Personal Assistants to Celebrities & High Net Worth Families Are in Demand
As the numbers of the rich and famous increase, so does the demand for personal assistants. These elite PAs can command salaries in the six-figure range and are in demand like top athletes. However, scoring such top-tier jobs won't be so easy if one doesn't strong business acumen, which starts with a great resume and presentation; otherwise, employers won't call you back after receiving your resume.
Reasons Employers Aren't Calling You for Interviews
What employers want: The basics to know
Submitting resumes for jobs is both an art and science. The days where job seekers could just blast the same generic resume to 50 different employers and have a job in a week are long gone. We now live in a globalized world and competition for jobs is fierce. In fact, it's so competitive that open job postings easily get hundreds or even thousands of resume submissions. Standing out is nearly impossible, so only the most sophisticated submissions are going to get noticed.
The bottom line: The candidates who “go the extra mile” and work harder for the job are going to get it – PERIOD!
Not having a solid strategy in place will hinder job prospects and being unmotivated when submitting yourself for jobs will certainly be noticed by experienced recruiters and human resource managers.
As a subject-matter expert in the HR field, I see at least 100 resumes a day, and most of the applicants employ the same, tired techniques from the 1980's -- and those strategies weren't even recommended then, and especially not today.
The bottom line: The candidates who “go the extra mile” and work harder for the job are going to get it – PERIOD!
Not having a solid strategy in place will hinder job prospects and being unmotivated when submitting yourself for jobs will certainly be noticed by experienced recruiters and human resource managers.
As a subject-matter expert in the HR field, I see at least 100 resumes a day, and most of the applicants employ the same, tired techniques from the 1980's -- and those strategies weren't even recommended then, and especially not today.
Objective statements are dead, so don't use them
Objective statements are dead -- so 1980's. Most human resource professionals agree that you shouldn't use them for the following reasons:
- They take up valuable space on the top of your resume (prime real estate)
- Most object statements are very generic and serve no value-add to the resume, so don't add distractions or date yourself
- You may actually say something in the objective statement that they don't want, so you disqualify yourself from the position
- Isn't it blatantly obvious what your objective is since you've submitted your resume for the job the company posted?
Use this instead of an objective statement

Use a "qualification summary" to replace the objective statement. This gives the applicant an important head-start because the HR team can quickly determine if the candidate is right for the position. It is statistically proven that you have less than 10 seconds to catch their attention, so the qualification summary solves that problem.
No recruiter or HR professional is going to take the time to read your entire resume to see if you are qualified. They are just going to delete your resume and move onto a candidate who makes it easy for them. So, in short, applying for jobs is a sort of game; and you have to know how to play it to win.
No recruiter or HR professional is going to take the time to read your entire resume to see if you are qualified. They are just going to delete your resume and move onto a candidate who makes it easy for them. So, in short, applying for jobs is a sort of game; and you have to know how to play it to win.
How social media can easily destroy your chances of getting the job you want
Although there are countless stories featured in the media about employees who are "fired over a Facebook post," many job seekers don't seem to heed the warning. The fact is that employers who are considering hiring a candidate are probably going to check social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. It’s overwhelmingly proven that more than 90% of employers search Google looking for information about you, so your inappropriate rants about controversial topics will not bode well with recruiters.
Why resume format matters
Resume format is a critical part of getting selected for an interview -- for both practical and technical reasons.
- The technical reasons: Many job seekers don't know that human resource departments use ATS software programs to weed out applications that they don't want. Since hundreds of candidates usually apply, human eyes don't gaze upon resumes until there is a short list. Applicants MUST use key words from the job description so that the software considers them a viable candidate.
- The practical reasons: Your resume must look sophisticated and modern because it represents you. It's virtually the only tool you have to make a great first impression. If your resume looks sloppy and unrefined, then the employer will think the candidate doesn't have the aptitude for the position.
How to use resume action words to stand out
The resume action words help define your role with current and past employers. Listing duties and responsibilities is fine but starting your bullet points with an action word sounds more professional. It won't be possible or practical to use one on every bullet point, but you need to find a healthy balance. The action word you use will depend on your profession (and of course the message you want to convey). Ideally, the action words should match the job description.
Resume vs CV
If you're going to be applying for a position in another country outside of the USA, be sure to format your resume to fit that region's standard. Not only do different countries use different sizes of paper, but outside of North America, for example, many countries use a CV: Curriculum Vitae (which is Latin for the course of my life).
Don't forget the differences in grammar
American English and British English have many distinct differences, like spelling for example. Don't forget to change your Microsoft Word document to adjust for the language difference so that you don't look unprofessional.
Why customizing every resume for each job submission is critical

Unmotivated job seekers often use the same resume for every single job submission, which is a huge mistake. Recruiters, headhunters, and HR managers know almost instantly when a resume hasn't been customized for that particular job opening.
If you're saying to yourself right now, "That's crazy. I refuse to put that much work into the job application," then you are guaranteed not to get the job. The person who is willing to do it has a much better chance of scoring a job with a high-net-worth family or celebrity.
When you don't have a job, your 8-hour-a-day job is to find a new position, so put in the time needed to impress the employer -- it's almost the only chance you have at beating out the other job applicants. And, not to even to mention, customizing the resume to fit the needs of the employer will help you beat the screening software mentioned earlier in this article.
It’s advised to spend time customizing 20 refined resumes and cover letters instead of blasting the same generic resumes to 100 job openings. Contact us for career coaching if you have further questions.
Updated and edited for length in 2023
If you're saying to yourself right now, "That's crazy. I refuse to put that much work into the job application," then you are guaranteed not to get the job. The person who is willing to do it has a much better chance of scoring a job with a high-net-worth family or celebrity.
When you don't have a job, your 8-hour-a-day job is to find a new position, so put in the time needed to impress the employer -- it's almost the only chance you have at beating out the other job applicants. And, not to even to mention, customizing the resume to fit the needs of the employer will help you beat the screening software mentioned earlier in this article.
It’s advised to spend time customizing 20 refined resumes and cover letters instead of blasting the same generic resumes to 100 job openings. Contact us for career coaching if you have further questions.
Updated and edited for length in 2023