CRG is committed to developing careers, not just placing jobs. The people that we provide to our clients are our greatest resource. By providing our people the best opportunities in the market, we develop partnerships while continuing to attract the best candidates. We hope this page provides you with helpful information to improve your ability to grow your career and capture new opportunities.

RESUME WRITING   Click here to see a sample resume
The resume is typically the first thing that a prospective employer will see about you. As such, this “first impression” is very important. Make sure that you take the time to study and know your resume. Ensure that it says everything that you want to be said about your job history and education. Above all, verify the accuracy of your resume. It needs to be grammatically correct and all information needs to be valid.

CRG's Top Ten Tips for a resume that will get you past the front door include:

1.  Keep it short. This is not the time to write a novel. By using less words, the resume itself will be      more pleasing to the eye (readers like to see white space!), and it will stand a greater chance of      being read. Limit your number of pages. It should be very rare that a resume is more than one to      two pages.
2.  Use bulleted format over narrative formats. Narrative formats are aesthetically less appealing,      and it’s more difficult for a reader to track with a narrative format.
3.  Be humble and willing to use a lower title. Often times, a Chief Financial Officer in a 10-employee      company has responsibilities that more resemble a Controller or Accounting Manager. If this is the      case, don’t be afraid to use “Controller” or “Accounting Manager” as your title. NEVER GO UP IN      TITLES. Remember that the goal is to most accurately portray your capabilities.
4.  Omit clichés like “References available upon request”.
5.  Proof, proof, proof. Use spell check, undertake a detailed review yourself, and have an objective      third party review the resume for accuracy.
6.  Make sure all dates listed in the resume are accurate.
7.  When emailing a resume, don’t use a version posted on a job board. Always send a Word      formatted version.
8.  Ensure that your verb tense usage is consistent in describing job activities and      accomplishments.
9.  List your professional history before education, unless this is a job immediately after college.
10. Know your resume. Be able to explain reasons for leaving one job for another, gaps in      employment, and any other issues that might arise.
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INTERVIEWING TIPS
Interviewing can be a gut-wrenching experience, and it does not have to be. Having a good attitude about the interviewing process is critical. Even if you’ve been through hundreds of interviews that you felt were a waste of time, it is imperative that you treat your next interview as if it were your first.

CRG's Top Ten Tips for Interviewing include:
1.  Do your homework. There are a number of ways to find out information on the company with      which you are interviewing, and your preparation will speak volumes to the prospective employer.      Especially make use of the Internet as it gives an incredible amount of information that is easily      accessible.
2.  Be prepared. From knowing the company’s history to knowing the company’s address,      preparation is vital. Anticipate questions that the hiring manager will be asking. Learn as much      about the position as possible and be ready to address how and why you are the person for the      job. Sample questions that can be anticipated include:

• Tell me about yourself. Be very brief and hit the major highlights. For example: “I was born in Dallas, Texas, graduated from high school there, went to school at UT, and became a CPA at The Big Four” is little more than a word per year for the first 22 years. Although you may not be able to continue at this pace, try to keep the summary of yourself to 1 minute.
• Why are you leaving your current position and why did you leave your previous positions? (Avoid being critical of all past employers.)
• What are your career aspirations?
• Why are you interested in this position?
• How would your direct supervisor/peers/subordinates describe you?
• Tell me about your most significant accomplishment/personal challenge/achievement?
  
  CONTACT US for an extensive list of “Tough Interview Questions.”

3.  Be on time. Make sure you have reviewed the directions in detail and feel confident in being able      to find the interview site. Give yourself plenty of time to make the drive, especially if the interview is      during a peak traffic time.
4.  When in doubt, dress professionally. Many companies have adopted business casual dress      codes, but unless you are specifically told to dress casual, don’t.
5.  Prepare questions. The interviewer will be looking for dialogue and your ability to ask appropriate      questions will be important. Some sample questions include:

• How did the position become available?
• What made my predecessor successful or what kept him/her from being successful?
• What is the expected career progression for someone coming into this position?
• What is the biggest obstacle for someone stepping into this position?
• What do you see as the best characteristics of this company?
  
  CONTACT US for an extensive list of “Questions to Ask During an Interview.”

6.  Know all the interview details before the interview: interview time, format, and names of      everyone you will be meeting with.
7.  Avoid compensation discussions if possible and let this be handled by your recruiter.
8.  Persevere. As a college professor once said, even the research that doesn’t yield anything      directly was necessary because you had to learn that nothing was there. The same goes for      interviewing. Not every interview will be fruitful, but you have to go through it to determine that.
9.  Write a thank-you note within one day of the interview to the appropriate people. (Sending an      email is appropriate.)
10. Be determined to maintain a good attitude throughout the process.

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