By: Adam Boulton

A resume is a summary, which advertises the education and job experience of a jobseeker to gain an interview. But a resume will get the interview but not the job itself. So it is very vital that the resume produced represents the person and his or her achievements.

An ideal resume should set him apart from other applicants. Therefore it is advisable not to copy a standard resume template from the website or a book. It must be ensured that the resume is easily readable and the best to attract attention.

Before beginning to write a resume, it is necessary to get all the relevant information to hand because all the information given should be correct. The type of job applied for should also be taken into consideration. If it is a permanent one, the career development should be highlighted and if it is a temporary role or on a contract, the skills and the adaptability should be highlighted.

The important points to be included on the resume are the name, phone number, email address and also the residential address. Students should specify both their term and home addresses in the resume. Employers are interested in knowing what the applicant can achieve and so it is better to include the major achievements, which are relevant to the job. It is essential to give a concise history of the career in reverse chronological order with the most recent position coming first. If the application is for permanent roles, relevant training courses and awards must be included.

There are certain things that should not be included in a resume. The foremost point is not to write anything negative or critical about own self while writing a resume. Only the positive abilities must be highlighted. Poor grades or bad employment experiences can be avoided because it is impossible to lie in the resume. Another thing that should be avoided in a resume is the list of references. Strictly photographs on resumes must be avoided for two reasons. One obvious reason is that it is the experience and skills that count and not the appearance unless applying for a modeling or acting job. The second reason is employers use databases to store the resumes and a photo may not be scanned well and corrupt the application.

In majority of the cases listing the hobbies and interests is not needed. Regardless of the career there is no need to include the age, gender, date of birth, marital status and so on.
There are certain common resume mistakes. A spelling mistake in a resume will cost an interview and the job and so spellchecker on the PC must be utilized. Too many fonts and font sizes on a resume reduces the chances of the employer reading the resume patiently. Normally it is better to confine the resume to two pages even if the career history is long. Bullet points are the best method to draw the attention of the reader and also to bring down the resume to two pages and word processed resumes are better since hand written resumes have become obsolete.

Visit www.resumetips.info for useful tips on drafting a comprehensive resume outlining all your academic and career achievements.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com

By: Heather Eagar

As you sit down to write your cover letter, do you ever stop and think, “Who the heck is going to read this?” You may believe that just because employers get hundreds of resumes per job posting that they tend to skip the cover letter part. That is just not true.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

You’ve written this awesome cover letter and it’s taken you quite a long time to create your masterpiece. You’re tired and spent from all your hard work. When it comes time to get your information together for the next job, you change the “To” section of the cover letter and the job title that you’re applying for. Boom – done!

But hold on a second…

What you just did is a major faux-pas. How is Employer #2 going to feel when it’s obvious you didn’t write your cover letter just for him? What if there was something in there that didn’t relate to that particular job at all?

Before you throw up your hands in frustration, let me clarify: you do not need to completely re-write your entire cover letter for each and every one of the positions for which you apply. You just need to put forth a little extra effort to show the employers that they are not just one of many companies for which you are applying.

Oops! Forgot to Change the Company’s Name?

You’re applying to jobs online and you hit “Send” a split second before you realize you forgot to update the company’s name on your cover letter. It seems like it’s happened to everyone but it is a huge blunder that most likely takes you out of the running for that particular position. Not very encouraging, huh? The good part about it is that you’ll be extra careful applying for jobs from then on.

Is there a way to recover from this error? You could always follow up with a hardcopy of your resume package. By then, the hiring manager probably would have already forgotten about your little mistake. You can also wait a few days and apply on line again. With so many resumes, employers probably aren’t going to remember your original submission.

Not Highlighting Your most Important Achievements?

Many job seekers believe that if they have their achievements on their resume, why should they repeat themselves in their cover letter? Simple – you need to do everything you can to make that employer want to read your resume. If your cover letter doesn’t provide them with enough ‘proof’ that you’re a great candidate for the position, then there is a chance they won’t even make it to your resume.

Now I’m not saying that it’s best to repeat yourself verbatim. Be a little creative and reword those top three or four achievements or important requirements that you know the employer wants to see. These may be different with each job posting so customize appropriately.

There are many ways to make your cover letter grab an employer’s attention. Treat it as being as important as your resume in getting interviews. After all, it’s your cover letter’s job to make the hiring manager want to read your resume. A great resume needs a cover letter to pave the way for the job that you really want.

About The Author:

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end. Grab your free cover letter tips email course at www.CoverLettersMadeEasy.com.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com

By: Alafiya Kapadia

There are some things about resumes that don’t often get considered. It is important when writing your resume that you think about what a it is, what it does and what a it cannot do. Sounds strange, doesn’t it?

Think about this:

It is not a type of document that you can make once and forget about. You will update it from time to time as needed.

There is a directly proportional relationship between how a it looks and how much time you have spent working on it.

It is a marketing tool. It tells others about you and attempts to “sell” the employer on the idea that YOU are the best person for the position.

It is your best bet for getting hired; no matter what your field is.

If you don’t spend your time NOW making yours the best it can be, you will either spend the time LATER working on it, or you will pay someone else (who doesn’t know you) to write it for you.

Why is one piece of paper SO important?

It is important because the employer has no idea who you are. It represents you. You can’t be there to speak for yourself, so your resume has to do that in a clear and arousing way. Arousing? You want to arouse the employer’s interest to the point that he/she makes a phone call to interview you.

That’s the whole purpose!

It gives you an opportunity to meet the employer face to face. That’s why it has to be a professional piece of work. It’s not that writing a resume is hard. It isn’t hard at all. When you have the right information, such as what is available on this site, you can present your own personal information in a way that makes YOU a person of interest to employers.

It just takes a little time.

A resume can either get your foot in the door or get a door closed in your face. Write the best one you can and you’ll likely find yourself with your foot in several doors.

Pay Attention to this next paragraph!

When you write your own resume, not only are you able to make the important decisions about what gets included and what does not, but there is a HUGE payoff when it comes time to interview. During the course of an interview, you will be asked a number of questions about your background. By taking the time to review your qualifications, you will be much better prepared for the interview. You will have the confidence that comes from being certain of your skills and abilities. This may be one of the best resume tips you ever read.

Here are a few additional resume tips to consider when writing your resume:

Keep your statements to one or two sentences. Anything longer than that and the person reading your resume may lose interest.

Effectively use the “white space” on your page. Guide the reader down the page, providing an occasional break for the eyes.

Collect the information you need before actually writing the document itself. Do not “wing it”. Prepare, plan, then place your accomplishments and such on paper.

Your entire employment history does not need to be listed. Only note the most current positions you have held. Depending upon how much you have moved from job to job, that could be two employers or it could be five. Do not feel the need to re-create the last thirteen years on paper, though.

Write professionally, avoiding jargon or slang.

Revise, revise, revise. Make this piece of paper work for YOU.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alafiya_Kapadia

Written by: Nell Taliercio

Your resume needs to outline your skills and experience, as most know. What some may not know is that employers want to know what you’ll bring to the table. They don’t want to know what your daily duties were. They want to know what you did for the companies you worked for that makes you extraordinary.

Did you save them money, did you make them money, how were you the best at what you did, etc. Yes, employers want to know what your experience is, so duties are good to add. Again, the name of the game is SELL YOURSELF! This does not lose its importance in a resume.

On your resume, point out the skills that will make you a good telecommuter. Can you work well with no supervision? Do you learn fast? Put that on your resume. If you were left to work with little to no supervision at your last job, let them know that. Also tell them how well you did. If you have telecommuting experience, put a big focus on that. Employers want to know that you can handle telecommuting. There’s always a risk involved with hiring someone to work from home, so an employer knowing you’ve worked at home before will be more at ease with you. They will see you as experienced with telecommuting.

MommysPlace has a Resume and Cover Letter center right here for your convenience, too! It outlines many different types of resumes and cover letter information, and it gives samples. Check it out at the Resume and Cover Letter Center.

Are you taking a second look at your resume now and thinking it could be better? Don’t get discouraged if you can’t afford to hire someone or buy a product that helps you. It’s very possible with a lot of hard work that you can improve your own resume. Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts of resumes. Read through these, and look at the resources below before you get started on your resume.

Do’s of Resume Writing (Tips for telecommuting resumes):

Write about your skills sets and experience. Know what type of job you’re looking for, and target your resume to that. If you’re seeking telecommuting careers, then focus your past skills and experience to telecommuting.

List your accomplishments! This is where you need to really shine. Don’t be afraid to show how great you are as an employee. They need to know why you’re the best for the job. Also, point out any special skills you may have that would put you above the rest of the applicants.

Convey how you can work independently. I know I’ve said this before but I wanted to point it out again because in the telecommuting world it’s the utmost importance!

Side Note—> Heather Eagar (professional resume writer) of Professional Approach says this of conveying how you’re independence is key when applying for a telecommuting position:

“Also, as is the case with teleworkers especially, you have to convey AUTONOMY. Since they will be off-site, the company has to feel comfortable that they are able to manage themselves.” Heather Eagar of Professional Approach

Dont’s of Resume Writing:

Don’t leave out your job objective!

Don’t list hobbies on a resume unless it can directly relate to your job objective.

Don’t have a run-on resume. The preferred length of your resume is no shorter than one page and no longer than two pages.

About The Author

Nell Taliercio is the owner and founder of http://www.telecommutingmoms.com – which is a leading resource website with work at home jobs and everything a telecommuting mom would need. Come visit us today!

Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com/

By: Charissa Bear

CNN recently published results of research done at Salary.com. It stated that “The typical mother puts in a 92-hour work week, the company concluded, and works at least 10 jobs. In order of hours spent on them per week, these are: housekeeper, day-care center teacher, cook, computer operator, laundry machine operator, janitor, facilities manager, van driver, chief executive officer and psychologist. By figuring out the median salaries for each position, and calculating the average number of hours worked at each, the firm came up with $138,095 — three percent higher than last year’s results.”

That alone should make any stay at home mom feel valued. Unfortunately not all potential employers see it that way. Instead of seeing a fantastic candidate who is more than capable of multitasking, problem solving and having impeccable organization skills, they see a mom who hasn’t worked in years. The dilemma – how can SAHMs create a resume which offers the opportunity to receive an interview?

Concentrate on your skills. There is no hard rule that says a resume is merely job history. Rather use bullets which annotate results achieved. For example:

Instead of: Mom’s Taxi Driver
Try: Possess reliable transportation.

Instead of: Getting kids to and from school, practice and lessons
Try: 100% attendance. Over the past eight years I have not called in sick once nor been tardy to scheduled appointments.

Instead of: Laundry slave
Try: Able to multitask multiple projects at one time, resulting in a smoothly run operation.

Instead of: Sibling referee
Try: Calm under pressure.

You get the idea. The biggest challenge moms have getting back into the workforce is that lack confidence or sense of accomplishments. Staying home to manage the household and care for the family is one of the most difficult occupations around. If you don’t believe me – ask any stay at home mom. Most would agree that they had it much easier collecting a paycheck from someone else; however there is no comparison as to the rewards of working at home.

Have fun with your resume; don’t get stuck in the quagmire worrying about lack of job history. Concentrate on your transferable skills and you’ll be fine. If you’re still at a loss on how to best display your skills, considering hiring someone to help you put together a professional resume and cover letter. You have what it takes. Employers will be fortunate to have you on their team! You can do it!

Charissa Bear is the owner of www.momsinc.biz, a work at home mom site with telecommuting resources and home based business ideas.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com