Get a Job
Writing a Resume
In most instances, the first information a potential employer will receive about you is your application or resume. First impressions are extremely important, so it is important that your application or resume is a good one. It must be neat, legible, interesting and completely free of any grammatical or other typographical errors. Create a flawless resume using the following guidelines:
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A resume is the ticket to getting the job you want, not merely a log of your employment history. See your resume as selling yourself. Why should this employer give you an interview? Persuade them with your writing and organizational skills. Put real enthusiasm into it—you will produce a much better product.
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Put yourself in the employer's shoes and work off that. Think about what skills and qualities make someone a superior candidate and make your resume as close to that ideal as possible. Before you start to write your resume, make a list of all the qualities that would make you the perfect job candidate and prioritize them.
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Wow the prospective employer by getting to the point with your objective. Your objective should read: A “noun” position at a company where “adjective” and “adjective” would be needed. The noun should be the position you are seeking (get specific with your goal) and the two adjectives should be your two strongest qualities.
Step-by-Step
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Your summary section should be where you really sell yourself. You will need a few concise sentences that tell the potential employer your qualities goals and objectives. Write it as follows:
- Begin with a sentence describing your profession.
- Next, include a statement of your expertise (one or two sentences).
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Write a sentence on two to three of the following: the depth of your skills, the mix of your skills (list different skills you may have), the types of atmospheres in which you have worked, accomplishments, awards, promotions, superior performance reviews, one or two appropriate personal characteristics.
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The second section of your resume should be a list of your selected skills and accomplishments. You can list them with bullets or create skills headings with your accomplishments under each heading.
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The third section of your resume is evidence/experience. List your relevant work history beginning with the most recent. Include your job titles, descriptions, dates and software you mastered. Bold any particularly impressive titles or employers. Formatting is important when writing this section of your resume. List your experience in either a functional list or in chronological order:
Chronological Order: If you are staying within your field, or your prospective employer is conservative, this is the best choice. It is easy to read, as you simply list the jobs you have held in chronological order, specifying the dates you held the employment.
The Functional List: If you are switching fields, the functional resume is best. Highly effective, it lets the interviewer know at a glance where your strengths lie. List your skills and accomplishments as headings and list the company where you gained that experience underneath.
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In the education section, list your degrees, certificates and advanced training, starting with the most recent. Make sure to format your resume so that degrees stand out more.
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The last sections of your resume should list your awards, professional affiliations, community leadership roles and personal interests. They must be relevant to the position you are seeking. List them in reverse chronological order.
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At the very end of your resume write (in italics) “references available upon request”. List your references on a separate page.
Make sure you do not put any of the following on your resume: salary information, addresses of former employers (just list the city and state), reasons for leaving jobs, names of supervisors, references, the word “resume" at the top of the document.
For more information on how to create a resume go to JobWeb.com.
