Tag Archives: design

Creating A Resume From a Template? Read this First.

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Resume templates are amazing tools. They allow candidates to create stunning resumes in a short amount of time. They are usually easy to read, cover all the details, and look very professional. However, if you use a template resume, there are a couple of mistakes that are easy to make. Read on to find out some of the most commonly made mistakes when using a template resume and how to avoid them.

Not filling in all of the sections. This seems so simple, but you would be surprised how often we see things like [company name here], [more detail about your role here], and [add your reference here]. Recruiters and hiring managers usually take about 30 seconds or less to review a resume, but that is an extremely noticeable mistake that will ALWAYS be caught. Employers want to know that you have attention to detail, and this is a quick way to get yourself dismissed from the candidate search. You can avoid this my reading over every word of your resume out loud before you submit. When you read out loud, your brain cannot skip over things and you will catch the mistake. We also recommend having one of our recruiters or a trusted friend read over your resume before you submit it.

Not listing all of your experience. Just because your resume template only has three sections of prior experience does not mean you should only list three sections of prior experience. It is definitely okay to break the mold of the resume template if you have extra sections to add. Also, don’t forget to add things like relevant skills or experience if that information would be applicable to the job. You can avoid this by brainstorming all of your experience and skills into an unformatted “master resume.” When you apply to a new job, make sure to highlight the most relevant things from your “master resume,” and do not include the things that are not relevant. You never want to lie or exaggerate on your resume, but it is definitely a great idea to tailor your resume to the job.

Not fixing your spacing. You should do everything you can to try and keep your resume down to one page, especially if you do not have a lot of experience. If you absolutely have to go on to two or three pages then that is okay, but do everything you can with spacing and margins to reduce the amount of pages in your resume before you submit. Your first priority should be that your resume is easily readable, but you also want to keep it as short as possible while still including details about your skillset and experiences.

Is your resume based on a template? Comment back with the mistakes that you caught or lessons that you learned!

 

Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen 

8 Ways To Keep Your Office Organized in 2018

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Keeping an organized office is one of the simplest things you can do to increase your productivity, happiness, and efficiency at work. Although keeping your office clean can seem difficult, you can use these 8 tips to make the job easier.

  1. Go paperless. Whenever possible, you should try and reduce the amount of clutter flowing into and out of your space by transitioning to online information storage. Create folders, labels, and paths for your information to be kept online. The key with this is making sure you save your files in a place that can be easily accessed and found.
  2. Invest in a labeler. The documents that you cannot afford to store online should be put away in a distinct drawer, file, or closet that is neatly labeled.
  3. Purge your office. Go through your entire space and get rid of things that you haven’t used in a while. It can be difficult to part with some things, but your office will never be organized unless you reduce the amount of items that are inside it.
  4. Don’t wait on sorting your mail. One of the most common culprits for a disorganized office is the build up of mail. The solution to this problem is to start a habit of sorting your mail as soon as you get it so it does not build up. Throw it out, delegate it, or read and file it.
  5. Organize your desk drawers. Use dividers and separators for different items that you keep in your desk so you always know where to find what you need.
  6. Reduce the view of your cables. We know that cables are a necessary part of the electronics in your office, but there are several easy and cheap ways to hide them and get them out of site. You can attach a rain gutter to the bottom of your desk to keep the majority out of view, or buy equipment designed for managing cables. Personally, I believe this one makes SUCH a big difference.
  7. Use your wall space. Moving select items from your desk to the wall can really free up your workspace. Mounting your computer screen, calendars, or pictures is a great way to add room to your desk. This is especially effective if you have a small desk.
  8. Have a mini cleaning session at the end of the day. Never leave your office in a mess. It’s a lot easier to clean up for five minutes at the end of the day than it is to let your mess build up and have to conduct a major clean up session.

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Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen

Prezi, the future of presenting?

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By: Kaitlyn Neese

If you work in an environment with a lot of presentations, you’ve probably heard of Prezi. It is gaining popularity among the younger generation of the workforce, but I imagine that it is soon going to be utilized by all ages.

If you are unfamiliar with Prezi, it is a free, web-based, more visually appealing version of PowerPoint. It is pretty simple to use and the final product always looks stunning. Prezis are typically much more interesting than PowerPoints, and even the most boring information comes to life with Prezi.

Prezi is new and different. It is fun and it looks so much smoother and more sophisticated than PowerPoint.

So what’s the problem? Why isn’t everybody and their mother flocking to download Prezi and kick the outdated PowerPoint to the curb forever? Long-time PowerPoint fans have a hard time retraining their brain to effectively use Prezi.

Personally, I have become comfortable with the setup of Prezi, but will admit that I have had technical difficulties in the past. Saving presentations has been an issue, and sometimes it takes a while to open up a saved presentation. This can be awkward if you are in front of a group and about to present.

A complaint of Prezi audiences is that it can be distracting. Listeners may be so involved in how gorgeous your presentation looks that they do not hear a word you say. So that definitely defeats the purpose.

So what presentation aid to I prefer to use? I’m going to have to say Prezi, despite its downfalls. Though I will admit Prezi can be distracting and confusing at first, the seasoned Prezi user will learn the tricks of the trade and be able to create excellent presentations. PowerPoint is just too mundane, outdated and limited.

So yes, I believe that Prezi is the future of presenting. If you are uncomfortable with Prezi now, you might as well get used to it. Although your hesitations are probably valid, Prezi is eventually going to be everywhere, so I suggest getting ahead while you still can!

What do you think of Prezi? Are you a loyal PowerPointer? Why?