TP Javeton WebNet

Tag: ever written a resume

  • Avoiding Some Typical Resume Mistakes


    Resume information complexities

    If you have ever written a resume for yourself or tried to write one for someone else, you’re probably fully aware of how difficult such a task can be; made even more complicated by the large amount of information that often goes into a resume. From the individual’s career objective to listing his/her qualifications, a resume should be personal, it should convey confidence and it should be presented in the best possible way to impress a potential employer.

    About resumes, cover letters and interviews

    However, in view of the fact that creating a winning, well-written resume is not easy, it is of crital importance that the resume writer pays special attention to some of the most typical mistakes made in resume composition, and take the necessary steps to avoid and/or eliminate them. Some of those mistakes are elaborated upon in the following paragraphs.

    Including references to personal web sites

    You may wonder why referencing a personal web site may be a mistake, since you might have a sample of your graphic design work on a site that you want your potential employer to see; but this is a good idea only if the site you are referencing is limited to work-related content.

    Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of including their personal web sites, most of which contain information that a potential employer may find irrelevant and therefore, in his/her view, is a waste of company time if not inappropriate altogether.

    As a rule, do not include your personal web site if it contains yours, or other photos that may be viewed as inappropriate; including jokes (even if they are clean), or your blog. In other words, if the site you have is entirely for personal purposes, it’s best leaving it off your otherwise well-written resume.

    Include a link to your web site if the pages are set up specifically to showcase your professional portfolio, a copy of your resume, reference letters, presentations, photos taken for professional use, or your web development skills.

    Using small fonts to compress content

    Sometimes you just cannot squeeze all the information required on a resume into a single page, especially if you are presenting twenty or thirty years of education, experience and skills; because it will not format will and can otherwise be very challenging.

    As a rule, well-written resume should not exceed two pages; but in recent years it has become commonplace for professionals to change jobs frequently, and if you’re a member of this group, you know that listing all your experiences, as well as your career objective, education, qualifications and references, can certainly take up a lot of space.

    However, you should refrain from using a small font in order to fit everything into your resume; because there is not a single area in your resume that should have a font size of less than 10 points. Keep in mind what font type you are using and stick to the basics.

    Arial and Times New Roman are the standard font type for resume writing, and are therefore recommended for use in writing your own resume. So instead of changing the font size, review and revise your resume to make sure that statements made are more concise.

    Employer and school listing errors

    Some critical errors that are sometimes made on a resume without the realization that they’re being made is the preparer’s failure to refer to past employers and/or school(s) they attended by their full and correct names; and this should be avoided in all instances; so do not use variations of company and school names; and don’t use abbreviations unless they are in fact part of the name.

    In other words, if you have attended New York University, list the complete name, not just NYU – even though it’s commonly known and your employer will likely recognize it. You definitely do not want to appear sloppy, or unable to pay attention to details.

    Lengthy descriptive paragraphs and typos

    In order to list those responsibilities you’ve had in your past professional experience, it is best to use bullet points that begin with action verbs; such as managed, developed, etc. You really don’t need to use full sentences, and you certainly don’t need to use a paragraph format.

    Using full sentences in a paragraph format make the information in your resume overwhelming and difficult to review quickly; so make your statements brief and clear; and don’t add words simply to fill in space.

    What may be the most important factor in achieving a winning and well-written resume is proof reading; and since you want to put your best foot forward it is absolutely unforgivable for your resume to contain grammar and spelling problems which by themselves are enough to give your potential employer the impression that you are not detail-oriented, or even negligent.

    About resumes, cover letters and interviews

    Of course it is understandable the difficulty in proofing a document you have been working on so closely; so use spell check – but be ware, it will not catch everything – and ask your friends/family for help, or meet with a career counselor. Do your best to present the most polished resume to your potential employers, and begin with eliminating simple mistakes.

  • Resume Review Help and Proofing Parameters


    Resume proofing: A critical task

    Anyone who has ever written a resume will agree that writing, formatting and completing such an important document is a time consuming process; and in order to ensure that a resume achieves the goal for which it was prepared, there is one important step which must be taken before it is sent to designated recipients – potential employers. However, a surprisingly high number of professionals make the mistake of not reviewing their final resume document with fresh eyes before sending it out, thereby relegating it to the recycling bin.

    That having been said, it might seem redundant to emphasize the importance of proofreading what you may believe to be a well-written resume document before forwarding it to potential employers; but reviewing, editing and perfecting such a document is a routine (or even a habit) that you – if you are a job applicant writing your own resume – should adopt, since failing to do so can have an undesired result on your chances of securing the job in which you are really interested.

    With that in mind, you are encouraged to take a look at the following concepts which we hope will help you with the final stages of perfecting your well-written resume and making sure the document is in top shape before it reaches any of the potential employers to whom you intend to send it.

    Check for grammar and spelling errors

    Proofreading your resume document is one of the most critical steps in your resume review process, because it is often hard to catch composition errors after you’ve spent hours writing and re-writing all parts of it, or any other important document; but it is something which must be done and there are two workable methods you can use to effectively catch resume errors

    Chronological Resume Template: Resume Solution, What you Need to Create your US and Canadian Resume (Template, Resume, Functional, Jobs, Opportunities)

    One method is to ask someone else to proofread your resume, or give yourself time between writing and reviewing it; and if you ask a friend or a family member for help, make sure that their strengths include spelling and grammar; but they should also be able to edit your resume for content and consistency in style. Asking others to review your resume, however, should be done with parameters. For example, let your friend know what you are struggling with, so that they can help you address those concerns.

    Because personal preferences can come into play when you are discussing resumes, make sure the changes you make are the kind with which you are comfortable in terms of content. Another method you can utilize in proofreading, which should be thought of as a must, is to step away from the document for a day or two, and then revisit it for a final review. This gives you some space from the content, and will allow you to review for grammatical and spelling errors with fresh eyes.

    Knock ’em Dead Resumes: A Killer Resume Gets More Job Interviews!

    Printing out and emailing your resume

    So that you know what your potential employers will receive after you submit your resume, just print out the document and take a look at its appearance, or email it to yourself (if you have more than one email address), or email it to a friend or family member where you will have immediate access to the digital version. However, you must make sure to print your resume from the file in which you are emailing it to your employer; and make sure that the margins are set properly and are not cutting off any content.

    Look for spaces and adjust the text in case of any large gaps on the paper. In addition, if you email your resume to some of your friends, have them open the file and let you know how it appears on their screen, as well as how it prints out. Addressing any formatting issues before your resume reaches a potential employer is ideal, so doing a couple of test runs will only assist you in developing an error-free final resume.

    The resume-to-job requirements comparison

    When you do a comparison of your resume to a particular job’s requirements, it is important to make sure that all requirements are addressed, either in your resume or your cover letter; and a major part of such comparison is to review exactly what the employer is looking for and make sure that your resume addresses all of their needs. Keep in mind that when potential employers receive your resume, they will look for key terms from their job description in order to match your qualifications to their available position.

    If possible, use some of the same terminology on your resume as the employer used on the job description, as this will let the employer know that you are in sync with their needs, thereby making them more interested in you as the ideal candidate for the job. Ask one of your friends to review the job description and your resume as well, and give you their impression on how well the two match.

    Meticulous review = landing a great job!?

    Probably the most important thing you should take away from this article, is the fact that a poorly written and/or formatted resume will – in effect – let most of your potential employers know that you don’t pay any attention to detail; but on the other hand, taking whatever extra time that is necessary to do a final review of your resume document is one of the most important things you can do in getting an employer’s attention, thereby ensuring that you get the job you really want.

  • Resume Exclusions: What Not to List on Your Resume


    The task of resume preparation

    Anyone who has ever written a resume will probably agree that composing and structuring one of these documents is a very difficult task, a task which you will have to undertake in the preparation of your own resume; because it takes time and patience to fit your entire professional history within one or two pages, in a way that presents you as the best candidate for the job. While we focus so much of our energy on what must be included in our resumes, we often forget to stop and think about the information that should never be included.

    With that in mind, there are at least five pieces of information you should exclude from your resume, and they are listed in the following paragraphs as an informal guide you can refer to when composing your own resume:

    Knock ’em Dead Resumes: A Killer Resume Gets More Job Interviews!

    The first two exclusions

    1. Do not get personal – Any information that discloses demographics should not be listed in your resume. Items such as your age, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, marital status, physical appearance, or your personal philosophies that are not critical to your job performance must be excluded, as these pieces of information could become detrimental, and be used against you – or be mis-used in the hands of an ethically challenged individual. So such information should never be listed on your resume.

    Presenting yourself as a professional to your potential employers is the goal, and as such, the method (resume document) in which you use for your presentation should not be a list of your hobbies or interests. On the other hand, it must be a well formatted listing of your education, qualifications and employment history; so stick to the information that is relevant to the job, as well as to your career objective.

    2. Do not list historical salary information on your resume – This is a strict rule and you should follow it as closely as you possible can, since your employer is more concerned with what your desired salary is, than of what you earned in your first job out of college. If you are asked to provide historical salary information do so in your cover letter, not your resume. As a best practice, always list the minimum of what you are willing to accept for the job, and avoid using a salary range.

    Chronological Resume Template: Resume Solution, What you Need to Creat your US and Canadian Resume (Template, Resume, Functional, Jobs, Opportunities)

    Having said that, it is important that you do your research so that you will have a good workable knowledge and understanding of what an acceptable salary is for the job in which you are interested. Whenever possible, leave all salary conversations for the interview with your potential employer.

    Other Omissions: jargon and personal webite

    3. Do not use jargon or too many “big words” – Unless you are absolutely certain that the person reading your resume will understand the terminology you are using, avoid using jargon in your resume. Pattern your resume as if it was being directed toward recruiters, rather than to an immediate hiring manager, because the human resources associates are usually first to scan your resume. While it is important to showcase your knowledge of a particular field through your education and experience, it is ill-advised to use jargon since it has no place on your well-written resume.

    In addition, avoid using too many “big words” since you don’t want to give the impression that you’re hiding behind your vocabulary; and keep in mind that making your resume overbearing is the fastest way to ensure losing the interest of your employer. Just use the action words that are relevant to your career level.

    about resumes, cover letters and interviews

    4. Do not list your personal web site – As a rule, you should not include your personal web site if it contains your photo or other photos that may be viewed as inappropriate, especially if it contains jokes (even if they are clean jokes), or your personal blog. In other words, if the site you have is entirely for personal purposes, you are best advised to leave it off your resume. Only include a link to your web site if the pages are set up in a way that showcases your professional portfolio, a copy of your resume, reference letters, presentations, photos taken for professional use, or your web development skills.

    Critical little nuisances must be removed

    5. Do not allow typos or other errors to remain – The most important factor in achieving a winning resume is proof reading. Understanding that you want to put your best foot forward, errors on your resume will defeat the purpose; so if your resume contains grammatical and spelling errors, your potential employer will get an impression that you are not detail-oriented. S/he may also come to the conclusion that you are somewhat sloppy, and as such, will do sloppy work if you are hired.

    As basic a task as proof reading is, there is no other way to say that it is also very difficult to proof read a document you have been working on so closely, so it may be a good idea to– use spell check – although this tool does not catch grammaticl errors. So ask your friends and family members for help, or meet with a career counselor; Dbut do your best to present the most polished and well-written resume you possibly can to your potential employers.

    Digital & Electronic Products – Unbeatable in Quality and Price!

  • Enlisting Help With Your Resume Review


    Resume objectivity vs. self-promotion

    Anyone who has ever written a resume will probably agree that writing one of these documents is in many ways a process of self-discovery, because when you really give it some serious and more profound thought, writing a resume is actually the process by which you market yourself to your potential employers, which in itself is a very difficult task, since we have to walk the fine line between objectivity and self-promotion. That having been said, please read on as we will elaborate a little more on this aspect of resume writing.

    Your resume must summarize the educational achievements, professional experiences, and adequate-to-the-task qualifications – inherent as well as acquired – in a way that best meets your career objective. Composing your entire professional history on one or two pages can be time consuming, because we often spend hours and sometimes days writing and re-writing our resumes in order to make the content and format as perfect as we can possibly get it before the resume reaches potential employers.

    about resumes, cover letters and interviews

    However, after looking at the same content over and over, it can become rather easy for us to miss some very simple typos and grammatical errors; or even poorly written statements that may raise questions in the mind of a hiring manager. Before posting your resume on job search sites, or submitting it to companies in which you are interested to work, it may be in your best interest to have someone else review it.

    Boundaries and goals for your resume review

    This, of course, can be a scary thought in the sense that while you may want help and feedback from your friend on one hand, you may be concerned that, on the other hand, s/he will dislike something aesthetic and you will feel the pressure to make one or more formatting changes; especially after you have already spent a considerable amount of time on your resume and really don’t want to have to start over. There is however, a method you can use to prevent such a scary thought scenario from ever occurring.

    about resumes, cover letters and interviews

    Consider for a moment that you know the benefit(s) that can be derived from having someone else review your resume. If this is the case, you should set some boundaries and goals for that review by ask about specific things which are of concern to you. In other words, if you know that grammar isn’t your strongest asset, ask your friend(s) to proofread the content; and the same method can be used for any gaps in your work history; simply ask your friend to act as a potential employer and review the resume and cover letter together.

    Make sure your “reviewer” friends know exactly what you need them to do; ask if they have any questions about your work history, or have you addressed everything in your cover letter? Accept feedback about content, but make sure that your friends are raising valid questions about the statements you’re making. If they suggest that you change an action word, can they give you a valid reason behind the change? Or is the reasoning based on their personal preference? Don’t get into an argument over formatting; just– do your research ahead of time and know what the acceptable resume style is for your field.

    The benefit of a resume writing service

    It is also beneficial that you have more than one additional person review your resume before you send it to your potential employers. This helps you in recognizing whether or not the feedback is based on personal preferences or professional concerns. Ideally, the person you ask for help should have experience in your chosen field, and can therefore help ensure that the action words or phrases you have chosen are appropriate for your industry and position level.

    If you are unsure that you are on the right track with your resume, and you feel the research you have done is overwhelming and not helpful, seek assistance from a professional resume writing service. A professional resume writer should be able to help guide you in the right direction, revise your current resume or create a new well-written resume for you. Make sure that the professional you are working with can provide you with references and samples, and that they are well versed in writing resumes for professionals in your field of work.

    While the resume writing service option requires you to pay for assistance from someone elss, it can prove to be a more beneficial option in the long run. Of curse, you can also serve as your own resume editor by stepping away from the resume document for a while, give yourself some time – usually a day or two – between writing the resume and then reviewing it. This allows you to be more objective as you review the final draft of your resume, because you are not as intimately involved with it at the moment of review, as you would be immediately after completing a draft.

    Keep resume mistakes to yourself, don’t share them with employers!

    No matter what option of review you chose, make sure that you do in fact review your resume before submitting it to your potential employer; because you certainly don’t want your hiring manager to catch your mistakes, do you? An error-free and otherwise well-written resume is more likely to get you noticed, and help you secure the job you really want.

    Give it all you got