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From
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How
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Work
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Know Your Boss
Interview
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Secrets of a
perfect resume
Art
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Workplace
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 Your resume is your ambassador to the
work world. It helps open the doors to many wonderful opportunities you
didn't even know existed. Not only is your resume the first thing an
employer sees from you, it is what the employer will use to decide whether
you are eligible for the job or not. Basically, most recruiters spend 10-15
seconds scanning a resume. A brief glance is all they give when they
categorize the thousands of resumes that are sent by candidates. Thus it
becomes very important for you to ensure that your resume doesn't go
unnoticed in the pile of papers. The secret lies in the details you include,
how intelligently you include them, how readable your resume is, and most
importantly, its overall presentation and appearance. There are different
types of resume which are listed as follows:
Chronological Resume
In this format, the emphasis is placed on employment experience. Your job
history is presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent
jobs placed at the top of the list. Potential employers can easily see what
you have done, and how you have worked with which company for how many years
and also your progressed is analyzed.
This is the most common style of resume but freshers should avoid this
format since this type of resume may end up highlighting their lack of
experience. Experienced people to show their job history and experience can
use this type of resume.
Functional Resume
In this format, your skills and achievements are emphasized. Your skills and
previous relevant experience (including educational experience) are
presented at the beginning of your resume. By this type of resume the
employers can have a basic idea of how you are fitted for the job and what
are your qualifications regarding the job. Preparing this type of resume may
take lot of time, but you are free to highlight your talents instead of your
recent job experience. The Functional resume will not be of use if the
employer is looking for a clear job history and he may be put off by this
format, especially if you've used it to hide your inexperience.
Combination Resume
This type of resume is fast gaining popularity. It is an effective
combination of both. The Combination resume is simply a functional resume
with a brief employment history and job experience added. Skills and
accomplishments are still listed first; the employment history follows. Thus
the employer will immediately know your qualification for the post as well
as the experience you had and how well he can hire your expertise for the
job.
Whichever format you may use, remember, you can't afford to make any
mistakes. You have to be perfect in every sense and your perfection and
smartness is what will count.
Here are a few important tips:
Draw the attention of the employer
Use such a design that it will draw the attention of the employer towards
your resume. Employers make a snap decision at the mere sight of a resume.
Don't make silly spelling mistakes. Keep your resume neat and clean. Your
resume must highlight the most important information about your work
experience, skills and education. If they see unrelated job titles or skills
the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate assumption that
you are not qualified for the job. So avoid that please.
Say the key words
Never keep beating the bush. Be brief and to the point. The right words and
descriptions can go a long way into getting yourself short-listed for the
interview. Highlight numbers, skills and accomplishments in a concise, clear
manner.
Read the job ad carefully and use proper terms
The job ads use key word and descriptions in the ad that gives you a brief
idea of the type of job available with the particular company and their
requirements. Analyze these words and try to use synonyms or replicate them
on your resume.
Highlight your skills
This is very important because it will make the employer to be aware of your
skills and achievements. For example if you are looking out for the post of
a steno-typist you must mention your speed on the typing machine and your
capabilities as a steno.
Create an image to match your needs
As you write your resume, keep in mind the level of job and salary you want.
Be sure to create an image that presents you at the appropriate level with
the words you choose.
Thus resume preparing is not that tough. It only requires some smartness and
skill. Remember your resume is a unique marketing tool, which pays you back
for all your hard work. Think of your resume as a promotional brochure about
you. It is the first thing that helps a potential employer decide why you
are right for his organization. It is a competitive world out there, with
many people contesting for the same job. You can use your resume to get an
edge over other candidates and increase your chances of getting hired. So
make sure your resume stands out.  |