Entries Tagged 'resume tips' ↓
October 6th, 2008 — resume tips
If you are sending out resumes and not getting any calls for interviews then it might be time to tweak that resume. Luckily there are some simple steps you can take to improve that resume.
To make your resume a quicker read, why not trim down that paragraph that you have as an objective statement. Instead of having a novel there, why not state the position you are seeking. Period.
Remember to plan for the electronic gatekeeper. These days computer programs scan resumes for keywords like “problem-solving,” “leadership,” and “oral/written communication” and you need to to make sure you have maximized your resume for this. Think of it as SEO for resumes.
Sell yourself. Make sure your resume has a one line branding statement that describes who you are and what you offer. An example of this is:
“Seasoned Chief Financial Officer strong in optimizing organizations to achieve maximum growth and market share who has produced new revenues or savings of over $65 million for my employers over the past eight years.” (from Yahoo)
List your achievements. Try to be specific about your achievements on your resume. And put a dollar amount to them if you can.
September 20th, 2008 — resume tips
If you are sending out resumes you should also be sending out cover letters with those resumes. The cover letter is essentially where you sell yourself to the employer. So it is essential that you have a successful cover letter. And you can ensure that you do with only five simple steps.
1. No fluff. In your cover letter you need to get right to the point. You can begin it with “I am writing you today because…” And then include all of the facts: job title and location, where you found out about the position and so on.
2. Show that you know the company. Next demonstrate your knowledge of the company with a little flattery. Tell them what about the company makes you want to work there.
3. List your qualifications. Let the employer know what you have to offer them. You can list relevant experience in bullet points.
4. Make it personal. Sum up yourself including things like your strengths and skills and what things you are passionate about professionally.
5. Close the sale. Let them know you are excited about the opportunity and interview. Then list what action you will be taking next - whether you will be following up or waiting to hear from them.
May 8th, 2008 — resume tips
There are basically two types of resumes. There is the chronological resume and the skills-based functional resume. The chronological resume tends to be the one that you see most often. However, for some people a skills-based resume would serve them better in their job hunt. Skills-based resumes work best for people that are looking to change careers or who have held a lot of jobs for short periods of time. For instance, if you are a consultant you would most likely want to use a skills-based resume as opposed to a chronological resume. Skills-based resumes are great because they really highlight the reasons why you would be a valuable addition to a company.
I have recently attained a great skills-based functional resume template. This template is used by one of the major recruitment agencies in the US. Feel free to download it and tweak the format to meet your needs. And don’t let the fact that it is focused on finance deter you as it can be used for any industry.
February 2nd, 2008 — resume tips
These days it is just not enough to send out a resume without a nice cover letter. I suspect that if a hiring manager narrows the field down to two resumes and one has a cover letter and one does not, well, the cover letter resume is the winner. Writing a well-crafted cover letter to go with your resume says a lot about you as an applicant.
It says that you thought that the position that you were applying for was worth the extra effort and time of crafting the cover letter.
It says that you are serious about the position in question.
It also says that you are a professional.
So, the question is, how do you write a cover letter and what should be in it?
Well, first note that your cover letter should only be about a page. There is really no need for a novel length letter because it probably won’t get read if it is too long.
A cover letter is basically there to fill in the gaps. Every thing that you think is important about why you should be hired for the position that did not fit on your resume should be in your cover letter. And always be sure to include any info that the employer specifically requested in the job advertisement.
Here are some places to see some examples of cover letters:
Here are other resources for tips on writing great cover letters:
December 14th, 2007 — resume tips
If you are looking for a job then you know that your most important asset is your resume. So, it stands to reason that your resume needs to be the best that it can be.
Of course, there is a lot of confusion out there as to what exactly should and shouldn’t be on a resume and so on.
For a little guidance, you might want to check out How to Write a Winning Resume at Free Money Finance.