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Posts Tagged ‘Talents’

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.

For many, the interview is the single most stressful part of the job search process. Any number of things can go wrong, and a big part of being successful is avoiding simple mistakes. The following is a list some of the most common mistakes during an Interview.

1. Failure to research the company: An interviewer will expect candidates to spend time researching and reading about their company. Do your homework before the interview; really know what the company does and who their competitors are. If you have not taken the time to review the employer website and understand what they are recruiting for, then you are reducing your chances of continuing successfully through the interview process.

2. Not clear on what you’re interviewing for: Be familiar with the job description so you can draw on your experiences, talents, strengths and abilities to connect with company needs. Highlight how you’re suited to that particular job.

3. Not marketing yourself correctly: Define yourself. What makes you different from others? Know your major strengths and accomplishments as they relate to the job you are applying for and the company.

4. Not asking meaningful questions: Have at least 3-4 intelligent questions to ask the recruiter. It’s OK (it actually leaves a positive impression with the recruiter) to have them written down in advance and to reference them at the appropriate time. Interviews are an exchange of information, and not coming in with questions shows that you did not prepare for the whole interview.

5. Under-dressing for the interview: Professional attire and attention to detail still count. You can never be too professional. Remember that everything - your appearance, your tone of voice, your conduct -contributes to the impression (positive or negative) that you make. Be presentable - wear a pressed suit and shirt and polished shoes.

So you want to know how to write a good resume, huh?  Well, how do we define a “good resume”?  In my experience, a good resume is pleasing to look at, easy to read, and contains all the information necessary to know whether or not the person represented by said resume can do the job in an effective and efficient manner.  A good resume should look professional and reflect the abilities of the person it is meant to represent without a lot of fluff in between the lines.

Knowing how to write a good resume could quite possibly be one of the most valuable business skills you can ever learn.  Hardly anyone stays in the same job for years and years and years like days of the past.  We are constantly looking for new challenges, more money, and more satisfaction, so having the skill of knowing how to write a good resume is something that you will always have.  It can mean the difference between getting an interview and not getting an interview.

A good resume will include only pertinent information about you – the job applicant.  It is written in a professional and positive manner focusing on abilities, skills, and talents that can benefit your future employer.  Of course, that can be a little difficult to do on paper, but not when you know what words to use.  A thesaurus can be a life saver here when you are looking for the right words.

Never, ever, make any job sound like it is a mundane, boring position.  It doesn’t matter if you are standing behind the counter at your local Starbucks, you can still focus on the positive aspects of that job.  For example, when you make the coffee, you are responsible for quality control.  When you give it to the customer, you are insuring good customer service.  When you ring it up on the cash register, you are responsible for cash flow.  Any job can sound much better when you “flower it up” and be creative in doing so!

Look on the Internet for tools and tips on how to write a good resume.  We especially like the web site at www.hotjobs.yahoo.com.  Not only do they have examples of resumes to refer to, they have many articles on how to write a good resume and even provide a resume writing service where you pay a professional resume writer to craft your resume from information you provide to them. 

Want to know how to write a good resume?  Just be honest, give as much information as possible in the space provided, and then let the resume talk for you.  Then wait for your call to interview!

If you are trying to find a new job that is out of the realm of what you are used to, you may want to look for a free printable resume that you can take and alter with your own information.  These types of files are like resume templates that you can download to your computer’s hard drive and then change to reflect your own experience, education, and skills.

You can find a lot of free printable resumes when you take the time to look for them.  The thing about a free printable resume is that you will have to revise it so that it reflects your own education and experience.  You do not want to send out a generic template that has information on it that is not your own!  But then, that should be an obvious statement, shouldn’t it?

The thing about a free printable resume is that you can use it as a guideline to make your own resume.  All you have to do is change the information that is already included and then you are ready to go.  Applying for a job is not the easiest thing to do.  Having a resume that really reflects your talents and abilities can make the difference between getting an interview and not getting an interview.

When you are trying to find a job, one of the best tools you can have at your disposal is a free printable resume.  Not everyone is savvy at putting together a resume that will get the attention of a personnel manager.  When you have a sample resume to look at, you can get a head start on the competition because you have the expertise of a professional who has taken the time to put a free printable resume on the Internet for you to use.

It can be confusing when you are trying to apply for a job.  Your resume says a lot about you, who you are, and what you are capable of doing.  When you have a free printable resume to refer to, your chances of getting that all important interview are truly increased.  After all, the real final objective is that you get the job, right?  So take advantage of the tools that are out there and then use them to your advantage.

Having a free printable resume is just start in your job search, but it could be the best start you ever had.  Once you have something to refer to, you can rest assured that you will be able to shine in your interview that is sure to come.  After that, you are on your own!

While your resume is very important in your job search, having a cover letter for your resume is just as important as the resume.  You will want to have a cover letter that introduces not only you but your resume as well.  You will want to state a lot of different things in your cover letter to your potential employer.  Here are some points you will want to consider:

* Tailor your cover letter to the job.  Tell your future employer why you are perfect for this particular position
* Highlight anything on your resume that you want your prospective employer to pay attention to
* Specific things about the job that is being offered that you have experience in
* Anything else that you want to tell your potential employer about

When you are putting together a cover letter for a resume, you need to introduce yourself as the best employee for the job.  Then you can bring out what you really want your new employer to know.  Point out your experience, your talents, and your abilities.  You should also let them know about anything specific that makes you stand out above the crowd.

The cover letter for resume is a great way to put additional information that you can’t include on your resume.  In fact, the cover letter is just as important as the resume when you are applying for a job.  You want to put your best foot forward whether it be during the interview or when the employer is looking at your resume.  That is why the cover letter for resume is so important.

You should be brief when you are typing your cover letter for resume.  You do not want to make your cover letter run on for pages and pages.  You want to be concise and point out the parts of your resume that relate to the job.  Making sure that your potential employer knows you have the experience as well as the ability to do the job expertly is what you want to convey in your cover letter for resume.

Above all, you need to be professional in your presentation of your cover letter.  Make sure that it looks wonderful and gives all of the pertinent information that a potential employer would need to know about you and what makes you the perfect person for the job.  The resume is important, but the cover letter is just as important.  It gives you the opportunity to say what you can’t on the resume.  So craft your cover letter just as carefully as your resume and then wait for the interview call!