Resume writing advice, tips and articles on preparing your resume
The resume writing main category covers all topics such items as: improving your resume writing technique; handling potential resume writing issues; avoiding resume mistakes; resume formats; resume verbs and other topics related resume writing.
Graphics on Your Resume…Where Do You Draw the Line?
Resumes have come a long way. Because Microsoft Word® has made formatting documents even easier, resumes are more stylish in appearance. Even a touch of color is common. What about graphics? Is it a good idea to use graphics on a resume? Check out these tips:
- Your industry and occupation will drive the style of resume that is right for you. Compare this more creative resume for an art director with an accountant’s more conservative resume.
- We see many technology resumes loaded down with logos from industry certifications. A simple listing of your relevant certifications is more appropriate. The logos distract from your achievements and skills.
- What about graphic charts? These are eye-catching and impactful. However, many application tracking software applications used by employers will not pick up this data. A safe solution would be to create a version of your resume with the graphic chart for presentation at the interview. Prior to the interview, it is wise to send and use a resume that is compatible with application tracking software.
- Simple lines and shaded areas to divide categories are great to give the reader’s eyes a break. A framed border is another discreet way to introduce a little color and graphics into your resume.
- For some candidates personal logos or monograms are appropriate. For example, if you are a consultant or freelance designer, you may want to include a logo from your business.
- In some professions, such as broadcasting, it is the standard requisite to include a small photo on the upper portion of the resume, or to print the resume on the backside of a headshot.
The most important advice regarding graphics is, don’t go too far. How far is too far? It’s similar to decorating your home…it is objective. If you don’t have an eye for this, ask a resume writing professional.
Take the Leap! Going Beyond the Job Description
Once again I received a resume with a copy and paste of a client’s job descriptions for the past 8 years; this is a very common occurrence. I provided her with questions to uncover the scope of responsibility, accomplishments, and all the ways she excelled in each position. After a 20-minute interview with my client, we uncovered numerous golden nuggets showing how she went above and beyond the job description. After all that detective work, the client asked me, “Are you sure this is going to make a difference? Is it good to show these numbers and details?” After a long internal sigh, I exclaimed, “Yes, this is what will earn you an interview.”
Will a Multimedia Resume Help Your Job Search?
As the job market shifts and technology advances, web-based resumes are growing in popularity. Newer technologies for social media communication are continuing to evolve. I am often asked how this will impact the traditional resume. While I doubt Word resumes will be going anywhere soon, I have definitely seen an increase in demand for virtual or digital resumes over the past year or so.
4 Reasons You Need a New Resume
I recently finished a resume revision for a customer who needed an immediate update for an unexpected job opportunity. He was not actively looking for work, but the position sounded ideal. Unfortunately, he hadn’t revised his resume in years and the interview was scheduled to take place within days. We were able to make the tight deadline for him; however, the experience made him realize the importance of keeping his resume up to date. By planning for the unexpected, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
3 Important Resume Error Prevention Tips
Spell check is not the only tool you should be using to ensure that your resume is completely error free. Those pesky errors can turn your masterpiece into a monster piece with one misplaced letter. In addition to your very careful proofreading effort to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors, there are several important things you should keep in mind when creating your results focused resume:
3 Steps to Enhance the Achievements on your Resume
When competing with candidates who have similar skills to your own, it is absolutely critical to highlight your achievements in a compelling way; you want to stand out from the crowd. A resume without achievements may provide information surrounding your previous duties, but it will not effectively illustrate the value you are capable of bringing to a role. Why are you better than the next guy (or gal)?
Resume Format – Which One is Best?
Choosing a resume format can be tricky. You want to select a style that is both aesthetically pleasing, and also meets your personal and professional needs. There are 3 main types of resume formats from which you can choose. The first resume format is the reverse chronological resume, the second is called the hybrid resume, and the third is the functional resume. Let’s discuss them individually.
Synonyms to Spice Up Your Resume
There are few things more boring than a resume that repeatedly uses the same exact verbs in sentence after sentence. Total snorefest! To engage your readers, you must spice up your resume by highlighting strong action verbs that bring your background to life.
While not every synonym will be the perfect fit to convey your exact meaning, by choosing from various alternatives, you can mix things up and create a resume that is fresh and engaging.
4 ½ Résumé Mistakes You Can’t Neglect
If you ask 10 different people for feedback on your résumé, you will likely get 20 opinions. It is too long, too short, not bulleted enough, over-bulleted, not concise, too wordy; the list goes on. Even professional résumé writers disagree on which approach is best.
3 Ways to Make Sure Your Résumé Gets Noticed
I recently saw a movie where the job seeker printed her résumé out on pink paper and sprayed perfume on it. (OK, it was Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde – I admit it.) While this technique will certainly get you noticed by hiring managers, I don’t recommend it for the senior level corporate professional. So what steps can you take to make sure that your résumé gets the attention it deserves?
Resume How To : Preventing Swiss Cheese
There are many reasons why your career history may have gaps; but that doesn’t mean your resume has to look like Swiss cheese.There are a variety of ways you can fill in the holes, so to speak, in order to make yourself more attractive to potential employers. These methods don’t include lying, of course. That is a sure fire way to put your career and your personal brand in jeopardy!
Resume Results that Get Results
One of the most common errors of omission that I see on the resume that come across my desk is the lack of quantifiable results. Most candidates focus on what they did at their previous jobs rather than what they achieved. They discuss duties and responsibilities, but what really gets hiring managers excited is your results. Otherwise, why would they consider interviewing your for the role?
Executive Decision: Hiring a Resume Resource
As a senior level executive, no doubt you have made many decisions throughout your career that have influenced business outcomes. Hopefully you have a good track record under your belt. If not, odds are you have learned from your mistakes.
Resume and Cover Letter Readability: 5 Tips for Success
There are differing opinions regarding what constitutes the ultimate resume style and format; however, there is unanimous agreement about the importance of readability. After all, what point is there in creating a resume, if no one reads the content?
Is Your Resume Filled with Bad Words?
When it comes to creating a top notch resume, the key challenge lies in how to get hiring managers interested in your value with just one or two sheets of paper. Knowing what words to leave out is just as important as knowing what words to put on your resume.
Resume Do’s and Don’ts for Executives with Start Up Woes
If you are like many senior level executives who have demonstrated their risk tolerance by joining a start-up company, you may find that your resume has a few not so glamorous gaps that need to be explained. While failure rates vary, there is no getting around the fact that start-ups are filled with rocky terrain that can sometimes cause a career landslide.
Best Practices for Updating an Executive Level Resume
As time goes by, it is natural that you will have accrued a lot of achievements in your career. Of course, you will not be able to reference everything – your resume would read like a Tolstoy novel. As you might imagine, opinions differ on the optimal length for an executive level resume; common sense tells us that hiring managers do not want to ‘read’ through a lengthy document that delves into the minutiae. They want ‘a taste, not the plate’. In other words, the resume should be the appetizer; your interview is the main course.
Online Resume Builder
Throughout our site, we provide a listing of resume writing and career services. Most recently, we have added Resume Companion to our list of providers and wanted to take the time to provide more information on their online resume builder services.
Digital Resumes for Career Planning
If you are on the career path to success, one of the latest methods for getting your information to potential hiring managers and marketing yourself effectively in the age of social media is the digital resume. A digital resume can turn your information into a multi-dimensional journey filled with color and visual appeal.
Are Recruiters Laughing at Your Resume Writing Skills?
Having a laughable resume is no laughing matter. The sad truth is that it is highly unlikely you will ever find out about your bad resume writing. Instead, your resume will most likely go directly into the ‘no’ pile after it has given a good chuckle to the recruiter who reads it. You, on the other hand, will not be so jolly when you scratch your head and wonder why no one ever gets back to you.
This blog's author, Debra Wheatman of Careers Done Write, provides executive career services including resume and cover letter preparation, job search / interviewing strategies and professional branding including how to effectively use LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media in your career.
Visit CareersDoneWrite.com to learn more about how we can put your career in gear with interview catching resumes and professionally written career documents.