| |
| |
|
Careers & Employment Information |
|
|
|
10 Tips For Writing A Winning Resume
Your resume (or curriculum vitae), combined with the cover letter, are the master keys to opening the prospective employer's mind and door so that you can proceed to the next step in the process - the big interview! RESUME WRITING TIPS AND STRATEGIES Here are 10 valuable tips for anyone writing their own resume, or who is having someone else write one for them. These tips and strategies are an abridged version of what is contained in my new eBook, "Instant Home Writing Kit". 1. Keep It Focused and Businesslike A resume should be specific and all business. Don't try to be too smart or too cute. After all, you are asking an employer to invest significant time and money by choosing you over many other similarly qualified people. Employers mainly want to know whether you are appropriately qualified and experienced, and if you have the ability to "deliver the goods." 2. More Than Two Pages Is Too Much For students, recent graduates, or people with just a few years of experience, try to keep your resume to one page, two as an absolute maximum. Even a resume for someone with 20 years or more of extensive working experience, should not exceed three pages. In some cases, one or two "optional" pages can be referred to as "available upon request." These would be such optional annexes as a list of references or an inventory of recent projects and/or publications. 3. Get The Words and Punctuation Right Make sure the grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your resume are perfect. Any obvious mistakes will hurt your credibility. Also, be sure to keep the language clear and simple. If you draft it yourself, have someone with excellent writing skills do an editorial review and a careful proofread of it. If a professional prepares it for you, such reviews are the responsibility of the resume preparation firm. Use an accepted English language "style guide" if you want to be sure of the finer points of word usage, punctuation, capitalization, abbreviations, etc. 4. Read Between The Lines Customize the resume to match the stated requirements of the job that you are applying for, without being misleading. Review and analyze the job advertisement carefully. Look for and itemize the key qualifications, skills, and abilities the employer is seeking. Then identify certain key words that are usually repeated in such ads. Make sure that the wording and sequence of points in your resume reflect and address these "corporate terminologies" and "code words" as much as possible. When possible, study the company's annual report and Web site, and weave the themes and terms found there into your resume and cover letter. 5. Make Sure It Looks Good Use a crisp, clean, simple presentation format for a professional looking resume. Just a bit of simple line work and/or shading, done with standard word processing software will do the trick. If you don't have the aptitude for this, there is most likely someone among your friends or in your office who can help you achieve a professional presentation. If not, seek professional advice. It won't cost much for a good simple layout, but it will make a world of difference to the product. 6. Show What You Can Do Today Focus, first and foremost, on your recent experience that is most relevant to the position at hand. Less relevant and/or dated experience should be either eliminated or summarized in brief point form near the end of your resume. When reviewing your resume information, a prospective employer wants to know what you are doing now, what you have done recently, and how that relates to the job requirements of the post they are trying to fill. 7. Be A Straight-Shooter Be completely honest. When people lie or "creatively exaggerate" on their resume, they are almost invariably exposed, sooner or later. Think about it - who really wants to get a job based on a lie(s) and then have to live in fear of eventually being found out? We often read in the newspaper about high-profile folks who get caught in a resume falsehood or exaggeration, and it isn't very pretty. 8. Follow The Instructions Submit your resume in exactly the form that the prospective employer requests. If they say e-mail or fax is okay, do it that way. However, if they ask for it by regular mail, send it the way they ask. They must have reasons for requesting it in such a form and they are geared up to process it that way. If your resume is to be sent by snail mail, use the complete address that they specify, or it could go to the wrong office, especially in a large organization. 9. Don't Get Lost In The Mail Be careful to respect certain conventions that the potential employer may require in your resume. For example, make sure that the cover letter mentions the exact name of the specific position you are applying for, and the competition number, if applicable. Sometimes an employer will request that the job title and/or number be printed on the outside of the envelope. You would not want to miss out on a job because you didn't follow minor administrative requirements. 10. Keep The Cover Short and Focused In the cover letter, don't repeat what is already detailed in the body of the attached resume. It is a "cover" letter. It should be short and to the point. Introduce yourself first, and then briefly summarize why you believe that you have the qualifications and experience to fulfill the duties of the position better than anyone else. Express enthusiasm about the job and the company. Close by stating how you are looking forward to hearing more from them soon, and that you will follow-up if necessary. The above list can be used as a "checklist" both during the preparation phase, and when reviewing your resume just before submission. To see a fully-formatted "real-life template" of a resume, you can check out the following link: http://writinghelp-central.com/resume-sample2.html © 2005 by Shaun Fawcett Shaun Fawcett, is webmaster of the popular writing help site WritingHelp-Central.com. He is also the author of several best selling "writing toolkit" eBooks. All of his eBooks and his internationally acclaimed f-r-e-e course, "Tips and Tricks For Writing Success" are available at his writing tools site: http://www.writinghelptools.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Employment - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Are 95% of Job Applicants Not Called Back? Have you been desperately looking for a job and keep coming up short? Despite all that you do, does every attempt you make seem to fail? Are you at that point of quitting? Ever wonder why you have not been called back? Not long ago, I was right where you are. I was all over the place, running here and there looking for the magic pill to help me. Unemployment Survival: Creating a Sense of Security In a time of economic downturn, international turmoil, company restructuring and corporate mergers run amok, thousands of people are either out of work or fearful of losing their jobs.Is there, then, such a thing as job security?No job, in itself, is totally secure. How You Can Find Opportunities For Foreign Language Proof Reading Work For those who are fluent in another language, foreign language (ie non-English) proof reading can be a great source of income. It is a difficult area for those who are not fluent to get into though. Are Your Intentions Clear in Your Job Search? 1. Do you REALLY know what you want?2. 5 Interviewing Tips To Get That Job! Anyone who is a jobseeker knows that looking for a new job or career is a job in itself. Once you have completed the laborious task of writing your resume and submitting it to various companies, you now have to pass the screen test to get the job. Job Interviews: Use the Personal Touch to Get a Job A study conducted by the Journal of Consumer Research in 1995 showed that sales people who used their prospects' names generated a 239% increase in sales. In today's fast-paced world, that personal touch is even more important. What Is Your Greatest Weakness? The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. The one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your greatest weakness?" Most candidates are quick to respond with superficial answers such as "I'm a workaholic" or "I'm a perfectionist. What You Should Know About A Medical Billing Specialist Whether you are a person who is thinking about becoming a medical billing specialist or a company looking for a medical billing specialist, then this article is for you. There are several things that you should be aware of in the medical billing industry and I will walk you through them so that you will have the background information that you need to help you make a decision that will best suit your needs. Is A Career a Calling or Choice? How much of our career path is destiny and how much is free will? In my opinion, it is 50/50. We are given a life map at the beginning of our lives, and there are things we are meant to learn, people we are meant to meet, work we are meant to perform. Career Change: From Suits & Sales to Boots & Rails Peter Humleker had it made. As the general manager of a successful car dealership, he was earning an impressive income. Writing a Must-Read Cover Letter If you want to land an interview, you'll need more than a perfectly polished resume, you'll also need a perfectly polished cover letter.A cover letter does more than provide a mere introduction, it gives the employer an opportunity to see why you are the right candidate for the job-before she even takes a look at your resume! By taking the time to customize a cover letter to each job opportunity, you can almost guarantee that your resume will get a good look instead of landing a permanent home in the circular file-or worse, the recycling bin. Three Ways to Transition to a New Career As a Certified Personnel Consultant working for Find Great People International in Greenville, South Carolina, I receive telephone calls from people who are considering a career change. For some, transitioning to a new career is easier than others. The Not-So-Effective Cover Letter Here's a newsflash: Cover letters work, plain and simple. This is why I'm intrigued by the fact that a) jobseekers rarely submit them and b) hiring managers seldom read them. How To Write A Resume, Avoid These Resume Mistakes HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #1NEVER USE THE WRONG PAPER! What kind of paper should you choose when typing your resume? The color of paper you will want to use will be white or ivory. You will also want to type your resume on a heavier paper, such as a 20 lb. How to Become a Successful Freelance Translator After completing their translation training programmes at higher professional education or university level, many students can't wait to set up as a freelance translator. However, gaining a foothold as a freelancer in a very competitive translation market may turn out to be a pretty complicated business. Can Nurses Be Entrepreneurs? Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today's market place nursing has a unique service to offer not only to hospitals but nursing homes, private care and doctor offices. Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005 Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is on the rise. 2005 will mark the revitalization of our economy. The Computer-Friendly Resume The evolution of technology is changing the traditional methods for job searching and recruiting. More and more companies are now relying on computers to initiate the process of hiring and are filling their database with candidates with skills that are easily searchable. Giving Notice: 6 Things to Do To Prepare to Leave After days, weeks, months or longer of interviewing, you have received a job offer that meets your needs and have decided to give notice to your employer and resign your current job.1. Match, Meet, and Mesmerize at a Job Fair Are you considering another trip through the career maze? Attending a job fair can make you feel like you are playing a losing game unless you have a clear understanding of the rules. Here are a few suggestions for making the most of any job fair, and gaining a competitive edge.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
