Evaluations of resume writing can be very subjective, influenced by personal taste and feelings. Potential employers may have an opinion on your font style, design, or whether or not you should use a summary or personal statement, to name just a few. But even though your resume is subject to this type of evaluation, it is important to not dismiss objective, measurable facts from your resume.
There are some key resume writing tips that hiring managers can agree on:
• Spell check, read and re-read. Have a friend check your resume. Misspellings and grammatical errors show a lack of attention to detail. This may seem obvious, but it happens frequently! These mistakes can often be fatal to your job search prospects and automatically send your resume to the “no” pile.
Early on in my career, I accepted a position managing a dealer network for a reputable horse trailer manufacturer. The work was fast-paced and dynamic, with a focus on relationships…all things I thrive on. However, just as I was starting to really settle in and hit stride in my role, I started noticing little things that signaled all was not as it seemed. What had appeared to be a thriving business, was really a once-solid business that had started to slowly crumble from within. It wasn’t long before I realized the business foundation wasn’t built strongly enough to handle growth. If things start to go awry in that situation, the domino effect can be devastating. However, there are cases where strong change management can recover from adversity and build a stronger company. When you are in the middle of a situation like that, how long do you stay with your struggling employer? In my mind, part of the answer to that question lies in your confidence in the leadership and your level of adversity to risk.
It’s incredibly important to maintain discretion during your job search. Unless there has been a mutually agreeable conversation between yourself and your manager regarding your wishes to move on, it’s in your best interest to keep your intentions secret until you’re at the point of providing references. Many employers see departing employees to have lost loyalty and no longer have their company’s best interests in mind. Employers often consider currently employed candidates to be more valuable than those who are unemployed for unknown reasons. But how do you go about a secret job search when you have an existing full-time job?
Day one, hour one at your new job and you find in the stack of onboarding paperwork a “Covenant Not to Compete” or a “Restrictive Covenant”. Also known as a non-compete. What is it? Why do they want you to sign it? And what options do you have?
A non-compete agreement, also known as a Covenant Not to Compete or Restrictive Covenant, is a contract between an employee and employer which restricts the ability of the employee to engage in business which competes with the employer within a certain geographic region for a certain period of time. By signing it, you agree that you will not compete with your employer by engaging in any business of similar nature in any capacity (employee, contractor, owner, investor, etc.).
New to the AgCareers.com team is Rachael Powell who serves as the Data Analyst – HR Solutions. Rachael has been with AgCareers.com for two months and works from the Clinton, North Carolina office.
What do you do on a day-to-day basis in your role with AgCareers.com?
So far some of the projects I have worked on are the National Pork Board Compensation and HR Practices Report and the Agribusiness HR Review. My other main task will be to aid in the completion of the Compensation Benchmark Review.
What do you enjoy about working with AgCareers.com?
I enjoy that I get to help compile information that will help ag companies throughout North America make more informed decisions.
What advice would you give to job seekers using AgCareers.com for the first time?
There are over 5,000 jobs posted on AgCareers.com. Take the time to diligently think about what would be the best career move. Tailor your resume so that it speaks to the strengths you possess that employers are looking for. If you need help, browse through the many resources listed under the job seeker tab.
