Resume Writing Tips
The search for a job is a daunting task indeed. The first step in landing your dream job is to write a killer resume that will get noticed. Your list of accomplishments and experience needs to stop a prospective employer in his tracks and motivate him to read through your entire rundown of qualifications. This is a tough assignment when the pickings are slim; it is darn near impossible when applicants are plenty. However, there are some simple tips that will help your resume stand out in a crowd.
Your resume is a written advertisement of your skills and experience so use it to sell yourself by putting yourself in the role of the prospective employer. What achievements are going to catch his eye and make him read the rest? Put those as close to the top of your resume as possible. Write cleanly and concisely so your best features are easy to see without a lot of fluff.
Many job seekers don't have the time to customize a resume for every job applied for. However, if you have a broad range of experience, you can tailor your resume to specific fields you might be looking in. This may be as easy as rewriting your objective at the top of your resume and arranging the order of your experience to put the most relevant jobs at the top.
In resume writing words can make a big impact. Your resume can stand out from the rest with carefully chosen action words that paint you as an energetic employee who gets the job done. Don't use phrases like "Duties included" when you are listing job experience. Instead, go for "managed", "organized", "completed" to show that you are a person of action. Go a step further by using these actions words to show how you helped your company solve a particular problem, such as "revamped office filing system to make it more efficient for staff use."
- Use Quantitative Descriptions
Did you help cut the fat out of an employer's budget by 20%? Did you increase sales in your department by 15%. Be sure you say that on your resume, with the percentages included. Symbols and numeric amounts will help your resume to stand out and add punch to your employment history.
A resume page that is filled to the margins with writing is a turn-off to most prospective employers. Think about advertisements you stop to read; are they stuffed with text or is there space around the information? Most people find some space to be more pleasing to the eye – including that person in human resources who holds your future in his hands!
The final tip in writing killer resumes is to proof, proof and proofread again. A resume that is littered with spelling and grammar errors will probably get tossed no matter how stellar your experience might be. Once your resume is good to go, send it out with the confidence that you really are putting your best foot forward. Good luck!
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