Lost career opportunities happen every day. The two most critical opportunities are those that promote our greatest value to others.

• We send in a resume for the perfect job, and present an imperfect resume.
  
• We identify a contact with a desired company and present the wrong approach.

Moving away from the idea of the job into the ideal of the career is often not the easiest thing to do. The success of a career requires that we be on our toes knowing the latest game plan and its best tools within the world of work

Over the years, our career services business has supported thousands of people. It is surprising how many of these people, less qualified than others, and had the lion?s share of great opportunities. Here are a two ways to save your ?lost opportunities.?

Promote your value through the resumes:

1. Correctly conveying the resume impacts the view of the receiver.
   
   What you send the resume in makes a difference when sending it to a hiring manager. Opt for the folio envelope. It is larger and takes up more space, therefore catching the eye and the attention.
   
   
2. A poorly written resume sent to the wrong person may never get you an interview.
   
   Typos and incorrect presentation only frustrate the reader, particularly in HR. If it is not perfect, they will pitch it.
   
   
3. A well-written resume sent to the wrong person may not get an interview. Target your resume to someone that has the authority to hire.
   
   If your resume is being read by someone with less work or technical experience than you, be concerned. Send it to the hiring manager; the person who will most appreciate your value.
   
   
4. A poorly written resume sent to the correct person, may get you the interview, possibly even the job offer, but not the highest compensation or consideration for other opportunities.

In today?s market, market your value in the first impression, especially when sent to the hiring manager.

Consider this:

1. Define whether the resume should be sent via email, snail mail or both and how.
   
2. Buy a good resume book; attempt to craft your own resume. We recommend anything by Wendy Enelow.
   
3. Research a good resume service to ensure a much better presentation/marketing of the product?you!
   
4. Research the appropriate person(s) to cc: when you send the resume to HR, i.e. Hiring Manager. Name this person (they hate just titles).

Be accessible through Personal Business Cards:

Who should have one: Everyone, regardless of position and whether you are employed or not.

When should I have it: Throughout your career, update it as your information changes.

What should it contain: Who you are (name), what you do (general description, avoid job titles), and what you want (describe the kind of work you want to do). Your cell phone and personal email address should also be on it.

Where do I get one: We recommend VistaPrint.com for free business cards that you create the way you like them. The only cost is postage.

Why bother? People who connect with you (especially through networking) want to be able to contact outside of your employer. If you find yourself out of work, they can reach you at your home phone.

By revisiting the ways that you promote your value to others, you may be surprised as to the opportunities that you can discover!