3 Creative Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Work-issues seem to haunt us more and more nowadays, especially in Europe where people still struggle with financial downfall. It’s harder to compete on the job-market for a more limited number of interesting positions. How can you make your resume stand out when you’re applying for a job? Three simple suggestions:

• Use a quote to say what you stand for. A quote I like for example: ‘Be not simply good; be good for something’ (Thoreau) 
• Make a bullet list of goals and motivators to show your passions.
• Turn your resume into an infographic to make it more intuitive for people to read and get rid of the standard chronological list of achievements.

Last year I transformed some resumes into inforgraphics and all people got back to me with a surprising amount of interviews and job-offers! It was just so great to see it really worked;-) This illustration is one of the graphs I made for a resume last week. It’s a timeline with all kinds of icons that refer to color-coded text-boxes in which education and work-experienced are summed up.

If you want me to work on you resume as well and make it really stand out, drop me a line. (E 97.00 / HKD 960.00 for 1 resume-transformation)

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Infographic Colour-Blocking Queen

I stumbled upon this great infographic done by Vogue. The magazine documented every outfit queen Elizabeth wore for one year. So interesting, she totally seems to embrace colour-blocking;-). Sixty years on the throne and still so up-to-date on fashion trends;-). Only 3% of her outfits were grey or black, and she’s 87, can you imagine?

Nine out of ten Hongkies seem to think they can only wear black and beige after turning 25. Why so boring? Embrace shocking pink and buttercup yellow and brighten up someone else’s day! Like Rainbow Queen Elizabeth does all year round;-)!

How to Write a Good Newspaper Ad

Newspaper ads are one of the most misunderstood ways of advertising. You have to be aware of one very important thing: people read the paper for news and information, not because they need anything or are interested in your product. Below three suggestions that help you make an effective ad:

• Make a little story instead of an description by using an attention getting, benefit driven headline, a little infographic or a relevant picture;
• Include a big promise and make sure it’s followed by a clear ‘call to action’;
• Don’t use too much copy if the ad looks chaotic and too full, people don’t even bother to read it.

This ad was printed in the South China Morning Post this weekend. I made it for Hong Kong based Tax/Law Firm Triple Eight as part of it’s bigger media-campaign. Check out that yummy egg-tart;-)

Trustworthiness of Beards

Beards can make you look older and wiser… or more traditional in certain parts of the world. But can you trust a bearded man? A very interesting question for all Dutch kids who will celebrate Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) this coming week;-).

According to this funny infographic, the shape Sinterklaas’ beard is an indication that our young friends don’t have to be afraid. Sinterklaas is a good guy;-)! Beware of other bearded men though! Click on this link to see the whole infograph and more interesting work of New York based designer Matt McInerney: http://blog.matt.cc/post/526525567

Summer Refill #4

Last weekend we celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival here in Hong Kong. We had a nice forrest hike with some friends. Although it’s still pretty warm outside I noticed a fresh wind that seemed to come out of nowhere. Together with the late-summer sun it’s excellent weather to go into nature and enjoy the colors en scents of the season. Autumn sneaks up on you, especially in Hong Kong! This smoothie doesn’t only taste good, it also has the rich, deep color-pallette of my favorite season to come. Enjoy!

Are you interested in visualizing recipes or food concepts for your magazine or book? Get in touch with me and drop me a line. 

Summer Refill #3

You should definitely try this smoothie, it’s one of the best summer refills so far;-)! This smoothie is as fresh as a mojito cocktail, but without the alcohol. I made one of these last weekend, when we came back from a camping trip on Lantau island. Totally hot, sweaty, dirty with sand all over the place. You know that feeling, when you’re a little overdosed on the good stuff: bbq, chips, conversations, drinks? After a nice shower, clean sheets and a mojito smoothie, you’re back on track again.

Summer Refill #2

Last week I turned 30. Can you believe it? Such a strange feeling to leave my twenties behind! But I had a wonderful birthday party and so many family and friends around, to wish me all the best for the next decade.

My birthday inspired me to share with you a refill-ling recipe that slows down the aging process;-). Summer Refill #2 contains lots of red fruits an berries to keep your brain and body in good condition. Berries are loaded with antioxidants, so toss a lot of them in your smoothie. It’ll protect you from serious conditions but will also help to make your skin look better. And, not unimportant, this fresh drink is perfect for hot and steamy August!

Summer Refill Recipe #1

In some parts of the world, temperatures are pretty extreme this summer. And in Hong Kong too, it sure is hot outside. To survive, I simply need some time with my blender and a couple of yummy ingredients on a daily basis;-). Today I was thinking: why not share the best recipes with you, to help you beat the summer heat as well! I’m planning to post a cool, reviving, funky and yes… refill-ling drink every week during the summer holidays. Let me know what you think or share your own favorite recipe with me.

Infographic Moon

Today an infographic I made about the moon was published in a Dutch newspaper (Nederlands Dagblad). The key question of the article was: ‘What would happen if China colonized a part of the moon’. Conclusion: it would allow serious private investors to do business in space within a legal governmental framework. Surprisingly enough, that’s something a lot of space entrepreneurs are waiting for.