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It’s very hard to write your own resume because a resume is a macro view of your life, but you live your life at the micro level, obsessing about daily details that have no bearing on your resume. For that reason, a lot of people hire someone to help them. After all, spending money on a resume writer is one of the few expenditures that will have good return right away. But if you’re writing your resume on your own, the first thing you’ll have to do is make some mental shifts. You need to rethink the goals of a resume, and rethink the rules of a resume in order to approach the project like the best of the resume professionals. That means not making the most common resume mistakes, and not breaking a few key rules.

Steps

1. Don’t focus on your responsibilities, focus on what you achieved. A resume is not your life story. No one cares. If your life story were so interesting, you’d have a book deal. The only things that should be on your resume are achievements. Anyone can do their job, but only a small percentage of the population can do their job well, wherever they go.
   • The best way to show that you did your job well is from achievements. The best achievement is a promotion because it’s an objective way to show that you impressed the people you work for. The next best way to show objective measures is to present quantified achievements. Most people do not think in terms of quantified achievements when they are in the job, but on the resume, that’s the only part of the job that matters. No one can see that you were a “good team player” on your resume unless you can say “established a team to solve problem x and increased sales x%” or “joined under-performing team and helped that team beat production delivery dates by three weeks.”
   • Steer clear of expressions like “Duties included,” “Responsibilities included,” or “Responsible for.” That’s job-description language, and not what employers are looking for.[1] Use action verbs instead, but minimize the use of “I” and articles (the, an, a).[2]Write a self evaluation and for each achievement, ask yourself: “What does this accomplishment say about me, and what I can do for this employer I want to work for?”
2. Don’t make your resume a moral statement; it’s a marketing document. The best marketing documents show the product in the very best light, which means using whatever most outrageous tactics possible to make you look good. As long as you are not lying, you will be fine. Here’s an example: You join a software company that just launched a product and the product had so many problems that they had to hire someone to handle the calls. You start doing the tech support, and you work tons of overtime because the calls are so backed up. You clean up the phone queue and then you start taking long lunches because there’s not a lot to do, and then you start job hunting because the job is boring.Here’s how you summarize this job on your resume: Assumed management responsibility for tech support and decreased call volume 20%. How do you know 20%? Who knows? It was probably more. But you can’t quantify exactly, so err on the safe side. But if you just say “Did tech support for a software company” no one knows you did a good job.
3. Keep it all on one page. The idea of a resume is to get someone to call you. Talk with you on the phone. Offer you an interview. So a resume is like a first date. You only show your best stuff and you don’t show it all. Some people dump everything they can think of onto their resume, but a resume is not the only chance you’ll have to sell yourself. In fact, the interview is where the hard-core selling takes place. So you only put your very best achievements on the resume. Sure, there will be other questions people will want answers to, but that will make them call you. And that’s good, right?
   • For those of you who can’t bear to take off the twenty extra lines on your resume because you think the interviewer has to see every single thing about you right away, consider that a hiring manager has to sift through a pile of resumes to figure out which person to interview; each resume gets about a ten-second look. If you think you need a longer resume, give someone one page of your resume and have them look at it for ten seconds. Ask them what they remember; it won’t be much. They are not going to remember any more information in ten seconds if you give them two pages to look at; ten seconds is ten seconds.
   • If you have a long job history behind you, beware of age discrimination. Employers might think you’re too expensive if you have loads of experience. If you’re at the senior level, list about 15 years of job history (no more) and don’t provide the date of your college graduation if it was more than about 10 years ago.[3]
4. Ditch the line about references on request. It’s implied. Of course, if someone wants a reference, you will give one. No one presumes that you will not. So when you write that you will provide a reference you seem to not understand how the game is played.
   • Don’t list references on your resume at all; if they are requested along with your resume, list them on a separate sheet.[4]
   • Bonus tip: If you have an excellent reference, like a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who vacations with your Mom, have the reference call before you even go to the interview. Sets the tone for the employer to think you are amazing.
5. Tread lightly on the personal interests line. Your personal interests are not there to make you look interesting. They are there to get you an interview. Every line on your resume is there to get you an interview. So only list personal interests that reveal a quality that will help you meet the employer’s needs. If you are in sports marketing, then by all means, list that you kayak. If you were an Olympic athlete, put it down because it shows focus and achievement. If you are a mediocre hobbyist, leave it off. Personal interests that don’t make you stand out as an achiever do not help you. And personal interests that are weird make you look weird and you don’t know if your interviewer likes weird or not, so leave weird off the resume.
6. Don’t be a designer unless you are. If you have more than three fonts on your resume and you’re not a designer, you’ve botched the layout. If design was easy, no one would get paid for it. Recognize your strengths and keep design elements to the bare minimum. And leave Photoshop out of it: Just because you know how to use the shading tools doesn’t mean you know how to use them well. Stay away from overused templates (like those in Microsoft Word) because you won’t stand out, and it makes you look completely generic.[5]

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg8A1WbCRXs

Tips

• Tailor your resume to each position. One-size-fits-all resumes should be avoided, unless you’re casting a very wide net (versus applying for a specific company or position).
• If you are only putting achievements on your resume, you are going to be hard-pressed to fill a whole page. That’s okay. Anything on your resume that is not an achievement is wasting space, anyway, because you don’t know what a hiring manager will look at first—and if you have ten good achievements and three mediocre lines about your life story, the hiring manager may only read those three lines—so remove them.
• It’s very hard to see your achievements from the trenches; you might think you did not have achievements because your boss doesn’t ask you to do achievements, your boss asks you to do tasks and projects. But you need to recognize that you do not see achievements and ask for help to see them. A resume coach, or even a friend, can help you to see them more clearly.
• List items in order of importance or relevance to the reader. Many people write the dates first, and while dates are important, they’re not the most important.[6]
  • Job history: Title/position, name of employer, city/state of employer, dates of employment.
    • If the company you work for is unknown, or the nature of the company isn’t obvious from the name, describe the business, note its revenues and maybe how old it is; otherwise, a recruiter or hiring manager will have to look up the company description, which takes up more of their time.[7]
  • Education: Name of degree (spelled out: Bachelor of _____) in name of major, name of university, city/state of university, graduation year, followed by peripheral information, such as minor and GPA.
• Accompany your resume with a short and succinct cover letter/email.

Warnings

• List your most recent job first. Chronological order is only a good idea if you are looking to get hired to go back in time. Otherwise you look like you’re bucking resume writing convention in order to hide something, which you probably are, but you have to do it with a better sleight of hand than that.

• Spell check your resume. Then check the spelling yourself. Then have someone else proofread it. Resumes with typographical errors often automatically get moved to the bottom of the pile. If you can’t be trusted to pay attention to such an important detail in your job search, what does it say about your potential job performance?

Related wikiHows

• How to Write a Self Evaluation
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• How to Make a Resume
• How to Ask for a Reference from an Employer
• How to Get a Job

Sources and Citations

• blog.penelopetrunk.com: How to edit your resume like a professional resume writer - Original source, shared with permission.
• blog.penelopetrunk.com: 6 most violated resume writing rules - Original source, shared with permission.

1. ↑ http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_mistakes.html
2. ↑ http://career-advice.monster.com/resume-writing-basics/Common-Resume-Blunders/home.aspx
3. ↑ http://www.quintcareers.com/older_worker_strategies.html
4. ↑ http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_mistakes.html
5. ↑ http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_mistakes.html
6. ↑ http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_mistakes.html
7. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/01/1101resume.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid Common Resume Mistakes. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Another candidate with inappropriate material on his MySpace… who is now no longer a candidate.

It’s REALLY important to sanitize your social network pages (anything on MySpace, FaceBook, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) while you are looking for a job in medical sales, pharmaceutical sales, clinical diagnostics sales, laboratory sales, pathology sales, imaging sales, medical device sales, cellular products sales, molecular products sales, or biotech sales, which is why I have addressed this in previous posts.

Why? According to a Vault.com survey, which I found in Net Etiquette for Job Seekers, 44% of employers surveyed looked up potential employees on social networking sites and 82% of those employers would think twice about hiring candidates with something perceived as negative in their on-line profiles. And FYI: 39% of employers have searched the on-line profiles of current employees, so don’t think you’re good to go after you’ve got the job. It may seem unfair and an invasion of your personal social life, but it becomes fair game once you’ve put it out there in public.

Additional great advice in this article–not only make sure your sites are “PG,” but also make sure they are complete, since they are serving as another resume. For instance, identify yourself as a healthcare salesperson (or even better, as a laboratory sales rep) rather than just say you’re “in sales.”

If that many employers are using social networks to gather information, I would imagine that any recruiter worth his or her salt uses them, too. (I know I do.) Social networking sites are one of the gold mines for finding candidates.

Social networks can be general or focused on a particular group, and it’s worth it to companies and candidates to find out how to effectively use them. The New Way to Network for a Job offers an overview that shows you how important they have already become and solid advice for how to use them to your advantage.

By the way, no one will tell you that this is what killed your chances…managers will just assume that you have bad judgment and want nothing to do with you.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Article by the Medical Recruiter
Website: http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress/2008/06/24/myspace-killed-the-candidatecritical-job-interview-tip/

We’re in some tough economic times right now, and that can make it that much harder to find a job. Although laboratory sales, medical device sales, imaging sales, pathology sales, molecular products sales, cellular products sales, and biotechnology products sales are much less susceptible to economic downturns than pharmaceutical sales, any person searching for a position in healthcare sales can have a hard time.

To help you out, Fortune magazine has 7 tips for job hunting in a tougher market. They include:

1. Request more face-to-face meetings. Get your face in front of recruiters and your network instead of relying on e-mails and phone calls. It will make more of an impression.

2. Step up your job-search activity. This makes sense. In many ways, a job search (like sales calls) is a numbers game. Increase your odds by increasing your activity.

3. Try to be as flexible as you can. Consider contract work, part-time work, or starting at a lesser salary than you were hoping for. It gets your foot in the door for other opportunities later. Besides, less money is better than no money, right?

4. Consider relocating. Top jobs aren’t always where you are. I love the idea of relocating and expanding your horizons…trying something new.

5. Scour the hidden job market. Many jobs aren’t advertised. Be proactive. Use your network. Or contact employers directly. They might appreciate your initiative.

6. Spend very little of your time on Internet job boards and help-wanted ads. Look, but don’t focus. Everyone’s looking here.

7. Take advantage of social networking sites. Personally, I love LinkedIn. But also, use MySpace or Facebook as part of your networking tactics. Just be careful to keep it professional.

One tip they missed: In tougher job markets, a medical sales recruiter is a gold mine of job opportunities and information.

Here are some more great tips to heat up your job search. One last great idea:

You never know when or where you may meet a prospective employer. Memory sticks, flash-drives, or email versions of your resume on your Blackberry, Treo or iPhone are must-haves in today’s volatile employment market.

Good luck.

Article by Peggy McKee, Owner/Recruiter
Website: http://www.phcconsulting.com/

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

A resume reveals so much more than your professional experience, education and career goals. It can tell a prospective employer about the kind of leadership you offer. Although many people spend a great deal of time working through various font sizes and deciding whether to do a chronological or functional summary, they often forget to think through how others will respond to the non-factual aspects of their resume.

The editorial issues are certainly important. A prospective employer likes to review a neat, accurate resume which responds to the qualities and strengths he or she would like to see in the next member of the team. Although a less-than-perfect resume, or cover letter, may simply be an oversight, a prospective employer will almost always take a mediocre resume as a signal of lack of interest and professionalism. He or she will probably choose not to invite you in for a face-to-face meeting. On the other hand, a perfectly neat but uninspired resume will not exactly guarantee you a personal interview. In the end, the well-crafted resume is most likely to gain positive attention.

A well-crafted resume will present you as a thoughtful, energetic and creative leader. It will usually point to subtle, often sought after, abilities. A resume can tell a prospective employer whether you are tuned into industry issues, have a positive, “can-do” attitude and whether you operate strategically. A strong resume can frequently be made more appealing by emphasizing successful outcomes and by showing your ability to manage a range of responsibilities, while recognizing others’ contribution and accepting occasional disappointments.

You will likely pique a prospective employer’s interest by paying attention to less-than-obvious cues others may get from your resume. In addition to the factual details of your education and experience, your resume gives you a wonderful opportunity to tell your professional life story. It can be a forum for describing how and why you have evolved over time. Not all of your professional story is about titles, compensation and the number of direct reports you have managed. A big part of the “story-behind-the-resume” has to do with how you have assessed and given direction to others in complex situations. In the end, an inviting resume tells a prospective employer that he or she will be comfortable working with you primarily because you have strong skills and, as importantly, because you are the kind of person who responds positively to challenges.

For example, does your track record indicate that you have gained your peers’ support and outstanding results? How do you describe and respond to ambiguous or challenging situations in the workplace? Do you hide them (seen by many as dishonest), or do you acknowledge them openly? Do you distance tricky situations, letting others take the fall, or are you quick to point to lessons learned and new skills acquired? What about your level of creativity? Does your current resume show that you are able to think “outside-of-the-box” and get buy-in from others? Do you give others credit for the part they have played in your success? Does your resume describe you as a “team-player” or as a high-achieving “loner”? How you project your leadership skills will have a big impact on how other perceive you. A positive presentation will encourage them to meet you in person.

The next time you review your resume, certainly check for typos, spacing and format. Make sure that you have highlighted relevant experience, and that you have used fonts and descriptions to good advantage. Also, pause to ask a few questions. Ask yourself, “What will people think of me when they read this?” “Would I hire someone who handed me this resume?” “What questions might my next boss raise about my ability to lead?” “How will he/she perceive my successes?” “How have I described my challenges?” Ask these kinds of probing questions and get honest feedback from friends and colleagues whom you trust. Listen carefully to their suggestions and responses. This feedback, which goes way beyond the font used in what you report, will move your resume to the next level. As you read your resume critically to identify those entries which may need to be revised, you will discover fresh ways to present your work history. You will also find many opportunities to explain how you have overcome challenges and motivated others to exceed expectations.

When your resume is neat, accurate and reflects your people skills, you stand the best possible chance of being invited in for further discussions. Take the opportunity. Give your resume the upgrade which comes with careful editing and wait for positive things to happen.

Article written by: Karen Alphonse, execSearches.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Among New Year’s resolutions, finding a new job is right up there in popularity with losing weight, reducing debt, and spending more time with loved ones.

If you’ve resolved to find a new and better job, you can do it faster by using your time more effectively. Here are three suggestions …

#1: Find Extra Time
If you’re not working now, treat your search as a full-time job, requiring at least 40 hours a week. If you are working, devote at least 20 hours a week to your search — the equivalent of a part-time job.

Here’s how to find some of those extra hours you’ll need:

1) Get up one hour earlier each morning (that gives you 5 extra hours per week).

2) Give up all TV, including news, reality shows, etc. If you can’t quit the boob tube completely, limit yourself to one hour per day (10-15 extra hours per week).

3) Take 30 minutes of lunch hour to eat and spend the rest of the time on your search (2-3 extra hours per week).

4) Work on your search for one hour after dinner (5 extra hours per week).

Total per week, not counting weekends: 24-28 extra hours. And if you put in 4-8 hours on Saturday, you can boost that total to 28-36, to get even more done in your job search.

Now, before you start griping about your life getting out of whack with all this extra time devoted to your job search, remember two things:

1) This regimen is TEMPORARY, until you find a new job

2) The faster you find a job, the faster you can go back to watching TV every night and pigging out during lunch hour (although you may not want to!)

#2: Take Time to Reflect
The new year is a great time to look back on what you’ve done and plan to achieve more in the days ahead.

When you analyze your job-search efforts, from networking with old friends and polishing up your resume, to answering Internet job postings and everything in between, ask yourself three questions:

1) What’s producing results?
What have you done that has led directly to job leads, interviews or callbacks from employers? Resolve to do more of that.

2) What’s not producing results?
What has failed to produce job leads? Example: If you’ve emailed 101 copies of your resume to postings from MegaJobSite.com and no employers have called, that tactic is not working. Resolve to change — revamp your resume or apply for different jobs, for example — or stop doing it — like visiting other Web sites.

3) What’s next?
After you decide what to do and what not to do, take 10 minutes to plan today, tomorrow and the rest of this week. You’ll save at least 2-3 hours of wasted time this way. Then, at the end of the week, ask yourself these same three questions again. Keep correcting course and soon you’ll zero in on the job of your dreams.

#3: Take Time to Improve Your Resume
Your resume is often the first impression you make on potential employers. And the better your resume is, the shorter your job search will be.

So it pays to make sure your resume is as powerful and as targeted as possible.

While there isn’t space here to cover the essentials of resume writing (Google “kevin donlin resumes” to find my past articles), you can improve your resume in just a few days by asking your friends for help.

Specifically, try emailing your resume to at least five friends whose judgment you trust. Ask for their input. What do they like? Dislike? Is anything missing or unclear in your resume? Revise and improve your resume accordingly, based on what they tell you.

Bonus: You are networking with and flattering potential references at the same time as you’re getting free editorial help from them. Pretty nifty, huh?

Just be darn sure you return the favor and take the five friends on your “editorial board” out for a celebratory dinner after you get hired.

Here’s hoping these tips will help you use your time wisely and find a new job in the new year!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of “51 Ways to Find a Job Fast — Guaranteed,” Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
copyright (c) 2007 by Kevin Donlin

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.