Resume Writing
Resumes are the business cards for your job search, allowing you to
creatively express your background, training, and related work
experience. Generally, there are five areas that are taken into
consideration when a resume is evaluated.
- Overall appearance
- Organization
- Education
- Experience
- Relevant activities
Overall Appearance
- Check for spelling errors
- Make everything in the proper tense
- Print your resume on a good quality bond with envelope and cover
letter to match
- Make the print readable (including style of typeface and clarity of
copy)
- How does it impress the reader? negatively or positively?
Remember, a human resource professional can review more than a hundred
resumes in a weekfaded print, poor quality paper, and spelling errors can
detract from your qualifications.
Organization
Does the resume tell the reader what they want to know? Does it ramble or
have a clear direction? Are the individual entries consistent and
understandable? Is the information in the logical category?
How you organize your resume will give the reader some insight into your
ability to communicate effectively.
Education
Education is very straightforward. Seek a position that parallels your
educational background and work experience.
Experience
For most companies, experience is the most critical information. There
are exceptions to this, of course, but having a previously skilled
applicant certainly eases the training processes. You need to be able to
transfer your skills so that they are explained on a resume.
- Does it show the parameters to judge ability to accept responsibility?
- Duties versus responsibilities? (What did you actually do?)
- How will your acquired skills fit the position you are seeking?
- List your accomplishments.
- Use actual job titles.
- How long did you have the positions?
A number of short-term jobs can imply moving quickly due to hard work and
assertiveness or it can imply lack of concentration, impatience, or some
other negative quality. However, one long-term employment does not
always imply company loyalty and the ability to contribute to a team, it
can sometimes imply fear of change or lack of motivation to change. Be
sure that you are able to thoroughly explain anything that you put on
your resume.
Relevant Activities
Relevant activities give the reader a chance to get to know you a little
better. This can include community involvement, hobbies, and special
interests. For the most part, personal information is not mandated to be
on your resume, but it allows the reader to see your potential for the
future. For instance, leadership positions in high school or college
usually require some training and although you may not have been paid to
do them, an employer may view them as strong potential skills.
The following information should not be included on your resume:
- Your age or date of birth
- Your race or ethnic background
- Your marital status
Writing An Effective Cover Letter
Your cover letter is usually the first piece of your material read by the
employer. Its purpose is to make them want to read further. It should
clearly state why you are interested in the position and the company.
Your cover letter will provide the employer with clues about the person
you are.
Write your cover letter in proper business form. Make it clean. Take time
to prepare what you want to say. Research the company and know the name
of the hiring professional you will be addressing. Make the letter sell
you and your skills to the employer.
Follow up five days after you have mailed your cover letter and resume.
DID YOU KNOW?
The average recruiter spends no more than 45 seconds in reviewing a
resume before deciding the fate of its owner.
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