|
How to Write a Resume That Stands Out From The Crowd
Today's job market is competitive. Many companies receive hundreds of resumes a year, making it difficult for yours to stand out from the crowd. However, that should not keep you from getting interviews. The following 10 tips will help you learn how to get employers to read your resume and get your phone ringing. 1. Include a profile Begin your resume with a profile, which contains a synopsis of your varied skills and educational qualifications. This profile should match the particular job you want to apply for. State your career objective clearly so that the reader gets an overall idea of your background and areas of expertise. Write this section in such a manner that it immediately catches the attention of a hiring manager, and he calls you instead of someone else. 2. Keep the resume short No one has the time to go through elaborate detailing about your past jobs and experiences. Therefore, keep the resume short. Make a list of the most important jobs you have held and give a brief of your previous job-oriented experiences. However, in the case of technical people, resumes can extend to three pages in order to include relevant technical information. 3. Give more importance on content than on looks One of the major mistakes people make while creating resumes is in the use of fancy fonts. Avoid using fancy fonts and do not change font regularly throughout the resume. Changing fonts regularly will distract and confuse a hiring manager. Do not use underlining or italics to add emphasis. Make your document eye appealing so that your reader can review it with ease. Use white paper and make the thoughts flow smoothly. 4. Clearly identify your skills Do not be modest in mentioning your skills. Clearly identifying your skills will distinguish you from the other job seekers and eventually help your potential employers to select you from the rest. Remember, all you have to do is to stand out from the crowd. 5. List your educational and professional qualifications Include any relevant education or training that might relate. Provide details of only those qualifications that match your current job search. This will help you to get short-listed more easily. 6. Focus on your job responsibilities Starting with your present position or most recent job, mention the title of every job you have held, along with the name of the company, the city and state, and the years you have worked there. Under each position, make a list of your job responsibilities. Use descriptive verbs, such as created, increased, performed, initiated, developed, led, improved or reduced to begin each statement of your duties and accomplishments. Producing a document that is well presented, detailed and targeted will attract the attention of your hiring manager. 7. Add related qualifications and interests Think about anything else that might qualify you for your job objective and place it at the bottom of your resume. It may include licenses, certifications, awards and achievements, and sometimes even your hobbies and interests if they truly relate. If you seek a job in a music company, for example, stating on your resume that you are a pianist will increase your chance to get that interview call. 8. Be honest with your resume If you did not actually do what you said you did, it would be called a lie. Numerous surveys show that job applicants lie most frequently about education and employment, particularly about job responsibilities and dates of employment. Hiding gaps in employment and jobs where they were forced to leave by the respective employers is also common. There are many risks involved in lying, but many job applicants do not seem to get the message about the risks of lying. Once you are caught with a lie, you will be fired then and there. So, DON"T lie - be honest with your resume. 9. Always attach a covering letter A cover letter is a letter of introduction that highlights your key achievements and skills and entitles you for a job opening. It reflects your communication skills and your personality. The main purpose of this document is to introduce yourself in such an interesting manner that the reader will not only continue reading your resume but also be willing to call you for an interview. 10. Proofread your resume After you have finalized your employment documents, check them repeatedly for errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Spelling and grammatical errors can automatically disqualify a resume from consideration. If you make mistakes on your employment documents, hiring managers might presume you will be equally careless on the job - no matter how important your qualifications and experiences are. Proofread your resume and cover letter carefully. Make your resume positive and completely error-free. If you are seeking two or three different positions, prepare two or three separate resumes, each tailored to the job you are targeting. Make your resume exclusive and unique so that it stands out from the crowd. Good luck for your career! About the Author: Rumki Sen is the founder of Perfect Editing Solutions (http://www.perfectediting.com), a professional firm providing Resume Writing, Proofreading and Copyediting services. Get your resume and cover letter prepared or edited at highly affordable prices by her company's resume writing services. Submit your information online and receive your perfect resume and cover letter within 2-3 days. Contact Rumki Sen at rumki@perfectediting.com Visit her blog at http://wordshavepower.blogspot.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Jobs City of Rochester (.gov)
Careers Washington State University
Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
JobFeed NSW Department of Education
Jobs Dublin City University
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
3 Cover Letter Secrets Revealed
Writing a cover letter can be like cleaning your garage -- you don't know where to start ..
Interview Tips, How to Get the Job You Want
Enter into a state of relaxed concentration. This is the state from which great basketball players or Olympic skaters operate.
175 Power Verbs and Phrases for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews
While you're revamping your resume or cover letter or constructing your proof-by-example stories for interviews, you'll find you need to watch your word choice. Why? Communication is powerful if the words we use to communicate are powerful.
Job Interviews: How to Answer the How Do You Handle Stressful Situations? Question
When answering the "How do you handle stressful situations?" question during an interview, the best strategy is to give some examples of stressful situations you've dealt successfully with in the past.Everyone faces some form of stress on the job now and then.
Speak Up: Your Job Is At Stake!
How good are you at standing up for yourself?Do you run the other way when done an injustice or when someone steps on your proverbial toes?How do you react?Now's the time to speak up and stand your ground! If you've never done this, you need to master this skill.How many of you watched the "The Apprentice?" While the show is not the ultimate mirror of corporate life or a guide on how to be promoted, my clients have cited specific show episodes to highlight weaknesses they'd like to improve.
10 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Job Fairs
Many job seekers tend to overlook job fairs. They can be crowded, busy, competitive and confusing events.
How to Know if You Are in the Right Career
Ever wonder if you are in the right career? If you are like most people you have. Did you know that 80% of people are currently misemployed? They are either underemployed, not happy with their current position or not fairly compensated for their skill and/or function set.
Managing Emotions During Career Change and Job Search, Part One
How can you manage your emotions during your career change or job search? To answer this practical and wise question, let's first define what emotions are. Emotions, also commonly referred to as feelings, are energy released in your body in response to perceived events, that is, to data received via your five senses.
The Fallibility of Psychological Testing
Psychological Testing has become rampant across industries, more so inthe case of Information Technology, BPOs and ITES companies. Thesetests are used to 'throw up' personality profiles and competencydescriptions that would help companies recruit the 'right' candidate.
Ive Got the Big Bad B Word on My Job!
That "B" word---B O R E D O M.How did I get this wearing word in my work?I got it because I don't have enough todo in my job! Yes, I have completed myassigned tasks, but I have time left over,which leads to boredom.
Is Job Loss Making You Sick?
Job loss affects most of us like anyother loss in life. Yes, there are otherlosses that are greater, but this onecomes close too!From my experience, job loss canmake anyone sick! There can beterrible anger; anger which turns into depression.
Updating Your Plum Job Now That Youre a Parent
It's startling to discover how having kids changes the way you see the world. Just compare your "before kids" vs.
Career Advice On Freelance Writing Jobs
Sometimes the freelance writing jobs available are those that no one wants. Or, they are those that new businesses are looking to fill.
Using The Internet For Job-hunting
The Internet is a very useful tool for job seekers as it is a great source of information. Also, taking into account of a more wired world, getting online has never been easier.
How to Make Your Career Change Easier
Despite what your grandmother told you, life is not supposed to be a struggle. The same is true for making a career change.
Stay At Home Moms No Longer Struggling To Make Ends Meet
It is hard to be a stay at home mom. You deal with a lot of pressures that most people would not understand.
Should You Telework/Telecommute
"WOW! I can work from home and make money? I can sit around in my PJ's and work whenever I want? How great, I want to be a Teleworker!"There is much more to being a teleworker then working in your PJ's or working when you want to. Yes, those are nice benefits to teleworking, but you'd be surprised by how much work goes into working from home.
How to Get Paid More Without Being Pretty or Good Looking
Guess what. The results are out they are ugly.
Workplace 911
I've watched a few episodes of Nanny 911 and with the chaos, out of control children and seemingly irreparable behavior, it strikes me as a precursor to Workplace 911. No, not a new reality TV show, but everyday workplace problems.
Five Mistakes That Can Derail Your Job Search
No matter how much time and energy you invest in job seeking, critical mistakes can derail your efforts. Consider the following job search scenario.
|