| |
| |
|
Careers & Employment Information |
|
|
|
Writing A Resume That Gets You Noticed
As the old saying goes, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." In today's business world, of course, that first impression usually does not come from a face-to-face conversation, but from whatever you can tell your future boss about yourself on paper: your resume. But knowing what information to put on your resume is a challenge. You want to tell your future boss about every noteworthy thing you've ever done, but your future boss only has a precious few seconds to look at your resume and the countless others that pass their way. How do you create a resume that makes a first impression that counts? Of course, there are the basic things that any employer is going to want to know: ? Job objective, telling what kind of position you are looking for But in order to get beyond the boss's circular file, you are going to need to go beyond the basics. Let's start by talking about the forms that your resume might take. The Chronological Resume This is a resume where you tell your future employer what you've done over the course of your life that makes you the best choice for the position. The basic categories listed above form the skeleton of this resume, with lists for every school you've attended, job you've held, and training you've received, in chronological order. The basic data is pretty standard. You can't really change where you've worked, when you went to school, and what degrees you received (at least without risking being found out as dishonest and unethical). Where you can set yourself apart from the pack is in how you present that data. The words you use to describe the tasks you've performed in a job can communicate much more about you and your capabilities than a bland description ever could. For example, using action words to describe your job tasks can say to your future boss that you are someone who can take initiative rather than someone who simply responds to circumstances. Some examples of good, action-oriented ways of phrasing things are: ? "Implemented company business directives," rather than "followed my boss's instructions." As you present the jobs you've held, the degrees you've received, and the training you've acquired in your chronological resume, remember to use action words and phrases to communicate that there is more to you than just the sum of your activities. The Skills Resume A different type of resume with different goals, the skills resume seeks to communicate the capabilities you bring to a job rather than what training and experience you have. The best course to take here is to show yourself in the best possible light. The main sections of a skills resume are: ? Position: the job for which you are applying. Sometimes, you may have traits that you consider negative, but that can be framed in a positive way for your future boss. Character traits that are complete opposites of one another can both be portrayed as positives. For example, do you think you're "pushy"? In your skills resume, put that you are "assertive". Are you a "push over"? In your skills resume, put that you are "easy to work with". But even more than discussing character traits, a skills resume tells your prospective employer what you think your best qualities are and why you should be given the job. The keys to this are identifying your most important skills and giving examples of how you've used them in the workplace. These descriptions should always be kept short and simple. Remember, your future boss only has a few seconds to size you up. A short sentence that communicates the basic facts is far more important and helpful than a paragraph that gives every single detail of the story. If you can think of positive ways of looking at the things you've accomplished in your life, there is no reason that you cannot communicate those things in exciting ways! Even if you don't think your life has been all that thrilling, you can definitely make it sound that way by using the right words and phrases. The right words can make the qualifications you have sound absolutely indispensable to your future boss and can serve to draw their attention to the areas in your experience and character that will make you the obvious person for that position. Lauren Danver was formerly a Human Resources Manger for ten years. During that time, she accepted and rejected countless resumes based on their merits. She is now the owner and webmaster of ResumeService.Biz
MORE RESOURCES:
Employment - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Hiring Managers: Preventing "Fall-Off's" and Counter Offers "Bill, thanks so much for your assistance with this search. We're very happy that Robert has accepted the position. How To Write A Résumé Figure out what you want to do.You can't write an effective résumé if you have no job target. Sweeping Up Worms With the opening of a new venture and numerous reporters arriving in an hour, it felt like one of those "chickens with heads off" days. We were close, but not ready. Effective Resumes A resume is normally the first contact point between an employer and a job seeker. It serves the purpose of providing a summary of why a candidate is suitable for a job (cover-letter) and his relevant qualifications/experience. How to Overcome a Bad First Impression Have any of these situations happened to you? Forgetting your client's name, unintentionally insulting a co-worker, spilling coffee on your boss, not recognizing an old friend, drinking too much at the company party, sending a racy e-mail to the wrong person, or asking a woman's due date when she's not pregnant - ouch! You never have a second chance to make a first impression, so what happens when that first impression is a negative one?In a perfect world none of these things would occur, but the truth is, we all make mistakes. Effective communicators are not only aware of how their actions impact others; they also know how to respond in uncomfortable situations. Overcome Interview Nerves: Be Better Prepared than Your Interviewer Although interview preparation is everything it's sad to say that perhaps as many as half of all interviewers you're going to meet will be unprepared or incompetent. It's not all their fault, it's just lack of interview preparation time or responsibility; some of them will be co-opted at the last minute to meet you and won't have had time to prepare. 5 Ways to Profit From No Child Left Behind (NCLB) The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (No Child Left Behind) is designed to reform and improve student achievement and change the culture of America's schools. According to this reform act each state must measure every public school student's progress in reading and math in each of grades 3 through 8 and at least once during grades 10 through 12. 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. Sample Resume Objectives: What They All Tend To Miss Sample resume objectives. When a harried and possibly panicked job seeker finds one he thinks is good, he feels like the drowning man who just got rescued. Business & Career: Know Your Ruling Star! "Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. Benefits of Maintaining a Career Portfolio Have you ever tried to contact a past employer only to discover they are no longer in existence or your former manager has moved on and been replaced by someone else? Of course, if you are an avid networker this shouldn't be much of a problem when it comes time to provide proof of your experience, education and accomplishments. A portfolio of your career should be developed and maintained using all documentation of your career history in order to overcome any problems that could arise in proving any aspects of your career. Love What You Do! "To love what you do and feel that it matters, how on earth could anything be more fun?" --Katherine GrahamI want to share with you a great success story from one of my clients, Susan*, because I am so proud of her. Susan had been working in the computer industry since college (8-10 years) and though she was financially and professionally successful, she felt dissatisfied with her career. Ten Courses Of Study If You Want To Be Your Own Boss For many Americans, an important component of the American Dream is the possibility of hard work turning into financial fortune. The career exploits of such self made magnates like Andrew Carnegie, Lee Iaccoca and Donald Trump are examples for many. Sample Resume Objectives: Read, Dont Copy The resume objective statement is typically something that trips people up.Confronted by the silent challenge of the blank page, most folks Google for "sample resume objectives". Interviewing Over Lunch: Are You at Risk? Sometimes a hiring process will include having lunch with the hiring manager. Despite anything said to the contrary (like "It'll just be an informal lunch so we can get to know each other. How To Type A Resume For Employers Learning how to type a resume may feel like a daunting task. Even the most affluent writers have asked themselves, how to type a mind-blowing resume. Make Your Résumé Sizzle with Success Stories In today's competitive job market you can't afford a résumé that fizzles. Power up your résumé with solid success stories. Career Job Satisfaction - Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race! Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race!We can all get in a rut from time to time. Who hasn't had a moment in their lives where you've asked yourself the question: "Why am I doing this?" Whether it's who you've become, the business you are in, your career, relationships, where you live or all of the above - sometimes you realise you're just not where you want to be - and you're not sure how you got there! It sure feels like your own version of a rat race though. Your Next Performance Appraisal: Make It Work For You In the rush of everyday work, it can be difficult to think about your own career development. An appraisal is a key opportunity to identify your strengths, areas that need improvement and plans for your future. Yes, Ive Had Gaps In My Employment History--What To Do About It? Yes, I've Had Gaps In My Employment History--What Can I Do About It?1. Honestly, there is not a single person who has not had SOME gaps in their work history.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
