[ 06-13-2001: Message edited by: JoJo2 ]

Proofread, proofread, proofread. And, when you're finished doing that, get an educated friend or family member to proofread it once more.

I cannot tell you how many people have been passed over due to the simple fact that they have misspellings, incorrect grammar, or incorrect punctuation in their resumes.

That little piece of paper is your one and only first impression. It looks bad, you look bad. Simple as that.

In my opinion, the cover letter is just as important. It tells a lot more about the personality of the person and it is read before you even look at the resume. It really is your first impression.

There are some great resume services out there and they know all the tricks! You can usually find them in the yellow pages or by searching online. You can also pick-up "how-to" books at you local book store.

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I went to the bookstore and asked the clerk, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me it would defeat the purpose.

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In my opinion, the cover letter is just as important.

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Absolutely!

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A resume should function as an appetizer in a fine restauraunt. It should give you an idea of the quality of what's to come, pique your curiosity to know more about the various selections on the menu. It should never 'fill you up', thus eliminating the need for the main course. Nor should it 'overpower' you, perhaps forcing you to make some inappropriate or hasty conclusions about your choice.

During my career, I've received resumees that had to be five inches thick, four pounds in weight, bound in 3-ring binders that contained charts, graphs, reports, etc. I wondered if the applicant was really under the impression that I had the time to wade through all of it. And, if I did, what questions I could possibly have to ask them during an interview since they'd given me everything except an analysis of their success in toddler potty training.

Then there are the resumes with the cover letter that begins with, "Dear Rich". And the cover letter and resume contain tastefully applied but still very obvious 'white out' blobs. I don't care if your name is Bill Gates or Donald Trump...submit something like that, and 'dear Rich' isn't gonna talk with you.

And another thing, keep in mind who's going to read what you submit. If you're going to be interviewed by an executive vice president for a top management position, i.e. 'Director of ..', or '... Manaager', then you can 'go for it' in so far as your accomplishments, experience, etc. are concerned. If, on the other hand, you're being interviewed by a middle manager for a like position or a subordinate position, i.e. 'Supervisor of...' or 'Assistant Director of...', be a bit more 'cautious' about what you submit, 'cause you better believe that the middle manager doing the interviewing/selecting is checking you out both as potential competition within the organization as well as suitability to the opening being recruited for.

A resume should knock at a door, not throw it wide open...it should leave just enough unsaid to make the interviewer want to talk with you...and should never assume or presume anything (I've always hated being called 'Mr. Davenport', and have always insisted that my staff call me 'Rich', but that's my call, not yours).

One interview question I always ask (both cause I think it's relevant, and because I LOVE to see the applicant's reaction) is "where do you hope to find yourself within this organization five years from now?" Most times you will see that they've come up with the 'right answer' by their eyes...and, after a gentle smile and a "come on; you can say it" from me, they utter the winning answer "sitting in your chair", chaaances are they'll be aamomg the top candidates.

I'm redoing a friends resume that has been out of the work force for three years. He has had a mix of jobs in the past, which is the least of my worries right now. How do I "hide" this unemployment or at least, make it less noticible? He's got the skills and motivation, but he's been down on his luck do to some personal problems.

Any suggestions?

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I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous!!

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So, this person has had numerous jobs. That could show a lack of stability that would make a future employer not wish to hire him. Or, if presented properly, it could show that this person has gained valuable insight into a variety of jobs and positions. He's become more of a "jack of all trades" and might be more hireable than his competition.

I think it's going to come down to how you approach writing it. Have a positive frame of mind when you redo it, and that will show through in the presentation on the paper.

Also, this positive outlook must be evident in the actual interview itself. Have your friend carry the feeling of that resume over to the next level, and he stands a better chance.

Source: Tipworld

For interviews: Prepare! Go in with a positive attitude! And don't be afraid to "sell yourself" in the interview--it's your shot to brag!

I never give any specific references on the resume, if someone wants to interview me we can talk about it then. Never say anything that will get you excluded from an interview before you walk in the door. When I applied for my current position, I completely left of the last job I had, because they had a reputation for giving all former employees bad references. It came up a few months after I was on this job, by then I'd proven myself and the boss just laughed it off.

I also have 4 or 5 different resumes at the same time, depending on what type of job I am looking for. I can slant my skills to highlight certain things depending on what's required for a certain position. An accounting clerk needs different abilities than a salesperson, so I can play up different aspects of the same job.

Make sure grammar and spelling are impeccable.

read your resume BACKWARDS ie go thru the words of each sentence back to front, this will force you to look at each word individually (God, I can't spell)

"I want to be paid what I am worth, no more no less."

If I ever saw this on a resume I would be floored. I would know that this is a true honest hard working person. Good luck.