Secrets of Resume Writing - By Yulin Peng

If there is one skill you need, then resume writing is probably the first and most effective skill that you will have to develop for your job search. Your resume is what sells you as a business proposition to your prospective employers. It is the document that goes along the hallways and rooms of Human Resources managers advertising the fact that you are the right person for the job. It introduces you, sells you and prepares them for what to expect from you at the organization. Naturally it deserves to go to all these people with the right preparation, content and presentation. From the stationery to the font to the envelope, your resume sells everything about you in minute detail. As they say, God is in the details and this is something that prospective employers look for. The details. Simply put, your resume outlines your skill set and your experience to the employer. Once he has finished scanning through your resume your employer would have formed a fair idea of how you can be of use to the organization and what kind of a person you are. The ideal resume should therefore be able to highlight the exact strengths that you have for the job and make you one of the strong contenders for the job. In short it should get you past the first hurdle and get you an interview call. How do you do that? It helps to know the job you applied for because then you can align your strengths around the requirements of the job and the organizational goals and requirements. bunch you achievements, highlights, strengths and qualities appropriately and convey the picture well. What it means is that you must take some time to write your resume with care. That way you give yourself a good shot at the job. Resumes normally fall into categories such as Chronological and Functional. In the chronological resume you mention the events and experiences in a chronological manner with recent jobs listed first. This is a simple and logical format that most people tend to understand easily. Though it is an easy format for people who have stuck to a logical career path it may not be the best option for people who are staring anew or for someone who is shifting jobs. For these people the functional resume is better because it focuses more on the different functional abilities you have accumulated over the years. It would help if you could put across the benefits you have accrued out of the experiences in each function to help the employer get a fair idea of how to slot you. Experts figure that your resume has about 30 seconds to sell your case to the employers. Well-written resumes give the employer's the feeling that 'yes, here is our man'. There must be an energy about your resume, an enthusiasm that's infectious and a creative something that remains with the reader. So work on getting that perfect tone, the perfect layout, your best strengths upfront and make that interview list.

How To Write The Resume - By Ron Arthur

You want that job, oh so bad! The pay is good, the bennies excellent and you have access to the company gym. Your current situation isnt something to write home about either. You feel like a gofer, and the pay just about covers a small roomabove a barber shop. There is one problem the qualifications required for the job are just beyond your experience. As HR Lady, I am constantly bombarded by rsums that are embellished. I cant stress enough how fatal such a practice can be to your chances of getting a job. A recent study, based on 1100 rsums concluded that 43 % had one or more inaccuracies while 13% had more than two. Human Resource executives are constantly on the look out for tell tale signals of embellishments on the rsum, given the high probability of fudging. Since more than half the rsums are telling a tall tale, we tend to take the information thats submitted to us with a fist full of salt. The sad fact is that there is often no real need for that lie. A lot of times the position does not even require a college degree, but the applicant misrepresents his college credentials. The biggest problem I see is people who have not quite completed all the credits required to graduate from college. In the past such transgressions often got ignored. However, due to a few high profile cases the attitudes of the HR professionals have changed considerably. A recent RadioShack CEO claimed to have earned a degree in psychology from a school which didnt even offer that degree. Needless to say, this incident caused a major embarrassment for the company, adversely affected the stock price and demonstrated the need for due diligence while hiring even in the top echelons. The people often feel that they have earned the right to the degree through their on the job learning, even though they are a few credits shy of the actual degree. My recommendation for them: be upfront and take the time off and get the formal degree. Similarly, people are often unnecessarily embarrassed about being laid off, while most reasonable employers understand that in an efficient economy hiring and firing are natural activities. Every once in a while, I see someone representing himself as a Director of Engineering, even though he was a senior engineer. It is quite likely that he thought he was doing the duties of the director, and using the embellished title is OK, but it doesnt look good in front of a hiring manager. Such exaggerated credentials often put the candidate in a worse light than he deserves, and more often than not put that candidate out of consideration. Larger organizations, with the budget often outsource the rsum and credential verification to other companies specializing in such activities. Smaller companies often have to pull together resources for the background check. Ultimately, most companies understand that the integrity of a professional is at least as important as his competence. No one wants a

CFO with questionable ethics, and shady exaggerations on a rsum is a big warning sign.

Advance Your Career by Selling Yourself - By David Richards

Often when it comes to our career we are some of the worst salesman of our abilities and skills. We sell ourselves short in our abilities come review time, or accept less than we are worth out of fear that they will find someone else. Instead of building ourselves up and selling ourselves for maximum value we accept what is given to us and end up doing twice the work for half the pay. One of the most important places you can ever sell yourself is during the interview process for a new job. It is during this process that you should make an effort to build up yourself and sell your skills to the potential employer by making them feel that if they hire anyone else but you they are going to be losing out on an amazing talent. Here are a few tips you can use during your next interview to make the interviewer think WOW! Dress for success. Clothes make the man (or woman) and you should dress as if you were interviewing for the CEO position. Research the company and know the background of it. During the interview show that you have done your homework by asking questions or making comments about a recent press release or company announcement. Ask questions. Most interviewees just answer the questions they are presented and never speak up. Show the interviewer you are truly interested in the company and the job by asking questions relating to the company, your potential job and company culture. Bring samples of your work. Whether you are an artist or a computer programmer bring a sample portfolio of your past work and share it with the interviewer. Remember, a picture (or document) can speak a million words. Be ahead of schedule. Remember the golden rule; it is better to be 3 hours early than 3 minutes late. No one is going to hire someone who can't make it to the interview on time. Follow-up. Don't sit around waiting for a letter or a call. Send a follow-up letter immediately expressing your interest in the job and if you haven't heard back within a week pick up the phone and call. What do you have to lose?

Resume Writing - By Cecile Peterkin

This September I spent two days doing resume assessment at the National Job Fair and Training Expo in Toronto. 400 job seekers received free

resume assessments from nine resume writers. There was a 2-3 hour wait for this service that was available from 10 am - 8 pm. Since a resume is critical to our employment success, waiting a few hours for professional advice wasnt a big deal to most people. Although no one gets hired solely on the basis of a resume, many job seekers miss the opportunity of an interview because of an inadequate resume. Your resume can (and should) have a distinct personality to it. It should separate you from all the people applying to land that dream job. Be unique! A lot of people think a generalized resume describing everything they have ever done is a great way to show their experience and skills. This is not true. You should only include information that is useful to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a variety of positions, write more than one resume. To make this process easier start with a general resume, and use it as a template by cutting and pasting the most relevant information for the different positions. Style of Resumes There are a two basic resume styles: chronological and skill based. The most popular style for resumes is the chronological resume. It provides a job-by-job listing of each position you have held starting with your most recent. Use a chronological resume if you have consistent work history, and your job titles are supportive of your objective. If you are making a career change, and your title and work history dont match your job objective, use a skill-based resume. A skill-based resume should also be used if you have gaps in employment, a short work history, your skills are transferable, your most recent experience doesnt support your objective, or you have an erratic work history. Simple Crucial Resume Writing Tips * Know your audience before you begin writing your resume. Your resume must be consistent with the position you are pursuing. * Choose your language carefully and proofread. Your resume must be free of spelling, grammar, punctuation, or typographical errors. * Tailor your resume to your prospective employers needs - highlight the skills and abilities that will make youre an attractive candidate. * Focus on your expertise, abilities, and accomplishments. * Use bullets. They make a resume more reader-friendly if used consistently. * Describe your roles and accomplishment with strong action words and key

terms that will grab attention. * Keep all descriptions short. Descriptions should generally take up no more than three to four lines on the page. Full sentences are not necessary, however, be consistent with punctuation. Length of a resume There is no "rule of thumb" for resume length. For an experienced job seeker, a one-page resume may be too short and even look too "entrylevel". A properly designed, well-written two-page resume would be far better. Your resume is your marketing tool. Can you market yourself on a one page resume or will you need two or three pages to include your best skills, accomplishments, and experiences? Note: In every resume, the first 10-15 lines are the most important. They will motivate a recruiter to read on or to stop. Longer resumes need to be carefully designed to "sell" you up front. The real cost of writing a basic or weak resume is valuable time and thousands of dollars in missed opportunities.

Electronic Resume Writing Tips That Boost Your Interview Appointment Success - By Leroy Chan
Electronic Resume Writing Tips That Boost Your Interview Appointment Success Before you write your resume in a word processor, print it, and hand out copies to prospective employers, you should consider formatting it for easy scanning and retrieval from a computer database. As you can imagine, dozens, maybe hundreds of resumes bombard employers for a position they would like filled. To sift through each of these manually would probably be too time consuming even for the largest of organizations. To make the search for ideal candidates more efficient, some employers scan and store resumes into a computer database. From there, employers can search the database to retrieve the name of individuals whose resumes contains the keywords or terms they are looking for in a candidate. How to Get Employer's to Read Your Electronic Resume The element of your resume that makes it easy to find in a computer database is the keywords written on it. The particular keywords that should be on your resume are the ones that your prospective employer will use to

find you in their database. A little research will help you determine the right keywords. Scan a few of your targeted job descriptions from online job sites. These online postings are loaded with the keywords that should be on your resume. The hiring manager probably wrote those job descriptions and he will probably be the same person who searches his database of scanned resumes. Some general examples of keywords most employers will search on are "education," "skill-set," "experience," "talents and abilities." Successful Electronic Resumes Includes These Elements Beyond the importance of having the "right" keywords on your resume, the other words on your resume are also important. For instance, your resume should contain nouns. Your resume should have descriptive words like software programmer, project manager, or Acme Corporation. Try not to use abbreviations of words if it is not common. For example, you could assume people know that BA spelled out means Bachelor of Arts. When you write your resume, be sure it contains words most people will understand. In other words, write it using normal language. Successful Electronic Resumes Follows These Formatting Guidelines You understand what your prospective employer is looking for in a job candidate and you have loaded your resume with targeted keywords that should turn up on a search. However, you still need to make sure your resume is easy to scan and OCR software can capture the data accurately. OCR or Optical Character Recognition software extracts the words off a scan of your resume. The computer database stores the scan results. Here are some resume formatting tips for the best scans: - Avoid using fancy style fonts that some OCR software may have trouble interpreting. In other words, stick with conventional fonts such as Times Roman. - Resist the urge to emphasize words using underlines or italics. Those words may show up as gobbledygook. - OCR software reads text and not graphics, so do not include anything too complicated like tables and leading dots.

- Use white space between sections of your resumes so the OCR software can determine the start and the end. - Make sure you include a separate line that has your name first, then your contact information. After you have incorporated the formatting suggestions listed above, print your resume with black ink on either white or beige colored paper for the best scan result possible. Last Thoughts You might be the most qualified candidate for a job opening, but if your resume does not meet the standards of an Electronic Resume, your prospective employer will never read it. Do your self and your prospective employer a favor by making your resume scanner friendly and he will discover that you are the perfect candidate for the job.

How to create the right resume - By Brenda Koritko

The interview process can be time consuming and very unproductive when you are preparing to discuss a job that you really dont want. When you write resumes that are historical in nature (listing your work history and responsibilities), you communicate that you are looking for the same type of position. The only way to attract the right attention is to highlight information that is relevant to the job you really want. Take an objective look at your resume. Does it sell you for the job you really want? Have you highlighted any items that you DO NOT WANT TO SEE in your next job description? It may help to remove your name from the top of your resume before you ask someone you respect to review the document and give his or her opinion on what job this person is targeting. Focused resumes are powerful job search tools! Focused and organized resumes draw attention to your key skills and unique accomplishments rather than the tasks and responsibilities you have performed in past positions. By promoting relevant skills and achievements, you guide your reader to the information they are seeking and the details that you want to promote. The key to success is to use the top third of resume to highlight and support the skills that respond to the specific requirements outlined by your target company in their advertisement or position description. Review the position you are targeting and highlight the three key qualities the employer is looking for in a potential hire. Then, match your key skills

and accomplishments to these three qualities. Finally, highlight the information you have selected at the top of your resume using an appropriate category title, for example, key accomplishments or related skills and accomplishments below your profile section. If you are contacting an employer that does not have a position posted, search for a job description or posting at a similar company using the position title. When you have found the right job description, match your key skills to the requirements outlined in that position. This action is not as time consuming as you make think. Often changing the priority listing of your key skills and accomplishments may be the only changes required to submit your resume to a number of different companies. When you are changing careers, or looking to advance within your existing company, use transferable skills to sell yourself. Creating a resume using transferable skills is most successful when you include accomplishments that you have developed outside of the workplace. For example, coaching a sport demonstrates leadership skills, communication skills and an ability to work effectively with people - skills that all employers value. Researching, analyzing, preparing reports, and presentation skills are a few of the transferable skills that students develop during their education. Plan to participate in the creation of your resume. If you do not participate in the creation of your resume, you may not be able to respond to specific questions during an interview and this could change the outcome, or the momentum, of the interview.

Resume Blunders! - By Maria E. Hebda, CCMC, CPRW

Employers and recruiters dont have time to waste and they have no problem tossing out your resume. More than likely there are hundreds, possibly thousands following yours! The job market is tight and it takes more than a mediocre to open doors. To make it to the second round of reviews, your resume must grab the attention of employers. Common resume blunders you want to avoid: * Presenting a resume with no focus * Coming across as a jack of all trades rather than an expert in your field * Giving more attention to your duties and responsibilities instead of career achievements * Using the wrong resume format * Making your resume too long and drawn out * Squeezing everything into one page because they say it shouldnt be longer * Including a work phone number as a point of contact

When writing your resume, think of yourself as the product and the employer as the buyer. Before a buyer will consider purchasing a high-end product, the product must gain their interest, establish its quality, and present its value. Once these factors are determined, theyll move to the next step buying the product. Now, lets put this analogy into perspective. If your resume generates interest and demonstrates your value as a qualified candidate, youve effectively sold yourself. The message will get through to the employer that youre able to meet their needs as a member of their company. Grabbing the employers attention and motivating them to contact you for the interview is the objective of your resume. Its critical that you gain their attention in the first 30 seconds. Yes, the first 30 seconds! The following resume writing tips will improve the effectiveness of your resume. Youll soon find that writing a powerful resume isnt as easy as you think. It takes serious thought and time to make it a powerful self-marketing tool. 1. Have focus Employers and recruiters are looking for a fast match. Many people are competing for the same job, so your resume must be eyecatching! Focused resumes address the needs of the employer, which creates interest and the desire to learn more about you. Research the company and find out what theyre looking for in a qualified candidate and what theyre all about. 2. Dont appear as a jack of all trades What areas do you consider yourself an expert and can you prove it? Employers are looking for specific skills and abilities to resolve their problems. Stating and supporting your areas of expertise will help deliver the message that you have the knowledge and experience to address their issues. Remember, one cant be an expert in everything, although some people think they are! 3. Include achievements Career achievements are what sell you in a resume. Achievements demonstrate your abilities in leadership, communication, problem solving, project management, time management, employee relations, and many other areas. Employers appreciate applicants who know what their talents are and what they have to offer their company. 4. Use correct format The chronological or combination resume format seems to be most popular with employers. The chronological format exhibits your continuous and upward career growth. The combination format offers a brief overview of your market value, followed by your employment history. 5. Dont be long-winded Dont making your resume appear as a "read. Make it easy for employers to find out what your skills and abilities are by NOT making them dig for details about your qualifications. Your goal at this point is to generate enough interest to motivate them to continue looking through your entire resume.

6. The one-page rule Who made this rule? If youre a recent college grad or a young professional seeking an entry-level position, chances are your resume will fit on one page. But, if youre an experienced professional, manager, or senior-level executive with many years of experience, its very unlikely that your resume will fit on one page. If it takes two pages or even three pages, dont worry! If your resume content is focused, organized, visually appealing, and generates interest, it will motivate employers to take an in-depth look at your resume and page length wont be an issue. 7. No work numbers Dont use your work number as a point of contact. This implies that you have no problem using company time for your personal gain. In other words, the employer may say to himself "Hey, if he has no problem using company time to find another job, who's to say he won't do the same if he worked for us? Dont miss out on great career opportunities just because of your resume!

Maria Hebda is certified in career coaching and resume writing. Her work has been nationally published in many career publications, including "Resumes That Knock em Dead" and "Cover Letters That Knock em Dead" by best selling author Martin Yate. Maria takes a personal interest in seeing that her clients succeed and knows how to market job seekers to employers by showing tangible, verifiable evidence that they are qualified to meet the needs of targeted employers.

How To Write A Winning Cover Letter - By Yulin Peng

The cover letter is the first thing that your prospective employer sees, naturally you must embellish it with certain qualities so that it leaves a good impression on the employers. Here are some tips on how to write a winning cover letter.

The cover letter that accompanies your resume on your job search is the first thing that your prospective employer sees C 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 C 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.

When Cover Letters Get Personal - By Linda Matias

It is with great interest and enthusiasm that I submit my resume for your review. Most cover letters are written in this humdrum tone. Cover letters do not need to be so dull, nor so uninteresting. This style of cover letter writing has been around for years; and its a trend that has overstayed its welcome.

Its perfectly acceptable to add pizzazz to cover letters in an effort to engage the reader in your story. Taking a business approach while adding a personal touch to the cover letter will certainly make you stand out from other candidates. But many are skeptical about adding a personal story to the cover letter because rumor has it that cover letters should be completely business-oriented. That isnt true. There are occasions when it is appropriate to deviate from what others expect to read, and of course, there are times when you should remain with the tried and true method. When Getting Personal Doesnt Make Sense Getting personal can be tricky because most people have a tendency to reveal too much. Only choose to disclose personal information if doing so will help sell you for the position. Dont use the cover letter as a vehicle to make excuses, to apologize for your current situation or to describe how difficult the job search has been. For example, the following is not a personal story that should be fleshed out in a cover letter: A few months ago, I was laid off and havent been able to secure a position since. I have answered countless classified ads and no one will give me an opportunity. My bills are piling up and I need someone to give me a chance. I am a good worker and if you hire me, you wont be disappointed. The above introduction smacks of desperation, and although you may be truthful when saying youll do a fantastic job, the reader will think either: a) if nobody else wants this person, I sure dont or b) this person will take on any position just to pay the bills while continuing to look for the right opportunity. While that may not be your intention, it will be the perception. When Getting Personal Makes Sense Not every situation is the same and some situations call for more than just a reiteration of your resume. If you are currently unemployed, a career changer, or just have an interesting story to share about your career progression, feel free to elaborate in the cover letter. The following is an appropriate personal story to tell in a cover letter: It is human nature to believe that life-altering events will only happen to them, not us. With this popular notion in tow, we go about our lives doing the best we know how. Then one day, we are struck with a reality that changes our view of the world and our purpose on this earth. Each of us has our own unique life changing events; mine was when my companion was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. When I made the decision to leave the workforce to tend to my companions illness, I quickly realized there was never enough time to get everything done: paperwork, doctor's visits, clinical studies, and housekeeping responsibilities. Even with all that needed to be done, I welcomed the opportunity to care for him when he needed me the most. In fact, I am grateful I was able to follow him through his journey. I realize this is a luxury not afforded to everyone.

Because of the experiences I had in and out of the nursing home, I decided to return to college and earn a masters degree in Health Advocacy at Sarah Lawrence College. The above is a heartwarming tale of how ones personal experience changed their course in life. This particular story is a great sales tool because it alludes to the empathy and compassion this candidate has for others who are going through what she experienced. Recognizing if your personal story makes sense When getting personal in a cover letter, the key is to focus on a topic that: a) will interest the reader, b) is relevant to your career objective, and c) will add weight to your list of qualifications. If you can enthusiastically answer yes to all those distinctive qualities, then your story is one that should be told.

Resume Cover Letter - By Dax Cheng

A resume cover letter is a letter accompanying your resume in job application. It is a very influential tool to get an interview. Since the average job opening usually gets around 200 applications of more, the hiring personnel will usually shortlist the applications. The applications without any letter are the first ones to go. The logic is that if you are too lazy to write one, youll be too lazy to work. The next to go are the poorly written cover letters. The logic is the same, if you are too lazy to write a good one, youll be too lazy to do a good job too. If they are happy with it, then they will look at your resume. After that the shortlist is completed. So how do you write a good cover letter? Follow these rules. . Always write to a specific person, not "to whom it may concern", or Dear Sir/Madam". To find out, call the HR department and find out whom the HR manager is, or the name of the manager in charge of the department you want to work under. Use your network; do you know someone who is in the company or industry? Can they help you? . Always make sure you are 100% correct in spelling, grammar and facts. If you are not very good, get someone to edit the letter. . Research the target organization and include information or facts relating to your would be job or industry. . Analyze the job. Check for the noted and assumed needs and determine the most important skills the employer is looking for. . Address how you will meet the employers' needs. . Use a strong opening sentence. Do not use the standard openings like "I wish to apply for the position of ?advertised in ?quot;. For example, if the job is for a sales manager, write something like "A proven track record in developing new business and increasing sales?quot; Design

you opening to get the person to really read what you can do. Address the employers' needs identified earlier. . In the body of the letter, show them that you can meet the needs of the employer. Use the job advertisement and your network; do you know someone who is in the company or industry? Can they help you find out what are the important skills required for that job? . Make your cover letter visually appealing and coordinated with your resume. Do not overdo the style elements. One type font is never wrong (unless you are in the arts.) . Be concise. This is not you autobiography. Keep it to one page. . Conclude the letter with "the contributions I'll bring to your company ?

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