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Posts Tagged ‘Resume Writing’

A lot of places around the world call it A Curriculum Vitae, in North America, it’s a Résumé. This is definitely one of the most important tools that any jobseeker has at their disposal. You may be THE best candidate for a particular job by a long way, however, if you don’t make it to the interview stages the company will never know.

Many companies (especially the larger corporations) will use computer software to “read” all the résumé’s and reject any that don’t fit a particular template. This may seem unfair, but it’s cost effective.

So, for some jobs you have to beat the computer and still read well enough for someone who may not have any knowledge of the position you are applying for. It is definitely worthwhile to adapt your resume for the position that is advertised. There may well be some of the “buzz” words the “filter” is looking for mentioned in the job description.

It is very important that you can substantiate all the claims you make, preferably with physical examples or letters. This will be essential in any in interview situation.

There is now a wealth of information available online, from books, local employment offices and with professional writing agencies. You can also access other people’s résumé’s that are posted online which will give some great ideas for style and content.

Professional writers may seem the answer, but, all the research I have done seems to lean away from them. I have never used one and feel that it will give a good impression if you have written it yourself (this will display literacy). Apparently, if they are professionally written, they are easy to spot; however, they may be worth the expense if you are stuck. You can always “customise” what has been written to make it your own work.

In my case, I had been in the military since I left school and had never written a resume or had an interview. I spent a lot of time writing, copying other people’s styles and changing things. I didn’t realise how difficult it is to catch up on 16 years - I’ll never allow mine to go out of date again! I found the hardest part was to actually start writing. The best advice I was given was to just write anything that you can think of and it will soon start to flow. With modern word processors it’s relatively quick and easy to cut and paste so you can keep on changing it until you are happy. More detailed information can be found at http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/resume.html

Good Luck!

For some reason, writing a description of ourselves and our life achievements is a difficult task. It is easy enough to recount our life to others, yet when it involves describing it with the aim of securing a job; suddenly the words to describe our talents escape us. Thus, the process of resume writing begins. To make a resume which describes personal achievements in a manner that will get noticed, the power of words must be used, as the use of keywords can make or break a resume. Keywords consist of the lexicon that relates to the field you are applying to work in. Including such vocabulary indicates some savvy of the field, and will immediately attract employers’ eyes to a resume. Keywords are also the words which make a strong resume: words of action, and words that show accomplishment and achievement - as opposed to words that merely describe previous employment. Lastly, use the vocabulary to market the resume. Marketing has proven to be a powerful tool, and should be used in the instrument of the resume. Using the right keywords can strongly change the tone of a resume, turning average curriculum vitae into a stellar description of achievements and talent.

Very often, if you are applying to one job, you are applying to many. Great - as chances of finding a fitting job are increased; not so great - as the resume is made to conform to as many job applications as possible. Fortunately, most of the various jobs being applied to fall under the same genre, so the resume will fit the majority of the jobs. However, it is important to make the resume as specific as possible to each job. This not only increases your chances of being noticed, as tailoring your resume to highlight your most applicable skills and experience to each particular job will result in a more interesting resume than a generalized one, but also shows the potential employer that you truly are interested in the specific position, and have put effort into making a resume that is not generic. Steering away from the general resume and keeping a resume focused is only a good thing in job applications.

This is where keywords come in. It is vital to show potential employers that you are a hard worker who will be a benefit to the company - as well as the type of employee who already knows about the field. If you are not yet acquainted, become knowledgeable in the lexicon pertaining to the job. Show that your previous jobs have used skills that will need to be used in this job. Indicate that you are not only capable, but you are interested enough to invest your time in learning about it before being promised a salary in the job. This shows potential and dedication, traits simple to convey by using the correct keywords which correspond to that which the career requires.

The mistake that far too many resume writers make is thinking that the best manner of phrasing must be the route that others have taken. In a resume, keeping to an accepted form is in order, but using others’ words is not! This will make your resume like any other - tidy, complete, and boring. When browsing through others’ resumes, learn and follow good resume form, and learn and avoid the common words. The vocabulary used must be relevant to you, and help describe as specifically as possible what you have done throughout your education and previous employments. Vocabulary that is relevant to you is not only that which applies to the job you want, but that which applies to you: don’t use words which you don’t know the meaning of - it’s important that your resume reflects you. At the same time, be sure to use proper grammar, and vocabulary that it is not obsolete. In other words, stay within the boundary: use vocabulary to indicate that you are a well-educated, contemporary person, who leaves out pretentious words and common slang, as neither end of the spectrum will strengthen a resume.

The words that you will use should be words that make you the most desirable candidate. In other words, your resume is your strongest initial marketing tool, and word choice plays a large role in this marketing scheme. Words should show you as an active, contributing player to every job and team you have worked with. Your resume should highlight your achievements at previous jobs - not your responsibilities. Using words of action make you jump from the paper into the resume reader’s mind. Exclude jobs that do not apply in any way to the job you hope for, and turn your activities into points that strengthen your potential as a candidate. For instance, focus on how you brought the soccer team together and the great group dynamics you helped to establish as captain of the team. This is more valuable knowledge than a winning record (unless you are an NCAA champion). This extra step of care put into your resume will result in a much stronger resume.

Making a unique resume takes thought and effort, but is possible and very worth it. An average list of accomplishments and employments can become a strong resume if phrased correctly. Remembering to use keywords pertaining to the career, as well as keywords which set your resume apart can make the difference between an average and an exceptional resume. Marketing yourself as not merely a good worker and team member, but as a creative addition, will also strengthen the value of a resume. Make sure that in fitting the form of a standard resume, yours is completely unique when it comes to content. Words, those strings of morphemes which the world is never short of, are the secret to making a strong, unique resume when used with careful thought and attention.

When you are looking for a job, it can be overwhelming and it makes many people ask, “how do you write a cover letter for a resume?”  There is no easy answer to this question, but we can give you a few tips on how you can write a winning cover letter for your resume that just might get you the interview that you desire.

When you are researching the question how do you write a cover letter for a resume, the first thing you need to consider is what type of job you are applying for.  You are only given a certain amount of space on your resume (if you are writing it the way you should be) to showcase your experience and abilities.  The cover letter is used to clarify and highlight different parts of your resume that you want your potential employer to look at.

How do you write a cover letter for a resume?  Well, start by acknowledging why you are applying for the job and where you saw the advertisement for the job.  If you are just inquiring about positions that might be available, your cover letter will look much different.  You will tell them that you are here and available for work.  Your cover letter should be something that makes your potential employer become intrigued.  Just be sure to keep it professional.

When you are writing your cover letter, you should introduce yourself and then state where you found out about the job that is available.  If you know someone in the company, make sure that you mention their name in the second or third sentence of your cover letter.  While some people do not think it is wise to mention people you know, the truth and reality is that it could make a difference in getting an interview.  After all, the saying is “It’s not what you can do, it’s who you know!”

When you are researching how do you write a cover letter for a resume, you should keep in mind what your final objective is.  Then express that in the body of your letter.  Make sure that you tell your prospective employer how excited you are at the opportunity to interview with them and that you are the perfect candidate for the job.  Tell them that your experience and your qualifications are exactly what they need and then sit back and wait for that interview phone call!