Resume Help Blog

Posts Tagged ‘resume writing’

I was reading a recent article on Reuters news site that said the following:  “Single spelling mistake can derail job application.”  Wow! That sucks!

The article went on to say that a recent survey revealed that 1/5th of Canadian employers stated they would not interview someone if they had just ONE spelling error on their resume! That percentage probably grows if the overall writing quality is poor.  The survey was conducted by AccountTemps.

So what’s the point of this post? The point is that there is no shame in admitting that you are a bad speller, or that you have trouble writing a decent sentence. It’s better to swallow your pride and ask for help than it is to lose opportunity after opportunity because your resume gives off the impression that you are sloppy or don’t pay attention to details. 

There’s a couple of things you can do to double-check your resume and make sure that it doesn’t have spelling or sentence errors. 

The cheapest one is to find a friend that you know is a good writer, or has an eye for detail, and ask them to honestly read through your resume and locate spelling or sentence errors.  And while this sounds easiest, and the least expensive, it also entails a little bit of humility.

Don’t be so personally invested in exactly how a resume is written. If your friend thinks a sentence would read better, don’t get defensive. Listen to what they recommend and make the change if the sentence honestly sounds stronger. Nobody wants to help you if their opinions are met with abrasiveness or argument. And pride can lose you that job opportunity!

Bottom line. Swallow that pride and make sure your resume is the best it can be! No typo’s and no bad grammar! You’ll be glad that you did when you trot off to work while many other people are still job hunting.

We have all heard the Boy Scout motto Be prepared. That is a good motto for all of us, it’s also great career advice. You never know when the perfect career opportunity will present itself. If a recruiter called you today with your dream job, would you be prepared to send out an up-to-date resume right away?

There are four times that it critical to update your resume:

Update Your Resume Every Year

This is where many people fall short. You may not think you will change jobs soon and put it off but then that recruiter calls with the perfect job, you may suddenly find your resume is years out of date, and you’ll have to scramble to catch up. Keep it up to date; don’t put it off.

While things are fresh in your mind, keep your resume current by including your best accomplishments each year. It’s easier to write things down as they occur by keeping a diary. You are very likely to overlook critical achievements and contributions.

Update Your Resume When Your Career Focus Changes

Anytime you want to change your career path you also need to change your resume. There are several ways to shift the focus toward your new career.

By focusing on the skills that will be useful in your new career, you can position yourself as a stronger candidate for the job. Highlight those transferable skills in your new resume. By bringing them front and center you have the advantage.

In addition to highlighting your transferable skills also make a list of accomplishments that will support those skills. Accomplishment statements give you credibility to prove your ability to cross industry or occupational lines. If you do this well it will make a big difference in whether you win the interview or are passed over.

Do You Anticipate A Layoff? If You Have Reason To Believe This A Possibility Then It Is Time To Update And Be Ready

Corporate downsizing is a harsh reality of today’s economy. Layoffs and losses are becoming more and more common. But you can be prepared by keeping your resume up-to-date.

Don’t make the mistake of being overly optimistic. Remember we started this article with the motto Be Prepared. It’s safer to assume that you are on the “out” list. You may think you are  indispensable to your employers. Get your resume ready as soon as you see any indications that downsizing is on the way.

Don’t mistake company loyalty for a fear of change. Many people would rather take their chances with a potential layoff than make proactive steps toward finding a new job. Once they’re laid off, it’s already too late. Remember, as a candidate, you are always more marketable while still employed. Avoid this by starting your job search early with self-marketing tools (resume and cover letter) that are up-to-date and top quality.

Update Your Resume When You Are Dissatisfied With Your Current Position

I have been there and I know that job dissatisfaction leads to feelings of frustration, worthlessness, and often hopelessness. But there is no reason to stay in a job you hate. However with the unemployment rate as high as it currently is being prepared with an updated resume can help you feel better in your current job. By having your resume updated you can respond to job opportunities with confidence. If you will Take proactive steps toward a new career it will give you back your optimism and feeling of self worth.

If it’s time for you to update your resume, first decide whether your resume requires a simple update or a complete rewrite. If you have been using the same resume format for several years  it’s possible that you have outgrown the old look. Resume formats are like automobiles they change. And if you’ve simply been “tacking on” to your old resume, it may start to resemble a house with too many additions, with little sense or direction.

Get a professional resume critique. This can help you decide exactly what you need to move forward. A well-written professional resume can make an incredible difference in:

• The length of time it takes to make your career move
• The quality of your next position
• The income potential of your next position

Your resume is your best sales tool in finding a new job, and it deserves the investment of your time and commitment. With the high number of layoffs we are facing the best investment you can make in yourself is a professionally written resume. That will prepare you for anything that comes your way – and be well on the path to your next great job.

Everything has a market. If you could go back in time thirty years and tell someone people would actually be buying water in 2005 for prices higher than gasoline, you would probably be severely ridiculed. Go back fifteen years and tell someone that you would actually be able to purchase air in an oxygen bar and they would think you had been hitting the sauce. Water and oxygen are interesting products because they are readily available, free, and vital to life. There has been a demand created for them out of, well, thin air.

The basic principle of selling air or water is the same as selling an entry-level career in which you have no experience. Entry-level workers are cheap, plentiful, and easily found. As a new graduate/entry-level worker with little or no real experience, what can you do to sell your experience to employers? The same as if you were selling air – package it well, market it effectively, and create a demand.

Packaging your budding entry-level career is the first and most important step to getting your start. How you present your background and education in an entry-level resume is the make-or-break point. You have 35 to 60 seconds to pique the interest of the employer in your non-experience. The entry-level resume should be hard-hitting and aggressively written in order to gain that attention.

The key is to find your point of individuality and play upon it. Each brand of bottled water has a “claim to fame” whether it is that the water is from a mountain spring, or it is flavored, or it is vitamin-enriched, etc. You can do the same thing with your entry-level resume. Do you have an exceptional academic record that can be highlighted in your entry-level resume? Do you have an internship that adds value to your degree? Have you worked your way through school and financed your own education? There is something in everyone’s background that is notable and can be used to advantage in an entry-level resume.

Appearance is also key to a resume. People are drawn to attractive things – it’s human nature. By packaging your qualities in an attractive, eye-catching format, your entry-level resume will automatically have an advantage over your competition. Appearance can be more than pretty whiz-bangs in a Word format. Even database-friendly entry-level resumes can be made more attractive with the strategic use of spacing, font size, and placement of text.

Marketing yourself as a valuable entry-level hire is the second component of success. How do you go about getting your entry-level resume to employers who are seeking trainable workers? With the Internet, sending out your entry-level resume is very easy, but are you sending to the correct people? An indiscriminate resume blast may not be the best selection if you have set strict parameters on relocation preference. You need to find out who would be in the market for entry-level workers with your education and who might be a good match for your career goals. A little (gasp!) homework might be in order!

Finding out about employers and selecting those in the market for entry-level personnel is called market research. A little research on employers, their goals, and the work opportunities they offer will assist you in being more focused in your hunt for that first “real” job. It will also provide insight on how best to approach a company. Knowing what the employer wants helps you to position yourself as the best choice. Just as product manufacturers do market research before they launch a new product, you can do the same to better market your entry-level career.

Creating demand is the third aspect of marketing your entry-level career. Personal career branding backed by solid research and an excellent entry-level resume will compel potential employers to contact you about joining their teams. Demand can also be further enhanced during the interview by being well-prepared, mature, and knowledgeable. An entry-level candidate who is eager, open to training, and flexible is desirable by employers.

As an entry-level job seeker, you essentially are selling “air” – lack of experience. To do that, you must create a great package (a resume), market it strategically, and create the demand. Most people take air for granted and laugh at the thought of paying for it. Put those same people at the top of Pikes Peak where the rarified air of 13,000+ feet is thin and most will pay for air at the oxygen bar at the summit café. Air can be very valuable to those in need.