May 2023 - Page 7 of 12

How To Write Your Close Protection Resume

Submitting your CV should be considered part of your employment interview and thus be treated with the same level of professionalism and preparation. First of all there are a common misunderstanding that a resume and a CV is the same thing, it is not! CV stands for Curriculum Vitae, which is Latin and means “Life history”. A CV is therefore commonly from 4 to 10 pages long as it covers ones “life history”, the CV is most commonly used in higher positions within the corporate and intellectual environment.

The Resume

What is most commonly used in the Close Protection world is a Resume. A “Resume” is a really a brief introduction to your full CV. Thus in your resume you include the vital points from your CV in a short and simple manner. As the resume is a short version of your CV it should preferably be one to two pages long.

Getting started

If you are using Microsoft Word as your editor then save yourself time on the layout, by simply opening Word. In the “File” tap choose “New”, from the “right panel” options choose “General Templates” and from the Templates menu choose “Other Documents”, then open “Elegant Resume” or “Professional Resume” based on your personal preference. I prefer the elegant version, but that’s just me.

The template you have opened will give you a general layout of what information should go where etc. However, when it comes to writing your details then the template cannot provide you with more than a generic description; this is where you need to be creative. Having a resume that merely looks good isn’t going to cut it, you need a resume that will be opened and read.

Don’t be lazy and just quick type your resume into the email message, there is nothing more annoying for the receiver, than having to copy and paste the information into a Word document before it can be saved. Ask yourself why should someone else do your work for you? And then ask yourself, if you think that will help you get a contract? I am sure it won’t! Most résumé’s that have been written directly into the email message gets lost in the inbox somewhere or are simply deleted.

Your Cover Letter

It always amazes me that so many applicants send their resume, with the subject line flatly saying “My CV or Resume”, and the email itself often contains no text but simply has an attached CV or Resume. How well prepared is that? The first thought a receiver will have of the person, who emailed this message will likely be something like this; “if you are that lazy when it comes to writing and delivering your resume, your work ethics is most likely just as lazy…”. After that thought they are very likely to simply press the delete button!

A CPO, who is sending out his CV or Resume, is actually asking strangers in HR positions, to either hire him or find him a close protection contract. But he does not even have the courtesy to say thank you, or please, or even introduce himself first. He is so full of arrogance that he feels everyone he sends it to, should be overly joyful that he has shown them mere humans, the honour of applying for a position with their company. Well no matter what is in that resume, it is not going to place him on top of any HR managers lists for anything; it is simply going for the deleted items bin… and I am know that I am not the only one who does that!

Therefore you need to write a cover letter, which goes with your resume that introduces you and your reasons for sending your resume. The cover letter is the key that unlocks the door for you and give the receiver a little knowledge about you, before he either deletes your message, or opens and read your resume. To not just unlock the door, but also open it, requires that your cover letter makes the receive wants to read your attached resume!

The AIDCA Approach

The AIDCA approach has been used in advertising and marketing for decades and it is still being used because it works. Your resume is your advertising brochure, aimed at selling your personal services to a CP employer; you need to approach your job applications as if it was a marketing campaign, which it is! Because, if you want to compete for the few contracts that are available for outsiders; you need to “sell” yourself and your experience and skills better than all the other applicants.

AIDCA stands for:

o Attention

o Interest

o Desire

o Conviction

o Action

Attention: is what your email subject line should create. Many persons base their decision, on whether to open and read an email or ignore it, simply on what is in the subject line. So make sure it is short, direct and most of all informative.

Writing “My CV” is definitely short and direct, but it is definitely not informative and worse it is just plain rude. “Experienced & SIA Licensed CPO at Your Service” is short, direct and yet informative and much more likely to catch the attention of the receiver. Think about it, next time you compose the subject line before sending your resume by email.

Your Cover Letter, whether it is in printed form or an email message, should also use the “Attention” factor in its first “heading” and the first full paragraph. The first paragraph should ideally consist of 2-3 or max 4 lines, and basically further “bind” the reader’s attention, so that he will be compelled to read your resume and do it with a positive attitude.

So your first “heading” and paragraph have to be well composed and follow this simple and proved guideline:

o Communicate the offer – what is your purpose of the communicating and what you are offering.

o Highlight your best aspects – what are your best qualities and what makes you the ideal candidate for the job.

o Engage the reader – what do you know that is of direct relevance to the position or company you are applying with.

When your head line and opening paragraph accomplishes to deliver all three points, then the Human Resource department or receiver will open and read your resume! So put some real work into it, after all it is your economic future and security career that you are securing by adding a little extra work to your resume.

Your resume (or curriculum vitae), combined with the cover letter, are the master keys to opening the prospective employer’s mind and the company door; so that you can proceed to the next step in the process – the job interview!

Interest: this is the first “body” section of your resume, and this is the second most important part. You have to make sure it that the first two parts stimulates the interest of the reader, so that he will continue to read the rest of your CV. That means that in the interest part, you should describe your last employment relevant actions such as; a recent job function, related military background, police background of relevance, specific security operations or special training you have completed etc.

Desire: this is the third part of your resume and should describe your complete employment history in order of relevance. Always place the most relevant position first, then follow with a chronological list of your all other employment records. Always start the chronological section with the most recent position first and then backwards through time.

If your history of employment includes positions of little relevance to what you are applying for, then simply state the position, date and company/employer, do not describe what you did if it is not relevant. For all prior job positions that are of relevance, you should describe what responsibilities you had and the positive effect your involvement had. This is where you have to take some honour upon yourself, whether you like it or not. A resume is not the right place to display humbleness; unless of course you are applying to be a priest!

Basically the desire part should make the reader think positively about having you and your skills in their company and how they would benefit from that; you need to make them desire to have you working for them!

Conviction: this is the part where you include your references, your written recommendations, your accomplishments and any merits and medals you have received. Provide full contact details for at least two people, who hold positions of relevance and are ready to vouch for you, and recommend you to the new employer. Make sure the referee, is a person that would himself hire you again if needs be. There is a standard “coy” question all human resource managers ask… “Well that sounds fine, so you would be happy to have him work for you again tomorrow?” “Eeeh… well no because we did not get along that well and his work ethics are different than mine eeeehhh so…” And that is all the HR manager needs to dump your application in the waste bin. Make sure you only provide the referees that were happy with your performance!

When reading this part of your resume, the reader should feel confident that everything you have stated so far is correct, and that you are indeed a competent and highly trustworthy individual, whom the reader would be lucky to employ before someone else gets you.

Action: the final part of your resume, this is where you should include an “action trigger” that will compel the reader to contact you for a conversation or to schedule an interview. Therefore this part has to be specific about when you will be available and how to best contact you. A lot of CPO’s who sends out their resume, only place their contact details at the top; which is a good place to have it, but you have to repeat the contact details again in this part and with a prompt, to contact you today.

One way to get the reader to take action and contact you are to include a specific date and time, which you are planning a visit with them for an interview. “As you have seen in my resume then I have the necessary skills and experience that your company needs and would therefore like to present myself for a proper employment interview. I will be in your area/city on Wednesday next week and will call on you at 10 am, if that suits your schedule.”

With a direct and timed call like that, the reader will have to get back to you, even if he does not want to or are not capable of meeting you at that time. This response gives you an extra opportunity, for communicating with the reader. Just make sure that you are ready and able to keep the appointment yourself!

Now print this message and read it again; then sit down and rewrite your resume using the basic guideline included in this message and then go and apply with those companies that have not employed you yet. Don’t be concerned about sending your resume to the same company again; just include in the description line that this is your updated resume. Send it every three to four months, and within a year they will remember your name even if they have not had any positions for you yet. Being known and remembered is a key to getting employed. In many sectors of the private security industry it is not “What you know but who you know, that gets you a job”. So get known by repeated communications, but don’t stalk them!

My last resume advice is these ten points, which are wise to remember when writing your resume.

1. Keep it focused and businesslike

2. More than two pages is to much for a resume

3. Check the grammar and try to get the punctuations right, always remember to spell check and have someone read it over for you

4. Keep the resume relevant to the specific company or position

5. Make sure it looks good and reads well, have “white” space in it, that mean empty space and not a page that is filled from edge to edge.

6. Make sure you describe what you can do today, not only past skills but also what you are presently learning

7. Be honest; self advertising is good, but exaggerations are not

8. Follow any specific instructions if required by the company you are applying to, for both the format and content

9. Make sure your resume is received, specify the receiver and follow up with further emails or even better a phone call

10. Use a cover letter and keep it short and focused on catching the attention of the reader

Good luck with your job hunting! If you need ideas about where to seek your next foreign close protection contract, then read my last EzineArticles.com article; Close Protection Versus Crime in Mexico.

Stop Using Your Private Industry Resume to Apply for Government Jobs on USAJobs

As a Federal Career Consultant and Federal Resume Writer, I am consulting with many federal job applicants who have submitted 100 to 400 job applications for government jobs on USAJOBS.gov by uploading their private industry resume.

If you want to get Best Qualified for a federal position and hopefully get referred to a supervisor, you have to write a very specific style, content and format federal resume.

Applying for a federal job – as doing any business with the government – is complicated. Of course, the federal resume is NOT the same as the 2 page resume that a person uses for private industry job searches.

14 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS FOR WRITING A SUCCESSFUL FEDERAL RESUME

1. LENGTH: Most federal resumes are 4 to 5 pages long. Mid-career professionals with 15 to 20 years experience will have a 5 page federal resume. A 2 page private-industry resume WILL NOT WORK.

2. MORE DETAILS: You need to include more details about your duties and accomplishments in your last position or the most relevant position. The typical private-industry resume will have 8 to 10 bullets of information about each position. The federal resume duties section spells out what you did, usually in complete sentences. The position that is most relevant for the federal position could be an entire page long.

3. FORMAT: Make sure the resume is readable for human resources specialists who have hundreds of resumes to review to determine who is most qualified for their positions. Many private industry resumes consist of short statements with bullets. Many current federal employees write their resumes in huge block of type based on position descriptions. The best format is a reverse chronological Outline Format Resume. The Outline Format features the top skills needed for the position. For a Public Affairs Specialist, the top skills could be: Media Specialist, Writer-Editor, Researcher / Analyst, Media Events Coordinator.

4. TYPEFONT: Feature the Top Skills in ALL CAPS, so that the busy human resources reviewer can find the skills they are seeking.

5. KEYWORDS: Add language and keywords from the vacancy announcement Duties and Specialized Experience into your federal resume. You can find the keywords by search for words that are repeated multiple times in the announcement; these could be technical terms or phrases that describe specific skills.

6. PROVE YOUR EXPERIENCE: You will see the USAJOBS vacancy announcements will tell you that they want to see One Year Specialized Experience in a certain field in your resume. The announcement will also suggest types of examples that can help to prove your experience.

7. 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE: The federal HR specialists typically read / scan the last 10 years of experience in your federal resume. The years before 10 years can be added to the resume, but keep that information shorter.

8. RECENT AND RELEVANT: The HR specialists will be looking for recent and relevant experience in your Work Experience Section.

9. MONTH, YEAR AND HOURS PER WEEK: It is imperative that you add the month and year and hours per week for your jobs. Since they have to see that you have One Year Specialized Experience in positions and level that are similar to this job, you will need to add this information to your resume.

10. SALARY: The federal resume in USAJOBS.gov asks for your salaries for the last 10 years. They need to see your salaries in order to see your experience and judge the grade level that you could be qualified for in a government position.

11. COVER LETTER: You can add a cover letter into the USAJOBS account now, after Federal Hiring Reform. We recommend a cover letter to emphasize your specialized experience and most relevant training or experience for the position.

12. RECENT AND RELEVANT JOBS: You do NOT have to add every job into your USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you have short-term positions which were taken to earn cash for bills, you can leave it out. Yes, it will leave a little bit of blank time, but the HR specialist is really seeking the specialized experience.

13. 5 USAJOBS RESUMES: USAJOBS will allow you to upload 5 resumes. Create multiple resume versions for each announcement. Your original resume can be changed slightly to match a few keywords for each new announcement.

14. FEDERAL RESUMES MUST BE FOCUSED TOWARD AN OCCUPATIONAL SERIES WITH DIFFERENT KEYWORDS: If you are seeking a Program Analyst position, use the keywords and skills for the position. Keywords for the Program Analyst will be: Analyst, Research, Studies, Efficiency and Effectiveness, Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Briefings. If you are also seeking an Administrative Officer position, your keywords will be different: Operations, Budget Management, Supervision, Customer Services, Project Management.

Writing a Good Fitness Sales Letter

Writing a good fitness sales letter will be a necessity at some point in your personal training career. It shouldn’t be anything to fret over, because it’s pretty much a fact of life. This is especially so when it comes to increasing name recognition in a prospective client base.

Keep in mind, though, that any fitness sales letter shares many similarities to most sales letters in any other business. For starters, the letter is about promoting the services which you feel will be valuable to a customer. You’re a personal trainer after all, and your services are going to be delivered personally to others. You won’t be an unknown super-conglomerate to any of your new customers, will you?

The first thing to emphasize when writing a good fitness sales letter is to focus on the potential customer. Leave out, for the most part, how great you personally are. Veteran marketing writers call this the “90/10 rule.” The sales letter talks about the customer 90 percent of the time and you — at most — 10 percent of it.

Make sure the letter addresses your possible clientele’s own fitness issues and how you can help these people address them. The time to talk about yourself is after you’ve begun training them. Up until then, keep the letter focused on them. After all, they don’t really know or actually care about you, for the most part. They will care deeply about themselves, though, so turn that to your benefit.

This next one can’t be reiterated enough: Always make sure to offer your potential clients something valuable. What might this be? Well, the list can be long. Perhaps a secret fitness program that only you have access to. Pro marketers believe a report of from four to eight pages is usually sufficiently valuable. And if you don’t know how to write, find somebody who does. It’s relatively inexpensive to commission a letter like this, nowadays.

Keep in mind that the best sales letters all leave out a distracting letterhead format at the top of the letter. It’s a curious fact that many people prefer to have a fancy-looking header at the top, but this just serves to take the reader’s attention away from the more important sales headline. There are times when a letterhead is called for, but this isn’t one of them, to be honest.

Any sales letter has a single goal in mind: To generate a response from the reader. Confusing the reader with a potentially-distracting bunch of non-applicable writing at the top will weaken, not strengthen the sales pitch. If you want it in the letter, site it down near your signature line, after you’ve made the pitch. Try not to use it at all, though.

7 Resume Mistakes to Avoid If You Desire to Be Invited for a Job Interview

Many job-seekers, with impressive academic and professional qualifications, are not invited for job interviews owing to various errors and inaccuracies in their resumes. A document that encapsulates your suitability for a job should be error-free. A resume is the first significant contact between a prospective employer and a potential employee. Unfortunately, for thousands of job-seekers, this becomes the last interaction because this vital document portrays them as being irresponsible and careless.

The following seven biggest resume mistakes are obnoxious and detrimental to job hunting and should be avoided.

1. Grammatical and Spelling Errors

Job-seekers who present resumes replete with spelling and grammatical errors stand little chance of succeeding. Potential employers detest such blunders considering the owners had time to design and write the documents. Language-based blunders portray a job applicant as being thoughtless and unworthy of responsibility. If you cannot identify and rectify faults in such a vital personal paper, how will you handle organizational responsibilities?

2. Illogical Arrangement

Many job-seekers sequence the items on their resumes in an inconsistent or illogical manner. It is crucial to appreciate that potential employers read through numerous solicited and unsolicited documents. One of the most common resume mistakes is to use functional chronological styles in one document. For example, if you are at the job entry-level, arrange work experience and educational background chronologically to avoid annoying potential employers.

3. Inaccurate Information and Lies

To forge inaccurate or untruthful information, and to insert it in a resume as means to having an edge over competitors, damages a candidate’s credibility. If an employer discovers a lie, the employee may lose a job or even be jailed. Committing such mistakes, deliberately or otherwise, may have lifelong repercussions. These are resume writing errors that may return to haunt you long after you are hired.

4. Unexplained gaps

Inexplicable gaps in a resume contribute to the downfall of numerous job-seekers. It is normal to undergo periods of unemployment. However, when designing and writing your document, you should never assume that the employer will gloss over such omissions. Interviewers might attribute this to crime, misbehavior or ineptitude in a previous job, thus making this one of the biggest resume mistakes.

5. Incomplete information

Closely related to unexplained gaps in resumes is the error of presenting incomplete information. For example, if you were working in a certain firm, state the duration and the responsibility assigned. Moreover, when using a pattern in which you state the duration, title and responsibility in a sequence, ensure that every entry in your resume adheres to this categorization. Similarly, referees’ contact details should be comprehensive and accurate.

6. Clueless Referees

One of the most common resume mistakes is failing to inform your referees that you have assigned them that significant role. Potential employers will call these people to ascertain the information you have given and to understand your suitability for a job from another person’s point of view. What would happen if your referee tells a potential employer that your name is not familiar or he has no current or relevant information about you? To avoid such situations, talk to referees and request them to be your backers before including their names in a resume.

7. Fancy Internet Templates

The internet contains several resume templates you can adopt. However, avoid unnecessary excitement concerning formats as this may cause you to forget the crucial intention of impressing a prospective employer. One of the resume mistakes to avoid is to accentuate a template at the expense of the content. A wise job-seeker would rather have a simple format that communicates effectively than a fancy one devoid of content.

How to Avert Resume Blunders

To ensure a resume is error-free, print a copy and edit it thoroughly. You can also proofread it using a spellchecker or online software. A friend who is well-versed in language and grammar issues can also correct the resume. Unless you don’t desire a job, you cannot forget or ignore the editing of your document.

These are the most detestable resume writing mistakes job-seekers commit. The next time you are preparing a resume, create time to edit it. Remember that your chance of being invited for an interview largely depends on having an error-free resume.

Resume Writing Service – 10 Critical Tips on Picking the Best Writer

When you want a resume that will get your phone ringing with calls from hiring managers who are salivating to interview you for jobs you’d die for — how do you know who to hire?

The resume writing industry is not regulated. The internet is crawling with wannabe and would-be resume writers who’d love to take your cash and give you a garbage resume in return, written in broken English on a template, like thousands of other resumes they crank out daily in resume mills for $99 each.

Or maybe they’ll take one you already have and just re-key it into another format. You may be laughing, but hey, it happens every day to folks who aren’t thoughtful and wary of web advertising and careful how they pick a resume writer. Your resume is one of the most important documents of your life. It should represent you extremely well.

The good news? There are great writers out there, waiting for your resume assignment. You can find one using these steps. Follow these tips and you can’t fail.

1. Read online ads analytically and critically. Don’t believe assertions that aren’t backed up by believable proofs. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Beware especially of pushy advertising based on dark emotions, garish graphics, and strange formatting. And guarantees that are so good they’re obviously ridiculous. Nobody can guarantee you’ll be hired based on a resume, even if a master writes it.

2. Understand what pricing is reasonable and customary in the legitimate resume industry. Be ready to pay a fair price for value received. The most frequent victim of a resume scam is someone whos’s trying to get something for less than it’s really worth. Remember, the cost of your resume is an investment in your future success.

3. Interview the writer on the phone. Listen to how they speak and ask them questions about their background, like how they became a resume writer, who they have written for, and what their process is. Trust your feelings. If the person sounds credible and intelligent, great. If they don’t sound like someone you’d like to introduce you to your next boss, move on.

4. Review some sample resumes. Start with the writer’s own resume. Then check out a couple they have written for others. Would you hire the individuals who are represented by the samples? If not, why expect someone to hire you based on that writer’s work?

5. Don’t use an online resume mill. You are not like everyone else. Your resume can’t be done well by someone who pops them out like biscuits. Get a real writer — someone who makes a living by writing based on specific research. Probably someone with a degree in English or writing.

6. You can’t really completely hire out the responsibility of creating your perfect resume. Expect to stay involved and provide lots of answers to the writer’s questions.

7. The writer should be doing research and you are the only source of all the detailed data they will need to represent you well. Expect (and check for) a rational, organized process. The writer should have you fill out forms and send any old resumes. They should also interview you by phone and ask you a lot of relevant questions. They should be able to explain what they do and why they do it.

8. What questions are they asking you? To write well for you, the writer needs to gather specific kinds of information. They should be asking you questions like these:

What important qualifications does the job require?

What are your best and highest qualifications?

Tell me about the high points of your career.

Is there anything we should keep in the background?

What about you stands out that will help win the job?

Describe your best skills and greatest expertise.

Do you also have minor qualifications that are relevant?

Are there personal traits that make you a good fit?

What have you accomplished that you’re proud of?

Can we express any of your qualifications numerically?

How did you develop your particular skills?

What do people in your field find impressive?

Have you accomplished things in those areas?

Is there any special language that is frequently used in your field?

And so on.

9. Does the writer offer all the documentation and help you need? There’s a lot more required to get a job than just a resume. Do they also write your cover letters, follow up letters, references sheet, and salary history? Do they offer you an elevator speech to help you promote yourself? Do they coach you on how to use all parts of your job change documentation to your best advantage?

10. What are the writer’s special qualifications? Have they written for people like you? Do they have experience with writing persuasively, perhaps with some form of marketing? Do they speak about resumes to groups? Do they have experience as a hiring manager so they understand how people who make staffing decisions think?

When it comes to your resume, quality control is up to you. The best assurance of quality in your resume is in the skill and integrity of your resume writer. You deserve a writer who’s a cut above — the kind who’d be chosen by a CEO or other executive. Check your writer out carefully. Don’t settle for less than one who truly captures exactly who you are professionally and how you’re qualified for the job you want.

The Four Cardinal Points of Any Good Writing: Expression, Content, Organization & Technical Accuracy

Every piece of writing that is judged to be good must have these four cardinal factors; otherwise the writing will fall flat regardless of its intended purpose. Remember the intent of your writing should be to inform, instruct, entertain, solve a problem or show how to achieve a goal or objective. Always write for your target audience and not the internet or the search engines. When you connect to your audience, the rewards come back to you. The four factors are: Expression, Content, Organization and Mechanical Accuracy.

Expression: This is how you project your writing for the world to see, read and evaluate. Good writing is a craft. That’s why writers are called wordsmiths. A picture may be more than a thousand words but it also takes words to create pictures in your reader’s mind. This is the first factor that attracts audience to your writing just as bees are attracted to nectar. You may have heard that you must write to express and not to impress. Don’t write for ego; write for your audience with clarity and simplicity–so that everybody can understand your perspective and subject matter. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Expression is an art form. You must use your words to connect and create vivid images in your reader’s mind. People only apply what they understand. It all boils down to your choice of words, style, personality and overall thinking process. You must use powerful words and emotional triggers. Eliminate boring adverbs and dangling modifiers as much as you can. Use active verbs instead of helping verbs or adjectives. Active verbs make your writing to be more alive and dynamic. Realize that movement generates pleasure. Use active voice rather than passive voice. Thus expression is not just what you say but how you say it. However, what you say is also important.

Content: This is the factor that separates the mediocre from the masters. “Either you write something worth reading or you do something worth writing,” said Benjamin Franklin. Content is the substance and the essence of your writing. In short, content is the heart-beat of any great writing. It is the value you brought to the marketplace. People are value and quality shoppers. They want the best for the least amount of money. You have heard it said that in the internet, content is king. The story is the same everywhere. Content is the quality of the material you put out. This has to do with the key benefits the readers will extract from your writing to solve their problems or achieve their goals. As a writer, you must always ask yourself: “how can my writing solve problems or change lives?” A good writing that sells itself is writing with great content. Search engines love content. Therefore, put out good content that people love and seek. Then the search engines will locate you naturally and people will seek your offers. Let your content be fresh and original instead of recycled materials that flood the internet. Content is what search (and research) is all about. Having said that, you must also know how to arrange and organize your content so that the information is readable and digestible.

Organization: One of the most difficult things about writing is how to organize and arrange your thoughts. “Most writings are a few good thoughts drifting about in a sea of words,” said Jamie Buckingham. Organization is a product of coherence and consistency. How does your thoughts flow logically as in a flower? One idea must lead and link to the next. To be consistent, you need style manual as a guide. Therefore, try to plan your writing. Outline the key points or bare bone essentials you may want to develop before you put the flesh as you go. Let each paragraph contain a theme or one main idea. The flesh can be the description, examples or anecdotes to buttress your points. Organization is a process. It comes with practice, experience and writing intuition. You get better as you keep on writing. Formatting is a very important part of your organization. Arrange information in chunks.

That’s how the human brain process information. That’s why it’s called bites and bytes. Formatting is about headings, paragraphing, bullets, lists, typography, lines and spacing to create visual appeal for your readers. You don’t need to be a graphic artist to develop a good sense of organization. Did you notice that majority of HTML tags are formatting tags? Any good content and expression can fall flat without good formatting–it is a key part of your organization. The best way to learn this art is to glean from other good writings. After trial and success, it comes together with practice. Either you keep writing or you become a write-off. My watch word is: “Persistent practice prevents poor performance.” The more you write the better you grow as a writer. Practice does not make perfect; practice makes improvements and improvements make perfect.

Mechanical (Technical) Accuracy: This is fancy way of saying that your writings should be free of errors. Mechanical Accuracy is the Achilles tendon of most writers. They worry too much about the difference between colon and semi colon–causing paralysis analysis. This is the key reason why many people dread writing. Mechanical accuracy has to do with your typographical errors, spelling, punctuation and syntax. This is why you must have your writing tools: spell checkers, dictionary, encyclopedia and other reference materials. Remember that no writing is readable until it is free of errors. It is also a smart idea to give your writing to someone else to proofread and edit because of human factors. Overall most good writers are made in rewriting. The key lies in the principle of the 3Rs: revise, review and rewrite.

Your writing process is like preparing a good meal. All four ingredients must be present in your recipe before you create a balanced food for thought.

Resume Writing For Losers

So if you were fired should you include that job on your resume? If you dropped out of college and became ski bum for two years should that be included? If you started a business and failed should that go on your resume?

Consider this TRUE resume:

Lost job
Defeated in run for public office
Started business and failed
Spent time off work due to nervous breakdown
Defeated in run for public office again
Defeated in run for public office again
Lost job
Defeated in run for public office again
Defeated in run for public office again
Defeated in run for public office again

Who’s resume is this?

The next entry on this resume is “Elected President of the United States.”

This is the resume of President Abraham Lincoln.

The point is this: Your mistakes, losses, and failures do not keep you from being qualified for the job you seek. In fact the experiences might make you stronger and more qualified. However, employers are looking for a successful track record on your resume.

Face facts: The only sure way to never fail is to avoid trying anything. If mistakes and failures make losers, every one of us is a loser. The fact is that trying new things and overcoming obstacles is what has made the human race advance.

If you were fired from a job you might not want to include that on your resume. You could include the job and hope the employer doesn’t check. You could also include the job and be prepared to answer any questions the employer has. If you were fired for low performance for example, this could be an opportunity! How? You could explain how this incident turned your life around; that you were a lackluster employee who did not understand the profit aspect of your job and how you affected the company’s bottom line. Since then you have read several business books and are eager to now make a serious working contribution to a company’s profit. Showing how you learn from experience and this type of attitude could eliminate a similar qualified candidate and land you the job.

If you have a gap in your employment history or college education because you chose to take time off, you could fill in the blanks with a sentence or two of what you did learn or accomplish during that time.

If you started a business that failed you could list the business and the accomplishments that have given you skills beneficial to the employer. Some of the largest businesses in the world fail, and yet usually the people employed by them do not spend the rest of their lives blaming themselves in misery.

We are not the situations we experience in our lives. We become who we are by how we have allowed those situations to mold us.

Abraham Lincoln was obviously persistent and allowed his defeats to help him develop resiliency. Imagine how different our lives would be today if he had given up after any one of his many defeats.

Just remember that if we are all losers, we are also all winners. Any situation in your life does not label who you are. You label who you are. You know yourself better than anyone. You have the most power in the world to label yourself. So label yourself a winner on your resume. Then be prepared to act as the winner you are in your interview.

Effective Resume Writing

Your resume is an essential part of your job search, it is your opportunity to make a good impression on employers. For this reason, the information on your resume should be pertinent, easy to read, and attractively laid out.

Content

Your resume needs to provide the reader with a general review of your background. Do not clutter your resume with frivolous details. Some critical areas to include are: identifying data, education, work experience, and student/community activities.

Identifying data: Your name, address, and phone number are mandatory. An e0mail address may also be included. Do not include information such as height, weight, and race as they are not qualifications for the job. Information such as willingness to travel or date of availability could be included in an “Additional Information” category at the end of the resume.

Objective: Although there are different views on whether or not to include a career objective, this information enables the reader to quickly learn about your career interests. Objective guidelines: too specific may be limiting, too broad is meaningless. If you include an objective, think about writing 2-3 versions of your resume, each with a different objective. If you choose to have an objective, it should be no more than two lines. You can also leave the objective off and include it in the cover letter.

Sample Objectives:

“Seeking an entry-level position as an accountant in a public accounting firm.”

“To obtain a position as a financial and investment analyst with a major investment bank or large corporation.”

Education: This information should appear in reverse chronological order, with your most recent education first. Include institution, title of degree, major(s), and any honors awarded. Include your GPA only if it is clearly an asset. If you have questions about including your GPA on your resume, please talk with a Career Services staff member. Any publications, professional licenses, or special training may appear in this section., Information about high school generally should not be included. Finally, the degree to which you financed your own education may also be included here (e.g. 80%)

Work Experience: Usually listed in reverse chronological order (present-past), the information includes the organization’s name, location, position held, dates of employment, and a description of your accomplishments. Focus on areas that relate to the position you are seeking and provide evidence of your ability to assume responsibility, follow through and work hard. IF you have had numerous part-time jobs, highlight the most related experiences. Military experience may be included in this section or in its own category.

Student Organization/Community Activities: Here is your opportunity to show your commitment to your major field and to leadership positions outside of the classroom. This may include social organizations such as sororities, student clubs and volunteer work. Additional categories maybe included to emphasize specific accomplishments, such as “Honors” or “Activities.”

References: Do not list references on your resume. Rather, state on your resume that your references are “Available upon request.” Prepare a separate list of professional references (3-5), including name, title, address and business phone number of each person who agreed to be a reference for you. Remember to include your name at the top of the page. Take your Reference List with you when interviewing.

Targeted Resumes

“Targeting your resume means you are customizing your resume for a particular position, company, different objectives, or career field. For example, you may be interested in both financial banking and accounting, but do not want to use the same resume for both areas of business. This is when targeting your resume is useful. You can tailor your resume to each industry, narrowing the focus of your resume. If you download your resume into Microsoft Word, this is where you can make and save different targeted ones.

Design

The appearance of your resume is critical.

Margins: Keep margins even, using appropriate balance of whitespace to printed word.

Style: Sentences need not be complete. Do not write in first person, singular case (do not use “I”). Use 8.5″ x 11″ bond resume paper of a conservative shade.

Length: Try not to exceed three pages, unless you have significant and relevant experience.

Format

There are two commonly used formats:

Chronological: Presents education, experience, extracurricular activities, skills, and achievements in reverse chronological order under each category. Advantages to this style:

Employers are comfortable with this style because it is used often

It is the easiest way to write

Achievements can be displayed as a direct result of work experiences

Functional: Organizes skills and accomplishments into functional groupings that support your job objective, which should be stated. Advantages:

Draws attention to your accomplishments

Allows for greater flexibility in presenting skills gained through low paying jobs or personal experience

Useful when you have a brief or scattered employment record or when changing career fields

Choosing a Format: If skills and accomplishments coincide with your most significant work experiences, go with the chronological format. If you must pull together certain skills and achievements from a variety of experiences to display your strengths, the functional format may work best for you

No two resumes will look alike; format choice is a personal one. There are two basic questions to answer:

Am I communicating the skills I have attained in a way which will fulfill the needs of the employer?

Is the layout I have chosen the best way for those skills to be presented?

Language

Use language which is as persuasive and descriptive as possible. The use of action words will assist in the development of a concise and businesslike resume

Scannable Resumes

Many employers today use computerized scanning systems to review resumes. It is a good idea when sending your resume to a company that you send two versions: your usual resume and one marked “Scannable” at the top. If you are uncertain or hesitant to send two resumes, the human resources or college recruiting department of most companies should be able to inform you if they utilize resume scanning programs. Below are some ideas to keep in mind when designing your “scannable” resume:

Use only plain, white paper, letter sized (8.5″ x 11″)

Keep your resume to one side only

Laser-printed resumes scan best (not a dot matrix printer)

Do not use underlining or italics, as these do not scan well

Try to keep to a 12 pitch font

Send your resume in a large envelope: do not fold it as words in the folds will not scan properly

Limit your use of bullets and avoid use of graphics

Scanning systems often scan for key words or descriptors, so review your resume to make sure you have appropriately used key words that are relevant to your field

The Electronic Resume

An “electronic resume” can mean several things, but generally refers to a resume that is sent to an employer electronically-either via the internet or email. Some companies’ homepages will include a form that you can complete online and submit, which is a type of electronic resume. Some websites, which are geared towards job search assistance, also include these types of resume services. Many students are also putting together personal homepages which includes a link to their resume. More ideas about using technology with your resume can be found in the Electronic Resume Revolution by Joyce Lain Kennedy.

Organize Resume Writing

Step 1 – Write a rough draft and set aside for a day or two

Step 2 – Edit rough draft, seek feedback from Career Services staff

Step 3 – Make changes to final draft

Step 4 – Have two people proofread for spelling

Step 5 – Take a laser printed copy to a printer to have copies made. Obtain extra paper and matching envelopes for cover letters

Resume Writing Tips – The Things to Include in a Resume

Resume is the document that makes the employer aware of your career goal, skill set and experience. Any job seeker whether a fresher or an experienced person has to write the resume. Resume writing tips are beneficial as one gets the idea about how to document the talent or relevant work history in a compact format.

Writing an appealing resume needs understanding of various pros and cons. First and foremost important thing while writing the resume is to understand the job profile and write the resume according to that. Some companies ask to enter your details in the customized format. So no need to write the resume separately in that case
There are three types of resume formats such as, chronological, functional and combination. You decide what and how you want to highlight your skills and experience and write the resume accordingly
‘Work experience’ is most important section of your resume and always remember that the employer is keen to know about how you have handled the tough situations. So highlight the profile of your previous jobs thoughtfully
If a person is having extensive experience, say more than 15 years, then no need to write the experience section in detail as it will be too lengthy. The employer will definitely not spend time reading pages and pages of your resume. So you can divide the experience section as ‘Relevant work history’ and write one paragraph about the previous work history or allied work history
Always proof check your resume before sending it to the concerned person. Write a resume cover letter that will clearly indicate the purpose of applying for particular job
Write the detailed personal information in the later section of your resume. You can mention your name, contact details and e-mail address at the beginning.
As far as hobbies are concerned, no thumb rule exists. You can mention your hobbies if they are relevant to the job profile you are looking for. If your hobbies demand dedication, strategic approach, creativity and consistency, the employer may look at it when he/she analyzes your interpersonal and inherent skills
The resume writing guides help you in writing a resume in a professional manner. The resume writing service providers are also there which provide the best services.

With a focused study about resume writing you will also for sure master resume writing

Learn Technical Writing – Definition of Letter and Memo

It has come to our attention that some people think of a memo as just a short letter. Not so! Specifics to follow.

That’s a memo. Maybe shorter than most, but it’s a memo and not a letter.

Letters and memos (or, memorandums) are similar in many ways, but they serve two different purposes. It’s important to know the distinctions in order to produce the type of document you’re asked to write.

First we’ll look at some shared characteristics. Both letters and memos:

– use similar format styles

– are sent as hardcopy by either an external or internal delivery system

– can be typed or printed from a computer file

– address one specific subject

– provide information to or try to bring about a desired reaction from the recipients

There are two very important characteristics that distinguish a memo from a letter. The first is that letters are specific and memos are general. That means that letters normally go to specific recipients. They’re written mano e mano. Memos are not usually considered to be private communication. They’re normally addressed to multiple recipients. There may be dozens, hundreds, or thousands of people who get the same memo. That means that the odds are much greater that a memo will be read by someone it isn’t addressed to than for a letter. Memos get put up on bulletin boards and left on tables. There’s nothing private about a memo.

The second is that letters can be as long as the writer wants them to be while memos are written in a very condensed manner with a lot of information in very little space. Nothing unnecessary is included. There’s no Dear Sir orYours truly in a memo. Just the facts.

A memo can have a number of purposes. It can:

– distribute news and information to multiple recipients

– convey thoughts or opinions for immediate reaction

– call people to action or to a meeting

The single, most important difference between a letter and a memo is that a memo is short and to the point.

Note: Technically, the plural of memorandum is memoranda, but you probably shouldn’t use it unless you’re writing in a very high-level, academic situation.