Resumes OR CV : Get That Job

Your resume is your sales document. It tells the world of your achievements, capabilities and roles you have enjoyed. It should standalone and represents you well. To impress your potential employers there are a few guidelines that will help you create an amazing resume.

Create a captivating covering letter ? use friendly language, refer to the job advertised and allow some of your personality to show through this document.

Don't present it in plastic folders ? these are bulky and expensive and your interviewer will discard the unsuccessful applicants anyway. Keep it simple, clean and stapled.

Keep it short ? no more than 2-3 pages maximum. Only refer to the past 10 ? 15 years experience of your career, regardless of how long you have been working.

Keep it relevant ? only include details that are significant and important to help sell you.

Start the resume with a Personal Capability Statement. This is 2-3 sentences or bullet points on what you are good at, your skills and knowledge. Place it right at the top of the document so it is the first thing people see.

Place your contact information in the footer of the document so if they print it out your details are on every page. Don't dedicate a whole page to your contact information. You only need to list your name, address, mobile and email contact numbers.

Don't use italics or underlining. These can be hard to read and will make your document look messy.

Use a common 12 font i.e. Times New Roman or Arial are safe. Avoid fancy fonts that also may not work when emailing documents.

Don't use gimmicks or present it as a PowerPoint presentation ? interviewers don't like this.

Use white space ? don't cramp the document and this will allow the interviewer to also write notes on the document.

Avoid jargon or industry terms and acronyms. If you use acronyms always list an explanation of what that it. Not everyone is familiar with all the terms.

Don't list your job description ? don't bore the reader with everything you did in the job.

List your responsibilities ? make a short and relevant list of the responsibilities you had in each role.

List your achievements ? many people only list their responsibilities in the resume, make sure yours stands out by listing your achievements.

Make the achievements specific ? use statistics, client testimonials and comments and targeted information i.e. increased sales by 21%, received 97% on customer satisfaction survey.

Show others and get their feedback about the document ? find people who understand resumes and can give you constructive feedback on your resume.

Get it edited ? pay for someone to edit your document and check for spelling and grammar. This small cost will give it a professional finish.

Don't send academic transcripts, work samples ? save this for the face-to-face interview.

Use positive and energetic words in your resume. Avoid cliché's and look for creative ways to package what you want to say.

This document should sell you, be honest, get feedback on it and then send it out confidently for the jobs you desire.

Neen is a Global Productivity Expert: by looking at how they spend their time and energy ? and where they focus their attention ? Neen helps people to rocket-charge their productivity and performance. A dynamic speaker, author and corporate trainer, Neen demonstrates how boosting your productivity can help you achieve amazing things. With her unique voice, sense of fun and uncommon common-sense, Neen delivers a powerful lesson in productivity. Find out more at http://neenjames.com/

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Should You Join a Modeling School for Petite Modeling?

If you are thinking of breaking into the petite modeling... Read More

From Bumbling Bosses to Cranky Co-Workers ? How to Overcome What Makes You Hate Your Job

I'll be the first to admit that I hated my... Read More

The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting - As Seen Through The Eyes of a Seasoned Telecommuter

Janelle Delacorte has been happily answering calls for the Home... Read More

How To Become A Computer Consultant

Have you ever wanted to become a computer consultant, but... Read More

Interview Preparation

The dreaded job interview is the Number 1 source of... Read More

Growing Up On A Delaware Farm

Growing up on a Delaware farm was a wonderful and... Read More

Serious Business Networking

As they always say "It's not what you know, it's... Read More

The Perfect Resume

The perfect resume presents hiring managers with a... Read More

Telephone Job Interview Preparation Tips

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUNDTelephone interviews are quite common in today's job... Read More

How to Conquer Job Hunting Apathy

Jack, downsized from his last job, was frozen in a... Read More

Building a Solid Network

A client who has a fine arts degree wanted to... Read More

Find Those People

"The Emperor's New Clothes" was a favorite childhood story of... Read More

Dynamic Pre-Hiring Practices

The pre-hiring process can be a challenge. Much time and... Read More

How to Turn Career Mistakes into Career Wins

I recently talked with a client who was paralyzed at... Read More

Finally The First Online Job Agency in Mauritius

Mauritius is a small island in the Indian Ocean with... Read More

Identity Theft and Your Online Job Search

While identity theft is nothing new, the Web has opened... Read More

Out Recruit The Competition

We hear from our clients that they "hope the candidate... Read More

5 Interviewing Tips To Get That Job!

Anyone who is a jobseeker knows that looking for a... Read More

Working From Home - Could You Cope?

It is a well-known fact that more and more people... Read More

Beat the Crowd with Winning Resume Cover Letters

Far too many people underestimate the importance of resume cover... Read More

Wake Up and Learn Something New

The US Government has just released last month's job creation... Read More

Job Hunting: Its Still The First Impression Stupid!

In the 1992 USA Presidential election, political strategist James Carville... Read More

Handling the Dreaded Why Did You Leave? Question

If you left your last job under less-than-ideal circumstances, you... Read More

How To Find Your Dream Job

Here's the bottom line: many people work in jobs that... Read More

Doing What You Love

What do you want to be when you grow up?... Read More

Make Your Résumé Sizzle with Success Stories

In today's competitive job market you can't afford a résumé... Read More

Resumes That Rock (16 Expert Tips)

It's never too early to update your resume, even if... Read More

Tips To Survive A Layoff

The following eight tips will help make sure that recover... Read More

Everyday Is Saturday: Help for the Suddenly Unemployed

I recently was "unhired" by my former employer. Unhired is... Read More

Planning To Work Abroad

Working abroad can be an exciting, rewarding and horizon broadening... Read More

Dont Forget to Say, Thank You

One of the biggest mistake for job seeks is to... Read More

Resume Tune Up

Employers have fears, uncertainty and DOUBT (the FUD factor) over... Read More

Interview Skills That Attract Offers

An interviewer's mission is to assess your qualifications compared to... Read More