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
|
|
|
The Global Work Marketplace - The Revolution Of How Work Gets Done
Will cubicles be a distant memory for today's workforce? Will the expense of office space and the tremendous burden of employee benefits be a thing of the past for modern day businesses?The reality is, for thousands of people, this change has already occurred. Internet based 'Service Auctions' now abound where businesses can post their ongoing jobs or one-time projects to a ...(related: Employment)
Overcoming The 7 Roadblocks Women With Families Face Making Career Changes
Family is the driving force of our lives. You need family to support you and in most homes you need money to support your family. You work to support your family but you usually end up spending little time with them because of your 9-5 job. According to a Gallop poll 70% of Americans hate their jobs.Life is funny sometimes. Its so easy to find yourself in a job you don't love, in a career that doesn't drive you or longing for passion in our work. Sometimes we find ou...(related: Employment)
What A Former Stay At Home Mom Knows About Creating A Stunning Resume That You Dont
Recently I was asked to touch up a friend's resume. Her challenge was simple. She was a stay-at-home mom who had not worked in four years. A difficult task however, with the information in this section, I generated a listing of skills she did not know she had. Here is a partial list.(Organized, patient, detail oriented, energetic, ability to multitask, works well under...(related: Employment)
What You Should Know About A Medical Billing Specialist
Whether you are a person who is thinking about becoming a medical billing specialist or a company looking for a medical billing specialist, then this article is for you. There are several things that you should be aware of in the medical billing industry and I will walk you through them so that you will have the background information that you need to help you make a decision that will best suit your needs. We will first take a look at what it takes to become a medical billing specialist, and then we will also explore the alternatives to hi...(related: Employment)
How To Become A Real Estate Agent
If you're wondering how to become a real estate agent, the basic process is fairly simple, although it does vary a lot from state to state.. You will need to take classes, pass exams, earn a real estate license, find a broker to work for, t...(related: Employment)
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Something That Hasnt Been Invented Yet!
Most of us were brought up to study hard, get good grades, choose a "practical" college major, and strive for a "good job."Talk to a stranded midlife career-changer and you realize the game has changed. Yesterday's rules prepared us to be passengers on a large ocean liner that promised a smooth voyage. Today we realize that ocean liner turned out to be the Titanic and we need to keep ourselves afloat on a small life raft if we want to survive.Here are some tips to help your child learn not only to survive, but to thrive and grow in a chaotic world.1. From the first day of kindergarten, encourage your child to build on strengths rather than focus on limitations.Does she spend hours studying models of cars for the last twenty years? Maybe she...(related: Employment)
How To Reach Outside Yourself To Advance Your Career
When flipping the channels of your TV, you are bound to come across a Public Service Announcement (PSA) endorsed by a celebrity asking children to approach their parents, teachers, or someone they trust when they are at a crossroads. ...(related: Employment)
Is A Career Change On Your Horizon?
Making a career change is nothing new in today's job market.I've heard it said that the average American changescareers at least once in his or her life. Long gone arethe days of working for the same company from the timeyou graduate high school or college until that magicalretirement day.You sure won't find that kind of loyalty from companies to their workers these...(related: Employment)
Seven Success Tips For Recent Graduates Entering The Professional World
1) Build a Relationship With Your BossLike it or not, no single individual has a greater impact on your career future than your direct supervisor. So, how do you get on their good side from the start? Managers want to feel that you truly care, and that you are "in it with them" as a team. Bring your boss solutions, not problems. Most managers have enough problems already. When a problem arises, take initiative to consider what alternatives are available. Don't just throw the problem on their desk and have them figure it out. At some point, they will expect for you to figure out what the best plan of action is first, so they don't have to.Try to build a relationship with your boss. Ask them about their career path, and always ask your boss for advice on what you or the company could do better....(related: Employment)
Conflicts With Your Boss Are Inevitable, But Can Be Healthy
If you are a pro-active, get-things-done type, sooner or later you will come in conflict with your boss. The same sort of assertiveness and confidence that leads you to have a mind of your own has helped him to earn his position.Another reality is that if you do not have some periodic disagreements with your supervisors you are probably not being as assertive as you should be in moving your career ahead.These conflicts can prove to be hazardous to the health of your career if they are not handled with common sense, says Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor, www.CommonSenseAtWork.com>No one enjoys conflict, especially with t...(related: Employment)
Playing From The Blue Tees: Women In The Federal Government
Throughout the past decade, workplace diversity issues have allowed organizations to adjust their policies in response to the need for workplace equality in all aspects. As a result of the dynamic political, social and economic changes, some companies have willingly become more inclusive, integrating women, people of color, gays/lesbians, and individuals with disabilities into their workforce at all levels of their organizations. However, others have failed to make this paradigm shift.The Federal government has failed to see ...(related: Employment)
50 Things To Do To Your Boss That Are Fun For You, But Not For Them
1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant. You know, the one you can't afford. Call them back and cancel his reservations ? say you're his wife.2. Have a friend ...(related: Employment)
Ask For That Raise!
For nine years Jeff worked for company G as an engineer. Flying airplanes was his first love. His job came in a close second place. That changed when Jeff met Judy. Their relationship quickly turned serious and they married.When Jeff and Judy sat down to do financial planning as a couple, Judy learned Jeff's salary was surprisingly low. With a human resource background, Judy knew the salary range for Jeff's type of work, and what his credentials were worth. Jeff was seriously underpaid.Jeff was shocked and somewhat crestfallen. His attitude was, "I'm lucky to do what I love AND GET PAID for having fun!"As Jeff began to understand his market value he felt betrayed. Had he been duped? Had he been a fool...(related: Employment)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Employment