ALT-2 Resume Tips
When you are pursuing a new career and applying for jobs, your resume is often the first thing that employers see. They will quickly derive a judgment from this piece of paper just by glancing at it for a few seconds. For this reason, it is important to be professional and include concise, powerful, and relevant information on your resume.
Be professional
First of all, choose a neat and simple format for your resume. You should eliminate any extra décor or fancy additions. Choose a simple template, but make sure that you do not choose the first one that pops up in an internet search, either. You want your resume to look unique, but you do not want it to have all sorts of things that distract the employer from your skills and attributes.
This may sound obvious, but job seekers often forget to proofread resumes, destroying their chances at getting the job before they even interview. Make sure that you look over your resume to ensure that information is accurate, you have included your name, address, and phone number, and that there are no typos. Proofread several times, and maybe even have someone else look it over for you. Sometimes it takes a pair of outside eyes to spot mistakes that you would not notice yourself.
Be careful about what kind of language you use. Use proper grammar and spelling, and avoid using “I” or “me” anywhere on your resume. You resume should mostly consist of bullet points outlining your skills and experiences. There is no reason to speak in first person on your resume. Remember, it may take some time and patience to obtain a job in a new career field, and you need to prove yourself competent in every way, including having a resume that is clean, neat, and error-free.
Be concise
Do not get too wordy on your resume. Remember that prospective employers will quickly obtain an opinion of you from your resume. You want all of the information and words to be important, to the point, and to outline the most necessary skills. Keep the bullets short, keep the resume short (preferably no longer than a page, and certainly not longer than two pages), and do not repeat information. You should also include the most important information at the top of the resume. Outline the most essential skills and experiences first, so that the employer is immediately enthralled by the prospect of hiring you.
Use powerful words
Make sure that you are not too boring on your resume. The first word of each bullet is extremely important. For example, if you say something like “Gave directions to small groups to complete community projects,” you may want to revise it to something like “Directed small groups in the planning and implementation of community projects.” Notice that “directed” gives more of a punch than “gave.” Use words that stand out like this. To find more power words for your resume, visit thiswebsite.
Make sure that your resume is relevant
If you are looking for a new career, you need be careful about how you present your skills and experiences. You will have to word them in a way that is relevant and will apply to the new career field that you are trying to get into. Do not list jobs or experiences that will not be important to the job that you are applying for. A good way to do this is to pay close attention to the employer’s job posting. Look carefully at the skills and background for which they are searching. Tailor your resume to fit it. Under no circumstances, however, should you lie or embellish on your resume. This will not help you get a job. When you tailor a resume to fit a job, you need to look at what qualifications they want, try to find a way in which you meet those qualifications, and then find a power word to list the skill on your resume.
When you are looking for a new career, an excellent and well put together resume is vital. You need to make sure that everything is in order and formatted perfectly. Make sure to be honest and forthcoming, and do not make the mistake of sending the same resume to each employer. You should change your resume for each job application to make sure that it is a good fit and highlights relevant information. Remember, your resume is supposed to sell yourself, so do not be afraid to brag about your accomplishments and include any information that proves how great you are.
