Posts Tagged ‘First Impression’

Job hunting can be one of the most exhilarating and yet one of the most agonizing experiences in your life. While you look forward to the new stage in your professional life, finding a way to stand out from other candidates, who are at least equally certified for the spot you want, is a hard task.

Your resume is the first contact your the makings employer has with you. A well formatted and a well-written resume can make a difference between getting the interview and getting the job, and being passed over. Most employers receive a stack of resumes of certified candidates and scan them quickly previous to they choose whether or not hey want to read further. You only have a few seconds to make a lasting impression. Don’t panic. Instead, focus on the design of your resume as it is the first thing your employer, whether on document or in electronic form.

The most commonly made mistake in resume design include using templates that are already available in Microsoft Word. While these templates provide a instant , simple to follow tools to make your resume, they are outdated, and they will make your resume appear generic and uninviting. Additionally, these templates, while well formatted in Microsoft Word, will not translate well when emailed or uploaded to job search engine web sites.

Second most commonly made mistake in resume design is inclusion of graphics on the page. Your picture and/or any other graphics are not appropriate for a resume. Including anything outside of plain text will make you stand out in a way that makes the employer reckon you are not taking yourself seriously as a professional, and this is certainly not the first impression you want to make. You can find samples of resumes on the Internet; search for resumes by your industry to find the templates that make most sense for the job you are seeking. Than work on a bemused page to imitate the look and feel of the resume you like.

The subsequent are basic formatting rules for your resume:

- Limit the length of the resume to two pages.

- The page must have one-inch margins, top and bottom, aptly and left.

- Use left justification only – as a rule, do not center the content of your resume.

- The font and font size must be consistent.

- The bullet points must be basic – use circles or squares, but never any symbols that may not translate well when you email your resume to your the makings employer.

- Headlines can be in all caps; the remaining text must not have special formatting.

- Do not underline any of the information in your resume. In the world of Internet driven job applications, underlining in a document implies a web link.

- The font size for headlines must not exceed 14 points; the remainder of the text in the resume must not exceed 12 points.

- Use the Tab key instead of the Space bar to make spaces between the text in your resume.

As a last formatting check point, question your friends or your family for help in reviewing your resume. Send the resume file via email to a few of your friends – question them to assess the resume and make sure nothing seems out of house . Print out the resume on document and assess to make sure that margins are accurately set, and that the content doesn’t appear crowded on the page. Keep in mind – when it comes to your resume, sleek simple appearance, and fantastic writing, will get you the job you are seeking.

As professionals, we rely on the Internet to search for jobs and on e-mail to apply for them. We make our resumes and cover letters to fit the electronic format, so it is not a surprise that having to print out a resume can result in concerns and mistakes.

First, let’s discuss when a printed resume is needed. While you are completing numerous job applications online, you still need to have a printed resume to result in on an interview with you. You also must keep in mind that it is very liable your the makings employer will print out your resume from a job search web site or from the message you sent expressing your interest in the job. Thus, it is very valuable that you print out a test copy previous to submitting your resume to employers to assure the layout is what you want it to be.

As a rule, when printing out your resume, make sure to use white or ivory document . You can get a stack of resume document at any office supplies store. You will want your resume to appear as clean and professional. Do not use color document , or change the color of the font in order to make your resume stand out; your employer will find this unethical and childish, which is not the first impression you want to make. If your resume is longer than one page, print out multiple pages. Don’t print on the front and the back of a single page; very , include headings in your resume file, indicating page numbers and print each page on its own sheet of document . You must not have any handwriting on your resume; make sure that page numbers are in fact printed along with the rest of the resume content.

Make sure that you let your resume sit on the printer for a few moments previous to picking it up. This will help you avoid smudging the ink of the document , mainly if you are using an Ink Jet printer. You want to assure that the resume doesn’t have any smudging, stains, or crumpling when you are handing it to your the makings employer. First impressions are valuable – you don’t want yours to be that of someone who is sloppy and careless.

When going in for an interview, you must result in multiple copies of your resume with you. Some people reckon this is not de rigueur because your the makings employer already has your resume. This is a common misconception. You must always have numerous copies of your resume printed out and with you when at an interview. Often times, the hiring manager may question another associate to meet you during the interviewing process, and he/she may not have a copy of your resume. Having extras makes you look professional, prepared and organized, which helps you set your best foot forward. Additionally, it is helpful that the copy of the resume you result in in for an interview has a complete list of references. You can include the references directly on your resume (typically at the bottom of the page), or you can include a separate sheet of document with the list. The first option is preferred, because it provides the employer with all of the critical information about you in one house . Including your references preempts the employer from asking you for this information; it also shows that you are seriously interested in the available spot .

Having a well-formatted, clean and professional resume will only help you make a fantastic first impression, and help you get the job you are truly interested in.