Tips On Effective Resume Writing
Creating an
effective resume is a crucial step in the career planning process. Most job seekers rush into creating a resume
before they fully understand their product (themselves). A resume advertises you. It sells your
ability, experience, potential benefits, and value. It also stimulates the interest of prospective
employers to find out more about you and invite you to an interview.
A common myth is that a good resume will get
you a job. The reality is, however, that
a resume will best interest the reader enough to want to meet you. The need to prepare ahead for the interview is
another area you should not toil with. Dress well for the interview, present
your idea logically during the interview by stating your achievements and
accomplishments, ask the necessary questions that will show that you have an interest in the job and the company’s progress, and don’t oversell or undersell
yourself. Try your best and leave the rest for them to decide.
After the
interview, there may be the need for you to do a follow-up as well as write a
thank you letter for giving you the opportunity to attend the interview. and if perhaps you're employed, it is important for you to maintain your competitive advantage.
The world of employment is dynamic. Employees need to become just as competitive
and strategic about their careers as their employers are. More significantly, employees need to take
responsibility for their own careers. If
you want to continually compete and win in today’s job market, you must
maintain a competitive edge in your job performance in order to do so. Just as every one has strengths, everyone has
weaknesses or hindrances to performance that they must manage and overcome in
order to grow professionally.
Some Helpful Tips On How To Write An
Effective Resume
• Keep your resume brief – especially in
describing responsibilities. Describe
the key outcomes or accountability of the position, not the tasks!
• Eliminate any information which is
extraneous or that could create a negative effect; for example, marital status,
religious or political affiliations, sports or hobbies, salary, and references.
• Make sure it is formatted neatly with the
latest software to help you. Be sure it
has plenty of white space and use the grammar and spell checker. Final copies should be printed on at least
(20) pounds of bond paper in ivory or white.
• Check to make sure you use a consistent
format throughout your resume. If you
used bold headings, make sure all headings are bold. Also, make sure your verb tense is
correct.
• Have your resume reviewed before
finalizing it. Typos and spelling errors
are almost guaranteed to eliminate you from being considered.
• Do not underestimate the importance of
using a cover letter in your job search!
Cover letters reflect the time, care, and preparation you have given to
your search. They also demonstrate
enthusiasm and confidence which can help you begin to develop a rapport with
the reader.
The Interview
The interview is an exchange of information
between the candidate and the company for the purpose of determining if there
is a fit for the open position. You have
certain qualifications to offer and they have certain needs to fill. Your qualifications have already separated
you from the pack and brought you to the final selection process.
The following tips will provide you with some
techniques and information to help you fine-tune your presentation:
- Dress conservatively. Men: wear a suit and tie, dark colors. Women: wear a suit or a dress with a jacket, conservative colors, simple jewelry, little makeup, and perfume. Neatness is critical!
- Arrive about 5-10 minutes early. Be nice to everyone you meet at the company.
- Sit up straight, leaning forward slightly; this helps to convey an attitude of high interest and energy.
- Be positive, friendly, enthusiastic,, and sincere. Practice will help you to relax and be yourself. Be positive about previous employers and managers.
- Maintain good eye contact.
- Rest hands comfortably in your lap; gesture appropriately as you speak.
- Speak at adequate levels and avoid monotone patterns; don’t drift off at the end of sentences. Speak with assurance.
- Be an attentive listener; ask questions and clarify meanings; answer concisely and clearly, do not ramble.
- Anticipate general questions and those related to your experience. Prepare answers ahead of time. Picture yourself answering these questions confidently.
- Anticipate behavioral interviewing questions that demonstrate that you have the behaviors, competencies, and attitude to do the job.
Take cognizance of all these points and
others before going in for your interview. I wish you the best of luck in your
search!
Thank you.
