Five Fabulous Resume Tips For College Grads (or Anybody)
|
Fluffy clouds. Chirping birds. Green trees. Colorful flowers. It's springtime! All of these things bring thoughts of joy and serenity to most people, but to you, dear college senior, it is usually a hectic time, full of final exams, decisions to be made, Graduation Day, and looking for a job. Sure, the job search is a major thing on your to-do list, but having fun, studying, and exams usually take the top spots as the months wind down and Graduation Day nears.
In all the preparation for Graduation day, you've probably forgotten about the most important tool needed to land that perfect job. The resume. This handy little tool is the key to getting your foot in the door just to speak to someone. And you forgot? Don't you know that the resume is your calling card and it can make or break your chance of getting an interview to have a chance at a job that is being sought after by hundreds of other graduates.
Never fear my dear college senior, here are five tips to making the best impression with your resume.
1. Maximize your experiences.
Whether you helped out at your dad's office for the summer or planted trees for the local Arbor Day foundation, those experiences adds up to know-how. Think about all of the skills you used on each task and list them. Use lots of adjectives and please use the active voice.
2. Toot your own horn.
Did you increase sales by 50% (you go girl, er guy!)? Did enrollment jump from 350 to 1,000 because of you (you are incredible!)? Did you increase the efficiency of the sundae-making procedure (so industrious, aren't 'cha?)? If you changed the way your company or organization did something, say so. Employers like to see initiative in potential employees, so by all means toot your own horn. Just make sure that it's the truth. Which brings me to the next point.
3. Be honest.
It is now standard practice for employees to do a background checks on a person's credentials, credit, and references so be sure that all of the information on your resume is accurate. Even if a background check is not done at the time of hire, one could be done in the future and your job could be terminated if you were dishonest on your resume.
4. Make it pretty.
Okay it doesn't have to be pretty but it does have to be neat. As a recent graduate you want to keep your resume to one page, one and a half at most (K.I.S.S. Keep It Short Sweetie). The format, how it's arranged on the paper, should be easy to read. Leave plenty of white space so the eye (of your prospective employer) doesn't get tired. Use white or ivory, executive-type paper. If you are e-mailing your resume, keep it simple. Don't use bullets, lines, etc. because it will more than likely not be formatted correctly in the recipient's e-mail reader. Copy and paste the resume into the body of the e-mail because most people are leery of opening anything with attachments because of computer viruses.
5. List your skills.
This may seem obvious, but too many times people only list their hard skills such as computer software or hardware knowledge. It's good to list soft skills as well such as written and oral communications skills, initiative, organizational skills, and being a team player. These skills are all highly sought after and they could make the difference in whether you are hired or not.
Spring is here. The birds are chirping. Graduation Day has come and gone and now you are faced with the start of your career. Your resume is your calling card, so use it as the first tool in your arsenal of getting a job. Remember the 5 tips list above: 1. Maximize your experiences. 2. Toot your own horn. 3. Be honest. 4. Make it pretty. 5. List your skills. Next time we will talk about negotiating your salary. Ciao.
Samantha Gregory-Applewhite is a technical writer by day and a freelance article and busines writer/speaker/personal coach by night. She has 10 years experience writing resumes and coaching individuals in the resume writing process. Her business is Applewhite Communications http://www.applewhitecommunications.com and her writing website is Applewhite Spaces http://www.samanthagregory.blogspot.com. She lives and plays in Huntsville, Alabama with her husband Odel and her two children Lexi and AJ. Reading, traveling, internet surfing, and spending time with family friends is her passion.
|
|
|
Booster & Drainers
Like huge anchors on cruise ships, other people can hold you down. Not intentionally, but their negativity impacts you. It's hard to be winning at working when you're anchored in place. It...(related: Employment)
Travel Writer Jobs, What Are They And How To Find Them
Travel writing jobs are few and far between. Getting into this field is hard to do and requires a lot of training and experience. But, there are many benefits to them. There are many individuals who would love to get employment opportunities in this field. And, because the world is faster and faster becoming accessible to more people, increasing employment availability can be found for travel jobs as well. But, how does a person get in and how do they do their job?Travel writer jobs belong mainly to freelance authors, travelling far and wide. ...(related: Employment)
Helping Mid-life Employees Find Meaning
People work to live, but most also live to work. A study on the meaning of work conducted back in 1987 revealed a strong attachment to work as a way of life. The study found that 86 percent of people would continue working even if they had enough money never to work another day. There could be no better indication that work is not simply a matter of putting food on the table, but is core to the...(related: Employment)
Five Powerful Tips For Interns
Interning is about more than earning money during summer break. It's a wonderful way to gain work experience and lay the foundation for your future career. But to get the most out of it, you have to do more than just land the job, show up for work and collect your paycheck. Here are some tips that will help you get the full benefits of interning:
1. Pay Attention. This is more than a job, it's a learning experience. And unlike school, this is the real world -- where you'll be spending the rest of your life after graduation!...(related: Employment)
6 Steps To Re-inventing Your Career
Meaningful work honors the deepest part of your being. It is the embodiment of your gifts and talents and all that you value. Finding it in a safe, smart way requires these six steps:1. Soul Searching. Your journey begins with some intriguing self-examination. This step goes beyond looking at your work experience and skills. You also consider your values, interests, and personality preferences. This can be done informally through the use of specially-designed exercises or it can be done formally through professional assessment testing. Taken all together, the soul-search phase allows you to come up with a comprehensive personal profile that will help you develop future ...(related: Employment)
What Is My Calling?
"What is my calling?" Do any of us really have complete clarity about our life calling? Even those of us with the knowingness we must teach, write or sing may often ask, "What direction am I to go, now?" How do we answer these soulful questions?Richard Bolles, author of "What Color is My Parachute?" and the granddaddy of the employment industry says, when people are asked what they would like to do they often respond with "I don't know." Bolles maintains this is because people interpret the question to be "What a...(related: Employment)
Avoiding Tire Kickers As Job Seekers
With the economy heating up and employment prospects opening up after years of dormancy, it is more critical than ever for employers to understand that unfortunately, career "tire kickers" still exist in the marketplace. Demand for quality talent, especially at the senior executive level, still outweighs supply. Tire kickers' waste valuable time and resources for both professional recruiters and busy hiring managers. They sap the strength of well designed recruiting efforts and can wreak havoc on organizations that fall for their deception....(related: Employment)
Telecommuting Resumes
Your resume needs to outline your skills and experience, as most know. What some may not know is that employers want to know what you'll bring to the table. They don't want to know what your daily duties were. They want to know what you did for the companies you worked for that makes you extraordinary. Did you save them money, did you make them money, how were you the best at what you did, etc. Yes, employers want to know what your experience is, so duties are good to add. Again, the name of the game is SELL YOURSELF! This does not lose its importance in a resume.On your resume, point out the skills that will make you a good telecommuter. Can you work well with no supervision? Do you learn fast? Put that on your resume. If you were left to work with little to no supervision at your last job, let them know that. Al...(related: Employment)
You Should Interview The Interviewer, Too
I know what you are thinking. You're thinking, "Wait a minute. Wouldn't that be somewhat presumptuous if I were to ask the interviewer questions?" No. The truth of the matter is they want to see that you have enough intelligence and business sense to ask questions requiring informative answers. Most human resource professionals and hiring managers believe having an applicant ask questions is one of the most important aspects ...(related: Employment)
Dealing With How Would You...? Questions
I'm always preaching about proper preparation prior to interviews. If you research the position and company carefully, you can anticipate likely questions and prepare excellent answers.But something I also tell job seekers is that you can never anticipate every single question.I once had to respond to a "How would you...?" question about exhuming a dead duck. I am not making this up. The position involved community affai...(related: Employment)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Employment