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Targeted Resumes – How to Target Your Resume to the Job You Want

1. Determine what you are trying to accomplish.

Make sure you have a clear goal in mind. Hiring managers are too busy to try to figure out what you want to accomplish.

Writing a general, one-size fits all resume wont cut it in todays competitive job market. You have to make an effort to stand apart from everyone else.

If you dont know what you want to do, STOP and figure it out. You cannot create an awesome, knock-your-socks-off resume without a goal. If you are struggling with this, enlist the help of someone to brainstorm with you.

2. Find out the industry keywords that are “hot” in your career field and put them into your resume.

Why do this? Because more and more companies are using automated databases to store resumes. When they need to hire someone, they find potential candidates by utilizing key word phrases (sort of how you search on google using a keyword). If you are using the right keywords, your resume will be included in the top contenders.

You can find the keyword phrases by searching monster.com or hotjobs.com for the job you want to apply to. Read several postings from all regions of the county and look for the qualifications and duties.

For instance, I looked up “executive assistant” and found the following phrases that seemed to be repeating:

“Microsoft office proficient”
“Setting up appointments”
“travel arrangements”
“correspondence, presentations, and reports”
“Prepareedit executive PowerPoint presentations”
“arranging travel, scheduling meetings”
“prepare high quality presentations and reports”
“proficient to expert level of ability in the MS Office suite”

As you can see, there is emphasis on the MS Office programs, scheduling, and presentations. So you MUST include those words in your resume.

3. Always include a cover letter detailing the exact position you are interested in, where you saw the job listing, and why you are interested, not just that you are interested.

Doing this will automatically make you stand apart from everyone else and will make it clear to the hiring manager what you have to offer and what you are seeking.

Nowadays, finding a job can be very tedious. However, some people contend that trying to keep a job to avoid the risk of losing it is in even harder. This is because they are trying whatever viable means there is, in order not to lose their jobs.

Unemployment is a devastating condition in the society. It wrecks dreams and ambitions, and the goal to have a happy and decent life. In fact, unemployment had such an effect in the United States in 1990, where it only recorded 45% of its population working and from here; only 24% are working full time. That is why it is extremely important for a person to find a job and try harder not to lose it.

Today, the percentage of people who are employed gradually increases and the wage that they earn escalates as well, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The families that only earn from 10,000 to 50,000 in a year are already less common because the others are earning a lot more.

For people who already have a job and desire not to be jobless again, here are some tips that they must follow in order to stay on track:

1. Employees should always try their best to improve their performance

This entails a chain reaction within the work force in the company. The employee should, by all means try harder to do their job well as well as improve their performance in order to increase productivity.

Once productivity has been improved, the income of the company will grow, meaning there will be more funds for remuneration and more probabilities that the company will adhere to its employees’ cultivation and motivation.

2. Avoid procrastination

If a person does not want to lose his or her job, procrastination should be avoided. Making up lame excuses, even if there is the slightest truth in it, will never justify the work undone.

3. It is better for a person to find a job that he or she truly likes.

It would be harder to keep a job that a person does not like. This will only result to poor performance and everything. It is better for a person to find a job that would bring meaning to his or her life.

The main point here is that people should know how to turn failures into success in order to focus on one common goal: never to lose a job again.

Nursing Employment Game Plan, How to Find the Best Job and Salary in Your New Career

Considering the current the shortage of nurses, it would seem that finding your dream nursing job would be relatively simple. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Because of the competitive atmosphere in the health care industry, it takes time, energy and planning to find your perfect job. Taking a proactive stance in your career development is the best way to find your ideal position. Whether you are a recent graduate from nursing school or an established nurse, there are a variety of steps that you can take to build your perfect career.
Know exactly what you want. Of course, there is no guarantee that you will get it, but knowing what your dream job is, including the specialty, the shift and the pay, makes it much easier to decide if a posted job opening is the right one for you. You cannot expect the perfect job to fall into your lap, and by knowing what your goals are, you can make an educated choice when applying for a position.

Be ready to compromise. It is rare that one job that has everything an individual prefers. Even people that love their job have days when they do not want to put on their scrubs or dread heading to work. Your goal is to minimize those days, while still having a job that pays well and allows you to have a life outside your work. To effectively compromise, you have to know what is most important to you, and realize that this can change several times over your career. When you are fresh out of school, single, and ready to repay your student loans, money may be the most important factor. If so, working less desirable shifts that offer a shift differential can be very attractive and a smart decision. Ten years later, married and with children to shuttle to soccer practice or piano lessons, you may prefer less money but straight days and no overtime, again, a smart decision at the time. You cannot make these decisions, though, without having a clear set of priorities and the ability to compromise.

Develop a long term career path. While your long term plans may change over time, it is important to consider what you want out of life, and where you want nursing to take you. For some people, nursing is a stepping stone to a hospital management or supervisory role. For others, the hands-on nursing work is where their passions lie. Some individuals want to leave nursing and enter the nurse educator field, which is a fine career goal as well. Regardless of what your choice is, it will not happen overnight. Planning ahead is the best way to achieve your goal.

Continue your education. If you received your RN through a community college, and have an associate degree, you may want to consider taking courses to receive your B.S.N., if you have your B.S.N., you may want to take graduate level courses. With so many courses available over the internet and with limited class time, as well as the fact that many hospitals provide tuition reimbursement, it makes sense to continue your education.

Join local professional associations. The best way to stay up to date with what is happening in your industry is thorough local professional groups. They provide insider knowledge about what is going on at each hospital, and you will often find out about job openings before they are advertised. The benefit of networking with other professionals is understood in many industries, although the nursing industry has been slower to catch on. Networking provides you with the opportunity to make connections with many people that can later provide you with references, job leads or even emotional support.

Don’t burn any bridges. No matter how much you hate your job, your coworkers or your boss, make sure to act professionally at all times. It doesn’t matter if you promise yourself that you will never work for them again or even if you are sure that you will never see them again, it is important not to burn any bridges. The health care industry is a small world. People move around, to different floors, different hospitals, and what feels like righteous indignation to you may sound like bad behavior to others.

A career in nursing can provide a lucrative and secure future. By taking the time to formulate a game plan, negotiate the things that are important to you, and continue your education, you will find that you are in a position to take advantage of your ideal career opportunity when it presents itself. If you do not know what you want, or think that you will recognize the perfect job when you find it, you will be disappointed. People that take this approach to their career often find themselves moving from job to job with no clear progression.

Cambodia is becoming a popular destination with Western travellers because it has a stunning and diverse natural landscape, it has friendly people, it has enjoyed a rich and varied history and offers up a whole host of exciting and fantastic experiences to enjoy.

Many of those who visit Cambodia for an extended period of time fall in love with the country and its people and are determined to work to help the nation and either settle down or later return to work in Cambodia.

For people with a dream of helping the country and its citizens to progress there are various vacancies available annually for aid and charity workers as well as extensive job openings for teachers. An alternative to these industries for employment for expats is the tourism industry which is growing rapidly and bolstering the economy this fact means that tourism is now helping to stabilise Cambodia and therefore jobs in Cambodia for Westerners can be found mainly in tourism, education or charity fields.

Anyone thinking about moving to live for a while in this fascinating and stunning country and who would like to know more specifics about the types of jobs available in Cambodia that expatriates usually take should find useful tips and insider advice in this article.

As stated tourism, charity work and education are the main employment sectors for expatriates but in recent months a significant amount of exploration has revealed extensive oil and natural gas reserves in the territorial waters of Cambodia meaning that this is an alternative field of employment that will likely open up to external Western contractors in the future.

In the meantime anyone determined to find employment in Cambodia will find it difficult to source anything remotely unless the individual in questions approaches a recruitment company specialist in either the field in which they wish to work or in the country of Cambodia itself an alternative is to directly make contact with the aid agencies who work in Cambodia for example or international agencies which employ teaching staff for the country’s schools.

In terms of teaching jobs there’s one big complaint that you will hear from all those working in the education industry and that is that the level of pay is very low and consequently the standard of living that teachers can aspire to in Cambodia is correspondingly lowhowever you have to stop and ask yourself why you would want to teach in Cambodia in the first place surely those who commit to teaching in schools in Phnom Penh or even in smaller towns such as Battambang aren’t in it for the money!

The whole thing about working in a country like Cambodia is gaining invaluable life experience at the same time as enjoying the travel and adventure that goes hand in hand with working abroad temporarily in a country where Western expats all band together!

Teachers often find employment in one of the international schools located in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh or in one of the language schools dotted across the country, other’s work alongside Khmer teachers in provincial schools mainly teaching English or teaching other key subjects through the medium of English.

For jobs in all other employment sectors there is a Khmer Website Directory which lists jobs in many diverse fields. When it comes to the better paying end of the scale of jobs available in Cambodia the charities and aid agency employees are relatively well remunerated which means that the standard of living they can enjoy is also correspondingly good. Having said that no job in Cambodia is going to make an employee particularly wealthy, in fact the main criteria that anyone who is committed to working in Cambodia should have is a desire to assist rather than to take and to facilitate development and improvement.

Are you still waiting for your dream career to come? How do you find it in the first place? Do you believe that if you wait long enough, sooner or later your dreams of success will come true?

When it comes to your dream career, you are better off spending your time working toward being successful than losing precious moments thinking of ways to find it. Maybe just even waiting for it to happen.

What are the traits of successful people? They have drive and a belief in themselves. They are confident. They seem to have the touch of gold.

Instead of trying to emulate the qualities that made them successful, people sometimes assume that “they must know someone.” or, “they were lucky.” They forget that these people worked hard to get where they are today.

We did not see they struggle to find that dream career. We just saw the result. But we want what they have, quickly.

Dream careers are not just for the lucky. It is for those who want it and are striving hard to get it. There is no mystery or magic in the process. Follow certain steps and you will be successful.

So how do you find your dream career? Follow these steps.

1. Believe that you will succeed.

Self-belief is such a crucial and sometimes overlooked element. You have to believe that success is within your reach.

If you do not believe it, who will? The persons who make their career dreams come true are those who believe in their goals.
How can you become a believer? Sit down with a piece of paper in front of you. Write your ideal career and life. Create a picture you can look at every day. Does it inspire you? Belief comes from within. You just have to dig it out every once in awhile.

2. Get the facts.

Once you are a believer, back up your beliefs with facts. Find out specifically what steps you need to take to make that picture real. This way, you will be comfortable taking action.

Do you need more training? Do you care about money, or are you more interested in a better quality of life? Write down your questions and get your answers. Then you will be ready to act.

3. Commit to your success.

Successful people say “I will”. There is something powerful about making a commitment. First of all, the decision to be successful is made, and the back and forth is done.

Second, you have focus and direction that transforms your outlook and gives you purpose. As human beings we do not always like to make commitments. We feel that we need to keep ourselves open to all opportunities because we are afraid that we may walk away from something better.

Commitment gives you something greater; a reason to get out of bed every day and look for ways to find your dream career.

4. Put a plan in place.

Once you are committed, map out how you will succeed. Use the facts you gathered. Break down your success plan into smaller pieces. Put these smaller pieces into your calendar. Make to-do lists.

Manage your priorities and say yes only to those things that will bring you closer to success. Delegate and eliminate those tasks that take up your time.

Career success comes to those who keep moving. Take small steps every day. These small steps now lead you to finding that dream career in the future.

Whether employers spend time reading cover letters or not, it is always an excellent idea to include one since it can showcase additional information that is not included in your resume.

Your cover letter should be carefully polished in order to grab the attention of the employer and therefore improving your chance of getting an interview. In writing a job interview letter you can be assured that every word counts.

Experienced employers will carefully evaluate your writing as well as the content and readability to see if it holds up to what is needed in the corporate culture. It is important to remember that the higher the position applied for the more is expected from your job interview letter.

Remember that you are not the only one applying for the job so the possibility of your job interview letter not being read is there. Also, refrain from making lengthy job interview letters since employers just dont have the time to read such types of letters. Make your job interview letter as brief and as to the point as possible.

Important steps to follow in building noteworthy job interview letters:

Heading- this is where you should put your name, phone, fax number and email address. Always double-check the spelling and numbers to ensure that there are no mistakes. You dont want employers to discard your resume or cover letter because they werent able to reach you. An employer would usually contact during day time so if you are at work it would be best to add your work phone number. Likewise, beeper numbers as well as mobile phone numbers should also be included.

The First Paragraph- should contain information on how you learned about the job opening. Most companies use this information as their reference in searching for best ways of attracting qualified candidates. If it happens that you saw the job opening in a classified ad then dont forget to mention the newspaper as well as the date the ad appeared.

It is also important to state your objective and the specific position you desire. Employers just dont have the time to guess your motive for wanting to apply to their company. Be specific and refrain from vague words.

The Second Paragraph- should provide information beyond whats in your resume. Discuss some of your people-skills such as team building, being a self-starter and other organizational abilities. Provide the employer with a specific reason why you should be considered for the job. Dont forget to add your actual accomplishments since this is what usually interest employers. Make use of lists or bulleting your accomplishments is another way of highlighting your experience.

The Closing Paragraph- it is important to state in the closing paragraph that you will follow up to confirm receipt of your resume and then ask for an interview appointment in a nice and respectful way. Remember that employers are impressed by applicants who show initiative and perseverance. And while most employers consider the resume more than letters, writing a clear, concise and carefully tailored cover letter often can tip an employers scales in your favor and help you land an interview or at the very least ensure your resume is read.

Creating a resume or CV is central to the search for a job, but is something most of us hate doing. Unfortunately, very few people are adept at presenting themselves in the best possible light and this can mean their application is rejected at the first hurdle.

One of the biggest mistakes most people make is sending out the same resume for every application. It’s a big temptation – you’ve spent hours getting the details and layout just right, or perhaps you’ve paid a considerable amount of money to have someone write it professionally. The trouble is, each resume needs to be tailored to the job in question, and it’s vital that you do this if you want to stand out from the crowd.

What does tailoring a resume mean? It simply means writing it specifically for the post you are targeting. To do this you must recognise the keywords the employer will be looking for and relate them to your own experience. Keywords will be found in the job description and person specification, or in the job advertisement and on the company website. They describe the skills, qualifications and experience needed for the post. Keywords should stand out on your resume – don’t forget that in the first round of the selection process, resumes are usually only given a 20 second glance. So if the interviewer doesn’t see what he’s looking for, your resume is destined for the shredder.

Here’s an example of targeting: let’s say you are a secretary who speaks several languages and can take shorthand in all of them, but are applying for a job in an office where only English and audio are used. Languages and shorthand, impressive as they are, would not be the most prominent skills on your resume. Instead, you would focus on the skills required, which might be fast typing, advanced Excel or Powerpoint. Languages and shorthand would be mentioned briefly, perhaps under the heading “Additional Skills.”

Another common mistake, usually made by older applicants, is including their entire work and educational history. It’s usual (in the UK) for CVs to go back only 10 years in terms of work and if you have a degree, school qualifications can be omitted, unless specifically requested or relevant. Employers occasionally ask for a full CV, in which case you do have to include everything.

Choosing the wrong format can also condemn your resume to the bin – different styles work best in specific situations. Many people stick to the chronological resume, but this is not always the most appropriate. It works well if you have been steadily progressing up the ladder in a particular career, or if your most recent jobs are likely to impress the company you hope to work for.

A skills-based or functional resume is great if you have gaps in your work history, as you can use it to highlight the fact that you have exactly the skills the employer is looking for. It’s also useful if you are moving to a new career or area of work and your work experience isn’t completely relevant.

A targeted resume is aimed at a precise job or career, for example if you retrained as a teacher in your 30s or 40s and were applying for a teaching post, your work-related heading might be “Teaching Experience” and your main skills would all be relevant to teaching, for example using IT in the classroom and curriculum development. For soft skills, such as communication skills and team work, you would use examples from your teaching career.

You may need to have different styles of resume for different applications. If we use the previous example of the secretary, she might have had a series of language related jobs and is now applying for linguist and non linguist posts. She could choose a chronological resume for the language jobs and a functional resume for the others.

To sum up, individualist every resume for the job concerned, choose the most suitable format for the situation and remember: keywords must jump out at the reader in the first 20 seconds.

The major purpose of Resume/CV is to get you to the interview rooms. Therefore, for jobs seekers this is the step that requires great deal of care and holds vital significance in the whole process of Job Hunting.

Now I have listed down some key mistakes to avoid so that your Resume/CV could give you better results the next time you send it.

1- Avoid Grammatical Mistakes:

At times this has been observed and has been sated by the employers that one of the most negative that could go against any candidate is having grammatical errors in their Resume/CV. Thus, preventive measure should be taken. Before taking a printout for final submission whole document should be carefully corrected for any grammatical mistakes.

2- One Resume/CV will do:

Another turn off for the employers has been that the Resume/CV which they have received has nothing to do with the job opportunity. What the Job Seekers do is that they take many printouts of one CV and send it to all the employers. What the employers actually are looking for is a specific CV which has been created for them only. So substantial care if required.

3- Lack of Details:

At times irrelevant information is provided and relevant information seems to be missing from the Resume/CV. Therefore, we need to make sure that the key information will remain present there. Remain to the point and not to mention irrelevant details. However, do list about your accomplishment in a story form.

4- Incorrect Contact Information:

Another thing that needs attention is that you should not provide incorrect information in the resume. As this process usually entails getting in touch with you. But, if the information is not as correct that it should be then it will again fail to full fill its purpose.

5- Consultation:

Before sending your resumes do get it checked by some individuals. It’s always a good idea to get your Resume/ CV checked by some expert. They will provide you professional feedback and might also recommend you for something better in future.

So, these are the major mistakes which you need to avoid and by doing so you will be increasing the probability of letting the Resume/CV attain its objective.

Writing a resume for your first job requires patience, attention to detail, and a little creativity. All job seekers need a strong resume if they want to compete for the best jobs. But while seasoned professionals can rely on their experience to generate initial interest from prospective employers, individuals hitting the job market for the first time do not have such a luxury. New professionals, therefore, need to work even harder to sell themselves to managers.

To start your resume, you will need to select a resume format. A functional resume is usually the best choice for a new professional, since it allows you to present your qualifications by functional skills as opposed to purely chronological job order. Since your work history will be brief, if not non-existent, you want to place the emphasis on your skills and knowledge.

Layout of a Functional Resume:
The layout you select for your resume should attract attention and create interest, but not detract from your overall presentation. Use of capitalization, bold lettering, underlining, indentations, different fonts, and white space can add variety to your resume and emphasize important information. The layout should be consistent throughout the individual sections of the resume, be visually appealing, and be easy for the reader to follow.
A functional resume has several parts, which are typically included in this order:
Name and Contact Information
Objective Statement
Education
Key Skills and Qualifications
Work Experience

Additional parts may include a section for Awards and Honors or References.

Name and Contact Information

You should include your name, full address, telephone number with area code, and email address (if applicable) at the very top of your resume. If you are currently residing at a temporary address, such as a students college address, you may include it in addition to your permanent address depending on the circumstances.

Objective Statement

If you choose to include an objective statement, it should be a concise and meaningful statement that describes your career goals in detail. An objective can include your goals in regards to your desired position title, industry, level of responsibility, and desired utilized skills. The elements included in your objective should be reinforced and supported throughout your resume and your cover letter.

A major mistake that many new professionals make is that they use a generalized objective statement. This is due to the fact that many men and women new to the workforce may not necessarily know what they are seeking in a position. They fear that by limiting the scope of the objective, that they are knocking themselves out of the running for positions that do not neatly match their objective positions that they might otherwise be interesting in pursuing.

While this is true in some cases, it is advisable to either keep your objective focused and narrow, or completely leave it off your resume. A weak, unfocused objective in effect says nothing and will actually detract from your overall presentation.

Education

If you have a college degree, you should position the Education section near the top of your resume before your Key Skills and Qualifications. If you do not have a degree, the Education section should follow your Key Skills and Qualifications.

Your highest level of education achieved, whether you completed the program or not, should be the first listed in this section. All other schools you attended should follow.

For each individual school, list the following:
Name of the school
Dates you attended or graduated
Degrees earned (or degree program you were in, if not completed)
Major and minor subject areas

You may also list any honors, awards, Dean’s list commendations, and GPAs if they will enhance this section of your resume. Any certifications or completed training courses that that are relevant to the position you are seeking should also be included.

Newer graduates can include a list of completed courses that are directly relevant to the type of position you are seeking. For example, a newly graduated Accounting major may want to highlight her course in Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, and Tax Accounting.

You should only include high school information if you do not have a college degree or if you achieved high commendation in some area that reinforces your career objectives.

Key Skills and Qualifications

This is the most critical section of a functional resume. The Skills section of your resume should highlight any relevant skills that might not otherwise be disclosed on your resume. This section will be highly individualized to both the person and the position they are seeking.

First, identify the key skills relevant to the type of position you are seeking. Some examples of key skills include customer relations, graphic design, marketing, leadership, and computer technology skills. It may be necessary to develop several different versions of your resume so that you are able effectively market yourself to a variety of jobs.

Next, rank the key skills in order of importance you want the most important skill to appear at the top of your skills list. Then, under each of these key skill categories, include any information about yourself that demonstrates how you possess this skill. You can draw from any work experience, volunteer experience, schooling, extracurricular activities, or any other area as appropriate. As with the key skills themselves, rank this in order of importance so that the most relevant examples appear first.

Examples of key skills with supporting documentation are as follows:

Research
Designed questionnaire to assess customer needs
Identified sample population to be included in the study
Drafted analysis plan
Prepared survey results report and presented the results to the study team

Marketing and Distribution
Developed layout and organization of merchandise for a 25-page giftware catalog
Maintained accurate, up-to-date computer records of merchandise inventory, suppliers, customers, and shipping vendors.
Handled all facets of order receipt, processing, and fulfillment

Work Experience

Since you are new to the workforce, employers do not expect you to have much in terms of work experience. This section should be very brief. You should not provide any details of your responsibilities and accomplishments in this section (these should have been included under Key Skills and Qualifications). Instead, simply list your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the position, and your dates of employment as follows:

2004 Present Customer Service RepresentativeABC Telecommunications
Baltimore, MD
2003 2004 Treasurer Omega Lambda Pi Fraternity
Baltimore, MD
2001 2003 Sales AssistantMagellan Imports
Washington, D.C.

Other Optional Sections:

Honors and Awards:
List any career, academic, leadership or athletic honors you have received. Academic awards may alternatively be listed under the Education section of the resume.

References:
You may include a statement declaring References Available upon Request if you need to fill space on your resume. Otherwise you should list references in a separate document. References should typically only be provided when requested or once it is clear that the competition for a position is narrowing. Do not include specific reference names or contact information on your resume.

Other Categories:
If there is additional information that you feel is important to include butt does not fit into any of these categories, you can create custom categories. Examples of custom categories may include Background, Professional Activities, and RecitalsArt Shows.

After studies are over and you have survived through your prom night, you focus on one thing: where to use that tremendous amount of information you possess now. Certainly, you look for a job to realize your ambitious plans and reach your potential you were told so much about at university. There are several points to consider before applying for a job and submitting your Curriculum Vitae to your potential employer.

First of all you are to choose a profession in your field, a field that you majored in. that way you can be sure that you have all necessary qualifications and skills. Once youve decided on this, you may start looking up advertisements. They may be placed in magazines, newspapers, on-line or just on the walls of public places. Dont pick dozens of variants; choose two-three vacancies that meet your requirements if to consider salary, conditions provided, location and skills required. You can start on working on your CV immediately. You have to mention everything that is going to present you as a very useful employee that will be very helpful. Send your resume and the cover letter after checking it twice and wait for results. If you are certain of the impression it may give, you may also use references form you previous job that can show you as a nice co-worker and experienced professional. Once everything that is above-mentioned is completed, youll get an invitation on your job interview, a final step towards the beginning of your career. This is the part when you have to be very attentive and careful, considering every possible variant. Your excellent dissertation writing and thesis writing skills may be not enough to gain trust of your potential employer. You have to demonstrate everything that can prove that you are the most suitable candidate for this vacancy. Appearances are deceitful, but they matter when making the first impression. Take a closer look on what are you going to wear and see if it is in formal style. Try to rehears your job interview with one of your friends or acquaintances so they can give you advice too. Try to ask yourself all possible questions your employer might want to ask and see if you are capable to respond properly. If you have samples of your works or a thesis, dont forget to bring them along. They might be useful proof of how good you are.

If you have demonstrated everything you are capable of doing and still were refused, try not to lose your face and get depressed. This is not the only place experienced specialists are required. Try to understand what was wrong last time and delete the mistake as soon as possible, so you can be prepared to your next try to get a vacancy. The most important thing is not to loose self-confidence. If you are to get a job you will and then remember your strain with a smile on your face.