How to Write a Resume

Sample Resume Cover Letter

2008-06-03T10:59:00.002+10:00

By Mario Churchill

Whenever you send a resume to a company in the hopes of attaining a job, you should always include a cover letter. Many people have more of a difficult time writing the cover letter than the actual resume. A cover letter is not difficult to write and if you would like to see a sample resume cover letter, go online and take a look at some of the letters exhibited on some of the employment websites. They are pretty much form letters.

A sample of a resume cover letter should look something like this:

Dear,

My name is xxxxx and I am a file clerk. I am enclosing my resume in response to your ad in the Chicago Sun Times for a file clerk. I have been working as a file clerk for the previous three years at the XYZ Law Firm and feel I have all of the qualifications you seek.

I can be reached during the day at xxxxx or by e-mail at xxxxxx. I would very much like an opportunity to sit down with you and discuss the opportunity offered in the Chicago Sun Times.

Thank you for your time and attention. I hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Name

This is a typical sample resume cover letter. Short and to the point. The first thing you want to do is introduce yourself and your profession. After you do this, you should mention the fact that you have enclosed your resume in response to their ad. You should be certain to mention where you read their ad, whether it was online or in the newspaper. Make sure that you also reference the job that was advertised.

You will want to tell a little bit about yourself in your resume cover letter, but you do not have to elaborate too much. Remember that you are enclosing a resume that will tell your perspective employer all about you. The cover letter is a mere formality. A polite touch to the resume. Many employers do not even read them and they often get tossed away. There is no need to write the great American Novel in your cover letter. But the letter is still necessary.

As you may have noticed in the sample resume cover letter, there is information where the person applying for the job can be reached. And telling the employer that you want to discuss the opportunity is a nice touch in a cover letter. It indicates that you want to learn more about the company. It is just as important for an employee to want to work for the company as it is for the employer to want the employee. An employee should never sound desperate in a cover letter.

Another point in the sample resume cover letter is the prerequisite thank you for your time and a hope to hear from them. This is a very simple sample resume cover letter. It is very to the point and is ideal for someone seeking a mid level job.

If you are seeking a professional level job, such as an attorney, you may want to elaborate a bit more in your over cover letter. Short and sweet is nice for most jobs, but for a professional position, you may want to talk about some of your accomplishments and how you heard about the opening. You can also talk about what you wish to accomplish in your career goals.

One thing you should never put in a cover letter is anything about salary, although more and more employers, particularly those online, are asking for salary requirements to be mentioned in the cover letter. This is usually done to weed out the people who will want too much money as the employers who ask for this information up front normally do not offer high pay. If you are interested in applying for such a position, be sure to add this information as directed.

To find a good sample resume cover letter, you can seek some of the information online at the employment websites. There are also various books on this subject. However, it is not really a difficult task to write a cover letter to accompany a resume.

Prior to writing your cover letter, check out a sample resume cover letter online and study the wording. Be certain to follow the rules as indicated above and make sure you check your spelling and grammar prior to sending the letter to the employer along with your resume.

About the Author: Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on resume distribution or a job finder service checkout his recommended websites.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=211362&ca=Career

Resume Writing Tips For Teachers

2008-05-18T22:24:00.002+10:00

4 Resume Writing Guidelines For Teaching Positions

Resume writing is no easy task. Even for a teacher who is exposed to a lot of written projects and endeavors, resume writing takes a bit of time and effort. A teacher needs to ensure that the resume and the accompanying cover letter addresses some key concerns that employers might have prior to giving the teaching position.

So whether you have recently graduated with a degree in Education, a teacher who plans to teach again after being out of the workforce for a long time, or simply someone who wants to switch careers and opt to go for a teaching profession, your resume and cover letter must be tailored to answer these 4 specific resume writing guidelines.

1. Reasons For Wanting To Be A Teacher

This is one important guideline that must be addressed in your resume writing task. As a teacher, your resume objective statement should clearly indicate your passion and drive for teaching and imparting your knowledge to others. At the same token, the resume cover letter should also try to explain your career goals and teaching methods.

Being a teacher, your resume objective might be longer than most objectives for the corporate world. However, it should clearly express your commitment and passion for the teaching profession, your commitment to the proper education of students, and your qualifications that make you the best teacher for the job. Having these in your resume writing arsenal can help you stand out from all the other applicants.

2. Teaching Qualifications

Another aspect that must be clearly addressed in resume writing is your qualifications that are required in succeeding in the teaching profession. Your skills and competencies, educational background and certifications must be listed after your resume objective statement. The section can be aptly titled as Academic Credentials. Effective resume writing involves having the proper credentials for the job. So you need to list the educational degrees that you achieved, certifications and trainings that will validate your qualification as a teacher.

Don't limit yourself to your school credentials when resume writing. Point out specific courses or trainings you undertook that make you competent and qualified to tackle a certain subject. If some of your literary works have been published in journals or if you have written textbooks that have been published and used, include these when resume writing. You may want to have a distinct section that will cater to these. Think of all accomplishments you've made that are relevant for the teaching profession and include these. Effective resume writing is effective selling of yourself - your skills and competencies. Don't be too modest. But don't blatantly lie either. Good resume writing practices call for a sense of truth and honesty.

3. Professional Teaching Experiences

The core of your resume writing task is listing your professional experiences that shaped who you are now and why you are qualified to be a teacher. As a teacher, you not only have to focus on the list of teaching jobs that you experienced but also on some notable professional achievements that you have that can make you the best applicant for the teaching job being offered.

If you already had professional experience as a teacher, then you may list your teaching jobs in chronological order starting with the most recent teaching job first then followed by the one before that. This resume writing method is what a chronological resume layout is about and it can effectively showcase your teaching experiences.

For someone who just recently graduated from college and has no professional teaching experience, don't let this hinder you in resume writing. The same goes for someone who plans to shift careers and pursue a teaching profession. In these cases, resume writing involves digging deeper into your experiences. You may have done some community involvements or volunteering works that showcase your teaching abilities. Involvements with organizations that help in mentoring children could be a good experience to include when resume writing. You may have some skills that you learned from your previous career that are suitable for the teaching profession. If you have been involved in training new employees, this is a very good experience to include. Effective resume writing involves taking into account all your past experiences that are relevant to the role you are applying even though not directly.

Having no professional teaching experience should not stop you from creative resume writing. It will be best to use a functional resume layout, which we discussed in previous posts, so you can focus more on some skills and competencies you learned from other noteworthy experiences that make you qualified to become a teacher. Resume writing for a teaching position will involve some creativity and analysis on your part.

4. Career Goals and Long Term Aspirations

As in the corporate environment, school directors will also be interested not only in your teaching abilities but also your long-term career goals and aspirations. This should also be addressed when resume writing. Mention your long-term aspirations in your career summary or you may mention it in the resume cover letter. Whether you want to earn a Master's degree, want to teach more than one subject, want to become the school principal or dean, show the employer that you have the drive to move your career forward. Be sure, however, that you know and understand how to achieve all these, as it will definitely come out in the interviews. This is one resume writing tip that can set you apart from the rest as it shows that you have the drive and motivation to succeed.

These are some resume writing guidelines that you need to consider when writing a teacher resume. You must also note, however, that your resume writing effort will all be a waste if you don't check it for errors and grammar mistakes. As a teacher involved in teaching the younger generation, people will be expecting more from you and this should be reflected in your resume writing style. Scrutinize your resume for typographical errors, misspellings and incorrect grammar. You may use a word processing software to make your resume writing easier as you can set the software to check for common mistakes. You can also ask the help and opinion of your friends, family and colleagues when resume writing. Let them check if your resume is free from errors and whether it is professionally presented. They may spot other things that you overlook. Resume writing will become easier if you ask the help of others. Effective resume writing should not be a one-man task.

Lastly, try to include some teaching keywords that are specific to the profession when resume writing. Teaching jargon and acronyms can impress upon the employer that you know the teaching field. Besides, the person reading your resume will most likely know what you are talking about so there is no need to worry about being technical when resume writing. Once you are able to demonstrate your passion for teaching and your commitment to education in your resume writing style, you are assured that most schools will take interest.

Hobbies and Interests - Should These Be In Your Resume?

2008-05-14T20:56:00.000+10:00

When to Include Hobbies and Interests in a Resume

One of the common mistakes that most job applicants make when crafting a resume is putting in information that is not related to the work they are applying for. These are the type of information that does not in any way help in the performance of the job. These kinds of details should not be included in the resume. It takes away valuable resume writing space that can otherwise be used for information that could increase your chances of being hired.

A resume that is quite long and filled with irrelevant information is a bore to read. Do you think employers will hire you for the job when your resume does not address the key requirements of the role? Always, a resume should be tailored to answer what the employer seeks.

Trivial information like your age, culture and ethnic background, religious and political inclinations or your marital status are not key requirements in satisfactorily performing a job. Do not include these in your resume. Besides, you don't want to be the subject of discrimination by providing these details in your resume.

Other times, some job applicants try to include a picture of themselves when making their resume. This is absolutely unnecessary. Unless, you look extremely attractive in your photo, this can often ruin your chances of getting the interview. But even if you are, your picture in your resume is out of place. Do not sell yourself and be judged by how well you look but rather by your skills and specific competencies that make you better than the rest. Pictures of yourself are not suited for a job resume. While in some cases it may be required, as in the modelling and acting professions, for the corporate environment, resume photos are completely out of place.

So, what about your specific hobbies and interests? Should your hobbies and interests be made part of and included in your resume? Or are hobbies and interests better left out of the resume?

Professional advices regarding the inclusion of hobbies and interests in a resume are often contradictory. There are those who advice that it is better if you put your hobbies and interests in your resume while others are against it. If you research some resume templates and resume samples on the world wide web, you will often find some resume samples with a section for hobbies and interests while some resume samples will not give hobbies and interests much thought. Which should you follow? What is the best course of action to take when deciding to include hobbies and interests in your resume? Or should you include hobbies and interests in your resume at all?

Before you decide to put hobbies and interests in your resume, give it a thorough examination. Do these hobbies and interests support your resume objective or career objective? Are these hobbies and interests related to the role that you are applying for? Are the skills you learned from your hobbies and interest helpful in performing the requirements of the job?

The best criteria in deciding whether to include hobbies and interests in your resume is when it supports your resume objective or career objective and when it provides additional relevant information for the employer to decide your suitability to the job being offered. All the information presented in your resume should answer the employer's question on why he should pick you from all the other job applicants. Your resume should present information that makes you the best candidate for the role. When writing a resume, you are limited with the number of pages to sell your skills and competencies. Do not waste this limited space. Provide relevant and significant information. If your hobbies and interests are relevant, then include it in your resume. If not, leave your hobbies and interests aside.

Say for example that you are applying for an entry-level position as an electronics technician in a big manufacturing firm. One of your many hobbies and interests is playing tennis. Do you think that by including this in your resume, it will help you in landing the job? Of course not. This is as unrelated as you can get.

But what if one of your hobbies and interests is being an electronics hobbyist where you like to assemble and test electronic circuits or do some electronic repairs in your spare time. With this as one of your hobbies and interests, you have learned a lot about the ins and outs of electronic circuits and components in general. Also, having this as one of your hobbies and interests, your manual soldering ability and skill has improved. Do you think that by mentioning this in your resume, it will increase your likelihood of being called for the interview and getting the job. It definitely will. It is always worthwhile to include hobbies and interests where the skills learned can help you in satisfactorily performing the job tasks.

Listing hobbies and interests is best done by putting it as a functional section of your written resume. This is especially appropriate for a resume of the functional resume layout where you focus more on skills and competencies rather than a chronological listing of your employment. If we take the example above where you are looking for an entry-level role as an electronics technician, then you might include a functional section displaying your soldering skills and ability. The section can be aptly headed as "Soldering Ability". You can then proceed to mention that you are good at soldering because one of your hobbies and interests involves a lot of soldering and taking out electronic components and you have mastered this skill through constant exposure.

You may not know it but some of your hobbies and interests can definitely help in your quest for a good role if listed properly and in context. You may have a passion for writing as one of your many hobbies and interests. If you are applying for a role that requires making a lot of written reports, then it may good to mention this passion in your written resume. It will help the employer see that you are probably good and quick at generating reports since you have a good command of the language perfected though constant exposure from one of your hobbies and interests.

As a concluding statement, your hobbies and interests do have a certain place in a resume. If done right and in the proper context, your hobbies and interests can actually boost your chances of landing the role if included in the resume. Just make sure that the hobbies and interests that you list in your resume are pertinent to the role you are applying for.

Great Tips on How to Write a Good Resume

2008-05-07T19:13:00.001+10:00

Points to Consider in Learning How to Write a Resume

A critical factor in knowing how to write a resume that can guarantee job success is knowing what items to include and not include in writing a resume. Most advices on how to write a resume generally focus more on the proper resume format or resume layout and how to present skills, competencies, educational background and work experiences. However, learning how to write a resume that can successfully help you in landing a job entails more than that.

Knowing how to write a good resume does not always ensure that you will get the job that you are looking for. There are still job interviews, medical examinations and additional tests that you may be subjected to. Learning how to write a resume that is perfect, however, will guarantee that you get more interviews. This increases your chances of getting hired. The purpose of knowing how to write a good resume is to get interviews and get one step closer to landing the role. If you never reach the point where you will be called for interviews, then your resume writing efforts would have been all a waste.

At this present day and age, most hiring managers and employment recruiters seem to have a preference for resumes that uses a widely accepted format and which highlights key competencies and experiences that are relevant to the role being offered. If you believe that your experiences and skill set can help you manage different types of roles, then it is absolutely important that you know how to write a resume tailored for every type of role. Avoid submitting a single resume that caters to different roles. Customize it and learn how to write a resume that addresses the key requirements and qualifications of the job.

Below are some great tips on how to write a good resume that you must endeavor to apply when crafting your next resume. This will ensure that your resume writing efforts will result to something desirable by getting more job interviews thereby vastly increasing your chances of getting hired. The lesser time you spend in looking for a job, the more money and time you will save in the long run. And it is something that is highly achievable if you know how to write a resume that can attract the interest of the employer.

10 Valuable Tips on How to Write a Good Resume

1. Ensure that your resume and the included resume cover letter are free of any typos, misspellings and grammatical errors. There is no other sure-fire way of having a resume declined than submitting a resume that is full of misspelled words (especially misspelled company name and addressee) and grammar and sentence structure that is fit for 8-year olds. It is very important that you know how to write a resume that is error-free. Do this by scrutinizing and proofreading your resume. Use the spell checker available in word processors. Have family, friends and colleagues read your resume to look for errors. Learning how to write a good resume does not necessarily have to be a one-man affair.

2. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and straight to the point. Avoid flowery words and beating around the bush. An ideal paragraph length should be about five lines. This breaks down information and makes it easier for the recruiter and employer to scan and assess you resume details. Stick to information that is relevant to the role. This is how to write a resume that gets noticed.

3. As much as possible, include key achievements and contributions for every job position that you held in the past years. This effectively tells employers that you are committed to the role and work hard on improving the current situation. Continuous improvement initiatives are a good indicator of an excellent employee. Know how to write a resume that gives emphasis on achievements.

4. Avoid a "one size fits all" type of resume. If you plan on applying to different types of roles, then tailor your resume to fit that role. Not every position has the same requirements so your resume must be able to address these specific requirements. That way you will be a good fit to the position being offered. It is important to know how to write a resume catered to a specific role and not too general.

5. Always include a cover letter to accompany your resume. The cover letter will explain things that are generally not covered by a resume. It is also extremely important that you know how to write a resume cover letter that can encourage a prospective employer to learn more about what you can offer to the company. This has been discussed in a previous post about how to write a good resume cover letter.

6. Never include reasons for leaving a previous job. This is much better explained during the interview if asked. Most employers will ask though so you have to be prepared and put it in a more positive light. Avoid bringing negative things about your previous employer. It will just hurt your chances of being hired. These reasons, however, have no place in a resume since you won't have a chance to explain your side. Often, a reader will find some sort of negativity even for the best laid out reasons for leaving a job. Knowing how to write a resume also entails knowing what not to include.

7. List resume references appropriately. If you have already been in contact with the employer and they asked you to submit a resume for further evaluation then it is but proper to list the names and contact information of work references to speed up the processing of your application. If not, it is ok to include the statement "References available upon request". This is one good way on how to write a resume reference that tells employers that you can provide names and contact details of persons who can vouch for your skills and experiences.

8. Salary details have no place in a resume. It must be left for discussion during the interview process. This is one item that you must not include to learn how to write a resume effectively. Employers will be more interested in the competencies and skills that you have that can help the company out rather than what you are being paid out for it. It is best to do your research though and know the appropriate salary based on your qualifications and experiences so that you can effectively bring this out in the interview if asked. If they do require including it in your application, put it in your resume cover letter.

9. It is not necessary to provide the exact dates of your employment. Providing the month and year is sufficient enough. This is one item that you need to keep an eye for in learning how to write a resume as most resume applications received still provide exact dates. This is not entirely bad but employment gaps won't be very noticeable if you stick to month and year information only.

10. Lastly, but definitely not least, is being honest. Know how to write a resume that is factual and can be verified by your references. Never lie. It will soon be found out and when that happens, it will be a very awkward situation to be in. Learn how to write a resume that presents your skills and competencies without over-exaggerating and blatantly lying.

The above items are what you need to look out for to know how to write a resume that will guarantee the results you desire and eventually land you that sought-after role. Most importantly, make sure that your resume are free of any typographical errors as it is the most common mistake found in many job applications. Mastering these is a sure indicator that you know how to write a good resume.

Resume Writers - Should You Use Their Services?

2008-05-02T19:03:00.002+10:00

Are Resume Writers Worth It?

If you are new to the world of resume writing, it makes it even harder to craft a document that could attract an employer's interest and result in that much sought after job interview. Often, you are left wondering whether it would have been better if you use the services of resume writers to increase your chances of being hired. But are the services of resume writers worth all the money you spend on them? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the services of resume writers in helping you out with your job application?

Resume writers are professionals who dedicate themselves in formulating and crafting your job application documents to appeal to an employer's interest and help you in getting more interviews, thereby increasing your chances of getting a job. Resume writers cater to all types of professionals at all levels and all type of industries. So whether you are an engineer, architect, nurse, teacher, dentist, manager, clerk, production worker or a fresh graduate out of college, resume writers can cater to your needs.

Professional resume writers are skilled on what formats and layouts are best suited for your current circumstances. They are experts in creating winning career objective statements and customizing your application to suit your field and industry. Resume writers are also familiar with scanning software that most employers and recruitment agencies use to scan your job application. As such, resume writers are in a good position to help you with your job-searching venture.

When Should You Use the Services of Resume Writers?

1. Use resume writers if you have no experience in crafting a job application document and you have no one to turn to for help and advice.

2. If you are wondering what is the best format and layout to use and don't know how to send job applications online, then use the expertise of resume writers.

3. If you are not very good with the English language and have concerns whether you are using the correct spelling and grammar, then it is much better to have your application written by professional resume writers.

Resume writers help you by understanding first your career objectives and aspirations. So, it is important that you clearly express your objectives and goals to them. These resume writers can then assist you in crafting a well-written career objective statement that can blow away your competition and gain the interest of prospective employers.

If you have existing curriculum vitae, even if it is not current, then you should give this to resume writers as their starting point. Resume writers can help you with formulating your career objectives and in properly listing your skills, competencies, employment history and educational background. In addition, resume writers can help address issues with having big gaps in your professional experience.

What Are Disadvantages of Using Resume Writers?

When you come to think of it, there are actually no cons in using the services of resume writers. Aside from the fact that you will be spending some amount of money in hiring resume writers, their expertise in their field will obviously have its rewards. By using the services of resume writers, you are taking a clear and measured step in landing a job. True, you will be spending some hard-earned money to have resume writers craft your application but by shortening the time of your job searching, you will have saved more from using resume writers. If it generally takes you 3 months to land a job on your own and it takes you a month when you ask for help from resume writers, think of all the money you have earned from those 2 months difference. It would surely negate your expenses from resume writers and much more. In the long run you are saving more. Time is money and you are usually being paid per hour. Landing a job earlier by using the professional expertise of resume writers will save you time and therefore money.

While there are obviously no big disadvantages of using the services of resume writers, there are some key points that you must keep in mind when hiring resume writers. You don't just want to jump in and get the first resume writers you can grab on. You need to be able to work and communicate with them. There are hundreds of resume writers offering their services. In fact if you do a search of resume writers in the internet, you will be presented with a lot of resume writers offering their services and expertise in your area. You need to sort out which resume writers you can trust and can positively help you in your job seeking.

How To Look For Good Resume Writers

While most people would tell you to go to resume writers who have accreditation and certification, it should not be your only basis in choosing resume writers to work on your job application documents. You need to be able to make sure that you are able to communicate with resume writers and that they can immediately address any issues that you might have. Professional and accredited resume writers are no good if you cannot relate and communicate to them. After all, it is your application and good resume writers must listen and also accept your feedback while giving some good advice.

Good resume writers should have a portfolio or samples of their written work. Professional resume writers should be able to show you some of the work they have done on previous clients as well as having references and honest testimonials about their services. When getting the services of resume writers, you must be made aware of, or at least, they can provide you with their professional background. Excellent resume writers should be able to provide you of their writing and editing procedures, time frame of delivery, detailed and honest explanation of service fees, as well as being able to provide you with other writing services they offer.

After you receive a draft of your application documents that resume writers have crafted, and you are not entirely satisfied with the way it turned out then you need to have them revise it before accepting the final document. This is where a good relationship and communication with resume writers are useful. Good resume writers will accept your feedback and suit your application to your needs if you ask them nicely and properly. Besides, these resume writers want to gain your confidence so that you can provide positive testimonials and can refer them to your friends or family if ever they need the services of resume writers. Open and honest communication will go a long way. And this should be a key concern in choosing resume writers.

The cost of services by resume writers will vary depending on the resume writers expertise and professional background and experiences. It is wise that you should understand all the costs and fees involved so you do not get a shock when you receive the billing from resume writers. Generally, the fees involved with using the services of resume writers are quite reasonable. It is much better, however, that you scout for other resume writers before you settle on one so that you have a very good idea on a reasonable and fair price range.

A good service that caters to all professionals is http://www.professional-resumes.com. They have a lot of added bonuses with their price range. They offer unlimited editing until you are completely satisfied with the result with no additional service charge. That is an example of good service and customer relations. Another service that caters mostly to professionals at the executive level is http://www.creativekeystrokes.com. So if you are a manager and executive looking to boost your career, then by all means, use the services that they have to offer. It will be well worth it.

The most important thing is that you should be comfortable with the resume writers that you have chosen and with the terms that you agree upon in using the resume writers' services. Having a good relationship with resume writers will result in an application document that can bring you more interviews and eventually land you that dream role. And next time you plan on bigger and better job opportunities, you will not hesitate on using the services of resume writers.

Functional Resume Layout - An Ideal Entry Level Resume

2008-04-29T20:41:00.002+10:00

Why A Functional Resume Layout Is Suited For A Fresh Graduate

Perhaps one of the biggest achievements you can accomplish and be proud of is graduating from university or college. As a fresh graduate, you take pride in knowing that all your efforts in studying and enduring sleepless nights to finish off a project have eventually paid off. You are ready and prepared to face the corporate world and enter another chapter of your life as a working employee. You start looking for a job but suddenly become stumped. How are you going to get a job when most of the job openings require a certain degree of experience? And you have none.

As a fresh college graduate - a new engineer, teacher, nurse, accountant, information technologist, dentist, architect, etc. - you are best suited for entry-level jobs. At this stage, prospective employers generally expect that you have a college degree and that your major is relevant and in line with the type of job position you are seeking. They would expect you to have some general work experience acquired through part-time or summer jobs, volunteering works and the like. Prospective employers also generally like to know that you have character and work references, be it your teachers, professors and supervisors. Your references will help them in assessing your professional attitudes, work ethics and the skills that you have to offer.

So what is the best method to highlight all these accomplishments? This is where a functional resume layout is very well suited.

A functional resume layout is ideal for someone who is just fresh out of college. A functional resume layout puts more focus on your skills and qualifications rather than your professional work history, which as a recent college graduate, you have none. A functional resume layout highlights the competencies and skills you have rather than when you were employed and where you used and acquired these skills. So instead of seeing a list of employment records with job titles and duties, a functional resume layout will display sections with skills and competencies as headings. This could include skills in customer relations, customer service, people management, project management and so on.

In short, a functional resume layout is highly recommended for people just trying to enter into the workforce. In fact, a functional resume layout is the most common resume layout used by college students and graduates who want to apply for internship and want to land their first work experience after college.

How to Make a Functional Resume Layout

1. The first thing that you need to formulate when starting with a functional resume layout is your resume objective statement or career objective. Make sure that your career objective is personal and suited to the type of role that you are seeking. In fact, it is best to customize your career objective statement to fit in with the role that you are a currently seeking for a particular company. A functional resume layout for fresh graduates and first timers becomes more effective if your career objective statement clearly indicates how your education and skills can be utilized in the satisfactory performance of the role and how the position can help you develop more skills and experience.

2. Your educational background should come next in a functional resume layout. Write down the name of the university or college that you attended, its location, when you graduated and the major that you have undertaken. If you received honors and achievement awards, it is advisable to include them as this shows that you excel in what you do and would likely carry it on to your job performance. Trainings and seminars attended can also be included in a functional resume layout. This is especially applicable if the trainings and seminars that you have undertaken are relevant to the position that you are seeking.

3. The next step in structuring a functional resume layout is to write down your professional skills and competencies. This is what differentiates a functional resume layout from a chronological resume layout. So instead of listing down work experiences, make subheadings using your key skills and competencies that you want to highlight and are applicable to the role. Focus on skills that are relevant to the position. You can usually find this out in the job advertisement, as most employers tend to list skill requirements for a role.

So if you are good at customer relations and you are applying for a role that requires this competency, then use a functional resume layout to highlight this skill. Make a subheading "Customer Relations". Then proceed to enumerate tasks and duties you performed that support and validate this skill. Think of part-time and summer jobs you performed, community involvements, volunteer works, school clubs and activities you participated in. There are certainly a lot of skills you will have learned from them that you can apply to the role you want. Use these in a functional resume layout to get your job application noticed. For example, if you have editing skills learned from being the school editor of the school's publication then you can point this out especially if you are applying for a position in the publishing industry. A functional resume layout is very effective if done properly.

4. The last section of a functional resume layout is dedicated to listing your references. As a fresh graduate, it is advisable to include resume references with your job application especially if you have already been in contact with the prospective employer and they asked you to hand in a job application. This facilitates in the immediate processing of your job application rather than the employer having to contact you again to ask for references. A functional resume layout must include a section for references.

Now that we have discussed the basic structure of a functional resume layout and how to make one, the next thing that needs to be done is act on the information you just learned. If it still sounds vague and you need some functional resume layout samples that can guide you in making your own, then you can always search for it in the internet using the popular search engines like google and yahoo. We're pretty sure that you will be presented with a lot of useful samples of a functional resume layout that you can start out with.

How to Write References For A Resume

2008-04-27T17:35:00.002+10:00

Probably, one of the most abused statement in resume writing is the phrase "References will be provided upon request". Is this the best way on how to write references for a resume? Or is it absolutely important to include the names and contact details of work references in a resume?

If you ask the opinions and views of career experts and advisers, you will be surprised that a lot of them will be divided on the issue of how to write references for a resume. Some advisers believe that such a phrase on how to write references for a resume is enough considering that it is basically telling employers that you can immediately provide work references if asked. These advisers believe that recruiters and prospective employers will contact the references on the resume only if they feel that a certain applicant is the person they want to give the job to. And if they do decide to consider giving you the job, they will most certainly ask for your work references to verify your professional credentials.

Some career advisers, on the other hand, certainly do not agree on this method of how to write references for a resume. These advisers believe that using such a phrase on the section for resume references is inappropriate, as you are not giving prospective employers and recruiters all the required details to continue processing your job application. These experts ascertain that resume references must be provided for every job application you submit. And they do not agree that using such a phrase is not the best way on how to write references for a resume. For them, providing immediate references on your resume will give employers all the needed details to further go on with assessing your credentials and how you fit in to the role.

Having two separate sides of the issue on how to write references for a resume, which of the two methods should you follow and implement on your written resume. Exactly, which is the best method on how to write references for a resume that will give you a better chance of landing that engineering position, teaching position, nursing position, accounting position, restaurant position or a managerial position you have been longing for? Not everyone has the same professional level and expertise. Some are engineers, some are architects, executives, production workers, nurses, teachers, clerks, accountants, cooks, IT professionals, office workers, administrative assistants, internet experts, editors, proofreaders, draftspersons, salesperson, and so much more. With different professional levels and expertise, do you have different methods on how to write references for a resume?

With all the debate going around on how to write references for a resume, there is only one important point that you have to keep in mind - you must have a section for references in your resume just like you need to have your resume objective statement.

Deciding how to write references for a resume, however, largely depends on the current situation that you are in. But it will be for your own good to let the references listed on your resume know that you are providing their contact details to prospective employers. It is also wise and prudent to let them know what position and kind of job you are applying for. At least, your resume references will not be caught completely by surprise when called by a certain employer and they will not be able to know what to talk about. It is also considered good manners to inform them beforehand because it is their contact details that you are providing recruiters and employers alike. This is one good advice on how to write references for a resume that you must not ignore.

When using resume banks and job search websites, what do you think is the best way on how to write references for a resume you intend to submit? These job sites and resume banks store data and information that is easily accessible and available to a lot of prospective employers with some you might not even be too interested in.

These resume information storage is not exactly the appropriate medium to provide the contact details of your work references. There might be employers you are not interested in working with that will get in contact with your provided resume references. You do not want that to happen, as it is only a bother to your resume references when you yourself have no plan of getting that particular role. The best method on how to write references for a resume when using these job search sites and resume banks would then be to use the generic phrase "References will be provided upon request".

As mentioned on the paragraphs above, it is not good to let your resume references to be caught unaware and completely off their guard. Listing their full names and contact information on such sites may increase the likelihood of numerous employers getting in touch with them even though you have not been in contact with that employer. The appropriate way on how to write references for a resume when in this situation would then be to stick to the most abused phrase in resume writing. Well, it works well in this situation. So stick to this safe and proven method on how to write references for a resume.

For situations and circumstances where you had previous contact with the employer via the phone or email and they require you to send in your resume for evaluation and to assess your skills and competencies, then the above method is not the most appropriate way on how to write references for a resume.

When you have been in prior contact with a prospective employer, it is always best to list your work references in the submitted resume - their complete names, designation and contact details. This is the best course of action on how to write references for a resume as you will be providing the employer with all the required details to continue with assessing your skills and this will obviously speed up the process. It will be a complete waste of time for them to get in touch with you again to ask for a list of resume references that can vouch for your character, competencies and work experiences. But never forget to tell the references you listed in your resume that you are giving their contact information and that they might receive a call regarding a job that you are applying for.

When recruiters and employers have reviewed a resume where you stated that references are available upon request and they are interested in doing an interview, bring a list of your work references in the interview. Better still, generate another copy of your resume where you have included the full names, designation and contact details of resume references. After the interview, if employers are genuinely interested in giving you the role, they often ask you to provide the names and contact information of work references to confirm your employment history and experiences. Being prepared will give them a good impression about you. Besides, it is always good practice to bring a copy of your application papers to an interview as some employers might misplace their copy or not have enough of it when more than two people are doing the interview.

In conclusion, the common phrase in resume writing is not exactly a bad statement on how to write references for a resume. It all depends on the method of submission and where you are currently at in your job-seeking venture. But is good to know the best methods on how to write references for a resume to keep you ahead of the competition.

These tips and advices are provided to you by How To Write A Resume in order to help you succeed in your job search.

Resume Cover Letter - How to Do It Right

2008-04-24T20:16:00.001+10:00

A lot of job applicants assume that they do not have to submit a resume cover letter when applying for a job. They believe that all of the information needed to assess whether they are suitable to a particular position is already in the resume. As such, they think that making a resume cover letter is a complete waste of time and that the resume cover letter only adds more to the heaps of documents that the employers have to read.

This, however, is completely untrue. Recruitment consultants, recruitment agencies, and human resources personnel normally rely on the resume cover letter to gain an insight on the job applicant and how well suited he is for the role. There are a lot of other useful and pertinent information that could help you in landing a role that can only be included and explained in the resume cover letter.

So whether you are applying for an engineering position, a teaching position, a role in a restaurant or hotel, a position in a manufacturing or production environment, or a managerial or executive position, it is always advisable to have a resume cover letter. Whatever professional level you have - engineer, accountant, teacher, manager, clerk, fresh college graduate or production worker - a resume cover letter will help you more in landing the position that you want.

If you plan to submit your job application by either fax or by mail, the resume cover letter must be the front page. The resume cover letter lets the employer know about your areas of expertise beforehand and gives them an idea of how well suited you are to the role they are currently offering. The resume cover letter also gives them some pertinent information that can help them decide whether they have to continue with reading on with the rest of your curriculum vitae.

When sending a job application by email, and the employer requires that you send your documents as part of the email, then you need to include the resume cover letter first in the body of the email. Otherwise, you can send the resume cover letter as an attachment to your email. Employers normally print out the application papers so it is best to send the resume cover letter as an attachment when they do not require you to submit your application papers as part of the email body.

No matter how you choose to send your job application papers, you must make sure that the resume cover letter does what it is intended to do and not ruin your chances of getting hired or having your application dumped outright. Your resume cover letter must present the necessary information in such a way that it will urge the employer to know more about you by reading further the rest of your job application papers. Following these important guidelines will make sure that your resume cover letter exactly does that.

Successful Resume Cover Letter Guidelines

1. The resume cover letter must always be addressed to the correct and appropriate personnel. The resume cover letter must include the addressee's complete name, job position and the department that he is in. This is not a very difficult information to find. This detail is often included in the job advertisement that you find in job search websites, online classified ads or newspaper classified ads. If it is not included, then do some research yourself. You can always give the employer a call to ask for further information. If you live nearby you can also drive to the company site and ask the guard on duty who the appropriate contact person should be in addressing your resume cover letter. The most commonly used greeting "To whom it may concern" is very unprofessional and should not be used as a greeting in your resume cover letter. It shows that you have not done your research and probably tells employers that you are not genuinely interested in the role.

2. When writing a resume cover letter, be relevant to the position that you are trying to acquire. Making a general resume cover letter that is applicable to all types of positions by stating that you are keen to accept any role that comes by does not put you in a very positive light. It shows that you have no clear directions in terms of your career goals. Specifically state the type of role that you want in the resume cover letter and why you think that you are best suited for the satisfactory performance of the role. Your resume cover letter must focus on key professional experiences and skills that are required of the position.

3. As a general guide, the resume cover letter must state why you are interested in getting the position and what you can bring in terms of skills, competencies, attitude and professional experiences needed for the satisfactory performance of the role and can help the company achieve its own goals. Employers and recruitment agencies want to know that your interest is genuine so you have to be able to express this in your resume cover letter. They need someone who will be there for the long haul and not immediately resign when some obstacles or problems are in the way. It is in their best interest to make sure that all the time and money spent on your training and hiring process are not gone to waste. They also want someone who will become a valuable asset to the company and help them attain their targets. Address these concerns in the resume cover letter.

4. Ensure that your resume cover letter does not have any misspellings, grammatical errors, incoherent sentence structures and other resume cover letter blunders. These are good reasons for having your application rejected outright. Good communication skills are often a requirement in most positions and when the sentences in your resume cover letter do not make any sense, you are exactly not projecting good communication skills. Having a lot of mistakes in your resume cover letter also indicates that you do not give too much attention to detail, which is another requirement of most job positions. To help you out, you can ask family or friends to review your resume cover letter to ensure that is free of such mistakes before you hand it to the employer. Two heads are always better than one.

5. It is better to close the resume cover letter by stating that you intend to follow up on the job application and how you plan to do so. This tells employers that you have a take-charge attitude, which is another important trait if you want to perform well in the corporate world. However, stick to what you said in your resume cover letter and actually follow up on your job application as you planned to do.

These are some of the guidelines in crafting a successful resume cover letter that could really help you in getting that engineering position, teaching position or managerial position you want. Go on and work on making a winning resume cover letter.

Resume Tips To Control Length

2008-04-22T19:52:00.003+10:00

Good Resume Tips to Have the Appropriate Number of Pages

A common misconception among many job seekers and one of the common resume tips being circulated around is that they should try and fit all of their relevant employment details and competencies in one sheet of paper. Pretty tough, considering that many have more than five years of relevant work experience. They believe that an employer's time and attention is only limited to a single page and that increasing resume length can diminish their chances of being noticed. Many will try and follow these resume tips and squeeze every amount of information in a short sentence and make use of smaller font types in order to have a resume consisting of only one page.

There are those too who make a job application document like they are sending an essay with a resume consisting of no less than three pages or more. These job seekers put in all work related information they can think of and some unrelated ones like hobbies and interests which have no weight on the position they are applying for. They have probably learned of these resume tips somewhere and are thinking that the longer they make their application papers, the better it is. Well, it is not. And employers and job recruiters alike would probably get bored reading it especially if most of the information contained in it is purely rubbish and does not relate to the role.

One of the good resume tips is to make sure that your application is well worded while keeping it concise and straight to the point. Most of the time, it will not be very easy to fit all your credentials in one page. If you have a long employment history, cramming it all up in one page is not a very good idea. One of the well-known resume tips is to keep the length of your resume to two pages the most. This is one of the resume tips that is well founded because it is generally what most employers prefer. However, do not limit yourself to these resume tips and keep it to two pages if you have enough reason to make it so. This is especially true if you are already in a managerial or executive level position and you have countless experience and competencies learned along the way.

So what are good resume tips to maintain the appropriate number of pages?

1. As mentioned above, one of the good resume tips to follow is to properly word your sentences. Keep it short while making sure it conveys the correct message across and goes straight to the point. Avoid flowery words. You can use that creativity somewhere else.

2. Another of the resume tips that will do your application justice is to stick to relevant and pertinent information. Avoid putting in details that are not important in assessing your suitability to a particular position. These include hobbies and interests that do not help in the satisfactory performance of a job. Some resume tips you have read might encourage you to put a section for hobbies and interests. But it is important to note that employers are more interested if you can perform your tasks satisfactorily and your hobbies and interest normally does not address that but only keeps your resume longer.

3. Longer is not generally better. If you are new to the job market or are changing careers and do not have enough experience to fill in two pages, then keep it at one page. Provide only information that could help you land the role. Do not stuff your resume with irrelevant details just to make it to two pages in length. One of the good resume tips is to keep it short but relevant.

4. One of the resume tips commonly mentioned is to list a maximum of five previous positions that you have held in the course of your employment. These resume tips are advised because most employers would generally prefer someone with the most recent experience in the job position being offered. If you are an employer, it would make perfect sense to use these resume tips on listing employment history. One who has just recently been exposed to the tasks required of a role would be more likely to perform better than someone who had experience with it five years ago. For all we know, he might have forgotten some of the small details in performing the task.

5. You need to properly format your submitted resume. This is one of the good resume tips that you should not ignore. Employers are people and people are normally visual beings. We often prefer something that is pleasing to the eyes. One of the good resume tips to control the length of your resume is to use the appropriate text size and fonts. Not too small to warrant the use of a magnifying glass and not too big either like it is shouting to the employer. Another of the good resume tips is to make good use of proper margins. Leave enough white space on the top, bottom, right and left side of the page. These resume tips will ensure that your submitted job application is easier to read, not too crowded and looks presentable.

6. If you cannot help but make a resume that is beyond the normal two pages in length, make sure that is well warranted for. Resume tips on ideal length are meant to increase your chances of being hired. If you do stray from these common resume tips and make your application longer, it must be justifiable. As mentioned in the third paragraph, not going with these resume tips on a two-page length is justified for professionals who are holding managerial and executive level positions. They generally have extensive professional work experiences and have years of employment history to speak of. Fitting all that in two pages is hard enough without omitting some key competencies. However, one of the resume tips to keep in mind is to list only relevant information with the most important ones probably in the first page where it is easily noticed.

These are some of the good resume tips to ensure that your job application papers are not too lengthy and discourage employers from reading it. Follow these resume tips on appropriate length and number of pages. Increase your chances of landing the job with these resume tips.

How to Write a Resume If You Have No Experience

2008-04-16T20:55:00.002+10:00

How to Write a Resume If You are a Fresh Graduate or are Changing Careers

A resume basically summarizes a person's professional experiences, educational attainments, skills and qualifications that are suited for a particular role. Employers rely heavily on a resume in assessing a person's suitability to a certain position and uses a resume in deciding whether to invest some time interviewing a particular applicant to know more about his qualifications and what he can impart to the role and the company. As such, it is very important that you need to learn how to write a resume that can attract the interest of the employer and motivate him to call for an interview.

Knowing how to write a resume effectively, however, is not a skill that is easily perfected and needs some dedication and time. Knowing how to write a resume that can lead to a job offer becomes even more daunting when you are fresh out of school or have recently decided to change careers. Often, you won't have the necessary professional experience to sell to employers as you are new to the job market or your acquired skills are different from that of your new chosen career.

But don't get discouraged. There is a technique on how to write a resume that can guarantee results even if you have little or no professional experience.

Graduating from university is no easy task. You have to cope with a lot of school projects, thesis, examinations and a lot of other stuff that students are bombarded with. Then when you go out looking for your first job, it does not become any easier. You still need to learn how to write a resume when you obviously don't have any employment experience to start out with.

Rather than wondering what on earth to put as work experience, focus on the skills and competencies that you acquired and the education that you attained. This is how to write a resume if you are a fresh graduate. Work out an impressive resume objective that embodies your competencies and how you can align it with the performance of your chosen role.

Once you are through deliberating on a how to write a resume objective that focuses on your career aspirations and what you can offer to a particular role, follow it up by listing down your educational background. Don't be too modest. If you received certain awards for excellency and other notable honors then mention it. This is how to write a resume that sells. If you attended some workshops or seminars that are highly related to the role that you are applying, then by all means, don't forget to mention it too. Knowing how to write a resume is knowing how to sell. Put your best foot forward.

When it comes to listing work experiences, use the functional resume layout. So rather than writing specific positions held, you use competencies and skills as headings. You may have performed some summer jobs that required you to deal with customers on a daily basis. You can choose to list this as a heading of "Customer Relations" then begin to detail what experiences you have that support this. Don't limit yourself. Think of volunteer works you performed, school projects you managed, school clubs you attended and community activities you got involved with. There may be other activities that honed your skill. Deliberate on it. Write it down if it supports your resume objective and relates to the role. Learning how to write a resume involves some brainstorming.

For somebody who is planning to change careers that is not entirely related to his previous experiences, going about on how to write a resume that satisfies that new role also needs some deliberation. Listing your employment history may not be a wise idea as the employer can easily spot that your experiences are not relevant to the role. Like new graduates, you need to learn how to write a resume that focuses more on your skills and competencies that you can transition to this new industry or role.

Start out with a career-defining resume objective. You may need to include a professional profile that seeks to address why you decided to pursue another career path. Use a functional resume layout and write qualifications that are applicable to a wide variety of roles. This could include leadership skills and people management. Then proceed to detail how you displayed these competencies in your previous roles. Think of community activities and volunteering works that you got involved with. Skills you learned from these involvements could be applicable to the new role you are seeking. This is how to write a resume if you are changing careers.

While knowing how to write a resume that could help you get that dream role is no easy task especially if you don't have any suitable work experience, don't be discouraged. Follow the tips above. Think positive. Analyze your skills. You may have more to offer. If you do this, knowing how to write a resume won't be that difficult after all.

Copyright How To Write A Resume, April 2008

Chronological vs Functional Resume Layout

2008-04-09T23:01:00.002+10:00

Deciding Between a Chronological and Functional Resume Layout

You have just graduated from college and are keen to enter the job market and show everyone what you have learned. You have just found a nice and decent-paying job from one of the classified ads that you have been browsing and are very eager to apply. But how do you go on writing your resume to send to this employer? You barely have all the professional experience to put in your resume.

In another circumstance, someone has had enough of his current career and wants to try his hand on another field. He searches job availabilities via the internet and found a job and career path that he likes to pursue. How does he go on setting up his resume to cater to this employer's requirement when his professional expertise is that from a different field?

A resume is something that you have to submit to an employer every time you apply for a certain position in their company. Your resume gives them an insight of who you are in terms of your skills, competencies, educational background and employment experiences. Briefly put, your resume is a summary of your experiences that are relevant to the role and the skills you acquired along the way. Your resume is your sales letter and the decision to interview you for a possible job offer depends on it.

A properly written resume normally comes in two different resume layouts or maybe a combination of both. These are a chronological resume layout or a functional resume layout. While each resume layout differs in the way information is being relayed to the employer and the way it emphasizes certain aspects of your experience, both have its distinct advantage if used properly and in the right context.

Deciding which resume layout suits your present circumstance and the way you want to present yourself to the employer is not a very difficult decision to make. Once you learn how each resume layout is structured, the task becomes easier. Let us then talk about the structure and advantages of using the two types of resume layout.

Chronological Resume Layout

If you look it up in the dictionary, chronological is described as that which is arranged according to the order of time. It is something that presents information based on a timeline and an orderly sequence of events. By the same token, we can say that a chronological resume layout is where your employment experiences and educational background are sequentially arranged in the order they were attained. In a basic chronological resume layout, this is normally done by listing out the most recent experiences first, your current job for instance. The same is true with listing your educational background. You start out with your latest educational attainment then follow it up with the one preceding that as long as it is suited to role that you are seeking. This is the reason why a chronological resume layout is often referred to as reverse chronological because it lists information in reverse.

A lot of employers are familiar with a chronological resume layout and would often prefer this type as they can immediately spot what your qualifications are depending on the past employment experiences and education you have. Presenting a prospective employer with the most recent experience you have can significantly help them in deciding whether you are suited to the position and will have the most recent knowledge in performing the duties and tasks required of the position. Whether we like it or not, employers often prefer somebody who had performed a certain role requirement just recently than someone who performed it three years down the track. They will most certainly assume that a recent performer will be more able and be better adapted to the demands of the position. This is one distinct advantage of a chronological resume layout.

In structuring this type of resume layout, proceed to write your most recent experience first and it could be the current job that you are holding now. Follow this up with another two to four employment histories if you have as much. Just remember to list the most recent first as this type of resume layout works best if done this way. You many need to put the months and years that you were doing that role to provide a distinct timeline. You don't have to put the exact date. If you have gaps in your employment history, especially one that may be a year or more long, it can easily be spotted if you use this type of resume layout. So be sure to have a very good explanation prepared when given a chance for an interview. You can also include this in your resume cover letter.

So when is it good to use a chronological resume layout? This type of resume layout is better suited and will work perfectly well for someone with a lot of relevant professional experience to speak of, someone who has been in paid employment. This is not suited for someone who just recently graduated and new to the job market.

Functional Resume Layout

For someone who had just finished completing his college degree, a functional resume layout will be better suited. If you are fresh out of school, you normally won't have all the necessary professional experiences that are a match to the role being offered. Even when you have been doing part time jobs or community works, chances are these involvements may not directly relate to the position that you want to apply to. So how do you go on with a resume layout that suits this need?

A functional resume layout is quite different from the chronological resume layout in that it emphasizes your skills and qualifications rather than your job history. As such, this type of resume layout will work perfectly for a fresh graduate. Instead of writing down all your past employment experiences (which you obviously won't have), you will be required to write down specific qualifications and competencies that are required of the role available. A good example would be if a prospective employer requires somebody with experience in customer relations. Instead of listing the positions you held, you can use this subheading in a functional resume layout and then proceed to write experiences that support your claim of this competency. Think of everything that you have been involved with when structuring a functional resume layout and address the key skills and qualifications that the employer requires. You might be involved in school projects and community activities that show your ability to manage people, flaunt it. You may use a subheading of "People Management" and elaborate on this by enumerating the projects you have been involved with where you used this skill.

Not only is a functional resume layout excellent for fresh graduates, it is also very applicable to those who are wishing for a career change and their chosen field is entirely different from the one they are currently in. They won't obviously have the relevant experience to speak but they most certainly will have some qualifications and skills that they could bring to the new role. A good example again would be on people management and customer relations. There would be other qualifications that you can bring to another industry, you just have to spend time analyzing it. One easy way to do this is to look at the advertised position and see what skills they require then focus on it. A functional resume layout will come in handy.

In closing, the decision to use which type of resume layout will still depend on you. However, knowing how each resume layout is structured and how each resume layout brings out its strengths can help make a more informed decision - something which is very important if you want to succeed in your job searching. In some instances, you might combine the advantages of both resume layout and make a resume that is a combination of the two types.

Resume Cover Letter Blunders

2008-04-06T20:56:00.003+10:00

A good cover letter is a requirement for every resume and job application that you hand out. A few people might be against this idea as they feel that their submitted resume is already a comprehensive detail of all their employment history, educational background and skills. So why do they have to send a resume cover letter apart from the resume they already submitted?

An effective resume cover letter is not one that repeats all the information already stated in a resume. A resume cover letter is your opening introduction to the employer and will give him a brief insight on the type of roles you will likely perform best. Besides, there are a few items that you can explain more and give more emphasis on the resume cover letter. Including an excellent resume cover letter to complement your resume can actually boost your chances of being hired.

Writing a good resume cover letter, however, is easier said than done. Most people will simply go on writing a resume cover letter for the main sake of just having one and are oblivious to the mistakes they are making. A resume cover letter, just like the resume, must create a positive impact on the prospective employer and allow him to see that you are right person for the role. A resume cover letter with obvious errors and mistakes will most likely cost you the interview and will be a hindrance to landing that role you want. You need to keep an eye on some of the most common resume cover letter blunders that most job seekers, in their haste to submit an application, tend to overlook.

Common Resume Cover Letter Blunders

1. One of the most obvious and generally the biggest turn-off is misspelling the name of the company and the name of the person you are handing your resume cover letter to. Not too many like to have their name misspelled, even companies. It doesn't signify your interest and will likely let them to believe that you give no attention to detail. So what will they think of the way you handle a job? They will most likely assume that you will bring in the same inattentiveness and sloppiness when performing the role. Take the time to properly research details when making the resume cover letter. Know who the person who you are sending it too. You can easily find this out from the classified ad posted as they usually include details of the contact person. You can also find out by checking the company yourself if you live close to the area. Always put in the correct contact person and company in your resume cover letter if you want to get the role.

2. Another blunder most job searchers tend to emphasize in their resume cover letter is putting more focus on what they can get out from the role rather than what they can offer to the company in terms of the skills and competencies they bring. Keep in mind, that employers will be more interested in what you have than what they can give although they also use this (what they can give) to attract the best candidates. A good resume cover letter must focus on key competencies and skills that will enforce your suitability to the role. These skills must offer something of value to the company. Companies will likely want something of value in relation to the compensation they are offering. Stress these valuable assets you have in the resume cover letter.

3. As much as possible, avoid repeating in your resume cover letter all the information that is already being included in your resume. A resume cover letter is inherently different from your resume and serves a different purpose. The resume cover letter is meant to provide the employer with an introduction on how you found out about the job and why they should consider hiring you for the particular role being offered. It must capture an employer's interest enough for him to consider you for an interview to learn more about what you can bring to the role. Blabbing about what is already in your resume won't achieve that. Rather, just pick-up the competencies that will bear a greater impact on the advertised position. You can usually find this out in the classified ad posted since recruiters always put what skills they require of a role. Focus on these in your resume cover letter. The other details can be left out for the resume.

4. Avoid starting with "I" for all the sentences and paragraphs you construct in your resume cover letter. If you try to examine most of the posted job advertisements, you certainly will notice that a key requirement for most positions is having excellent communication skills. Structuring all your sentences in your resume cover letter to start with "I" does not show a good command of the English language and will reflect poorly on your communication skills. Even without interviewing you and just basing on your resume cover letter, the employer will have the impression that you are not very good in communicating your thoughts and ideas and will likely pass you for the role. So communicate professionally in your resume cover letter.

5. If you have read samples of resume cover letters, you might notice that a common closing statement is to ask the employer to call at his most convenient time. While it is good that you are actually being considerate of the employer's busy schedule, you are not putting yourself at a more positive light. Try to be more assertive in your resume cover letter and show genuine interest by telling the employer that you will call them to inquire about your application and to see where things are. Simply telling them in your resume cover letter that you will call is not enough - you have to contact them. It is also wise that you will tell them in your resume cover letter what means of contact you will use. You can either contact them by email or by phone. This is not easy because it is not what most job searchers are used to but if you do it right and in a proper and professional way, you can impress the employer with your assertiveness and take-charge attitude. This could be a big plus and could just help you in landing that big role.

There are other important factors that employers use to decide whether you are a good fit for the role they are requiring. But having a good resume cover letter free from all these common blunders and mistakes is a first step in the right direction. Ensuring that your resume cover letter avoid these blunders will impress the employer with your attentiveness to detail, having relevant competencies, good communication skills and your ability to take charge of your career. This is exactly what you want to achieve with your resume cover letter.

How to Write a Resume by Email

2008-04-04T19:36:00.002+11:00

Now that we are in the age of computers and high-speed internet, we need to learn how to write a resume that is sent by email. Whether we like it or not, prospective employers are doing away with the traditional means of how to write a resume. Most, if not all, are no longer going through the traditional route of receiving resumes from potential candidates by mail or fax.

Let's face it. Companies too are going with the trend and want to make their recruitment process a whole lot faster and efficient. They are now relying more and more on the use of sophisticated programs and software to accept resumes and scan them for potential matches to an advertised available position. Many are also accepting resumes and applications through email. And while this makes it easier for you as a job seeker, it is essential that you know how to write a resume that will look presentable in both your sent email and the printed format.

These changes in how to write a resume, while making it a whole lot quicker, has also posed a challenge to job seekers. True, we no longer have to slave away in our old typewriter, pounding out letter for letter of our resume making sure not to make any mistakes because it is hard to erase. The computer has made the tedious task of how to write a resume easier. Making erasures is as easy as using the delete button. Then, we no longer have to walk all the way to the post office to drop our written resumes in the mail box. In fact, we no longer have to lift our butt of the chair. Just press the send button and presto, your resume is sent right to the employer's email or web site. Resume writing has never been this quick.

But as previously pointed out, your emailed resume is usually printed out especially when you are called for an interview to discuss more of your skills and competencies. It is important that both the email and print-out look professional to generate any interest in the employer. As such, you need to know how to write a resume that achieves this goal. Learning how to write a resume by email should also not be taken for granted as your job hunting success may depend on it. Below are some useful tips on how to write a resume when your are planning to send it by electronic means - by email.

How to Write a Resume by Email Tip No. 1

It is important that you have a text file of your emailed resume. This type of file usually uses the .txt extension. While it is necessary that you need to highlight some of the more important aspects of your resume, you need to have a simple text file of the same resume for employers to use when scanning it through their software. These scans are used in looking for certain keywords that employers use to look for matching candidates to an offered position. In making the text file, format your resume properly.

How to Write a Resume by Email Tip No. 2

Always follow the instructions laid out by the employer in sending out your application. If they require you to include your resume in the email body, do so. Do not include it as an attachment more so as a PDF attachment. It is unusual for a resume to be sent this way and it may result in your resume being rejected. To include it in the email body, all you need to do is copy and paste the text file that you saved in your email. There is generally no need to apply bolding or other formatting styles when sending your resume this way as it may get messed up when the employer's email program cannot recognize it. Simple is always better.

How to Write a Resume by Email Tip No. 3

Before sending your resume by email to the prospective employer, you may want to try sending it to a few of your friends to verify that it is received properly and in the correct format regardless on the type of software being used. By doing this initial test, you may weed out formatting problems that could cause your resume to be received not as you intended it to be.

How to Write a Resume by Email Tip No. 4

Even when the resume is included in the body of the email, you may still need to write a cover letter first to highlight key competencies and skills that you have that will increase your chances of being hired. There are a lot of useful guides on how to write a resume cover letter and some are covered in our previous articles. Since the address is already included in the cover letter, you may no longer need to write this when starting out your resume. You may simply start with your resume objective.

These are some of the important points on how to write a resume that is sent by email. While there are other means of sending out your application, knowing how to write a resume thru email will give you a better advantage.

Resume Writing For First Timers

2008-03-31T20:16:00.003+11:00

Resume Writing Made Easy

Resume writing is no easy task especially when it is your first time and you have had no experience writing a resume for a job application. Oftentimes, you are left wondering how in the world you can fill up two pages of resume information about yourself, your skills and your competencies to effectively sell yourself to a prospective employer. Other people with plenty of experience to start out with are also at a loss on how to fit all those competencies acquired through the years in the limited available space of a resume. Indeed, resume writing is tough. But knowing where and how to start can make it a whole lot easier and you will sooner or later find out that resume writing is not that cumbersome after all.

So how do you go on with your resume writing venture. First off, you need to make a careful assessment of yourself. Try to analyze your past employment experiences, your career objectives and whether it is in line with what you really want. You need to have a definite reason why you should bother resume writing. It is not as simple as just saying that you want another change of environment or you want another job that can give you the satisfaction you so desire. You need purpose. You need a career objective that will give you direction. Your career objective or resume objective must be written so that it is relevant and specific to the type of role and industry that your are looking for. Resume writing becomes easier when your have a clear direction, clear goals and specific roles that you want to achieve.

After you have defined a clear resume objective, the next step in your resume writing project is to decide on a particular resume format that works best to the kind of role and industry that you have chosen. Your resume format must stand out from all the other competition to get a chance of being offered the role. You have to bear in mind that prospective employers will definitely receive a lot of resumes to answer an advertised position. A good resume format with excellent resume writing can put you ahead in the game.

It doesn't have to be very difficult to find the best resume format that will fit your current requirements. The internet is filled with hundreds of useful information from helpful resume writing tips, resume writing advices, resume samples, resume templates and the best resume format suited to a particular industry. You don't have to go far to look for references. If you have a computer and an internet connection, all you need to do is type your search query in any popular search engine and you will be presented with a lot of meaningful results. All it takes is a little time and some patience sorting out the results to look for the best resume format and sample to act as your guide in making your own resume. You don't need to copy it as is.

If you don't have a computer at home, then you can always go to your local library and browse for references in resume writing. These resume writing references almost always have excellent resume samples which can help you in making a layout and format of your own. That way, you don't have to spend a lot of your precious time deciding on what resume format to use.

Resume writing won't be complete without a record of your employment history and the list of all the experiences you have obtained through the years. It is usually best if you jot down all the past jobs you held in another blank piece of paper before making the final copy in your resume. Try to think of your past employment and write down the last 5 jobs you have held starting with the most current one or the position you are holding right now if you are still a member of the workforce. However, be aware of the fact that you have to limit the number of pages of your resume to two pages the most. So put more detail to those experiences that are highly applicable to the role. Good resume writing is all about relevance and catering to the specific needs and requirement of the employer.

A record of your educational attainment is also a critical part in effective resume writing. Let the employers know what degree you have held in college and other further educational endeavors you achieved that are beneficial to the role. For some less fortunate souls who did not have a chance to go to college, resume writing might seem a bit intimidating because you feel you don't have any qualification to show. It doesn't have to be. Think of courses, seminars or trainings you attended. You can include these in your resume instead of your educational degree. This becomes very effective especially if the courses and training you undertook are specific to position you are seeking.

Effective resume writing also involves listing down your own set of skills and competencies. Flaunt your skills in your resume but don't brag to the point of being dishonest. It will be found out and you will be left jobless. Focus on skills that will clearly indicate to the employer that you are the best candidate for the role. Answer their needs in your resume. You may list these in bullet points to make it stand out and easily readable.

For a first timer to resume writing, the decision to put a list of professional references in the submitted resume is not easily reached. Should you or should you not? Generally, it is not required that you put references in your resume. But, you need to point out to the employer that you can provide professional references if they need to contact someone to ask about the details you have written in your resume. You may do this by stating it in your resume cover letter or by adding an additional line at the end of the resume that professional references are available upon request.

The final step in the resume writing process is to print out your written resume. Check it for any misspellings and any grammatical errors. You don't want to be labelled as being inattentive to detail as most employers require this skill. To help scrutinize your resume, you may ask the opinions of your family and friends. There might be some items that you don't pick out but they can spot. Resume writing is a lot easier with other brains helping out.

Resume Format

2008-03-23T17:08:00.003+11:00

A presentable and professional looking resume format is just as important as the resume content. It is very likely that for every advertised position, a number of applicants will be vying for the particular role. Imagine then the number of resumes that an employer receives. As such, he will most certainly give the applications a quick glance before deciding to read more. Apart from key competencies and experiences that are usually bolded and highlighted, what normally catches his first attention will be the resume format.

Let's face it. We are by nature visual beings. We tend to be attracted more by what we see. A properly presented resume format will then stand out from all the crappy ones that most job seekers do not bother to correct. Whether you agree or not, your resume format is most likely the first item that the recruiter will notice no matter how you send your application.

But how should a good resume format look like? For starters, there are plenty of decent and professional resume formats that are readily accessible from the internet. All you'll ever need is the time and effort to look for the best resume format that will suit the position that you are applying for. The technique is not to use the resume format per se, but to use it as your guide in making your own resume format that will make it uniquely your own and impress your prospective employer.

How a Good Resume Format Should Be

Limit your resume format to one or two pages the most. A good resume format is one that is not too lengthy. Unless you have very impressive credentials, it will bore the employer out. When planning your resume format, consider that the employer is a very busy person so don't take too much of his time reading your application. You would not like that too if you were in his place. Stick only to credentials and experiences that are relevant to the role being offered.

While you may think that putting pictures and images as part of you resume format could impress the employer with your creativity, avoid it. Not only is it distracting, but it is unnecessary and can cost you the job. A good resume format should be simple.

An attractive resume format must have the proper margins. Ideally, one-inch margins for the top, bottom, left, and right should do and make your resume format presentable and pleasing to the eyes. Your resume content must be flushed to the left of the page, not centered. Your resume format must also have consistency when it comes to the font type and font sizes that you are using. Don't just change the font types from one paragraph to the next or your resume format will look very crappy. Headlines and key words are usually bolded but must follow the same format all through out. As a general guideline for a good resume format, headlines must be kept at a 14 pt. maximum font size while text size is better at a 12 pt. maximum.

In arranging your resume format, make proper use of spaces and tabs. Like the font sizes and style, consistency is important to make it appealing. Preferably, it would be better to use the tab key instead of the usual space bar. You have to keep in mind that not all of the employers you are sending your application to is using the same word processing program as you. As such, there is a possibility that your resume format might become a mess when they try to open it using their software. Therefore it is important to keep your resume format simple using the basic fonts, bullet points, and spacing.

When you are done writing your details and tweaking with your resume format, print it out using a clean white paper. There have been instances when the resume format you see in your computer monitor will appear differently when you print it out. Make sure the margins are right and that the white spaces are evenly distributed. A resume format with clustered contents on the one end and plenty of white available spaces on the other does not look too attractive. Remember, you want your resume format to stand out.

Finally, to make sure that your resume format is indeed what you intend it to be, try sending it to a few of your family or friends and let them have a look at it. Get their opinion on whether the resume format you employed looks professional and interesting. If you have friends who work in recruiting firms, so much the better. They are experts on which resume format employers will positively respond to.

Help on How To Make a Resume

2008-03-18T18:51:00.004+11:00

Where to Get Help on How to Make a Resume

Not everyone is good when it comes to resume writing and cover letter writing. Often jobseekers need help on how to make a resume to ever have a chance of getting hired in this very competitive job market. But where do you get help on how to make a resume? You don't need to worry. There is always an abundance of available help on how to make a resume. The only thing you need to know is where to look for advice.

The Internet

The internet is by far the simplest and easiest method to look for help on how to make a resume. Use Google, Yahoo or any of the search engines and type your search queries and you will almost certainly be receiving a lot of pertinent results. It is the fastest alternative to get expert help on how to make a resume but you do need to have a computer and internet connection. Well if you're reading this now, you probably have one anyway. So make good use of it. If you don't have one, you can always go to your local library. Most already offer internet access and most are free. Just ask your local librarian and they will be more than willing to help. Or you can go to an internet cafe on your search for help on how to make a resume. The downside is, you will have to be paying them per hour of access and when you are on a tight budget because you are still looking for a job, this does not help much.

Resume Samples and Templates

Resume samples and resume templates are very excellent guides in getting help on how to make a resume. When you first start out with your application, it is always a problem what format or style to use and what fonts and spacing are best to make a professional and presentable impression. When you come to think of it, first impressions make a great impact on whether you get the job or not. Because they receive a lot of applications, some employers just give your resume a cursory glance and when it doesn't impress them immediately they sometimes ignore it. But good resume samples and templates can give you that needed help on how to make a resume that is not only presentable but professional looking. While it may need some tweaks to make it relevant to your circumstances and to make it unique, you are assured that you are using the best format and style that has been proven to achieve your desired results. If you need help on how to make a resume using good samples and templates, you can always look for it in the internet which brings us back to the point above.

Books

Need help on how to make a resume and don't know where to find it? Well, get a book which talks on the topic of giving help on how to make a resume. You can always buy one if you need an immediate reference that is handy and readily available once you need help on how to make a resume. If you can't shell out a few dollars then the local public library is always there. Use it. They always have plenty of references that can help on how to make a resume. Just ask your librarian if you don't know where to look for the specific references and they will gladly give you a hand. At least you don't have to spend money to get written references on getting help on how to make a resume.

Career Advisers

Career advisers will most probably be your last resort on getting help on how to make a resume as most of us do not know a lot of people who are experts in this field. If you know of someone who is working in recruitment firms or HR roles who constantly do the hiring then they are a valuable help on how to make a resume that can guarantee you a job. They are doing this in the real world with real experiences and situations and as such are the best help on how to make a resume. If you know of someone, don't hesitate to ask for their opinion and ask for help on how to make a resume as this can make the difference whether you make it to the interview or not and whether you'll get that big role.

These are some of the best places and people where you can get expert help on how to make a resume that will stand out from the rest of the competition. You don't have to do your application alone if you want to succeed. Go on and get help on how to make a resume.

How to Prepare a Resume

2008-03-17T16:54:00.004+11:00

A Guide on How to Prepare a Resume From Scratch

Most job applicants have no idea on how to prepare a resume and as a result always end up not getting interviewed or their application not being given any attention. If you want to be able to succeed in this cruel corporate world, you need to be able to learn how to prepare a resume that can help you in landing that big role. But what necessarily are the steps on how to prepare a resume that increases your chances of being hired?

The first logical step on how to prepare a resume is to determine what area of expertise you want to get involved in. You need to make a careful assessment of your skills, knowledge and competencies to learn how to prepare a resume that guarantees results. Assess yourself on what types of roles you like to perform and which you will likely perform well because you love doing it and not because you are required to do it. Determine what your objectives are and what you want to achieve. This is a critical step you must undertake first to be skilled on how to prepare a resume with purpose.

The second step you need to do on how to prepare a resume is to write down all your past experiences. Don't worry yet whether it is suited to the role that you are applying for. Just write it down so that you can sort it out later. Your experiences form an integral part on how to prepare a resume that will ultimately help you achieve your objective. In preparing a resume, you may write down previous positions you held whether part time or full time and you can even include volunteer works. Also write down trainings and seminars that you've undergone. Once you have it all listed down, determine whether they are important to the role that you are seeking. Only include those competencies and experiences that are relevant to the role. This is how to prepare a resume of your experiences and skills.

The obvious third step on how to prepare a resume would then be to determine the format and layout that you will be using. If you are good at word processors, you may use your own style but a good alternative will be to make use of available free templates and samples from the internet. To find out how to prepare a resume using free samples and templates, just type these queries in any search engine and you will be presented with plenty of results on how to prepare a resume using these free templates and samples. To discover how to prepare a resume should not be that hard if you only spend time researching some of the more critical details. There are certain formats that you need to use on how to prepare a resume. You could use a chronological format, a functional format, or a combination of both formats. Whatever you use on how to prepare a resume is fine as long as it is suited to the type of role you are applying for and the kind of job experiences you have. This is how to prepare a resume format using your own ideas or using free samples and templates.

The next step on how to prepare a resume would then be to actually make a draft of your application. Use the free samples and templates avaliable. These are very excellent in guiding you how to prepare a resume from scratch. If you decide on how to prepare a resume using your own formats and styles, it usually takes a longer time and oftentimes you won't be sure if it is acceptable and presentable in the view of an employer. Write down all the details relevant to the role that you are applying for. Proofread it and check for any errors in spelling or grammar before printing it out. A good method on how to prepare a resume is to use a word processor like Microsoft Word because it has built in spell checkers and also grammar checkers that can make the whole process of how to prepare a resume a lot easier. After printing it out, read it again to make sure there are no other errors and whether it is what you intended it to be. This should be the last step on how to prepare a resume before you hand it out. If you want to be doubly sure that it is professional and presentable, you can get the opinions of others or some career experts if you know someone. This is how to prepare a resume that will eventually help you in acquiring that coveted position.

As you can see, it is not really that difficult to be able to learn how to prepare a resume from scratch if you know where to look for the right tools and help. Go on and discover for yourself how to prepare a resume that works.

Resume Objective

2008-03-15T22:21:00.004+11:00

Should You Include a Resume Objective?

Whenever we hand out our job application, it has always been a dilemma whether to include a resume objective in our CV. If you try to ask the opinions of career experts, it is highly likely that you would get varied answers. Some would say that a resume objective is necessary to give the employer an insight of what kind of roles you like to perform. Others, on the other hand, would say that making a resume objective is a complete waste of time and prospective employers won't give it any attention.

Whatever the case, deciding whether or not to include a resume objective in your submitted application is a personal decision that you need to undertake. True, there will be some employers that would see it as an annoying statement that is deemed unnecessary. But, more often than not, a lot of prospective employers want to see a resume objective so that they can have an immediate idea on whether you are the right candidate for the available position that they are offering. The truth is, you will never be able to please everybody. By making this personal choice of whether to write a resume objective or not will make it easier for you in your quest to find that perfect role.

If you do decide to include a resume objective there are some key points you need to consider to ensure that your resume objective is up to par and would not cause the downfall of your application. We've discussed it earlier on one of the previous posts on how to write a resume objective. As further food for thought here are some of the more important points you need to keep in mind in deciding to write a resume objective.

Is your resume objective specific and relevant to the position that you are applying for? Do not put in a resume objective just for the sake of having one. Employers can easily spot if your resume objective is not really meant to address the key skills and capabilities required of a particular role. You might find that it will just result in your application being declined outright. You don't want that to happen. You want to land the role so make sure your resume objective will encourage an employer to call you for an interview to further discuss your potentials.

Is your resume objective clear and simple? Your resume objective must not be vague and understandable only to you and not the employer. Remember that it is them that you are trying to sell your skills to. It must clearly convey your message across without sounding too boastful. It is perfectly fine to highlight your key attitudes, skills and potential but you must be able to back it up when being called for an interview. There is nothing more that turns off prospective recruiters than applicants who lie outright and are found out during the job interview. Honesty is still the best policy even when looking for a job but you don't also have to be too modest. Your resume objective must also sell.

Does your resume objective put focus on the employers perspective and what you can offer to the company rather than what you can take out from them? You are the one looking for a job so it is in your best interest that your resume objective can put you in a more positive light in the eyes of the recruiter. It should communicate to them that you are bringing something that will be very beneficial to the company if they hire you. We're not talking about monetary things but your specific skill set and attributes that the particular role requires.

While the decision to include a resume objective in your application ultimately rests with you, these important considerations can help make that decision a lot easier. But there is one thing to keep in mind. Your ultimate goal is to get the position that you want and while there are other factors that can affect that goal, a resume objective if properly used can greatly help. So go on, make up your mind, and put that resume objective.

Sample Resumes

2008-03-13T20:23:00.005+11:00

Qualities of Good Sample Resumes

Sample resumes are a very good guide in impressing a prospective employer with your application. Let's face it, most of us are not good writers and most definitely don't have plenty of experience writing out resumes.

When you finally find the kind of job you have dreamed about from the classified ads or from the internet, you don't want to blow it up by sending out a crappy application. This is where sample resumes and sample cover letters can come in handy.

But with so many sample resumes available in the internet, how do you separate the good sample resumes from those that are just a waste of time and a waste of good quality paper. Let's take the time to analyze how good sample resumes can immediately be spotted from crappy ones.

Good sample resumes must highlight and put more focus on your accomplishments rather than all the tasks and duties you performed. Most employers would want to know what you have achieved in your previous job in terms of production efficiency, improved service, cost efficiency or the like. They are not only interested in the tasks that you were assigned to do. This could include what you have done to save the company money, or what line improvements you did to increase production. Before you download sample resumes, make sure that they have these.

Another important thing to look for in good sample resumes is that it must be specific to a certain role in the company. Good sample resumes must pertain to a particular role and not be generic as to apply for any position that you are seeking. If you use generic sample resumes, it might make the employer think that you are not interested in the position at all and just would want any role that would come by. Good sample resumes must be specific.

Sample resumes that can attract an employer's interest also makes use of plenty of action words. With good sample resumes, you will get an idea of what these words are and you will be able to utilize these key words or phrases in your own application. Examples of these action words could be "resolved", "implemented" and the like. You will find plenty of these examples in good sample resumes. Don't be afraid to point out your achievements cause no one else will. Good sample resumes must exhibit a quality of a good sales letter since it is basically like selling yourself and your abilities to a particular establishment.

Good sample resumes will definitely give you a guide on what other relevant information that you need to include that will make a definite impact on your application. If you do it by yourself, there will be times that you might leave out some important stuff and it could be the difference between getting the job and still looking for a job. Good sample resumes will make sure this won't be the case.

Good sample resumes also use proper grammar and have no misspellings. Wrong grammar and spellings usually result in the outright denial of your application as this will indicate that you are careless and not attentive to detail and will probably carry on to your job performance. Good sample resumes should clearly exhibit this characteristic.

So to make an effective application and get that dream role you've always wanted, make use of good sample resumes. They are there for a reason. You can find a lot of good quality ones if you spend enough time to research it. Good sample resumes will be instrumental in your job-seeking venture.

Cover Letter Format

2008-03-11T23:10:00.006+11:00

What is a Good Cover Letter Format?

To be successful on your quest for that new and desirable job, a considerable amount of time must also be spent on writing a good resume cover letter and making sure you are following the basic structure of an effective cover letter format. Your cover letter is like a summary of your relevant skills and capacities that are pertinent to the position that you are seeking. While it is not a resume, your cover letter works best by complementing your written resume.

A cover letter states the reason why you are interested in acquiring a role within the company and what relevant skill set and experiences you have that could help a company achieve their corporate goals. A good cover letter must encourage a prospective employer to want to know more about you by reading on with your resume and probably calling you for an interview to discuss more details in your resume.

You can either chose to write one or the other type of cover letter depending on your circumstances. If you already know that there is an available position within the company, then you may chose to write an application cover letter which is basically a type of cover letter that is sent with the purpose of getting job interviews and as the opening front for your resume. If you want to know about avaiable positions and roles then you may need to send a prospecting cover letter.

While both types of cover letters might have different contents it follows a basic cover letter format. A good cover letter format basically consists of three paragraphs - the introductory paragraph, the main body, and the closing statements.

Structure of a Good Cover Letter Format:

Cover Letter Introduction

The introduction is the first part of a good cover letter format. If it is for an application then this firs paragraph must state the purpose why you are writing to the company. You need to tell the employer the reason why you are interested in the position that they are offering. It is also relevant to mention where you learned of the available role, whether it be from a friend or from an advertisement online or in classified ads. Clearly bring to the employer's attention that your skills and previous experiences are a match to their advertised job needs and requirements.

If the purpose of your cover letter is to ask for available job openings, then clearly state what requirements and specifications you would want of a particular job. You need to tell the employer in your cover letter what types of roles you are interested in.

Main Body of Cover Letter

The 2nd paragraph (or it could be one paragraph or two) is considered to be the bread and butter of your cover letter. It is in this paragraph that you try to present and sell your skills and relevant experiences that you feel can be of great use when you are hired by the company. It is important that you focus on the skills that are deemed useful to the role being offered. Explain in the cover letter how your key strengths and interests can be utilized for the successful performance of the role you are applying for. You need to point out your past achievements and your goals that directly relate to the position. At this part of your cover letter, you must be able to convice the employer that you are the right person for the role.

Closing Statement of Cover Letter

In closing your cover letter, express your desire and enthusiasm for the role and state how you can be contacted by the employer for an interview at his convenience. You may need to provide him with your address, contact phone numbers (not necessarily a work number if you don't want your job hunting to be known) and an email address. Convey a positive tone in your closing statement. End the cover letter by thanking the employer for his valuable time and consideration in giving it a review. As much as possible, keep your cover letter simple but full of relevant and pertinent information for the role.

In printing your cover letter or resume for that matter, make sure you are using a good quality paper - plain white is excellent, not those fancy stuff or stationaries that can distract employers from the contents of your cover letter or resume.

By using this basic structure of a good cover letter format, your are assured that you can clearly send your resume message across - that you are the right candidate for the role.

These tips brought to you by How To Write a Resume.

Writing a Resume Cover Letter

2008-03-08T23:56:00.007+11:00

A resume cover letter is kind of your opening introduction to your prospective employer. People often wonder whether to include a resume cover letter when handing in their application but it actually depends on the employer's preference. Some will require a resume cover letter, some will not. If they do require a resume cover letter then you need to do some research and do it properly. Prospective employers often read it first and if they are not satisfied then all your resume writing effort would have been all a waste.

You need to remember too, that the person reading your cover letter and resume maybe a very busy person and will only give your application a cursory glance at first. If it does not draw their attention because your resume cover letter is very un-appealing then gone will be your chances of getting interviewed and landing the job.

How to Write a Resume Cover Letter

First off you need to include the current date that you are making the resume cover letter. Put it in the upper left corner then skip about two to three lines before you write your address. You may include your home phone or mobile number in your resume cover letter but never put your work number especially if you like to keep your job hunting venture a secret. You don't want your resume cover letter to shout out your work number and if the recruiter calls ... and you are away ... and your manager happens to answer the call then it will not be very pleasant.

After putting in your complete address in your resume cover letter, again skip a further line or two. Here you will add the name of the person involved with the hiring, usually the human relations manager. It is very important that you put in the person's real name in your resume cover letter and not just a reference to him or her like "the personnel manager" or "the human relations manager". This will give the impression that you haven't thoroughly researched the role that you are seeking for and might not be genuinely interested. It is relatively easy to obtain this information. When recruiters post a job opening , they usually put in where you need to address your resume cover letter and to whom. If not, you can just visit the company if it is near and probably ask the person in-charge of the front gate as they usually hand out the the resume cover letter and resume to the hiring personnel and is likely to know their name.

After the managers name, write down their position in the next line of the resume cover letter. After that you need to include the company's name and address. It is important that you get this right otherwise you will be giving the wrong impression of not being genuinely interested to know facts of the company - not even their correct name and address.

When starting out the body of your resume cover letter, you need to use the proper title for the person you are addressing it to like "Dear Mr. Smith" or "Dear Ms. Smith". If you're not sure of the marital status of the lady you are adressing it too, it is better to use Ms. than using Mrs. and later finding out that she's still single. Worst is if you get the title wrong in your resume cover letter. Some names are misleading and you might end up labelling a woman "Mr" or the other way around. That is why it is also important to do some research when writing out your resume cover letter to avoid some potential embarassments especially if some information is not very clear.

For the first paragraph of your resume cover letter, tell the employer that you are aware that there is a job opening. You might include where you learned of the opening. Then say that you are genuinely interested in the role.

The second paragraph of your resume cover letter is where the bread and butter is. It is in this paragraph of your resume cover letter that you must try to sell yourself. Try to summarize the most important skills and experiences that you can offer to the company. You don't have to include everything in this part of your cover letter as most is already covered by your resume. What is critical are those information that are deemed important to the position that you are applying for. This way, it will generate an employer's interest and will encourage him to know more about you and your skills.

The last part of your resume cover letter might include that you genuinely believe that you can be a good asset to the company with all the skills and experience you bring and that you are available for interviews if the employer is interested in taking it one step further.

Appear positive and confident in your statements but don't oversell in your resume cover letter. You don't want to appear to be too full of yourself.

End your resume cover letter with a "Sincerely" then add some space before you write your full name. This keeps it professional and business-like. If you need to mail your cover letter and resume then your need to put your signature in your resume cover letter. Leave it as it is if you send it by email.

For a presentable and professional look of a resume cover letter, it is best to have everything flush to the left of the page.

This is how to write a resume cover letter that works.

Resume Template - How to Write A Resume with Ease

2008-03-07T22:50:00.004+11:00

A lot of people need a quick way on how to write a resume and consider downloading a resume template. But does it really increase your chances of being interviewed? It does speed up the process of learning how to write a resume, but does it sacrifice your application being labelled as a copycat?

True, a resume template is there to help but it also has some setbacks if you don't know how to write a resume using a template properly. Below are some of its pros and cons.

Pros of Using a Resume Template

A resume template is simple and very easy to use. You can easily download it from the internet, fill in the necessary details and that's it. No fuss, no lengthy learning curves. Of course you may still have to edit a few bits here and there but it drastically reduces the time than starting from scratch.

A resume template has plenty of styles and choices available for you to choose from. You can select whether to use a chronological or functional format depending on what best suits the role you are applying for.

With a resume template, you are assured that the format is presentable and has a professional look. The font sizes and format style of a resume template has been thoroughly tested on what works best and it is just a matter of what style to choose from.

Cons of Using a Resume Template

You run the risk of your application looking like everybody else's.

Some job seekers rely solely on a resume template and try to fill in every tiny detail that is asked for even though it is not suited for the position they are applying for. What results is a mess of information that gets an employer confused when you provide a lot of details that are not required for the role.

Because a resume template offers plenty of formatting styles, you might end up choosing something that is unusual and quite new to an employer. This results in either the employer being impressed or finding it hard to understand. It would be very satisfying if it impresses the employer but if it makes it hard to understand, it might end up as trash - which is not very pleasing.

So, Should You Use a Resume Template?

A resume template is only as good as how you use it. It is a very valuable tool but you must only use it as a guide and not try to fill in every detail being asked for even if it is obviously not relevant to the role you are seeking. If used properly, a resume template is a quick method on how to write a resume that exudes professionalism.

How to Write a Resume Objective

2008-03-06T21:40:00.007+11:00

Most people often wonder how to write a resume objective that captures the employer's interest. The resume objective is usually the first item that is read so it is very important that you know how to write a resume objective that clearly states what you can offer to a company.

How to write a resume objective shouldn't be very difficult and it shouldn't be taken lightly either. Being the first thing that employers usually see, it can determine whether your application ends in the trash can or results in that needed interview.

How to Write a Resume Objective that Employers Want

First is to keep it simple. To be skilled on how to write a resume objective, you must know how to keep it short, clear, and direct to the point.

Second is to make sure it addresses what the company needs and not what you want out of the company. You need to focus on what you can bring to the role that you are seeking. To be effective on how to write a resume objective, you need to think like you are the employer doing the hiring.

Third, avoid self-centered words like "I" or "Me". A prospective employer wants people who can work well for their company and not for themselves. Again, to know how to write a resume objective that gets the employer's nod, you need to think like the employer.

Fourth, to learn how to write a resume objective that is effective, you need to avoid certain phrases that are a definite "no-no". Phrases like "Seeking a role with opportunities for career advancement" or "A position where I can advance my career" might denote that you are not in for the long haul. Employers might think that you are only using them as a springboard and transfer jobs immediately when you are stuck in a role and don't get your pay increase. You need to thoroughly think out how to write a resume objective that does not turn employers off.

These are some of the important points that you need to take into account if you want to learn how to write a resume objective that does its intended purpose. Your resume objective should be clear, concise, and must be only one or two sentences long. It should be properly stated to encourage the employer to read on. It should clearly point out to the recruiter that you are the right candidate for the position.

If you find it hard to learn how to write a resume objective, then you can always look for alternatives. Search some samples that are easily accessible on the net and reword it to cater to your needs. This can be a good option on how to write a resume objective that has already been proven to work.

Tips on How to Write a Resume

2008-03-04T21:35:00.009+11:00

If you want tips on how to write a resume that employers look for then read on.

If you are like most people, then you would have probably transferred from one job to another seeking that elusive job satisfaction. You would also realize that to do this, an understanding on how to write a resume that sells is important.

In fact, with a knowledge on how to write a resume that is clear and concise, you can achieve that position that you've always craved for. Learning how to write a resume is not difficult once you have all the basics. If you find writing to be daunting, don't worry. Most people feel that way. Just relax. Learning how to write a resume that gets you the job is not at all that hard as people make it to be.

How to Write a Resume Fast

First things first. List down the jobs that you've worked for in the last five years. Take the time to analyze the positions that you've held over the years and see if it is in line with the current position you are applying for. Your employment record is the basis on how to write a resume with ease.
On every employment, list down your duties and responsibilities in detail. Employers will be interested in what you did and what tasks you performed as this will be their basis if you are qualified or overqualified for the job. So take the time to do this properly. Learning how to write a resume effectively needs analysis.
Be honest. Employers can spot fake credentials right away. You don't want to get interviewed just to blow it up because you cannot back-up what you've written. To know how to write a resume that gets the job needs your honesty.
Include things that you may have learned or achieved. This is another factor on how to write a resume that gets the job. This is important for employers to see that you have motivation and the desire to succeed in your field. However, don't overdo it and stick to rule no. 3.

These are the things that you must consider when you want to learn how to write a resume quickly. You don't have to be an expert to learn how to write a resume that is effective. All it takes is a little patience and time to sit down and do it.

But there will always be stumbling blocks on how to write a resume quickly. And some of us will always find it to be difficult and time consuming. In that case, hire a professional to do it or use a software program to arrange your employment details. These are your last alternatives on how to write a resume that employers will be interested on.

Welcome to How To Write A Resume

2008-03-04T17:43:00.004+11:00

How To Write A Resume provides tips on the best and most effective methods on how to write a resume that highlights your skills and abilities, how to write a cover letter that attracts attention and eventually to get a job interview.

Feel free to browse this site and learn.