Job seekers often ask how they can showcase their skills and why a company should hire them. Some things our professional writers like to highlight on resumes when job seekers have been at a company for years are promotions, professional development opportunities, highlight transferable skills, and the skills they’ve gained during their tenure with the employer. All of these are important to highlight, as it shows you’re continuously growing and improving yourself.

Your resume is your story, it’s the journey of your career and an indication of your professional self. It’s important for your resume to accurately reflect your accomplishments and skills. No matter how long you’ve been at a company, it’s important to present your work history as a positive attribute. Finding a new employee can be expensive and time-consuming, and companies are always looking for ways to promote long-term work, so highlight on your resume that you’re a worthwhile investment.

• Promotions – Highlight any promotions or leadership roles you’ve held during your time with the company. Showing your progression through a long tenure with a company is an excellent way to demonstrate your dedication to the job.
• Professional Development Opportunities – List any professional development opportunities, like grad school, certifications, conferences, workshops, etc you’ve had. It’s important to show the employer helped you grow in both expertise and soft skills, but it also shows the company cared about your professional development.
• Transferable Skills – Highlight any transferable skills that are necessary for a job in the new industry or role you’re interested in. This can help a leader in the organization determine if you’d be a good fit, and help them align you with the right position.
• Diversity of Skills – With any long-term job, you’ve probably obtained a variety of skills you might not have had before you started working with them. Or you improved on the ones you already had. If you grew in specific skill sets or took on more responsibilities that helped you perform better, make sure to highlight that on your resume.

When working on your resume, make sure all of your skills and credentials are recent and relevant. You won’t want a potential employer asking if you can do something just because it’s on your resume when in reality you haven’t done that particular skill in a while. The same goes for credentials, remove any old or expired credentials and certifications from your resume, or update them if you can.

Craft the Best Resume After a Long-Term Job

Capstone Resume Services can review your resume and make suggestions to help you explain your long-term job history better and land an interview. Our team of professional writers knows what a good resume includes and how to capitalize on your employment history. Learn more about our resume writing services and schedule your free consultation today!

Image Credit: Ben Kolde

Did you know, including a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile, can greatly increase the chance your resume will get noticed by hiring managers? It’s true. Better yet — it’s quick and easy!

‌A job search can feel daunting. Many aspects of the process are out of the job hunter’s control, so it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed and a little mystified about what actually happens once you hit the send button. ‌

Don’t worry. While every organization is unique, there are a few things you can count on when your resume lands at its destination (often a very busy hiring manager or assistant’s inbox — sometimes an AI-driven bot):

Your online presence matters (so make sure you have one)
LinkedIn is the preferred professional platform (so make sure you have a great profile there). Hiring managers and their assistants are busy (so make their lives easier by including hyperlinks that take them directly to your online assets)

Why LinkedIn Matters

LinkedIn is one of the most well-trafficked sites on the internet, but the breakdown is staggering. LinkedIn boasts over 720 million users, including 171 million from the US. LinkedIn users include highly educated, highly successful professionals — 50 percent of all online users with a bachelor’s degree or higher have a LinkedIn profile.

‌Those successful professionals include many people who may be directly involved in evaluating your application when you apply for a job. Currently, 63 million LinkedIn members hold decision-making positions.

It’s really no surprise to imagine the numbers involved when you consider how many job listings are posted directly to the site. Recent figures put active job postings on LinkedIn somewhere around the 20 million mark.

Hyperlinks will help you leverage your LinkedIn profile and help hiring managers find out more about what you have to offer.

How to Create and Use LinkedIn Hyperlinks

Once you’ve created a rich, detailed LinkedIn profile, it’s time to share it with the world, or at least with the right hiring managers and talent recruiters. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before you start sharing your link.

Customize your LinkedIn URL

When you create a LinkedIn account, the platform assigns a less-than streamlined URL. You might see your auto-generated hyperlink look something like https://linkedin.com/in/amyjones/193523/Q/356 — that’s not exactly eye-catching.

Take advantage of LinkedIn’s free customization option, which will result in a short, much more visually appealing link. Here’s how:

1. Click your icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2. Click “View Profile.”
3. Click “Edit Public Profile & URL.”
4. Click the Edit pencil icon (next to your public profile URL).
5. Change the last part of the URL to include your first and last name (you may have to tinker a bit if the URL is already taken)
6. Don’t forget to save.

Where to Use LinkedIn Hyperlinks

Once you’ve created a customized hyperlink and feel confident your profile is in top shape, it’s time to share it. Here are a few places you can use your new hyperlink:

• On your resume (typed out and linked on your digital resume)
• Within your email signature
• In cover letters and messages with recruiters and other hiring professionals
• On your social platform profiles
• On your personal and professional websites
• As part of social media posts
• On networking materials, like physical or digital business cards

‌How to Create a Contact Info Line for your Resume

Be sure to include a concise, easy-to-find contact information line on your resume. Try this style:

City, ST | janedoe@domain.com | 555.555.1212 | LinkedIn‌

To make your digital resume organized, hyperlink your profile to the word “LinkedIn” and avoid typing out the full URL (don’t forget to hyperlink your email address, too). Making your information accessible with a single click is a win-win scenario. Hiring managers won’t have to dig for your information — or worse, give up trying when it becomes too time-consuming. Do yourself and hiring managers a favor by including a clickable link that takes them straight to your LinkedIn profile, where they can learn more about your background, interests, memberships, and achievements.

Bonus Tip: Create and Link to a Professional Portfolio

Your LinkedIn profile is a must-have when it comes to job seeking, but it’s one of many tools you can keep in your arsenal. Take advantage of the many easy-to-use online tools available to create a bright, modern online portfolio and link to it on your resume and social platforms.

‌A portfolio allows you to paint a more in-depth picture of who you are and what you’ve accomplished beyond a list. Sharing testimonials from happy clients and co-workers and showcasing some of your proudest professional moments on your portfolio can give hiring managers the confidence to bring you in for the next step in the application process.

LinkedIn Hyperlinks Make Hiring Managers Smile

Including a LinkedIn URL to your professional resume and other online assets will help to put you in the good graces of hiring managers. Be sure to routinely update your LinkedIn profile when important information changes or when you do something notable.

‌Thanks to your LinkedIn hyperlink, by the time a hiring manager reaches out to you, they should feel like they already have a good handle on who you are and what you have to offer.

Is your resume showcase ready? Capstone Resume Services certified resume writers are here to help! Reach out to learn how to create a gold-standard resume that will get results. Schedule your resume writing consultation today!‌

Above anything else, the resume is a marketing document. It is used to sell yourself and show why you are the best choice over other candidates that applied for a position. You must always put your best foot forward and emphasize your strengths in a way that shows why you are the ideal person for the position.

No Degree Doesn’t Equal No Job

Many professionals feel that not having a degree automatically disqualifies them from certain jobs. As time goes by, even those with college degrees are judged based on the achievements within their experience. As the degree gets older, it is weighed less. It becomes viewed as less valuable, and the focus shifts to what you did in your last job to improve operations, revenue or overall performance.

Even if you don’t have a degree, there are still ways to market yourself. The fact that you have significant achievements can outweigh the no degree factor. Successful examples of this are Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. Both men dropped out of Harvard to pursue their own ventures – ventures that have been wildly successful.

Experience Sells

Focus on the PARs. PARs are Problem-Action-Result statements that show what actions were taken on the job and how they produced positive results. The achievements and PARs that came from your experience are your strengths. Be sure to highlight them to show how you can bring those experiences and skills with you to your next job. Again, experience sells better than anything else on the resume.

You can also use PARs to discuss problems you were able to solve and operations you improved. Highlight the processes or programs you put in place to help you achieve great results.

Highlight Strengths

Be sure to show your past experience and how well you performed in previous roles. This is key to selling yourself to a hiring manager, as how you performed in previous roles is the best indicator of how you will perform in a future role.

If you don’t have a college degree or are struggling to write an effective resume, Capstone Resume Services can help! A resume writing service based in California, we work one-on-one with clients to help craft a professional resume that will help them stand out from the crowd.

Whether you need an entry level resume, federal resume, executive resume, or technical resume, we can write a resume that will represent who you are and the experience you will bring to the position. And we don’t just write resumes! We can also provide you with a professional LinkedIn profile or a cover letter that is the perfect introduction to your resume.

Contact Capstone Resume Services to request a consultation today!

Updating your LinkedIn can feel similar to creating an online dating account. You want your best qualities to shine through but there’s no doubt that a computer screen may not be the best way to get to know you. It’s exhausting! Capstone Resume services understands the challenge, and we have created this list of tips to ease your worries. Whatever relationship you have with your occupation, “taken or single”, we will work diligently to make sure your professional goals are met. If you’re taken or employed, let’s build your network. If you are single, let’s land that dream job!

Follow These Simple Tips When Making Updates To Your LinkedIn Profile

Turn Off Updates

Alerting all of your connections that you’ve changed “your” to “you’re” probably isn’t worth their time. Chances are, you will make many changes and updates to your LinkedIn profile, and most changes do not need to be seen by your potential employers or coworkers.

On a similar note, update often. Nothing says “rookie” like an unfinished profile. Consider a profile view as a first interview, If you would not attend an interview with an incomplete resume, than your LinkedIn profile should never be incomplete. To seem legit, keep your profile up to date and public. If an employer wants to look through your profile and they cannot access it, they may not bother to connect with you. Then, you’ve lost an opportunity.

Personalize Connection Requests

Focus on adding people that are in your field, desired field, have a connection with someone in a field of your interest, etc. A potential employer will not be impressed if you have sent them a default request. They could potentially spam you or hit “I don’t know this person”. Before you request a connection with a person, ask yourself, “is this someone I would walk up to a say “hello my name is …“ Find a foundation for a great intro message and ready yourself with your best elevator pitch. When you meet someone in person, you smile and shake their hand. This message should give off that smile-handshaking vibe. Chances are they are receiving many requests, so why should they accept yours?

Once you have connected, sending an open ended and friendly welcome message is a great idea. This opens dialog and can be the perfect foundation for developing a mutually beneficial professional relationship.

Profile Picture

Think of your LinkedIn profile as Interview #1. Your profile picture should be a professional headshot wearing the attire you’d have on at an interview in your industry. Basically, everyday is a partial interview when people are viewing your profile. Ditch the selfie. The bar for professional head shots has been set very high, but a photo that portrays your sharpest most sophisticated self is worth the investment. Think of 10 professionals whom you admire and look at their profile picture, it is unlikely that your selfie will match up. For those who are job searching, changing industries, or breaking into a field for the first time, a professional headshot will do you well.

For more professional tips on LinkedIn profile photos from a professional photographer, check out these tips.

Change Default Job Title to a Professional Headline

By default, LinkedIn labels you by name and job title. Since you are professionalizing your online presence, your current job title might not be what you want to stand out most. You don’t want to be branded into a position that could deter recruiters or hiring managers from checking you out more. Depending on your position, it may be beneficial to identify as a professional in your field rather than be defined as your current job. After all, your potential employer may not know what a “conversation architect” (or any other unique job title) is or what industry it pairs with. LinkedIn had some foresight into this and allows you to brand yourself in a more creative fashion by changing your ‘default job title’ to a ‘professional headline,’ something more inclusive of what you are trying to accomplish.

To spice up your header, simply click it while logged into your LinkedIn account and type in your desired title.

Make A Good First Impression With Your LinkedIn Summary

Not only is LinkedIn a great place to network, job search, and find information on brands, but also a great avenue to get seen by the people that matter: recruiters, hiring managers, or that person that has the job you would love to have. Chances are, they are reading your summary. This is their virtual peek into who you are and the type of employee you will be for them. If you want your summary to be remembered, write in a memorable way. Show your personality! I cannot stress that enough. Many times, people hire character and train skill. Colorfully write your summary, while highlighting your strengths, interests and motivators.

If you are still struggling with your summary, check out some great examples and tips.

I know what you may be thinking… this is a lot for an online profile! If it seems like too much, send me your info and I will create you a killer custom LinkedIn profile that can help you land that dream job of yours. Capstone Resume Services specializes in creating custom LinkedIn link to website Profiles ready to be discovered in 2-3 business days.