There are many reasons why you could be in the market
for a new job right now. Perhaps...
==> You just graduated from high school--or even better,
college--and you're ready to strike out on a quest for
your first "real" job.
==> Your worst fears finally manifested and you've been
downsized.
==> You're bored with the career path you've been on for
the past few years, and you're ready to strike out in a
new direction.
==> You want to change jobs (within your field) for better
salary, benefits, or chance at promotion.
Whatever your motivation, a powerful resume is
essential. In truth, a resume alone won't get you that
dream job you're craving. Not even if you implement
every resume writing tip you can get your hands on!
But a great resume will get you in the door for an
interview. It will make you stand out as a superior
candidate for the job you've applied for. And that
achievement is huge, given the fierce competitive
nature of today's job market. Not only that, but a
well-crafted resume will put the decision-maker you
meet with in a hiring frame of mind. As long as you
don't blow the interview, you'll have a great shot at
that job!
Digest and apply each resume writing tip below as you
craft a powerful resume that will make all the
difference in your adventure to land a job!
POWERFUL RESUME WRITING TIPS: 10 Steps to Success
Resume Writing Tip #1: Gather your background
materials. To complete your resume, you'll need to know
your dates of employment at each of your previous jobs
and when you went to school. You'll also need to be
able to describe your skills and accomplishments on the
job, so put some thought into those areas.
Resume Writing Tip #2: Decide on a format. Before you
can start writing a resume, you'll need to decide if
the functional or chronological format will work best
for you. Remember, you want to put yourself and your
abilities in the best light.
Resume Writing Tip #3: Put together a general outline.
A resume outline will help you get organized and will
prevent you from overlooking any essential pieces of
information that should be included.
Resume Writing Tip #4: If your resume is targeted at a
specific employer or career path, learn all you can
about what they need. Spending time on this research
will help you with your resume, with the cover letter
that goes with your resume, and with the upcoming
interview. Make sure you know what qualities will most
benefit the employer and think about how your abilities
match those qualities. (Read another resume writing tip
on how to target.)
Resume Writing Tip #5: Plan, plan, plan. Before you
actually start writing, spend time just thinking about
how you'll present yourself in the resume. What is your
objective in seeking a job? This objective should serve
as a sort of bull's-eye to structure your resume
around. What have been your most significant
accomplishments? You'll want to highlight them. What
unique qualities do you bring to an employer? Think in
terms of benefits. Also think about the resume design
you'll use, the fonts within, and the resume wording .
Resume Writing Tip #6: Start writing, following your
outline. Take your time. Use a lot of action words . Be
concise. Don't use "responsibilities included" or
"responsible for." It's a waste of space. Use bullets,
rather than long paragraphs.
Resume Writing Tip #7: Cut and paste your content into
your resume template. If you're at this site, you're
probably not an experienced, professional resume
writer. So, take a resume writing tip from a pro. Use a
resume template . There is no reason why your resume
must look amateurish.
Resume Writing Tip #8: Review, edit, and proofread like
a maniac. One of the biggest resume mistakes is typos
or grammatical errors. These errors may seem trivial,
but they can cost you the interview, and ultimately the
job. After all, if you can't be bothered to make sure
that your resume is 100% accurate, what guarantee is
there that your job performance will be high caliber?
Resume Writing Tip #9: Get someone else you trust to
look at it. It can be really helpful to get someone who
knows you to look at your resume. Not only are they
more likely to catch simple errors, but they may point
out strengths you've missed or underemphasized. Tell
them you want their honest opinion and you're open to
questions. Use their input to clarify your resume. Even
if you write your own resume, you may want to think
about getting a professional to do a resume critique .
Resume Writing Tip #10: Send it out into the world. The
more resumes you submit, the more likely you are to get
an interview. Don't put all your eggs in one basket by
applying for only one job. And, don't be afraid to take
some risks and apply for a job you're interested in,
even if you don't quite match all the qualifications.
Most employers ask for many more qualifications than
they absolutely require.
Hopefully, at least one resume writing tip on this page
has given you some food for thought. But don't stop
your training here!
Kathi MacNaughton, a freelance writer and editor, has years of management and recruitment experience. For tips & advice on writing powerful resumes, see http://www.powerful-sample-resume-formats.com. Copyright 2004 Kathi MacNaughton. All rights reserved.
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