The Amazing Secret of Mass Distributing Your Job Resumes: DON’T!

OK. We’ve all been told that mass distributing your job resumes is the way to go. Right? The theory goes like this . . . the more job resumes you can paper the market with, the better your chances are of getting a job.

You know, that approach actually used to work . . . back in the last century! You could count on the numbers eventually working for you with some predictability. But those days are gone forever. Different century. Different market.

Yet, it’s amazing to me how many job seekers hold on to the illusion that somehow I can make the job resume numbers work for me. It’s a crapshoot! It doesn’t work for you. And it doesn’t work the employers.

Here’s why.

From the employer’s side–employers today are much more sophisticated and require much more from a job candidate than a resume. No one is going to hire you based on your resume. Employers aren’t really interested in what you used to do for someone else. They want to see how you’re going to fit into their team. And they won’t learn that from your resume.

From the job candidate’s side–your million-dollar resume won’t even be seen by the person who makes the hiring decision. It’ll be screened by some personnel staffer or low level assistant. Along with hundreds of other resumes. When you submit a resume you’ve just put yourself right in the middle of the fiercest competition–right where you DON’T want to be!

So, what’s a serious job seeker to do, if a resume isn’t the way to go?

Well, the answer is . . . use an exciting alternative job search strategy! One that gets you in front the person who’ll actually be making the hiring decision about you–but without requiring him/her to wade through all the competition to get to you.

For example, you approach your job search by targeting the precise companies you want to work for and then single out the exact decision-makers who could be your next boss. And then meet with him/her. Sounds like a great way to go, doesn’t it? I mean you have direct access to your next boss without any competition.

So the secret is how to do that.

The good news is that there’s a proven system that can have you meeting face-to-face with selected decision-makers in a matter of days. You can be entertaining a high-paying job offer in as little as two weeks!

So, abandon the notion of mass distributing your job resumes and jump aboard the innovative 21st Century alternative job search program. You’ll be amazed at how fast you’ll see real results!

Article Source: http://www.articlesauce.com

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Find A Job In As Little As 14 Days!” Click on RSS for instant info! www.fastest-job-search.com

Your Resume and What Employers Want to See

The recruiting industry has changed dramatically since the mid-90s when the Internet began to catch fire as a networking tool. Prior to the advent of online job boards such as CareerBuilder and Monster, your local newspaper had a monopoly on “help-wanted” advertising going back pre-Industrial Revolution (I remember a few years back being quoted $450 to run a 3-line ad over the weekend–for $50 more I could add a black border around it).

Resumes came to you via mail or fax and the ones that got your attention arrived on expensive paper with signed cover letters–the presentation gave you as much insight into the candidate as the resume itself did. As an independent recruiter you were only as good as your database of candidates (which for most recruiters consisted of a Rolodex of business cards or a drawer full of resumes). You actively sought out individuals to network with, collecting every resume thrown at you regardless of the positions you were working on at the time. “Got a cousin in advertising sales? Have him give me a call!”

I think employers were more willing to take risks with less qualified candidates then (let’s say, pre-1998) than they are now. Hiring managers and recruiters recognize that online resources can provide them with exponentially greater access to candidates today than in years past. It’s not that the talent pool is deeper, it’s just more accessible (and more public) than it’s ever been. So the same company that might have been willing to take a chance on a good candidate from a different industry ten years ago now wants someone whose experience matches their position as closely as possible.

I am a big believer that the best candidates for a particular position are the ones who would be taking a step up in their career by accepting. They are inherently motivated because they’re improving their pay, adding to their responsibilities and increasing their exposure. But today employers want over-qualified candidates; people who are actually taking steps down in their careers or at the very least, making lateral moves. Most employers will not admit to consciously doing this, mind you; but they do. They want to know with as much certainty as possible that the candidates have “been there and done that.” They want people with track records that mirror the exact challenges and expectations of their opening, particularly if they’re working with a third party recruiter to fill the position. The employer feels they’re paying big bucks for the recruiter to minimize their risk; therefore they should deliver candidates that are tailor-made for their role.

As an independent recruiter, it is my job to provide the client with the candidate solution they want. Every client knows the type of person they’re looking for, even if they’re not always able to describe them in great detail before we begin the search. They may need to evaluate a couple candidates before they can put into words their exact preferences, particularly when it’s a new position. Keep in mind the candidate solution our firm provides is the one defined by the client, and in my opinion it’s not always the one that may be the best long-term employment solution.

As I discussed in a previous article (Remember: You’re hiring them to work for you, not to date you), many hiring managers allow their own personal biases to influence they way they evaluate candidates (often referred to as “gut instincts”) resulting in bad hiring decisions. My job is to provide the client with candidates that have a documented track record of success. The majority of companies we work with want candidates either from their own industry or industries that are a close parallel. Drilling down even further, they want to know that the candidate’s daily, weekly and monthly activities overlap with the expectations of the new position. This is why having a thorough, well-defined resume is imperative for today’s job seeker looking to advance their career.

I believe the criticism that most resumes are long-winded, over-inflated exaggerations of unspectacular accomplishments is completely unwarranted. Coming from someone who looks at thousands of resumes a month, the average person is more likely to sell themselves short, thereby limiting their potential opportunities than they are to misrepresent themselves on paper.

Information about the Author:

Career and Employment Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

How To Safely Bulk Up A Thin Resume

Many individuals starting out in the world of being an employee have to begin by pounding the pavement to find a job. Being presentable for an employment opportunity can be difficult, however, when you don’t have any work history.

Bulking up your resume to show potential employers that you do, indeed, have skills and assets their company needs really isn’t that hard, and with some initiative, filling up the employment history section of your resume can be done.

There are a lot of easy, mostly hassle-free ways to add to your work history. Volunteer work is a time-honored favorite, as it allows for work experience without needing any prior knowledge. Since most local and state government institutions are perpetually under-funded, they’ll assign drudge work to just about anyone. The tasks aren’t glamorous, but the experience is better than nothing. Keeping in mind that, when volunteering and also in general, good job references are important and you should avoid annoying or irritating your supervisor, regardless of whether you receive compensation or not for your duties.

Public events are another potential place to earn work experience through volunteering. Galas and tournaments to raise money for a cause usually require a sizable number of volunteers, and since these types of events last only a few days at most, there’s no long-term commitment required for work experience that looks good on a resume. If you can manage to land a volunteer position at one of these events that involves organization or management, even better – these skills are highly desired by potential employers.

Independent enterprise is another possible source of work experience. Any serious attempts and efforts you’ve put into a money-making enterprise, whether your own or someone else’s, show initiative and motivation. If you hauled speakers for your friend’s garage rock group during a public battle of the bands in your area, you can list that on your resume. If you wrote a poem that was accepted for a collection, even an unpublished small-press business, you can mark the information down on your resume as well. You can also make independent enterprise opportunities happen as well. Independent enterprise isn’t quite as easy to come across as opportunities to volunteer, but it’s a very good option for gaining work experience.

Though the really important, money-making diplomas will take years to earn, increasing your education section on your resume isn’t much harder than doing some volunteering or venturing into independent enterprise. Certification programs, from computer programming to private investigating, often require little more than forty or so hours of instruction and can be taken at most community colleges or similar educational facilities. Ideally, what you learn can be applied to the job you’re hoping to land, but courses and certifications also show initiative, something all employers are looking for in first-time job seekers.

Bulking up your resume using these ideas involve stealth opportunities – easy to overlook yet potent, if applied properly. Doubtlessly, there are other ways to improve a resume when you have no prior employment, but in truth, anything that shows that you have dedication, initiative, motivation, and ambition is good to add to your resume. With that in mind, go out there and see what opportunities you can come up with – there’s always something better than nothing.

Article Source: http://www.articlesauce.com

John Edmond owns and writes regularly for Careerbuilder Jobs where you can find more information and advice on all aspects of a writing a resume and job searching.

The Amazing Secret of Mass Distributing Your Job Resumes: DON?T!

OK. We’ve all been told that mass distributing your job resumes is the way to go. Right? The theory goes like this . . . the more job resumes you can paper the market with, the better your chances are of getting a job.

You know, that approach actually used to work . . . back in the last century! You could count on the numbers eventually working for you with some predictability. But those days are gone forever. Different century. Different market.

Yet, it’s amazing to me how many job seekers hold on to the illusion that somehow I can make the job resume numbers work for me. It’s a crapshoot! It doesn’t work for you. And it doesn’t work the employers.

Here’s why.

From the employer’s side–employers today are much more sophisticated and require much more from a job candidate than a resume. No one is going to hire you based on your resume. Employers aren’t really interested in what you used to do for someone else. They want to see how you’re going to fit into their team. And they won’t learn that from your resume.

From the job candidate’s side–your million-dollar resume won’t even be seen by the person who makes the hiring decision. It’ll be screened by some personnel staffer or low level assistant. Along with hundreds of other resumes. When you submit a resume you’ve just put yourself right in the middle of the fiercest competition–right where you DON’T want to be!

So, what’s a serious job seeker to do, if a resume isn’t the way to go?

Well, the answer is . . . use an exciting alternative job search strategy! One that gets you in front the person who’ll actually be making the hiring decision about you–but without requiring him/her to wade through all the competition to get to you.

For example, you approach your job search by targeting the precise companies you want to work for and then single out the exact decision-makers who could be your next boss. And then meet with him/her. Sounds like a great way to go, doesn’t it? I mean you have direct access to your next boss without any competition.

So the secret is how to do that.

The good news is that there’s a proven system that can have you meeting face-to-face with selected decision-makers in a matter of days. You can be entertaining a high-paying job offer in as little as two weeks!

So, abandon the notion of mass distributing your job resumes and jump aboard the innovative 21st Century alternative job search program. You’ll be amazed at how fast you’ll see real results!

Information about the Author:

Career and Employment Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

Writing a Killer Resume to Attract Prospective Employers

Resume is a document containing a summary highlighting the experiences and credentials and education usually written for the purpose of gaining an interview while seeking an employment. Since resume is the first thing that a potential employer encounters regarding the applicant, it carries a great significance.

A resume may be limited to one or two pages and can be organized in several ways.
A chronological resume highlights a candidate’s job experience in reverse chronological order, that is, the main body of the document shows the professional experience beginning from the most recent experience going chronologically backwards through a succession of previous experience. The main aim of a chronological resume is to give an impact of credibility through experience gained. This type of resume is the most common resume in use.

A functional resume highlights work experience and skills classified by skill area or job function. The objective of a functional resume is to focus on the skills particular to the kind of position being sought which directly gives weightage to professional capabilities and experiences as a backup. In contrast to chronological resume, functional resume will highlight these competencies and is most suited for jobs that require a particular skill or clearly defined personality traits.

A combination resume balances both the chronological and functional resumes, which typically leads with a functional list of job skills and then the chronological list of employers.

A resume is quite short and therefore contains experience directly relevant to the position and many resumes use precise keywords and action words that the employer is seeking for. Increasing number of job seekers and employers are using Internet based jobs and therefore an ideal resume should be long enough to provide a concise, adequate and accurate description of an applicant’s employment history and capabilities. Job seekers are now able to reach the employers through direct e-mail contact and resume blasting which is the mass distribution of resumes to increase personal visibility within the job market. The simplicity and complexity of the resume formats produce results varying from person to person, industry and occupation.

Since many employers find candidates through search engines, it is important to use appropriate keywords while writing a resume. And they must choose a file format to maintain their resume. Unlike regular two page resumes, which highlight only the recent work experience and education, Internet resumes highlight the candidate’s skill development over his or her career.

While writing a resume, emphasis should be placed on accomplishments, effective organization and more importantly the appearance of the resume. To achieve this, proper care should be taken to see to it that the font is plain and easy to read written on a resume quality paper, formatting the resume with simple bullets, highlighting the accomplishments and not taking away the attention.

While organizing a resume it is very important to start with an active descriptive action word, include numbers and percentages and restrict the resume to one page. The resume is nothing but an advertisement with the main purpose of winning an interview and to be an effective resume, it should stand out from the crowd.

Article Source: http://www.itempad.com

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Video Resumes: Seem Like a Good Idea at the Time

As job searches go on longer than anticipated for many, it’s understandable that people would start to look around for ways to differentiate themselves in the market. However, making a video resume may NOT be the best way to accomplish that goal.
I’m noticing that the video resume craze is starting to pick up momentum. On the surface I’m sure that video resumes seem like a good idea to job seekers. Hasn’t everyone at one time or another said to themselves “If they could just SEE me, I know they’d want to hire me. This plain ‘ole resume just ain’t doing me justice!” Understandable, however the video resumes I watched certainly didn’t do anyone justice. Here’s why video resumes are a doomed proposition unless you’re gunning for a job as a news anchor and have a TV production studio to shoot your video. First. The nature of this format makes you a talking head on camera. I’ve made a video like this before, and I actually posted it on YouTube, and it’s very, very hard. The camera is completely, 100% focused on YOU, all the time. It doesn’t blink, it’s mind doesn’t wander, it doesn’t look out the window behind you occasionally, it’s totally on YOU. This means it catches every stupid thing you do. Even something simple like scratching your nose looks incredibly unprofessional when it’s caught for all eternity in a video resume. What about when your mind wanders when you’re giving your pitch and you slide in some ums and ahs? Those will be caught for posterity too. Great huh? If you think for a millisecond that job interviews are nerve-wracking-just try making one of these videos. Unless you have a teleprompter, you have got to know exactly what you’re going to say and can talk about it with some enthusiasm and style. Second. You have GOT to look professional. The few I watched on CareerTV–a place for great videos of career advice and where you can post your video resume–had someone sitting in a rocking chair (talking about how energetic she was), and another person in her medical scrubs, which wasn’t so bad, but unfortunately she didn’t take the time to edit her mistakes out of the video. These videos have got to be the absolute best you can give. It’s your one shot! In an in-person interview you can at least realize that you’ve made some mistakes, and pull it back together toward the end of the interview. Once it’s on tape, employers can watch it repeatedly. It’s harder to erase it from their memory. Think of the funny videos you watch on YouTube. Same premise. Also, you’ve got to watch what you wear! Whatever you would wear to an interview to make a good impression is what you need to wear in the video. You’re trying to use it as a supplement to your resume, so why would you dress in anything other than a suit? Third. Employers cannot not discriminate against you on the basis of your age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion-basically the things that have nothing to do with how well you do the job. By casually chatting on these videos you can inadvertently open up a Pandora’s box of issues that cause you to not be considered. One simple example: In your video, you state that you’re moving to a new city to be closer to your boyfriend/girlfriend. The phrase “to be closer to your boyfriend/girlfriend” is the problem. To you, it seems like you’re explaining about the move. To an employer, it’s too much information. As an employer, I get a vision of you turning down my job offer because you broke up with him or her, or after you move, you break up with him or her and plunge into the depths of despair because the ONLY reason you moved was for the relationship-which is now over. An employer may not want to take a chance on you with your baggage vs. a local candidate with less visible baggage. Stating that you have firm plans to move to the city is fine, if asked in an interview, you can say that you’ve developed an interest in the city and are looking forward to meeting new people. But discussing your personal relationships is just too much information. In an effort to be friendly and casual on the video, you can end up telling employer things that actually take you out of the running. Fourth. Again, based on that employer discrimination concept, as far as I know, the laws have not specifically tackled this issue of video resumes vs. non-video resumes. I know that currently HR departments are overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork they need to regularly submit to some governmental agency to prove that they’re not discriminating. That’s just dealing with the traditional hard copy and emailed resumes they receive from applicants. I know of another company involved in video resumes and they have to keep incredibly detailed records to prove that all applicants’ videos are being viewed for the same amount of time. Think about it. The last thing you want is for an employer to not consider you because you remind them of a relative or former employee that they never liked, and to immediately close your video before hearing you out. You also wouldn’t want a candidate who did a video resume to get preferential treatment over you who did not do a video resume. I know that there are some employers who like the new format, and to be honest, if I was a hiring manger, there are times when I’d wished I could see an applicant before bringing them in-but it’s because I know if I saw them first, I would not have invited them in for the interview. If you are still inspired to give these a shot, remember to keep it professional, dress like it’s an interview, and keep it as error-free as humanly possible. Good luck with that. It will be interesting to see where this idea leads, but for now, I’d recommend sitting on the sidelines to see how it plays out.

Here are some reasons why video resumes are a doomed proposition unless you’re shooting for a job as a news anchor or have a TV production studio shoot your video. First. The nature of this format makes you a talking head on camera. I’ve made a video like this before, and I actually posted it on YouTube, and it’s very, very difficult. The camera is completely, 100% focused on YOU, all the time. It doesn’t blink, it’s mind doesn’t wander, it doesn’t look out the window behind you occasionally, it’s totally on YOU. This means it catches every stupid thing you do. Even something simple like moving a lock of hair out of your eyes can look incredibly unprofessional when it’s caught for all eternity in a video resume.

What about when your mind wanders when you’re giving your pitch and you slide in some ums and ahs? Those will be caught for posterity too. Great huh? If you think for a millisecond that job interviews are nerve-wracking-just try making one of these videos. Unless you have a teleprompter, you have got to know exactly what you’re going to say and can talk about it with some enthusiasm and style.

Second. You have GOT to look professional. I’ve watched a few on some websites, and this one stood out. The few I watched on YouTube and other video sites–had someone sitting in a rocking chair (talking about how energetic she was), and another person in her medical scrubs, which wasn’t so bad, but unfortunately she didn’t take the time to edit her mistakes out of the video.

These videos have got to be the absolute best you can give. It’s your one shot!

In an in-person interview you can at least realize that you’ve made some mistakes, and pull it back together toward the end of the interview. Once it’s taped, it’s permanent–employers can watch it repeatedly. It’s harder to erase it from their memory. Think of the funny videos you watch on YouTube. Same premise.

Also, you’ve got to watch what you wear! Whatever you would wear to an interview to make a good impression is what you need to wear in the video. You’re trying to use it as a supplement to your resume, so why would you dress in anything other than a suit?

Third. Employers cannot discriminate against you on the basis of your age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion-basically the things that have nothing to do with how well you do the job. By casually chatting on these videos you can inadvertently open up a Pandora’s box of issues that cause you to not be considered.

One simple example: In your video, you state that you’re moving to a new city to be closer to your boyfriend/girlfriend. The phrase “to be closer to your boyfriend/girlfriend” is the problem. To you, it seems like you’re explaining about the move. To an employer, it’s too much information. As an employer, I get a vision of you turning down my job offer because you broke up with him or her, or after you move, you break up with him or her and plunge into the depths of despair because the ONLY reason you moved was for the relationship-which is now over. An employer may not want to take a chance on you with your baggage vs. a local candidate with less visible baggage. Stating that you have firm plans to move to the city is fine, if asked in an interview, you can say that you’ve developed an interest in the city and are looking forward to meeting new people. But discussing your personal relationships is just too much information. In an effort to be friendly and casual on the video, you can end up telling employer things that actually take you out of the running.

Fourth. Again, based on that employer discrimination concept, as far as I know, the laws have not specifically tackled this issue of video resumes vs. non-video resumes. I know that currently HR departments are overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork they need to regularly submit to some governmental agency to prove that they’re not discriminating. That’s just dealing with the traditional hard copy and emailed resumes they receive from applicants. I know of another company involved in video resumes and they have to keep incredibly detailed records to prove that all applicants’ videos are being viewed for the same amount of time. Think about it. The last thing you want is for an employer to not consider you because you remind them of a relative or former employee that they never liked, and to immediately close your video before hearing you out. You also wouldn’t want a candidate who did a video resume to get preferential treatment over you who did not do a video resume.

I know that there are some employers who like the new format, and to be honest, if I was a hiring manger, there are times when I’d wished I could see an applicant before bringing them in-but it’s because I know if I saw them first, I would not have invited them in for the interview. If you are still inspired to give these a shot, remember to keep it professional, dress like it’s an interview, and keep it as error-free as humanly possible. Good luck with that. It will be interesting to see where this idea leads, but for now, I’d recommend sitting on the sidelines to see how it plays out.

Information about the Author:

Personal Development Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

You Absolutely Must Have a “Strategic” Resume Format!

What’s a “strategic” resume format?

Well, let’s look at it this way. A traditional (non-strategic) job search resume format is passive at the very time when employers are looking for someone who can demonstrate they are proactive. It’s one of the many job search changes that have occurred in the 21st Century that must be reflected in your resume.

For example, employers today want to find a candidate who

* Understands the organization.

* Can show how to make a difference.

* Can demonstrate quantifiable contributions.

* Isn’t afraid to ask for a job.

* Knows how to cut a deal.

From this you can see that the focal point of a resume format must be to respond to the needs and expectations of the employer. The job seeker’s personal information and their work history are of secondary importance.

This is what we mean by a “strategic” resume format.

So to meet the expectations of an employer, here’s how your strategic resume format should look:

1. Resumes are initially scanned (not closely read) in less than 50 seconds. Something about you either attracts attention in that timeframe or your resume is trashed.

2. Your resume must have an attention-grabbing headline . . . a quick summation of what you have to offer.

3. Do NOT write some self-serving objective statement. An employer could care less what you want to get out of this for your self. He/she is interested exclusively in what you can do to make the bottom line look better.

4. DO write a short summary statement saying very directly what assets, capabilities and strengths you bring to the table that can make a difference to the organization you’re interested in.

5. Keep your resume brief and impactual. One page is best. But never more than two pages. No long-winded recitation of your past accomplishments. Employers want to know how your achievements can make a difference to their needs. So tell them . . . and use quantifiable results to do it.

If you rely on the old-fashioned methods of finding a job, you’ll be disappointed. While it’s true that you won’t be hired on the basis of a resume, on those occasions where it’s important to have a resume, you want to make sure you use a “strategic” resume format!

Article Source: http://www.articlesauce.com

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Find A Job In As Little As 14 Days!” Click on RSS for instant info! www.fastest-job-search.com

Applying For Jobs Using An Unsolicited Resume

The job search can be more frustrating when you are forced to apply for jobs speculatively. But does it pay to apply directly, even when there is no job opening posted? What will employers do with such applications, if they are not expecting them in the first place?

Does It Make Sense to Apply

You can view this question from two angles. Applying directly without an ad being posted is broadly regarded as a speculative application, a tactic that is commonly employed by job seekers. You have to match your job need to availability, which means you can’t wait until a vacancy is advertised. Additionally, speculative applications are almost a certainty in all industries. After all, the purpose is to find a vacancy before it is advertised.

Another occasion when you might apply without an ad being posted includes when you have received a referral or tip from someone that you know who works with the company in question.

The bigger question is how recruiters and employees look at applications when they are not expecting them. Unsolicited resumes are never disregarded even though they may irritate a recruiter at the time. Employers file unsolicited resumes in their database for future use. These applications come in handy for companies who don’t advertise when they have a need, as a matter of policy.

A second aspect that is in your favor is when your application reaches an employer just when they are contemplating recruiting. Certain industries, such as service, advertising and marketing, and software engineering employ people for various positions on a continuous basis, as there is a high employee attrition rate in these industries.

How Do I Apply Directly

There are some simple steps that you should follow, which includes preparing a good resume and coverletter. The following points will help you prepare your speculative application.

– Direct or unsolicited applications should be specific to employers as you are offering your qualifications and skills to a particular industry. You can consider doing this in a marketing tone, for exploration.
– Try to include as much information as possible into your application as you are applying for a non-existent job whose requirements are not known to you. This is your insurance against failure due to a mismatch between the job requirement and your skill set.
– Take a paragraph or two to explain why you are interested in the organization and how you are planning to contribute to their success. Making concrete offers focusing specifically on ‘where and how’ of your contributions in one way or the other is crucial. This motivates employers, which is essential when there is no specific vacancy at that time.
– You need to justify your claims of contributing to their success by your qualifications and experiences. If you are applying for middle or higher positions, let your accomplishments speak for you.
– End the application with a thank you and reminding them that you wish to follow-up later. Then, do it!

Knowing how to apply using an unsolicited resume is important. You can locate company contact information from the telephone directory or from company websites.

Information about the Author:

Career and Employment Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com

Should i use a functional resume format?

Hear why a functional resume format is a good options for some job seekers….

Writing a Killer Resume to Attract Prospective Employers

Resume is a document containing a summary highlighting the experiences and credentials and education usually written for the purpose of gaining an interview while seeking an employment. Since resume is the first thing that a potential employer encounters regarding the applicant, it carries a great significance.

A resume may be limited to one or two pages and can be organized in several ways.
A chronological resume highlights a candidate’s job experience in reverse chronological order, that is, the main body of the document shows the professional experience beginning from the most recent experience going chronologically backwards through a succession of previous experience. The main aim of a chronological resume is to give an impact of credibility through experience gained. This type of resume is the most common resume in use.

A functional resume highlights work experience and skills classified by skill area or job function. The objective of a functional resume is to focus on the skills particular to the kind of position being sought which directly gives weightage to professional capabilities and experiences as a backup. In contrast to chronological resume, functional resume will highlight these competencies and is most suited for jobs that require a particular skill or clearly defined personality traits.

A combination resume balances both the chronological and functional resumes, which typically leads with a functional list of job skills and then the chronological list of employers.

A resume is quite short and therefore contains experience directly relevant to the position and many resumes use precise keywords and action words that the employer is seeking for. Increasing number of job seekers and employers are using Internet based jobs and therefore an ideal resume should be long enough to provide a concise, adequate and accurate description of an applicant’s employment history and capabilities. Job seekers are now able to reach the employers through direct e-mail contact and resume blasting which is the mass distribution of resumes to increase personal visibility within the job market. The simplicity and complexity of the resume formats produce results varying from person to person, industry and occupation.

Since many employers find candidates through search engines, it is important to use appropriate keywords while writing a resume. And they must choose a file format to maintain their resume. Unlike regular two page resumes, which highlight only the recent work experience and education, Internet resumes highlight the candidate’s skill development over his or her career.

While writing a resume, emphasis should be placed on accomplishments, effective organization and more importantly the appearance of the resume. To achieve this, proper care should be taken to see to it that the font is plain and easy to read written on a resume quality paper, formatting the resume with simple bullets, highlighting the accomplishments and not taking away the attention.

While organizing a resume it is very important to start with an active descriptive action word, include numbers and percentages and restrict the resume to one page. The resume is nothing but an advertisement with the main purpose of winning an interview and to be an effective resume, it should stand out from the crowd.

Article Source: http://www.itempad.com

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