After sending out over 50 resumes without a single response, I knew something had to be wrong with my approach. Was I overqualified? Underqualified? Or maybe my cover letter was too dull?

One day, I met a woman who told me she had a business doing resume writing, with a 98% success rate. My interest was peaked. Not only did I successfully work with her company, I also spoke with her about speaking with all of you on developing a “Resume With Results”. Whether you are unemployed, underemployed, or an entrepreneur, this conversation with JP Gibbs and Associates is what you need! Check it out:

MOSAMUSE: What is a résumé?

JP Gibbs and Associates: A résumé is a personal business document that includes your work experiences and pertinent information that qualifies you to fill a vacant position. It is used to represent you and to convey your skill sets to a potential employer with the ultimate goal of you potentially being considered for the vacant position.

A résumé is also your personal document to reflect elements of your previous work experiences, education, credentials and accomplishments at a glance. Your resume should always be updated. Each time one of the features changes on this document, a revised résumé should be created.

MOSAMUSE: What is the most common error found on a résumé?

JP Gibbs and Associates:  Common errors found on résumés are spelling and grammar, improper usage of personal pronouns, and paragraph versus bullet style format. Spelling and grammar are the most typical errors. Spell check will only capture words that are actually misspelled, not whether the word makes sence in the sentence structure. For example, if you want to use the word “know” and you typed the word “now”, spell check would accept this misused word “now” because it is not misspelled. However, this word would make the sentence incoherent.

Another common error is the usage of personal pronouns of “I” or “my”. For example, “I prepared bills to be sent to customers”. As a business vehicle this sentence should read “Prepared bills to be sent to customers”.

Résumés written in paragraph rather than bullet style are also a common error and requires a longer time to read.  The recruiter or hiring manager receives hundreds of résumés for one position. They follow the 7 Second Scan Test, which only affords 7 seconds of their time to scan your résumé to see if you have the minimum qualifications required for the position.

Following these tips will afford you a greater opportunity of your résumé being read and to potentially continue to the next phrase of filling a vacant position – the interview.

MOSAMUSE: Many young women don’t have enough experience for the positions they desire. What would you recommend?

JP Gibbs and Associates: I recommend that they volunteer for positions to gain some experience in a specific field. For instance, if a young person wants to get into the medical or health care industry, they should volunteer in a hospital, senior day care or nursing home. There are industries that welcome volunteers. This experience can be incorporated in the résumé and assist in obtaining a position in the desired field.

MOSAMUSE: Searching for a job is hard. Many people apply for jobs based on salary, location, and education. What would you suggest women base their decisions on to have the most fulfilling experience.

JP Gibbs and Associates: I would suggest that women base their decisions on where their heart is and what they want to contribute to their life, community and society.  Maybe start their own business. New businesses start every day based on an idea, new products and innovated services. The sky is the limit.

With the current recession and high unemployment rate, there are more people looking for jobs than ever before. If your desire or focus is to work in a specific business or corporate environment you may need to forgo a higher salary and apply for a lower paid position just to get into the specific industry – to get your foot in the door. This sacrifice will be most fulfilling in the long run of a career change or advancement and give you the experience required for progression in the industry of your choice.

MOSAMUSE: How did you begin your career in resume writing?

JP Gibbs and Associates: I have over 17 years’ experience in Human Resource managing and directing the Compensation Department for a large financial institution and mental health company. My major responsibilities included the creation of job descriptions, establishing organizational structures, performing needs assessment evaluations, implementation of performance evaluations system and managing a staff of analysts. I created position descriptions for clerical non-exempt jobs and exempt management positions up to and including Vice President level. One of my major accomplishments was creating industry-wide generic job families, which were utilized throughout the company.

I also received a certificate in Human Resources Management from Villanova University which expanded my knowledge base in HR employment practices and related functions.

The idea for my business began when my family members, friends and co-workers approached me for the creation of their résumés due to loss of jobs and/or a career change because of my strong writing skills and experience in creating job descriptions. I began to subsequently interview them as though I was the hiring manager and began naturally to provide career coaching to assist them to progress in the interviewing process.  I found it effortless to convert my HR knowledge and acquired skills from creating job descriptions to writing résumés.

Family members, friends and co-workers mentioned that the interviewer for the vacant position gave them positive feedback concerning the professional and well written résumé, and how prepared they were for the interviewing phrase of the employment process. This is when I recognized that résumé writing and job coaching was a calling on my life.

The execution of my résumé and consultant services resulted in 98% full time gainful employment and career change for clients that applied for vacant positions. This successful percentage and innovative concept launch the start of my business JP Gibbs and Associates, with my motto Resumes with Results

MOSAMUSE: As a former successful boutique owner, would you say it’s important for business owners to have resumes? Why/Why not?

JP Gibbs and Associates: Yes, it is ever so important for an entrepreneur to have a résumé. It should be an attachment to their business plan. Investors and bankers want to know the background and work experience of the owner of the business. A résumé would convey how much of a risk this business would be to the investor from a management perspective and in most cases solidify an approval of the funding.

MOSAMUSE: You have the unique ability to discover relevant information that is essential for landing an interview. With a 98% success rate, what exactly is your secret?

 JP Gibbs and Associates: My extensive experience in writing job description from entry level up to and including executive level positions gave me the thorough skill set to convert that acquired knowledge to create résumés.  In the last phrase of creating a résumé, I inform clients what positions they should be applying for with their skill sets; provide advice on how to answer difficult questions according to their résumé information; address any red flags glaring on the document; and provide career coaching to assist them to progress in the multi-phrase interviewing process.

The layout of the résumés I create is clean, clear, concise and professional. Recruiters look for these elements to expedite their time in reviewing the document. Format layout is an essential element and key to the reading of the entire résumé. Remember Recruiters only allocate 7 seconds per résumé.

These components contribute greatly to the high success rate for my clients and assure an interview. My clients are prepared for the interview with self-confidence and truly understand their self-worth, with a fresh view of their abilities and expertise.

I also send up a prayer for each and every résumé created. My mission is to empower teenagers, college graduates and adults to achieve their goal of attaining active employment and advancement in their career and profession.

MOSAMUSE:   Because I am a former client, I have seen the instant impact your resumes have. How can the readers get in contact to learn more about resume writing?

JP Gibbs and Associates: I can be contacted at my email address: jpg.resume@live.com. My website will be up and running in a couple of months.

I welcome an opportunity to create and provide a résumé that will be instrumental to the beginning of the interviewing process. It is my pleasure to serve those in need of an effective and efficient résumé and to provide job coaching.

 For More Information, Email JP Gibbs and Associates at jpg.resume@live.com