Resume Archives - Page 4 of 5

When a Free Resume Ends Up Costing You More Than a Professional One

The most commonly searched keywords regarding resumes inevitably include “free” or “template” in them. Nobody wants to pay for something they think they can do themselves. A quick search will yield dozens of different services and sites offering free assistance with writing your own resume. But before you decide to sign up for any of these services, you ought to do your research on them first. Just like with any industry, even resume writing services has its shady underbelly.

One of the most common free resume template services involves an application where you provide your information such as name, education, work experience, etc., and the application plugs it automatically into a ready-made template. But before you are allowed to save your document or print it out, you are asked to pay a small, negligible fee, often around $2 or sometimes give your credit card information for a “free” trial that you can supposedly cancel at any time. Not so bad for something other people may pay several hundred dollars for, huh? Think again.

Hidden deep in the fine print, that no one seems to read anymore anyways, is the agreement you make to be charged for an automatically renewing subscription service. Before you know it, your credit card is being charged $40, $50, or even more every month. If you take a look at some of the consumer reviews for some of these “free” resume services, you will find that unfortunately many people do not pay very close attention to their credit card statements and may end up having these reoccurring charges for more than a year. What you thought was “free” or only a couple of bucks ends up turning out to be several hundred dollars or more, depending on when you notice the fraudulent charges.

Oftentimes, you will have little to no luck disputing the charges with your bank or credit card company. If the charges are reoccurring on your account, you will have been assumed to have agreed to them. This is another good reminder to always keep a close eye on your bank and credit card amounts. And good luck trying to dispute the charges with the actual company over the telephone or email. Why would they want to give you the time of day to cancel the charges when hidden fees and surcharges are their bread and butter? Always be suspicious of businesses without verifiable, physical addresses, and do your consumer research beforehand.

Many people who are looking to have a resume written are unemployed and looking to save money wherever they can, so they turn to “free” resume making websites that they believe will improve their chances of securing interviews. The sad reality is that there are many companies out there whose entire business model is based off scamming the poor and destitute with hidden fees and a sub-par product. If you are looking for help writing your resume, always do your research before you hand over any credit card information. Furthermore, ask friends and family what has best worked for them. Legitimate, professional resume writing services may not be for everyone, but they do help a great deal of job seekers. Sometimes the initial investment is well worth the reward. A well-written, effective resume could be the difference between you getting a new job in the next couple of weeks vs. you getting a job in the next couple of months, and all of that lost income will add up.

Actually Free Resume Templates

It is likely you have resume templates already installed on whichever word processing software you have. There are plenty of places where you can legitimately download them for free online and just enter in the necessary information yourself. For many people, this is as far as resume writing goes. Write a simple objective, name the school you went to, describe your work experience, and list any certifications. The problem is that, while templates may give you a basic format outline, it does not tell you what to actually write in it or how to write it. Just as all individuals are different, so should every resume be different.

Remember, free resume templates are designed to grab your attention, not the attention of the people who actually matter, such as hiring managers and recruiters. They may try to wow you with different fonts, graphics, and colors, but this is not what employers are looking for. You may think you will come off as interesting, creative, and eye catching if you used a unique resume template, but in the eyes of the hiring authority it will be clear as daylight that you used just another generic resume template.

When I have been in charge of hiring before, one of my most memorable examples was an individual who described themselves as a “creative type” and “proficient in Microsoft Office.” Their resume formatting and style was a little out of the ordinary for sure, but it was also obvious they used a rather common resume template. Why would I want to hire someone who says they are “creative” and “proficient in Microsoft Office,” if they can’t even format their own resume?

When looking at resumes, hiring authorities want documents that are simple, clean, and get straight to the point. With a competitive job market, a Human Resources official may sift through hundreds of resumes for a single position. They don’t spend too much time on each one, normally just a quick glance before they decide if it goes in the garbage or if the candidate needs a closer look.

A final warning about free resume templates is the question of how Applicant Tracking System (ATS) compliant they are. Many companies, especially large corporations, use ATS software to pre-screen applicants. This software scans the document for things like experience level, skills, certifications, educational background, industry keywords, and more. If you have a strangely formatted resume, it will be difficult for the software to read your resume. Even if you are the perfect candidate and have an otherwise well-written resume, it may get thrown in the garbage before a pair of human eyes ever actually looks at it.

How to Make a Resume – 3 Vital Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Whether you’re fresh out of the university or someone who’s hoping for a career change, it’s important that you learn how to make a resume. The resume contains all of your achievements and work experiences. It tells the employer what you have to offer the company.

A lot of people actually don’t know how to make a resume. Most of them just copy it off from a standard format. While this is not exactly a negative thing, it keeps them from understanding the purpose of the resume and does not give them any room for creativity.

It is always in your best interest to know exactly how something works and innovate it to your advantage.

1) The Basics.

If you want to discover how to make a resume that sells, it’s important for you to know about the basics first. The resume should obviously contain your name and your contact details. It should also contain your educational background, your work experiences and your achievements.

All of these details should begin at your most recent; and try to include only those that are actually relevant to the company you’re applying for.

Unless you’re applying for a position in the creative department, stick to the standard fonts (Arial and Times New Roman) and font size (10 or 12).

2) Use The Active Voice.

When trying to make a resume, always use the active voice. Employers like people who are doers and not just watchers. Avoid sounding pompous and arrogant though.

3) List Down Your Other Strengths.

Once you have all the basics down, it’s time to figure out how to make your resume more interesting. If you are fluent in any other languages, it is to your advantage to include them in your resume.

Many companies have sister businesses in other parts of the globe; and if you can speak in other languages, they’ll immediately see that as an asset.

Be mindful of the other strengths you have. Being the top scorer in an online video game should not be included here, unless you’re applying for the position of video game tester. Stick to those that you think might be of use to the company.

Learning how to make a resume is important. While there is a standard format to be followed, there is still room for creativity and other strengths. By simply changing your sentences into the active voice, you already have an advantage over the other applicants

Customize Your Resume to Jump Start Your Job Search

Your resume is a sales letter promoting your background, abilities and potential. A good resume will get lead to interviews and poor one will keep opportunities out of reach. It is important to develop the best sales presentation to differentiate yourself from your competition.

Many job seekers get frustrated sending out lots of resumes and never hearing anything in response. They apply to a few dozen companies and hear back from a couple and sometimes none. The reason is simple – when companies post a job, they receive thousands of resumes that have nothing to do with the job.

Some job seekers, frustrated with the lack of response, resort to a mass mailing approach. The idea is to send out massive volumes of resumes and hope a few will get a response.

The problem with this strategy is the poor quality of the resume that is sent. Generalizing your background to be suitable for almost any job results in your resume looking like everyone else’s. This ensures you will not stand out and will not get attention.

Customization

The solution is to customize your application. The more you can do this, the more successful you will be. If your job search is stalled, working to customize your resume for each position will help jump start your efforts and get your search back on track.

Taken to the extreme, you would write a custom cover letter and resume for a position, address them to a specific individual, and hand deliver your information to the hiring manager – ideally with someone from the company referring and recommending you to the hiring manager. In this situation, your resume is going to get a very close look and you will get a response.

Unfortunately, this level of customization and personal contact isn’t always possible. So what should you do? Customize the sales pitch as much as possible.

The first step is to have a cover letter. Many job seekers omit a cover letter, but including one can help differentiate you from the other applicants.

Second, customize your cover letter to the position. A cover letter, specifically mentioning the position and company, along with a persuasive reason why the job seeker will add value to that company, is more likely to generate interest.

Third, customize the objective statement on your resume. Make sure it indicates you are interested in the position.

Fourth, customize your skills, highlighting the skills most important for the position. Often, this requires only a slight change to your resume, but it can make a huge impact. Look at the job description and make sure you show your skill level with any required technical skills. You may think that the skills you include in your resume imply that you would have other related skills, but you can’t count on this. It becomes especially problematic if the person doing the initial resume screen doesn’t understand the technical details of a position. In this case, they may have a checklist of skills – if you mention everything on the checklist, you pass, if you don’t you’re rejected.

Fifth, customize the accomplishments on your resume. Look for key elements of the job description, paying particular attention to the goals, expectations or challenges of the role. Include examples of how you have met similar goals or expectations, or have overcome similar challenges in the past.

If you adjust all five of these elements on every resume you submit, you will greatly improve your success rate. Making these modifications takes time, but it is worth it. The tighter the job market gets, the more important it is to maximize your chances for every opportunity.

How to Write an Effective Resume That Gets You Hired

If there is one crucial tool most job seekers need to master – it is their resume. This is synonymous to a carpenter’s hammer, a writer’s pen, and a surgeon’s instrument. It must work accordingly for the person in order to land a perfect job. Needless to say, ending up with the right career will not be feasible unless you have a ticket for entry. This is when the creation of an effective resume comes in. How will you do this? There are considerations that you have to ponder, of course.

Assembling the Perfect Resume

Assembling an effective resume requires a ton of self-reflection. What are the best ways to write a resume? How will you start? These are the usual steps:

Start with a plan

Prior to sitting down and writing your very own resume, it is vital that you have a plan in mind. Your plan will set the direction. As you do this, you also get to establish coherence which will be of great impact to your resume. Digging deeper to the field that you want to be a part of is also ideal. Once you have your aim clear in mind, materializing the resume will be the next priority.

Showcase your accomplishments and strong points

In resume writing, it is crucial that you know how to show case your strengths. You may do this by foregrounding your accomplishments. Among the information utilized for these are education, training, work history, accomplishments and certifications. Always remember that these will give you the edge over other candidates. As much as possible, highlight the turning point of your features. They should be realistic to the position you are eyeing for. If you can put them in summary, and then that is going to work accordingly.

Make it visually appealing

Little do people know that aside from the substance, the form of your resume will also have to be given attention. It is just safe to say that designing should also be a part of your resume writing and creation. Always glance at the whole document. Does it attract the eyes when placed side by side with other entries? You will not want its design to be a hinder to your qualifications. Do not ever let this cause a problem. It should not. If you can, it will not hurt to go for white spaces. These can be maximized. When it comes to the number of pages, your stand will also be studied. If you are in the middle of your career, and then summing up a two-page resume is just fine. For starters, a one-page resume will do just fine.

Remembering everything above will help a lot in resume writing. Starting from the top, a powerful CV can be the output. Do not ever underestimate the effects of this. Remember, this is the only way for you to get noticed. Give your best shot in it and you will be miles closer to your dream.

Additional Tips

Truth be told – employers do not spend much time going over resumes. They spare about 10 to 20 seconds on it. With this said, capturing their attention should be the name of the game. This is a chance to gain their interest and advance into comprehensive reading. As this is the case, do not fail to master the basic elements of resume writing.

Is a Resume Objective Important?

Most job hunters are confused about what should be in a resume objective. This bewilderment is reasonable as there is a plethora of conflicting information posted about what a resume objective should include and the purpose. Some web articles report you must include one while others recommend omitting them altogether. Due to the fact that your resume and cover letter are your first impression and opportunity to persuade an employer to interview you, you need to pull out all the stops. If you do not impress and sell the reader your first impression could be your last impression. A resume is a means to an end and in this ending what you want is an interview.

Because a resume is serving two entities at opposite ends of a hopeful transaction; employment, the objective is different for a job hunter than an employer. The goal of a job hunter is obvious: you want an interview and a job. The objective of your resume for an employer is to help them decide whether to interview or eliminate you.

So in order to serve your purpose of getting an interview, because the employer has all the power to make the decision of granting you one based on their needs and desires, your resume objective must serve a higher purpose. By focusing on the employer’s needs you will be serving your needs. Look at the big picture: serving the employer’s purpose will serve your purpose. Give them what they want and you will get what you want. They want a skilled employee who can and will do the job and you want the job. They need to be convinced you are the best person for the position.

A resume objective is the first thing an employer sees on the page below your name. Most advice directs you to create a brief introduction of your career goals and the type of job you are seeking. This writing can seem self -centered and is misaligned when you consider this document is essentially a marketing piece.

Expressing your career goals in your terms can be risky. If your goals do not match those of the employer you run the risk of being eliminated before the employer even gets past reading your objective. Also if the position has additional duties not fully disclosed by the job title or description, your objective can make your goals appear limited. If an employer has a different job opening other than what was advertised that you might be a perfect fit for, your objective might exclude you from consideration.

Employers are looking at your past but buying your future. Employers have a difficult time correlating your past with their future goals just by reviewing your resume. And without first meeting with an employer and learning about the company how can you possible write about any goals that match what they have planned? You cannot and the best you can do is to create an objective from the limited information about the position usually from the job posting and other information you can dig up.

Leaving out a resume objective is an option. Most employers find this the most objectionable part of resumes anyway. A major reason for this is that most the writing is too generic or not focused on the job or employer. Many candidates include a Summary of Skills section in place of the objective statement.

While omitting a resume objective seems reasonable and is usually acceptable, there are some advantages to including one. For instance, this section gives you the opportunity to use the exact job title or skill keywords the prospective employer is using. Then if the employer is scanning for keywords and the job title is one of those words you will be included. Another plus is the opportunity to draw attention to your skill keywords and offer additional information for any special circumstances such as an internship application or a career change.

The following statement includes a transferable skill, in this case communication skills that the employer has listed in the job posting for a physical therapist. This example is for a career transition from customer service work to physical therapy:

To apply valuable communication skills gained from seven years of customer service experience in coordination with the education of a four year degree and certificate as a Physical Therapist to provide clients with exceptional service.

Again a resume objective provides the opportunity to include a job title that you not have held and would otherwise not be on your resume. Here is a generic sample that is focused on the employer and includes the job title of the position open:

To meet with you and learn about your company and the Junior Accountant position to appropriately assess your opportunity to determine if present accounting skills and future development can be of exceptional benefit to you.

Presenting certain career goals can be in the interest of an employer. If a job description for a sales associate includes a statement about possible advancement the following objective could be advantageous:

To meet with you and find out about your company and the sales associate position to determine if current selling skills can help you now and the goal of working toward a leadership position can serve you in the future.

Resume Writing – 12 Tips

A resume is like a short story that grabs the reader and keeps him or her engaged. This article presents 12 sure-fire tips that have benefited hundreds (college students, clients, colleagues, family, and friends) regardless of the career field or level. They’re certain to help you too.

12 Tips

· (Tip – 1) Prepare a brief profile

Start strong with a brief profile not an objective. Listing an objective is a thing of the past. What should your profile contain? Two or three short snappy phrases that summarize your experience, skills, and personality traits. Regarding the latter, avoid writing a laundry list.

So, what three words best describe you? Your dominant personality traits surface in your professional and personal life. In other words, wherever you go you’re there.

· (Tip – 2) Don’t sound like your job description.

Do not turn your resume into a document that reads like a boring job description. Instead, discuss accomplishments. How did you make a difference? What skills or unique abilities were utilized to make things better. Pick one or two accomplishments from your current position. Provide a brief summary.

· (Tip – 3) Select the right format.

All in all, two types of resume formats exist- chronological and functional. While the former begins with your most current position and works backward, the latter builds the resume around your dominant skills.

· (Tip – 4) Include special training/professional development.

For more than a few years, I advised a friend to include a professional development section on her resume. Why? Employers like to see what you’ve been doing since graduating from college. As a result of working in the corporate arena, she racked up a lot of training. Well, to make a long story short, it made her standout and receive even better offers.

· (Tip – 5) List education and credentials last.

You are not selling your education; degrees are a dime a dozen. You are promoting your unique skills that help potential employers solve problems. Hence, list your credentials last, not first.

· (Tip – 6) Determine the appropriate length.

A recent college graduate, high school student, or person entering the workforce for the first time will not have as nearly much to say as someone more experienced.

· (Tip – 7) Omit references.

Create a special file for references. By the way, your references should be people who know you in a professional capacity. And, make sure each person has good written and verbal communication skills.

· (Tip – 8) Create a tagline.

Imagine this. You work in human resources as a recruiter. Every day you receive tons of resumes when you open your email; no one stands out because the subject lines say things like Resume or the resume of. Be creative! Use a tagline. When you save the document, use the tagline not your name.

· (Tip – 9) Always send a cover letter.

The letter should state what you’re applying for, how you can contribute, and most important, it should refer the reader to the resume. Cut and paste or copy the letter into the body of your email.

· (Tip – 10) Use present tense.

Instead of writing in the past tense, use the present. It adds punch and lets a potential employer know that you still make a positive impact.

· (Tip – 11) Be creative.

Why not include a testimonial? Select a comment or two from a performance review.

· (Tip – 12) Develop a resume website.

If you really want to standout, develop a professional resume website. It’s free and a template is provided. Checkout Wix.

Resume Writing Tips to Help You Build Your Resume

If you are a job hunter, and you have what it takes, but you do not know how to sell it, then you have come to the right place. Here, we will provide you with resume writing tips to help you build your resume in a way that will lead you to your dream job. Writing professional resumes is not rocket science; however, it is also not a kid’s play. While writing your resume, you need to bear in mind certain pointers that would help you create an executive resume. Following are certain resume writing tips to help you build your resume:

When you are writing certain long sentences in the resume, make sure you are not ending up with a lengthy paragraph. Use bullet points that make the document easier to read

Use a positive tone all throughout the resume and cover letter. Depressed and negative tone will not win you an interview

Pay attention to the type of language you are using. Try to sound professional. Avoid using slang, jargon and flowery language.

Make sure your resume format is suitable to your line of work. It should not be too crazy or too boring in any case.

Make sure there are no mistakes present in the resume. spelling, grammatical and typographical mistakes are some common ones, and you must make sure you are following standard English rules and not committing these mistakes

Use active voice and strong, effective action words like “organized”, “managed”, etc. in the resume. You can find more words online

Use proper salutation and never make any mistakes with the name of your intended employer

Check out a few resume samples online for your specific field in order to get an idea as to which type of resume format is best for you, and what all character traits and personal information you should add on your resume

Keep yourself in the reader’s shoes. Ask yourself if you are finding your resume easy-to-understand and impressive, supposing yourself as the employer. Ask yourself questions based on your resume

If you are a resher, and you have good CGPA, you can flaunt it, but suppose you have substantial work experience and your graduation grades are not very impressive, you do not need to put them in your resume

Mention your complete personal details in the resume. Do not miss out on any vital information and make sure your contact details are all mentioned correctly and will be the same for a long time

These are some of the resume writing tips to help you build your resume effectively. This complete resume guide in itself will lead you to your successful resume. Similarly, following these rules meticulously will in turn lead you to your dream job for which you have applied with this resume.

Functional Resumes- Is a Functional Resume The Best Choice For Your Job Search?

Functional resumes are formatted to focus on your skills and experience instead of on your chronological employment history. In this format, you will organize your information under headings representing expertise and experience rather than by job titles.

In straight functional resumes, your employment history is avoided entirely, however this can raise alarm bells with some employers. If this is likely to be a problem, it may be wise to use a combination resume format which includes both functional and chronological components.

A functional resume format is the best choice if you have gaps in employment history, are returning to the workforce after raising children or are newly entering the workforce after leaving school or college.

Functional resumes focus on the functions of your various roles and your job is to highlight the relevance of these functions to the job you are applying for. This means you need to be very aware of the requirements of the job and company you are targeting.

The first step to writing a functional resume is to evaluate the tasks you performed in each of your previous jobs and group them into functional areas.

For example, you may have done a lot of different types of accounting or clerical jobs but within these roles you may have had diverse functions such as training a staff member, liaising with government departments, writing a training manual, supervision, staff evaluation, as well as the functions typically associated with accounting.

It is important to consider all functional aspects of your previous roles as these could well provide the foot in the door you are looking for.

Once you have identified common elements of your skills and experience, you can compare these to the specific requirements of the jobs you are applying for. Re-word them to suit the language and terms used in the selection criteria of your targeted position.

It can be helpful to browse job ads of other similar positions to remind you of work you have done in the past as well as to guide you in how to express your skills and experience in the most appropriate way for your target audience.

If you feel you need some help putting together your functional resume, functional resume templates are available online for download. Simply do an online search to find them. They can save you a lot of time and make the resume preparation process a lot easier.

As with all resumes, functional resumes will need to include your objectives, personal details, experience and skills, education, training and certifications, and a list of referees.

Make sure your resume is printed on white or off-white stock paper with wide margins and one and a half line spacing to make it easy to read. Have a reliable person read it to make sure there are no errors you haven’t picked up.

You now have an effective, functional resume targeted to the job or industry you are aiming for. Once you write a highly targeted cover letter to send with it, you are ready to apply for your job and you have given yourself the best possible chance of obtaining an interview.

Functional resumes are well worth the time and effort it requires to create them. If this format is best suited to your employment history and personal circumstances, using it to write your resume can be the difference between job hunting success and failure.

Writing Your Resume and Cover Letter to Meet District-Specific Ideals and Standards

When developing any resume or cover letter it is crucial to tailor your documents for a specific audience. Before crafting any career-related document, as well as planning for an interview, you must do your research. Once you have chosen a school district you are interested in, find out what its goals, philosophy, and standards are. Districts tend to focus on different key issues such as literacy, multiculturalism, inclusion, special needs, outreach programs, etc. Find out the one or two main concerns that the district concentrates on and adapt your resume and cover letter accordingly.

Lets start off with the resume. If a learning community is most concerned about incorporating literature in the classroom, you can showcase related competencies in your areas of expertise section. For instance, you might include items such as Reading Strategies, Interdisciplinary Reading, Literature Circle, Writer’s Workshops, etc. In the main body of your resume, under teaching experience, you should highlight literature-based activities and units you have previously implemented. Make sure you describe the results. For example, “Developed a fun thematic unit on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and integrated correlating units that examined key themes throughout the book. This unit sparked students’ interest and imagination, left them wanting to learn more, and helped instill a love for reading and writing”. You do not need to explicitly dwell on the topic of literature, as you want to demonstrate that you are well-rounded, but make sure you touch on it as much as possible.

Your profile near the top of your resume should reflect the same ideals. Explain your commitment to X issue and convey why you feel it is important that it is incorporated in the classroom. Again, do not solely focus on the one or two main concerns of the district. A potential employer needs to see that you are committed to addressing the same concerns that they have, as well as tackling the regular issues that most schools face (i.e. attendance, discipline, appropriately challenging the students).

The cover letter needs to keep the same ideals in mind and match up with the resume. In a cover letter it is a bit easier to convey your passion and dedication to the school community. Take advantage of this opportunity and make your personality and commitment come to life. If you know for a fact that the school district you are applying to is, for example, very culturally diverse, explain how you have incorporated multicultural elements, celebrated cultural diversity, and promoted inclusion in your past teaching positions. Also reinforce that you seek to bring these same ideals to your new job.

However, make certain that your cover letter highlights your other outstanding traits and effective teaching methods as well. Always sell yourself as a versatile and adaptable individual who is not simple a one trick pony, but rather an educator who is willing to face new challenges and employ innovative methods to cultivate a supportive and nurturing school community.

The Essence of Good Resume Writing

You’ve found a job that you think you’ll be really good at, and you’re getting prepared to apply, which means editing your portfolio, composing a cover letter, and preparing your resume. But how can you be sure that your resume is the best it can possibly be? What will it take to get employers to take second look at what you have to offer? Good resume writing can help to ease your worries and get you your dream job–and you can do it yourself! Here are some suggestions to help your resume stand out.

One of the first things you’ll want to do is compose a clear summary of your skills and positive attributes. This should be a short paragraph, and should only take up about a fourth of your resume. Anything shorter may not highlight your skills adequately, and anything more than this may cause you to lose the interest of employers. You may want to start off with something like ‘my career objectives include’ or ‘i am seeking employment with [company] in order to enhance my skills in…’ This way, you are letting potential employers know that you plan on being successful once hired with the company, and that you are ambitious and have individual goals.

Next, you’ll want to formulate your job experience correctly. Be sure to list your jobs in chronological order, starting with your most recent position. Name the company, city and state, dates worked, and the title you held at the company. You may also want to add a sentence or two describing your duties, or bullet points, depending on the length of your resume and your personal style. If you held leadership positions at any of your jobs, be sure to highlight this in your resume.

Your skill set is also very important when you’re applying for a job, and good resume writing should help you to put your abilities to the forefront. Leadership skills, communication skills, and computer skills should all be featured, so be sure to include in your resume whether or not you are trained to operate certain advanced computer programs, or whether or not you have been a manager before. This will definitely make your resume more attractive, and will help to keep you in mind when employers are looking for new people to be in charge of major projects in the company.

Good resume writing should also include a bit of originality. Don’t forget to mention your hobbies and interests in your resume and/or cover letter as well. This shows that you are well-rounded, and would be diversity to the company you’re applying to work with.