Whether you have a job or are prospecting one, its crucial in
today's job market that your resume and cover letter are in ace
shape, ready to go out the door at all times. Have you kept yours
up-to-date? Is a new promotion or job omitted? Now's as good a
time as any to polish it up.
Here's a few tips on developing a spectacular,
attention-grabbing resume and cover letter:
1. Customize. Never spam send your resume to employers. Instead,
read each job description and requirement carefully, fine-tuning
and customizing your resume and cover letter to the job at hand.
2. Use Action Verbs. 'Managed an 11-person team.' 'Cut project
expenses 33 percent.' Action verbs at the beginning of the
sentence make a powerful impact on the reader. Get rid of 'Was
responsible for', as this is passive language and sounds more
like a chore than a thrilling activity you were excited to take
part in.
3. Show Milestones. Everyone applying for the job will have
basically the same credentials. So don't re-list your job
description. Show what you accomplished above and beyond it, like
streamlining processes, improving sales or creating manuals to
assist people well into the future. This'll help you stand out
from the crowd and shows you're a real go-getter - which is
exactly what employers want.
4. Address Common Questions. Are you relocating to another state?
Is the job in a different field of specialization than the ones
you've previously held? Have you job-hopped extensively?
Positively Spin or embellish this issue in your cover letter, so
your prospective employer isn't left assuming the worst.
If you absolutely abhor writing and don't know where to start,
get a friend, co-worker or relative to help you. See what
questions or skill sets they come up with that you might've
overlooked. You can also hire a professional resume writer. To
find one, search 'professional resume writer' or 'freelance
job board' on your favorite search engine.
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Jance Hayes writes about Technology. For more great articles on
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