Top 10 Resume Writing Tips to Get You the InterviewWritten by Kathi MacNaughton
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Resume Writing Tip #5: Plan, plan, plan. Before you actually start writing, spend time just thinking about how you’ll present yourself in resume. What is your objective in seeking a job? This objective should serve as a sort of bull’s-eye to structure your resume around. What have been your most significant accomplishments? You’ll want to highlight them. What unique qualities do you bring to an employer? Think in terms of benefits. Also think about resume design you’ll use, fonts within, and resume wording . Resume Writing Tip #6: Start writing, following your outline. Take your time. Use a lot of action words . Be concise. Don’t use "responsibilities included" or "responsible for." It’s a waste of space. Use bullets, rather than long paragraphs. Resume Writing Tip #7: Cut and paste your content into your resume template. If you’re at this site, you’re probably not an experienced, professional resume writer. So, take a resume writing tip from a pro. Use a resume template . There is no reason why your resume must look amateurish. Resume Writing Tip #8: Review, edit, and proofread like a maniac. One of biggest resume mistakes is typos or grammatical errors. These errors may seem trivial, but they can cost you interview, and ultimately job. After all, if you can’t be bothered to make sure that your resume is 100% accurate, what guarantee is there that your job performance will be high caliber? Resume Writing Tip #9: Get someone else you trust to look at it. It can be really helpful to get someone who knows you to look at your resume. Not only are they more likely to catch simple errors, but they may point out strengths you’ve missed or underemphasized. Tell them you want their honest opinion and you’re open to questions. Use their input to clarify your resume. Even if you write your own resume, you may want to think about getting a professional to do a resume critique . Resume Writing Tip #10: Send it out into world. The more resumes you submit, more likely you are to get an interview. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by applying for only one job. And, don’t be afraid to take some risks and apply for a job you’re interested in, even if you don’t quite match all qualifications. Most employers ask for many more qualifications than they absolutely require. Hopefully, at least one resume writing tip on this page has given you some food for thought. But don’t stop your training here!

Kathi MacNaughton, a freelance writer and editor, has years of management and recruitment experience. For tips & advice on writing powerful resumes, subscribe to Resume Power Tips: http://www.powerful-sample-resume-formats.com/signup Copyright 2004 Kathi MacNaughton. All rights reserved.
| | Pair Your Powerful Resume with a Great Cover LetterWritten by Kathi MacNaughton
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* Show Your Personality While your writing style should be matched to your audience to some extent, as explained above, it should also reflect your personality. Start to give your prospective employer a sense of who you are and what you value. * Research and Target Your Audience You want to sell hiring manager on belief that you’re a great fit for company. The only way to do this is if you know enough about company to understand what makes it tick. Be sure you’ve taken time to learn a bit about their mission, their products, their history, and their goals for future. This will help you communicate hiring you will benefit them. Always address cover letter to a specific person. Take time to call company if necessary to learn name of person doing interviewing. This, in itself, says a lot about your initiative and attention to detail. Tip #2: SELL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Your cover letter should sell you as product. So, make sure you know what skills company needs and then describe how you have what they are looking for. Pick one or two of your best accomplishments or abilities, and highlight them in your letter. Sure, they’re listed on your resume too, but this tactic makes sure hiring manager sees them right away. If it makes sense to list a few accomplishments, then list them as bullets. This will draw reader’s attention to that section of letter right away. And after all, what you have to offer is most important part of this letter. Tip #3: CLOSE THE LETTER Powerfully Ideally, you want to leave your reader hungering to know more about you. But you also want to be proactive. So, rather than ending your letter with common statement, "I look forward to your call," say you’ll call them in a few days to arrange a time to meet. If you don’t have a phone number, and couldn’t find on during your research, then try to provide an incentive for them to call you. Some people say they’re going on vacation or out of town after a certain date and ask to meet prior to that. Others say they’ll be in an area at a certain date and time and ask for interview during that period. Be creative, but make it as real--and company- oriented--as you can. Tip #4: MAKE IT PLEASING TO THE EYE Finally, it’s important that your cover letter be easy to read and professional looking.

Kathi MacNaughton, a freelance writer and editor, has years of management and recruitment experience. For tips & advice on writing powerful resumes & cover letters, subscribe to Resume Power Tips: http://www.powerful-sample-resume-formats.com/signup Copyright 2004 Kathi MacNaughton. All rights reserved.
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