Resume Writing Advice for Total Beginners

Are you a total beginner in the complicated world of the job market? If you are, you may need some pieces of resume writing advice that should tell you the do's and don'ts of job hunting. At this critical point of job searching, there is a need for you to know and follow simple rules to avoid committing huge mistakes.


A list of do's


First of all, always remember that applications are usually screened by hiring managers or employers in less than a minute. As such, you need to maximize that time and opportunity to show your qualifications and competencies as a likely candidate for the job.


Make sure you placed any possible contact information that allows people to reach you during business hours. Write your qualifications summary in a simple and straightforward way, including the job title you are applying for.


Prepare a list of your jobs in reverse chronological order. List them according to its importance to the reader such as title or position, name of employer, city/state address, and dates of employment. If you are targeting a different career path, you should put more emphasis on your transferable skills.


Make your copy more meaningful by adding accomplishments, apart from enumerating your job responsibilities. If you can possibly quantify your accomplishments, that is, if you know how many customers or clients you served, or the figures of increased sales and profits, feel free to do so.


To make your document reader-friendly, consider using bullets. Apply designs that are unique and distinct, rather than just copying templates and wizards available on the Internet.


Before you submit your application, carefully proofread it to ensure that there are no spelling, grammatical, and typographical errors.


A list of don'ts


One worn-out resume writing advice is the so-called "one-page rule." Don't be pressured by having to squeeze everything in one page. Why? If you clearly have more important things to say, it is appropriate to add another page, but avoid going beyond two pages as much as possible.


There is no need for you to state your height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, sex, ethnicity, or social security number, or talk about your high school. Also, you don't need to explain your reasons for leaving your previous job. It can possibly stir controversy and discrimination.


There is also no need to include hobbies and other trivial stuff that are totally irrelevant to your target job. However, you may share these during interview conversations, if the situation seems appropriate.


Don't mention skills and job activities that you don't want to do anymore, especially if you are targeting a managerial position or a totally different kind of job.


Personal pronouns such as I, my, and me are a no-no. Use concrete and consistent action verbs and adverbs in your work experience section and qualifications summary. Make your application accomplishments-oriented, rather than duty-oriented. Duties automatically come with any job, but accomplishments are something that expose your work attitude and performance.


As a final resume writing advice, hiring managers and employers want to know the truth about you, so don't ever tell lies.




By Melinda Edwards

The 7 Deadly Mistakes Of Job-Seekers

I have been a professional career consultant for more than 20 years having worked with high school students, college students, graduates and professionals looking for career change. Job seekers consistently make the same mistakes but these can be avoided.
Job hunting has become a lot more difficult with a slow economy and a higher unemployment rate. Looking for a job can be stressful and daunting not to mention a tedious process. To compound the difficulties, most job seekers fall trap to some of the deadliest job hunting mistakes but the problem is they don’t know it.


In today’s competitive job market, it’s imperative that job seekers recognize these deadly mistakes in order to counter them and increase their chances of landing a job. So if you’re reading this then chances are you are looking for a job or know somebody else who is. Check out the seven deadliest mistakes that should be avoided.


Deadly Mistake 1: Jobseekers can be Clueless in Writing a Good Resume. Let’s be frank here. Many job seekers don’t truly know what employers want and know even less about how to write a good resume or cover letter that reflects what the employer is looking for. Tip: Avoid doing what most job seekers do – that is, most people try to write a job application without any help or the right tools. Even if you think you’re a brilliant writer the chances are you don’t truly know how to write a job application to the standard that employers expect. The best way to get those resume writing skills up to scratch is to get help from a professional career coach or get access to a quality resume builder. If dollars are a bit tight then you might choose to buy a good resume software program as professional coaching can be a little expensive. Now you might find a free website builder out there but frankly you generally get what you pay for. Want quality? Tip: Pay for it.


Deadly Mistake 2: Not Recognizing the Skills You Have. Job seekers consistently make the same mistake – they just don’t highlight their skills and abilities to employers, or at least, not enough. Want to know why? They just don’t recognize the many skills and talents they have or find it difficult to articulate these skills into words. Tip: Do some quick online research with keywords such “skills in the workplace or work skills.”


Deadly Mistake 3: Not Doing Enough Research about the Company or the Job. Veteran job hunters know the importance of research and how it can increase the chances of success. As a contrast, many first time job seekers make the mistake of not researching the company they’re applying to. During a job interview, there can be some challenging questions relating to the company you’re applying to so be prepared. Tip: Make sure you check out the company website to get an insight into its projects and trends and study the company values and mission statement if there is one. The organization may also have an annual report which can be very useful to get the inside edge on what’s going on.


Deadly Mistake 4: Arriving Late during a Job Interview. Arriving late for a job interview is absolutely in the no go zone. Arriving late will be seen as a sign of being unprofessional which can certainly hurt your chances of getting the job. Remember, first impressions last. Tip: Arrive around 10-15 minutes early and always phone ahead to the employer if you are going to be late.


Deadly Mistake 5: Being Complacent or Too Confident. Being over overconfident or too complacent can be two of the worst mistakes a bright and talented job seeker could make. Tell-tale signs of these two mistakes can emerge in your written applications or at the job interview. Tip: Get someone to critique your application prior to sending it or conduct a mock interview with them. The important thing is to find the right balance between being too complacent or over confident.


Deadly Mistake 6: Uncomfortable Body Language. Body language plays an extremely important role in job interviews – it will make or break your chances. It’s normal to be nervous when you are being scrutinized by a potential employer. Often we are not aware of our distracting body language. That is how we sit, fidget or our awkward facial expressions. Tip: Do an online search of the worst job interviews of all time – then avoid doing those annoying mannerisms.


Deadly Mistake 7: Mentioning Negative Things about Past Employers or Co-workers. Badmouthing your past employers or co-workers is a huge mistake because the rationale from a prospective employer could be that if you badmouth a past employer then you are likely to badmouth them also. Tip: Just don’t do it ever, period. Instead, predict that you may get this question and think ahead of some positive aspects of your previous job or boss that you can mention.


Job hunting can be tricky especially to first time job seekers who don’t know the seven deadly mistakes when looking for a job. It is essential that you figure out how to best sell yourself and your abilities in order to increase your chances of landing the job. If you want to get the edge on applying for jobs and beating your competition then you will need the right tools to help get you there.


By Trudy Byrnes

The 10 Red Hot LinkedIn Tips for Job Seekers

As a job seeker you have a new best friend and their name is LinkedIn. This new friend of yours not only knows a lot of people that you might want to meet but also has the ability to make sure that you are seen by that same bunch of well over 135 million business professionals who might just want to hire you. This friend is more than willing to help you find that next great job opportunity but like most of your friends, that turned out to be great friends; the relationship needs an investment of time and effort to make it work well.


Here are the places to spend your time and efforts on LinkedIn to help you land that next great opportunity.


1. Get Connected to over 250 1st level people
Connections are the gasoline in the tank that makes the engine work on LinkedIn for so many reasons. If you are messing around as a job seeker at 20-50 connections you are doing just that messing around. Get serious, you know 250 people that are on LinkedIn that you know and trust go out and get them connected to you.


2. Join 50 LinkedIn Groups
If connections are the gasoline in the tank then Groups are the oil that lubricates the engine. This is the place where you can find new connections, follow people, send messages, engage in conversations, be found and get exposed to people of similar industries, interests, backgrounds or geographic region.


3. Post a daily Status Update
A status update from you to your extensive network of connections (over 250 of course) about something of interest to you and to some of them will get you the kind of daily exposure one needs when in a job search. If your smiling face and name (along with the information you are sharing) appear in their status update feed you will become "top of mind", at least for the moment, reminding them that you are still out there and still looking for that next great opportunity which they may have just heard about.


4. Participate in 3 Group discussions a week
The whole group may be listening and this could be quite a large audience (many groups are having over 100,000 members). This is why you want to not only make yourself known but show them just how smart you are, for the some of the same reasons discussed above in status updates. In addition to your gained exposure to a group of people (maybe even in your industry or specialty depending on your purpose for being in that group) that you are not connected to at the 1st degree, at least not yet. Be strategic about the groups you participate in since you don't have the time to be involved in all 50.


5. Search and Save Job Searches
The LinkedIn Jobs tab at the top of your toolbar has lots of specific job postings that are directly posted on LinkedIn but it also accesses other outside job boards when you do a search. Your advanced job search can be filtered by not only title, keywords, geographic region, and other criteria. You have the ability to save up to 10 specific job searches, on the free account, and LinkedIn will send you an email notifying you of the job that meet your criteria, either daily, weekly, or monthly. This is like having your own virtual assistant who 24/7 looks for the jobs you have detailed would be right in your wheelhouse.


6. Download LinkedIn JobsInsider Toolbar
This tool when downloaded to your computer will tell you all the inside connections (people you know who know people) that you have at the company that you are interested in sending an application to from any external job sites like Career Builders, Monster etc.


7. Follow the Companies you are interested in working for
Great way to legally stalk and get information from the companies you are interested in working for. You will get notified of people coming and going, along with changes to the company profile and also company status updates. Believe it or not I have heard of company's looking through their followers and finding their next new hire right from that list, you better be on it.


8. Search for people you know at the company's you apply to
Advanced people searching will help you get a feel for not only who is at the company but if you know someone who knows someone at the company. Wouldn't it be nice if you have a 1st level connection who knows someone who works in the HR department, you will find that out after you complete this type of people search?


9. Optimize your profile for your keywords in your Headline, Skills & Job Titles
Keywords are what your future employer or recruiters are using to find the right candidate and you have to know which keywords describe your most important attributes, skill etc. The three profile sections that you have to make sure that your most important keywords are dropped into are Headline, Job Experience-Titles, Specialties and Skills. If you can also include them in the rest of your profile (Summary & Job Experience details) as you are telling your experience and credibility story throughout your profile it will help you rank higher in a search.


10. Spend at least one hour a day on LinkedIn
Like most other things in life you get what you put into it and LinkedIn is no exception. Using LinkedIn consistently during your job search could yield that relationship that will result in your next great job but it will also set you up for a lifetime habit that will help you succeed in that job as well. We all have come to know and accept that our "Network is our Net worth."


Sounds like a lot to do, I know, but you have a good friend that is going to work just as hard as you are to help you land that next great job opportunity.


By Wayne Breitbarth

Creative Job Search Techniques – How to Write a Resume Or CV

If you are looking for a new job, you will need to have extremely high level job search skills if you want to succeed at a time when so many people are being laid off. And this means that you know how to write a résumé or CV effectively


One of the most important aspects of résumé writing, is that you must target your résumé or CV and cover letter for every job. Most people create a generic resume or CV and send it out in response to a bunch of advertisements. The trouble is that you are applying for specific jobs, not a generic job title. If every secretary or nurse in the entire world did the same thing every day, generic résumés and CVs would be fine. And life would be exceedingly boring.


Each company or organization has its individual characteristics, products, services, customer base and sphere of influence. So a job as a secretary for Company A could differ widely from a job as a secretary for Company B, despite having the same job title.


Clearly, there will be some common requirements in all secretarial jobs. But what you must remember is, everyone applying for the job will be able to meet those requirements.


If you want your résumé or CV to get through the initial selection process, you have to do a lot more than meet the basic requirements. You have to stand out from the rest of the applicants.


Perhaps you feel you do stand out and that is reflected on your generic CV. It could be that you type extra fast or you speak three languages or you have 20 years of experience and you feel that this makes you an above average candidate.


Certainly, all of those examples, as well as a whole range of other abilities and qualities will raise you to above average standard. But above average is not good enough. You need to be the right candidate for this particular job.


Let’s look at this a little more closely. The fact that you speak 3 languages fluently may be very impressive. But if the company only deals with English speakers and has no plans to expand its operation to include non-English speakers, it is not an advantage.


Of course, it’s not entirely irrelevant. As an additional skill, placed towards the end of your résumé, it will show that you are bright and have studied hard, which are qualities that many employers value. But unless the employer is looking for a linguist, this should not be the first thing he sees when he reads your CV.


You have to remember that it’s about what the company wants and how you can meet its needs. So read the job description carefully and create your résumé accordingly.


By Waller Jamison

Email Skills For Job Seekers And Employees

If you are about to apply for a job via email, the quality of your emailed covering letter to the potential employer is extremely important. After all, you are marketing yourself. This means that the employer’s HR department will first judge your capabilities by how you introduce and portray yourself. If clothes make the man (or woman), then his or her words make the aspiring employee.


In many cases today, emails have degenerated to offensively abbreviated messages. Job seekers seem to assume that the quality of their emails is not as important as their actual work. The point is that the Human Resources departments of the most prestigious companies today will ignore badly worded emails containing chat-like abbreviations, spelling errors and grammatical bloopers. They are looking for serious, properly educated, well-spoken employees who take pride in their communication skills and will be assets to the company.


Here are some pointers on effective email writing to help you get that lucrative corporate job:


State your business clearly in the subject line. For example: ‘Application for the position of (mention position)’, ‘Response to your advertisement for (mention position)‘, etc. In direct email inquiries to you, the company’s HR department will have used a relevant subject line. Simply hit ‘reply’ while answering – do not change the subject line.
Be brief and to the point – Do not bore the HR operative with long introductions. Get to the point. State your name and experience, and express interest in working for the company. End with your complete contact details.
Include your CV and scans of experience certificates and additional qualifications. When it comes to your CV, remember that in most cases, the company’s HR operative is not interested in your future career aspirations.
Run a spell check and grammar check before sending. Most email platforms feature these today. If yours does not, write your email in Word first and run a spell and grammar check. Then copy it into your email window.
Maintain the right tone. Be businesslike and straightforward. Do not use superfluous words or language. Also, ensure that you use technical or business jargon sparingly. While you do need to impress the HR operative at this stage, you do NOT want to exasperate or intimidate him or her.
Nor do these email guidelines apply only to job applicants. In the rapidly globalizing India of today, your language and diction matter in EVERY email, be it an internal mailer or a response to a client. It is simply not good enough anymore to merely be a black belt in spoken English.


Most lines of business communication today begin with an email. The quality of language employed in our written electronic communications can therefore be a make-or-break point in many business situations. Remember that every email you send is, in more ways than one, an ambassador of the company you represent – and also your character certificate, personality profile and visiting card.


By Jappreet Sethi

Financial Careers – Common Mistakes Made in Financial Job Opportunities

A career in finance is what most job aspirants look forward to. With the recession gone and fresh life and investment being pumped into the finance industry again, the job opportunities in this industry seem to be on the rise. Financial careers offer you one of the best cheques in the industry and if you have a nag for figures financial jobs are just the things for you. Here are few of the most common mistakes that aspirants of financial services careers make. Read well and try to avoid them at all costs.


1) There are a set of people who irrespective of what may come keep relying only on their personal ideas and experiences. Financial aid careers call for an open mindset and understanding of the market. Job seekers should hence look upon themselves with a third person’s eye and correct themselves according to the market needs.


2) Professionals in financial planning careers should avoid a close mindset at all costs. There can be nothing more dangerous than this in a financial career. If you keep yourself confined in your comfort zone and do not take chances you can never progress in this career. A closed mind does no help except for narrowing down your opportunities. Keep your mind open to fresh ideology and plans. Trust me it always helps.


3) Using the same resume in all job applications is also a big blunder. I suggest you customize your resume before every job application. Do some research work and find out what the recruiters are looking for in their applicants. Base the resume on their requirements and you will have a higher chance of getting into the job.


4) Do not keep your job search options closed to a few top job search websites online. The best of the jobs in the industry are rarely featured in these. It is a fact that there are a maximum of financial career jobs on the best sites but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best. So you should also visit the sites of financial institutions and drop in your resume to keep up your chances of securing a job high.


5) Another mistake which finance job aspirants often make is not being prepared for an interview. Do not live in the illusion that good academic qualifications are adequate to get you a job. True it is important but you should also do your share of research before actually heading for a job interview. The recruiters always prefer applicants who have a fair knowledge about their company and services or products.


6) Salaries are important but remember you cannot get the highest pay in the industry in your first job. When you are asked about an expected salary judge your worth well and speak accordingly. Demanding too much might actually cost you the job opportunity.


7) Networking today is very essential in all career options and finance is no exception. You cannot spend your entire life in the same company so keep grooming a strong and trustworthy network. This not only helps you with fresh job opportunities but also makes sure that your work is accomplished without any glitches.


By Silas Reed

Online Job Search – Good Manners Get You Hired Fast

Certain digital protocols influence the outcome of a modern job search. Since the exchange of vital hiring information is often performed using online and other digital communication devices, it’s more important today than ever before that a serious job seeker use good digital manners – known as ‘netiquette’ – to adhere to the norms of courtesy that have become expected by employers and other workers who routinely process many job seekers.


Good manners are almost always appreciated, especially in the faceless world of digital communication. As you conduct your job search in the digital realm, it’s important to begin and end each communication with polite good manners, as if you were writing a personal letter – which is exactly what you are doing! Emails, text messages, web page forms, online chat sessions, such job related communications are often swift exchanges, so there is little effort to be detailed. Short, to the point responses prevail. In such a digital realm a quick email reply to a potential employer, or text comment to an HR rep, meant to convey humor — may be misinterpreted, and instead may be found to be opinionated, or terse or demanding or nonsensical, because it is short and carries no details to set the premise of good communications. However your comments may come across, if they come across wrong, it will quickly stall a growing interest from a potential employer. Don’t take the chance.


As a society, our training in manners and etiquette is mostly based on our expectations of friendly face-to-face communications. It extends from there to include telephone, postal mail, and media based communications, and now digital exchanges. Even though there are numerous advantages to digital communication, there is one big drawback — no direct voice or personal contact. Consequently, it is easy to misinterpret what someone has typed on a keyboard, as far as tone or emphasis of message is concerned. So job seekers should make great effort so all their job search documents express specific ideas and concepts, and are friendly, and polite, as though addressing a real human being – because they are!. Employers will appreciate your efforts, and the message about your value to their company will get through faster.


Therefore, it is to your benefit to understand some basics about general business writing styles. When you write and/or post your résumé or other job search documents, apply common sense to the composition. Don’t vary from what makes sense and what you’ve seen other people use successfully. You don’t have to be an English Professor to have a good resume. Yet, a job seeker can lose a good job opportunity if they submit resume documents whose text is all in capital letters, for instance. Not only is such a document difficult to read, but in the digital realm it sends multiple messages – like how it suggests the job seeker can’t follow guidelines, or how they may be willful or undisciplined. And, in fact, for many people who communicate regularly in the digital realm, typing words in all caps is the same as shouting at someone. That’s just one example of how easy it is to send the wrong message to a potential employer, and do it without realizing it. Use good rules of writing. Use good rules of conduct. Be polite as you begin and end digital communications.


By Mark Baber

Good at Nothing Is the Best Career Option

Many freelance writers are told to develop a niche, a specialty that is unique and compelling. However, nothing could dull the mind faster or stall a career quicker than becoming a foremost authority on for example the real estate industry.


Not that real estate is dull, but the key to being a successful freelance writer is to be an expert in nothing. It’s only that way that you can focus on what is truly unique which is your voice as a writer. That’s the skill that nobody else possesses. That’s why you’re worth hiring. It’s up to you to define that voice and create your own brand to sell.


Freelance writing isn’t a walk at a park though. Whether it’s a new career or your first job, you must start your search for work with friends, relatives and business contacts. Everyone remembers who helped them get their first job and people are willing to lend you a hand if you have the persistence to follow through on an opportunity. And you don’t need a specialty. You just have to write.


A nice story, especially a touching one, would surely draw many readers. How to write is another matter.


For college students, writing a personal essay would be a sensible thing to do. This kind of paper relies less on research and more on memory. But there are cases when their essays won’t turn out to be as good as they expect because of the way they write their story.


Students don’t need to brush up on essay writing to be able to seek a solution. They only need to be aware of what approach they’ll use while telling their story.


In case you’ve exhausted your relatives and friends, you can check out various online resources. Since most writers often don’t think of themselves as business people, you can get a head start on the competition. Sites like LinkedIn works on degrees of separation, allowing you to see the people you know and their immediate connections.


You mustn’t be scared if you lack experience. It can sometimes be the best tool in your arsenal if you know how to spin it. This comes into use as you branch out into different sectors. This is where you’re going to discover what you enjoy. You should cultivate that interest in able to be successful. That doesn’t mean you should stop being curious. In fact, explore as many different arenas as possible, because well informed freelance writers are capable of not only interesting cocktail conversations but turning an innocent interview question into a freelance project.


By embracing the role of a writing handyman, you regularly convince friends and contacts that you can offer a fresh and varied perspective for every project.


By Jessica D Phillips

Employment Search – Top 10 Tips for Seeking Jobs

Jobs are an important part of our lives. We all want to make sure that our career take the right kind of turns so that we can develop our career fast. Therefore it is always very important to make sure that you land yourself in the right job. Employment search is one of the most important things that we need to do.

People who are seeking jobs need to follow certain tips which will help them to get the right job. There are people who tend to ask the basic question which is how to find a job.

It is somewhat true the job search is quite a tedious task and it requires lots of time investment. There are certain things that are required for this search. You need to learn about these things and make sure that you are ready with all these things.

These days’ people look for the jobs on the internet. Internet has become one of the most preferred sources searching for jobs. There are certain tips which can be helpful for the job seekers.

1. The first thing you need to do is search frequently. If you are looking for the jobs on the internet then you need to be careful because the information on the internet changes quite frequently. One of the benefits of internet is that the job application can be posted within a few seconds.

2. The next job search tip which you need to keep in mind is creating a good resume. If you are unable to write your own resume then always try to take professional help. Most of the job search engines offer professional help to write your resume. They usually charge for this.

3. Thirdly you must always begin with the beginner’s job. They will not only help you learn the job but will also help you to gain experience which will enrich your resume. If you can increase your years of experience then you will get lots of good opportunities in future.

4. Research is one of the best ways for the job seekers to search for the jobs. Internet can help you perform the research for employment search.

5. When you are hunting for a job try to treat it as a job itself. This will help you to concentrate on it in a better way. It is very important to maintain a discipline for searching a job.

6. It will be better if you find out the name and contact number of the hiring manager of the company in which you applied for your job. You can then send in your resume directly to the hiring manager.

7. One of the best ways to ensure interview calls is to increase your visibility. You must always update your profile in the employment search engines to make sure you stay on top.

8. You must be open to every kind of possibilities.

9. After you go for employer search find out details about the employer you are interested in.

10. Make sure you take up self assessment before you find a job.

By Silas Reed

Six Ways To Find Job Opportunities Abroad

There are many people today who seriously consider some job opportunities in another country for the simple reason that there are better uses for their talents overseas. If you are one of these people who desire to work abroad, read the following tips which can help you get your dream job in your dream country.


Have The Determination


No goal is too hard to reach for those who are determined to achieve it. Start with having a clear plan of your career in another country. Choose at least three prospect countries. Search everything about them especially their job markets. Get as many contacts as possible. Save money as you prepare for your job search.


Read The Newspaper


Job seekers who are serious about getting paid a good salary must not restrict their reading to the job advertisement pages. All the latest news related to the country of your choice could help you big time. News on specific economic developments, for one, can give you background information that might be useful in a job interview. These may also be a source of job leads.


Get In Touch With Recruitment Agencies


This is perhaps the most convenient way of seeking employment overseas. Huge companies known worldwide seek the help of certified manpower organizations when in search for the right candidates that will make up their workforce. On the same way, job seekers register to the employment programs such agencies hold in order to acquire the job they need.


Get Posted


Search for a company in your country that is known for sending their employees to their branches in other countries. In connection with your qualifications and skills, apply for a job there which you could use as a stepping stone to working abroad. Be an excellent employee and inform your manager of your desire to be transferred to your company’s overseas branch should there be such an opportunity.


Be Part Of Volunteer Programs


Check out some volunteer programs in the country of your interest. This will not only help you do something worthwhile but also a chance for you to scout for jobs over there. Another good thing about this is that foreign employers value the volunteer work experience of applicants – a plus point for you. In fact, some of those who have acquired stable teaching jobs abroad only started as substitute or volunteer teachers. They only get some allowance for food and lodging until the schools they are helping have absorbed them as regular teachers.


Do Freelance Work


Pack your stuff and fly to your dream country. As you make the most out of your visit there as a tourist, engage with some freelance work as an industry consultant, writer, model, graphic artist, photographer, language tutor and nanny, among others. Whether we like it or not, job opportunities abroad may not come that easily to some people. By getting employed to any job available, they will be able to save money that they could use for the processing of their work visa and similar job requirements.


By Chase Crawford

How to Write a Resume – Important Information For Job Seekers

Have you ever wanted to score a really good job? Perhaps you think you have found an open position that is right up your alley. The question is, how do you present yourself to a prospective employer in the most effective way possible. In one word, your resume is what will decide whether you score an interview or if you are thrown in the trash before you ever get to truly express yourself in order to score that job that you really need. If you want to write an effective resume, there are a few key points you need to keep in mind that will maximize your chances of getting noticed for all the right reasons.


First, before you can go about writing an effective resume, you need to know what a resume is and what it is meant to accomplish. A resume is essentially a summarized document which expresses all of your previous and present valid work experience to a potential employer. Along with work experience, a resume will also include any relevant accolades, degrees, and awards you have received which are relevant to a given job opportunity. A resume can also include a brief synopsis of who you are and why you are an exceptional candidate for a given job.


Some essentials to a great resume are obviously your name, biodata, and relevant work experience all concisely summarized within the first few lines of the page. You should begin by introducing yourself with your name, and the position which you are applying for. The key to making your resume stand out is by putting yourself in the shoes of the employer you are trying to impress and speaking in such a way that you become an essential asset to their business that they simply cannot live without.


A few key ways to present yourself properly is by beginning with valid work experience. You should summarize all of your work and any leadership positions you may have filled in the past. You need to connect the relevance of any work you have done to the prospective position you are applying for. The key to effectiveness in this regard is to make it absolutely apparent that your work experience makes you a much more valuable prospect for the position you would like.


Once you have filled out work experience, it may be a good idea to list particular projects and problems you solved successfully on previous jobs. This will lend validity to your claims of experience and will help the employer see that you are solution and leadership oriented.


Obviously, proper grammar, punctuation, and avoiding redundancy are key factors that will lend an air of professionalism to your resume. You need to maintain an air of great communications skills and professionalism at all time while writing your resume.


If you can keep your resume professional, valid, and effective, you will maximize the probability of your attaining a particular position. Only by presenting yourself accurately and effectively can you expect an employer to take interest in what you have to offer their company.


By Lisa Galloway

The Benefits of an Online Job Search

Up until the early 1990′s, jobs were listed in the employment editions of leading newspapers or government employment exchanges or through retained search companies.

However, during the late 1990s the conventional means of job search became ineffective, as the Internet significantly changed the way that people looked for jobs. Dedicated job portals and job boards have since become even more common on the Internet and these online job search portals have easily become the preferred option for employers and job seekers alike.

Job seekers who are actively looking for jobs now have the option to search through thousands of job postings online or advertisements posted by headhunters or recruitment agencies on these sites. Searching for a job online is the easiest and the most convenient way of looking for the most appropriate jobs. If there is something that suits their requirements they can easily register on the site and apply.

It is also possible to conduct a passive job search through these sites assometimes people are happy with their current jobs and are not actively looking for new employment opportunities, but don’t mind if they are “searched for” or identified by a recruiting agency for a vacancy that matches their skill sets.

This can be achieved by the jobseeker posting their resume on the online job search portal. Resume uploads are normally free and these job portals have filters and intelligent tools that do not divulge the person’s name or current employer to safeguard their privacy.

There are times when retained job search is still the way to go, particularly for very senior positions. Whilst there are a small number of executive recruitment search sites, online job search is not as appropriate for very high-level jobs as the employer typically defines the segment or companies from where their future employees have to be sourced, narrowing the potential field significantly.

Online job sites have however become the primary method used by employers to fill entry and mid level positions. These employment portals also help companies that seek to fill many positions in a short period of time because they give access to a database of resumes ready for them to search through and line up interviews.

The employment portal charges a fee to employers and recruitment agencies to access their database of resumes while the job seeker gets to upload their resume for free. There are a small number of online job search websites that charge a fee to jobseekers if they wish to register to apply for certain jobs.

These online job search websites also provide news and information on the job market and resume building and profiling services for jobseekers who want to create a professional resume or when they want their resume to match the specifications of a particular job.

There is no doubt that online job sites and the ability for so many people to conduct an online job search have significantly changed the recruitment landscape and made it easier for employers to find new recruits and for jobseekers to land the job that they were looking for.

By Neil W