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While the economy is in a down-turn, there are jobs that always need filling. Just how successful you are depends on many factors. High on the list would be a professionally prepared resume and cover letter. SusieWord.com will take that three-year-old, out-of-date, crumpled and worn page and polish it with the style and jargon to meet today's job market. Don't be left wondering when the phone will ring for an employment interview -- take the steps necessary to become wanted by employers everywhere!
Remember that the résumé and a well written cover letter are designed for one purpose: to get an interview. What should the résumé look like? One page or two pages? Information offered chronologically or according to skills? The longest résumé should be no longer than two pages and the preference of most employers is one page, even for top executives. A longer résumé runs the risk of losing its focus and becoming disorganized. It may include information not pertinent to the job at hand or skills that are no longer used. In addition, human resources people are usually handling many tasks and don't have time to sift through many résumés.
In a one-page version, list your achievements and skills in a concise manner that will quickly tell what you can offer. Employers are most interested in what you've done over the past five to seven years.
If you have a consistent job history and your job titles reflect your career objectives, the chronological type résumé is probably best. If you have an uneven or short work history or long gaps between jobs, a résumé that emphasizes skills might work best.
Don't try say everything you've ever done or expect to accomplish. If ever the phrase "keep it simple" applies, this is the time! It's also possible that saying too much can even lead to disqualifying you from even being interviewed. And avoid negatives: previous gripes with bosses or co-workers; late/tardy; left previous employment on bad terms; etc.
Proofread closely to catch all typos; enlist someone else to proofread. The smallest error could land your résumé in the round file.
Customize the résumé with an objective to match the job you're seeking. The objective should summarize your skills and emphasizes your strengths.
Focus on achievements to show employers what you might do for them.
Place your most compelling accomplishments at the beginning.
Use keywords and phrases that describe your skills and experience. If you know a specific computer language, mention it and how you use it.
Employ industry jargon and acronyms to display your knowledge of an industry, but be careful not to overuse it resulting in a hard to read or understand résumé.
Use action verbs.
Avoid personal pronouns such as "I" or "me" -- use short, action-oriented phrases.
List only recent information -- show work history only for the last 10 to 15 years.
Use numbers to display performance. If you "increased sales 75% over six months," then say so!
Omit previous salary history.
Strive for a balanced, neat appearance.
Never, never send a résumé without a cover letter. Statistics show that job candidates who don't include a cover letter with their résumé probably won't get the job. Although many employment ads may not specify a cover letter among the materials they want from applicants, including a cover letter can show a prospective employer a lot.
In the cover letter, you can connect your strengths and achievements to the position you're seeking. The cover letter will naturally lead to the résumé. The cover letter also shows how well you communicate. It demonstrates your writing ability, which is an asset in almost any position. It can display your skills in organizing information in a logical order.
Seekers of qualified applicants/interviewees would like their tasks made as easy as possible. A well written cover letter should begin with a normal introduction such as the position for which you are applying, how you heard about it (this is especially good if you know someone in the company for which you are applying), and so on. Then, in the following paragraphs, tell it like it is! Clearly indicate how your background and qualifications are exactly what the reader has in mind for the opening. Show how you expect to meet the requirements through previous situations. A low-key emphasis on previous awards can work well, too.
Keeping It Simple: In the resume itself, try not to show you have a new computer/printer and can use every font in the world. This is both distracting to a reader as well as saying, "Hey, look at me. See how clever I can be; although I know this has absolutely nothing to do with [picking product in a warehouse; selling widgets to teenagers; cleaning bathrooms at the Kingdome; etc.], I think it's clever, so you should, too." Start with a basic Times Roman or Helvetica font and stick to it. In fact, some "on-line" resumes and companies that use an "optical character recognition" (OCR) routine to collect potential employee data, will request that the resume is "plain vanilla" and should be submitted without lines, bullets, underlines, etc.
Mailing the
cover letter and resume: do not fold, staple, mutilate, etc. If
the potential employer receives it folded, it remains folded -- and sinks under
the weight of other paper, never to rise to the top. Keep both articles in a
crisp, bright condition.
Using "Contacts":
The term "it's not what you know but 'who' you know" is very true! In fact,
most jobs (over 80%) are filled by "someone who knows someone, who knows
someone." If you really want to work for a particular company some advance
planning such as a visit, a phone call, or even check to see if the company has
a web site could help you find someone who could help you from the inside.
Caution should be exercised so as to not create a wrong impression about
yourself, but if done properly this is much better than "mass mailings" to
potential employers.