Resources

Author: Kurt DuNard

by Kurt DuNard The Exceptional Life Coach

Write this down:

The best candidate does not always get the job.

Let us say that again:

THE BEST CANDIDATE DOES NOT ALWAYS GET THE JOB!

Sometimes, the candidate with the best résumé gets the job. The fact is if two identical twins had equal job experience and equal abilities with all aspects of their career equal in every way, and one twin had a lame résumé and the other had a killer résumé, then it is almost certain that the one with the killer résumé would get the job. The résumé is simply an ad to get an interview or phone call from the hiring company. Without the interview, even the future world champion would not be invited to the Olympics. If they don’t read your résumé, then they don’t know you exist. Make them want to read your résumé.

Now, recognize the following:

Most résumés don’t get the attention they deserve. Most are never read and are deselected for trivial reasons.

Most companies are set up so the Human Resource (HR) department handles all the initial selection of candidates, sets up interviews, hires, and makes offers. So these are the people that initially look at your résumé. This is an awesome responsibility, because whom they hire frequently determines the success of the company—perhaps even more so than the CEO. In many cases, HR is under paid and overworked with many other responsibilities besides hiring. They can be responsible for employee reviews, benefits, policies/procedures, EEO reporting, and training among other things. When the HR department is responsible for hiring, many are asked to find engineers, sales people, executives, and support staff. Few have the expertise in all these areas but many feel they can look through résumés to pass the “good” ones on to the hiring managers. In most cases, they have to look through hundreds of résumés and because they are overworked and short of time, they are looking for reasons to deselect your résumé. Don’t let them find them.

Take note:

Write your résumé so that someone just out of college that works in HR and is not in your field can understand your résumé and think that it should be passed on to the hiring manager.

If you have sent your résumé to companies or job boards on the Internet and feel like it went into a black hole or was lost, then it is possible your résumé is not being read. It has been deselected. It is worth your time to make sure this does not happen. Make your résumé a killer résumé.

The following will go a long way toward creating your perfect killer résumé.

• Truth in Advertising –People can tell when you are exaggerating, overselling, or down right lying. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Proudly list your accomplishments without being a slick salesman. People want to hire people with integrity and ethics. They want an employee they can trust. Show them that you have both integrity and ethics with a truthful résumé.

• Make Your Résumé Look Professional –Read a recent book on résumé formatting. The format is the look of your résumé and is the first thing that is noticed–even before your name or job title. Your résumé is like a pre-interview. The format is your résumé’s interview suit. It must look professional or the first impression could be that you’re not. The reason you want a recent book on formatting your résumé is that just like interview suits, fashions in résumé styles and formats change. You would not think of going to an interview in your suit from the 1980’s. Don’t do the equivalent with a résumé style from the 1980’s.

• Put all Your Contact Information at the top of your Résumé –Your e-mail is the most important, without it, it will be deselected. Next is phone number and then your home address.

• Write a Goal Paragraph at the Top of the Résumé –If you don’t know what kind of job you want and what kind of job you can do, then how can the HR person know? Without this statement, it is deselected. Create a short paragraph that enthusiastically states what kind of job and work you want to do.

• Only use a Chronological Résumé with all Years Accounted for –List most recent job first and all the rest in order. If you have chosen to do a functional résumé without dates, then expect to be deselected. Many hiring managers believe people are trying to hide something when they won’t show their history. Was the candidate in the penitentiary, asylum, or worse during those unaccounted years? If you are concerned about ageism and don’t want to tip your hand as having too much experience (as if you can have too much experience), then show the most recent ten years followed by a paragraph showing relevant experience before that period without dates. Degrees should not include dates either.

• Write up Your Job History –State name of company, dates employed, company location, description of the company’s services or products and size, and your job title and description of your responsibilities. Then MOST IMPORTANT

• Talk about Your Quantifiable Successes at Each Job –Quantifiable, means numbers and numbers get attention especially if they are at the end of sentences. Put those success statements with bullets after each job. Some examples:

• Increased sales by $5,000,000.
• Created new time saving procedure and saved company $12,000,000.
• Increased branch revenues by 18%

• Remember the Hiring Company Only Cares About What’s in it for Them –The way many companies feel about employees is that employees make them money, save them money, or parasitically lose them money. They only want to hire those that will make them money or save them money. They for sure don’t want to hire those that will cost or lose money. In fact, they want to fire those employees. Your job is to clearly show in your résumé that if you are hired you will either make them money or save them money. How have you done this for past employers? How can your quantifiable successes support this conclusion? Use the old salesman’s trick when you write down a feature about yourself. Ask yourself–so what is the benefit of this feature? The “so what?” should be that you are making more money or saving money for the company.

Whether you are looking now for a job or are completely satisfied with your current job, it is imperative that you have an up-to-date killer résumé. Your résumé is part of your family’s security system. Like savings in the bank, one does not want to be unprepared for a rainy day.

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Copyright © 2009 Kurt W. DuNard. Permission is granted to reprint if credit is given in the following way \”by Kurt W. DuNard The Exceptional Life Coach.\”

Kurt DuNard, The Exceptional Life Coach, is the author of EXCEPTIONAL LIFE: Living the Life You Were Meant to Live. High achievers seek him out to pinpoint their soul’s goals, increase abundance, and find more happiness and joy. If you think you would also like these things, then receive your FREE success tools from Kurt DuNard now at www.DuNard.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/writing-a-killer-rsum-779645.html

Author: Leslie Kearney

If you are a more experienced worker your resume should be more definitive than a new grad. Obviously a new grad’s resume is going to be more general in nature while yours the “more experienced” should showcase to your potential employer what you can “bring to the table”. After all you have a proven track record and you want to show it in the best possible light.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

· Give a summary, not an objective. Select three or four skills that match the employer’s needs and specify these. These highlights can appear in a short paragraph or quick “bullet” format.

· Lead with experience, not education (the exact opposite of what a new graduate should do).

· List your accomplishments, not just your responsibilities. Don’t just tell employers what you did; tell them the outcome. For example: “Proposed and tracked $500,000 annual departmental budget. Only division to meet deadlines and operate within budget during past three years.” Making such a statement reveals your problem-solving abilities.

· List activities that relate directly to your self-improvement efforts, e.g., continuing education, and the position you’re seeking. Don’t include hobbies.

· Your resumes length should be determined based on your accomplishments. An experienced candidate often has enough relevant accomplishments to expand his or her resume to a second page. That does not, however, give you license to spell out every award, membership, or accomplishment in your resume. It’s one thing to boast of your accomplishments but you don’t want to dilute the focus.

· Tailor each resume to include the accomplishments that relate to a particular employer’s needs.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/resume-tips-for-the-experienced-candidate-777741.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

Have you ever submitted a resume or CV to an employer and not received a call for an interview? It’s frustrating and leaves you wondering what you did wrong.

Remember that your resume/CV and cover letter are the first things that an employer will see - they are the first impression your potential employer has of you, so make them good.

Here are 10 top tips on writing a resume or CV. Follow these simple guidelines and you will improve your chances of getting a call inviting you to an interview.

Tips For Writing A Resume Or CV

Upon first glance is the resume or CV easy to read?

• Always use BLACK ink to print a resume.
• Use a standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman.
• The font size should be no smaller than 10, but no larger than 12

Use a good quality resume paper for your resume.

• Do not use your typical white paper.
• A good color choice in paper would be a light off-white or cream paper

Run spell-check and correct any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors!

• Have someone else read your resume if you do not have spell-check.

State previous job history in chronological order starting with most recent job first.

• State Company name.
• State your title.
• State length of employment.
• State responsibilities or duties.
• If there are any large gaps in between jobs, explain them.
• Concentrate on skills and achievement relevant to the position you are applying for.

Does your resume objective sell you? A good resume objective should state:

• The job you’re applying for.
• Why you’re the best candidate.
• What you can bring to the company.

Keep your resume as short as possible.

• If possible keep it to one page but not more than two pages.
• You can make a statement that further information is available upon request or refer to an appendix for less relevant information.

Be honest.

• Do not profess skills you do not have.
• Do not exaggerate lengths of employment to cover up gaps.

Make sure it’s relevant.

• Tailor your resume or CV to each job you’re applying for. Employers like to see you have singled their job out particularly.

Make sure to follow instructions.

• If an employer requests a resume via regular mail, email, faxed, etc. submit your resume as requested.

In your cover letter make sure you make mention of the specific job you are submitting a resume for.

• Keep your cover letter short and to the point.
• State the position for which you are applying for and where you saw it.
• Make a statement such as “I have” such and such experience.
• Make a statement such as “I can” do such and such for your company.
• Make a statement such as “I am” looking for a position that …
• Make a closing statement thanking the employer for their time and saying you look forward to hearing from them.

If you follow these simple guidelines when writing a resume or CV, you will present yourself in a favorable way. Employers are looking for employees that can stand out above the rest of the applicants that are vying for the same position. By catching their eye with a professional, relevant and interesting resume, and presenting the facts in a way that the employer does not have to search for them, you are showing the employer that you take pride in your work. This is what every employer wants.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/10-top-tips-for-writing-a-resume-or-cv-471495.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

As they say, first impressions count.

What you say in the opening lines of your resume or CV can determine whether an interviewer reads the whole CV or resume or only skims through the information.

You see most interviewers only spend 10-15 seconds on each resume or CV and reject between 84-92% within this time. So you must make a good impression and make it quickly to stand a chance of winning an interview.

The most effective way to do this is to write a good CV or resume objective.

A lot of people think the following example is acceptable as a resume objective:

“A senior management position within a leading multinational firm”.

We see this sort of statement a lot – a simple description of the role the person is seeking when sending out their resume. This person figures that their resume ‘objective’ is, after all, to win a senior position within a leading multinational firm so why not just say so!

But as interviewers this tells us nothing about why you want the job and why you’re suitable. In most cases we already know you want this job because you’re replying to the advert so this line adds nothing and is simply taking up good space and making no impression (and even a bad impression).

Instead, make your CV or resume objective work for you. Use it to highlight to the interviewer that you’re the ideal candidate so that they are interested enough to read the rest of your resume or CV.

You CV or resume objective should be between 3 and 5 sentences and include some or all of the following:

- The job you are applying for, particularly

- Why you want the job

- Why you are a suitable candidate including what benefit you bring to the role

Here are 2 good examples:

“I am a talented salesperson with 8 years experience in personal insurance sales and believe I’d be ideal for your Senior Sales Advisor position. I’m very keen to broaden my sales experience and make a greater contribution to a growing business. Already I am beating my annual sales targets by 12-26% and am confident I can use my skills and knowledge to make a real difference to your Company’s sales results.”

“As a results-driven Team Leader with a track record for delivering projects under budget and ahead of schedule, I was thrilled to see your advert for Project Team Coordinator. I believe I can use my proven management methods to make a significant contribution to your project success and will benefit personally through exposure to more complex and varied tasks. My resume outlines my achievements so far and I’d be happy to explain these further at interview”.

Can you see that these resume objective examples are so much more engaging, relevant and informative? Why waste the opportunity to make such a great impression so early on?

Here are more resume objective examples together with general advice on writing great CVs and resumes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/resume-objective-dont-underestimate-the-power-of-a-good-resume-objective-488127.html

Author: Catherine Z Jones

Are you new to the job hunting scene? Do your hands get all sweaty when you go to pick up a pen to fill in job application forms? Do you start shaking like a leaf just at the thought of such a stressful event? If you fit this description, then this article is definitely for you!

First of all, if you have a resume or CV, all the information you need should be already there. If you lack a resume or CV, it may be time to create one.

When are job application forms used by an employer? They are commonly used for entry-level, part-time and blue collar positions in order to screen potential employees.

For other kinds of jobs, the application is simply the paperwork that the Human Resources department makes all its applicants fill out. Many times an employer will ask you to submit an application after they have interviewed you.

Here are a few tips on completing job application forms:

• Be prepared with all necessary information. Be sure to have your drivers’ license, resume, social security and names, addresses and telephone numbers of previous employers.
• Read and follow all instructions carefully. Review the entire application form before filling it out. You should think of this application as your first real test in following directions.
• Neatness counts! Be as legible and as neat as you can since the application form reflects you. If you have a typewriter available, consider typing it. If you are filling in the application by hand be sure to use only blue or black ink and use some “white-out” for little mistakes.
• If you are seeking a certain kind of job, tailor your answers to suit it. Focus your education and experience to the job you are applying for. You want to show your employer why you are more qualified for this position than any of the other applicants. Be sure to include background experience when appropriate.
• Don’t leave anything blank on your application. Employers give out job application forms because they want similar information from all applicants. If a question does not apply to you simply respond with an “n/a” or “not applicable”.
• Answer truthfully. You certainly do not want to put lies on your job application. Lies can be discovered and you can get fired for these.
• Stay away from any specific salary requirements. Employers will often use this question as a screening device. It would be better to say that you are “open” to the kind of salary you get or that it is “negotiable”.
• Provide references. Choose your references carefully. Make sure you ask a person if they are willing to be a reference for you. Most young job-seekers today have a nice mix of professional and character references.
• Proofread your job application before you submit it. After you finish your application, sit back, try to relax and proofread the application checking for all errors.

One final word. Your goal in completing an application is to get an interview. Take your time and do the very best that you can.

There’s more on completing job application forms here including job application guidelines on completing the free-format section on why do you want the job.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/job-application-forms-a-jobseekers-guide-to-successfully-completing-job-applications-539362.html

Author: BullsEyeResumes

If your resume is not getting the attention you want, maybe you are committing one of these seven deadly sins of resume writing.

Remember that recruiters and hiring managers will scan your resume for about 20-30 seconds to decide if it should be in the “keep” pile or the “no way” pile. Take 15 minutes to scan your own resume and audit for these common resume writing mistakes.

Carelessness

This goes without saying. Do not be afraid to ask for help to proofread your resume. Ask a friend, a colleague, family member, a professor or even a prior boss to help you check for errors. There are also many online resources that offer free resume critiques and will catch errors you miss.

Irrelevance

Remember that resumes are not supposed to necessarily chronicle everything you have ever done. The goal instead is to package your most relevant experience and skills to suit the specific position in which you are interested. Very few resumes need to go beyond two pages. If you find yourself going beyond two pages check for relevance.

Lack of Clarity

Does your resume make a compelling argument, is clear, concise or to the point? Can the recruiter or hiring manager tell from your resume, what you really want? Is there an objective that focuses the resume or are you wasting words on “resume speak”.

No Marketing Value

Do not forget that your resume is a calling card that represents your personal brand and will get into place when you can’t. Professional presentation with an attractive and readable layout is important. Fonts, formats and styles should enhance not detract from the marketability of your resume.

Writing Style

Avoid run-on or long sentences. Remove personalization in the form of pronouns such as ‘I” or “my”. Write in an objective voice. Be wary of professional resume writers who do not write in “your voice”. Employers can tell the minute they speak with you on the phone.

Lies or Misrepresentations

Do not lie or misrepresent your past on your resume. With today’s social networking technology and employee verification processes, lies won’t last.

No Outcomes

What is the purpose of the resume if not to speak to your accomplishments and outstanding outcomes? Too many resumes chronicle the past, but fail to actually speak to successful outcomes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/7-deadly-sins-of-resume-writing-501922.html