May 2, 2008

Quick Resume Writing Tips Evaluating Your Resume

Filed under: Writing Tips — admin @ 7:06 am

Putting together a resume is not an easy feat, and many job seekers are so relieved to be done with this arduous task that they can’t wait to be done with it. Recall though, that your resume is a marketing tool and is the first impression an employer gets of you. A great resume will entice an employer to invite you in for a personal interview, while a fair to average resume will get pushed aside and ignored. Therefore, it is in your best interest to make your resume as strong as possible.

To help you in this task, review your resume against the following resume writing quick tips. These guidelines will help you evaluate your resume and identify those areas that may need more work.

- Overall Resume Review:

Is your resume well laid out? Is it pleasing to the eye?

Is your resume less than one page if you are a student or new to the workforce? Is it less than three pages if you are an experienced professional?

Have you chosen legible fonts throughout your resume or do the fonts detract from the context of the resume?

Have you used spell check and/or dictionary to ensure that there are no spelling errors?

Has someone else (outside of yourself) read your resume for grammatical errors?

Does your resume use proper English?

Is your resume memorable? Does it stand out in a crowd (but in a positive way)?

Is your resume tailored to the type of position you are seeking?

How do you come across when your resume is read? What will an employee think of you?

Are you pleased with your resume? Does it do a good job of telling an employer who you are and why you are a good candidate?

- Introduction:

Do you have your name, address, and contact information clearly displayed at the top of your resume?

- Objective (if included):

Did you limit your objective to just one or two short sentences?

Is your objective clear and concise? Or is it ambiguous?

Is your objective focused? Does it make sense given the position you are targeting?

- Education:

If you have a college degree, have you placed the details of your Education at the top of your resume? If you do not have a degree, have you placed the Education section after your Professional Experience?

Is it clear from your resume that you have obtained a college degree, if you graduated?

If you did not graduate, is it clear that you do not yet have a degree?

Are details of your college major and minors (if applicable) included in the Education section?

- Professional Experience:

Is your work experience presented logically (either by date or by subject area)?

Have you limited your work experience to no more than 4-5 previous positions?

Have you accounted for any gaps in your work history that an employer might question?

Do the name of the company, your job title, and dates of employment for each position stand out for easy identification?

Does each position support the resume and your objective?

Could an employer quickly scanning your professional experience easily identify a number of key words and action verbs that will identify you as a solid candidate?

Have you limited the information in each position to those that are the most relevant to the position to which you are applying?

Does your experience seem to flow together or is there a lot of jumping around between positions, companies, and industries?

If you worked for a lesser known employer, is each company’s business and industry clear from the company’s name? Have you supplied a quick identifier for each lesser known employer?

Is your professional experience accurately and honestly conveyed?

- Skills:

Are the skills you have listed relevant to the position to which you are applying?

Do the skills listed accurately convey your experience and knowledge in each area?

- Other Sections:

Do any other sections included in your resume enhance your presentation? Are they relevant to the position to which you are applying?

Laura Adams is a qualified careers advisor with 11 years experience. Insurance Careers Information - Resources, News, Tips and Views to help Insurance Professionals find their dream jobs. http://www.Insurance-Job.info

Copyright Insurance-Job.info This article may be reproduced as long as the resource box and live links remain intact.

Tags: career, , , , , , , , , , careers, employment, interview, interviews, job, jobs, recruitment, resume, resumes

May 1, 2008

Curriculum Vitae Writing Tips

Filed under: Writing Tips — admin @ 5:04 am

Students, professionals, academics and anyone who is actually planning on applying for a new job can benefit from curriculum vitae writing tips. A typical curriculum vita, which is often referred to as CV, differs slightly from a standard resume because it contains substantially more information than just your education and prior job experience. A CV should also include any other information about you that is relevant to the job that you are applying for. A CV offers so much more personal information about you and your abilities and has become a primary aspect of writing a resumes these days.

The first difference between a curriculum vitae and a traditional resume is how long it is. Professionals will quickly advise you that resumes should fill up one or if it is really needed two pages. A CV, though, can be longer if has to be. It is not uncommon for curriculum vitae to be at least three, or as many as 10 pages long if you want. Some people just really need that much space to write their qualifications.

The next aspect of the curriculum vitae is to include, in detail, any special licenses or awards that you have been given. If you have published books or articles, have taught courses at a university, or if you are affiliated with any academic or professional groups or organizations, they should also be included on the curriculum vitae. The CV is your chance to show every bit of your personality and life and your achievements. What this means is that this is the time for you to brag your guts out. There is no such thing as tooting your own horn too much with a CV because that is what this is for.

The best of the curriculum vitae tips might be to remember that the term curriculum vitae is derived from the Latin meaning of course of life. A CV is meant to be a written depiction of the course that your life has taken to this point and your entire volunteering etc. is going to be put in here. Whereas in a traditional resume you need to be concise, a CV is an opportunity to further explain your many achievements in whatever depth you see fit.

Writing your CV is a lot of fun for many people because it is just a great opportunity to talk about yourself. Most of the people that write a resume are not even aware of the fact that a CV can often be better than a cover letter which is only meant to express your interest in a job and give brief accounts of what is to be expected in the resume. Your CV can often be the final deal maker in your getting a job so you really want to think of writing yours today!

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Tags: Curriculum vitae, , , CV, resume
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