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At times, navigating the waters of career advice is murky. Everyone has an opinion about what you should or shouldn’t do and what you should or shouldn’t write. Have you read every article on resume writing or submitted your resume for free evaluations only to find that every place says something different? With all of the information out there, how do you really know what advice to take and what to leave behind?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, then you’re likely on information overload. Personally, I’m on information overload, and I write such aforementioned articles and resumes. As part of my job, I constantly research the industry learning what others are saying, thinking, writing and doing. I’m often frustrated by the sheer volume of information out there. In fact, I was recently on LinkedIn viewing my group updates, and almost every, single group had articles about resume writing, interviewing and job search tips/tricks/strategies. I thought to myself that job seekers must be overwhelmed by the amount of information. So, here are some practical tips to wade through the relentless articles, tips, updates, tricks and free offers you see.

1) Choose what applies to you. If you’re on LinkedIn, join job search groups that specifically apply to you. If you’re in procurement, join a procurement job search group. If you are an Executive, join an Executive job search group like Execunet. While joining specific groups won’t completely weed out that which is not applicable to you, it will significantly help segregate the type of information you receive.

2) Look for career professionals with two attributes: credentials and experience in your industry. While not all professional resume writers or career coaches have worked in your industry, most have written for it. Find someone who has completed a significant amount of work for your industry. They should be familiar with your industry terminology and be comfortable speaking about it with you. It is OK to interview them and ask if they have expertise in your field.

3) If you are looking for professional resume writing services, view samples on their websites, request a free resume analysis, research the company, view testimonials or ask for references. It is perfectly OK to ask for business references. If you are looking for a career coach, do the same. It is good to get outside information. When I am considering a company for which I have never worked, I Google the company name and read reviews. If you find bad reviews, weigh the information and decide for yourself.

4) Choose to read articles that specifically apply to your situation. Don’t indiscriminately read; seek out the experts. I am a big fan of research. In fact, I often tell clients and readers to research, research, research before doing anything. Do the same with the information you read. Research the writers. Learn about their credentials, what they offer, for whom they work and what is motivating them to put together the information they provide.

5) Everyone has an opinion, and two people rarely have the same one. If you send your resume to ten different people to review, you will get ten different responses on what needs to be changed. Take that information, use what you can, research and try what applies to you and throw away the rest.

It’s your responsibility to do all research and wade through information you collect. Then, pick and choose what works best for your situation. Remember that when it comes to your job search, there is no one-size-fits-all scenario.

As CEO of Great Resumes Fast, Jessica Holbrook enjoys collaborating with forward-thinking professionals and executives, identifying their personal brand and value proposition and leveraging their unique talent, passion, and vision to position them as a leader in their industry.  Her passion is helping professionals and executives uncover what makes them stand out in the crowd.

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Last updated on June 26th, 2010 at 06:29 pm

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