Writing a killer resume?

12 years ago

Hi,
The best advice I can give is to list your accomplishments and clearly communicate the value you can provide to an employer. Tell them what you can do for them.
Best of luck,
Jerry

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HeySal

12 years ago

Put pie charts in it. For some reason people love that. Pie chart showing stuff like education intensives, skill strengths, etc and so on. Serious. I don't know why, but it seems to work.

I used to use Flintstone font and grey/pink briquet paper and that resume almost never got passed over.

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Sal
When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
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Thomas

12 years ago

Originally Posted by HeySal

Put pie charts in it. For some reason people love that. Pie chart showing stuff like education intensives, skill strengths, etc and so on. Serious. I don't know why, but it seems to work.

Almost any image in a CV will get it instant attention (mostly because nobody else does it).

In addition to Sal's suggestion, think about using the logo of the company you currently work for, and anyone you previously worked for.

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writeaway

12 years ago

You have to use an ACTIVE and AUTHORITATIVE voice. Read the standard / typical resume for your industry and dial it up a notch or two.

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laurencewins

12 years ago

I am an "expert" in the area of resume writing. There are many factors that have to be taken into account and you also need to know what to leave out as well as what to put in.

The single biggest factor needs to be the layout. Nothing fancy. It needs to be consistent and easy to skim as most decisions about whether to read a resume in its entirety are made within the first 10 seconds.

Pm me if you want to know more.

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Cheers, Laurence.
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seasoned

12 years ago

I don't know WHEN heysal last try to get a job, or what it was, but MOST people IN HR say that doing such things can get your resume THROWN OUT! Select a good position, and TARGET IT! Use various related key words, specify what you did, what you used, skills you used, and apps you used. Most people, IN HR, agree that that will lead to the resume getting serious consideration.

Fail to use the right key words today, and they may never even FIND your resume!

Steve

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HeySal

12 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

I don't know WHEN heysal last try to get a job, or what it was, but MOST people IN HR say that doing such things can get your resume THROWN OUT! Select a good position, and TARGET IT! Use various related key words, specify what you did, what you used, skills you used, and apps you used. Most people, IN HR, agree that that will lead to the resume getting serious consideration.

Fail to use the right key words today, and they may never even FIND your resume!

Steve

Steve - whatever. My resumes rarely get thrown out and I've done all sorts of stuff to them to catch attention.

However, if that resume is going to be online - you're right. It better have the relevant keywords in it. They can filter a resume any way they want now. It's illegal to discriminate based on age -- but ............if you filter those resumes by a date, you never even see the ones that you don't want to deal with. There is no way to stop discrimination when people are looking up online resumes.

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Sal
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seasoned

12 years ago

Originally Posted by HeySal

Steve - whatever. My resumes rarely get thrown out and I've done all sorts of stuff to them to catch attention.

However, if that resume is going to be online - you're right. It better have the relevant keywords in it. They can filter a resume any way they want now. It's illegal to discriminate based on age -- but ............if you filter those resumes by a date, you never even see the ones that you don't want to deal with. There is no way to stop discrimination when people are looking up online resumes.

Well, technically they ALL discriminate(determine a difference). It is illegal to even ASK age or sex, marriage status, etc,,, As for filtering by date, they probably include other criteria first. I have worked for several companies that even offered me a JOB! It would be DUMB to throw out my info simply because I haven't done anything since.

I have gotten lots of jobs ALSO. My current contract was supposed to last less than 10 weeks, for example. Like most, the project expanded, and they kept me on. But you have a catch 22 situation. If you deal with a VERY rare skill set, or go in and they like you, or it is a low end job, you may get nearly every job. If you don't give them ALL the resume YOURSELF, and get every job, you can't track the maximum number that were thrown out.

Steve

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Frank Donovan 12 years ago

Wow. Killers need resumes now? Must be a buyer's market.

My advice? Don't use your real name.
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- tagiscom 12 years ago
  
  Go to this site, and then type in Resumes!
  
  Resumes | GraphicRiver
  
  That way you can churn out very professional looking Resumes, and some do include pie charts as well! :rolleyes:
  
  Shane
  
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seasoned

12 years ago

BTW Laurence is right about the format for editor files, and printed documents, but that is only PART of the concern. MOST agree that you should use white, or off white paper, that is not ostentatious and doesn't stick out. ALSO, it should be 8.5 x 11.(at least in the US). MOST, in the US, like them to be short, (less than 3 pages.)

Steve

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Dan Riffle

12 years ago

Just remember that your resume isn't about *tooting your own horn or listing your job duties. The document isn't for you. It's for the prospective employer. It should be written in a way that shows the employer why you're the best fit for their company. This might mean adjusting your resume for each employer you send your resume to.

*Don't be afraid to do a little horn tooting -- as long as it relates to the job at hand. If I'm hiring you for an analyst position, I don't really care that you won the National Grocery Bagger Speed Bagging Competition four years in a row.

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Sumit Menon

12 years ago

Shouldn't Resumes be one page?

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laurencewins

12 years ago

A one page resume would be for somebody who doesn't have a detailed work history.
The absolute maximum a resume should ever be is 4 pages and that is for those of us who have had a lengthy and relevant employment history.
BUT you tailor your resume to the job you are applying for. I would expect a one page resume to be from somebody who has had maybe 2-3 jobs maximum.

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hardraysnight

12 years ago

there seems to be a geographical difference between cv and resume

some say they are the same, some similar, some different

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laurencewins

12 years ago

They are the same thing but people sometimes prefer one name over the other.

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Dan Riffle

12 years ago

In the States, at least from my knowledge, a resume is used for standard jobs. You see academics using Cvs.

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seasoned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Dan Riffle

In the States, at least from my knowledge, a resume is used for standard jobs. You see academics using Cvs.

STANDARD jobs?

A resume is the standard format in the US! CVs are generally spoken about elsewhere. HECK, I have seen some foreign educated with LOTS of degrees produce resumes!

Steve
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Thomas

12 years ago

Originally Posted by hardraysnight

there seems to be a geographical difference between cv and resume

some say they are the same, some similar, some different

Originally Posted by laurencewins

They are the same thing but people sometimes prefer one name over the other.

Originally Posted by Dan Riffle

In the States, at least from my knowledge, a resume is used for standard jobs. You see academics using Cvs.

In Europe, a CV is expected for all jobs. An 'American-style' resume will often go straight to the rubbish bin, accompanied by the thought, "What's that? Doesn't he even know how to write a CV?".

And the convention is that it (your CV) generally doesn't get changed much in accordance with the position being applied for; any variation goes into your cover letter instead.

In places like Australia, the terms may be used interchangeably, but the difference is simply level of detail, with a CV being longer/more detailed (and the fact that your CV generally remains the same, or at least very similar, regardless of the position being applied for).

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Dan Riffle

12 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

STANDARD jobs?

A resume is the standard format in the US! CVs are generally spoken about elsewhere. HECK, I have seen some foreign educated with LOTS of degrees produce resumes!

Steve

Steve, academics in the States, when seeking employment in academic settings, typically prepare a CV.

I wasn't aware that a CV is also used in a medical career:

From Wiki:
"In the United States and Canada, a CV is used in academic circles and medical careers as a "replacement" for a résumé and is far more comprehensive..."

Curriculum vitae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Thomas

<snip> (and the fact that your CV generally remains the same, or at least very similar, regardless of the position being applied for).

Wiki contradicts the above, too:
"In the United Kingdom and Ireland, ...contains only a summary of the job seeker's employment history, qualifications and some personal information. It is often updated to change the emphasis of the information according to the particular position for which the job seeker is applying."

It appears that the difference between a CV and a resume is one of life's greatest mysteries.

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Thomas

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Dan Riffle

Wiki contradicts the above, too:
"In the United Kingdom and Ireland, ...contains only a summary of the job seeker's employment history, qualifications and some personal information. It is often updated to change the emphasis of the information according to the particular position for which the job seeker is applying."

As usual, Wikipedia is wrong.

Your employment history, qualifications, etc. don't change. If you have a business degree (for example) when applying for job X, you still have the same degree if you apply for job Y too. If you previously worked in company X, then thats where you worked, whether you are applying for job X, Y, or Z. That's the type of stuff that goes in your CV.

Pandering to the would-be employer's needs is done in a cover letter instead. Sure, you could include some kind of unconventional summary in your CV tailored to the job; but, as someone who has been both employee and employer too many times to remember, I can tell you that, 99 times out of 100, unchanging CV + tailored cover letter/email is the way it's done in this part of the world (regardless of what Wikipedia claims).

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Dan Riffle

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas

As usual, Wikipedia is wrong.

Your employment history, qualifications, etc. don't change. If you have a business degree (for example) when applying for job X, you still have the same degree if you apply for job Y too. If you previously worked in company X, then thats where you worked, whether you are applying for job X, Y, or Z. That's the type of stuff that goes in your CV.

Pandering to the would-be employer's needs is done in a cover letter instead. Sure, you could include some kind of unconventional summary in your CV tailored to the job; but, as someone who has been both employee and employer too many times to remember, I can tell you that, 99 times out of 100, unchanging CV + tailored cover letter/email is the way it's done in this part of the world (reghardless of what Wikipedia claims).

I'm not saying I don't believe you, Thomas.

I have no direct employment experience in Europe. I'm saying that the definition and usage is apparently up for debate.

Even the University of Exeter talks about adjusting your CV for the job at hand:

"Update and change your CV as necessary. Bear in mind the job you are applying for and change the emphasis of the information accordingly e.g. a Solicitors firm will be interested in the grades and subjects of your law degree but this will not be so relevant to a publishing company."

CVs - Careers and Employability - University of Exeter

Europass recommends the same in its instructions document:

"Adapt your CV to suit the post applied for: Systematically check your CV every time you want to send it to an employer to see if it corresponds to the profile required; highlight your advantages according to the specific requirements of the prospective employer. A good knowledge of the company will help you tailoring your CV to the appropriate profile."

http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en...rriculum-vitae

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Thomas 12 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

I thought that was the difference EVERYWHERE!

It is; that's what I said.

Originally Posted by Dan Riffle

... the University of Exeter ... Europass ...

They're wrong too.
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- Dan Riffle 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Thomas
  
  They're wrong too.
  
  You remind me a lot of my father.
  
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  Raising a child is akin to knowing you're getting fired in 18 years and having to train your replacement without actively sabotaging them.
  
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  Thomas 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Dan Riffle
  
  You remind me a lot of my father.
  
  No I don't; you're wrong!
  
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seasoned

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas

In places like Australia ... the difference is simply level of detail, with a CV being longer/more detailed (and the fact that your CV generally remains the same, or at least very similar, regardless of the position being applied for).

I thought that was the difference EVERYWHERE!

Steve

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laurencewins

12 years ago

OK< thanks to Google, I can tell you guys that there is no way to definitively tell the difference. One site says there is no difference. Another says academics use CVs. A third site says a resume is a summary and a CV is more comprehensive.

I personally always use the term "resume" but I think it is up to everyone individually what they prefer.

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seasoned

12 years ago

Dan,

By "academics", do you mean those applying for professorships at a university? THAT I could believe.

Steve

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bizgrower

12 years ago

I think this covers the resume/cv issue very well and I agree with including pies - probably apple:

The Difference Between a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Resume

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yukon

Banned 12 years ago

Keep in mind, employers don't want a Clark Kent, they want Superman.

Brag, then when your done bragging, brag some more...

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Writing a killer resume?

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