This September I spent two
days doing Resume Assessment at The National Job Fair and
Training Expo in Toronto. 400 Job Seekers received free resume
assessments from nine Resume Writers. There was a 2-3 hour
wait for this service that was available from 10 am - 8 pm.
Since a resume is critical to our employment success, waiting
a few hours for professional advice wasn’t a big deal
to most people.
Although no one gets hired solely on the
basis of a resume, many job seekers miss the opportunity of
an interview because of an inadequate resume. Your resume
can (and should) have a distinct personality to it. It should
separate you from all the people applying to land that dream
job. Be unique!
A lot of people think a generalized resume
describing everything they have ever done is a great way to
show their experience and skills. This is not true. You should
only include information that is useful to the job you are
applying for. If you are applying for a variety of positions,
write more than one resume. To make this process easier start
with a general resume, and use it as a template by cutting
and pasting the most relevant information for the different
positions.
Style of Resumes
There are a two basic resume styles: Chronological,
Skill Based.
The most popular style for resumes is
the Chronological Resume. It provides a job-by-job listing
of each position you have held starting with your most recent.
Use a Chronological Resume if you have consistent work history,
and your job titles are supportive of your objective.
If you are making a career change, and
your title and work history don’t match your job objective,
use a Skill Based Resume. A Skill Based Resume should also
be used if you have gaps in employment, a short work history,
your skills are transferable, your most recent experience
doesn’t support your objective, or you have an erratic
work history.
Simple Crucial Resume Writing Tips
* Know your audience before you begin
writing your resume. Your resume must be consistent with the
position you are pursuing.
* Choose your language carefully and proofread.
Your resume must be free of spelling, grammar, punctuation,
or typographical errors.
* Tailor your resume to your prospective
employer’s needs - highlight the skills and abilities
that will make you’re an attractive candidate.
* Your resume should answer the potential
employer’s questions, "Why should I hire you?"
in 20 seconds or less.
* Focus on your expertise, abilities,
and accomplishments.
* Use bullets. They make a resume more
reader-friendly if used consistently.
* Describe your roles and accomplishment
with strong action words and key terms that will grab attention.
* Keep all descriptions short. Descriptions
should generally take up no more than three to four lines
on the page. Full sentences are not necessary, however, be
consistent with punctuation.
Length of a resume
There is no "rule of thumb"
for resume length. For an experienced job seeker, a one-page
resume may be too short and even look too "entry-level".
A properly designed, well-written two-page resume would be
far better. Your resume is your marketing tool. Can you market
yourself on a one page resume or will you need two or three
pages to include your best skills, accomplishments, and experiences?
Note: In every resume, the first 10-15
lines are the most important. They will motivate a recruiter
to read on or to stop. Longer resumes need to be carefully
designed to "sell" you up front. The real cost of
writing a basic or weak resume is valuable time and thousands
of dollars in missed opportunities.
Cecile Peterkin is a
Certified Career and Life Coach. She publishes "Recipes
for Success", a FREE monthly e-zine on how to achieve
success and live your best life, personally and professionally.
Cecile is also author of The Career Athlete, an e-book on
managing your career. Sign up now for Cecile’s FREE
e-course "Resume Writing" resumewriting@cosmiccoachingcentre.com
and visit Cecile’s website for more information: http://www.CosmicCoachingCentre.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cecile_Peterkin
|
bravenet.com