 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Quality-Resumes -Professional Resume Service- |
How to Write a Resume with a Cover Letter
7 seconds. Just 7 seconds. Recent studies have shown that is all the time you have to
make an impression (good or bad) on a potential employer. Knowing this, it becomes
apparent just how important a good resume is. Unfortunately, many job seekers don't
realize this fact - to their own peril. There are 5 basic mistakes that every job-seeker
should avoid. Once you have checked for these 5 mistakes be sure to use the
resources below the ensure a complete resume package
The first, and most important, is also the easiest to fix: poor writing. Things like
typos, misspellings, verb tenses mixed and sentences butchered. A potential employer
will not struggle to get through your resume. He will simply toss it into the "circular
file." Your resume must be easy to read; 7 seconds, remember?
Don't show off your formating skils in your resume. keep it simple!Second, you need
to use an easy-to-scan format; something a potential employer can glance over and
have key details stand out. You should limit the amount of fancy formatting you do.
Just because you can manipulate all of Microsoft Word's functions doesn't mean you
have to show it here. Keep it clean and simple. What you should have are the four
standard sections: Objective, Summary, Work History and Education. Put enough
detail in to sell yourself but no more.
Third, and this is closely related to formatting, do not over write. This is a trap all
amateur writers fall into. The best authors know less is more, and what works for
books works for resumes too. Too often resumes have huge paragraphs of text
explaining every single detail about their current job or even the company they
currently work for. Employers and recruiters are not going to wade through volumes of
text when they have another 100 or so resumes to get through. They need to know
quickly and easily what you have done and what you can do. Most often a short
bulleted list accomplishes this best.
List what makes you stand out!Fourth, you need to tell potential employers what you
are capable of doing. Often, people simply list the job specs. Those could apply to
anyone who has held that particular job. It is not singling them out as different, better
and more capable than the rest. List your achievements, what you have done above
and beyond, not just the job requirements.
Fifth, there is more than one type of resume. While just about every job seeker writing
their own resume tries to make their professional life fit a chronological format, it
simply is not the way to go for everyone. A skills-based resume allows one to focus on
abilities and potential, rather that just past achievements. An education-based resume
allows employers to see your training in detail; this is especially useful for recent
graduates. There really is a resume fit for every person. Experiment a little bit, and find
the style that fits you best.
For cover letters the process is much simpler. Use a basic business letter template.
Include the title of the position you are applying for in bold. List 3-4 highlights from
your resume; that is it. A cover letter should be short, sweet, and to the point. See
resources below for more information about cover letters. Follow these five rules to
avoid the mistakes of you job-seeking ancestors. A well-written resume is your first
and best chance to make a good impression on potential employers. Make yours
count. Remember, 7 seconds goes by.
7 seconds. Just 7 seconds. Recent studies have shown that is all the time you have to
make an impression (good or bad) on a potential employer. Knowing this, it becomes
apparent just how important a good resume is. Unfortunately, many job seekers don't
realize this fact - to their own peril. There are 5 basic mistakes that every job-seeker
should avoid. Once you have checked for these 5 mistakes be sure to use the
resources below the ensure a complete resume package
The first, and most important, is also the easiest to fix: poor writing. Things like
typos, misspellings, verb tenses mixed and sentences butchered. A potential employer
will not struggle to get through your resume. He will simply toss it into the "circular
file." Your resume must be easy to read; 7 seconds, remember?
Don't show off your formating skils in your resume. keep it simple!Second, you need
to use an easy-to-scan format; something a potential employer can glance over and
have key details stand out. You should limit the amount of fancy formatting you do.
Just because you can manipulate all of Microsoft Word's functions doesn't mean you
have to show it here. Keep it clean and simple. What you should have are the four
standard sections: Objective, Summary, Work History and Education. Put enough
detail in to sell yourself but no more.
Third, and this is closely related to formatting, do not over write. This is a trap all
amateur writers fall into. The best authors know less is more, and what works for
books works for resumes too. Too often resumes have huge paragraphs of text
explaining every single detail about their current job or even the company they
currently work for. Employers and recruiters are not going to wade through volumes of
text when they have another 100 or so resumes to get through. They need to know
quickly and easily what you have done and what you can do. Most often a short
bulleted list accomplishes this best.
List what makes you stand out!Fourth, you need to tell potential employers what you
are capable of doing. Often, people simply list the job specs. Those could apply to
anyone who has held that particular job. It is not singling them out as different, better
and more capable than the rest. List your achievements, what you have done above
and beyond, not just the job requirements.
Fifth, there is more than one type of resume. While just about every job seeker writing
their own resume tries to make their professional life fit a chronological format, it
simply is not the way to go for everyone. A skills-based resume allows one to focus on
abilities and potential, rather that just past achievements. An education-based resume
allows employers to see your training in detail; this is especially useful for recent
graduates. There really is a resume fit for every person. Experiment a little bit, and find
the style that fits you best.
For cover letters the process is much simpler. Use a basic business letter template.
Include the title of the position you are applying for in bold. List 3-4 highlights from
your resume; that is it. A cover letter should be short, sweet, and to the point. See
resources below for more information about cover letters. Follow these five rules to
avoid the mistakes of you job-seeking ancestors. A well-written resume is your first
and best chance to make a good impression on potential employers. Make yours
count. Remember, 7 seconds goes by.