Words of Distinction

Category: Job Search Advice

Think Like an Employer: Using Job Postings to Focus Your Resume

Posted on January 14, 2024January 14, 2024 by Emily Wong

I just got great feedback from a client regarding my process; she thought a tactic we used was helpful to landing her new job. 🎉

To be honest, the tactic is so simple that I’d taken it for granted.

I’m referring to the practice of using 1-3 job postings to help you focus and tailor your resume to your target role.

The key to writing a compelling resume is to begin with the end in mind: In what role do you see yourself in 6 months? How can you help the employer envision YOU in that role?

Job descriptions help you future-proof your resume—and learn to think like an employer.

So, how can you use and analyze job descriptions?

🕵️‍♀️ Dig for themes

The first thing you’ll want to do is scan for themes.

Does the job description repeat the need for certain skills? If so, those qualifications are likely prioritized by the hiring manager.

What else is the company looking for in an ideal candidate? What problems are they hoping you’ll solve? What are some specific skills they list? What are the top 3–5 qualifications they’re looking for?

🏆 Gather your own examples of success

Once you understand what the company needs, gather examples of when you’ve demonstrated the required skills.

Don’t worry about grammar or crafting the bullets perfectly at this point.

Just get it down on your laptop, your journal…whatever works.

🎯 Align and get specific

Once you’ve had a chance to brain dump, THEN start polishing…

Craft your specific mini stories and achievements that align with the company’s language. What adjectives or descriptors stand out?

Be careful with adjectives: It’s not just a matter of word-packing your resume.

For example, if the company is looking for someone with great communication skills, don’t just say you have great communication skills.

Include specific examples of how you used your communication skills under the job titles to which they apply, and if communication is a top skill they’re looking for in a candidate, include how you’re a great communicator in your branding statement at the top.

For example, are you really good at distilling complex technology to non-technical audiences in meetings and at trade shows?

🌟 Differentiate yourself

Think about how you can tell these stories in a way that differentiates you.

Instead of simply calling out your strategic leadership…are you the kind of person who isn’t afraid of risk? Do you think it’s important to tell the CEO the truth, even if it might sting a little—as long as it’s in the spirit of advancing the company toward its goals?

If you have experience with cloud architecture, talk about how you led a large team in migrating a legacy system to the cloud in record time.

How about leveraging your existing network to expand the market and drive revenue growth? The possibility that you’ll bring existing partners to your new employer can be a huge asset.

One more thing…

If you had to achieve something in a less-than-ideal economic or competitive landscape, such as driving revenue growth or gaining new customers in a down market; converting what was supposed to be a live conference to a virtual one in record time (remember 2020?); or changing the strategic direction after overcoming resistance, all the better.

🎁 Job description bonus

When you’re forced to sit down and think about your achievements, they start to bubble up to the surface, and you’re reminded of all the great things you’ve accomplished. Way to go!! Celebrate!! 🎉

Lessons from a Financial Pro: Leave Nothing on the Table

Posted on September 11, 2023September 11, 2023 by Emily Wong

If you worry about leaving money on the table when negotiating job offers…or you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the different types of employer equity grants…or you aren’t sure which are the best options for YOU, then you’re not alone!

Many job seekers struggle to navigate the complexities of equity compensation.

So I sat down with Richard Archer, President of Archer Investment Management to learn how to navigate this often-fraught piece of the negotiation process.

Richard shared relatable stories and practical strategies to secure the equity compensation you deserve.

The following is an excerpt from our conversation. I’ve edited for brevity.

💰 The basic types of equity

Emily: If we could start with a little primer about what types of equity might be included in an offer package…

Richard: Sure. Equity can be offered in a lot of different ways. You can have equity compensation, such as restricted stock, incentive stock options, or nonqualified stock options.

You can also get equity through employee stock purchase plans, which can be incredibly valuable. You also might have employer stock in your 401K. Maybe that’s how they do their match.

Or maybe you’re able to buy employer stock through your 401K. So there are different ways it can show up.

💰 The difference between private and public valuation

Emily: Let’s talk about the difference between private and public companies. I understand there are different options depending on the type of company, and there are benefits to each, correct?

Richard: In general, public companies tend to be larger than private companies.

So when you’re joining a private company, that stock might have a greater probability of a lottery win, if you will, of growing really quickly—as opposed to if you join Apple.

Apple’s stock does very well, but the chance of it tripling in size in the next 10 years is a lot lower than for a company that’s a startup that could get purchased in 3 years for $100M. And if you’ve got 1% of the stock, that’d be amazing.

So that’s one thing. The private stock tends to have more growth potential.

Another thing is that public companies have a market valuation. So when you look on Yahoo Finance or Morningstar, you can see that Apple shares are selling for X dollars right now.

On the other hand, a private company has an internal valuation provided by an internal auditor.

That internal valuation can sometimes be quite stale, especially now. So you have to be careful that the internal valuation they’re projecting for you in your offer is fair.

💰 The importance of asking for current information

Emily: Why would it be stale?

Richard: That’s a good question. Public markets are live. Everything’s valued every day.

But private companies typically submit 409A valuations on an annual basis. So you could have an internal valuation or a 409A valuation that’s 11 months old.

Well, anyone who’s looked at the market in the last 12 months knows that tech stocks have had a really hard time, and that old valuation could be 50% or 75% higher than the actual valuation right now.

We had a client who took an offer at a big tech company that was private.

She based her house purchase decision and acceptance of the job on the valuation provided by HR, which was based on old numbers and rosy projections. Where she thought she was going to have $8M in 5 years is now probably closer to about $1.5M.

She bought this fabulous house here in Texas and is now panicking a little bit because she bought more house than she probably should have, based on the valuation provided.

Keep in mind, this is a new client to us, so we weren’t a party to that decision.

💰 Understanding what we’d give up by leaving our current job

Emily: What are some questions candidates can ask on the front end so they can avoid these big mistakes later?

Richard: The first thing is to figure out what you currently get for compensation and what accolades you’ve had at your current job. That can help you negotiate a better job offer.

Have your history of raises, accomplishments, any teams that you’ve run, or new certifications you’ve earned at your current job. Look at your benefits package, like your 401k summary plan description.

Also include a listing of all current grants, like your restricted stock or stock options.

I had a client who negotiated as a salesperson for a tech company, was moving to a competitor, and had negotiated his entire offer. He had a nice salary coming in. He called me and asked whether there was anything he’d forgotten.

I said, Well, in the next 6 months, you’re going to vest $235,000 of restricted stock in your current company. Did you mention that to your new employer?

So he sent them an email. Within an hour, they gave him a vesting grant of $235,000 of stock in the new company. So with just a simple email, he earned a quarter of a million dollars.

💰 Considering best fit for our lifestyle (It’s not always obvious)

Emily: What are some other ways people can avoid leaving money on the table?

Richard: When you’re negotiating a new job, you want to think about the best type of compensation for you and your situation.

For someone who has a lot of risk tolerance and not a lot of need for cash right now, maybe they want to take more stock options, with the potential of greater earnings in the future. For others who’ve got a mortgage or college expenses, maybe cash is more important now.

We’ve got a client who’s young. He’s a phenomenal engineer, and he keeps getting hired away to new companies. The problem is, he’s too smart for his own good.

He’s amazing, but he gets bored easily.

He jumps to the next company and the next company, and we’ve actually talked with him about taking more cash upfront and less equity, because he’s not there long enough for it to vest.

It’s more valuable for him just to take cash, even though he has the risk tolerance to take the private stock. We just take cash with him and then invest it elsewhere because it just makes more sense for him.

💰 Wait! There’s more!

Listen to the full episode and get other great advice from Richard on:

Exercising stock options for maximum benefit, including tax considerations.
Managing the hurdles of sales restrictions and company stock-trading blackout periods.
Negotiating exit packages and severance benefits on the front end.

Photo credit: Hywards from Getty Images

ChatGPT: Should You Trust a Robot to Write Your Resume?

Posted on March 5, 2023March 7, 2023 by Emily Wong

I recently sat down with Anne Janzer. She’s the author of several books on effective writing and has a special interest in how people write for and in the workplace.

Anne also coined the term servant authorship, a play on servant leadership.

Servant authorship is the discipline of getting to the heart of what the reader actually needs and delivering on that expectation.

Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, we tend to overlook our audience’s interests as we hustle to get our content out.

The need for more focus on servant authorship couldn’t apply more to resume writers and job seekers.

You’ve heard me say it over and over…

When we write resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles, it’s so important to share experience that’s relevant to what the hiring team is looking for in a candidate.

Servant Authorship in an AI World?

A key tenet of servant authorship is authenticity (no surprise the words spring from the same root). Naturally, my conversation with Anne turned toward AI and ChatGPT. Specifically, how they apply to resume writing.

In case this is the first you’ve heard of it, ChatGPT is the latest tool from OpenAI, and it’s getting a lot of…well…chatter.

So I conducted my own test to see what all the buzz was about.

How to Get a Promotion by Leading from Behind

Posted on January 5, 2023January 17, 2023 by Emily Wong

“I’m just an individual contributor.”

Oh, how many times have I heard that, only to dig deeper to find that these unassuming clients were actually movers and shakers.

A sampling:

The senior tech manager who convinced C-suite leaders to invest in new software—and helped propel the company toward its goals.

The account manager who unified teams across marketing, operations, and finance to support a key sales initiative that sparked 10X millions of dollars in revenue—and established trust for future high-ROI projects.

The volunteer fundraiser who built and nurtured hundreds of donor relationships—while creating innovative revenue-generating community events—to guarantee a long-term competitive high school music program.

The engineering/client liaison who skillfully uncovered the true needs of the customer, articulated those needs to the engineering team, and then distilled the technical requirements back to the client.

These employees sound like leaders to me.

Even if you’ve never formally led a team, you may have more to say about your ability to lead than you realize.

I recently had a client who epitomized what it meant to lead from behind.

Getting Your Resume Past the Robots (ATS)

Posted on May 3, 2022May 3, 2022 by Emily Wong

Photo credit: Patrick Daxenbichler from Getty Images

Let’s talk about ATS. If you’re not familiar with ATS, it stands for applicant tracking system, and it basically serves as the gatekeeper for your resume when you apply online.

If you’re like a lot of job seekers, you have questions about whether or not your resume is ATS-friendly.

If you’re like some, you may even break into a sweat at the mention of the term and the thought of those scary little bots, rubbing their tiny bot hands, and thinking up evil ways to prevent your precious resume from reaching the hands of a hiring manager.

3 questions that rise to the top of my clients’ lists of concerns when it comes to ATS:

How can I present my skills to ensure they get read?
Do columns, tables, and other formatting affect readability?
Is it OK to use text boxes, graphs, and images?

Well, my friend, I hope the following answers will put your mind at ease and help you with your resume-writing strategy.

Take the Ick Out of Networking

Posted on May 6, 2021November 23, 2021 by Emily Wong

Ok, so not everyone thinks networking is icky. Some people love the social element and the idea of (sometimes) free food.

But a lot of us would prefer not to have to mingle over coffee with people we don’t know. And now that it looks like we’re turning the corner with the pandemic, we’ll be have to mingle more as we move toward in-person events.

Here are a few ideas that might help you ease into the new back-to-normal:

1: Start With People You Know

If you’re feeling anxious about jumping into an event without knowing a soul, look for those where you already have a connection, or find a friend or colleague to go with you. One caveat: do not spend the event with that person. Sure, you can pop in and out of their conversations, but remember, they aren’t the reason you’re there.

Kickstart Your Job Search

Posted on February 10, 2021February 15, 2021 by Emily Wong

If you’re having trouble getting motivated to start your job search, you may need a mindset adjustment. Or, you may need to simplify your approach. Or maybe you need a combination of both. In my own case, when I’m feeling overwhelmed by a project I know is important, it helps if I give it structure and break it down into more manageable buckets.

Try organizing your job search that way. If you can structure your job search plan around what I call the three Rs—research, relationships, and readiness—I think you’ll find it easier to tackle the project.