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Practical guidance on resumes, LinkedIn, job search, career transitions, personal branding, interviews, and more from NRWA career professionals.
Job searching and career management raise a lot of questions, and the answers aren’t always as simple as they seem online. NRWA professionals share practical, experience-based guidance to help you make better decisions about your resume, LinkedIn presence, job search, career transitions, professional brand, and more.
Browse the latest advice below or explore topics relevant to where you are in your career.
When and how to include publications, patents, or other intellectual property on your resume.
QUESTION: What are the best practices for including publications, patents, or other intellectual property on my resume? Or should I list them at all? Publications and patents represent the pinnacle of expertise in many fields. You can show "Patent holder" or...
How Do I Recognize a Ghost Job?
QUESTION: I’ve been hearing a lot about “ghost jobs” (job listings that appear on job boards or company websites but are not actually available positions). How do I recognize them so I don’t waste my time? Ghost jobs can be frustrating, but there are a few signs...
How to Explain a Mental Health Break
QUESTION: As someone who has taken time off work to address mental health issues, should I mention this employment gap on my resume or LinkedIn profile, and if so, what is the best way to explain it to potential employers? If your time away exceeded 6 months...
Freelancing/Gig Jobs in Career Services
QUESTION: I'm interested in freelancing / gig work. What are the challenges and benefits of this path, and how can I prepare for success? Freelancing offers great perks like flexibility, choosing your projects, and working from anywhere, but it also comes with...
Adding keywords in White Text to Your Resume
QUESTION: Should I stuff my resume with keywords at the bottom in white text? Never use white text on your resume for anything! Keywords represent your strongest skills and should match the content of the job postings you are pursuing. These terms have the best...
Hearing Impairment and Interviews
QUESTION: As someone with a hearing impairment, should I mention this on my resume or during interviews, and if so, how can I do so in a way that focuses on my qualifications and strengths? Rather than stating a disability on a resume, look for the field on the...
Answering the “Tell me about yourself” Question
QUESTION: In an interview, how do I answer the question, “Tell me about yourself?” I recommend a three part answer: How you got into the field and role you have, one or two concrete examples of what makes you successful (strengths and a few accomplishments), and...
Improving Your Online Presence to Attract Potential Employers
QUESTION: How can I improve my online presence to attract potential employers? 1. Audit your social media accounts to ensure consistency across all platforms.2. Optimize your LinkedIn profile, showcasing your value, crafting a compelling headline, and...
Addressing Perceptions of Inflexibility After Long-Term Employment
QUESTION: After long-term employment with one company, how do I combat perceptions that I am inflexible, set in my ways, or unable to adapt to new work environments—both on my resume and in an interview? When developing your resume, write about transferrable...
Showcasing Soft Skills on your Resume
QUESTION: How do I quantify and showcase soft skills effectively on my resume? I try to avoid putting a laundry list of soft skills in the competency section of a resume. Instead, I look to showcase how soft skills were applied to attain a result, outcome,...
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