Resume Help Blog

Posts Tagged ‘resume tips’

Good resume writing is both a skill and an art form. As with any kind of writing some people are better than others. I know I will never be as good a writer as John Grisham but as far as technical writing is concerned if someone points me in the right direction and gives me the basics they expect, I can turn out a masterpiece and so can you.

Here are the seven basic rules for effective resume writing. Pay attention to these and you can turn out a masterpiece.

Pay Close Attention To Detail

Don’t cut corners, details are important. Failure to properly proofread the cover letter, or not including information the hiring manager asked for, will get your resume thrown out. Beginning the cover letter “Dear Sir or Madam” when the hiring manager’s name is on the company web site will have the same consequences. Detail, detail, detail! Take the time to make sure the correspondence and information sent is correct and error-free. Don’t depend on the computers spell checker, it’s a good idea to have a second party proofread anything you write before sending it.

Do More Than The Basics

Proofreading is for more than spelling. Grammar, and tone are also important and make sure you have followed the instructions of the employer. This applies to more than resume writing. I was in sales for a number of years and learned that lesson the hard way in preparing a sales quote. I left off a particular detail the client had asked about and it cost me. Sending an e-mail is a relative new form of communication as far as things go. Be careful about this and proofread everything before clicking “send.”

How To Construct An Effective Resume

Organize your information in a logical fashion and make sure all descriptions are clear and to the point. Include as much work experience as possible but try to tailor it to the job description you’re applying for . Also, use a simple, easy-to-read font. Don’t get crazy and use funky scripts, etc. Just a basic Arial or Times Roman is preferred by most hiring managers. Or if you are not sure of your writing talents may we suggest hiring a pro! This Pro is one of the best e-books you will find anywhere and will practically do everything for you – inexpensively!

Customize Their Response

Address the hiring manager directly, and include the name of the company and the position for which it is hiring in your cover letter or e-mail response.

Make It Easy For The Hiring Manager

Use your name and the word “resume” in your e-mail header so it’s easy to identify. It is not uncommon to be asked for references or writing samples, whatever they ask for – provide it.

Focus On What You Bring To The Employer, Not What You Expect From Them

Your resume gives you the best opportunity for you to showcase yourself. In other words – market yourself. This is your first opportunity for you to stand out from the other candidates. Help make the hiring manager’s life and decision easier by basically showing them what can you do to help the company.

Above All – Be Professional

You won’t be taken seriously if you don’t have an e-mail address. And most hiring managers will tell you it’s a turnoff to see something silly like, kellysmom@abc.com, or iloveteddybears@abc.com. Just use something nice and basic, and if it has your name in it that’s a bonus for you.

Have a professional voicemail message on your phone. Don’t have a message that says “Hi, this is hot lips, please leave me a message.” You get the idea! And return all calls promptly! Don’t expect them to call back again and again trying to catch you, it won’t happen.

For professional help writing your resume we highly recommend DistinctiveWeb.com. These licensed professionals can turn your job skills and history into a high quality, powerful resume that is guaranteed to get you the interview.

If you’re a do-it-yourself type then this e-book is a must-read. For less than $10 101 Before and After Résumé Examples is a comprehensive, downloadable manual of professionally written sample resumes that show you step-by-step (using 101 REAL before-and-after examples) exactly how to create your own job-winning resume – or transform one that isn’t working for you!

Also recommended is Secrets of a Successful Job Search. This is a one-of-a-kind, no-holds-barred program that will guide you step-by-step through every phase of the job search start-to-finish. You will benefit from expert guidance and straight-to-the-point tips throughout your job search and your entire career with this proven system and simple-to-follow strategies that you can use over and over again to advance and promote your career faster than you ever thought possible.

By Dewey Kearney

The quality of your resume can determine whether or not you have a fighting chance at a new position.  We have put together 7 tips from job recruiters that will guarantee that your resume will outshine the others to get that all important interview.

How To Make a Good First Impression

A good recruiter or HR manager will receive from 500 to 700 resumes a week. With that many resumes crossing your desk you must make quick decisions on which ones warrant further review. First impressions are so important that you had better get it right if you want to stand out!

Stan Decker, recruitment director for a leading staffing firm here in Phoenix, agrees that a good first impression counts, adding that an experienced job seekers can be eliminated if their resume is poorly written. “I review an average of 45 to 50 resumes daily, and I can tell within several seconds whether I’m going to interview the candidate or not,” he explains.

Keep It Simple

Candidates often use fancy fonts, boxes, boldface text, lines, colors and other embellishments to stand out. The experts say “don’t do it.” 

Keep your resume simple and professional – don’t try to show your computer skills. No graphics or pictures and NO unusual fonts. In the 80′s when few people had home computers and a lot of resume’s were still typed on typewriters it was considered a way to stand out by using different fonts or colors. Now in the 21^st century though, everyone has a computer and the way to stand out is to be clean, neat and on point.

Be Concise

Be brief. This is most essential. A major firm here in Phoenix, who specializes in placing paralegals, law firm administrators and clerks, says those candidates should keep their resumes to one page. Another firm who specializes in placing attorneys tells us that a two-page resume is OK if you can’t make your information fit on one page.

Be sure To Eliminate Errors

Recruiters and HR managers are just begging for a reason to exclude your resume from the pile. Don’t give them that excuse with bad spelling! Bad grammar or typos convey the message that you either don’t proof your work or you don’t have a good understanding of writing and grammar. Just one typo can be enough to disqualify an otherwise strong applicant.

This is so important that it can’t be stressed enough. The experts agree, job seekers should not rely on spell-check, as this method won’t catch blunders like cover letters that begin “Deer Mr. Samuelson.”

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Candidates must show how they meet employer’s specific needs. The tendency is to either be too general or go overboard with too many details. Highlight the details to show your skills and achievements. Don’t just say, ‘Involved in purchase and sale’ say, ‘Personally brokered $1 million in real estate sales in 2008.’

Be Selective About What You Put On Your Resume

Your resume is not your life story or “The Great American Novel.” No one cares that you play chess or are active in the Rotary Club. If the subject comes up you can tell them during your interview (but I doubt anyone cares). Your resume should not to go back more than 10 years. That certainly is enough to give them the picture of the real you.

However, don’t be too afraid and leave out work experience that doesn’t apply to the position you’re seeking. For example, if you worked in a bank or held some other responsible job before you went to law school, include this information. Most recruiters would interview someone with this background for a specific attorney job before someone who’s fresh out of law school without this relevant experience. But if you worked your way through school flipping burgers then this is NOT important and you should probably not put it on your resume.

Be Sure To Strategically Organize Your Resume

What if you are a new graduate? Don’t place your experience first, because you don’t have much if any.  Lead with your strongest selling points.

A good idea is to create multiple resume versions if you have more than one career goal or specialty area. If you have two different types of positions in mind, break them out into two versions instead of  trying to pack too much into one. Each version should contain the things you did on prior jobs that apply to the position you’re seeking now. Pepper it with key words (phrases that you can usually find on the job ad) and let them know how your skills fit their needs.

Be Sure To Emphasize Stability

If you’ve been on a steady career track, be sure to include that in your resume. The absence of job-hopping is even more important than being a perfect match to an employer’s list of desired qualifications. Most employers are looking for someone who is not a flight risk.

If your previous employer changed names because of a merger or acquisition, make it clear you didn’t change jobs. Many times people appear to be job-hopping when in fact they’re not.

Above All Be Honest

Don’t exaggerate your position title or job responsibilities. If you overstate your experience you will be found out. Just observing someone doing the job doesn’t qualify you as an expert – if you personally didn’t do it, then you don’t have the skill. Be scrupulously honest! 

Don’t misrepresent your degrees or length of employment to fill in gaps. There’s a very good chance you’ll get caught, if not during the interview process, then after placement.

For professional help writing your resume we highly recommend DistinctiveWeb.com. These licensed professionals can turn your job skills and history into a high quality, powerful resume that is guaranteed to get you the interview.

If you’re a do-it-yourself type then this e-book is a must-read. For less than $10 101 Before and After Résumé Examples is a comprehensive, downloadable manual of professionally written sample resumes that show you step-by-step (using 101 REAL before-and-after examples) exactly how to create your own job-winning resume – or transform one that isn’t working for you!

Also recommended is Secrets of a Successful Job Search. This is a one-of-a-kind, no-holds-barred program that will guide you step-by-step through every phase of the job search start-to-finish. You will benefit from expert guidance and straight-to-the-point tips throughout your job search and your entire career with this proven system and simple-to-follow strategies that you can use over and over again to advance and promote your career faster than you ever thought possible.