgrounds get results. Learn more here.