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How to
Write a Resume That Stands Out From The Crowd
by: Rumki
Sen
Today’s job market is competitive. Many companies
receive hundreds of resumes a year, making it difficult for yours to
stand out from the crowd. However, that should not keep you from getting
interviews. The following 10 tips will help you learn how to get employers
to read your resume and get your phone ringing.
1. Include a profile
Begin your resume with a profile,
which contains a synopsis of your varied skills and educational qualifications.
This profile should match the particular job you want to apply for.
State your career objective clearly so that the reader gets an overall
idea of your background and areas of expertise. Write this section in
such a manner that it immediately catches the attention of a hiring
manager, and he calls you instead of someone else.
2. Keep the resume short
No one has the time to go through
elaborate detailing about your past jobs and experiences. Therefore,
keep the resume short. Make a list of the most important jobs you have
held and give a brief of your previous job-oriented experiences. However,
in the case of technical people, resumes can extend to three pages in
order to include relevant technical information.
3. Give more importance on content
than on looks
One of the major mistakes people
make while creating resumes is in the use of fancy fonts. Avoid using
fancy fonts and do not change font regularly throughout the resume.
Changing fonts regularly will distract and confuse a hiring manager.
Do not use underlining or italics to add emphasis. Make your document
eye appealing so that your reader can review it with ease. Use white
paper and make the thoughts flow smoothly.
4. Clearly identify your skills
Do not be modest in mentioning
your skills. Clearly identifying your skills will distinguish you from
the other job seekers and eventually help your potential employers to
select you from the rest. Remember, all you have to do is to stand out
from the crowd.
5. List your educational and professional
qualifications
Include any relevant education
or training that might relate. Provide details of only those qualifications
that match your current job search. This will help you to get short-listed
more easily.
6. Focus on your job responsibilities
Starting with your present position
or most recent job, mention the title of every job you have held, along
with the name of the company, the city and state, and the years you
have worked there. Under each position, make a list of your job responsibilities.
Use descriptive verbs, such as created, increased, performed, initiated,
developed, led, improved or reduced to begin each statement of your
duties and accomplishments. Producing a document that is well presented,
detailed and targeted will attract the attention of your hiring manager.
7. Add related qualifications and
interests
Think about anything else that
might qualify you for your job objective and place it at the bottom
of your resume. It may include licenses, certifications, awards and
achievements, and sometimes even your hobbies and interests if they
truly relate. If you seek a job in a music company, for example, stating
on your resume that you are a pianist will increase your chance to get
that interview call.
8. Be honest with your resume
If you did not actually do what
you said you did, it would be called a lie. Numerous surveys show that
job applicants lie most frequently about education and employment, particularly
about job responsibilities and dates of employment. Hiding gaps in employment
and jobs where they were forced to leave by the respective employers
is also common. There are many risks involved in lying, but many job
applicants do not seem to get the message about the risks of lying.
Once you are caught with a lie, you will be fired then and there. So,
DON”T lie – be honest with your resume.
9. Always attach a covering letter
A cover letter is a letter of introduction
that highlights your key achievements and skills and entitles you for
a job opening. It reflects your communication skills and your personality.
The main purpose of this document is to introduce yourself in such an
interesting manner that the reader will not only continue reading your
resume but also be willing to call you for an interview.
If you want to create cover letters
for any career situation, position, and job level, I recommend a unique
resume/ cover letter tool on the Internet today called Amazing Cover
Letter Creator (http://pes2004.amazingcl.hop.clickbank.net).
I recommend this tool, because it solves the frustrating problem job
seekers have when trying to write an effective resume cover letter.
You can use it over and over again for all your cover letter needs.
10. Proofread your resume
After you have finalized your employment
documents, check them repeatedly for errors in spelling, grammar, or
punctuation. Spelling and grammatical errors can automatically disqualify
a resume from consideration. If you make mistakes on your employment
documents, hiring managers might presume you will be equally careless
on the job - no matter how important your qualifications and experiences
are. Proofread your resume and cover letter carefully.
Make your resume positive and completely
error-free. If you are seeking two or three different positions, prepare
two or three separate resumes, each tailored to the job you are targeting.
Make your resume exclusive and unique so that it stands out from the
crowd. Good luck for your career!
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