How To Write A Résumé
Figure out what you want to do.
You can't write an effective résumé if you have no job target. What I mean by this is you need to tailor your résumé to the specific job you want to apply to. Gone are the days of sending out 400 copies of the same résumé.
Make a list of the jobs you have held that have relevance to the new job target.
If none exists, what skills did you acquire from those jobs that apply to the one you are seeking? For instance, if you are applying for an administrative assistant position, it is possible that your fast food job does not apply and should be left off. However, one exception would be if you were in a managerial position and had restaurant paperwork you were responsible for (like inventory, ordering, reports, and bank deposits).
Know what things you should NOT put on your résumé. (See Common Résumé Mistakes - linked below).
Make sure you stand out without being excessive.
Start with a blank page (no templates) and work on a design. Now is not the time to be overly colorful or super creative. Put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager. Imagine you have received 345 e-mails from job seekers within 12 hours of posting a position. What would catch your eye? Think of what would be a refreshing change and go for it.
Now for the actual résumé content.
There are typically five basic sections in a résumé.
* Contact Information - Powerful and complete.
* Headline - State what you are offering.
* Skills Summary - Quickly highlight your relevant skills.
* Professional Experience - Relevant and accomplishment oriented. Use action verbs to start your sentences and avoid the word "I".
* Education - List college or trade schools only. Leave off high school unless you are a recent graduate without experience.
Notice I did not list objective statement. For the reason why, visit my section on common résumé mistakes (see below).
Proofread it, have your friends proofread it, and then do it two more times.
I want to stress how important it is to do this. Check for spelling errors that the spell checker missed. Print it out and review it, because this seems to make you read over it more thoroughly. Watch out for poor grammar, punctuation errors, and redundancy.
Always send it with a cover letter.
Address the cover letter specifically to the company and job posting. Make a note of how you heard of the opening and why you are the best candidate. Hit the highlights of what you have to offer them so they are intrigued and interested in reading your résumé.
Jennifer Anthony is the owner of ResumeASAP, offering professional and affordable résumé writing services.
If you have comments about this article, or if you are interested in learning more about professional résumé writing, please contact Jennifer Anthony by e-mail or by calling 1-888-722-5211.
 Google News Updated : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:51:10 GMT "Chihuahua" bites Crowe, DiCaprio at box office - Reuters Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The new terrorism thriller "Body of Lies" failed to take the top spot at the weekend box office in North America on Sunday, becoming the latest victim of moviegoer aversion to movies dealing with Middle East intrigue. 'Chihuahua' still has bite in second weekend at box office ‘Body’ Talk, Baby Talk Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:19:10 GMT Spotlight on Apple notebooks: 1989 to 2008 - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Apple will unveil the latest addition to a long line of portable computers that dates back nearly 20 years - to the ungainly, 15.8-pound “Macintosh Portable†that PC World named the 17th worst technology product of all time. This week in Apple: New notebooks, new writers, and more Woz Don't Buy A Mac Laptop* Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:23:15 GMT Stem cell promises, obstacles remain four years after bill's approval - San Jose Mercury News San Jose Mercury News - EDITOR'S NOTE: This is first of a two-part series examining the progress and potential pitfalls in California's $3 billion stem cell research program. Researchers find easier way to make stem cells New method generates stem cells safely from mice Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:34:39 GMT US-POLITICS Summary - Washington Post
Washington Post - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama has opened a 6-point lead over Republican rival John McCain in the US presidential race, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Sunday. John McCain and Sarah Palin try new tactics Pittsburgh Paper Picks Obama, Pans on McCain/Palin Ticket Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:22:18 GMT Lisa Marie Presley delivers twins: report - Reuters
Reuters - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's only child, gave birth to twin baby girls on October 7, celebrity news TV show "Entertainment Tonight" said on its website on Saturday. Twin girls for Lisa Marie Presley Lisa Marie Presley Welcomes Twin Girls Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:17:01 GMT Obama Gains in States Such as Iowa, Florida Give National Boost - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By James Rowley and Kristin Jensen Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is moving ahead in a series of new polls from Florida to Iowa, gains that are helping him maintain a national lead over Republican John McCain. Video: Kids Vote On Campaign '08 Newsday poll: Obama has double-digit lead on Long Island Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:51:54 GMT Texas new No. 1 in coaches poll after wild college football weekend - USA Today
USA Today - By Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY The date won't quite live in infamy, but college football followers should remember Oct. 11, 2008, for a long time. Kansas fails to move up in polls Texas grabs top ranking in AP Poll Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:18:35 GMT Increase Online Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Job security is an out dated concept. The idea is... Read More This is a question we get a lot. It seems... Read More Have you gotten tons of career advice, solicited and unsolicited?... Read More Years after Disneyland was built, after the completion of Walt... Read More * If you believe you deserve a salary increase, ask... Read More Is your resume dead? Don't be so quick to say,... Read More When cyclists prepare for a big race, they always make... Read More An interviewer's mission is to assess your qualifications compared to... Read More Whether you are a person who is thinking about becoming... Read More In a time of economic downturn, international turmoil, company restructuring... Read More First of all, to fully understand and appreciate the answer,... Read More Recently we concluded the placement of a Senior Sales Representative... Read More Liars Get Caught! What NOT to Put on Your Resume"Everybody... Read More Have you ever been on a date where you had... Read More Peter Humleker had it made. As the general manager of... Read More Non-verbal interview behavior can drown out your verbal self-presentation.Practice interviewing... Read More Q. I didn't get a job that I interviewed for.... Read More Author and management guru, Peter Drucker says, "People adjust to... Read More We have all heard in recent years that the need... Read More Working in ChinaWorking in China is very common now. Either... Read More You're interested in becoming a nurse. How do you get... Read More Do you want to know how to jump-start your professional... Read More While you're revamping your resume or cover letter or constructing... Read More Are you interested in inside sales as a career? Inside... Read More Are you in the job market? Sick of every blog-byte... Read More
Adsense
websites
Job Security Is Dead! Are You?
Who Should Write Your Resume?
Getting Past Fear
Wishing and Hoping
How ToTalk Your Boss Into Giving You A Salary Increase
Resurrecting the Perfect Resume, Part One
Have Some PASTA with Your Interview
Interview Skills That Attract Offers
What You Should Know About A Medical Billing Specialist
Unemployment Survival: Creating a Sense of Security
What is Absolutely the Best Day to go on a Job Interview?
Offer Letter Limbo
What You Should Never Put on Your Resume
Your Interview Secret Weapon
Career Change: From Suits & Sales to Boots & Rails
Nonverbal Interview Behavior
Can You Actually Fail A Personality Quiz?
Waiting for Lightening to Strike
Factual Employment Screening Part 1
Applying for a Job in China
So You Want To Be a Nurse When You Grow Up?
Career Success: Don?t Be Caught With Your Pants Down
175 Power Verbs and Phrases for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews
Inside Sales Jobs: A Job Worth Seeking?
How to Make More Job Contacts Faster, through Viral Marketing
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
8 Steps to Getting On-Track When You Start a New Job
Starting a new job can feel like moving to a... Read More
Learn How to Throw a Boomerang
Actually, "the boomerang effect" is a relatively new trend of... Read More
How to Overcome a Bad First Impression
Have any of these situations happened to you? Forgetting your... Read More
Considering a Career Change?
Are you thinking about a career change? Many people do... Read More
Ebook Review: Winning a Job is Easier with Job Secrets Revealed
IntroductionThere are literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of... Read More
What Everybody Ought To Know About How To Change Their Career or Profession and Still Survive...
Dr. Denis Waitley, trainer of leaders, including Super Bowl and... Read More
Creating a Winning Resume
Preparing your resume can often seem like a daunting task.... Read More
Can You Tell Me Something About Yourself!
Interview Question, "Tell Me Something About Yourself?""Tell me about yourself"... Read More
The Organized Job Search
Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work... Read More
Global Economy Creates Need For International Business Pros
The increasing globalization of business has created a demand for... Read More
Do I Have to Provide a Salary History?
Often you see job postings with a request such as... Read More
Planning Your Successful Career: 15 Ideas
"Doing a good job is one of the most important... Read More
Minding Your Own Business
Think you have gone as far as you can in... Read More
De-Bunking The ?Follow Your Bliss? Myth
Hello Fellow Seekers!I don't know about you? but I'm pretty... Read More
Background Checks: How They Can Determine Whether You Get Hired or Not!
Background checks are utilized by companies today to decide whether... Read More
Write Resume Keywords That Gets Your Application Read
As children we often used to read stories where magical... Read More
Now, Do You Have Any Questions?
"Who is that hot babe in the picture?" isn't the... Read More
Learning a Foreign Language
Many people love learning languages or would like to learn... Read More
4 Tips for Making Successful Job Offers
The interviews are completed, the paperwork is all filled out... Read More
Resume Software ? The Hidden Pitfalls
Disadvantages of Resume SoftwareFormat A large majority of software requires... Read More
The Career Athlete: What It Takes to Manage Your Career
Managing your career, just like managing your life, requires preparation... Read More
15 Tips for Writing Winning Resumes
The thought of writing a resume intimidates... Read More
How to Write a Simple Job Description
1.0 A timely reminderIn a recent decision in a New... Read More
Words. Words. Words.
They're only words. Some believe the school-yard taunt: "Sticks and... Read More
Preparation is Key
Interviewing for a new job, or a promotion, can be... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |