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Re-invent your resume
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The unemployment rate continues to soar here in Georgia and across the nation. The jobs that were once at our disposal are consistently becoming harder to obtain, due to the increase of applicants.
Re-inventing your resume will help to add some polish to your skills and allow them to shine in your field. Take some time to think about your career thus far and then write down some key points/highlights. Locate jobs that you are interested in and read the job descriptions closely. Use the key words listed in these ads, and match them to the bullet points in your resume. Place the bulleted list at the top of your resume.
Resumes are usually read pretty quickly, therefore, having key phrases/action words standing alone and bulleted will help the potential employer or recruiter see the important information at a glance.
Example:
• Works well in a team environment and independently.
The bulleted list can also help as recruiters search for keywords online. Next, add the most recent job title you’ve held and create a brief description of what your responsibilities were in this position. Be sure to include skills that are highlighted in the potential job description. When possible include links to examples of your work. Continue to add work experience. There is no need to go back further than 7 years, unless there is a desire to display a specific job title.
Above all in your resume, be positive. Therefore, avoid including negative and irrelevant points. If you feel your graduation date will subject you to age discrimination, leave it off your resume. In saying that, education, training, and certifications can be added below work experience.
The next section of the resume is the skills block. Here is the perfect place to list various skills you have experience actually doing. Don’t worry about not listing something. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to explain further during the interview.
These items in this block can be separated by commas.
Example:
HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Dreamweaver...
A tidbit that I learned in college during my journalism years is to use white space. Adequate spacing is used to grab the reader’s attention. As we are always attracted to open areas, this will improve the appearance of your resume. For this reason, don't worry if you are having a hard time filling the page with text, try increasing your line spacing to compensate. The resume should be no more than 1-2 pages, depending on your experience.
Lastly, your resume is a representation of you to potential employers. And if you plan to land a job in this economy, and I know you do, you must stand out above the rest. A new trend for job seekers is to have an online resume/portfolio readily available for viewing on the web. This may also help to show an employer that you are serious about your career. Keep in mind, the single and most important goal of a resume is to obtain an interview and in the end, the job.
If you would like to have an online resume designed and created for you, check out my website for more info.
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