Archive for the ‘Resume Advice’ Category

When to Use a Resume Writing Service

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

When looking for a new job or a new career, your resume will present you to potential employers. It is essentially a means of advertising your unique skills and qualifications, but if you do not present yourself effectively, then you run the risk of being passed over for a job you may be exceptionally qualified for.

So, how do you know if you really need a resume writing service or if your resume is good enough just the way it is? Well, first of all let’s just face the fact that not everyone is a writer. Some people have a way with words and others don’t. However, even if you are a very good writer, not everyone knows what to write in a resume. There are certain things employers will be looking for, and that’s where a professional resume writer can help. If you have absolutely no idea where to begin, a resume writing service can walk you through the process from start to finish, helping create a strong resume that will get your foot in the door for an interview.

Individuals looking for a career change, those who are just graduating from college or anyone who may have recently had an employment change like being laid off or moving to a new place should also consider hiring a professional resume writing service. A professional resume writer can help you determine which of your skills are most relevant to the position you’re now seeking, and how to best present your qualifications so that employers can easily identify any transferable skills you may have.

Others may have large gaps between jobs – stay-at-home parents are an excellent example of this – or have had several jobs in a short period of time. Resume writers are well-versed in dealing with a number of employment situations that may look less than desirable to potential employers if not handled appropriately.

Alternatively, you may have already been sending out your current resume and noticed you aren’t receiving a lot of responses. This is a fairly good sign that your resume could use some work and you may want to look into hiring a resume writing service. Even if you feel you have a pretty good handle on how to write a resume, many resume writing services offer free or low-cost detailed critiques telling you which areas of your resume may need to be revamped or how your skills could be presented in a better way.

In short, your resume is your best means of displaying all that you have to offer a potential employer. When an employer looks at your resume, you want it to shine, and a professional resume writing service can help you achieve just that.

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Tips to Presenting Your Resume

Friday, May 14th, 2010

There are many factors involved in designing and presenting your resume, and it is easy to get caught up in the various styles and customizations when you decide to give it a facelift. Should I use a high quality paper? Should I mail a hard copy though I have already emailed it? Should I email it as inline text or as an attachment? Below are tips and answers for some of these common resume styling quandaries.

Font: The font you select can be a telltale sign of keeping up with the times. Times New Roman is the default for many word processors and will prove that your job-searching days and abilities are somewhat dated. It was once believed that this font was the easiest on the eyes, but there are many similar options that are much better. The spacing of Times New Roman styled words and letters can be quite awkward, and when copying into an email or PDF can prove catastrophic. Try using Georgia. It should be free on your computer, and is a little more rounded than Times New Roman, for easier reading and more compatible spacing. If you have the cash to spare, consider browsing online professional fonts for one that might be more suited to you and your potential position.

Paper: Many people want to showcase their uniqueness by purchasing fancy stationary paper. This is a waste of time and money, and generally has the opposite effect. Fancy stationary is a thing of the past; you know it, I know it, and your potential employer knows it. In order to keep up with the times, you should use a good quality, smooth, plain style of paper. It should be heavier than standard copy paper, but not a lightweight cardboard. Printing shops and office supply stores generally have paper labeled as “resume paper.” There are many different weights out there, so try to avoid things too heavy such as cardstock, but the lightest copy paper options are not a good idea either.

Colors: Do not use colors. Do not use colored paper, fonts, stickers, or stamps on your resume. It is not cute and clever, it is not unique and memorable; it is somewhat childish and unprofessional. Stick with black. If you have a website, or a logo with colors that you plan to include, that is acceptable, but do not add any more colors of your own. If you absolutely must make something stand out, use varying shades of gray or navy.

Emailing: Many people are making the switch over to Mac computers, but others are still using and buying PC’s. This makes it even more difficult to email a properly formatted copy of your resume to an employer. If you do not know what kind of technology they are running with, there are still a few ways to ensure that they are able to see your resume in a format that makes sense. If you are able to save your resume in different formats, do so, and send them all. PDF’s are the most desirable, but some people are still functioning without Adobe or other readers. You should be able to save your copy as a .doc file, which is compatible with both Macs and PC’s (except for extremely old ones). However, the default for a Mac file is .docx, which is not always compatible with PC’s. Try downloading and using Open Office. Their files are compatible with both types of computers, and the programs are currently free. The third step is to include a simply-formatted version of your resume in the body of the email. Be sure to include a byline about the different versions of your resume.

Hard Copy: Many people prefer to know that their resume has made it into the safe hands of a potential hirer. For this reason, they will snail mail hard copies, or drop them off at the office even though they have already sent them in email form. The protocol for this is a bit tricky. Depending on the organization, sending or bringing a hard copy of your resume before being offered an interview can just add complications to the hiring process, and the last thing you want to do is become a nuisance before even landing an interview. Gauge your employer before doing anything over the top. If they seem to be slow on the Internet front, or a little more traditional than most, feel free to send or drop off a hard copy of your resume. If they are completely online and organized, the paper copy of your resume will probably end up in the trash. Always bring a hard copy of your resume to an interview.

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The Advantages of Using a Resume Template

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Developing your resume from scratch is often overwhelming. Resume templates make the process much easier, and eliminate the stress of formatting something to look professional. Whether you are applying for a job for the first time in your life, or for the first time in many years, utilizing a template can add great benefits to the overall allure of your resume.

Professional Appeal

There is often a misconception that resume templates can negatively affect your chances of getting the job. If you are applying for a highly creative or artistic position, this may be the case, as the interviewer will be looking for people who stand out for their artistic skills. In most other situations, a resume template is simply a way of double-checking your own work. Instead of starting with a blank sheet of paper, you can simply input your information into a template or wizard to make your resume look professional.

Over the course of time, commonly accepted styles can change drastically. A few decades ago it was commonplace to worry about the amount of “white space” on your resume before submitting it. This is not a contemporary art project, this is a resume; employers are not worried about things like white space, but rather, the way that you fill that white space. With resume templates, all the guesswork is taken out of the equation, and you can view a final product with all of your professional information on it in just a few minutes.

The visual appeal of your resume is very important. Jamming as much information onto a single sheet of paper can seem over-eager, jumbled, and messy. It is important to highlight certain aspects of your skills and past experience, but it is not necessary to include every Girl or Boy Scout badge you have received. Since templates only allow a certain amount of information, they force you to decide what information is relevant to the current job, and what can be left off of your resume.

Saves Time

The job hunt is intense, and many people like to have more than one resume on hand as they search within a wide variety of different positions. Having separate resumes is always a good idea since they can each showcase your different skills, and focus on the experience relevant to a particular position. That being said, the idea of creating five unique resumes is overwhelming. You may try and change the style or font size depending on the amount of relative experience or skills you have for any given position, which only adds to the length of time it takes to make five somewhat unique resumes.

With resume templates, you no longer have to worry about the extra time it takes to create job-specific resumes since it rarely takes more than ten minutes to create a resume. Once you input all of your personal information, you can simply change the work experience and qualifications to suit each job. This makes writing a few unique resumes much simpler. The time it takes to create one resume is significantly reduced, and creating many different resumes based on the job market and position for which you are applying becomes extremely efficient.

First Impressions Matter

Your resume is essentially the first impression you will make on your potential employer. While the initial impression may change if you get an interview, the first impression made by your resume also determines whether or not you even get that interview. It is important to understand that you are trying to sell yourself, and showcase all of your best attributes, which is difficult to do on paper.

If you submit a sloppy resume, it will reflect extremely poorly on you, and negatively affect your chances of landing an interview. It is important to have an organized resume that is easy to read. Resume templates can help you create that lasting first impression that lands you an interview. Looking neat and organized on paper puts out the impression that you are neat and organized in person, which is exactly what employers want to see.

Employers generally scan resumes before deciding if they should bother reading it or setting up an interview, much like you might casually skim over an article in the paper before deciding to read the entire thing. You want to make sure that you have words and phrases that stand out and convince the employer to take the time to read it, or, at the very least, convince them to pass it along to someone else in the hiring chain. Including these buzz words is a way of controlling the first impression that you make, which is a key factor in the decision making process of employers. Resume templates are created by people with a knack for  making buzz words and phrases stand out; utilizing templates can help you create a resume that makes a lasting impression.

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