|
|
Creating Powerful Cover Letters
and Resumes
The resume and accompanying
cover letter make up your own marketing brochure. They are key
players in getting the job you want.
7 Tips for Excellent Resumes
- Templates
Use a reliable template. You can find hundreds of sample resumes
in resume-writing books and online that will provide you with
examples. You may need more than one style resume for each targeted
job objectives.
- Objective
Include a clear, focused objective, or goal, in your resume. Your
objective should include the type of job you want, the industry
in which you want that position, and, ideally, the geographical
location in which you would prefer to work.
- Buzzwords
Use industry-specific buzzwords that will catch an employer's
attention and tell him/her that you understand the current state
of the industry.
- Brief and bulleted
Write your resume so that an employer can find the information
about you that he/she needs to know by scanning it. Remember that
employers receive tens, sometimes hundreds of these resumes. If
your resume is wordy and long, an employer is not likely to look
at it. Use bulleted statements or short sentences.
- Action Verbs
Start statements with action verbs that will reveal the quality
of the work you did for previous employers. For example, use words
like "performed," "accomplished," or "created"
rather than words that have no descriptive value like "did"
or "worked."
- Proofread, proofread, and proofread
again!
Messy resumes with grammatical or spelling mistakes will wind
up in the slush pile or filed away. Proofread a couple times,
then have someone else proofread your resume for you. Try reading
your resume backwards, word by word, to catch typos you may be
missing otherwise.
- The 15 second test
Your resume needs to catch an employer's eye immediately. Scan
your resume to see what jumps out at you within 15 seconds. If
it's the best thing about you or your best skill, your resume
is effective!
|
|
To Email
Us...
