Tip of the Day Tuesday

Resume Tips and Tricks

What could possibly be the worst mistake you could make when it comes to your resume? Not targeting it to the kind of job you’re looking for is a biggie or leaving out keywords that a scanner can pick up is another no-no. Another is failing to list your achievements in ways the reader will find meaningful.

But the biggest error of all in putting your resume together is simply this: BEING SLOPPY.

A spelling mistake here, forgetting to leave out information, or sending it in the wrong format are all small bits of sloppiness which add up quickly. They can end up getting your resume tossed into the “don’t call us, we’ll call you” pile in a flash.

Here are three tips to prevent this from happening.

Tip 1. Don’t Rely Entirely on Spell Check When Proofreading
Think your word processing software will fix all the mistake on your resume? I doesn't.

So what should you do as an alternative? Get others to go over your pre-final draft and catch the errors. A few more pairs of eyes on your work can spot what you – and that word processor of yours – didn’t.

Tip 2. Customize Your Wording To The Job You’re Applying For
You may be able to get away with a “one size fits all” approach when applying for lower paying jobs but for the higher paying jobs, an employer expects you to put in some extra effort.

Try your best to match the requirements listed in the job ads you’re applying for. You should also create a cover letter which relates to the job you are applying for.

Tip 3. Send It In The Proper Format
In our era of electronic job postings and e-resume submissions, don’t guess which format the employer prefers. Follow their instructions on the job posting carefully. If sending directly to an employer via their e-mail, include your resume as scannable text within the body of the e-mail itself; then attach a version with nice layout and fancier fonts too, just in case they want to show it around to other staff.


By Mark Swartz. To view the original article CLICK HERE