Does Your Resume Show Creativity and Positive Energy?
While we discussed great cover letters, that is only what gets your resume looked at. From that point on, the items listed
on your resume are what sells the sizzle (in the form of an actual interview). It would take years for a
single person to work out the perfect combination on their own, not to mention experimentation. Years aren't something that most people can afford. According to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average unemployment period is 30.2 weeks. That is quite a while to be without cash
for food, shelter, etc. So taking years to find the magic bullet in a resume by one's self is totally out of the question.
The most important aspect of any resume is it's uniqueness. It has to catch the eye. Beyond the front letter, if an
employer sees the same text from 20 different people, he's not going to think twice about sending your resume to the
circular receptacle of doom. After all, the reader probably figures if you can't be bothered to write up something original, than will you
be bothered to be a good employee.
A resume should focus on what you, as an individual, have achieved. This doesn't just mean listing a bunch of things like
you were writing up a grocery list. Saying that you were a project leader on toy widgets may not phase the person looking
over the resumes. Explaining how you led the team to create something that earned millions of dollars in sales, would be
far more impressive.
Proper spelling and grammar should be paramount on your resume. Having words wrong is an instant turnoff for the one you
are trying to impress. Sometimes the english language may not be one's first language. If that is the case, then it's
good to have it checked over by a friend good in english. If you are using a word processor like Word, take advantage of
the built in checkers.
Gaps in work history can happen. Perhaps you went back to school, spent time with your family, sat with a daughter with a
short term illness, volunteered or did charity work, these can all be listed to fill in the hole. These times can give the
interviewer a peek into what makes you tick. Are you a responsible parent? Care about the less fortunate? Or serious
about keeping up your studies to be the best? These items can sway the job in your favor. It's better to say what you did
in the gap, than to leave it to the imagination of the employer. Not knowing what happened can make you seem lazy, a view you don't want them to have.
Often help from a professional who's been a recruiter for many years can be invaluable to the job seeker. They've seen it
all and can offer tips on what they look for in a resume. Such a place is Guerrilla Resumes. With 18 years
experience, and having read over 400,000 resumes, the author is a good inside source on what works and what doesn't. Our readers
speak quite highly of his program.
Guerrilla Resumes - A comprehensive guide to getting a job quickly with the right resume!