With today’s tight job market and positions for college graduates the lowest in 20 years, differentiating you from others applying for the same position will be critical. Writing an exceptional resume will differentiate you from others.

Your resume is the greatest major asset in your career management inventory and job search. Its job is to provide the evidence that you are a candidate that should be seen.

There is no one right way to write a resume. The important point is to keep it relevant and interesting and avoid key pitfalls. Read the full story

Popularity: 3%

Is it possible to compensate for a gap in employment on your resume? If you have a consistent professional history without gaps then your resume looks attractive. But there are lots of situations of personal and professional character which you simply cannot control. How to deal with that and present yourself in the best possible manner?

Use a Combination Resume

A combination resume is much more effective than a chronological one because it lists your skills and accomplishments before the experience with actual dates. When writing a resume objective or profile section use memorable and effective words to help with the key-word search and hook the reader into your resume. After that include a “Highlights of Accomplishments” section which shows your outstanding accomplishments and results and quickly communicates why you are a good fit for the position. You can write it as a list of five or six sentences in bold type to make it stand out. Read the full story

Popularity: 2%

Businesses commonly scour the internet for more information about you. You can call this a background check or simple curiosity. Be aware that your online reputation will play a part in whether you get the job or not. You need to get your name out there, with a positive presence, so employers will be impressed by your resume of skills. Here are a few ways to get started.

A good resume blog will showcase your future goals, projects you have finished, application of skills, and your embrace of technology. Your resume blog should include any information that will help an employer get a better sense of your character. Read the full story

Popularity: 1%

You found your dream job, you created an exceptional resume and you sent it to the employer.

Now the “waiting” game begins. After sending your resume you think that all you have to do now is wait for the employer to contact you.

This is a big mistake; you have to choose the right way and the right moment for the next steps. Most employers recommend you wait for a week after sending your resume. Read the full story

Popularity: 1%

As a recruiter, I’ve seen thousands of resumes. And as most job seekers already know, the overwhelming majority of them end up in the “no” pile. Think about how many jobs you apply for, and how many calls you get for interviews.

Is there something wrong with your resume? Chances are your existing resume is acceptable, although not the best that it could be. Here are some quick tips on things you should do to strengthen your presentation, and some things to avoid.

Resume Do’s – Substance

• Include a Summary Statement rather than a resume objective. This should be a short narrative of 3-5 sentences describing your key strengths and experience. Read the full story

Popularity: 2%

There are numerous things you can do to help you find your dream job. Some of these things are pure common sense, others may require you to think a little more outside the box!

Below we present 9 Tips to help you find your new job!

Network

Think of all the people you know — relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, old co-workers, and others. Now you have to start to make more of an effort to meet with people, and use these conversations to ask their advice and to make them mindful of your job search. Ask them about their job and their organizations. Try to get the names of others who might be useful in connecting the dots in your job search. Read the full story

Popularity: 7%

It’s very common today for employees to take time off between jobs.

This can happen for a number of different reasons such as raising a family, taking care of a family member who is ill, not being able to find the “ideal” job, recovering from an illness, travelling, or simply taking a break after graduating from college.

If there are gaps in your work history, for whatever reason, there are essentially two ways you can deal with them.

Firstly, you can draw the reader’s attention to them by presenting your reasons in the most positive way you can. For example, Career Break – state this and show the relevant positive experiences that you gained during your time off. Read the full story

Popularity: 65%

How to write a resume? It shoudn’t be a difficult question to answer and yet it’s a question many are left asking as they find themselves staring intently at a blank sheet of paper or an empty computer screen.

You have skills that employers want. But those skills won’t get you a job if no one knows you have them. Good resumes, applications, and cover letters broadcast your abilities.

They tell employers how your qualifications match a job’s responsibilities. If these paper preliminaries are constructed well, you have a better chance of landing interviews; and, eventually, a job.

Modern technology has added a new twist to preparing resumes and cover letters. The availability of personal computers and laser printers has raised employers’ expectations of the quality of resumes and cover letters applicants produce. Read the full story

Popularity: 100%

There are three main resume formats with each format serving it’s own purpose. These different formats are traditionally known as chronological resumes, functional resumes, and a mixture of the two, creativly titled the combination resume.

Each is defined by the way it organizes your experience. Choose the one that shows your experience to its best advantage.

Chronological Resume format

This resume type is the most common. It organizes your experience around the jobs you have held. This format is an excellent choice for people with steady work histories or previous jobs that relate closely to their career objective. To create a chronological resume, list each position you have held, starting with the most recent and working backward. For each position, give the title of your job, name of the organization you worked for, and years you worked there. Read the full story

Popularity: 78%

You will create a good impression if your resume is attractive and easy to read. An inviting style draws attention to your qualifications. If you take pity on the reviewer’s eyes, chances are better that he or she will spend more time reviewing your resume—and will remember it better.

To make your resume easier to read and copy, print it on white or lightly coloured paper. Loud, garish colours may attract attention, but they risk creating an unprofessional impression.

Also, use a laser printer and keep the font size at 10 point or above. The reviewer shouldn’t have to struggle to read your words. Read the full story

Popularity: 64%

A long resume is difficult for a reviewer to digest and retain; and, given the volume of resumes many reviewers receive, long resumes are often ignored. This is why, no matter what the length, your resume must capture the attention of the reader on the first page, preferably the first third of the first page.

Although rules about the length of your resume are more flexible than they once were, general guidelines still exist.

Most students and recent graduates use a one page resume, other workers use one or two pages, and the very experienced use two or three pages. Read the full story

Popularity: 64%

Take time to prepare the best resume you can. You might not be the most qualified candidate for every job, but your resume might be better than the competition.

The most common mistakes are simple typographical and spelling errors. Computer spelling checkers do not catch correctly spelled words used incorrectly “of” for “on,” for example, or “their” for “there.”

You want your resume to stand out, but not for the wrong reasons. Avoid mistakes by having several people proofread for you.

Before you send out a resume, review the vacancy announcement and fine-tune your resume to meet employers’ specific criteria. Sprinkle your resume with language found in the position description, paying special attention to your objective and qualifications summary if you have them. Read the full story

Popularity: 62%