More resume tips when you are applying to a job
It should mirror the job positing - customize a resume to a particular job when appropriate.
Use the same jargon and key words that the advertisement uses.
Don’t include hobbies, personal interests etc.
Do include relevant memberships, professional affiliations etc.
Include Education - colleges (don’t include dates as this can date you).
Include relevant Training – courses (external and internal)
Don’t include Objective – it ties you to one job, takes up space, and doesn’t normally give additional useful information.
Do include a 2-4 line summary of who you and key accomplishments at the beginning of the resume. This is standard for executive level jobs.
Double check for grammar and spelling errors.
Don't include photographs and personal information (in US - different in other countries so there follow local customs).
Don't use cute fonts, fancy graphics or colored paper.
Don't save your resume as a PDF save as a Word or other format (RTF).
Use key words if you believe the resume will be scanned electronically. Key words depend on your industry and the market but could include MBA etc.
I just read about a new service that matches a job seekers unique set of skills with open positions free:
http://venturebeat.com/2008/05/13/realmatch-offers-a-fresh-take-on-job-sites
Maybe it helps...maybe not.
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Thanks for the helpful list of resume tips. One however caused me to pause: Use Microsoft Word or RTF format, rather than PDF. I thought that I was being smart to take the extra step to convert to PDF, so that the receiving computer does not change the format.
Why is Word or RTF the better choice?
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Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you about preserving the format with a PDF. But if you are sending a resume to a recruiter or applying online you want to use a Word or rtf version. If a recruiter wants to take the data from your resume and put it in a database they can't with Adobe. If the employer wants to extract information from your resume you submit online or search for key words again they will have problems with PDF. Hope that helps.
best
David Couper
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Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you about preserving the format with a PDF. But if you are sending a resume to a recruiter or applying online you want to use a Word or rtf version. If a recruiter wants to take the data from your resume and put it in a database they can't with Adobe. If the employer wants to extract information from your resume you submit online or search for key words again they will have problems with PDF. Hope that helps.
best
David Couper
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Great post. Thanks
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Thanks - got caught up with the holidays. Appreciate the feedback.
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Great resume tips and i will surely follow your advise while applying to a job.
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Thanks let me know how it goes.
davidcoupercoach.com
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