Résumé Writing - Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
It's time to start your job hunt. You've put loads of hard work and effort into looking amazing on paper, but now how will you land an interview? In today's competitive environment, you're going to need a killer resume that catches the recruiter's attention. We all make mistakes when writing our résumés and once again it comes down to proper grammar. Once you learn a few easy tricks, you'll catch yourself before making the same mistakes.
Professionally Designed Resume
Cover Letters/Letters of Interest/Thank You Letters Cover Letter & Letter of Interest
Résumé Writing Tips: The Important Stuff To Include In Your Résumé A Resume is an advertisement for yourself and your abilities. When it comes to designing your resume, readability is key; meaning because hiring managers don't have a lot of time, let them know what you have to offer and make it quick. You want them to be able to quickly scan over your resume and easily find the information they need. If they can't find your job objective or date of employment, you will lose them. Be sure to include all of your relevant contact information and be consistent. Make sure all social media is listed and up-to-date. Make sure to include an email address that you check regularly! DO NOT INCLUDE: Your marital status, your age, anything about your family members, or personal hobbies. DON'T: Use fancy fonts, graphics or logos. DO: Make sure it is easy to read and well laid out; keep it simple with a professional look. DON'T: List more than 10 years of work experience at any one company (unless you are retired). DO: List your skills and accomplishments (use bullet points). DON'T: Include more than three bullets. DO: Make sure to include a company's name, address and phone number in your contact information. DON'T: Include any personal information or re-iterate the same information on your cover letter or resume for each job.
Cover Letters and Letters of Interest When creating your cover letter, make sure to keep it short and sweet. You want your employer to read through the letter as quickly and easily as possible. When writing for a job, you need to knock out 2-4 pages. If you have a lot of experience, or if you like writing a lot, find a good writer or friend who can help you write it for free. It is becoming more and more common for companies to seek out people that can write their own cover letters and letters of interest.
DO NOT USE ALL CAPS IN YOUR COVER LETTERS. DO NOT WRITE LIKE THIS: I have 15 years experience working with children, I was named employee of the month every month, I got an A in math, I enjoy running, ice skating, and being outdoors. Also never use first person or "I" when writing a cover letter or letter of interest. A cover letter should always be written in the third person. A cover letter should be about why you are interested in a particular job and what you can bring to the table. Keep it short, sweet and straight to the point. You can mention your personal interests but keep it relevant to the position you are applying for. If you have a great deal of experience, don't waste valuable space telling them about your high school jobs. When listing previous work experience, always include details on what your responsibilities were, what company it was for and when you worked there. If you have a specific job for which a person may already know how to do, such as an administrative assistant job, you don't need to include that information in your cover letter or letter of interest. If you are applying to a company that does not have a specific work description for that position, then it is important to include those details.
DON'T INCLUDE ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE ON YOUR COVER LETTER OR LETTER OF INTEREST. List the most recent work experience first and then keep going backwards in time. DO: Include in your cover letter or letter of interest what position you are applying for and why you are interested. You should also include why you are the best candidate for the job. Included in this section should be your education, relevant skills and experience. DON'T: Include your work experience in the same letter that you are applying for a particular position. DO: List your education, skills and any relevant experience. Include any degrees, certifications or licenses you may have earned. DON'T: Include a lot of information about your personal life. DO: Mention a few things about yourself (special interests, hobbies) and what you plan on bringing to the job you are applying for.
Writing Clearly & Consistently
Creating an effective resume will depend largely on two factors; how quickly the reader is able to process the information and how easy it is to understand by all readers who read it. The structure of your resume is extremely important. You want to make sure that it is consistent and clear. You do not want to be in a situation where you seem like you are making excuses for yourself or by using too much jargon when describing the work you did. Your work experience should be formatted in chronological order, while your education is typically listed in reverse chronological order (you should also include any certifications). It is also a good idea to avoid using acronyms unless they are very common in the industry that you are applying for.
DON'T: Use a heading that says "Objective" or "Career Objective." This seems outdated and clichéd. DO: Keep it consistent. Make sure your resume and cover letter are formatted in the same manner. DO: Use a similar font to that used by the company you are applying to. Don't use one that is really hard to read, but also don't use one that is too casual and unprofessional looking. DO: Include your key skills and how they relate back to the job you are applying for in a list format underneath your work experience section. You also want to include any leadership positions or notable accomplishments or awards/accolades in this section as well.
Conclusion
Creating an effective resume will take time and hard work, but in the end you are sure to reap the benefits of your hard work. If you have questions or concerns about any of the information in this article, or if you have any other questions regarding the hiring process, please contact us and we will gladly help! We hope that this guide was useful. Feel free to share it with anyone who needs help with their resume or cover letter.
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Have a great day!
A job is made up of many parts including a cover letter/letter of interest, resume, an interview and eventually working for that company on a daily basis.