Weekly we hear from professionals looking to enter the job market for the first time in years are concerned that their job search skills are a bit rusty. Considering the number of surveys that list job satisfaction at its lowest in 20+ years, this group of job seekers is sure to grow. Are you one of these people, could you use a few good tips on how to follow the new “rules” for resume writing? Check our list of “new tricks” that will guide you through the process!
Old Rule #1: Start your cover letter with Dear Sir or Madam….enclosed you will find…
New Trick: Use the hiring manager’s name, skip the fluffy language
If you don’t know the hiring managers name, try doing internet research to surface a name, it is much better to use an actual name than to just send your resume into the pile.
Old Rule #2: Never use an abbreviation in any way on any of your paperwork
New Trick: We now live in Twitter based world so professional abbreviations are widely accepted as long as they are the ones that everyone understands. It is a good rule of thumb to use the full words the first time you use a term you want to make sure everyone understands; you then can use the abbreviation.
Old Rule #3: Hide your personality at all costs, formal, formal, formal!
New Trick: While professional matters, it is a good idea to let a bit of personal side show thru in your resume. Remember people hire people, not paperwork. Your resume should be easy to read, clear, and to the point.
Old Rule #4: Create the “perfect” paperwork and distribute it widely
New Trick: Create a template that has the core information you want to share with everyone; this is the best of your best. Then customize your cover letter and resume to fit the needs of each situation. This helps the reader identify you as someone who can DO the job!
Old Rule #5: List everything in detail that you have ever done in your career
New Trick: Use the space on your resume to focus on the things that you have done that make you qualified to do the job. Every word on your resume takes up valuable space what you did in that college job ten years ago is likely not to be all that important so keep the explanation to a minimum.
Old Rule #6: List hobbies or personal information on your resume
New Trick: Don’t list any information that is not relevant to your ability to do the job, your age, marital status, or if you have kids has no relevance on your ability to do a job so leave all of that information off of your resume.
Old Rule #7: Fancy is good
New Trick: Leave off anything that will not be pleasing to the electronic eyes that may be looking at your resume. Most major companies use some kind of document management system to upload your resume into a database. Make sure you use common fonts and don’t included graphics or images on your resumes.
For more free advice on writing your resume check out http://www.usefulcareeradvice.com
