Essay Guideline

What is the biggest mistake people make with resumes?

People write their resumes as a chronological summary of everything they’ve done in their professional lives. Employers only care about one thing: what you can do for them. If they can’t quickly get that answer out of your resume, it’ll get tossed in the garbage can. An effective resume draws their attention, clearly spells out why you are better than the other candidates, and lands you an interview.

Should I use an experienced resume preparer?

Yes. Get it done right the first time because once your resume starts circulating, you won’t get a chance to go back and clean it up. Frankly, when I work with people on their resumes, I am shocked at what they’re sending out. These days, employers keep resumes in their databases for months or even years. So if it is poorly done and unimpressive, you may have blown it. Don’t take any chances on this.

How long does a really good resume take to prepare?

At least several weeks. You can’t throw one together and expect it to be your best. That’s another reason to engage a preparer. That person will look at the resume with a critical eye, speed up the process, and improve the quality. It’s very, very important to start working on your resume early. I can’t tell you how many people send me resumes that need a ton of work. Yet they need to send it in “tomorrow”.

Does this mean I have to use a resume preparer forever?

No. And be very wary of someone who tries to tell you otherwise. The preparer should explain how to update it yourself, going forward. You need to take ownership of your resume. It’s your life. It’s your career. When I do resumes, I show the person how to organize each section and how to add new information in a way that attracts the most attention from a prospective employer. Now, if major career events take place or if you are going after a job that has a lot of competition, you may want to engage a preparer to make sure your resume is in top shape.

Should I have a cover letter professionally prepared as well?

Yes. People who haven’t yet met you personally will judge you by your communications. If you send a poor quality cover letter or email, the prospective employer will immediately suspect your resume and all the time you spent working on it will go down the tubes. It’s worth the small additional investment to have a good cover letter or a professional email done ahead of time. Don’t take a chance on this detail. It could make or break you getting in the door.

How often should I update my resume?

Go back and re-examine it at least twice a year. A good time of year to do that is January. You will have finished a full year of work and probably will have things to add or change. The job market typically heats back up in February-March, so you’ll be ready by that time.

What if I don’t have a lot of experience?

You still need a current resume. You can’t get to your next step in life without one. Dig deep into your background and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the experience you do have but didn’t think you did. Plus - you’ll know right away where your gaps are and you can get to work on them.

What if I am applying for an internal position?

Even for internal postings, there is competition. You may have to summarize your experience and accomplishments in an internal application and go through an interview process. If you’ve kept your resume current, you’ll be able to copy the relevant information into the internal application. It’ll be well-written and organized and will immediately put you ahead of the other candidates. People think that can you can be much more “casual” when applying for internal positions. That’s not true. Don’t you make that mistake.

What if I am self-employed?

All the more reason why you need a resume. When a prospective client asks about your company and your experience, you should have something ready to send out immediately that convinces him or her to do business with you. The format you would use in this case is different than a traditional corporate resume but you still need to have one.

Dee Piziak is a manager for a Fortune 500 company and a university instructor. Her consulting firm, Acadia Communications, specializes in professional coaching, career development, and resume writing. Visit her website at http://www.acadiacommunications.com

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You’re just getting over the shock of having become unemployed. You know you need to begin a job search, but you may not know the best way to proceed, or where to start.

More than likely, you will dust off your old resume and modify it to include your most recent job experience. Most people search the classifieds and Internet job sites for job openings matching their qualifications. They then submit their resumes to these postings. You will probably do the same with your modified resume.

If you follow this routine, you will very likely experience a long and frustrating job search. At the end of this exhausting journey, you will find yourself in a job that doesn’t truly capitalize on your unique gifts or talents, nor compensates you according to your worth. Most job seekers go through this.

The job market is especially lean for higher paying positions, yet flooded with good candidates. Your competition is huge and not about to go away. In this climate, mediocrity will not bring you success. You must take a different path. The best place to start is with a vision.

What is your vision for yourself? Imagine some of the unique and fulfilling qualities your next job can have. What unique gifts and talents can you bring to the table that set you apart from the crowd and make this next job all the more enjoyable? Write all this down. You are learning how to write a resume that will yield very positive results.

This is truly an opportunity for you to look at your career from a fresh perspective. By translating your vision and differentiating qualities into a new resume, you are giving yourself an opportunity very few job seekers experience.

Your resume will spark the interest and grab the attention of the employer reading it. You will gain immeasurably as you stand head and shoulders above your competition, get called for the right interviews and receive financially healthy offers.

A successful job search starts with a powerful vision for yourself and your career, and a strong, well-written resume that reflects that vision. Be creative with this. Hold yourself to no boundaries. Allow your imagination to soar. Your efforts will pay off handsomely.

Copyright © 2005 TopDog Group All rights reserved.

David Richter is a recognized authority in career coaching and job search support. He has spent many years in recruitment, staffing, outplacement, counseling psychology and career management spanning most industries and professions. David founded TopDog Group in response to the needs of job candidates to have a higher quality of career coaching and support available on the Internet. David understands the mechanisms for success. He has formulated specific strategies anyone can use to secure interviews and receive offers. His extensive knowledge and experience sets David apart in this field, allowing him to offer a wealth of information and a vast array of tools, resources and strategies not found anywhere else. He has shown countless job seekers how to differentiate themselves and leverage their potential to the highest possible level, making a real difference in their careers. David holds both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology. David’s website address is: http://www.procareercoach.com

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When writing a resume never forget the power of your words. I have time and time
again seen where job seekers have written things like work requirements. An
employer is not looking for work requirements. This informs them that you were
required to do it, and may not have wanted to. How about something more positive
such as on the job acomplishments. This not only conveys what you did at the job,
but what you actually accomplished.

Titles are also very powerfull. Using titles to your advantage could possibly put you
on the top of the list. Work history, should be replaced with somthing more creative
such as Performance history. With this word you actually performed which indeed is
a very powerful word. Remember that not only do the employers read these titles
the ones that stick out will be most memorable.

Using positive words when explaining tasks is also helpful. Use words that exute
creativity like designed, created, refreshed. You should also use words that tells the
employer that your a team player. Encouraged, together, group are some examples.

By emphasizing these types of words your resume is sure to stick out, and your a lot
more likely to get the call.

Written by Michael Whitney
Michael Whitney is the coufounder of both Taxigrab.com and Jobish.com.

http://www.jobish.com - The job you always wanted

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