Taking The Resume Reader’s Needs Into Consideration

Before you write your own resume, examine professionally written resume samples to get ideas about writing styles and eye-catching resume formats. Then, write your resume with the reader in mind. If they are seeking someone with your background and skill set, be sure to make that the focus of your resume.

Do not use the resume templates that come with your word processor. They look like everyone else’s resume on the hiring manager’s desk.

Take the extra time needed to add visual appeal to your resume. If you are not able to do this effectively, you should seriously consider retaining the services of a professional resume writer. Be sure to ask them if they specialize in creating eye-catching resume formats in addition to their writing services.

Your goal should be to make a connection between what the hiring manager is seeking and what you have to offer in those select areas.

To get that message across at first glance, make your objective clear and highly visible. You can do this by creating a job title and positioning it prominently below your name and address. It tells the hiring manager what you are all about and sets the tone for the rest of the resume.

RESUME HEADING
Your resume heading should in bold and all caps such as this: REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

PROFILE
Your Profile or Summary section is a coutesy to the reader. It allows them to sum you up in short order. This important section sets the tone for the resume and highlights your key qualifications. This way the hiring manager can quickly get a sense who you professionally without having to read the entire resume.

Specifically, this section should list your number of years of experience, industry, credentials, and key attributes that are essential to the position you are targeting. For example, if the position is sales, your attributes would be strong communicator, strategic negotiator, and ability to establish and build key business relationships.

KEYWORDS
Keywords or industry jargon can be included in your Summary or throughout your entire resume (recommended) so you can communicate your select areas of skills by listing appropriate areas of interest specific to the job.

In the case scenario for a sales professional, these keywords might be as follows: relationship building, territory sales management, client consultation, public speaking, sales presentations, contract negotiations, value-added selling, client training and support. One of the best sources to find relevant keywords is in job ads.

ACHIEVEMENTS
This is no time to be shy and modest. You will want to toot your horn a bit by including your most impressive achievements. Your accomplishments should be presented in a factual or story telling way that gives the reader the sense that you do more than just your basic responsibilities and are not a clock watcher.

ACTION VERBS
Do not make the mistake of starting every sentence off with “responsible for”. That is understood. Try playing with action verbs such as led, directed, supervised, spearheaded, steered, guided, and executed. Instead of writing a sentence like this: Responsible for distribution operations throughout the Metro New York Area, consider revising it to read like this: Managed distribution operations throughout the Metro New York Area. Here is another example: Led the success of distribution operations throughout the Metro New York Area.

CONSISTENCY
Watch for consistency in present and past tense. If you are no longer with a company, be sure to make it past tense. Just as important, triple check for typos. Have someone else read your resume for misspellings, dates, missing periods and obviously poor grammar.

Again, review professionally written resume samples to get ideas about writing styles and eye-catching resume formats. But, make the effort to make it your own.

Information about the Author:

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

Creating a Good Resume is an Art

Landing a good job will depend a lot on your education and work history. Also important is how well you do during the interview process. But, if you can’t get your foot in the door, you most likely can blame your resume. If you’re going for a job you’re qualified for, the resume is key to opening the door.

Many people believe they need to lie on their resumes to even get an interview. This is not so. Employers, at least many of them, check references and background before they call people in for interviews. So, if a lie is present, you may not even get a call. Or, if checking isn’t done on the front end, it will be done if a problem arises. If you lied to get the job, there could be legal actions taken. So, either way, you lose. Save yourself the hassle and be honest on a resume.

Over and above being honest on a resume, there is an art to creating one for different positions. A resume is an extension of the person applying for a job. It should speak to its readers about the person’s competence, skills and abilities. It should tell them this “is the one I want” before an interview even takes place.

To make sure your resume gets the attention you deserve from potential employers, here are some basic tips:
* Go after jobs you’re qualified for. Don’t apply for a rocket science position with a degree in English and expect to get a phone call. Be realistic about your background, education and skills.
* Tailor a resume for the employer. If you’re going for a sales job, state your objectives in that field clearly. If you want to be an artist, say that and where you’d like to go in the field. Different resume styles should be used for different positions as well. An artist likely would want a more creative piece whereas an engineer a more basic one.
* Provide basic information. This means basics about education, work history, skills and personal information such as telephone number and address.
* Give them enough information to get their interest without boring them. Personnel directors do not have the time to read five-page resumes. Keep yours short, compelling and to the point and you’ll capture their attention. Make it so long they need to take a lunch break to read it, and your resume might end up in the trash.
* Be clear and concise with wording. Don’t embellish. Tell the truth, but do it well.
* If you’re writing a cover letter, keep this short, but explain why you want the job and why you’re the best person for it. Remember, you’re selling yourself here. Your skills and knowledge or ability to learn are your products, play them up!

Once a resume has been crafted, be certain to read it over very carefully. Companies do not want to hire people who cannot fill out basic forms. For almost every supervisory position going, there is at least one resume that comes in from someone who wants to be a “manger” instead of a “manager.” Don’t rely on spell check on a computer either or you’re likely to be looking for that manger’s position and a good “car” instead of “career.”

A resume is the first selling point for a person seeking a job. A well-written resume can open doors. A poorly written one can close them and keep them that way. Be clear, concise and honest.

Information about the Author:

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

The Purpose of Your Resume

The Purpose of your resume

You should only build a resume for one purpose – to get an interview.
Keep this purpose in mind as you read the article below:

Why did I say ‘build’ a resume and not ‘write’ a resume?

A resume is not a story, it is not written with stream of consciousness like a novel. Resumes are built in a purposeful, strategic way to sell your strengths and eliminate your weaknesses. The best resumes turn your Tasks and Responsibilities into Accomplishments and Results

A resume should not be purely chronological – that is a big mistake. I don’t know anyone who has had a consistent rise in significant accomplishment over a long career. Most people, including you, have nuggets of brilliance – accomplished at many different times throughout your life.

Your resume should be a highlight reel not an autobiography. The strategy is to match significant keywords, (Knowledge Skills and Abilities), to your accomplishments. You can’t do this with a chronological resume,

The only purpose a chronology has in today’s job market is to help the reader understand when you moved from job to job and which job you had first, second, and third. The chronology doesn’t explain a thing about who you are and what you accomplished. Neither does your longevity. Some people accomplish more in six months than others do in five years.

Never confuse a job title with an accomplishment.

Resumes must be functional to attract attention. Many say it’s the first third of the page that sells – if you can’t grab the reader at the top, the list of facts at the bottom will never be read. That is why it is critical to sell your key accomplishments and KSA,s up front.

Use the following checklist to help you think outside the margins of your resume:

1. Prepare a profile that matches your background to the job description.
2. Prioritize your tasks and responsibilities to match the job description.
3. Only list tasks that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
4. Select tasks that you can back up – preferably with a strong accomplishment.
5. Use a qualifying line to describe how you were selected for the job.

Example:
ABC tech Firm – 2006-2007
Technical Writer
Hired by the V.P of Documentation to improve RFP efficiency and develop a document reuse policy.

This line adds a little zing because it gives the reader some insight into your story. Be prepared to add more details at an interview. This short descriptor can help you build interest in your story. First, you name drop a little. In other words, you tell the reader who hired you and the title they command.

Second, the reader/interviewer may want to know how you increased efficiency and how you developed that reuse policy. The strategy is to place ideas and questions in the readers head. Just make sure you have the answers.
Your resume must be constructed – ‘built’ in such a way that it structures the conversation before you get to the interview.

The Interview process is like dating. You wouldn’t sit down on a first date and say – “let me tell you what my worst qualities are”. Yet, people do this all the time on their resumes.

Now, let’s continue with the checklist:
6. List all tasks in the active voice. For example Developed, Initiated, Directed, Organized
7. Never say ‘responsible for’ just use the action word.
8. List your accomplishments before you build your resume. I guarantee that this is the most difficult part of the process.
9. Select the strongest accomplishment and place it after your keyword table- (more on this in my next article), and before your chronological list.

Wait a minute – I thought you said chronology doesn’t’ matter. I didn’t say that. What I meant was it is the least important part – but an essential price of admission.

10. Identify your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s), by using the Occupational ONET Online database. This is an excellent repository developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and contains occupational information that can be an invaluable resource for education and research.

When you are ready, please visit http://www.ONETOnline.org
Now, lets continue.

11. Smooth out small gaps in employment by using annual dates i.e., (2006-2007) instead of the month and date.
12. List awards and citations/achievements only if they compliment the job you are seeking.
13. A note on Education. Include all completed degrees, regardless of subject matter. All employers value education. One caveat: Don’t include Certifications that do not apply to the industry in question.

Example: I am a professional writer and in addition to my B.S. and M.A. I am a certified professional Coder (CPC). This is a health care certification. The only time I include it on my resume is when I am approached about a writing opportunity that requires some understanding of health care issues.

Finally, remember that building a resume is one of the most difficult jobs you will do – if its done right. Its not easy to capture the essence of a persons talents and abilities in one or two pages, especially if you are a mid-career professional. There is no recipe. The checklist I provided is only a guide. Always practice good judgment and use what works for you.

Information about the Author:

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

Creative Resume Writing Tips To Get You Noticed

When you are job hunting, your resume is a valuable tool. While just about everyone has a resume, few people know just how to write one correctly. If your resume has not been getting you the interviews that you want, it may need a little polishing. Follow these tips to perk up your resume and get you noticed!

1. Focus your resume to reflect the job that you want. Generic resumes may be easy and convenient, but they are not efficient. Review the job description for the position for which you are applying. Think: knowledge, skills and abilities and allow your resume to reflect your knowledge, skills and abilities for each requirement. Use industry buzzwords and show what you know that directly pertains to the position.

2. Focus and keep your objective short and to the point. Your employment objective should be directed towards your intended position and tie it into your experience, education and skills. Use power words like qualified, experienced and dynamic. One or two lines is all you should include and definitely not more than three. Just make sure that those fews lines make a real impact to get their attention to get to the interview, making them want to know you more.

3. Use your personal resume as a marketing tool. You want your resume to sell yourself to the interviewers. Structure your resume in a way that it is easy to read, gets the interviewer’s attention and gets you an interview. Use bulleted lists and brief descriptions to highlight your experience and skills. You are not creating a book, so don’t go into great detail.

4. Your resume is written to get you the job interview, not the job itself. You don’t have to provide all of the details every duty for every job you have ever held. Call to attention the jobs that you have had that tie into the position you are seeking. You can mention the other positions to fill in gaps in time, but don’t feel compelled to get into great detail about those positions. List your main jobs in one section of the resume and list the less important one under a heading “Other Employment” or something similar.

5. Utilize action words. Your resume will really stand out when you use action words such as negotiated, implemented, conceptualized and streamlined in your descriptions. These action words let your interviewer know that you are a “doer” and that you are assertive. Make sure that you use words that demonstrate what you have accomplished and can do, don’t just tell.

6. List your strengths in the upper third of your resume. You have about 30 seconds to wow the interviewer when they pick up your resume before they either move on to the next resume or pick up the phone to set up an interview with you. With that in mind have a powerful objective and move right into your experience and skills. Use symbols like %, # and $ to stand out in a resume. For example, you led a team that increased sales by 20%.

7. Create your resume to be easy to read. Stay away from long paragraphs and use bullet points to highlight instead. Be concise and get to the point. You want it to be easy to read and understand. Make sure that you don’t say anything to detract attention from what you can do and your qualifications.

Let your resume show who you are and what you can do. Use it to sell yourself and get your foot in the door with an interview. Keep it simple and to the point and try to keep it to one page. Use these tips to polish your resume and get the job that you want.

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

Article res has been removed due to spammers exploiting this site and stealing itempads pr rank. Link Res will be returned once the database has been purged of bad links probably after the next google update. We do not believe in using nofollow. We are sorry for this temp problem. But once the database has been cleaned all links by writers will have a higher value. We hope you understand and continue to submit your articles. If you would like a permenet link on itempad Please email admin

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

Article res has been removed due to spammers exploiting this site and stealing itempads pr rank. Link Res will be returned once the database has been purged of bad links probably after the next google update. We do not believe in using nofollow. We are sorry for this temp problem. But once the database has been cleaned all links by writers will have a higher value. We hope you understand and continue to submit your articles. If you would like a permenet link on itempad Please email admin

Power Up Your Resume

The first thing that an employer usually sees about you is your resume. It is not just a listing of your qualifications, experience, and education. It is an actual extension of yourself. Your resume is your first interview with the employer, and it should be just as dynamic as you would be if you were there – even more so, in fact! You already know how important first impressions are. Since your resume is your very first impression, even more attention needs to be paid to that presentation than to what you wear to your first interview.

Taking this concept even farther, think about your resume’s first impression. What image of you does it project as it comes into view for the very first time? In what way does it stand out from the rest of the stack and draw the reviewer to want to pull it out and read it first? It’s appearance, the paper it is on, not being bent or folded, an attractive layout, all being on one page, and easy readability of the font all contribute to the reader’s experience. And that experience needs to be all positive!

Don’t go nuts on the paper choice, however. It shouldn’t be on super-thick stock or too much of a non-resume color. Go with a nice quality, medium stock, off-white color such as beige or light gray. Do pay attention to the layout and font choice. Arial is probably best. Use bold where appropriate and lead the reader through the document naturally, without having to do any straining. A potential employer should not feel like they have to work to read your resume.

The most important part of the document is your employment objective. This should be right at the top, the first thing they see after your name and contact information. It should be customized for each potential employer! There should be some boldness to it (not just in the type style), tempered with respect and professionalism. For example, if you are applying for a receptionist position at ABC corporation, your objective might be: “To begin my life-long career as a top executive at ABC corporation by being the flat-out most outstanding receptionist in the history of the company.”

There are only two additional sections that are necessary to a resume after the employment objective: Work Experience and Education. And even education may not be necessary in some situations. Which order you put them in depends on your work experience, education, and the type of work you are seeking. For example, if you just graduated from Harvard you won’t have any work experience but you can certainly expect job offers. Your education will be what you are highlighting. On the other hand, if you are an account executive in a niche industry then you could even leave education off the resume entirely, because all anyone cares about is your experience, past production, and contacts.

When writing your work experience, throw a parade for yourself! This is no time for modesty. You were the absolute best at what you did, and you need to phrase your descriptions in that light. Pay no attention to what your previous employer’s stupid job title for your position was – instead, use your own job title that accurately describes what you did (keeping in mind they will be calling your previous employer to verify). For example, if your last job title was officially “Janitor,” on your resume it could be “Facility Maintenance Manager.”

Similarly, in your previous job description you always managed something. Whatever your position, I guarantee there was something you had to manage, so describe it that way. More importantly, I’m equally sure that there were problems which you solved. Be SURE to mention those.

If you received any recognition awards in the past, create a separate section at the end and list them in a less-than-modest manner. End the resume with a line about references available upon request, and do prepare them on a separate sheet. Almost any employer will follow up on references these days. If you have room, you can even list them at the bottom of your resume and save that step.

Remember, you are the best at what you do. Every line of your resume should be written with that in mind, and your resume should be the best one that’s ever been compiled for the position you are seeking. If you can get that through your head, and permeate it unto paper effectively, you ought to be able to get any job you want.

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

Andrew Kasch is an expert in his own eyes on most business-related subjects. You can get more resume writing tips at his website: www.freeresumetips.info

Career counseling for the right job

Getting a job is always a difficult task. Take it is a mission you wish you succeed as swiftly as possible in order to ensure that you have money for all your financial needs to have a secured life.

Changing jobs has to be one of the more difficult decisions any of us can make; staying in the work environment we are used to can often be easier than having to embrace insecurity and having to prove the professional qualifications and credibility in a new workplace. The decision for change becomes difficult if the new job you need means switching the career. While you will face a challenge in trying to get the job that meets the new career objectives, crafting the resume should not be one of them. On the web alone, there are numerous resources for career changers. From helping you decide which career path you feel suited for to providing helpful advice on how to find success in the new job, you will find an overwhelming amount of resources to help you in the new journey. While most of the resources you find will be helpful are careful about the sources you utilize in order to put together the most winning resume for the new career choice.

There are mainly two elements to successfully creating a resume for a career change: research and willingness to take on new skills. Most guys put a lot of thought into switching careers. They consider their families, their living and financial situations, their competitive advantage in the new field, etc. After you convince yourself that switching careers is the right thing to do, you will want to convince the potential employers that you are qualified for you the job you are seeking. To do so, you want to do the research. Demonstrate to the employer that you have an extensive knowledge of the industry, even if you don’t have the accompanying experience. Before you start the new career, make sure that you understand what professional paths are ready and willing for your skills and spunk, and determine what the ultimate goal is. This will help you form the career objective for the resume. Additionally, make sure to do the research on the company you are interested in, as well as their the competitors; if invited for an interview, you will need to appear very interested and knowledgeable and willing to learn more – not only about their company, but about the industry as a whole. You will want to convince the potential employer that you are the very the best person for the job, better than the candidates with experience and to do that, you want to showcase not only the enthusiasm for the opportunity, but the eagerness to learn and the knowledge about the field.

Make a list of all the professional experiences and the qualifications necessary for the job. Use a functional resume to assure most of the qualifications necessary for the new job are met in the resume.

In addition to the resume, use the cover letter or email to let the potential employer know why you are switching careers and that the new interest is not a passing one. Make sure that the resume reflects the new found interest in a genuine and professional manner, and you are sure to have a successful career change.

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

Article res has been removed due to spammers exploiting this site and stealing itempads pr rank. Link Res will be returned once the database has been purged of bad links probably after the next google update. We do not believe in using nofollow. We are sorry for this temp problem. But once the database has been cleaned all links by writers will have a higher value. We hope you understand and continue to submit your articles. If you would like a permenet link on itempad Please email admin

The Purpose of Your Resume

The Purpose of your resume

You should only build a resume for one purpose – to get an interview.
Keep this purpose in mind as you read the article below:

Why did I say ‘build’ a resume and not ‘write’ a resume?

A resume is not a story, it is not written with stream of consciousness like a novel. Resumes are built in a purposeful, strategic way to sell your strengths and eliminate your weaknesses. The best resumes turn your Tasks and Responsibilities into Accomplishments and Results

A resume should not be purely chronological – that is a big mistake. I don’t know anyone who has had a consistent rise in significant accomplishment over a long career. Most people, including you, have nuggets of brilliance – accomplished at many different times throughout your life.

Your resume should be a highlight reel not an autobiography. The strategy is to match significant keywords, (Knowledge Skills and Abilities), to your accomplishments. You can’t do this with a chronological resume,

The only purpose a chronology has in today’s job market is to help the reader understand when you moved from job to job and which job you had first, second, and third. The chronology doesn’t explain a thing about who you are and what you accomplished. Neither does your longevity. Some people accomplish more in six months than others do in five years.

Never confuse a job title with an accomplishment.

Resumes must be functional to attract attention. Many say it’s the first third of the page that sells – if you can’t grab the reader at the top, the list of facts at the bottom will never be read. That is why it is critical to sell your key accomplishments and KSA,s up front.

Use the following checklist to help you think outside the margins of your resume:

1. Prepare a profile that matches your background to the job description.
2. Prioritize your tasks and responsibilities to match the job description.
3. Only list tasks that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
4. Select tasks that you can back up – preferably with a strong accomplishment.
5. Use a qualifying line to describe how you were selected for the job.

Example:
ABC tech Firm – 2006-2007
Technical Writer
Hired by the V.P of Documentation to improve RFP efficiency and develop a document reuse policy.

This line adds a little zing because it gives the reader some insight into your story. Be prepared to add more details at an interview. This short descriptor can help you build interest in your story. First, you name drop a little. In other words, you tell the reader who hired you and the title they command.

Second, the reader/interviewer may want to know how you increased efficiency and how you developed that reuse policy. The strategy is to place ideas and questions in the readers head. Just make sure you have the answers.
Your resume must be constructed – ‘built’ in such a way that it structures the conversation before you get to the interview.

The Interview process is like dating. You wouldn’t sit down on a first date and say – “let me tell you what my worst qualities are”. Yet, people do this all the time on their resumes.

Now, let’s continue with the checklist:
6. List all tasks in the active voice. For example Developed, Initiated, Directed, Organized
7. Never say ‘responsible for’ just use the action word.
8. List your accomplishments before you build your resume. I guarantee that this is the most difficult part of the process.
9. Select the strongest accomplishment and place it after your keyword table- (more on this in my next article), and before your chronological list.

Wait a minute – I thought you said chronology doesn’t’ matter. I didn’t say that. What I meant was it is the least important part – but an essential price of admission.

10. Identify your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s), by using the Occupational ONET Online database. This is an excellent repository developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and contains occupational information that can be an invaluable resource for education and research.

When you are ready, please visit http://www.ONETOnline.org
Now, lets continue.

11. Smooth out small gaps in employment by using annual dates i.e., (2006-2007) instead of the month and date.
12. List awards and citations/achievements only if they compliment the job you are seeking.
13. A note on Education. Include all completed degrees, regardless of subject matter. All employers value education. One caveat: Don’t include Certifications that do not apply to the industry in question.

Example: I am a professional writer and in addition to my B.S. and M.A. I am a certified professional Coder (CPC). This is a health care certification. The only time I include it on my resume is when I am approached about a writing opportunity that requires some understanding of health care issues.

Finally, remember that building a resume is one of the most difficult jobs you will do – if its done right. Its not easy to capture the essence of a persons talents and abilities in one or two pages, especially if you are a mid-career professional. There is no recipe. The checklist I provided is only a guide. Always practice good judgment and use what works for you.

Information about the Author:

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

The 5 Most Important Things to Know When Writing Your Resume

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a resume as a short account of one’s career and qualifications prepared typically by an applicant for a position.

The reality is that when you create your resume, you are like an artist/painter. Your pen is the brush and the paper is your canvas. Create a masterpiece and it will sell! Paint a dud and your own resume will abuse you.

The main purpose of a resume along with the accompanying cover letter is to get you the interview, pure and simple.

The way to accomplish this is to show off your strengths and achievements and minimize your weaknesses (we all have them). If you write your resume correctly, strengths will appear stronger and weaknesses will be less visable.

Remember, now is not the time to be modest – if you don’t tell the hiring manager how good you are and what you can do for his or her company, no one else will.

You have about 5-10 seconds at the most, to attract the attention of the person reading your resume for the first time, so you skills and abilities have to be seen fast and be relevant.

Listed below are ways your resume should be used.

What does a resume do?

– Your resume organizes your career by selecting and presenting specific events clearly and concisely.

– It forces you to take inventory of your achievements – the more you understand about yourself, the more capable you become in explaining yourself to others.

– A resume should stimulate employer interest in meeting you.

– Good resumes tell the company that they would benefit from calling you in for a personal interview.

The bottom line however is it’s ONLY purpose is to get you an interview.

When the hiring manager first reads the resume it should:

– make the reader want to learn more – a tease.

– quickly convey how and why you are better than the rest of the candidates in the stack of resumes they have.

– tell them what you did and how well you did it.

– show that you are uniquely qualified to solve the problem the employer has.

At the interview the resume:

– is a basis on which to start a discussion.

– serves as an agenda for a discussion, which means you have predetermined the interview’s structure.

– acts as a leave behind.

After the interview:

– The person(s) who interviews you can use your resume to strengthen his/her case to other team members.

– The resume serves as an overview for others in the organization.

View your resume through the eyes of the hiring manager:

– A resume reflects your image; anything that does not help you get an interview should not be on the resume.

– View a resume as your own personal advertisement.

– The past is relevant only insofar as it shows your potential for the future.

– When in doubt, leave it out!

A good resume:

– zeros in on those skills and abilities that you have that are most relevant and important to the job you are seeking.

– focuses on your achievements and accomplishments not just the responsibilities you had at each job.

– reveals the results of your achievements.

– should project your career as a series of progressive accomplishments.

– needs to be short on words and long on facts.

– is eye appealing and visually inviting.

Just remember, your past accomplishments and achievements are relevant only as it relates to what you can do now for the hiring company. No matter how good you were at a previous company, to the hiring company, it’s all about what can you do for them.

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