Sunday, January 25, 2009

How To Make A Resume - Your First Steps

By Cynthia Penfold

Your resume is that one tool that decides whether or not a job is yours. That is why you must realize the importance of creating an excellent resume. If you are simply printing out an entry level resume on your computer, that is not going to do the job. The only way youre going to impress a potential employer is by providing them with a resume that shows you have the right skill set, explains your work history well, shows that you are right for the company, and that you are the gold theyve been looking for in the goldmine.

The first thing you need to do is ask yourself, What are my skills and how can I offer them to this company? Once you have figured out what your skills are, write them down with pen and paper. The fact of the matter is, we are all human beings and human beings cant remember everything off of the top of our heads.

The next thing you want to ask yourself is, What do I think this company wants out of an employee? Of this is an answer you know, write it down. You then need to ask yourself, What about me is beneficial to this company? You want to ensure that there is something that you can offer the company because you dont want to be on the job, wondering what comes next. You also want to take a look at the experience you have gathered to ensure you can perform the job for that company.

Once all of this information is written down, it is time to construct the resume. You will start with what your objective is and how it is you plan on benefiting this company. After that, you move on to your employment history. You always want to ensure that you include all of your job duties here because even the smallest of duties may be relevant to this potential position. Do dont leave anything out.

The next part of the resume is where you outline any other experiences that you have had. Including certifications and licenses is very important as well. You never know when one of these things could be relevant to the job you are seeking. You never know what a potential employer is looking for, so leave out nothing.

The reference section is the last part. You may decide to include your references on your resume. Some individuals do not like to include references, so they will provide them upon request.

Basically, you shouldnt slack on your resume in any way. Although there are individuals who state that a one page resume is the best, it is something that is impossible for some to do. You want to be able to highlight your skills as much as possible, so it is difficult to condense.

Lastly, make sure you use a high quality paper. You dont want to use printer or copier paper. This is because your average printer paper is not of a great quality. You can get resume paper at your local department store or office supply store. With high quality paper and a high quality individual working together, the chances of getting the job increase significantly. - 16747

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