Position yourself for growth and success

Human Resources and recruitment agents see thousands of resumes all the time and even more when they advertise for an opening in their company. Many of the HR professionals state that people lose the opportunity because their resume is not presented well, and others pass or fail at the interview stage for a number of reasons.

So many young people feel insecure because they lack work experience.

Keep in mind that hiring agents are looking for people with the right skill set, those that appear trainable, have the right attitude, and look the part. Most companies will train and align employees with their policies and procedures.

Also, you can become part of clubs, groups, and offer your services in community development at church, school, etc. You can then add this to your resume, showing that you have some work experience, which would indicate that you can commit, work with people, are willing to give back, and demonstrate initiative and positive qualities - all the things recruitment agents are looking for.

Here are some guidelines to avoiding pitfalls and increasing your chances of getting the right attention that will, hopefully, lead you to the job of interest.

1. Your resume should be no more than one to two pages, especially for young people starting out.

2. The information in the resume should be correct, relevant, and speak directly to the position for which you are applying.

3. Ask permission from your referees every time you are job hunting as it shows respect and appreciation. It says that you don't take them for granted and you can give them the heads up should they receive a call on your behalf.

4. Update your resume as you achieve more and have more experiences that could work in your favour.

5. Be prepared for standard interview questions, which you can Google to help you.

6. Have a list of questions that will provide you with the information you need should the interviewer not ask them. Have a list of additional information about yourself that is not on the resume and can be used to your benefit.

7. Provide a brief overview of yourself that presents the best of you and attracts the best opportunity to be called for an interview.

8. Have a proper voicemail message on your cell phone should the potential employer or head hunting agency call and can't get you. The message should sound professional.

All the best!

- Laura Butler is a business and career development consultant with Fusion Consulting Jamaica. She serves as a consultant to some of the leading companies in Jamaica and has been a consultant to numerous leaders in the Caribbean and North America. She can be contacted at fusionconsultingltd@

gmail.com or 469-427-2007.