How do You Want Your Resume to Read

In recent times, job seekers are putting lot of efforts to create a great resume, as the competition for getting a job has become quite high. Also, resumes are the first things that an employer sees, before actually meeting the potential employee. Hence, it is important to create the right impression. For the benefit of the people looking for a job, there are several books, magazines, websites, etc., that provide tips and guidelines on creating a resume.

The problem is that even with these expert tips, not many people are able to develop the perfect resume. The reason for this is that most people do not take the efforts to think from the employer or recruiter’s point of view while creating a resume. You have to remember that if you want to make a win-win resume, you should not focus on what you want to say, but rather on what the employer wants to know. So here are a few areas that you have to focus on to create an impressive resume.

Guidelines to Create a Good Resume

• The first thing that you have to remember is to have a strong opening paragraph, which is usually the summary. This is the area which the recruiter will first look at and hence, you should make sure it is impressive. Your summary should contain strong keywords that cover your qualities as well as recent or relevant achievements.
• Although there are people who say that objective is not very important as it just comprises your expectations about the job or position, it is not so. Objective is important because the recruiter comes to know what you are looking for, as well as how serious you are to build your career. Hence, your objective statement should reflect how serious you are at having a good career and not just looking for a job to earn money.
• The experience section is an important part of the resume and hence, should be written well. Here, you should not just focus on the tasks that you have taken up in your current or previous jobs, but also how you accomplished it and the results that you received.
• Many people have the habit of adding their hobbies and interests in their resume. But this is absolutely unnecessary. If you are applying for the post of an engineer, it will give you no advantage by saying that you enjoy gardening. Therefore, avoid adding your hobbies and interests in your resume, unless they are relevant.
• Another common mistake that people make is creating a lengthy resume. You have to remember that recruiters or employers come across hundreds of resumes in a day and getting a 3–4 page long resume can be a huge put off. Also, you have to avoid writing in paragraphs. Adding bullet points is the best method, so that they can find the keywords easily while skimming through your resume.

These are some of the important points that you have to remember while building your resume. Apart from these things, you should also proofread your resume thoroughly for avoiding any kind of spelling and grammatical errors.

Common Grammar Mistakes In Resumes, Cover Letters, And Communications

Did you know that spelling and grammatical errors in your resume or cover letters can cost you a job offer? Yes, this is true, because it shows that you are unprofessional or maybe that you are not very interested in looking for a job. In short, you may miss an interview opportunity for your dream job. Now, I am not implying that your grammar or language is bad, but there are some common grammatical errors that many people make. Take a look at these common mistakes that people make not only in their resumes and cover letters, but also in any other written communications with potential employers and recruiters.

Common Grammatical Errors in Resumes

That/Which: A common mistake that is seen in resumes and other means of written communication is the use of that/which, which many people find confusing. Though there are cases when you can easily substitute one with the other, it is not always so. 'That' is usually used for essential clauses, i.e., clauses which are important part of the sentence. On the other hand, 'which' is used for non-essential clauses, i.e., clauses which are not very important part of the sentence and can be done away with.

Your/You're: A very common mistake that many people make is the use of your and you’re. One of the reasons for this error is that people think that both these are the same. Well, they are not! 'Your' indicates belonging, i.e., it says that something belongs to you. On the other hand, 'you’re' is the short form of you are.

Its/It's: Another mistake that people make very commonly is that of it's and its. Just like the above examples, 'its' indicates ownership or belonging to and 'it's' is used as a short form for it is or it has. 

Their/There/They're: These three words seem to be the same for many and hence, are quite commonly substituted for each other. However, this is not the case and each of them has a different usage. 'Their' refers to something belonging to them (someone). 'There' is used for indicating a place and ‘they're' is the short version of they are.

Loose/Lose: People often confuse between loose and lose, mostly because they sound the same. However, both are different. Loose means opposite to tight, while the antonym of lose is to win. So you can say that my clothes are loose and not lose, while you have to say I hate to lose rather than loose.

These are some of the common grammar mistakes in resumes, cover letters, and communications. Keep them in mind while drafting your resume or while building your resumewebsite, so that your resume is error free and you create the right impression on the employers.

Tips and Guidelines on Resume Websites

Resume website has emerged as a new trend amongst job seekers. The main reason is that it is unique as compared to the print resume. Also, you get the opportunity to give a detailed account of your qualifications, skills and work experience, which you cannot do in the case of a print resume, where everything has to be concise and to the point.
Although creating a personalized resume website for oneself seems to be an exciting idea for many, there are very few people who actually go for it. The reason for this is that most people think that it is a complicated process and they would not be able to achieve it. However, this is not the case! There are so many websites and blogs that give information on this topic, that creating a resume website is not a difficult task at all. So if you are looking for a job and want to attract the meatiest jobs, here are some tips and guidelines on resume websites.

Tips on Resume Websites

• There are lots of sites which allow you to create a resume website for free. So if money is the concern, you no longer need to worry. You can easily create a personalized website for your resume for free.

• Once you have chosen the website through which you want to make your resume, the next step is to choose your domain name. The best domain name is the one with your name. However, many people have similar names and it is not necessary that you will get a domain name with it. Nevertheless, you can try using a dash or may be your initials and register your domain name. Also, remember to keep it as simple as possible. Because, a complicated domain name is difficult to remember.

•  An important factor you have to remember is to register your domain with a .com name. This is because a .com site will help to popularize your resume website amongst other competitors in a better way.

•  In your website, you have to separate each section, for e.g. your personal details, objective, qualifications, skills and work experience. Elaborate each section thoroughly. You can also add relevant images in your website. Moreover, you can also add a video clip of yourself, to showcase your personality to potential employers.

• You can include a page on testimonials by previous employers, seniors, colleagues or professors. You can provide an email id of the concerned people, so that it does not look that you have created the testimonials yourself. Giving references in your website will increase your chances of getting an interview call.

•  Proofread your resume website for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Also, make sure that your website is user friendly.  It should not happen that a recruiter or employer reaches your website, but is not able to navigate through the site due to complicated strategies.

Advantages of Resume Website

There are several advantages of having a resume website. One of the most important ones is that it creates a positive impression in the mind of employers and they realize that you are serious about building your career. Moreover, they can access your website by just typing your name on Google or other search engines.

Unlike a print resume, it would be possible for you to update your resume website regularly. You can update about your successful project completion, awards, achievements, etc. instantly. Also, you can update your contact details easily, if you have changed your phone number or shifted to a new place.

Hope these tips and guidelines on resume website are helpful for you. Follow these tips on building a website for your resume and get ready to attend the interview for your dream job.

Guidelines for Writing a Resume

If you are someone who is looking for a job, then you must definitely know the importance of a resume. Though almost everyone knows that resume is an important document in the job searching process, not many people dedicate the necessary amount of time in making one. This gives result to very few or for that matter no interview calls. If you are going through this, then it is time that you redraft your resume; this time with the help of certain crucial guidelines for writing a resume.

Tips to Write a Resume

An important thing that you have to decide is whether you want to go with the regular print resume or try something different like a resume website of your own. Of course, you can go with both. Though the content of both types of resume will be the same, with a personalized resume website you can present a more detailed resume, while a print resume should not go beyond 2 pages. Here, the choice is yours. Whatever you decide, there are certain rules that you will have to keep in mind while creating your resume.

• A resume is a thing which showcases your academic background, work experience, and skills required for the particular type of job you are applying for. This is also the best place to highlight the awards and achievements that you have received in regards to your work. You can also speak about the extra-curricular activities that you indulge in after work.
• The format which you use to make your resume is also important. The most commonly used resume format is chronological, but you can also use functional or combination format to develop your resume. Many experts recommend job seekers to create a targeted resume i.e. a resume which is tailor-made according to the particular job he/she is applying for.
• Your resume should be physically appealing. But that does not mean that you can use stylized fonts, colors etc. in your resume. On the other hand, you should use only one font size throughout the blog (preferably, Times New Roman, 12). Also, you should stick to the color black. However, it is important to categorize your resume well. For this, you can use underlines, italics, bold, etc.
• As a resume is a professional document, you have to use formal language. You cannot write it in first person i.e. avoid using ‘I’. Instead, you should use action words when you write about your skills and work experience. For example, ‘Good at managing multiple projects at a time’ should be written instead of ‘I can manage multiple projects at a time’. Also, once you are done with your resume, you should proofread it carefully, so that your resume is error free.

Before sending your resume to potential employers, club it with a good cover letter. A well written cover letter along with the perfect resume increases your chances to get an interview call for your dream job. All the best!

Tips for Engineering Resume

So you have got your engineering degree and all set to join the workforce. But you don’t find many offers coming your way for which you are capable of. On the other hand, you have several years of experience as an engineer and are now looking for a change in job, but not many companies have called you for an interview. What could be the reason behind not getting any interview offers even when you have the necessary skills or in the other case, a good number of years of experience? Maybe, it is your resume!

Your resume plays an important role in getting an interview call. Even though you have the required qualifications, skills and experience, you may not be called for an interview, if your resume does not reflect all these attributes. You have to remember that resume is the first thing that the recruiter comes across before he meets you in person. So if you don’t make a good impression, you will never be called for an interview at all. Therefore, if you are an engineer looking for a job, you need to know a few tips on making a good engineering resume.

• Though objective is an important part of a resume, many experts believe that it should not be a part of the engineering resume. This is because the engineering field is so vast that sometimes the objective in a candidate’s resume does not match the requirements of the post he has applied for. Instead you can have a section called summary where you can list all your qualifications, which can create a good impression on the potential employer.
• Another thing that you have to consider is the resume format. Although most resumes call for a chronological resume, it would be better to go for a combination format for engineering resume. This is because here you will be able to find a balance while mentioning your achievements, skill sets and employment history. Also, you will be able to highlight the projects you have handled and completed successfully in a better way.
• If you want to try something unique, you can create a personalized engineering resume website for yourself. Here, you can dedicate separate pages for your skills, qualifications, job experience etc. Also, you can elaborate on your achievements and projects in detail, which you may not be able to do in a print resume.
• Once you are done with creating your resume, it is extremely important to proofread it for typos as well as grammatical errors. Remember that having mistakes in your resume will reflect carelessness on your part.

So if you had unsuccessful attempts at looking for a job, make changes to your resume and you will definitely see a change in the number of interview calls you receive.

How to Make a Resume Website

As you have landed on this blog, it is a no brainer that you are looking for a job and want to create the perfect resume. But the internet is full of sites which are loaded with tips and guidelines on resume writing. These tips will definitely help you to create a good resume, but will it make you stand out? Will it award you with the interview for your dream job? Perhaps no, because there are hundreds of people applying for the same job, who will be referring to the same set of resume writing guidelines. So what can you do to make yourself a unique resume which can make you stand out amongst the rest of the applicants? What about creating a resume website for yourself?

A personalized resume website is a unique trend which has emerged in recent times. This has become more popular among employers than the usual resume because it is easy to access. Also, you can make the impression that you are serious about building your career as you have put in so much time and effort to develop a website for your resume. Now, the next question is how to build a personalized resume website?

The first thing about building such a website is to keep it simple. Remember that you are building it for professional reasons and you have to keep it so. Colors and themes that are too gaudy have to be avoided. However, if you are from a creative field like advertising, writing etc. you can showcase your creativity through your website.

Once you have chosen the theme, the next and most important thing you have to do is to fill your details like name and contact information. You can have different sections or pages for important details like qualifications, work experience, skills, references etc. where you can elaborate each area.

An important thing that your resume website has to do is make it possible for the potential employer to contact you as soon as possible. It would be great if you could provide your contact details, namely phone number and email id, on each page of the website. Creating a ‘contact form’ can make this job much easier.

So here are the basic things that you have to know to make a resume website. What are you waiting for then? Put in your thoughts and create a website which will display your resume in the best possible way.