MOST PEOPLE have career expectations. Some plan to eventually become senior executives while others expect promotions over time. Whatever your dreams and expectations, they are more likely to come to fruition if you have a plan of action. Simply wanting to advance your career is not enough.
      You need to be specific about your goals. What is your ultimate goal? Do not be afraid to aim high. What kind of experience and skills do you require to get to that dream role? Gather the experience needed and you will be prepared to clinch that role when it becomes available.
      But the truth is that even when you plan for advancement, opportunities may not be there to move up the corporate ladder. In some companies, executive appointments or vacancies are limited, with little advantage for junior staff as more senior staff vie for these. So it is not unusual for junior staff to wait up to five or more years for promotions to higher grades in such organisations. In other firms, management may prefer to recruit from outside to renew the talent pool.
      Thus, it comes as no surprise that in such situations, some may have to look outside the organisation or consider transfers to other units within the company for opportunities to advance in their careers. With a strong economy and an abundance of mid-to senior-level vacancies in the job market, the time may be ripe for a move to another firm. How long should you wait before moving? There are no firm rules on this. It is a question of skills and abilities.

Make the Most of your Experience
      When considering a new position, you may feel that you lack either the experience or the skills to get ahead. Some people feel that their young age or their advanced years will stand in their way of becoming an executive or a key corporate player. The fact is that most people can get ahead by following some basic rules and putting themselves in the right place at the right time. One such step towards getting that dream position is to have the right résumé.
      According to chief executive of Resume Asia , people revamping their résumés for career advancement should include details about their work history, job title, period of service, job scope, accomplishments, and reasons for leaving or moving on.
      "Pay more attention to the last decade of work experience. Candidates should have a clear understanding of the requirements of the job they are applying for and customise their résumé accordingly. Other things to include are education, training and development, professional associations, and other personal information," says Ho.

Résumé Content
      Creating an effective résumé is all about writing with the reader’s perspective in mind. You may want to emphasise your strongest skills and attributes, and show why you are an excellent candidate, but if you do not do it in a way that catches the eye of the human resource professional who reads it then you will not be successful.
      Joyce Lim, area manager of Adecco, a staffing services company says:
      "First of all, a good résumé must always be tailored to the job that one is applying for. It has to contain information that meets the demands of the job scope and the specific industry."
      She adds that a functional instead of chronological résumé may work best for experienced candidates. In such instances, you need to organise your work experience according to specific skills and job functions, instead of the period in which you were involved in that particular work. The following pertinent information should be included:
      • Work experience: This can be organised in chronological order, with the most recent work experience listed first. Describe your responsibilities and highlight specific achievements, for instance "expanded client base by 15 per cent within the first year".
      • Employer background: Include a brief introduction of the company or companies that you have worked for. State the company name, the nature of business, and the industry it is in. For example: "Libra Ltd, a subsidiary of the Astro Group, the world’s leading pharmaceutical and medical devices company with offices in 65 countries."
      • Academic qualifications: List your academic qualifications in reverse chronological order, stating the name of the institution, the qualification that you earned, and the period of study. Highlight notable academic achievements such as awards and distinctions.
      A prospective employer will look for strong content that relates to the needs of the specific job opening, so use active statements that are very specific to describe your skills and attributes. Include actions and results that are measurable and quantifiable.

Sell Yourself
      Remember that your résumé needs to sell you as a candidate. Here’s an accomplishment statement that needs help: "Ranked either second or third out of 11 representatives each year." Ranked in what? It’s too vague to have much impact. Here it is rewritten to have some traction: "Ranked within top three in entire sales force for six consecutive years, generating over s$4 million in new revenues annually." Notice the difference.
      Consider this common scenario: a recruiter has a pile of résumés on his desk and is faced with the task of screening them to pick out the top 10 for the interview phase of hiring. How can you make sure your résumé stands out from the rest and gives the recruiter the information he needs?
      Ho says an outstanding résumé must answer a very simple question: "Why should I hire you?" Make the recruiter or screener’s job easier. If you want your résumé to be noticed, make it easy for the screener to read it. Include the following:
      • Wide margins—White space is a good thing on a résumé because it keeps the material from looking cramped and crowded.
      • Easy to read font style—script, calligraphy, and other fancy fonts are difficult to read. Stick with a basic font that is clean and clear.
      • Font size—the font size should be 11 point; any smaller and the print becomes difficult to read and makes the page look crowded.
      • Highlight key information—Your résumé should highlight the key information that matches up with the qualifications and requirements of the job posting. These are the elements a screener will be looking for, so make them readily apparent in a quick scan.
      • Plain paper—some people like to be trendy and put their résumé on paper with a unique colour or texture, but this is not what a human resource professional cares about. Stick with a good quality white paper that makes the printing really stand out and be noticed.
      While educational qualifications are important, the positive news is that often employers who require a lot of experience will waive the education components if you have proven yourself as an outstanding employee throughout your experience. In other words a candidate meeting the minimal education requirements, with a good company record and work experience, may have an edge over a more educated employee with limited work experience.
      Lim says: "Employers would first look at your work experience to ascertain if you have the suitable skills needed for that position. They would also look at the companies that you have worked for to determine if you have the relevant industry exposure."
      Again, this consideration depends on the job and the company policy. The more advanced the position being applied for is, the more likely that experience will factor equally with education.
      Lim suggests that instead of trying to quantify experience, candidates should look at describing their responsibilities and contribution succinctly. For example, an administrative officer’s résumé could include duties like:
      • supervise and motivate a team of two administrative assistants and a receptionist.
      • provide administrative support to the marketing team, including vendor assessment and selection, event coordination, media booking, and maintenance of databases for clients and media contacts.
      While a new position usually warrants an increase in salary, Lim suggests that a candidate should manage their expectations regarding pay and benefits: "It is important to first understand the current pay rate for the position that you are applying for. This can be achieved by speaking to career consultants or referring to current salary surveys."

Contract Employment
      Some job seekers are put off by short-term employment contracts. They consider these impediments for career building. But Lim does not agree. She says contract employment offers several positives, as more companies are willing to pay for good contract workers as they recognise them as an integral part of their workforce.
      "More contract jobs are available today. Applicants who are ready to seize the opportunities have a better chance of getting employed. These offer opportunity to gain new skills, build new contacts, and develop industry exposure through a variety of contract assignments. Contract work can open doors to permanent job opportunities later. It is one way to get one foot in the doorway of established, reputable companies," says Lim.

Few Opportunities
      How should a candidate explain the lack of opportunities in his own firm? Lim says: "If you are leaving your current employer because of the lack of career development opportunities, you must be able to support this. The recruiter would be able to see in your résumé, if every career move you made had indeed brought you better career advancement. However, if ‘lack of career growth opportunities’ has been your reason for leaving your past jobs in the last five years, the recruiter may be doubtful about your loyalty and commitment to your work."
      Every job requires trained people with unique and individualised skills. Training is a large cost to employers, so capitalising on your own personal experience in a résumé and at an interview will allow prospective employers to see your potential as an already experienced and trained employee.
      The more experience and skills you have coming in the job, the less cost it will be to the new employer. In addition to the cost saving factor it will also save time as you will not need to be away from your new position to complete training in order to get started.
      Give recruiters the truth. Human resource professionals hate statements that embellish or exaggerate your skills and attributes. They have seen it all and experienced screeners are adept at picking out things that are not always what they seem to be. For example, do not try to pass off a lower level job as something with more responsibility by giving it a fancy title. HR professionals are not fooled by titles and phrases and often view them as a negative thing. If you try to exaggerate the information in your résumé, what else will you exaggerate during the interview or during employment? When in doubt, use simple, clear language that is truthful.

Article written by N Ravindran of the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and published in the Straits Times on 28 May 2007.