To help you in this task, review your resume against the following resume writing quick tips. These guidelines will help you evaluate your resume and identify those areas that may need more work….

- Overall Resume Review:

Is your resume well laid out? Is it pleasing to the eye?

Is your resume less than one page if you are a student or new to the workforce? Is it less than three pages if you are an experienced professional?

Have you chosen legible fonts throughout your resume or do the fonts detract from the context of the resume?

Have you used spell check and/or dictionary to ensure that there are no spelling errors?

Has someone else (outside of yourself) read your resume for grammatical errors?

Does your resume use proper English?

Is your resume memorable? Does it stand out in a crowd (but in a positive way)?

Is your resume tailored to the type of position you are seeking?

How do you come across when your resume is read? What will an employee think of you?

Are you pleased with your resume? Does it do a good job of telling an employer who you are and why you are a good candidate?

- Introduction:

Do you have your name, address, and contact information clearly displayed at the top of your resume?

- Objective (if included):

Did you limit your objective to just one or two short sentences?

Is your objective clear and concise? Or is it ambiguous?

Is your objective focused? Does it make sense given the position you are targeting?

- Education:

If you have a college degree, have you placed the details of your Education at the top of your resume? If you do not have a degree, have you placed the Education section after your Professional Experience?

Is it clear from your resume that you have obtained a college degree, if you graduated?

If you did not graduate, is it clear that you do not yet have a degree?

Are details of your college major and minors (if applicable) included in the Education section?

- Professional Experience:

Is your work experience presented logically (either by date or by subject area)?

Have you limited your work experience to no more than 4-5 previous positions?

Have you accounted for any gaps in your work history that an employer might question?

Do the name of the company, your job title, and dates of employment for each position stand out for easy identification?

Does each position support the resume and your objective?

Could an employer quickly scanning your professional experience easily identify a number of key words and action verbs that will identify you as a solid candidate?

Have you limited the information in each position to those that are the most relevant to the position to which you are applying?

Does your experience seem to flow together or is there a lot of jumping around between positions, companies, and industries?

If you worked for a lesser known employer, is each company’s business and industry clear from the company’s name? Have you supplied a quick identifier for each lesser known employer?

Is your professional experience accurately and honestly conveyed?

- Skills:

Are the skills you have listed relevant to the position to which you are applying?

Do the skills listed accurately convey your experience and knowledge in each area?

- Other Sections:

Do any other sections included in your resume enhance your presentation? Are they relevant to the position to which you are applying?

About the AuthorLaura Adams is a qualified careers advisor with 11 years experience.

The first thing you might ask is: “What is a resume?” A resume is a document that informs your potential employer of your experiences, and accomplishments in the best possible light. It also lets your potential employer know what it is you are looking for and what your expectations are as well. It can also state any personal attributes that may impact in a positive manner on your job performance. Examples of this would be an ability to work under stress, punctuality, ability to communicate well with others.

It helps to know in advance what your prospective employer is looking for in an employee. Some of the key qualities are a willingness to share information and ideas. Another is one’s ability to work within a team. Responsiveness to change is important in that it demonstrates a degree of flexibility in the work environment. It also demonstrates a willingness to take risks with new ideas and products.

The first item in your resume is the cover letter. This is the introduction to your personal resume and must be interesting enough to entice the potential employer to proceed further. First address the cover letter to a specific person in charge of resource management. The paper and fonts used should be basic and not distract from the content of the resume. Use the “KISS” principle by keeping your cover letter short and to the point. In your opening you should list why you are writing. Then in the next paragraph ask for the job you are interested in obtaining and explain why you are the best person for the job. Then thank the reader for their time and make sure you leave your phone number and/or e-mail address so that the employer may contact you if any questions arise.

In the resume itself you should list your job descriptions in a chronological order starting with the most recent job descriptions first and then moving backwards. List any technical knowledge first, in an organized manner. Use action verbs and portray yourself as a “go-getter”. Leave out unnecessary personal information. Be concise.

The most common mistakes to avoid are being too verbose. One page should suffice. Do not use fancy paper or fonts, they detract from the content of the resume. Outdated or useless information will also detract from the resume. The most common error of all is selling yourself short. Let the employer know how truly valuable you are.

With these tips you should be able to increase your chances of obtaining that job you want.

About the AuthorAlbert was born inNew   Orleans,La.At the age of 22 he attended LSU where he attained his doctor’s degree. He then joined the U.S. Navy as a staff officer and was able to see much of the world. It was during his stint with the navy that he discovered his passion for travel. Upon retirement, he decided to settle down in the Orient and enjoy life and all the wonders that the Orient had to offer.

1. Be Comprehensive, yet Succinct. While your resume should contain a detailed account of your qualifications and accomplishments, you need to keep on topic specific to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a position as an office manager, for example, you don’t need to include references to your stint as a rodeo clown. The prospective employer will likely be interested only in the skills and work experience that relates directly to the position they are trying to fill. Give them what they are looking for. Take a thorough account of your work history and skillset and choose to highlight what is relevant, and eliminate or downplay the items that are irrelevant. This strategy of niche resume writing keeps your resume focused and gives you the advantage of appearing to be the most qualified candidate for the job.

2. Your Resume Should be Formatted Nicely Kooky fonts and such may be okay for personal communications, but your resume should be more “standardized”. You want it to appear as neat and tidy as… well, yourself, right? A typewritten resume using standard fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial on high quality plain white paper will be a winner every time. You also need to pay close attention to your spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Nothing would be more embarrassing than a resume with typos, grammatical errors, and misspellings. Not only embarrassing, but presenting a resume with errors will not impress potential employers and will likely land your resume in the trash can. Don’t rely on computer based spelling and grammar checks. Check it yourself, and if possible, get someone else to check it for you as well. Also be wary of the reformatting that sometimes happens when you upload your resume to an Internet based resume submission service. Allot of times, you will loose your careful formatting only to find it replaced with the wrong margin, strange fonts and worse. Before you send it, check it!

3. Show Enthusiasm Your resume and cover letter should not be something that you write begrudgingly. You are excited about the job you are applying for, correct? Well, then show it! Your excitement will come across in your resume and cover letter and will impress perspective employers. Whenever it makes sense to, use action words to describe your career history and goals.

About the Author: By by Amber Lowery.

1. Grammar, spelling, punctuation – Use the grammar and spell check function, then print it out and read the document word for word. Spell checker doesn’t know that you meant “manager” when you actually typed “manger.”

2. Capitalization – Use a manual such as the Gregg Reference Manual if you do not know capitalization rules…

3. Punctuation – Check for proper use of commas and semi-colons. Again, if you are unsure, refer to the Gregg Reference Manual.

4. Run-on sentences – Check to make sure you do not have run-ons that are hard to read.

5. Consistency – You must be consistent with your number usage (dates, money, numbers), plurals, and abbreviations. For example, don’t list one date as 8/2004 and then list another date as 3/15/2004. Also, be aware of listing software consistently (abbreviation use). MS Word and Microsoft Outlook are both correct, but not consistent.

6. Education section – When you have a degree, list only the year that you obtained your degree. When you list your dates, (i.e.: 9/1998 to 1/2002) many resume-scanning systems will not recognize that you obtained a degree, only that you attended college for a period of time.

7. Ampersands – Ampersands (&) do not belong on a resume. There are a few exceptions. One exception is a well-known company name (AT&T). Another exception is well-known industry terms (P&L).

8. Hyperlinks – All e-mail and web addresses that you list need to be deactivated in your resume. To do this in MS Word, highlight the link, go to the “Insert” drop down menu, scroll down to and click “Hyperlink”, and on the lower left-had side of this screen there should be a little button that says “Remove link”, when you find it, give it a little click and voila! Alternatively, you can highlight the link, right click on it, and scroll down to “remove link” to deactivate the link.

About the AuthorBy Jennifer Anthony, Resume Expert. Jennifer Anthony is the owner of ResumeASAP, offering professional and affordable resume writing services.She also moderates the forums over at Free-Resume-Advice.com. Come visit us if you need resume advice or have specific questions about your resume.

The reason ? Many of these resumes look and feel the same. Same dry format. Same qualifications and similar backgrounds. Same laundry list of previous achievements. Nothing at all to set one resume apart from the next…

To be perceived as a top of the line, A-list candidate, your resume MUST be memorable. It must be impactful. It must sell you to potential employers. A list of what you did last year or the year before just won’t cut it. Employers want to know what you are going to do in the future – for them. Here’s some tips to ensure that your resume doesn’t end up in the ‘also-rans’ pile.

i) Be Unique

You must show employers why they should be interested in YOU over equally able and competent competing executives. Ensure that your resume highlights the factors that differentiate you from the pack and focus closely on your unique skills.

ii) Be Specific

You are, no doubt, rightfully proud of your achievements as an executive and want to let potential employers know that they are getting an experienced, successful candidate. However, you need to be specific. Give real results and relate these achievements to the company and position you are applying for now. Show how what you have achieved in the past can benefit the potential employer in the future. If you can do that, yours will be a resume they come back to, for sure.

iii) Be An Expert

Most employers want to recruit executives who are already adept in their chosen field. They want to feel that they are hiring proven expertise. Your resume needs to show your expertise in your field. Focus on those areas of your career that do that instead of providing a laundry list of everything you have ever done. Don’t be afraid to show off your specialized knowledge and let potential employers know how this knowledge is going to benefit their bottom line.

Use your resume to give recruiters and potential employers the incentive to want to be interested in hiring you. Setting yourself apart from your competitors is a surefire way of achieving this.

About the Author
Joe Pelayo is President of Joseph Michaels Inc, a retained executive search firm with over 15 years experience recruiting top financial talent. The company recruits for clients like Sony and Coca Cola. Visit http://www.josephmichaels.com

Free Resume Templates – A Much Needed Resource

The average employer spends approximately 30 seconds reviewing each resume. Therefore, it is critical for a resume to present its information in a clear, concise, and easy-to-read format.

Job seekers need all the tools they can use in today’s competitive job market and free resume templates are one of those tools. Templates are pre-existing forms or formats that often include preset margins, graphics, fonts, and other information pertaining to the layout of a page. They are a valuable resource to use when creating a resume. Many of them are simple to use, just fill-in-the-blanks and your resume is ready to print…

Free resume templates have received their fair share of negative press with many critics stating they are too common and present a cookie cutter appearance. These critics are in the minority with the bulk of employers stating they are more concerned about content than they are about style and flare.

A person can have the best looking resume and still not be qualified. Content matters!

The use of a template helps to minimize some of the extraneous tasks associated with creating a resume and allows the writer to focus on the content.

A resume template is a valuable resource because:

it can save a person time it presents their information in a standardized, professional manner it is easily customized to the individual’s unique skills & qualifications! Hundreds of free resume templates are available that can be used to create a resume that clearly outlines a person’s skills and qualifications. A search at Google returned over four million listings. One of the best places to download a free resume template is at Microsoft’s website located at www.microsoft.com. Click on “Office” located on the left side menu panel under the heading “Product Families,” then click on “Templates,,” scroll down and in the main body of the website will be a heading named “Your Career.” There you can download a variety of free resume templates formatted in Microsoft Word.

Save yourself time and the frustration of trying to format your own document and use a template to create an effective resume today!

About the Author
Jeff Melvin graduated with an MBA and is a highly experienced resume writer with over 10 years experience. Jeff created www.Effective-Resume-Writing.com as a free online resume resource center providing information on how to write a free resume, free resume formats, free resume templates, resume cover letters, and a list of job search engines.

TIPS FOR WRITING RESUMES….

Select A Format

A critical part of writing good resume is using the right format. Without the proper format, your resume will look like a PhD dissertation that will instantly bore the interviewer. A scattered and cluttered appearance will send the wrong signals about you. One suggestion is to use tables with light grey background for headings and to use bold font for subheadings. Details under the subheadings can be on white background and can be laid out in columns or bullets, if appropriate. You should always start with your name and contact details first. Don’t forget your email address. You want the person reviewing your resume to know that you at least have an email address! This sends the signal that you are tech-savvy.

Proofing Your Resume

A resume with lots of grammatical errors, or one that contains lots of typos drives recruiters crazy. Don’t forget that your resume is really an index of your abilities. If you can’t do this and you are applying for a proofreader’s job, you have failed miserably. More importantly, you run the risk of looking incompetent. If you can’t proofread your resume yourself, get a friend or a professional do it for you!

Presenting Your Skills As The Employers Would Like To See

This is where you can make the best possible impression, even if your education is not exactly what the employer is looking for. For example, you have applied for a job where the employer wants to know whether you can handle 1ooo payable and receivable accounts. Simply writing a bland statement that you maintained account records will not interest him. You need to make your skills match that of the job description. Put yourself in the shoes of the employer.

Use Power Words

Use power words or phrases such as “managed workflow direction” instead of “gave work assignments to staff”. Also use action-oriented words and instead of passive ones. Using high-end industry jargon also immediately creates a positive impression about you, that you are professional and knowledgeable. You want the employer to know that they are looking at a senior-level resume, not one of someone who merely takes orders.

Be Truthful

Quantify your achievements and highlight them in bullets. But being truthful is just as important. Telling a lie now, even if you get hired, could cost you your career later if you are exposed as a fraud.

TIPS FOR INTERVIEWS

Research The Company

In brief, you need to have gathered sufficient information on the organization. This should be information that has the potential to affect your long-term employment, such as ethics, environment and culture, potential for growth for both you and the company, your potential boss and subordinates etc. You also need this information so that you can ask intelligent questions during the interview. You don’t want to come off like a robot, or worse, like you were not even interested in the company enough to do come basic research.

Be Polite:

This sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Sadly, it isn’t always practiced by everyone. Be polite when greeting the interviewer. Shake his or her hand, and finally ask questions politely, even if the interview has lasted well over 2 hours. This is the time to take particular care to mind your manners. Never try to expose the faults of either the company or the interviewer (if any). Speak in an well-organized, structured manner. Mixing up concepts has the potential to confuse the employer and you potentially lose out if they perceive you as not having clarity of thought.

Present Your Skills

Present your skills separately – close off all other discussions. Before starting on this subject, make them understand what you are beginning to say, so that they are attentive. This is the most important factor they want to know about you after your character. Use concrete examples, and explain how they can benefit by hiring you. Speak about six sigma, justifying your expertise in this area with examples of various companies that are benefiting by implementing the methodology. Tell them that you can implement it in their company as well, or at least become a key player. Let them know that you play to win!

Ask Questions

Any questions should be limited to your work and the company. They should never be personal unless you have a special reason.

Practice, Practice!

Even if you are well prepared, employers can smell anxiety a mile away, and if you display this to the employer it will wreck your chances of getting the job. Anxiety often comes across to employers as desperation. Don’t let this happen to you. Practice, with a friend or in front of the mirror if you have to. The point to remember about the interview is to not let yourself fall prey to your own anxiety.

About the Author
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Although no one gets hired solely on the basis of a resume, many job seekers miss the opportunity of an interview because of an inadequate resume. Your resume can (and should) have a distinct personality to it. It should separate you from all the people applying to land that dream job. Be unique!…

A lot of people think a generalized resume describing everything they have ever done is a great way to show their experience and skills. This is not true. You should only include information that is useful to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a variety of positions, write more than one resume. To make this process easier start with a general resume, and use it as a template by cutting and pasting the most relevant information for the different positions.

Style of Resumes

There are a two basic resume styles: Chronological, Skill Based.

The most popular style for resumes is the Chronological Resume. It provides a job-by-job listing of each position you have held starting with your most recent. Use a Chronological Resume if you have consistent work history, and your job titles are supportive of your objective.

If you are making a career change, and your title and work history don’t match your job objective, use a Skill Based Resume. A Skill Based Resume should also be used if you have gaps in employment, a short work history, your skills are transferable, your most recent experience doesn’t support your objective, or you have an erratic work history.

Simple Crucial Resume Writing Tips

* Know your audience before you begin writing your resume. Your resume must be consistent with the position you are pursuing.

* Choose your language carefully and proofread. Your resume must be free of spelling, grammar, punctuation, or typographical errors.

* Tailor your resume to your prospective employer’s needs – highlight the skills and abilities that will make you’re an attractive candidate.

* Focus on your expertise, abilities, and accomplishments.

* Use bullets. They make a resume more reader-friendly if used consistently.

* Describe your roles and accomplishment with strong action words and key terms that will grab attention.

* Keep all descriptions short. Descriptions should generally take up no more than three to four lines on the page. Full sentences are not necessary, however, be consistent with punctuation.

Length of a resume

There is no “rule of thumb” for resume length. For an experienced job seeker, a one-page resume may be too short and even look too “entry-level”. A properly designed, well-written two-page resume would be far better. Your resume is your marketing tool. Can you market yourself on a one page resume or will you need two or three pages to include your best skills, accomplishments, and experiences?

Note: In every resume, the first 10-15 lines are the most important. They will motivate a recruiter to read on or to stop. Longer resumes need to be carefully designed to “sell” you up front.

The real cost of writing a basic or weak resume is valuable time and thousands of dollars in missed opportunities.

Copyright 2005 Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

About the Author
Cecile Peterkin is a Certified Career and Life Coach. She publishes “Recipes for Success”, a FREE monthly e-zine. Cecile is also author of The Career Athlete, an e-book on managing your career. Sign up now for Cecile’s FREE e-course “Resume Writing” mailto:resumewriting@cosmiccoachingcentre.com and visit Cecile’s website for more information: http://www.CosmicCoachingCentre.com.

Before even picking up your pen, or sitting down at your computer to
start writing or revising that resume of yours, it is important that you
assemble and organize the following pertinent data:…

* Personal details (name, date of birth, address, and contact numbers) * Area’s of interest, hobbies, etc. * Details of your educational background andprofessional experience * Record of past job training, or seminars attended * Full contact details of references * Copy of existing resume (if applicable) * Title and description of the job that you are applying for *Company profilewhere you are applying

Provided below are tips to guide you in writing, or revising your resume:

1. Using the right format and tailoring your resume to your job
application will enable the employer to immediately spot important details
about you.

2. Always keep your resume updated. Maintaining personal records of your training, seminars attended, and any other pertinent data, will ensure that you won’t forget to include them in your resume.

3. Check your resume for errors in spelling, grammar, or syntax. Your
resume is your ticket to an interview. It is your first impression on the
employer, and you want to be sure it is a good one. A resume full of errors may give the employer the wrong impression about you.

4. Keeping it brief and simple is key. Use a one-page or a two-page
resume format. Many professionals strongly believe that a one-page resume will be most easily viewed by the employer. The reasoning is simple. Employers receive many resumes, and most prefer a shorter and simpler resume for easy job-applicant screening.

5. Make sure your resume is honest and complete. If you are a new
graduate with little job experience, don’t let that bother you. This is normal
and you can just opt to use the chronological resume format. The important thing is that your resume is factual. Aside from honesty being the right thing to do, remember that employers have the means of checking the details of your resume. So don’t take for granted that you won’t be detected! Dishonesty, on your resume, is the kiss of death.

6. Include references either as part of the resume, or as an addition to
the resume. Having the opportunity for people to vouch for your experience, and credibility will be of great value to you as an applicant. There are many employers who require the inclusion of references in your resume. If you do not want to incorporate them right away, at least be ready with your list of references should they be requested.

There are a number of factors that determine a well-written resume.
However, a good resume alone will not ensure your entry to your target company. It is just the initial step to be taken, and with luck will open the door to a job interview. The interview will provide you with a means to reveal your personality to the employer, and will provide the employer an opportunity to ask questions to check the validity of your resume.

Having submitted an honest resume, you will now be able to provide the
employer with details about yourself and your previous job experience in
accordance to what is written on your resume. In many cases, the resume may offer only limited information and will only provide an overview of your qualifications. If so, you must now be prepared to discuss extensively other details that are related to your resume.

The right resume tip can be worth it’s weight in gold. After all, your
resume may be your ticket to success!

You may republish this article on your website, or e-zine so long as none
of the content, or author information has been edited or changed in any way, and all links are left active and unchanged.

About the Author

Carl DiNello is an Article Author whose articles are featured on websites
covering the Internets most popular topics.