The Proper Way to Write a Resume - Do's and Don'ts

Do . . .

• Ensure your CV is well spaced and visually attractive.
• Ensure it is concise and to the point.
• Use action words.
• Quantify your experience.
• Be consistent in your use of dates, numbers, abbreviations, etc.
• Check and recheck for language, punctuation and grammar errors.
• Have someone else critique and proofread your CV.
• Use quality paper.
• Make sure the paper colour is white, ivory, cream, beige, buff, or light grey.
• Use a letter-quality or laser printer and black type
• Use a readable font i.e. Arial, Times New Roman or Verdana
• Use a matching envelope or mail it flat in a 9" x 12" white or manila envelope.
  

Don't . . .

• Type "Résumé or CV" above your name.
• State your reasons for leaving a job.
• Use abbreviations or contractions.
• Write lengthy prose.
• Use multiple fonts, typographic symbols, or other visual elements.
• Use personal pronouns (I, we, my).
• Include a photograph.
• Mention personal data (e.g., height, weight, health, age or date of birth, marital status, race, religion, sex, etc.).

Get all the insider tips and secrets on how to write a resume at Super Resume Secrets

General Advice

Online vs Print Advertisements
These days the best places to find advertised positions is online - even if you look in the paper, the majority of the jobs will probably be online as well - unless the job is with a smaller company.

There are two main places where jobs are advertised online - on generic job vacancy/search sites like www.seek.com.au or www.careerone.com.au or www.jobs.gov.au and they are also advertised directly on some company websites like www.virginblue.com.au for example.

It's easy to stay up to date with what jobs are available by signing up to receive email notifications of suitable jobs. I know you can use this facility at Seek to specify the type and location of jobs you're interested in, and I'm sure it's a similar story with other online job search sites.

This online notification service also allows you to stay in touch with the kinds of positions available in the work place - even if you have a great job, you want to make sure your salary and benefits are still competitive in the marketplace.

It's not just hit or miss
It might seem like some people have all the luck when it comes to jobs, but that's just not true. For the most part, people don't just fall into the perfect job, even if they themselves think they have.

Finding the perfect job is all about knowing what you want and putting specific plans in place. I know from experience that research, networking and presentation are some of the most important aspects of job hunting.

I had a friend who really wanted to get into the multi-media industry, but she didn't have a great deal of experience. She was studying in the field at the time which helped, but she also knew she needed to break into the market before she graduated - to edge out her competition. So she researched some of the companies she wanted to work for and made a short list of 15 potential employers. She checked on their websites and even called a few of them to get contact names. Finally she prepared a very specific letter and resume for each company (which of course looked extremely professional) and emailed an expression of interest to each of them.

She only heard back from one of company (but that was without making any follow up calls), and after a brief interview she was hired on the spot - now she's going to graduate with industry experience and walk straight into her perfect job.

When do you make your career move?

Whether you are planning on moving up (seeking a higher position), out (total career change) or over (same industry, new company), then you need to make sure you have a clear idea of what you want and the best way to make your move.

First you should evaluate what you ‘have’ already, compared to what you want, what is realistic and what areas you’re prepared to make sacrifices in. After evaluating your situation you may decide it’s not so bad after all…although you should always strive for job satisfaction where you can continue to grow. There are many things you need to consider:

Ideal Work Environment...
Located near your home OR easy to get to Pleasant surroundings Friendly people and team

Key Values & Policies...
Occupational Health & Safety / Equal Employment Opportunity / other Honesty and fair minded Genuine concern for staff Holidays and recreation time is important

Career Opportunities...
Learning Training Promotional potential (management, training staff) Travel

Financial Rewards...
Competitive salary
Bonuses
Company car or car allowance
Expense account
Health benefits
Telephone
Uniforms
Travel
Free products
Other benefits that you place value on

Selection Criteria - How much do I need to write?

Responding to selection criteria is of the utmost importance. Hiring managers will review your statements addressing their criteria, possibly more so than they will read your resume.

Most employers are looking for particular traits, skills or experience when they request a response to selection criteria, so it's imperative that you follow their instructions and give your 'answers' in a clear, succinct and methodical manner.

One of the first things you should check in the employer's instructions is whether they have placed a word limit on the responses. Sometimes they will indicate a word or page limit for each response or for the total application. You must adhere to this.

If they have not specified a length, you could always call the company and speak to the HR department who will give you a rough idea of what they expect. Usually 1-2 typed A4 pages per response is appropriate. If you can include everything you need in one page, it is probably preferable, however for higher level jobs or more detailed criteria, you might find you need the extra space to respond sufficiently.

Hidden Job Market

What is the hidden job market?

Put simply…the hidden job market comprises all those job opportunities which are not advertised.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics approximately 80% of all available jobs are found in this ‘mysterious’ grey area of the employment industry, in all sectors, at every level.

These statistics are confirmed by the experiences of job seekers, and career professionals in Australia and overseas, so unless you are marketing yourself to this huge expanse which holds the majority of job opportunities, you are denying yourself the biggest and best chance at winning that coveted position.

Why is the hidden job market important to job seekers?

Australian career transition consultant, Pauline Charleston wrote “The hidden job market is really about being proactive in searching for a position that’s right for you. Rather than sitting back and waiting for your dream job to be advertised or listed on the internet, you give fate a helping hand by seeking out vacancies before the rest of the world gets to hear about them.”

Employers are more likely to hire someone they know of, either through referrals, internal transfers, personal referrals or past and current applications held on file. By using such means to recruit employees, they can save time, money and ensure greater peace of mind if a candidate is recommended or has shown interest in the company before.

How do you access the hidden job market?

Firstly you need to be highly organized and prepared to work hard to win the job you desire. A successful job search is basically a well-run marketing campaign. You need to know how to sell yourself and who to sell to.

Here are a few steps to get you started – unsolicited marketing correspondence

• Identify the position(s) you want to win.
• Identify the companies you wish to work for.
• Identify the hiring manager of each company.

Research each company and find out what they are looking for and how you can meet their needs.

• Tailor a professional cover letter and resume to each individual position and company.
• Forward applications directly to the hiring manager or the person you would be working under.
• In your letter state a date you will make a follow up phone call.
• On the appointed date, follow up each application, speaking directly with the hiring manager.
• Prepare for interviews using in-depth research and rehearsal techniques.
• WOW them in person and take your career to the next level!

What are other ways to break through?

This is only one way to approach the hidden job market, other methods include personal networking, face to face cold calling, telephone cold calling, and joining recruitment agencies.

The key to successfully gaining employment is self-motivated action. The more often you take action in the direction you wish to be, the more likely you are to create career opportunities to pursue. The potential for success really is unlimited.

Tips to Write a Resume (Part 3/3)

• Hiding or not including vital information on a resume is like death. A recruiter needs to see all of your important information without having to search for it.
• Major gaps in your employment history leave a recruiter wondering about your work ethic. Be prepared to answer questions if you have such gaps in yours.
• Summaries that are hard to follow and understand are annoying to recruiters. Keep your summary easy and brief.
• Use easy and simple fonts. Fancy fonts and colors are not eye catching in the manner that you likely wanted it to be. Yours will become to how-to on making resume errors.
• Avoid writing your resume as a narrative or in the first or third person. It is really irritating for a recruiter, and comes off as arrogant and/or egotistical.
• Pictures and/or graphics on a resume is distracting to a recruiter. Things like that will likely get your resume tossed out without a glance.
• Needlessly adding objectives and introductions on your resume bores recruiters. They know what your objective is, and your resume is not meant to be a novel.
• Lying or putting misleading information on your resume is a major no-no. There are always ways for a recruiter to check up on you and many do, so don’t lie. Getting caught in a lie on a resume just says that you can’t be trusted.
• Adding unnecessary information on a resume like your hobbies is completely useless. You should save that section to describe any accomplishments that you have made in your field.
• Sending a resume that doesn’t match the type of job that you are applying for is extremely irritating to a recruiter. You are wasting their time.
• Using overly long paragraphs in a resume will get yours tossed aside. It is harder for the recruiter to read and makes the task take too long.
• Resumes that are more than two pages will not be fully read by a recruiter. That’s just the way it is.
• Dating the information in your work history in the wrong order makes your resume harder to follow. (Work history should be listed with most current jobs at the top).
• Resumes that have too much detail when talking about your previous duties are a waste of your time. Duties are generally just sifted through. They are rarely given very much attention, just enough to give the recruiter an idea of what you have done in the past.
• Spelling and grammatical errors just proves that you are not very keen on details.
  

Get all the insider tips and secrets on how to write a resume at Super Resume Secrets

Cover Letter for Job Application

You should include a cover letter with each resume which you send to prospective employers even if you email your resume to them.

1. Send it to a specific person.
   -You should make every effort to get a specific name to which you address the letter.
   -If you absolutely cannot get the name then and only then you may address your letter to the right department, make sure you have the name of the department right.
   
2. Create enough interest in your opening paragraph so that the employer feels compelled to continue reading.
3. Make your cover letter no more than one page with no more than three to six paragraphs.
4. Highlight how your experiences and accomplishments match the needs of the employer.
5. Ask for an interview and state how you plan to follow up with the employer.
6. Check and recheck your cover letter for mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Have someone else proofread and critique your cover letter.
7. If you send your resume by post;
   -Send only an original. Never send photocopies.
   -Select quality bond paper that matches your resume.
   -Use a letter-quality or laser printer and black type.
   -Fold and mail your cover letter and your resume in a matching envelope or mail them flat (don’t fold) in a white or manila envelope.

Get all the insider tips and secrets on how to write a cover letter to a resume at Winning Cover Letters

Job Interviews - A warning for us all!

A recent article caught our eye about online information affecting employer’s opinions when recruiting staff or making final decisions about candidates.

“Googling” a candidate’s name is becoming a common practice in some recruitment processes and searches have brought up everything from photos of a candidate drunk and in drag to making the local police’s most wanted list!

According to Market Research Company YouGov, the type of personal information displayed ranged from:

• Holiday pictures (19%, or 45% of 18-24yrs)
• Party photos (13%, 53%)
• Blogs (11%, 30%)
• Resumes posted on job search sites and personal profiles, eg MySpace or business network sites (19%, 43%).
  

Naturally, the online footprints you leave behind can be positive as well – your latest successful project or achievement could be posted, but be aware that while 25% of HR Managers surveyed admitted they had rejected candidates based on what they found online.

Get Professional Advice - To get the edge in the job search arena and learn all the insider strategies and trade secrets to ace every possible interview type read more at Job Interview Notes this site contains all the job interview notes you will ever need and will prepare you for any one of the 10 different types of interviews that you might get.

Tips to Write a Resume 2/3

This may seem like an unimportant thing during an interview, but this is the sole reason why you may get that interview so you should be prepared with a well written resume.

You should tailor your resume to highlight the qualifications, work experience and any education that you’ve had that best represents the type of work you are applying for. You should also include any other work experience that you’ve had, as well as any accomplishments that you have made in your field.

You may also want to dress up your resume to let it stand out a bit. A nice border is an elegant way to make your resume stand out without being a distraction to the information within it.

Of course there also quite a few things that recruiters hate to see on resumes as well. Many people do not think that recruiters really go all the way through a resume, but they really do. Recruiters have certain pet peeves when it comes to reading a resume. I’ve included a list of some of the pet peeves in part 3 of the series that you should avoid when putting your resume together.

Get all the insider tips and secrets on how to write a resume at Super Resume Secrets

Cover Letters How To Write

Below is an outline of how to write a cover letter for a resume.

(First Paragraph) Indicate the reason for writing, the specific position for which you are applying, and, if there is a position opening, the source from which you learned of the job and the date it was posted.
Note: If you are inquiring about jobs in general and no opening was advertised, indicate your interest in career opportunities in your field.

(Second Paragraph) Mention why you are interested in the position or organisation and its products or services. Relate your academic or work background to the position for which you are applying--how are you qualified for the position? Point out your practical work experience, specific achievements, and unique qualifications.

(Final Paragraph) Summarize your qualifications, training, and experience. You may also mention how an employer can obtain your references or credentials. Refer to your interest in a personal interview. You may suggest several dates or indicate your flexibility as to the time and place. Restate your interest and indicate your eagerness (don’t beg!) to meet personally to learn more about the position. Include your phone number. If the vacancy notice included the employer's phone number, indicate that you will call within seven to ten days to find out if an interview can be arranged. If you indicate you will call, follow through!

Attachments: Resume. Never forget to attach your resume!

References - Usually does not accompany the first letter but you should at least mention that you have it available if required

Letters of Recommendation - Usually does not accompany the first letter but you should at least mention that you have it available if required

Thank the employer for taking the time to read your letter and resume.

Get all the insider tips and secrets on how to write a cover letter to a resume at Winning Cover Letters

Tips to Write a Resume (Part 1/3)

The Resume is the first and sometimes only contact you will have with a potential employer. Research has shown that employers typically spend on average 15 seconds on your Resume. Therefore it is important to get the attention you deserve instantly.

A Resume of more than 3-4 pages is not only going to land in the rubbish bin, most of the time it is also regarded as rude unless you have been asked to send in a detailed Resume. Remember that employers sometimes get up to 200 applicants for a single position and trying to read a 10 page Resume for all 200 applicants isn’t preferable!

Some companies use scanners to scan your paper based Resume into a database and then look for specific words related to skills and experience. Based on the results which they find they will have a closer look at your Resume and perhaps invite you for an interview. It is therefore important to have your Resume in the right format and to include the right words in the right places so that you can at least pass the first phase and have a human look at your Resume.

Your Resume is:

• A personal marketing tool used in securing an interview
• A written summary of your education, work experience, professional skills, and interests
• A sample of your ability to express yourself in writing, clearly, concisely, and neatly.

You prepare to write your Resume by:

• Completing the Assessment and Research phases first.
• Determine your career goals and objectives.
• Determine your personality type.
• Determine your skills, strengths, values, and interests.
• Determine your experience.
• How do your goals, personality, skills, values, interests and experience match the employer's needs?

If you can answer all these you are ready to start the compilation of your Resume. It should also be quite obvious that you will have to compile a new Resume for each job which you apply for.

Get all the insider tips and secrets on how to write a resume at Super Resume Secrets