Resume Help Blog

Posts Tagged ‘job search’

You are ready to write your next resume only to realize that you’re really not that ready? It may be that you’re not sure what format to follow or have never written a resume before or any number of things that can cause you to panic. It could be any number of things starting with the fact that you don’t have the basic writing skills needed. You really want to let the prospective employer know that you are the right person for this job.
If you find yourself struggling with the basic needed to get your resume together, then please consider looking for outside help. This outside help should come in the form of a professional resume writer. You can of course struggle with the problem of writing it yourself or getting a friend to help but is this the right choice for you? For many the answer is no; not if you want to stand out from the rest of the crowd of unemployed people.

The Benefits of a Resume Writer
There are a number of great benefits that come with working with a professional resume writer. The first is that you get the advantage of having someone help you who writes resumes every day. A professional resume writer knows what the employers want to see and will arrange your resume to enhance your chances of getting hired.
Another benefit of working with a professional resume writer is certification. While we are all able to write our own resumes, it helps to work with a certified resume writer. A certified writer has specialized training and that’s a benefit for you. It is similar to working with a tax professional that is used to catching the things you might overlook. Sure anyone can do their own taxes but a tax professional will get you more money back than you will on your own. Is it worth the money, absolutely!
The third benefit of working with a professional resume writer is having the third party source. Sometimes it’s hard to know what we need to focus on in our careers because we’re so close to the picture. However, a professional resume writer will know exactly how to put your resume a work of art.

If your resume not opening the doors you were hoping for then hiring a professional is the right thing to do. It can make the difference in getting a job or not!

As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I am often approached by highly qualified job seekers frustrated by weeks and often months of costly unemployment. Job seekers who have sent hundreds of resumes yet never hear back from the employer.

I’ve found that the majority of my clients attempt to write their own resume and only seek the help of a professional after weeks of failure. There are many reasons they fail, but most tend to be associated with ineffective resume templates designed in the 1990s which are not compatible with today’s keyword searches done by recruiters and hiring managers. I am dismayed to think of the number of opportunities that highly qualified candidates have lost to those less qualified but have a better understanding of today’s job search process.

The Top 5 Reasons Resumes Fail

Lack of Industry Specific Keywords — Due to the sheer volume of resumes that employers receive, only a handful are ever printed and will reach the hands of the hiring manager. Employers today often use software programs to search for keywords specific to the position. The more hits that they find, the more likely it is that your resume will be read. This is the process that most often eliminates even the most qualified candidates from consideration.

Resume Format — There are a variety of formats available to better market your skills and experience including: chronological, functional, hybrid, Curriculum Vitae (CV), Federal Resume format, etc. Choosing the wrong format for your situation can quickly eliminate you from consideration. A well-written resume will match your skills and experience to the hiring managers’ needs.
Objective or Qualifications Summary? — I personally believe that an old-fashioned objective is a waste of the most valuable real estate on the resume. It would be nice if employers really cared what you wanted in a job, but in actuality they are only concerned with what you can do for them. Why not use this area to market the skills and experience to position you as the best candidate for the position?
Task-Focused vs. Accomplishment Based Resume Unfortunately, the majority of resumes that I review are more of a chronological history than a true marketing document. Imagine a hiring manager with one position to fill and 100 equally qualified candidates applying for the position and each candidate has a similar educational and professional background. It’s easy to see that the candidate who contributed the most in previous positions is likely to get the job.

A One-Size-Fits-All Resume — In today’s highly competitive job market a one-size-fits-all resume really fits none. An employer searching for an accountant is going to be searching for different keywords than an employer searching for a sales representative. If you don’t know what type of position that you’re looking for, how will the employer know?

In today’s highly competitive job market it is imperative that you quickly and concisely provide the hiring manager with the information that they seek. A well formatted resume will allow the employer to quickly glance at the resume and find the skills and experience that they are looking for in the first 1/3 of the first page. Only after capturing their attention will they bother to read your resume from top to bottom.
When seeking the help of a professional it is important to seek a certified resume writer. With today’s economic conditions many claim to be professional resume writers, however, they often do not have the training necessary to help you get through the screening process.

Choose carefully; ask for and compare samples of their work. Your writer should do much more than simply type a resume. They will analyze your career and help you determine your career direction, develop a format that’s most suitable to your specific situation, and then craft a strong and compelling marketing document that targets your career objective and positions you as the best candidate for the position. A professionally written resume can help you get the job that you want and the pay you deserve.

Courtesy ArticleSnatch.com

How to Get Help With Your Resume

By Alison Doyle, About.com

Do you need resume help? Writing a resume is hard work and it’s important to get help, or at least have your resume reviewed, before you send it to employers. There are quite a few options available for getting help with your resume.

If you’re a college student or alumnus, the career services office at your alma mater may be able to help you with resume writing and with resume reviews. There are professional resume writing services that will write or edit your resume, for a fee. Other options include reviewing samples and Templates to get an idea of what a good resume should look like. Another thing that scares most people is the job interview, although this is the object of every resume. Find out more about help with interviewing here!