As a child, one of the very first things you learn in school is your ABCs. From that point on, your ABCs serve as the building blocks for everything else you do -- learning to read, learning to write and forming your own ideas. So now that you are hitting the job market, you should learn your ABCs all over again, but this time they are the ABCs of resume writing. Following are answers to popular questions such as, "How long should I make my resume?" and "What type is right for me?" Use the following tips to move towards your dream job so that it will be as easy as ABC to write your resume.
Accept help. Resume writing is a tricky business. If everyone knew how to do it well, there wouldn't be so many companies offering to do it for you. Many resume writing services will write your college, professional, executive or technical resume in addition to your resume cover letter and thank you letter. Writing services are excellent at turning your years of experience into a concise resume packed full of keywords that potential employers are looking for when weeding out qualified candidates. Not convinced? Most companies offer samples on their website so that you can get a good feel of their style of work.
Buzzwords. Every good resume is full of buzzwords. What are buzzwords? They are the industry words and keywords that have special meaning to those within that particular industry or job type. An example is the use of acronyms within almost any industry. Basically, the appropriate use of buzzwords shows you know what you are talking about. A writing service can help you choose the buzzwords that are applicable to your field because they know what employers want to see.
College resume. The college resume is good fit for you if you are an upcoming or recent graduate of high school or college entering the workforce for the first time. It is usually only one page and is a carefully crafted combination of educational experience and job skills. Don't know where to begin? A resume company can help you decide what direction you should move in.
Dates. You should include dates. Employers want to know if you have job - hopped or if you have stayed at one job for a number of years. You should start with your most recent job and follow down chronologically.
Executive resume. The executive resume is for seasoned professionals, including C-level executives, directors, vice-presidents and politicians. Executive resumes tend to be two to three pages in length and are aggressively worded. As an executive, if you are uncomfortable trying to take your years of experience and narrow down the really important details, check out resume writing services. They can help you decide what your most outstanding accomplishments are and how they can be written to impress potential employers.
Format. The best rule of thumb with format is to keep it simple. Use a professional font and avoid using text boxes and inserts. They might look nice on paper, but they will not translate onto job boards and they often do not work well as attachments.
Grammar. So, you weren't an English major? That is not an excuse for grammatical errors. Your resume should be flawless. Proofread it several times, checking for words that spell check. Keep it in the same tense throughout. Do not write in first person, using pronouns such as you, me, I, he, she, we…Your resume is a formal, professional document! If you cannot be 100 percent sure that it is grammatically correct, solicit the help of a resume company. They will have several sets of professional trained eyes to look for errors. Better to be safe than sorry!
Honesty. As tempting as it may be, do not lie in your resume. Someone will find out, whether through referencing or in an interview slip-up. Just don't lie and feel good knowing that you got the job in an honest manner.
Inaccuracies. While you should watch for inaccuracies in the body of your resume, you should also make sure that all of your contact information is correct. If you transpose a digit in your phone number or do not update an address, an employer is not going to waste his or her time tracking you down. They will simply move on to the next if they cannot reach you because you gave them wrong contact information.
Jargon. You are going to have to use some career-related jargon, but make sure your resume is still easy to understand, especially if you have a technical resume. If you can't put your accomplishments into words without giving the average person a headache, call a resume company. They can help you write in layman's terms without taking away its meaning.
Keywords. Keywords are pretty much the same as buzzwords, but they are so vital to your resume that it bears repeating. Keywords should be sprinkled throughout, but only use them if you know what they mean. Again, keywords are helpful because they trigger a response from employers.
Length. Most professionals will need a one to two page resume. People with fewer than 10 years of experience should stick to one page. Executive resumes tend to default to a lengthier format, often stretching to two or three pages. When you can't decide how long your's should be, consider having a resume writing service do the decision-making.
Money. Do not put your salary requirements in your resume. Some employers will ask you for your requirements, but you should not talk about your salary in the text of your resume. Instead, mention your salary range in your resume cover letter.
Numbers. Although you shouldn't use numbers to talk about your salary, you should use numbers to define your accomplishments. Numbers quantify your achievements and let employers know how efficiently you can work. A good example is: Successfully exceeded fundraising goals by 62 percent, bringing in $1.2 million in revenue.
Objective statement. If you use an objective at the top of your resume, make sure it is not too generic. Everyone wants “a challenging position that enables me to develop personally and professionally while positively contribution to Company X.” Instead, why not replace your boring statement with an objective that uses specific keywords to describe how you want to use your specific skills to benefit the company.
Professional resume. A professional resume is appropriate for 60 percent of the workforce. If you need a professional resume, you are not necessarily a recent graduate, but you are not to the executive suite quite yet. Professional resumes should be career focused and chronological starting from your most recent job.
Quick. The average resume gets approximately 30 seconds viewing time by prospective employers. You have to make a good impression quickly, or you will totally lose your reader. Not sure how to guarantee that yours will get the time it deserves? Ask for help from a resume writing services. They can help you put the good stuff up top.
Remember. As silly as it sounds, you have to remember what you wrote on your resume. If you mentioned that you had a certain result from a project, expect prospective employers to ask you details. Be ready to talk about anything you put on your resume.
Scientific/Technical/IT. Just like college students, professionals and executives, IT professionals or engineers need their own type of resume. The important thing to remember is to use industry-specific words, but make sure someone outside of your distinct position can understand what you do at work. Scientific and technical careers can be hard to describe because of all of the jargon, but help is available.
Typos. Don't make them. If you make them, fix them. Better yet, have a pro write your resume for you. A resume company pays people to catch typos, errors and inaccuracies. Using a resume company is like paying for insurance that it will be perfect.
Unqualified. If you read through a job listings qualifications and you don't meet them, do not waste your or a future employers time by sending in your resume. This only annoys employers and secures you a spot in the circular file. Instead, save your resume for those jobs that you know you can do and do well. Imagine yourself in the job…would you be confused all day, or would you be able to work with little instruction? Use your time (and quality paper) on jobs that are a good fit for you.
Verbs. Pretty much every sentence should begin with a verb, but not just any verbs. You need to use power verbs. Power verbs are results-oriented and lend themselves to positive description of accomplishments. If you are unsure of the action verbs that are appropriate to use, consider using a resume writing service. They know the verbs that employers are looking for.
Waiting. Do not wait until you see your dream job listed in the paper to decide to write your resume. Instead, consider your resume upkeep to be like a housekeeping chore that you must maintain regularly. It's too difficult to remember all of your accomplishments on the spot, so update it regularly. Almost any resume company can give you your resume on a disk that you can keep to make changes.
e-Xpect the Best. When you try hard it shows. Put all your effort into writing an impressive resume. When an employer gets a well-written, error-free, position-appropriate resume, it shows that you are willing to work hard to get the job. A good resume leads any smart employer to believe that you will work as hard on the job as you did on your resume. A positive attitude, a great resume cover letter and an impressive resume are your most important tools when searching for your dream job.
You are your own best salesman. No one knows more about your accomplishments than you. Stay active in the writing process. When you get a professional company to write your resume and cover letter, stay active in the process. Help them get to know you by providing them with all of the information they ask for from you.
Zone in on your job search. If you're going to do something, do it well. Treat your job search like a part-time job. Maintain your resume, tailor your resume cover letter for each company and follow-up with the people who you've sent resumes to.
Remember how much help you had learning your ABCs? In the same way your teachers were there to coach you along, resume help is available. Professional writing services know what they doing. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You will be glad you did in the end! Now that you know your resume ABCs, you can move forward in pursuing the job you have always wanted. Resumes are not easy to write, but if you use your ABCs, everything else will fall into place.
- Kerry Spivey, e-resume.net. e-resume.net is a national resume writing service. e-resume.net combines personalized attention with the speed of the Internet to deliver professional resumes, cover letters and other documents essential to clients throughout their job search.