Tag: potential employers

Resume writing from scratch


Getting started

Facing a blank page when you are trying to write a resume can be very scary. You may think that you don’t have enough to say about yourself to fill a page; you may be wondering just how to list all of your skills and experience within a single sheet of paper. To get started, ask yourself some questions about your past jobs and your career goals.

Before you even begin writing a resume, define the exact reasons why you need one. While this may sound simple, it takes more than saying, “I want to get a new job.” Consider your career objective first. Make sure that your goals are specific in terms of industry, position title, and future professional achievements. Once you are clear on the type of job you are seeking, it will be much easier to compose a resume that highlights your expertise in the area of your interest.

Research on format

Once you have your career objective developed, do some research on a resume format that is most commonly used and may be most appropriate for your industry. Search the Internet or check out the books in your local library to get a better idea of what well-written professional resumes look like. Once you find a format that best suits your field and your career objective, use the same layout to get started.

When listing your personal information at the top of the resume, include your address, home and/or mobile phone number, and your email address. A helpful hint about listing your email address make sure that it contains your name, as this helps you appear more professional. You can create a free Yahoo email account; it also maybe helpful to have one email address as a point of contact for your job search.

Experience & education

Before you begin listing your experiences, make sure to list them out on a separate sheet of paper, in chronological order, starting with the most recent job you had (possibly the job you are presently holding). List up to five previous jobs you have held, although make sure that your resume does not exceed two pages in length. Make sure that are listed in order; don’t skip any of your employments as this will create gaps in your professional history.

When listing your education, start with your college attendance and move to your most recent accomplishments. If you never attended college, make sure to include any courses, even if they were taken as training at your previous jobs, which will help in showcasing your qualifications. In terms of skills, make sure to list, in bullet point form, all of the abilities that confirm that you are the best candidate for the job you are seeking.

References upon request

You can omit references from your resume, but let your potential employer know that you can provide them if necessary. You can do so in the cover letter or by including a line at the bottom of your resume that simply states, “Professional references available upon request.”

As your final check point, ask a friend or a family member to review your resume, and give you feedback. Having a second pair of eyes can help you correct any typos, or even bring to your attention anything that appears unclear or confusing. A well-written, error-free resume will help you put your best foot forward and get the job that exceeds your career goals.

Job Hunting Tips


Hunting for jobs nowadays is a very competitive, and sometimes, cut-throat affair. That having been said we have provided a few ideas we hope will help you in getting the edge when searching out and landing the job that will be most suitable for you.

The Curriculum Vitae (CV)

As an applicant for certain specialized positions, your CV is the first – and in some instances – the most important part of applying for one of those positions. Since potential employers have to whittle down practically hundreds of applications to a few valid ones, they will have to base their narrowing down efforts on the CVs they have collected.

Studies have shown that about half of all employers decide to accept or reject employment applications based on an applicant’s related work experience listed in the CV. A third of the employers decide to reject or accept these employment applications based on their layout and design.

A concise and relevant CV

Make Your CV Stand Out – When preparing your CV, make sure it stands out from the rest. It should be the type that is appealing to the eyes, making the evaluating personnel want to read it. Step two is for you to make sure your CV highlights all related work experience you have had in relation to the position you are seeking.

Make your CV concise and relevant – Avoid making your CVs too long since such a document that is too lengthly could make it irrelevant (boring?) to the evaluator. Remember that the employer is a person to whom time is important. If your CV shows that you value his/her time while showing the most relevant information in the least amount of time, you will have won one important battle.

A tailored CV

Always tailor your CV to the position – You may have had previous experience that might not be related to the position you are seeking. Some people keep many different versions of their CV for different employment opportunities.

Make sure your CV is appropriate for the available position. A one-size-fits-all CV may not be the best way to go since an employer might get the impression that your previous efforts have not been focused enough to produce any specialization on your part.

A polished & storied CV

Write about your achievements – You may add your achievements, but make your statements factual and relevant. It does not do any harm to advertise yourself, but make your advertisement matter-of-fact and not just hot air (so to speak). You may want to skip on listing your weak points as a CV is not the vehicle for such discussions.

Polish Your CV – Your employer will know if you have put enough time producing your CV. If s/he sees that you have put sufficient and thorough effort into your CV, s/he will assume that you will do the same in your work. This is a big plus for you. It is not uncommon for some people to spend days or even weeks polishing and buffing their CVs.