RESUME WRITING HELP YOUR RESUME STANDOUT…IN A GOOD WAY!!

WHAT’S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT A RESUME? The job market has changed drastically from just a few years ago. While a resume was once only needed by upper management and executives, today almost everyone needs a resume to job hunt effectively. The resume has only one purpose... to get interviews. A good resume can not get you a job, but a bad resume or no resume will prevent you from even getting the opportunity to interview. A resume is a marketing tool, plain and simple. Your resume speaks for you when you are not there to talk for yourself. Take a look at this video

DON’T BE THIS GUY

WHAT ARE THE “RULES”?? Different people will tell you different things you MUST include, or formatting you MUST follow, although generally those people are completely full of it. There are all kinds of jobs and employers, and what they look for in a resume varies widely. There ARE some DO’S and DONT’S of resume writing. Top 10 Rules of Resume Writing

1.There are many effective formats, but make yours business appropriate.  Don’t use colored or scented paper  Use Times New Roman or Ariel font  Only use black ink (colored ink doesn’t copy well)  Limit your resume to 1 page

2.List your name, address, 1 phone number, address in the heading A good phone number is the most important Your address should be business appropriate Eliminate your ring-back tone and make your voice mail message professional

3.Don’t include an “OBJECTIVE” statement Your objective is to get the job…everyone knows that It’s filler and you can use the space for other information

4.Don’t use full sentences Sentence fragments now have a home Keep it brisk and business-like If you find yourself writing: “I found myself in charge of our weekly meeting and have enjoyed rising to the challenge of creating an engaging program to stimulate discussion…” You’re probably on the wrong track

5.List other languages in which you are fluent If you’ve traveled to or lived in a different country, include that information

6.Check you spelling and grammar This is your only opportunity to make a first impression. Don’t rely on spell or grammar check. It’s sometimes not accurate and it won’t work on words that are in all capital letters.

7.Tailor your resume to the job requirements Don’t lie Find the things in the job requirements that match your experience and make sure you highlight them in your resume. Describe results related to those things.

8.Avoid use of the word “I” Makes your resume seem more official and objective Delivers clear, detailed information “Led a team of 30 people over the course of a 10- week, award-winning sales program.”

9.Don’t include your personal information Don’t list your birth date, SSN, marital status, drivers license information Don’t include a picture Leave out religious preferences Leave out ethnic background Only include information that is relevant to the job.

10. Don’t list that “references are available by request” This is an assumption that all employers make, if they need references, they will ask you for information. They also understand that the references you give them will only say GOOD things about you. They want to know the bad things too.

QUESTIONS?? HELP YOUR RESUME STANDOUT…IN A GOOD WAY!!