Be prepared and get organized.
1. Get a professional resume together.
You can find examples of resumes and how to make a good resume online in numerous locations. A good site, thou there are many, is www.bestsampleresume.com.
2. A cover letter
A cover letter isn’t always needed but it’s good to have one just in case. List what you are applying for, why you feel you are the best for that job (give examples or skills or experiences that fit the job requirements). List salary and give clear information on how to get a hold of you day and night. The cover letter doesn’t need to be long, just straight to the point.
3. Resume
At the top of the resume in larger type then the resume, list your contact information. List both home phone and cell phone (Make sure they are active phone numbers and not disconnected). DO NOT HAVE A CUTE OR FUNNY EMAIL ADDRESS. Have a professional email address that has just your name with a yahoo, hotmail or Gmail account. That way only job possibilities will go to that one site and won’t be lost or spammed and you can send emails from there with a professional return address.
4. Stand out from the crowd.
Instead of just listing your job skills, describe the benefits and results of your performance. For each permanent job or staffing assignment, develop a list of major accomplishments, placing the most emphasis on your recent achievements. What problems or challenges have you faced? What actions did you take to overcome them? How did your actions benefit the company? Keep in mind that most companies value workers who enhance profits and save time and money.
If you are applying for an Engineer positions, for example, make sure you pay more attention to your job history that relate to that job and less on jobs that don’t. Do not leave holes in your job history. If you took time off to take care of a family member or did a contract job, list them as well. If you have left your last job and are doing part-time work now, list it as well. (Companies don’t like to be surprised hearing differences from a resume and an interview).
Make your resume no more then 2 to 3 pages. Long resumes are may not be helpful if they are full of unimportant information or filler information. You DO NOT need to list personal information like age or family or religious affiliation. You DO NOT need to list hobbies or associations that are non-work related.
5. Never list the reasons for termination or leaving a job on the resume.
The reader can find negative connotations for even the best reason. You’re far better off explaining employment lapses in person.
Have a generic resume and then specific resumes for specific fields you are applying for. No company likes to get a very generic resume that they have to hunt through to find the skills sets they are looking for.
6. Load the resume using Microsoft Word format.
It’s the most common format that companies use.
7. Be realistic!
Do not just apply to jobs that you are not qualified for. No company will hire you if you are not qualified or have skills to do their job. If a company says you need 5 years experience, they will not consider you if you only have 1. Spend that time applying to jobs that you have skills or experience for.
8. Spellcheck
Spellcheck EVERYTHING before you send ANYTHING out to any company. Check for grammar errors and punctuation.
Joe Broghammer Professional Recruiter WSI
Joe Broghammer is in a Professional Recruiter for WSI.
For questions or comments on Joe’s articles please
email: info@wsiemail.com subject: Tips for Job Seekers