Your CV is the first document that you’ll use to reach your prospected employer. It is your CV that will secure important interviews and will be the gateway to your new job.

Remember – your CV will speak for and about you, so you will need to ensure that it covers the following topics:

Personal Information

Both personal characteristics and background alike are important to any potential employer, no matter what kind of market you want to enter. Your name should head the document and immediately following that your exact date of birth should be given.

Affix a passport-sized photograph of yourself on the top right corner. If you are seeking opportunities within the Asian market, list your educational accomplishments beginning with the lowest; from elementary to collegiate. Also, mention any foreign languages you are fluent in, relevant classes you are attending, and your travel experiences.

Allow them to stand out in detail in your CV under a separate heading, showing that you are culturally-oriented and part of a global community.

Job History

Some organizations require only job-history specifics. They may want work record certificates and recommendations to be attached directly to the CV. This requirement will differ from country to country.

It is a good idea to inquire exactly what the organization would prefer for you to include in your CV before sending it to them.

Professional History

In most countries outside the United States, you will be required to list in chronological order the professional experience you have obtained or gathered over the year. That means that you begin with the first job you ever had, then the next, and so on and so forth. Your professional experience should be listed in order from the most recent to last in reverse chronological order.

In Britain, for example, employers wish to see your professional experience in reverse order. That means you start with the latest job and work backwards to your first job.

This is similar to the American resume, which is prepared in much the same fashion. It would perhaps be a good idea to find out the preferred chronological order prior to sending it out.

Language Style

Take care not to present your efforts and achievements as individual or singular achievements, but as team efforts. Your accomplishments will have more impact if they were achieved as being part of a team.

This will hold true no matter what the level of your contribution. You can also mention the achievements in phrase form excluding pronouns and verbs, for example: ‘maintained supplies’ should be used instead of saying ‘maintenance of supplies’.

Simple Presentation

Fancy fonts should be avoided altogether. Section titles should be placed in bold fonts. Language and style should be simple and short. Make your CV relevant in style to your level of experience and the job applied for.

By: Tony Jacowski

About the Author:

More often than not, people feel overconfident and treat the approach a bit too casually. However, you should make sure that both the cover letter and the resume are well drafted, so that they make a lasting impression on the reader. They should be planned to stand out in content as well as presentation.

The Importance Of A Good First Impression

The First Impression is usually the Last Impression. In today’s highly competitive world, creating a good first impression is extremely important. This is where the resume plays a very important role in contributing towards success in landing a job. A resume is the most effective tool that can help you win a coveted interview opportunity.

How To Create A Good First Impression

Writing an impressive resume is an important part of your job search preparation. Keep in mind that your resume is indeed a catalog of your abilities. Here are a few steps on how to write a resume that will leave a lasting impression:

- It is very important to create your resume in a professional and appropriate format. There are two basic formats that are used – Functional and Chronological.

- When creating your resume, you can use the free resume forms that are posted on the Internet. However, be careful that your resume doesn’t end up looking like a cookie-cutter template.

- The two most important factors to keep in mind while creating your resume are correct grammar and proper punctuation. Using proper punctuation marks is vital for conveying clear and precise business messages. A resume that contains plenty of grammatical errors creates a bad impression. If you are unable to proofread your own resume, get another professional or a friend to do it for you.

- Make use of industry-oriented words that help you to come across as a highly knowledgeable and professional person.

- Most people think that a comprehensive resume that describes all their past and present achievements is the best way to showcase their skills and expertise. However, this is not true. As a rule, you only need to go back about 5-6 years. Unless you are a recent grad, that job you had in high school is probably irrelevant.

Whether or not you have a professional degree from a coveted institute and are on the lookout for an entry-level position, it is important to market yourself efficiently. Your main aim should be to display your abilities, skill, work experience, educational qualifications, projects, achievements and anything that might work to your advantage.

By: Tony Jacowski

About the Author:

So, you are in the process of creating your resume so you can acquire your dream job. Congratulations! Creating a resume can seem daunting, but has been made easier with the advent of the internet, word processing programs that have different resume format samples and resume software. Anyone with a computer can easily create their own resume, but must be sure to follow the different rules for creating a resume.

One resume tip that is very important is to make sure that you include all of your contact information at the top of your resume. Many people feel that because they are sending along a cover letter, they do not need to include their name, address, phone number and e-mail address at the top of their resume. What many people do not realize is that cover letters often get separated from resumes and there is nothing more frustrating to an employer than receiving a good resume that has all of the qualifications that he or she is looking for in an employee without a name or any contact information.

Another important resume tip is clearly state your objective. The prospective employee may have dozens of ads for employees advertised. How will he or she know what job you are applying for unless you state this in your resume? Under your name and contact information should be a heading about your career objective. You can actually separate this into two categories. One should be for the position which you are seeking. The other can be what you hope to attain in the future. If, for example, you are seeking the position of a newspaper reporter but aspire to be an editor or a features writer, this can be outlined in your resume as employment sought and career objective.

Still another resume tip is to make sure that you do not understate your past experience, including all of the tasks that you performed at your old job, or know how to perform, that pertain to the position which you are seeking. Many people include all of their tasks in a short paragraph, which does not impress many perspective employers. It is better to list all of the tasks and knowledge in bullet point format so that it makes it easier for the employer to see just what you can do. This is not the time to be shy or modest. Highlighting your accomplishments, knowledge and past experience can not be too underestimated when it comes to your resume.

Writing why you left your past job is not necessary to put on your resume. Use this as a tip as this is not necessary at all and considered unprofessional. You will most likely be asked why you left your prior employment during your interview. Do not badmouth your last place of employment, even if your boss was a reincarnation of Attila The Hun. Just say that you are seeking an opportunity for new growth.

Another important resume tip is not to discuss salary on your resume. Do not put down how much you are making at your current job or how much money you expect to earn at the new job. While some employers will ask that you state your salary qualifications in your cover letter, this is never acceptable on a resume. Many employees who ask that prospective employees state their salary requirements in their cover letter tend to pay low wages and do not want to waste their time with anyone who expects to be paid enough money to make a living. Never put salary information on your resume.

Still yet another important resume tip is to make your resume easy to read. Using colored paper, fancy fonts and photos may look really nice, but might seem overwhelming for an employer and they may consider you unprofessional. Use classic formats and traditional fonts to play it safe.

A resume tip that can not be too underestimated is to make sure that you put down your educational experience from the last college or university that you attended to the first. If you have a post graduate degree, that should come first under the Education heading, along with the degree and any awards. Your undergraduate university or college should come second along with degrees and accomplishments. Those with post graduate degrees do not have to put down their high school information.

While you do not want to give your prospective employer a book about your life in the form of a resume, nor do you want to cheat yourself out of outlining your skills and accomplishments. Do not hesitate to make your resume more than one page if your accomplishments, experience and education warrants this. It is better not to underestimate yourself than to keep your resume short and sweet. This is a very important resume tip.

When creating your resume, pay heed of the above resume tips and create a resume that will reflect all of the reasons why you are the correct person for the job as well as a resume that reflects your personality. One valuable resume tip is to be sure that you present your best qualities and allow them to shine through when you are eventually called for an interview.

By: Mario Churchill

About the Author:

If you know what Human Resources professionals want, you will have a better chance to be the next candidate called for an interview. Professional resume tips will definitely give you that much needed edge!

Professional resume tips #1 – Size really does matter.

The length of your resume will be partially determined by how much working experience that you have, but length prevents your resume from standing out.

If you are new jobseeker or just do not have much experience in the field in which you are applying, Human Resources staff prefer to see just a one page resume. This is a brief way to sum up the qualities and work experience that you do have without wasting their time.

Of course, if you more experienced in the position for which you are applying, a two page resume may be more suitable. Of course, if you are just listing things to make the resume longer, you may not have the outcome you would like.

The bottom line is to be as brief as possible without ommitting something that the Human Resource people would like to know.

Professional resume tips #2 – Are the dates consistent

Many resume writers are worried about whether or not to alter the dates of their different jobs just to make a seamless chronology of their work history.

First of all, that is being dishonest. And you do not want to begin a new job with a lie that could be discovered.

Second of all, HR professionals prefer to see the gaps of your work history and how these breaks were filled by you. Perhaps you had a newborn baby or there was a family crisis that caused you to leave your career for a period of time. Whatever the reason, just be ready to explain the gaps.

Professional resume tips #3 – Discussing your previous positions

What you might need to do is describe positions that are related to the one that you are applying for. While you will still be asked how long you were in each position, showing the relevance is much more helpful to the HR people.

You must give your positions their correct titles or ones that express the same idea. Manager and Supervisor are frequently used interchangeably. For example, supervisor sounds slightly more professional.

As long as you are not fabricating titles, you are fine to smooth out their wording.

Professional resume tips #4 – What are your accomplishments

Hiring managers need to know what you have already done for your previous employers. You should have all the facts and figures that you could quote and discuss. Did you increase sales? Did you save the company money? Provide the HR person with things in black and white and you will see that you get better responses.

Discuss the positive things that you have done for your previous employers, and if there were any negative situations, find the positive side in them in case you are asked.

Professional resume tips #5 – Cover letter please.

Do you really need a cover letter? In many cases, hiring managers like to see something that demonstrates your individual personality. After several resumes, they will begin to look the same. This is not to say that you should begin with a something funny or send a photo of yourself, but you should use a cover letter to provide some indication of the kind of employee you are.

You want to show that you know what kinds of responsibilities is expected of you if hired and that you fully comprehend the goals of the company.

Show them that you really want this job and that you are more than ready for the challenge.

Professional resume tips #6 – 100% error free

Simple errors in grammar and spelling will hurt your chances of getting hired in any higher position. Take the extra time to have someone proof read your resume to make sure that you sound and look professional.

Just remember that hiring managers only have a limited time to read every resume that they receive. Get right to the point and your resume will get you the interview.

By: Andrew Chin

About the Author:

Job search and job hunting nowadays is a very competitive and sometimes cut-throat affair. Here are a few tips to help you get the edge in searching for and landing the job of your dreams.

The Curriculum Vitae

The CV or Resume is the first, and at most times the most important part of applying for a job. Since potential employers have to whittle down practically hundreds of applications to a few valid ones, they will have to base their narrowing down efforts using the CVs they have collected.

Studies have shown that about half of the employers decide to accept or reject job applications based on the related work experience listed in the CV. A third of the employers decide to reject or accept these job applications based on the layout design of these applications.

1. Make Your Resume Stand Out

When preparing your resume, make sure your resume stands out among the rest. It should be the type that is appealing to the eyes, making the evaluating personnel want to read the resume. Step two is for you to make sure your resume lists the related work experience you have had in relation to the job you are applying for.

2. Make Your CV Concise and Relevant

Avoid making your resume too long. It may make it irrelevant to the evaluator. Remember that the employer is a person to whom time is important. If your resume shows that you value his/her time while showing the most relevant information in the least amount of time, you will have won one important battle.

3. Always tailor your Resume to the job

You may have had previous experience that may not be related to the job you are applying for. Some people keep many different versions of their resume for different job opening purposes. Make sure your resume is appropriate for the job. A one-size-fits-all resume may not be the best way to go since the employer will have the impression that your previous efforts have not been focused enough to produce any specialization on your part.

4. Write about your achievements

You may add your achievements, but make your statements factual and relevant. It does not do harm to advertise yourself, but make your advertisement matter-of-fact and not just hot air. You may want to skip on listing your weak points as the resume is not the avenue for such discussions.

5. Polish Your Resume

Your employer will know if you have put enough time producing your resume. If he/she sees that you have put sufficient and thorough effort into your resume, he/she will assume that you will do the same in your work. This is a big plus for you. It is not uncommon for some people to spend days or even weeks polishing and buffing their resumes.

By: Sharon Alexander

About the Author:

The global financial crisis is now having an obvious impact on every walk of life. Unemployment in 30 of the world’s wealthiest countries is expected to rise by some 8 million people in the next two years as the severest recession since the 1980s takes hold, according to an Economic Outlook report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This translates into 42 million unemployed in OECD countries in 2010.

As vacancies continue to evaporate, competition for any job available will become fiercer. After the Christmas holiday, there surely will be a range of intense competition for vacant positions. Want to improve the efficiency of hunting a job? Want more companies get your profile? Here resumes play an important role in the first place.

Except traditional resumes, video resumes have now become one of the hottest new ways to showcase candidacy for a wide range of jobs. This is all due to the quick development of Internet. As a result of it, increasing number of people turn to Internet for old problems. Creating a resume video on YouTube might be the next wave in human resource acquisitions.

A video resume is just a way for job seekers to showcase their abilities beyond the capabilities of a traditional paper resume. The video resume allows prospective employers to see, hear and get a feel for how the applicant presents themselves.

As how to create a professional video resume, you will get some tips in the following paragraphs. Instead of just using a camera to prepare for a video resume, here I would like to introduce a more perfect way. That is, do it with PowerPoint. Then upload the PowerPoint (in video format) to websites.

Here is a main benefit of doing so: Besides the video you created with your camera, you can also insert some other content into your video resume with PowerPoint, such as text (your written statements), pictures (photos of the awards you won), animations and other online videos. This could help show you more comprehensively.

Below are some respects you should pay attention to while capturing the video with camera:

Ø  Dress properly just as if you were going to an in-person interview

Ø  Eyes looking at the camera, don’t look around

Ø  Don’t speak too fast

Ø  Make sure there is no background noise

Ø  Discuss why you would be a good employee and what you can do for the company once you were hired

Ø  Focus on your professional endeavors, not your personal ones

Ø  The video should not be too long

Ø  If the video is not perfect, start over

Aspects you should pay attention to when preparing the PowerPoint:

Ø  Use the template effectively, since it is for your resume, business or simple style would be better

Ø  Present your topic by using key phrases

Ø  Limit the number of slides, too many slides would make prospective employers tired to view

Ø  Embedding suitable photos and charts could add variety

Ø  Make the Text’s color and background’s color contrastive

Ø  Make sure the voice of the video you captured is loud enough

After you finish creating your resume with PowerPoint, the next step is to convert the PowerPoint to video format so that you can upload the PowerPoint to websites. Here are two ways for you to do this:

1.       Use some professional conversion tool to help you do this. When searching in Google, you will get lots of advice. When it comes to ease of use, a nice feature set and pure speed of solution, this tool: Acoolsoft PPT2Video Converter is a good choice and offers a free trial. It is designed to help users convert PowerPoint to almost all popular video formats for easily uploaded to websites.

2.       Use Camtasia – a screen video capture program. First save your PPT file in PPS format and set Camtasia studio to record the whole screen. Play your PowerPoint PPS file and Press F9 to start recording the screen. When you reach your last blank slide, Press F10 to stop the recording. After that, you will be prompted to save the captured slideshow, choose a directory and enter a filename for it. Finally, save your capture in AVI format.

Besides uploading your video resume to your own web site, blog and YouTube, there are also some other professional career networking sites, such as MyWorkster, CareerBuilder and Jobster.  They all have a section of your profile where you can include video. It would be convenient for employers to view it. Also, you can include a link of your video resume in your paper/online resume to promote it.

Your resume must always attract an employer’s attention at first sight. Hence make the best resume possible using the following resume tips to land your dream job

-Always use attractive titles and heading that match the job profile you want and a great way to do this would be to mention the job titles and skill headings clearly. Maintain the flow and the length of the resume and like a myth, you don’t have to follow the strict rule of writing a resume in one page. You can highlight the headings to make it more presentable

-Employers generally make snap judgments while reading your resume – and if they see an unrelated job profiles or titles or skills then they immediately assume that you are not qualified for the position. Don’t waste your time elaborating on your skills or the headings, as employers don’t have time to waste on each resume and determine whether you have the appropriate skill or experience which they are looking for. The design of your resume must showcase your skills, experience and education at the first glance. At first glance, employers must form an image about your skills and abilities.

-Your resume should be designed to attract the employer’s attention, but it should not be jazzy and should have the complete content and should include all your skills and abilities. These things may land you an interview, as well as determine your salary package that you may receive.

-Always use powerful words and statements to demonstrate or describe your achievements as well as your responsibilities. These points can grab an employer’s attention and elevate your image in front of him or her. The more you specify your positive points, the better. Use powerful words and phrases to control the images that the employers develop about you while reading your resume. Powerful words should match the job profile you are seeking.

-Learn and analyze the key words that employers provide in the advertisements or job descriptions, as this should be the key element in creating powerful and impact oriented resumes.

-Always try and understand and project the employers hidden needs through your resume like for example if an employer needs someone who can handle departments, accounting more efficiently then you should identify it and anticipate the full range of need and show that you can resolve it through your resume.

-Resumes should always provide a list of duties of each applicant without explaining the benefits of the skills to the employers like for example a secretary’s resume should state her typing speed and should also state how it could benefit the new employer. The real benefit of the employee should produce more work and also save the employer money.

-Your resume should create an image of you in front of the employer. When writing your resume, keep in mind the level of the job you are seeking and the salary you are expecting. Always use language according to the position you are seeking.

-Try and prioritize the content of your resume, as this is the most important mistake that is made by many job seekers. Always compile statements according to importance, relevance of the job you want.

-Always try and tweak your resume and cover letter as they can generate many more interviews for you. Try and place the heading to the left hand column for retail management positions.

Try and improve your resume as much as possible – after all, it’s the one that can get you an interview call.

By: Tony Jacowski

About the Author:

Writing a resume can be a daunting task. It’s such a vital part of your toolkit in moving you up to the next level in your career. Here are five essential resume writing tips.

Resume Tip 1

Your resume and cover letter are the first items that will reach an employer’s desk. Therefore, you want them to best reflect you as an applicant and you want them to best reflect you as an applicant. It’s not just the words on the page, its the presentation of those words too. Always print your resume on good quality paper with an easy to read font of at least size 10 and preferably size 12. Always use blank ink, even for headings. Spelling or grammatical errors show a future employer that you are willing to send in sloppy work so keep it neat.

Resume Tip 2

Include all your accomplishments no matter how small. Include the details of the relevant jobs you have done in the past. You should present your work experience in a chronologically descending order i.e. the last company first. This should include the name of the company, your designation and tenure followed by your job responsibilities and achievements.

Resume Tip 3

Employers want to know what you can do for them in language that they will understand and appreciate. This is what the concept of transferability of skills is all about. Employers often receive more than 100 resumes each day; they skim each of these in 7 to 15 seconds. If they see unrelated job titles or skills the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate assumption that you are not qualified for the job you want.

Resume Tip 4

Remember to see your resume as a marketing tool. Your resume is your personal testament that you are the right person for the job. Remember that your resume is your way of selling yourself to your potential employer. Thus, your resume should have enough substance about your educational attainment, your work skills, any work experience, and what you hope to achieve in this job you are applying for to impress your employer that you are THE candidate for the job.

Resume Tip 5

Accomplishments are probably the most important things you can list on a resume. This is true regardless of how old you are or how much experience you have. Accomplishments are a critical aspect of your resume. Your accomplishments distinguish you from your competitors in the job-search process.

By: Ed Baker

About the Author:

If you are over 55 years old and have concerns about age discrimination in the interview, you are not alone.  Research by AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons (http://www.aarp.org) shows that discrimination against older people in the workplace is pervasive.  Although there are laws that protect jobseekers and employees from age discrimination, it is possible that a recruiter’s perception of your age might be used against you during a job search.

Many say age discrimination is very subtle and more difficult to prove since most people genuinely think that the normal process in the workplace is for younger workers to replace older ones.  Although this may have been the generally accepted practice in the past, today’s workforce has multiple generations coexisting in the workplace at the same time.

Despite that reality, an AARP survey of public perceptions revealed that nearly 40 percent of the respondents feel that older workers aren’t as effective as younger workers. Almost half of the respondents also believed that the majority of older people cannot adapt to change.

Despite these perceptions, mature professionals considering career reentry should know that a recent Go60 (www.go60.com) report shows that more than 16 million Americans over 55 are either working or seeking work.   The following additional information from that report should reassure career reentry professionals that opportunities are available.

1. Older workers are getting new jobs at an annual rate of 4.1 percent. This is more than double the .8 percent rate in the general population.

2. Older Americans make up 10% of the workforce, but account for 22% of America’s job growth.

3. By 2015, the number of employees over 55 will reach a record 31.9 million, compared to 18.4 million in 2000.

4. Extensive research has found no relationship between age and job performance.

As you apply for jobs consider what employers might be thinking.

The reality is, employers may be thinking that experienced or older candidates come at greater expense due to higher salaries, pensions, training and healthcare benefit costs.

As you strategize for your job search, your goal is to consider seriously what you want employers to think about you. Your goal? To get the company to see that they can’t afford to NOT hire you despite any perceived downside.

Think about the following as you write your resume and prepare for your interview:

1. Stay cheerful and high energy for all phone or in-person in the interview

2. Speak to the benefits of experience, professional maturity and expertise you bring

3. Keep your resume content current and stick to relevant information

4. Speak to the long term value you can bring to the company

5. Tell stories about outstanding outcomes in prior assignments

6. Consider using a functional resume

7. Use a cover letter to focus on relevant, recent experiences

8. Speak to your ability to collaborate and work with everyone from Boomers to Millennials.

A word of caution as you proceed – before you conclude that you are not succeeding in the job search because of age discrimination, consider if you are guilty of sabotaging your own job search in any of the following ways. 

-Did you share an unwillingness to relocate or commute

-Unwillingness to gain current knowledge and skills

-Unprepared for the interview

-Inadequate company research to be impressive

-Not really clear about long term commitment

-Salary expectations beyond market value

Companies seeking the best candidates for the job will look beyond age. If they succumb to personal biases, that is their loss.  Know that you would not want to work there anyway.

By: BullsEyeResumes

About the Author:

Ask anyone involved in the food industry and they will tell you that running a restaurant takes hard work. The challenges of institutional food management are also enormous, yet both of these career paths offer great rewards to those who enjoy working in a fast-paced, sensory environment. To land your next great position as an Executive Chef, General Manager, or Assistant Manager, it’s essential that your restaurant and food-service resume include the right elements: evidence of your past accomplishments, proof of your leadership ability, and a flair for creative problem solving. Passion of food goes a long way as well. But where can you find free resume tips to handle this daunting task?

You may only need to consider what the essential qualities for the job are for you to create a great resume, and it’s here that free resume tips come in handy.

The Food-service professionals’ days are filled with a dizzying array of tasks, from coordinating the kitchen and dining room to placing food orders and designing a successful menu. Well-designed restaurant and food-service resumes establish one’s past success in a no-nonsense manner, providing the proof a hiring manager or restaurant owner is looking for when scheduling interviews. So this one important free resume tip that comes straight from the responsibilities that the job entails.

Finding good nice free resume tips for your food-service resume will give you a competitive edge over what will be submitted by other well-qualified professionals. Whether you already have a draft that requires editing or need a newly created resume, you will need to work one-on-one with an editor experienced in crafting compelling, successful restaurant and food-service resumes. He/she should also give you helpful free resume tips and free resume samples.

Land the professional restaurant and food-service position you’re seeking with an expertly-crafted restaurant and food-service resume.

Hiring managers want to know what you have already done for your prior employers. This is another essential free resume tip you can include in your resume, try to have figures and facts that you can quote and discuss. Are you an expert in some exotic cuisine? Were you the most creative in your position? Find things that you can give to the HR person in black and white and you’ll find that you get better responses and is a plus to your .

Talk about the positive things that you have done for your employers, and if there were negative situations, find the positive light in them in case you are asked.

The dreaded cover letter

Do you need a cover letter? Of course it’s a plus in free resume tip to remember. In many cases, hiring managers like to see something that shows your individual personality. After so many resumes, they can begin to look the same. This isn’t to say that you should start off with a joke or send a picture of yourself, but you should use a cover letter to give a little indication of the type of employee you are.

You want to show that you know what kinds of responsibilities can be expected of you if hired and that you understand the goals of the company.

Show them that you want this job and that you are more than ready for it.

Editing matters

Simple errors in grammar and spelling go a long way to hurting your chances of getting hired in any higher position. Take the time to have a friend or family member read your resume and also provide some free resume resumes he may see lacking in your resume to make sure that you sound and look professional.

Remember that hiring managers only have a little time to read all of the resumes that they receive. Get right to the point, and your resume will get right to the top of the pile.

By: Abhishek Agarwal

About the Author: