Archive for the ‘Cover letters’ Category

A resume is a one- to two-page document summarizing your career objectives, professional experiences and achievements, and educational background.

While there are numerous ways to format your resume, there are two main resume styles: chronological and functional.

As its name implies, a chronological resume is one that lists your experience and education in order, starting with the most recent jobs or achievements. This type of resume is sometimes also referred to as reverse chronological resume, because the order of the listing starts with your current employment. This type of resume preferred – employers will want to know what job you currently hold so that they can better asses your qualifications for the job of your interest. The same is right for your education; your the makings employer would very know your most recent scholastic achievement. Listing your experience and education in reverse chronological order also shows your the makings employer your overall career progress. It also helps in determining the length of employment at each organization, and indicates any gaps in your career (in case of gaps, make sure to address them in your cover letter as to not lead your employer to believe that you are omitting information on purpose). Chronological resume must list your current job, as well as two to four earlier held positions. Don’t skip any employment information on purpose; if your employment history is long, or if you have held jobs further in the past that align well with your current career objective, you can address these qualifications in your professional profile or in your cover letter. Chronological resumes are the most commonly used style, and work best for anyone who has had some professional experience.

Functional resumes focus on your qualifications, not your career timeline. This style of the resume highlights what skills you have, very than where and when you bought or utilize them. In other words, instead of listing your experiences by your job titles, your resume will contained sections titled by your skills such as verbal and written interaction , customer satisfaction, project management, etc. This resume style is recommended for college students seeking internships or their first jobs out of college, for those with no professional experience, those who have not worked for some time, or for career changers. While the makings employers will appreciate the overview of your skills, if you hold any professional experience, consider using the chronological resume, or a combination resume, over the functional format.

A combination resume, even if not often discussed, has become a well loved format in recent being . As its name implies, it is a combination of chronological resume style and functional resume style. This hybrid style allows professionals to highlight the qualification they have that are critical for the job of their interest, while at the same time listing employment and educational history in reverse chronological order. A word of caution – don’t try to do too much when using a combination resume by going over board with the type and number of sections you include in your resume. It is best to keep the information plotted , even in the combination format, to what is relevant for the job.

Same rules apply for each style. Don’t exceed two pages, tailor your resume to your career objective and place your best foot forward in order to get the interview, and eventually the job.

If you have never written a resume, the bemused page you are facing can be very intimidating. While you can clarify your job responsibilities to your friends, listing them out in a resume and showcasing how your experience to date meets your career objectives is a very hard task.

To get started, you must first consider what type of a job you are seeking. Much like your career objective or summery must reflect your professional goals, your current and past experiences must show case that you are the best candidate for the job you are applying for. In listing your current and past professional experiences, try to focus on those responsibilities that indicate you are certified to take the next step in your career. Due to the fact that more and more companies as well as job search sites use scanning software to pick out candidates, it is very valuable that you use key words, including active verbs, to clarify your skills. Instead of beginning your job descriptions with “Responsible for” try to use active verbs such as:

- managed

- urban

- made

- communicated

- interfaced

- achieved, etc.

These key words get straight to the point of describing your responsibilities, which is exactly what the employers are looking for. Chose these words wisely – don’t say that you “managed a project”, implying you were responsible for the whole task from start to end if you were only responsibly for communicating the project to other friends . Instead state that you “Urban and executed the interaction strategy for friends ,” describing your role more accurately and emphasizing your strengths.

Typically, the first job plotted on your resume is the one you currently hold. In this case, make sure that your responsibilities are stated in present tense, as you are still responsible for them. For example, say “Manage accounting activities” instead of “Managed accounting activities.” This will indicate to your the makings employer what your day-to-day activities are like and how they compliment responsibilities of the job you are submitting your resume for. All previous jobs must be plotted using past tense, and must start with active verbs such as managed, urban , accomplished, etc.

Additionally, make sure that responsibilities you are listing are relevant for to your career objective. List only those responsibilities which help you place your best foot forward. For example, if you are looking for a job that requires managing a team of people, focus on your development and participation in group projects instead of focusing on solitary activities such as office organization.

In terms of formatting, make sure that your responsibilities are plotted in bullet points. This formatting is preferred to paragraphs on a resume because it is simpler to assess quickly. Employers simply scan the resumes and look for key words – if the resume looks overwhelming, with a lot of copy and poor formatting, they will liable discard it. Thus, it is very valuable that your resume is formatted with enough white space and doesn’t control any errors.

If you have never written a resume, you may marvel if it is simpler to embark on the task yourself or to hire someone else to do it for you. Resume writing services or professionals concentrate on developing and writing resumes for professionals in any industry, with any caliber of experience. These professionals are skilled in formatting your resume, knowing how to make winning statements that draw attention, and customizing your resume to the industry or field you are interested in. In addition to their writing skills, resume writing professionals are familiar with the scanning software that most companies use in order to assess resumes for key words.

You must consider using a resume writing services:

- If you have never written a resume and you don’t know anyone who can help in the process

- If you have not written a resume in being and are unsure of the appropriate format that translates well online

- If English is not your first language or if you know that you typically have problems with spelling or grammar.

A resume writer can help by first collecting your information and understanding your career objective. If you have an existing resume, even if it is not the most up to date, you must make sure that you give that to the writer as a starting point. When you work with a professional resume writer you can expect that they can help you in composing your career objective statement, listing your responsibilities in a concise manner, and perfecting the final document. Additionally, a resume writer will be able to help you address any concerns the makings employers may have about your resume, such as explaining a change of career, or gaps in your professional history.

There are truly no cons to using resume services, but there are certainly some things you must consider in order to get the best service for your money.

While some people urge writers who are accredited or certified as professional resume writers, this is not the key to finding someone who will do a fantastic job on your behalf. Make sure that you converse in with the writer, and have him/her address any concerns or questions you have about composing your resume. They must be able to provide you with a sample of a previous to and an after resumes they have recently completed for a client, as well as professional references. Don’t be frightened to question questions about their writing process; question about their background (what other writing services do they provide?), their writing and editing process, turnaround time and a meticulous explanation of their fees. If you receive a draft of your resume, and you are not satisfied with the format or there are discrepancies, question for the writer to address your concerns previous to accepting the final document. The costs will vary, depending on the professional’s experience. Make sure that you know what is involved in the cost. It is also in your best interest to talk to a couple of different professionals, so that you can better thought of the cost range.

Most importantly, make sure that you feel comfortable with the writer and the terms of the agreement you have with them, previous to you choose to hire them to work on your resume. Trust and understanding will result in the best working relationship, therefore producing the best resume for your career objective.

Writing a resume is a hard task regardless of your level of experience with the process. While the content of your resume is critical to its effectiveness, the layout and the format you utilize are equally as valuable . To get started, you must investigate various resume styles and find out which best stouts your field. The largest mistake people make when composing their resume is using a generic template provided in your text editing software, like Microsoft Word. These templates are usually outdated and very hard to format, not to mention that they do not transfer well to online job applications. Avoid the instant -fix mentality of these resume templates, and invest some time in finding resources that will provide you with up-to-date helpful ways to compose a winning resume.

The simplest and least expensive way to find samples of resumes in your industry is to do a search on the internet. Previous to you get started, a word of caution: consider the sources of information previous to you choose to utilize any of their suggestions on your resume. You will come across web sites that promise to teach you how to enter an exception cover letter in three and a half minutes. Don’t believe them. Unless you chose to hire a resume writing service, obtaining resources on resume writing must not cost you any money or obligate you to a long-term commitment. If unsure of the credibility on information you see, find another source and compare your findings.

A fantastic online store on resume composition is Monster.com. While they are mostly known for their job search database, they offer a variety of other information and services for those looking for employment. Under the Career Advice tab, you will find a wealth of information on your job search, salary requirements, advice by industry, and of course, information on perfecting your resume. In addition to articles about your job search and resume-correlated message boards, Monster’s Resume Center includes a variety of resume examples for professionals in a number of different industries. From administrative assistants to web designers, all can find a sample of a resume to fit their career objectives at:

http://resume.monster.com/archives/samples/

This page shows you samples of functional and chronological resumes, traditional resumes and sample cover letters. Take the time to assess these samples. They are provided by a reliable source, so don’t be frightened to copy the formatting for your own resume (of course, do not copy the real text from the resume).

If you already have a draft of your resume, and are looking to make updates or revisions, check out the Resume Makeovers for a fantastic look at previous to and after resume of real professionals:

http://resume.monster.com/resume_samples/

It is valuable that you assess these samples, even if the industry is not applicable to your line of work. They will teach you the basic dos and don’ts of resume writing – you can see why some things work and why others don’t, and be able to chose the best ways to highlight your qualifications.

Same school rules apply – do not copy someone else’s work. But , use these resources to your advantage and make the resume that presents you in the best set alight .

Your resume, in addition to listing your professional experience, education and qualifications, is a reflection of who you are. When you take the time to compose your resume well, make sure that there are no errors or gaps that would raise questions, and highlight the qualifications that present you as the best candidate for the job, you show your employer that you are a polished, detail-oriented professional.

In addition to having your professional life presented in the best set alight , you want to make sure that your resume and your cover letter show case your ethics and your sincerity. This is a hard task, as it is hard to convey honesty and your excellent intentions in a form letter and a resume. But many employers hold a strict no tolerance policy against dishonesty. Thus, you have to take extra care in making sure that all of the information on your resume is authentic and truthful. Intentional lies on a resume are not acceptable.

But , there are certain areas of your resume may cause you to unintentionally list incorrect information. Pay attention to the subsequent aspects of your resume to assure that you don’t find yourself appearing pretended to your the makings employer:

- List your rigorous title under professional experience. Many professionals have titles that are company specific and may not make sense outside of the organization where they work. Always list your rigorous title, but feel free to add a few words that give reasons for what you do in the realm of the industry. This way, when your the makings employer calls your employer for a reference check, they will confirm your rigorous title but also know the scope of your spot as it applies outside of that specific organization.

- When in doubt, don’t guess. For example, if you are unsure when you started or finished a job because it has been a long time since you worked for that company, simply call the company and question about your employment dates. Do not make assumptions about dates, titles of your references or their contact information, certification dates, etc. Always take time to verify the information you are unsure about previous to including it on your resume.

- Don’t cover up your employment gaps. It is ok to have gaps in your employment; most professionals have gaps in their experience for various reasons. Do not try to hide this from your the makings employers. Address the gaps in your work history in your cover letter, and be honest regarding the reasons you were not working during a specific time.

- Be honest about your accomplishments. Very than worrying about the qualifications you may not have, be confident and highlight your work experience and achievement in a truthful manner. Do not exaggerate skills, professional roles, or stretch the employment dates. Work on presenting yourself and your qualifications in the best possible set alight ; take the time to place a figure on your accomplishments, and compose a positive professional summary for your resume.

Revise your resume until you feel comfortable that all the information included is truthful and will not raise any questions by the employer that you have not addressed in the resume or the cover letter. The rule is – be honest on your resume. Don’t break that rule.

People reckon of their resume as a collective of their education, skills and professional experience. Many employers rely on resumes as form of job applications for the open positions within their organizations. Thus it is very valuable that you have a well-written resume prepared when searching for jobs.

Making a resume is not an simple task, even if you are a professional with being of experience and many skills. But , composing a resume when you are looking to completely change careers, or when you are fresh out of school is much more hard , because you do not have any experience to highlight.

If you are changing careers, and nothing from your past professional experience qualifies you for the new job you are seeking, highlight those qualifications that can be transitioned along the various industries. For example, if you’ve managed people, no matter the type of business, you must highlight this under your experience. Very than not highlighting your professional experience, even if it is not directly correlated to the job you are seeking, you must consider writing a professional profile, or summary at the start of your resume. The summary will allow you to address the career change by highlighting your skills and how they relate to your career objective. In addition, this is one circumstances where it is ok to reference any volunteer or community service work that you have done if it can help promote your qualifications for the job.

If you are fresh out of college, and don’t have much to result in to the table in terms of full time professional experience, don’t get discouraged in making your resume. Focus on highlighting your skills and your education. Avoid using a professional profile, or summary. Very , list your career objective and start the resume by listing your education. Make sure to mention any awards or honors you received while in school. Subsequent your education, list all the skills that will qualify you for the job you are seeking. Make sure to mention any courses, such as project management or business interaction that you have taken and can apply at work. Instead of listing any experience, title the part “Pre-professional Experience” and divide it into categories applicable to your career objective. For example, instead of say that you spent a summer working at the Gap, use a sub-bearing of “Customer Relations” and list any responsibilities where you have provided customer service. Tap into any community service, volunteer, or school club positions you have held in order to highlight your abilities and show case that you are the best candidate for the job.

Don’t be frightened of not having the aptly experience, or not having any professional experience to include in a resume. Focus on what you can do very than what you don’t have the experience in doing and you will have a winning resume.

In order to seek out and apply for the jobs you are interested in, you will most liable post your profile and resume on a job search web site, such as monster.com or hotjobs.com. These search engines allow you to upload your resume in a Microsoft Word or text file format, or make one using their forms.

Outside of the job search web sites, e-mailing your resume as form of application has become typical . But , each employer or headhunter has different rules on the file they will accept via e-mail. Most companies will accept an attachment in Microsoft Word – this is why you have to be conscious of the font type and size, as well as margins you are using when composing your resume. If a company is requesting a text file, you must follow these steps to convert your Microsoft Word document into a text resume:

- Select File, Save As

- Name the file; as a best practice, use your name as the file name, and use underscores as spaces

- Under Format, select Text Only

- Select Save.

Now that you have converted your file to a text file, make sure to open it and assess how the spaces, tabs, and bullet points have transferred over. You may need to do some edits in order to format the resume to fit the file type. Note that the plain text file doesn’t allow for bolding, italicizing or underlining. Make sure that all your text is left justified and that the spacing is right .

If an employer questions that you include your resume in the body of an email, treat this as a text file when formatting. Copy and paste your whole resume in an email. Keep the font styles basic; use Arial or Times New Roman fonts and keep the size at 10 or 12 points. Adjust all the spacing and bullet points as appropriate. A excellent rule to follow is to keep the email simple – avoid bolding or italicizing text since you don’t really know the type of email software your recipient is using or if the accept HTML or text emails only.

If you are sending your resume as an attachment, format the body of your email as a cover letter. At the top of the email, include your name and address, as well as the address of your recipient. Typically, the address can be found either on the job listing or at the company’s web site. If you are sending the resume in the body of the email, follow the same guidelines in terms of the email content. Don’t make an assumption that including a resume in the body of an email is the only information you must include in your message to your the makings employer. Even if the resume is copied into the email, you still need to let your employer know a small bit more about yourself via a cover letter. But , since you will include your address at the top of the email, feel free to start your resume with a career objective instead of including the bearing with your name and address.

Much like proofing is critical in perfecting your resume, testing how your resume is showed in a body of an email or how it opens as an attachment via another notebook is valuable . Revive your friends or family for help, and send them sample emails with your resume included in the body of the message or as an attachment. This will provide a fantastic chance for you to assure that your resume is reaching your the makings employers in the format that is clean and professional.

One of the largest concerns in making a resume has to do with your professional experience. Previous to you start your resume, consider the subsequent questions.

- What is your career objective?

- Are you changing careers or looking for professional growth?

- What experience have you had so far that will help in meeting your professional goals?

To get started in developing your resume, list all of your previous experience, in chronological order, starting with your newest job on a piece of document . List the dates of employment, your job title, the full company name and the location of your employment. Now, consider just how much experience you have had. In recent being , it has become more typical to change jobs more frequently and not build your career in one house . As such, it is possible that someone with ten being of professional experience subsequent college has had over three jobs. That doesn’t seem all that much to include on a resume, aptly ? Consider someone with over 30 being of experience. It is valuable to set limits on what you include and what you can freely exclude from your resume under your professional experience.

Ideally, your resume must not exceed two pages. Depending on the type of jobs you have held and your responsibilities, having only two pages doesn’t account for a lot of space. The best practice for listing your experiences is not to exceed the most recent five jobs you have held. Again, keep the mind the length of the resume when you are deciding on the number of jobs you will list – if your last five jobs and their accompanying responsibilities will take over one page alone, than consider narrowing the experience down to the three most recent positions you had. Also, consider the time you spent at each organization you have worked for – list up to the last ten to fifteen being of experience. It is not de rigueur to list every job you’ve ever had to show case your qualifications and being of experience. If you have a long professional career, focus on the last three to five jobs, but use the profile or summary at the beginning of the resume to highlight the number of being you have spent working, or the number of being you have spent in a certain industry, acquiring specific skills.

When listing your experiences, it is valuable that you do so in chronological order without skipping any of the jobs you have held. While you may feel that certain jobs are not particularly complimenting to your current career objective you must not avoid listing them on your resume. Work on highlighting the responsibilities that are manageable across various industries. Leaving any unexplained gaps in your work history will raise questions by your the makings employer – thus don’t make those gaps on your resume by listing your experience out of order or by skipping jobs you have had. Finally, make sure that your cover letter accounts for any additional qualifications you want to result in to the attention of your the makings employer that you didn’t include on the resume.

Your resume must be concise, well written, and sell you as the best candidate for the job. Just remember that it is quality over quantity that counts.

Changing jobs has to be one of the more hard decisions a person can make; staying in the work environment we are used to can sometimes be simpler than having to embrace uncertainty, and having to prove your professional qualifications and credibility in a new workplace. The choice for change becomes that much more hard if the new job you want means changing your career. While you will face a challenge in trying to get the job that meets your new career objectives, writing your resume must not be one of them.

On the Internet alone, there are numerous resources for career changers. From helping you choose which career you are best suited for to providing helpful advice on how to succeed in your new job, you will find an overwhelming amount of resources to help you in your new journey. While most of the information you find will be helpful, be precise about the sources you utilize in order to place together the most persuasive resume for your new career choice.

There are really two basic elements to successfully making a resume for a career changer: investigate and manageable skills. Most people place a lot of thought into changing careers. They consider their families, their living and financial situations, their competitive advantage in the new field, etc. After you convince yourself that changing careers is the aptly thing to do, you will have to convince your the makings employers to give you the job you are seeking. To do so, you have to do your investigate . Demonstrate to your employer that you have an extensive information of the industry, even if you don’t have the accompanying experience. Previous to you start your new career, make sure that you know what professional paths are available for you, and determine what your ultimate goal is. This will help you form the career objective for your resume. Additional, make sure to do your investigate on the company you are interested in, as well as their competition (if you are interested in non-profit organizations, make sure to brush up on other organizations with similar missions); if invited for an interview, you will want to appear very knowledgeable not only about their company, but about the industry as a whole. You will have to convince your the makings employer that you the best person for the job, better than the candidates with experience – to do that, you have to show case not only your enthusiasm for the chance , but your eagerness to learn and your information about the field.

Manageable skills, those skills that can be utilized in numerous fields, are also a key to a successful career change. Consider your qualifications to date. What experience have you bought that can be transferred across industries? Manageable skills include verbal and written interaction , people management, customer relations, organization and project management, development of new processes, generation of new thoughts or concepts, etc. Such skills can be adapted to all organizations, and you must utilize them to show case your qualifications for the job you are seeking. For example, if you want to ditch the 9-to-5 desk job for a hectic, unpredictable life of a high school teacher, let your the makings employer know that your previous experience in chief by motivation makes you a perfect candidate for the job (even if that marketing project you managed has nothing to do with teaching English composition). Making a list of all your professional experiences and the qualifications needed for the job you are seeking will help you in determining which skills are manageable to your new career. Once you define your manageable skills, use a functional resume to assure most (if not all) of the qualifications needed for the new job are met in your resume.

In addition to your resume, use your cover letter or email to let your the makings employer know why you are changing careers, and that your new interest is not a passing one. Make sure that your resume reflects your newfound interest in a genuine and professional manner, and you are sure to have a successful career change.

A resume is a one- to two-page document summarizing your career objectives, professional experiences and achievements, and educational background. The bearing of the resume must control your name, address and contact information. The body of the resume must be broken into the subsequent sections: career objective, profile/summary, professional experience, achievements, scholastics, and references. Your career objective must be brief, up to two sentences; it must give your the makings employers an thought of how you wish to go forward in your professional life. A concise profile or a summary must discuss who you are and how your skills and experience best apply to the job you are interested in. The summary, as well as other parts of your resume, must not control personal information that discloses ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, living situations, or any other personal information that is not directly correlated to your career. Personal profile/summary must only control a few well-written sentences that convey what you can result in to the table in terms of the specific job. Use this part to attract the employer’s attention, but don’t go overboard in trying to be creative – stay professional. Your experience listing must include information on one to five jobs you’ve held, starting with your current or last job, and listing previous positions in chronological order.

The listing must include the date range of your employment, name of the companies or person(s) you have worked for, and the city and state where the house of employment is located (full address of employment is not de rigueur ). List your title and your main responsibilities, with emphasis on duties that are applicable to the type of work you are seeking. Your education must include college, graduate and post-graduate work, as well as any courses or professional certifications that are relevant to your career development. Achievements, volunteer positions, publications and wellbeing must only be plotted if they apply to your professional work experience References must be plotted if requested; best practices suggest not to list generic statements about references being available upon request as this is understood.

In the competitive, internet-driven world of job searches, your resume represents you to the makings employers. It serves as your tool to attract attention, get the interview and/or get a job. A fantastic resume will make you stand out from other candidates by showcasing your aptitudes. Reckon of your resume as your sales pitch – you need to sell yourself in the best possible way. Invest some time and investigate into developing your resume. You will want to make sure that your resume is error free – dual check your grammar and spelling, make sure that all company and school names and cities are spelled properly. A resume containing errors, no matter how smallest , will give your the makings employer an impression that you do not have attention to detail, that you don’t take time to dual check your work, and that you are a poor communicator. Additionally, make sure that your resume is formatted well. Stick to basic fonts, like Arial and Times New Roman. Keep the font size and color standard; don’t use large fonts or multi-colors in your resume. Don’t go overboard with bold, italicized, or large-cap text. Keep your format consistent and make sure that the resume looks fantastic when viewed online as well as when printed out. Keep your resume to one or two pages – any additional pages give an impression that you either don’t know how to concisely summarize your education and experience, or that you are listing unnecessary information for the sake of taking up space. If you’ve never written a resume previous to , reference books, Internet resources or seek help from a professional resume writing service. A well-written resume can make a difference between being stuck at your current job and getting an interview to land the job of your dreams.