Resume Tips Articles : 10 Tips On How To Write The Perfect Resume by Aaron Brooks
A resume represents you in words and is the one that creates the first impression. So, a resume must be well thought of and written perfectly. According to experts in the field of human resources there are five basic concepts:
1. A resume must market your skills. It must highlight your qualifications and experience.
2. The resume must avoid focusing on the past and project what you are and your capabilities. It must be about "you" and not on your past.
3. The highlight must be on your plans for the future and how you intend to go about achieving your aims.
4. Instead of chronologically listing your job profiles the resume must emphasize with clarity your accomplishments.
5. The resume must reflect your skills and visions not just mundane everyday actions at work.
When sitting down to write or rewrite a resume, put yourself in the shoes of the person who will read the resume and either shortlist you or junk your application. Never use a standard resume for every job application. Rework the resume to "fit" the job you are applying for.
There are 10 vital steps that will help you create a perfect resume:
1. First read through the job vacancy profile carefully. Then create a "job objective." This just means the position you are applying for.
2. Determine what skills, knowledge, and experience will suit the job best.
3. Create a short list of your qualifications and experience that will reflect that you are a suitable candidate for the post. That is you are capable of handling the proposed "job objective."
4. Draw from your past experience and find accomplishments that prove you can shoulder the job responsibilities.
5. In the resume elaborate in brief accomplishments that highlight your abilities to handle the job you are applying for. Emphasize how your work benefited your employer.
6. Include in the resume a table listing the jobs you have held in chronological order. Begin with the most recent. Include student experience, summer placements, and projects undertaken gratis. Explain any time gaps.
7. List your educational qualifications especially those relevant to the job you are applying for.
8. Ensure that the format of the resume is consistent follow either the chronological or functional format. A template for a functional resume is at http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/tempfun.php and chronological is at: http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/tempchr.php.
9. Include a concise and crisp career objective at the beginning of the resume.
10. At the beginning include a summary of key points.
When in doubt surf the World Wide Web and read through resume tips and formats given by experts on sites like monster.com and Yahoo jobs .com.
A perfect resume is one that grabs the attention of the employer. It should be distinct from the thousands that will reach the employer's desk. A winning resume is one that speaks volumes without shouting out loud of your abilities and strengths.
Write a resume. Then ask an impersonal outsider to vet it for you. If in doubt seek professional help.
About the Author
Aaron Brooks is a freelance writer for http://www.1888jobearch.com , the premier website to find free search for free online employment services, job vacancies, part time job, job listing and many more. He also freelances for the premier Tax site http://www.1888tax.com
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=416466
31 October 2007
10 Tips On How To Write The Perfect Resume
Tips for Writing an Exceptional Resume
Resume Tips Articles : Tips for Writing an Exceptional Resume by Fei Lim
When you are writing a resume, your key goal is to have the resume help you get an interview for the job. It is important to remember that the prospective employer will no doubt be going through hundreds of resumes, so you want to be sure that your resume stands out among the many resumes they are looking at. The following are a few tips to help you write an exceptional resume that will get you noticed by prospective employers.
Tip #1 - Make it Readable - One very important tip for creating a resume that will stand out among the rest is to make it easily readable. Make sure that your resume is no more than a couple pages long, otherwise employers may just skip over your resume if it is too long. You should also be sure that you use a font that is large enough to be easily read. If the employer has to strain their eyes to see your resume, they may just bypass it for one that is more easily read.
Tip #2 - Market Yourself - The whole point of your resume is to make yourself look like a great person for the job. When you are writing your resume, you want to do your best to make yourself look as great as possible without lying or stretching the truth. Make sure that your resume points out your strengths and make sure that you show what sets you apart from the rest of the applicants for the job.
Tip #3 - Avoid Paragraphs - One mistake that many people make when they are writing a resume is using paragraphs. You want to use quick ways to get the reader’s attention, so use bullets to help direct the reader’s attention to important parts of your resume. If you use paragraphs, the important things may just get skipped over when the employer browses over your resume.
Tip #4 - Showcase the Positive - When you are writing your resume you need to be sure that you showcase the positive achievements in your career. If there are negative points or even points that are irrelevant to the job, you may just want to leave them out altogether. Stress important parts of your previous jobs that may qualify you for the job you want. If you are older and you are afraid that an employer may not like your age, then leave out things that may point to how old you are. You want to make a great impression on the employer the first time, so be sure to focus on the positive.
Tip #5 - Use Keywords and Action Words - Often people fall into a rut when writing a resume and use bland and general terms. If you want to get attention, you need to use keywords and action words throughout your resume. You can identify keywords to use by looking at the job advertisement and the job description. Take the terms used and try to incorporate them through your resume to show that you are qualified for the job. Also be sure to use action words as well throughout your resume to give it a powerful feel.
Tip #6 - Show Broad Knowledge - While you may be tempted to only put some of your jobs on your resume that are directly linked to the job you are trying to apply for, it is important that you show a broad scope of knowledge. You want the prospective employer to see that you do have excellent experience in the area of expertise needed for the job, but you also want to show other knowledge and skills that you have acquired that can make you an even better candidate for the job.
Tip #7 - Show Accomplishments instead of Responsibilities - It may be easy to just start listing off the responsibilities that you used to have at a previous job, but these tend to look bland. You want to show what you accomplished and how the previous job may relate to the job you are applying for. Show accomplishments that you made at each job and try to make them relate to the job you want.
Once you use your resume to catch the eye of a prospective employer, you will have a chance to impress them with a resume and you may even get the job. Remember that your resume is the very first step in getting a job you want, so make it a resume that gets the job done.
About the Author
Seek4Jobs.net is the place for employees and employers. Post your jobs with us and let us market for you and find your employees. Employees post your resume for free and let us find the right employers for you.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=429452
Writing a Cover Letter
Resume Cover Letter Articles : Writing a Cover Letter by C. M. Clifton
As a novice writer, I had no idea that cover letters existed until I attempted to submit my first short story manuscript, and the submission guidelines mentioned that a cover letter should accompany my manuscript. Once aware of cover letters, I found myself confused, so I conducted a bit of research. If you are just embarking on the writer's journey and seeking to submit your first short story manuscript, hopefully this article will assist you as some guidelines on cover letters have helped me.
Grab your magnifying glass and come along with me to take a closer look at this type of letter.
Cover letters are brief business letters usually included with short story manuscripts. Normally a letter containing one to three short paragraphs, the cover letter is most often paper-clipped in front of your manuscript's first page when you are mailing your submission. If you are submitting your manuscript through email, then your cover letter comes before your story as the main body of your email, and still serves as your introduction. Whether you are submitting through postal mail or email, your cover letter should be single-spaced, written in standard block or semi-block format, and double-spaced between paragraphs. If you are mailing your manuscript, then you should consider typing your cover letter on plain white 8 ½" by 11" paper.
As stated, the number of paragraphs in a cover letter can vary. But, regardless of how many paragraphs there are, some information that is usually listed in cover letters includes your story's title and your story's word count. If you are submitting your manuscript through mail, as opposed to email, you might also want to state that a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) is enclosed, and that there is no need to return the manuscript.
Here is a sample cover letter:
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State/Country Postal Code
Your Telephone Number
Your Email Address
Date
Editor's Name
Title of Publication
Address
City, State/Country Postal Code
Dear Editor's Name:
Please consider my 2,500-word, previously unpublished manuscript, "Your Story's Title," for publication at Any Title Magazine. A self-addressed, stamped envelope is enclosed for your reply. There is no need to return the manuscript should my story not interest you.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Name
What you should not include in your cover letter is an in-depth description of your story. I have also recently noticed some submission guidelines where the editors stressed for writers not to include photographs of themselves along with their submissions. Be sure to always read a publication's most current guidelines, and only send what the editors require you to send. Disobeying submission guidelines can sometimes mean an automatic rejection of your short story.
Not every editor will require you to send cover letters with your short story manuscripts, but when a cover letter is required, try to think of your cover letter as more of a courteous, introductory tool, rather than a sales pitch. Let your cover letter introduce you, and let your story speak for itself. Here's to more acceptances and less rejections.
About the Author
C. M. Clifton is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Fiction Writing.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=288387
10 Things To Avoid In Your Cover Letter
Resume Cover Letter Articles : 10 Things To Avoid In Your Cover Letter by Heather Eagar
Like it or not, your cover letter is the first document that creates an impression about you (good or bad). Because first impressions really count, you need to take a careful approach to writing cover letters in order to avoid rejection. Here are the 10 major don'ts you need to avoid:
1. Don't use cover letter templates, however good they may be. There are three things you must know that go against these templates: 1) they are stale & boring 2) most templates are likely to have been downloaded from internet 3) therefore, yours will be exposed as being identical to many. Use samples to get ideas on how to write your own unique letter.
2. Don't write a lengthy first paragraph that will only bore the reader. A lengthy first paragraph also dilutes your impressive qualities and eventually weakens the entire letter - this is the last thing you want to happen.
3. Don't exclude your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. Remember that the cover letter is your sales letter; you should highlight your main strengths and prepare the reader psychologically to want to read further.
4. Don't write a vague letter without mentioning specifics, such as the job title and job code/number if you are responding to an advertisement.
5. Don't address your cover letter 'To Whom It May Concern'. It shows that you don't care enough to do your research to find out who is receiving the resume packages.
6. Don't use fanciful fonts. Don't unnecessarily use capitalized or bolded words, or grandiose phrases. Don't send the letter without nixing silly spelling or grammatical mistakes.
7. Don't use cliché language such as "As afore mentioned, I am enclosing..." This will only irritate the recruiter. Instead use simple phrases such as, "enclosed please find my resume."
8. Don't include personal information like your race, sex or marital status in the cover letter. These things are against the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, and as such will not impact the decision whether or not you are called for the interview.
9. Don't use copies of the same cover letters with just the address and date lines changed to send for similar jobs. If you don't customize the entire body, the letter may either be irrelevant or a mistake may silently make it into the final draft.
10. Don't brag or make statements that can't be quantified. You should be humble, yet accurate - employers these days often verify your statements for accuracy (and uncover exaggerations).
The trick with the cover letter is to capture the reader's imagination as soon as they begin reading. This entails keeping your cover letter neat and tidy with a simple format, and avoiding common errors, such as the 10 listed above.
About the Author
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end. If you need cover letter samples and tools, go to http://www.NothingbutCoverLetters.com
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=283077
Writing Your Cover Letter - You Really Can Do It
Resume Cover Letter Articles : Writing Your Cover Letter - You Really Can Do It by Heather Eagar
The dreaded cover letter. This is where you, the job candidate, have to convey all this important information as to why you're the perfect person for the job. It shouldn't be that difficult, right? For multiple reasons, however, it makes some job seekers procrastinate applying for jobs. Do you ever find yourself making the following excuses?
I'm Not a Good Writer
Even if you're not a writer by trade, you can put together a great cover letter. If you know writing a cover letter is not your strong suit, then research some samples for your career to help you with wording and keywords.
Think about what is most important to you to convey to a potential employer and jot that down. It doesn't have to be perfect the first time around. Concentrate on getting your thoughts on paper. You'll have time to go back and tweak the sentences.
I Don't Know What Achievements to Include
Be sure to look at the job announcement for which you are applying. What made you interested in it to begin with? Why did you feel you were qualified? Whatever those reasons are, you need to include them in your cover letter. You may know why you're qualified, but the employer still has to be convinced.
Once you figure out these key achievements, writing them in a short bullet list really makes them standout. Bullets help skimmers pick out the important information so they know right away if you have the "right stuff" for their company.
I'm Not Sure How It's Supposed to Look
This is a common concern. You might have all the information you need but now you're sitting there wondering if it's formatted correctly and professionally. Don't get hung up on this. You can waste a lot of time and energy if you don't know exactly what you're doing.
When you go to format your cover letter, be sure that the header matches your resume. You resume and cover letter should look like a cohesive package. Now, if you don't have your resume written yet, then you can decide how you want the header to look. The header includes your name and contact information ¬- so you want to make sure it stands out so the employer knows how to contact you for an interview.
I Don't Know How to Customize My Cover Letter for Each Position
As a rule, you don't want to send out a generic cover letter to each company to which you apply. The employer will know that it's generic and that you didn't spend too much time or effort to make it special for the job they are looking to fill.
Instead, do your research. Find out what that particular company's history is, what the position entails and what their future plans are. Include the company's name in your cover letter, along with the position you are applying for. If you find out an interesting tidbit about the organization, include it. Be sure to do so in a natural way though. If you start including every little thing you find out, then the purpose of your cover letter will be lost.
So while it can be intimidating to write your cover letter, when you surround yourself with the information you need, it goes so much easier. If you get stuck, take a break and then come back to it. Sometimes a fresh mind is all you need.
About the Author
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end. If you need cover letter samples and tools, go to http://www.NothingbutCoverLetters.com
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=271854
30 October 2007
Ten Tips For Writing An Effective Resume Cover Letter
Resume Tips Articles : Ten Tips For Writing An Effective Resume Cover Letter by Michael Murray
There are two main types of cover letters - document transmittal cover letters and resume cover letters. Document details the documents attached to the cover letter. This cover letter normally accompanies legal papers, booklets, reports, travel documents, product samples, manuscripts, and the like.
Resume cover letter accompanies your resume to prospective employers. The main purpose of such a cover letter is to generate sufficient interest in the reader to consider your resume favorably. The following ten tips can help you write an effective resume cover letter:
1. An ideal cover letter should not exceed a page in length. It should set a professional tone and the language should be free of all unnecessary jargon and similar high-sounding words. A simple expression through easy and common words can create an impressive cover letter.
2. Your cover letter should project your unique qualities and qualifications that give you an edge over other candidates. All the time maintain a concise description of your abilities.
3. Use quality stationery. Your stationery should match your qualities as expressed in your cover letter. Also, maintain same stationery for both your cover letter and resume. Follow the same font and leave large white spaces in between albeit adhering to normal letter and resume specifications.
4. Address your cover letter to a specific person. Do not address it vaguely. Instead, collect relevant information from the company in question and address it to the particular person concerned with hiring of personnel.
5. Your cover letter need not be a long description of your abilities. Rather proceed into the details right from the start as the reader spends just a few seconds going through your letter. You have to create your impression within that time.
6. An effective resume cover letter is essentially a sales letter of your qualifications and abilities. Therefore, you need to sell yourself through your letter.
7. Your selling should be according to the needs of the company. You have to show how you can make a difference to the company.
8. State all facts in clear terms without any ambiguity or exaggeration. You should be ready with all answers at the interview table. Therefore, do not paint any wrong pictures of yourself.
9. Ideally, you should request for an interview in your cover letter. You cannot be waiting for the employer to give you a call. Therefore, it is essential to have a follow-up plan detailed in your cover letter itself.
10. The last but not the least is to adhere to your follow-up plan. You can give a call to your employer to inquire about your application after giving sufficient time.
About the Author
Michael Murray publishes a site filled with helpful articles about how to write a great cover letter.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=430798
Tips for the recruiters - Effortless Resume Data entry
Resume Tips Articles : Tips for the recruiters - Effortless Resume Data entry by Surya
Effective Job Ad
To be effective, a job ad should attract right candidates and motivate them to apply. Consider job ads as marketing tools that can spark interest in the best candidates and ensure that they apply for the job.
The job title should be descriptive and exciting. Title, being the first thing that readers see, should be phrased to grab the job seeker's attention. Include the benefits of working in your company. List requirements as bullet points rather than a block of text. Include only the "must have" skills as requirements.
As you create the job ad, keep in mind that your primary goal is to sell the job and the company.
Create email templates using Contact Managers
Recruiters and Human Resource managers often repeatedly compose similar documents. This task can be made very simple by creating templates in contact managers like ACT! and GoldMine. Templates for letters, memos, faxes and email messages can be created and reused whenever required.
Effortless Resume data-entry
Entering scores of resumes daily into my database is an overwhelming task. How can I make it simple and fast, so that I get enough time to recruit?
Try ResumeGrabber. It captures resumes in any format at one go and enters them into your database, eliminating all the manual data-entry steps.
ResumeGrabber extracts all relevant contact details and job skills from a resume and automatically creates a contact in ACT!, Outlook, GoldMine or web-based ATS.
This leaves you with more time for recruiting, while ResumeGrabber does all the resume data-entry work for you.
Download your 10-day free trial copy today.
About the Author
Working as a Product Marketing Specialist for eGrabber Inc.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=460763
Resume Tips
Resume Tips by Tony Jacowski
More often than not, people feel overconfident and treat the approach a bit too casually. However, you should make sure that both the cover letter and the resume are well drafted, so that they make a lasting impression on the reader. They should be planned to stand out in content as well as presentation.
The Importance Of A Good First Impression
The First Impression is usually the Last Impression. In today's highly competitive world, creating a good first impression is extremely important. This is where the resume plays a very important role in contributing towards success in landing a job. A resume is the most effective tool that can help you win a coveted interview opportunity. How To Create A Good First Impression
Writing an impressive resume is an important part of your job search preparation. Keep in mind that your resume is indeed a catalog of your abilities. Here are a few steps on how to write a resume that will leave a lasting impression:
- It is very important to create your resume in a professional and appropriate format. There are two basic formats that are used - Functional and Chronological. - When creating your resume, you can use the free resume forms that are posted on the Internet. However, be careful that your resume doesn't end up looking like a cookie-cutter template. - The two most important factors to keep in mind while creating your resume are correct grammar and proper punctuation. Using proper punctuation marks is vital for conveying clear and precise business messages. A resume that contains plenty of grammatical errors creates a bad impression. If you are unable to proofread your own resume, get another professional or a friend to do it for you. - Make use of industry-oriented words that help you to come across as a highly knowledgeable and professional person. - Most people think that a comprehensive resume that describes all their past and present achievements is the best way to showcase their skills and expertise. However, this is not true. As a rule, you only need to go back about 5-6 years. Unless you are a recent grad, that job you had in high school is probably irrelevant.
Whether or not you have a professional degree from a coveted institute and are on the lookout for an entry-level position, it is important to market yourself efficiently. Your main aim should be to display your abilities, skill, work experience, educational qualifications, projects, achievements and anything that might work to your advantage.
About the Author
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=474621
29 October 2007
PongoResume - Resume Software
Resume Software - PongoResume
PongoResume is the flagship product of Pongo Software, LLC, a premier provider of web-based software. Pongo's ResumeBUILDER suite of career management tools provides a one-stop, comprehensive solution for creating job-winning resumes and completing successful career moves. An affiliate can leverage Pongo's technical solutions to position itself as an indispensable career resource.
In today's competitive job market, a well-written resume is the single most important factor in landing the perfect position. Four million registered users have used Pongo's application to write a great resume in minutes. Resume BUILDER and PUBLISHER give users the tools to create, print, e-mail, and fax their resumes, quickly and easily, all in one convenient location - online! Users receive expert guidance on writing their resume: industry and occupation-specific advice and recommendations for their personal career situation, at no extra cost. Pongo Resume - The Internet's most widely used collection of job search tools.
Most studies show that the average job-seeker will change careers (not jobs) several times over the course of his or her lifetime. At any given moment 1/3 of web site visitors are actively looking for employment.
- Interesting Job and Resume Facts
- Currently the average worker changes jobs every 2.5 years.
- During the last two decades the average worker changes careers 7 times.
- Passive Job Seekers: 67% of surveyed professionals say they are selectively looking for new employment opportunities.
- Job security in current economic conditions requires individuals to always have a current, immediately accessible, resume online to respond to better job opportunities.
- The job seeker needs to be always looking, and not just after a layoff.
Our Management Team
Dan MillerChairman Dan is Managing Partner of Startup Florida Ventures. Startup Florida promotes the creation and acceleration of technology businesses by providing capital, mentoring, and a supportive community for entrepreneurs.
Prior to co-founding Pongo Software, Dan founded BizTank, and was President of PlanetResume.com. BizTank provides mentoring, strategy, and capital formation services to high-growth entrepreneurial businesses. PlanetResume.com was an early pioneer within the on-line recruiting industry.
Prior to founding PlanetResume.com, Dan was a principal and Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing of Software House, Inc., a leading provider of facility access control security systems sold worldwide to Fortune 500 and government customers.
Rodney Capron, Jr. President/CEOIn addition to his role as President/CEO of Pongo Software, Rodney is founder and President/CEO of Synthenet Corporation, a full-service web development firm which builds measurable web-based solutions that solve complex business process challenges. Since its inception, Synthenet has had the opportunity to develop over 170 exciting and challenging projects. A partial list of past and current clients include: Polaroid Corporation, Top-Flite, PalmGear.com, ecookbooks.com, Brooks Automation, Working Advantage, Geoff & Drew's, Starrett Company, the Trustees of Reservations and School for Field Studies.
Prior to founding Synthenet Corporation, he was Director of Sales and Marketing and part owner of Argent Media Group, Ltd., also a web development company. Rodney brings over fifteen years of extensive sales, management, and technical expertise to his position at Pongo Software.
Michael R. Neece VP Business DevelopmentMichael leads business development initiatives for Pongo Software. He is the founding CEO of Interview Mastery, the #1 job interview software in the world. He is the inventor on two patents (now pending) for hiring software and processes innovation.
Michael’s career includes twenty plus years of experience that includes business leadership, technology development, and HR. Previous positions held include Vice President at International Data Group (IDG), Director at Fidelity Investments, Senior Partner at Source Services Corp., Operations Manager, and Engineer at Honeywell. His experience also includes roles in executive leadership, operations, manufacturing engineering, business development, sales, purchasing, materials management, product development, quality assurance, testing, and international project management.He holds a Masters in Engineering from Boston University and a BS in Physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
For more information, please visit http://www.10minuteresume.com/Source: http://www.10minuteresume.com/content/1/about-us.cfm
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Source: For more information, please visit http://www.crsresume.com/
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27 October 2007
From Pizza Guy to Professional: Three Resume Tips for New College Grads
Resume Tip Articles : From Pizza Guy to Professional: Three Resume Tips for New College Grads by Deborah Walker
As a career coach, I'm often asked by new college grads how to write a compelling resume when they have little or no professional experience. How can you demonstrate the ability to perform in a professional capacity, such as accounting, marketing or engineering, with a resume that includes positions like pizza delivery guy, car wash attendant, or quick-stop market cashier?
If you find yourself in the same dilemma, don't despair! Here are three tips to write a new college grad resume that will capture the attention of employers and win you interviews.
1. Highlight Your Potential
One of the top reasons employers hire recent graduates is the opportunity to mold new hires to their own corporate culture and work philosophy. This hiring strategy motivates employers to look more for potential than for specific experience-a secret that not many graduates realize.
No matter what jobs you have held, there are sure to be things you have done that show your potential. You will attract more employer attention if you pack your resume full of those examples. For instance:
* How you solved problems on the job
* How you went beyond the call of duty to satisfy a customer
* When you thought of a new way to do something faster
* How you were able to help your supervisor or coworkers meet an important goal
In a work world full of mediocre plodders, drive and ambition is hard to find. Smart companies value candidates with the potential to solve their future corporate challenges.
2. Demonstrate Your Work Ethic
Employers are interested in finding new talent with strong work ethic. One way to illustrate this is by showing how you juggled school life and real life. Indicate with each employment entry how many college credits you handled while employed full or part-time. A student who has had to work during college has learned to manage time wisely, set priorities and make the best use of limited resources. These are qualities that every employer values.
In addition, you might want to include any internship experience you have. While the experience might not have been a paid position, it can still showcase your ability to work in a professional capacity. And semester-long school projects can also be a good opportunity to demonstrate your ability to perform, working well with a group and creating a finished product.
3. Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Employers are always looking for future leaders. You can illustrate this with extracurricular and volunteer activities you participated in during college. List positions of leadership as well as committees you helped chair. Don't forget to include how you benefited those organizations. For instance, how you:
* Helped organize a fund or membership drive
* Planned an annual event that drew X% more than the previous year
* Recruited entertainment to promote an on-campus event
* Led a campaign that resulted in a change of campus policy
Coursework also offers opportunity to demonstrate leadership, as well as team-building ability. Be sure to include examples like:
* When you led a team of classmates in a research project that resulted in publication
* How you created a class presentation that led to greater insight into a complex subject
The time and effort you spend incorporating these three tips into your resume will lead to better job opportunities right from the start. Don't be like many who spend their first few years out of college fumbling from one dead-end job to another. Start your job search off right with a resume that illustrates your potential, work ethic, and leadership, and soon you'll be on the path to a rewarding professional career.
About the Author
Deborah Walker, CCMC is a career coach who works with recent college graduates preparing them to compete in the toughest job markets. Her clients gain top performing skills in resume writing, interview preparation and salary negotiation. Learn more about Deborah Walker, career coach at: http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=633576
Resume Tips To Nail That Job Interview
Resume Tips Articles : Resume Tips To Nail That Job Interview by Belinda Sinclair
Your resume is extremely important. Think about it. In the span of a few pages, you need to convey that YOU are worthy of at least being considered for that job vacancy. It really doesn't matter if you are applying for a manager job or an executive position, what's important is that the resume contents and resume layout fit the position at hand. Sadly, many ruin their chances at job success because they cannot format their resumes properly. Don't be one of them. Follow our resume tips and you'll get the chance you deserve.
Resume Tips to Help you Get that Job Interview Call
Before you go on your hunt for great job interview tips, you should first focus on writing a great resume. After all, the job interview will come IF your resume says you deserve it.
Resume Tip No. 1 - Different resume types require different resume formats.
Your resume is really your 'first impression' and just like any real, one-on-one interview, it's important that your resume conveys the right 'image'. Whether it's a executive resume or one for a mid-level position, it's best present it with a cover letter outlining the highlights of your career. For the succeeding pages, it's best to list your work experience in reverse chronological order (i.e., most recent first). For new graduates, it's best to start your resume with your educational attainment and any related 'on-the-job' training or seminars even if you are currently employed.
Apart from the above, you can't go wrong with using a clear, easy-to-read font like Times New Roman 10 pt or 12 pt. Also, assuming you send in your resume via email, use general Word processing software like Microsoft Word. Don't use the latest version as it may not yet be used by those handling recruitments, rending your resume un-openable and thus, useless.
Resume Tip No. 2 - Include a no B.S. executive summary.
Job recruiters get really annoyed when they're fed with Executive Summaries that are VAGUE. The Executive Summary must answer the question on why you are the best candidate for the job. The best resume layout for this would be to enumerate your skills in a bulleted list. Each skill should be written so that it clearly shows how that skill makes you a perfect fit for the job vacancy in particular, and the company in general.
Resume Tip No. 3 - Do NOT lie.
Who doesn't embellish his resume to get that job interview? That's true... but don't exaggerate to the point of lying either. For instance, you know that figures are great in resumes, but don't say "Managed a $50 million dollar publishing project..." if it you cannot back up that figure. Don't forget that job recruiters, especially for managerial and executive positions, really do check up with previous employers.
Resume Tip No. 4 - What about online resumes?
A great resume tip that doesn't cost anything at all is to view sample online resumes! There's a lot of information out there for different types of resumes with samples to boot so do give them a try. Apart from free samples, there are also ready-to-use online resume templates you can purchase where all you need to do is just 'fill out the blanks'. If you opt for this, just ensure that the template really fits your resume needs.
Resume Tip No. 5 - Hire a professional resume writer.
When all else fails, or if you don't have the time, or the job is simply too important that you want to go in with your BEST chance at landing a job interview, then by all means, get the services of a professional resume writer. Not everybody is blessed with having that special way with words so a professional CV writer can definitely help you. Note too that such a person can help you 'smooth out' some job history problems you may have such as employment gaps or 'job hopping' trends (i.e., moving from one job to another in relative short periods of time).
When it comes top writing resumes, you should always put your best foot forward so you get called for that job interview. Hopefully, the resume tips we've provided here helps you achieve exactly that.
About the Author
Belinda Sinclair empowers men and women to increase their Wow Factor through personal development and image makeovers. Visit http://www.novawhite.com/?source=is16 for amazingly affordable professional tooth whitening systems.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=616092
Quick And Easy Tips About Resume Categories
Resume Tips Articles : Quick And Easy Tips About Resume Categories by Quick and Affordable Resumes Team
There are several factors that are essential to a strong resume.
VISUAL APPEAL
Make it attractive and organized by being consistent! Be sure to use tabs instead of spacing. Each element should be presented the identical way from section to section. For example, if you center and bold a heading, center and bold all of your headings. If you indent your experience under an employer, do the same for the rest. If you use just the years for a position held, do not use months for the other positions. If you skip one line between two sections, skip only one line between all sections. When you are done, examine the format. Does it look uniformed?
Many job seekers make the mistake of creating a simple, hard-to-read heading or "Resume Letterhead." To start your resume off right, bold and capitalize your name and make it at least a 16-point font size. Place your address in an interesting way. For example. break the address up on either side of the name, placed in the center, and add a line to separate the name and address from the body of the resume.
FOCUS
Indicate your objective so the reader doesn't have to guess. Instead of using an objective statement that really doesn't say anything specific, place an objective title in its place, all caps and bold. Or:
Wrong/boring/cliché: OBJECTIVE: Seeking to secure a growth-oriented position utilizing my experience and education.
Alternative: traditional/focused: OBJECTIVE: Customer service representative with five years of experience in automotive manufacturing seeking a sales position with a major auto dealership.
QUALIFICATIONS
List several key qualifications (hard skills) that match the requirements of a position. This could include length of experience, type of experience (i.e. sales, customer service, technical expertise, licenses, certifications, and degree).
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Sparingly list soft skills and personality traits well suited for the position. This should not be confused with qualifications. This could include strong communication skills used as a group presenter, excellent time management skills, people-oriented, project-oriented, team leadership, problem solving skills, mathematical aptitude, confidentiality, patient advocate, etc.
EXPERIENCE
Provide a presentation of where you worked, in what positions, and for how long. Convey what the positions were about and what your main responsibilities were. Take into consideration who you reported to, if you supervised and trained anyone, who your customers were, how you interacted with them, what type of projects you worked on, if you handled monies or managed budgets, if you utilized the computer to retrieve and update information, etc.
SKILLS
If you possess certain technical skills such as patient care, computer systems, automotive repair, scientific R&D, etc., be sure to emphasize it in a situational way to show the reader how you used these skills. If you have extensive computer skills, be sure to create a separate category called Technical Expertise.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
List accomplishments to show you make a difference in the workplace. This could include process improvements, streamlining workflow efficiencies, training others when a new computer system was implemented, starting up a new department, etc. You can include your accomplishment directly under each position or in a separate category called Accomplishments, Achievements, or Contributions.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
This is an important category for an information technology professional to itemize their expertise in hardware, software, operating systems, protocols, programming languages, website development, etc.
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
This is mandatory for many positions requiring state licensure. For example, a teacher (teaching certificate), nurse (registered nurse), hairstylist (state licensed cosmetologist). Some occupations offer certifications that demonstrate a level of proficiency, but is not state mandated to work in that capacity. This is true in the case of information technology, for example,it helps to maintain certain certifications to advance professionally and demand higher pay.
EDUCATION
As with licenses and certifications, many occupations require a degree. Some certifications and licenses are not offered without appropriate academic training. Again, these include teaching, nursing, and cosmetology. These occupations require a certain level of training defined by hours or semesters, such as student teaching, clinical training, and hands-on classroom training. If you have experience and are not transitioning, list your education at the bottom. If you are just starting out or are transitioning, include your relevant education at the top. The main idea is to place your strongest selling points first. If you are in a higher education such as school principal, list your education at the top because that is your field.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
List only the current organizations that you are affiliated with. If you were with an organzation for a very long time and it would help to include it, then list it with the years of membership. If you are involved in doing things for the organization, include "active" in your "membership" title. For example, Active Member, ABC Organization, 1998 - Present. If you are actively involved in many unrelated organizations, use your discretion when deciding to include it. You do not need to list experience when listing your affiliations. Just your position, i.e. Chairperson, The Organization, XXXX. You do not need to list locations. The exception with the verbiage is if you are a college student or just graduated. You would then want to include how involved you were in fundraisers and special projects. That will show your character and leadership potential. Once you have gained experience, be sure to remove the verbiage so you don't look "green." By then you should have more impressive information to include.
COMPUTER SKILLS
If you are in information technology, use a Technical Expertise category. If not, list your software without proficiency level. You do not need to list email, faxing, and calculators. Those are expected.
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
This category is not necessary. You should bring copies of your references to the interview to leave with the hiring manager if you feel you are still interest in the company after the interview. The only time it is a good idea to include this cliche category is if you are just starting out in your career. If you are very seasoned and have lots of letter of recommendation, you can always indicate that you have a "Portfolio of Letters of Recommendation and Exceptional Professional References"
Article Content from: 123-Character-education.com
About the Author
Good "Character Education" site: 123-Character-education.com
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=604995
10 Resume Writing Tips To Landing A Job
Resume Tips Articles : 10 Resume Writing Tips To Landing A Job by Fenick Jean
This whole thing about writing resumes has totally gone insane. Crafting a resume is quite simple. Simply be yourself, do not use funky colors, and sell your qualifications. Here are the top 10 resume writing tips to ending your job search and landing you a job.
1. To begin, top off everything with your name. Be proud of your name since that's what you're actually selling to the interviewers.
2. In some cases, but not always, employment professionals recommend listing the type of position sought. Meanwhile, others say this is limiting, and that you should keep the options open.
3. Some employment experts recommend your qualifications be placed high and above. List your job qualifications concisely, careful not to be too obvious by exaggerating your qualifications.
4. Sell the real you and your actual qualifications. Providing misleading information about yourself could lead to potential jobs that would be wrong for you and the employer.
5. When the appropriate time comes, use action verbs. Avoid putting your reader or interviewer to sleep. Don't overdue it.
6. There's no substitute for honest. At all cost, never ever lie on your resume. A single deception could get you booted from the list of candidates for the job and in extreme cases; you can get fired when the truth is discovered long after you were hired.
7. Simply be honest but don't over brag. Lightly brag about true accomplishments without sounding line an egomaniac. Remember, employers undoubtedly are reviewing other resumes in which your competitors are unafraid to applaud themselves. Don't give the competitors the edge because of dishonesty and too much bragging.
8. When it comes to education, list major schooling first and avoid far-away basics, such as elementary schools. Very few employers, unless they're relatives, care about those early years in school. Some experts recommend education be listed toward the end, especially if you haven't had much schooling or training for the job your applying for.
9. If you've earned a few awards or recognitions, be sure to include their details. In some cases, this could prove the difference in getting an interview.
10. Finally, when adding references to your resume, only add those references that may help you get the job. Do not include your old friend Tommy whom you haven't seen in many years and have no clue about the job you're applying for. Before you add someone as a reference, call them and acknowledge them ahead or after.
About the Author
Fenick Jean is a Radiologic Technologist and runs web site called The Corporate & Small Busines Manual. He also enjoys writing about Credit Cards & Debt Management Tips
Source:http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=601856
Why A Good Cover Letter Is Essential To Your Success
Resume Cover Letter Articles : Why A Good Cover Letter Is Essential To Your Success by John Murray
Cover letters makes a good and lasting impression on your prospective employer. It comes as an introduction to your resume. Although there are conflicting debates about the utility of a cover letter, it does no harm. Supporters ascribe importance of a cover letter. They insist that some employers like to read cover letters to get an idea of the contents of your resume. Some others just flip ahead of cover letters directly into your resume.
Ideally, cover letters highlight the important and interesting points in your resume. This letter rather garners interest in the reader to delve deep into your resume and give it a thorough reading than just a glance. Hence, a well-written cover letter leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Writing a good cover letter is no Herculean task nor does it need any extra intelligence or prowess.
A successful cover letter only needs to be apt, concise, and at the same time provide valuable details. It actually sells your qualifications long before your employer probes deep into the details in your resume. The latter also provides ample clarifications for any ambiguous details in your resume. Rather, it pushes your credentials to such scaling heights that your prospective employer cannot resist the urge to call you for an interview.
Essentially, cover letter should not be repetitive of the contents in your resume. It should only highlight your achievements, special qualifications, and specific details of your character or work capabilities. A good cover letter projects your suitability to the job and it shows how you can be an asset to the organization. Therefore, while writing a cover letter focus more on how you can adapt to the needs of the organization. You should not stress on your qualifications alone.
Normally resumes are the same irrespective of the company you are applying for a job. The cover letter should ideally change and be different for every organization. You cannot and rather should not prepare a stereotyped cover letter for mailing to different vacancies at different organizations.
Every cover letter should essentially highlight and specify the special elements in your resume as suitable to the respective organization. Detailing your interests and explaining importance of working in a particular company with such relevant interests can assure you an interview at the company.
You can be successful through dint of your hard work. However, you need to be a member of an organization to work hard and earn accolades. Therefore, your cover letter helps you present your resume in an interesting and endearing fashion to your employers. It is more of a convincing tool to make your employer view your resume in a special light and grant you a favorable interview at the earliest.
About the Author
John Murray publishes a blog filled with helpful articles about how to write great cover letters.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=234858
Passing the test of the cover letter
Resume Cover Letter Articles : Passing the test of the cover letter by Amelie Mag
Many people have asked themselves how to write a cover letter the best way. What is the recipe for the most successful cover letter? While there are a couple of hints and pieces of advice we can give, there is no way we can tell you from now that this or that kind of cover letter is the perfect one.
People are looking for recipes all the time. Because we live in such a fast world and we have to do too many things in limited time, we are always looking for blueprints of behavior. We no longer take the time to think things through ourselves. We want to make other people think and work for us instead. We want professionals to give us the recipe on how to live, even if we have to pay them for that.
This kind of attitude applies to many things in life including the process of getting a job and writing the proper cover letter. At the same time, it is true that there are certain requests that companies make about how to write a cover letter, which may make the cover letter less personal and more typified than we would like them to be. So yes, maybe you do need some help from a professional about how to write a cover letter.
We will try to give you some precious advice on how to write a cover letter. While giving indications, we want to underline the fact that perhaps the most important advice is not to apply everything you learn about the cover letter automatically, but to think everything through yourself and to try to introduce at least a few personal elements in your cover letter. Nobody can tell you how to write a cover letter better than yourself.
Think about it. What are you supposed to include in the cover letter? The cover letter must contain information about two things: about the company you are applying for and about yourself. On the one hand, you must write briefly what you know about the employing company and why it interests you. You can mention the source of information where you have heard about the company and your reason of fascination with it. On the other hand, you must write about yourself. The cover letter is mainly supposed to show that you really match the job you are applying for. So, while you do include information about yourself, you should write especially about those details that make you fit for the company. It shouldn't be very difficult.
If the cover letter is about yourself and how well you suit the company you are applying for, then who can know better than yourself how the cover letter can be more persuasive. Actually, trusting your instincts to write the cover letter is the first step in gaining that kind of self-confidence that all the companies look for.
Although you have a free hand in what you decide to tell about your qualities, do obey the rules about what a cover letter should be like. Allow yourself to be original, but within limits. I know people who applied for jobs in a bank and how they wrote about their athletic careers in the cover letter. It might appear as an inappropriate choice, but it wasn't. You should present relevant information about yourself for the job that you have chosen, not just brag. My friend, who wrote about his experience as an athlete in his cover letter, did manage to get the job. And he got the job because he showed how that experience taught him to be disciplined, to endure hardship and to sustain long term efforts. Of course a bank would want you to be like that. They would want you to be able to give as much as possible to the company.
If you allow yourself to put in a little bit of honesty and personalize the cover letter, the process of writing it may end up helping you a lot. You may understand how much you like the job just by making this exercise of putting it all down on paper. Or, while you write the cover letter you may discover that there is nothing that matches between you and the job that you are applying for. Discovering something like that may be the best thing that has happened to you, although you may be disappointed on the spot because you may think that you have lost the job and that maybe you will never learn how to write a cover letter. However, in the end, everything will work out to your advantage.
Companies use the cover letter for many reasons when they select people. You can just guess what the reason is and adapt the content of your cover letter according to that. For example, if you are a foreigner, the company may use the cover letter simply to know what your level of written expression is. Other companies may want to test your ability to perform a task so they will provide information about how to write a cover letter and then expect you to fulfill those indications. There are jobs that require a lot of creativity, in which case the cover letter will be just a test of your ability to write something nice, an interesting piece of literature. But in most cases, the cover letter is just there to do the very basic function it was meant to do - to introduce you to the company and the people who will make the decision about your hiring and to prove that you are actually fit for that position.
The cover letter isn't meant to be an impediment in your hiring process. You must think of it as a helping hand when trying to figure out what your contribution to the company is. Researching and putting a little effort in writing the cover table will surely help you get the job.
Being tested is a part of life and you have to get used to it. Getting a job implies a lot of tests and among the first ones that you will have to pass is the cover letter . You have to know to express yourself and sell your abilities to the hiring company. In a few words - you have to know how to write a cover letter .
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=233201
Yes, you need a cover letter!
Resume Cover Letter Articles : Yes, you need a cover letter! by Jennifer Anthony, Resume Expert
People ask me daily, "Do I really need a cover letter?"
And every day I answer, "Yes, you do!"
The cover letter is an essential document in your job search. If you want to end up on the "contact for an interview" list, read on to learn how a professionally written cover letter can benefit you.
A cover letter announces what position you would like to apply for.
Imagine you are a decision maker for a Fortune 500 company. This company receives over two million internet hits daily on its careers page. Now consider how many resumes might be submitted each week. Without an accompanying cover letter, the hiring manger has to weed through the resume pile, attempting to discern what job- seekers are applying for. It is likely that many of the resumes end up being tossed aside. Sending a cover letter keeps the hiring manager from making assumptions when it concerns your resume.
A cover letter offers an added opportunity for you to market yourself.
What do you have to offer an employer that is distinctive? Do you have interests or expertise not listed on your resume? Sending a cover letter allows you to explain more of your "features and benefits" and demonstrate all of your unique qualifications. If you are willing to work extended hours or weekends, you can include this information as a unique selling point.
A cover letter allows you to explain details you avoided in your resume.
Why is there a large gap in your employment history? Are you changing careers? Why are you interested in XYZ Company? Why are you applying for a job in Tampa when you live in Denver (was it a mistake or are you relocating)? You can utilize your cover letter to answer many questions a hiring manager might have when reviewing your resume.
A well-written cover letter demonstrates excellent communication skills.
In every job, communication is important. Even if you do not directly interact with clients or customers, you will interact with coworkers and supervisors in meetings, in the lunchroom, and over the telephone.
It's well known that job-seekers with good communication skills are highly sought after in today's job market. Sending a cover letter suggests good business etiquette and proves that you have common courtesy; both are qualities of someone with solid communication skills.
A cover letter provides you the opportunity to ask for the interview.
Yes, you should request an interview, and you can do this without asking an actual question. Tell the employer how much you would love the opportunity to meet with them. As an added bonus, you could explain what you plan on doing for the company once you get started. If you're feeling confident, go ahead and say you will call to arrange a meeting with them.
A cover letter can reveal that you have done your homework on the company.
If you illustrate that you know a few things about the company, you will seem more believable when you express how enthusiastic you are about the company and how excited you are by the opportunity. Sending out the same generic cover letter template to 50 job announcements just can't create the same effect.
About the Author
Jennifer Anthony is the owner of ResumeASAP, offering professional and affordable resume writing services.
If you have comments about this article, or if you are interested in learning more about professional resume writing, please contact Jennifer Anthony at resumeasap@gmail.com.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=232875
How To Write A Winning Cover Letter
Resume Cover Letter Articles : How To Write A Winning Cover Letter by Yulin Peng
The cover letter that accompanies your resume on your job search is the first thing that your prospective employer sees - your first advertisement. Naturally you must embellish your cover letter with certain qualities so that it leaves a good impression on the employer about you. A cover letter that looks professional and smart will be good advertisement for you. Use good quality stationery, print the copy in fonts that are large enough to read and have a professional look. That will leave the person look at it with approval.
Your name and contact address on top of the page along with your contact details, phone numbers. e-mail ids etc. followed by the date of writing the letter. Below the date, print the name of the person to whom the letter is addressed. A word here. Find out the correct name of the person who is reading the letter and you will serve your cause well. Make sure that you have the name and the designation right (no spelling mistakes) because the slightest oversight here could make a big difference. People are very sensitive about their names and designations. A bit of research (such as calling the company to confirm the details) will do. Address the person formally with a Mr. Or a Ms or whatever is appropriate - do not ignore any Dr. or Professor wherever required.
Having thus put the employer in a pleasant state of mind, your letter must now proceed to make a real impression. Form letters will make no impressions on anyone, so customize your cover letter for each job. Keep the content of the cover letter simple and professional in tone and about half a page in length (stretching to a maximum of one page). Briefly mention the job you have applied for in the first paragraph and the source from where you have heard of the opening.
In the second paragraph briefly highlight the qualities that make you the best candidate for the job. Think creatively and write persuasively and crisply. Put yourself in the employer's shoes and present yourself in a manner that would attract his attention. One way is to mention how you could add to the organization's bottom line. Be careful not to repeat what is in the resume.
Merely use a line or two to say why you are the best person for the job. A phrase that gives them the idea that you have done your homework about the company would leave them in a favorable state of mind as well.
It is important that you leave your personal mark so write it in your own words because that adds a touch of authenticity to it and makes it stand out from a lot of form letters. Having put together a neat letter make sure that there are no grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. Check and recheck and get it proof read by a third person.
Add the most important bit i.e. closing the transaction by requesting time for an interview and mentioning the time when you would follow up. And having done that, please do follow up. Mention the enclosures after your signature.
Good luck!
About the Author
Yulin Peng is a recruiting researcher and the owner of http://www.job-employment-guide.com. Please visit his site for more free employment tips.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=225192
23 October 2007
10 Tips for Resume Writers
Resume Tips Articles - 10 Tips for Resume Writers by Alvah Parker
Whether you are happily entrenched in a job, engaged in an active job search or thinking about a career change everyone who is working today needs a current updated resume even if the job you are at is your first! It is worth the time and effort to update your resume at least once or twice a year. Add more recent accomplishments to it. Keep a file of accomplishments you have removed so that you can use them if they are appropriate for a particular position you are applying for. Those who have a ready resume can immediately respond when that perfect opportunity presents itself. Here are some ideas to think about when writing that resume
1. It's a Marketing Document - Remember your resume is your introduction to the hiring manager. Its purpose is to convince the manager that you are someone worth interviewing. Put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes. What is that person looking for? How do you attract his/her attention?
2. Show Your Accomplishments - Every accomplishment on your resume can be written in a format: Problem, Solution, Result. Sometimes the problem is understood and doesn't need to be stated but the solution and the result must be there. If you can quantify the result in some way that really adds to your resume.
3. Grab Their Attention Immediately - Use the top third of the first page to attract their attention. Give a summary of the achievements that makes you the ideal candidate. Depending on the job you are applying for, this might include skills that you have or even achievements in a particular skill. Use whatever works for your particular job level.
4. Customize Each Resume - It is rare that you will use exactly the same resume for two jobs. Look at the job ad and familiarize yourself with the job description. Use some of the words that they use to highlight your experience. Keep a copy of the resume and the job ad you send to each company and/or position. Be a good record keeper! You'll want to bring the right resume to your interview.
5. Use Action Words - Your resume paints a picture of who you are. Action words make the picture more vivid and dynamic. Words such as led, delivered, achieved, slashed, transformed etc. give the hiring manager a more desirable picture of your talents.
6. Eliminate Passive Tense - Using the passive makes it sound like you didn't do much. The active voice makes the action yours. Example: passive -"was chosen to head team that..." or active - "Led team that... "
7. Use Key words - When applying on line be sure to use words from job ad. Today most companies use software to scan resumes. If you haven't included the words from the job ad, your resume won't even be read!
8. Resumes Are Scanned - Some resumes especially snail mailed ones are put in a pile on the desk of the hiring manager. This person has many resumes to look at. He or she spends 15 to 20 seconds looking at yours. Make it easy for the person to scan it for the information they are looking for. Use bolding appropriately. Make the resume look attractive with lots of white space. Dense resumes discourage the reader.
9. Maximum of Two Pages - The objective of your resume is to get the interview not tell your life story. If you are recently out of school one page is fine. For people with a long career, two pages, highlighting the last 10 to 15 years, is sufficient.
10. Use Appropriate Accomplishments - Pick accomplishments that are appropriate for the job you are applying for. Show that you have had the exact experiences the company needs.
About the Author
Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (the attorney's coach) and a Career Transition Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. You may subscribe to these publications at her website www.asparker.com. Parker's Value Program© enables her clients to find their own way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. Alvah is found on the web at www.asparker.com.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=579259
Where Can I Create My Resume? 3 Resume Creation Solutions, Tips and Tricks
Resume Tips Article
Where Can I Create My Resume? 3 Resume Creation Solutions, Tips and Tricks by Ross Dolac
So you're fresh to the workforce and you know that you can land that dream job, if only the employer knew about you. Whether you're straight out of college or you're just now looking for a great new job, you need a resume.
You might be asking yourself, exactly where can I create my resume, in not only a cost effective manner but also retain that professional look that will practically have mine jumping out of the pile at my potential employer.
You know when it comes down to creating your resume you really have about 3 options. Some options are obviously better than others, but being mindful of all of them will drastically help you when it comes to making a decision concerning the process.
1. Hiring a Professional Resume Writing Service
When a lot of people ask themselves "Where can I create my resume," they may think that a professional resume writing service will be absolutely needed. In my experience I have found this to be a sort of half truth. Yes, I agree you can get a very nice resume from one of these services, but is going to cost you (usually over $300).
I know when I was fresh out of college or unemployed and looking for a great job, I didn't have $300 or more to shell out to one of these guys. If you've got the money, I'd say you may consider this option, but be weary of the following factors:
A lot of people who claim to be professionals at anything, are usually not even close. Anyone can read a couple books on effective resume writing and begin to make these claims.
These services will not likely make your resume stand out. They all have a set template for writing these things, and everyone and their brother uses these services.
As I spoke of earlier, they cost an arm and a leg. If you are tight on cash like most job seekers you'll have trouble dropping $300 or more on this type of service.
2. Free Online Resume Creators
Sounds great.. Everyone loves that word "FREE" huh? If you are thinking of this option let me just stop you right here, and say "Please Don't!" Listen, your resume is serious business, and is the very thing that will land you that dream job. If you don't take it seriously, how do you expect potential employers to react?
I can tell you straight away, your nice free resume, could be the next one face down in the recycling bin! It's not that these services are all that bad, but they just don't offer the flexibility and features you need when creating your resume.
Remember that old saying "You get what ya' pay for?" Well that may be most certainly true in this circumstance.
Moreover, most of these free resume creators are anything but. Sure, you can "create" your resume for free, but what about printing, emailing, or faxing the thing? All of the sudden, you've just wasted an hour spitting out a subpar resume that you've actually got to pay for.
If you can't even trust these people to be upfront with you from the beginning, how can you trust them with the rest of your life and your ultimate career goals? It's kind of a no-brainer.
3. Resume Writing Software
So what are these things? This type of software walks you step by step through a series of questions. Each section has tips, hints, and proven templates for a successful resume. You simply fill in the required fields, and it does the rest.
Once finished it spits out a very nice resume that you can print, email, fax -- or transmit in any way necessary to the appropriate persons.
There are plenty of these things on the market, and naturally some are better than others. Some higher end products will cost you, but you can find some real gems for no more than $40-$100 with all the functionality you will ever need to create a great resume.
In my opinion, this is really the best option to create a personalized, professional, well laid out resume. It really allows you to add your own personal style, but keeps structure and professionalism in mind. It's like having your own professional resume writer by your side, all you've got to do is answer a few questions and viola!
But there are some downsides as with almost anything. Some of these softwares are worse than free resume creators. Here's a tip to finding a reputable piece of software:
Do a simple search in Google for the software's name, and/or it's creator. If the software is good you will find several results and judging by the comments of past customers you will be able to make a pretty safe purchase.
If you are searching for the name of the creator of the software, again you should be able to find several results. Usually over 100,000 results means that the person is highly regarded in this particular field, and they know what they're doing.
When you're asking yourself, Where can I create my resume it can be a seemingly daunting task. It really doesn't have to be, at all. Simply use some common sense, think like your employer would think, and most important of all stand out from the crowd.
Here's an additional tip:
Statistics show that only 1% of resumes received by employers actually grab the attention of the reviewer at first glance. How can you land yourself in this 1% group? Simple. Create an effective cover letter.
Your cover letter is the first thing potential employers see. Some of them will not even go past the cover letter if it's not appealing enough! Seems crazy but it's the truth. Knowing the tips and tricks of creating a great cover letter, will almost guarantee that you have the edge over 99% of your competitors.
About the Author
Download your 3 FREE Bonus Reports from world renowned copywriter and president of CareerJimmy, Jimmy Sweeney at with Amazing Resume Creator -- Get: Cover Letter Templates, Amazing Job Interview Success, and 3 Salary Negotiation Secrets!
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=569195
Resume tips
Resume tips by Mr. Kiran
Resume: Example Resume: Page 1 email address and phone numbers Your Name in Bold Software Engineer,etc. Other contact details or location Job handle, eg. Programmer.A brief profile or introduction that summarizes what you have to offer and what you have achieved so far, using keywords that will attract recruiters rather than a few lines. Then exlain most important assets, no ambitious objectives. Stick to the highest level of concept which you will be justifying these assets later in the resume. Show how your professionalism has deepened and give a suggestion of the levels at which you can operate and the vision and approach that will inspire your future performance.
Recent Career: If your recent working achievements are paramount move this section before the professional assets so that the name of the employer, your job title and your professional roles are what first catches attention; this section should occupy nearly the final 1/3 of page 1 and about half of page 2, enough so they can see who you've been working for and at what level. There are no rules about what you have to say but it works best to set the scene, break your story down into roles and areas of influence and tell the reader how you have conducted yourself.
Professional: If your professional assets focus mainly on achievement and experience you can have a section here that describes your skills, your knowledge, the technology you have mastered, the sectors you know about, the conceptual level of your vision and professional influence. If your work record in the most recent job is the most spectacular thing in your working life or you can push this section to page 2 of the resume, after the career narrative. If your main claim to fame is your knowledge and qualifications you can headline those assets here where they will immediately catch attention; if not this section might belong on page 2.I would call this section "Education" and focus on the value of any training, schooling or college studies.
A good working formula is, for each aspect of your work that you want to tell them about: what did you find or what was the brief, how did you plan your actions against what objectives or to solve what problems, what creative innovations or above-and-beyond input did you contribute, what were the outcomes and the measurable levels of success of your involvement. Then move down the hierarchy of your recent work, avoiding repeating anything and taking the reader back to when you started that job, so they can see your promotion and progression.
Previous/Early Career: If you use a separate heading like this it shows that you know how to prioritize your career history and it gives you the freedom to vary your resume's format so it can contain a great deal of information in a short space. If the jobs or roles were very different this format gives you the power to break them out and group them in whatever way best suits you. Do not be afraid of complexity: most of us have been greatly influenced by technology changes and the fashions in business gurus; just let it all be there in your resume but focused on you and your ability to roll. The only universal font that is native to Windows is Times Roman, which looks OK printed. Avoid all graphic effects, boxes, photos, etc.
A personal section: This could include things like languages you speak, countries where you have done business, study or research you undertake out of leisure interest, involvement with good causes, participation in fitness activities or any hobbies that show you in a good light.
Resume Cover Letter : "Yes" can be the unconscious reaction from the first moment the recruiter scans your resume cover letter. The cover letter that you send with your resume is the ideal place to distinguish yourself above other candidates. Intelligent people pick up not just what your words are trying to say but a lot of intuitive information from the style, tone, rhythm and quality of the writing itself. They sense when you are desperate but trying to conceal it. Experienced recruiters may believe they are matching you against a list of skills in the job definition. Most of people generally spoil their application by sending in boring, casual letters. A great resume cover letter is basically five statements of this general type: Here I am and I largely match what you want.... .... this is the summary of my expertise that proves my claim here are some real achievement highlights to reinforce my case; they show... ....the kind of contribution I plan to make out of my combination of vision and ability, possibly delivering even more than you were looking for I'm grateful for your time and would like to discuss this further and get more detailed information and feedback from you. At this stage everything is about impact, not the detail you have in your resume. Do not start repeating all that in the letter.
Take a professional distance The people you are trying to influence have power over your future, so this is not the place for screaming about your achievements and making big demands. The time to negotiate your pay and conditions is when they have already offered you the job. Work at it, getting help from friends and family. You delivered a solution where the others posed questions, doubts and problems. You go through to the next round. By now you should have a great resume and know how to write a strong resume cover letter
Resume Tips
1. Stay above the trivia Strong candidates know how to concentrate on the most recent, most senior and most complex functions in their employment history. They don't waste space on minor skills and repetitions from the distant past. See Resume Writing for some resume methodology and Example Resume for some hints on the architecture.
2. Project a good timeline Your resume is about what you have to offer in the future; you only use your past record to justify your claims to having valuable assets. Summarise the early stuff in your career and focus attention on whatever most powerfully justifies you in the role of candidate. Leave the job detail and your wonderful personality to the interview; leave your objectives and demand till they offer you the job.
3. Focus on assets Don't worry about the functional, the skill-based, the chronological and all the other versions of resume people talk about. Your mission is to find an effective way to showcase whatever assets you have that make you a strong candidate: this can be knowledge, experience, results, opinions about your performance, aspects of your vision, character or working methods.
4. Be positive in a professional way Crazy claims and arrogance do not sit well with experienced recruiters who know enough about life to make up their own minds; the perfect tone to hit with your resume would be to make it sound like one experienced recruiter reporting to another. This means that it has the look and feel of comments about you, not claims by you. If you hit that tone you make a more authentic impression on the reader's conscious and unconscious awareness.
5. The subtle results that really measure you It's great if your resume can shout success like "planned new sales initiative that achieved 150% of target and led to adoption of methods by centers across the organization..." But not everyone will have such visible results, especially during an economic downturn. No need for despair: you can highlight all sorts of less obvious achievements when you describe your recent jobs and roles within each job; how about these to get you going: "...saved the company over 10% on its most important supply contracts through a planned process of inventory consolidation, pricing renegotiation and restructuring delivery timelines and SLAs..." "...initiated the first inter-departmental forum on quality standards against a mood of indifference from the management team and then championed all the advantages of learning, knowledge management, sales reactiveness and customer service quality to the point where a major culture shift became possible and showed up on the balance sheet..."
6: Leave them wondering Some people write resumes so brief they do nothing but shout their headline claims to fame. Other people get stalled on trying to tell the reader everything. The right mix is to give them just enough to start believing in what you have to offer, leaving them plenty to ask when they interview. If you achieve that, you effectively set up the questions they are going to ask and you give yourself all the time in the world to prepare great answers.
Take the time to be yourself Your resume only has very little time to impress but you have too much time to perfect it. If you look in the Ms-Office on your desktop you will find formats for resume writing. Do not loose your identity by presenting the same design like others. There are no rules as to what a resume should be but whatever it looks like it has to convey a proper
message.
Understand what they are looking for The employee should offers the highest level of solution to the problems of the recruiter is trying to solve. Probably do not know exactly what they need and it may change depending on who applies. Your goal is to solve the problem. This does not mean writing a new resume for every single job but it could mean being able to adjust the content of your resume for a particular job.
Avoid resume automation Many people make short, punchy resumes, leading with sections like profile, objectives and achievements, with bullets . Just imagine how boring it is to reader which leads very little chance to get closer with them to understand the stranger. Different people have different opinion, so nobody can tell you what your perfect resume looks like, but there is no rule saying you can't give yourself 2 pages. Basically, you are hoping to tell a short story about your career, interesting enough to engage the reader and have them like you, impressive enough to make them consider you as a candidate and convincing enough for them to believe in what you say. Try to avoid using the first person "I" and "my" because it positions you lower than a more professional form of words.
Just be human The nerves, the fears, the caution, the bravado - all the unprofessional attitudes will show through to the X-ray eyes of an experienced recruiter. You cannot manipulate them or second-guess their opinions. You can only influence them by what your resume says when it speaks to them. So be yourself in your resume writing - let them find the real human being they are lookingfor the applye.
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines whereby the original author's information and copyright must be included. Copyright all rights reserved for the author & pls For more details pls visit http://xtraincome4all.blogspot.com OR http://hairnbeauty.blogspot.com
About the Author
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines whereby the original author's information and copyright must be included. Copyright all rights reserved for the author & pls For more details pls visit http://xtraincome4all.blogspot.com OR http://hairnbeauty.blogspot.com
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=530937
