|
Top 10 Resume Writing Tips to Get You the Interview
There are many reasons why you could be in the marketfor a new job right now. Perhaps... ==> You just graduated from high school--or even better,college--and you're ready to strike out on a quest foryour first "real" job. ==> Your worst fears finally manifested and you've beendownsized. ==> You're bored with the career path you've been on forthe past few years, and you're ready to strike out in anew direction. ==> You want to change jobs (within your field) for bettersalary, benefits, or chance at promotion. Whatever your motivation, a powerful resume isessential. In truth, a resume alone won't get you thatdream job you're craving. Not even if you implementevery resume writing tip you can get your hands on! But a great resume will get you in the door for aninterview. It will make you stand out as a superiorcandidate for the job you've applied for. And thatachievement is huge, given the fierce competitivenature of today's job market. Not only that, but awell-crafted resume will put the decision-maker youmeet with in a hiring frame of mind. As long as youdon't blow the interview, you'll have a great shot atthat job! Digest and apply each resume writing tip below as youcraft a powerful resume that will make all thedifference in your adventure to land a job! POWERFUL RESUME WRITING TIPS: 10 Steps to Success Resume Writing Tip #1: Gather your backgroundmaterials. To complete your resume, you'll need to knowyour dates of employment at each of your previous jobsand when you went to school. You'll also need to beable to describe your skills and accomplishments on thejob, so put some thought into those areas. Resume Writing Tip #2: Decide on a format. Before youcan start writing a resume, you'll need to decide ifthe functional or chronological format will work bestfor you. Remember, you want to put yourself and yourabilities in the best light. Resume Writing Tip #3: Put together a general outline.A resume outline will help you get organized and willprevent you from overlooking any essential pieces ofinformation that should be included. Resume Writing Tip #4: If your resume is targeted at aspecific employer or career path, learn all you canabout what they need. Spending time on this researchwill help you with your resume, with the cover letterthat goes with your resume, and with the upcominginterview. Make sure you know what qualities will mostbenefit the employer and think about how your abilitiesmatch those qualities. (Read another resume writing tipon how to target.) Resume Writing Tip #5: Plan, plan, plan. Before youactually start writing, spend time just thinking abouthow you'll present yourself in the resume. What is yourobjective in seeking a job? This objective should serveas a sort of bull's-eye to structure your resumearound. What have been your most significantaccomplishments? You'll want to highlight them. Whatunique qualities do you bring to an employer? Think interms of benefits. Also think about the resume designyou'll use, the fonts within, and the resume wording . Resume Writing Tip #6: Start writing, following youroutline. Take your time. Use a lot of action words . Beconcise. Don't use "responsibilities included" or"responsible for." It's a waste of space. Use bullets,rather than long paragraphs. Resume Writing Tip #7: Cut and paste your content intoyour resume template. If you're at this site, you'reprobably not an experienced, professional resumewriter. So, take a resume writing tip from a pro. Use aresume template . There is no reason why your resumemust look amateurish. Resume Writing Tip #8: Review, edit, and proofread likea maniac. One of the biggest resume mistakes is typosor grammatical errors. These errors may seem trivial,but they can cost you the interview, and ultimately thejob. After all, if you can't be bothered to make surethat your resume is 100% accurate, what guarantee isthere that your job performance will be high caliber? Resume Writing Tip #9: Get someone else you trust tolook at it. It can be really helpful to get someone whoknows you to look at your resume. Not only are theymore likely to catch simple errors, but they may pointout strengths you've missed or underemphasized. Tellthem you want their honest opinion and you're open toquestions. Use their input to clarify your resume. Evenif you write your own resume, you may want to thinkabout getting a professional to do a resume critique . Resume Writing Tip #10: Send it out into the world. Themore resumes you submit, the more likely you are to getan interview. Don't put all your eggs in one basket byapplying for only one job. And, don't be afraid to takesome risks and apply for a job you're interested in,even if you don't quite match all the qualifications.Most employers ask for many more qualifications thanthey absolutely require. Hopefully, at least one resume writing tip on this pagehas given you some food for thought. But don't stopyour training here! Kathi MacNaughton, a freelance writer and editor, hasyears of management and recruitment experience. Fortips & advice on writing powerful resumes, seehttp://www.powerful-sample-resume-formats.com.Copyright 2004 Kathi MacNaughton. All rights reserved.
MORE RESOURCES:
Jobs City of Rochester (.gov)
Careers Washington State University
Careers The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation
JobFeed NSW Department of Education
Jobs Dublin City University
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success
The heading of this article could just as well have been "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How to climb the success ladder" or something similar.What behaviour will improve your chances for success? Behaviour which can be described as good work ethics.
Job Interview Mistakes To Avoid
By avoiding these 8 simple mistakes, you can improve your chances ofhaving a successful interview and landing the job of your dreams.1.
My Landscaping Business is Better Than Your Lanscaping Business...
Yesterday I was having a discussion with Mary who I know from a mother's group that I attend with my daughter Sammi. Through previous conversations I have determined that this woman is very talented in the areas of landscaping and interior design.
A Workplace Romance Can Be Detrimental to Your Career
Over 70% of single employees will become romantically involved with someone they work with at some point in their career. The workplace has become the new single's bar.
What Every Employee Should Know About How to Overcome Boredom
Do you find yourself easily becoming bored or tired at work for no apparent reason? If that's the case, then pay close attention. Research has shown that fatigue and a worn-out feeling are often caused by unproductive mental attitudes.
Negotiate Better Job Offers with This Twelve-Point Checklist
You've been through an employer's interview process successfully and have now been extended a job offer. And you think the offer could be better.
Ask the Recruiter
We all have career goals, big or small. Here are some questions I have recieved over the last month from those actively seeking new employment.
Tips on Finding Employment as a Corporate Flight Attendant
I will not pretend that this is the easiest topic to write about. In fact, my knowledge of how one finds work as a private flight attendant is based chiefly on what others have shared with me.
Inside Sales Jobs: A Job Worth Seeking?
Are you interested in inside sales as a career? Inside sales can be a very rewarding job if you so choose. What is the difference between inside and outside sales positions? If you think the difference is staying out of the sun, read on and discover if or why an inside sales job could be for you.
How To Find Writing Work
Are you looking for new writing work? It can be a challenge to build a career in any area, but it is often even harder to do so when you are in a smaller town. Sure, there may be a huge market for talented freelancers in your area, but let's face it, it is not New York where you can find countless job vacancies in your field of freelance writing.
3 Creative Job Search Tactics
It's a fact: the best jobs attract loads of competition. So it pays to do whatever you can to stand out as a persistent, creative candidate, one that any sane employer would love to hire.
Do Your Very Best in All Things -- Because Someone Is Looking....
Your job is to rise ABOVE the challenge. Do more than is expected.
Job Interviews: Plan Your Appearance to Make a Great First Impression
Your personal appearance is a critical component of that all-important first impression when you walk into the room for your interview.So plan ahead!Some people don't think about what they're going to wear until the morning of the interview.
How I Joined the Outsourcing Revolution
Mention "outsourcing" to a programmer and you may as well be uttering profanity. The word suggests all the evils that have befallen the Information Technology sector since the Internet bubble burst a few years ago.
Top Ten Networking Strategies To Get A Job, A Promotion, Or Make A Sale
Whether you are networking to find a new job opportunity, gain a promotion, or close a sale, you have two main goals with the networking interaction:1. To be remembered so that when opportunities appear, people will think of you as the perfect person to handle things,2.
Your Job Search -- a Marketing Campaign?
The successful job search is really just a personal marketing campaign. And the same techniques used in infomercials and junk mail can help you get hired, too.
Should I leave My Job?
Most of us have to work for a living. Since we spend so many hours each week at our jobs, it's very important that there is a good fit.
Work at Home Jobs Vs Self Employment
Work at Home Jobs vs Owning a Home Based BusinessNot everyone is interested in owning their own home business, but a lot of people are interested in dropping out of the rat race a little bit. More and more jobs are available where you can work from home.
Careers-Changing Jobs: The Fantasy of the Ideal Job
Most people would agree that the concept of a job today is vastly different from that of 20 years ago. Organisations are changing at speed, technology has changed the face and pace of work, and globalisation is pushing every business to examine it's operations in a totally different context.
Where Did All The Farmers Go?
Several times a year, I hear someone complain about the development of farm land in our area. These complainers consider it a crime that so much of our farm land has been converted to housing, business, shopping, etc.
|