Interviewing

Resume Writing

Tips from the Pros

Sep

What Are The Key Ingredients To Preparing A Resume That Will Get You Interviews?

I decided this week to bake a double chocolate chip cake. It was so delicious and cooked to perfection that I only managed one piece before my friends had collectively finished off the rest of the cake. Before I baked the cake, I prepared the ingredients and even added in a few “extra” items to make my cake as tasty as possible. When it comes to resume writing the exact same process is required:

Key Ingredients:

Strategic Keywords

Using strategic keywords throughout your resume is imperative for a number of reasons. Recent reports suggest 80% of companies use some kind of software or scanning program to search for candidate resumes. In today’s society it is no longer good enough to target your job toward the role you are applying for – you also need to target your resume toward software programs that are now performing first rounds of candidate selections. In this technological world where applying for a job can literally take a couple of clicks of a button, hiring managers are seeing hundreds of resumes (sometimes thousands) for one particular job. As much as we would like a hiring manager or recruiter to read through our entire resume, this rarely happens. As such, using strategic keywords will help your resume rank higher and ensure that it passes the first test of being read by either a recruiter or hiring manager.

Highlighting Achievements

Resume writing and job seeking has changed a lot over the past couple of years. With new online networking sites such as LinkedIn being available and making it easier for a job seeker to network with a potential boss, highlighting your achievements on your resume and cover letter is more important than ever. When a boss or hiring manger decides to employ a new person to their staff, the first thing they want to know is how this person is going to add value to their organisation. Including basic duties and responsibilities is not enough to make you stand out as the perfect person for the job. You need to prove that you are the best person by highlighting your skills and achievements.

Presentation and Format

Your resume is the first impression a hiring manager will make about you. A well presented and structured resume that is written in a clean font will portray your resume in a professional manner and immediately give your resume application a higher ranking. Alternatively, a resume application that has spelling and grammar errors, different sized fonts, long sentences (as opposed to bullet points) and a lack of headings will not portray a positive image to the reader, and you won’t look like the right person for the job. A lack of professionalism may even lead to your resume being deleted without even being read. No matter how good your skills and experience may be, once your resume is deleted, it will never be read again.

In order to prepare the perfect resume follow these three main ingredients. Take time to prepare your resume and ensure that you give yourself every opportunity to succeed!

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

During the last decade, RedStarResume has successfully written hundreds of professional resumes for candidates across the globe. From the student or entry level position to the CEO, our unique, custom-made resumes are written specifically to match the goals and desires of our clients and to help them land jobs

Expert Resume Writer: #1 for Resume Writing and Cover Letter Writing

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Aug

Can’t Get A Job …..

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Tags: college student job, cover letter secrets, cover letter tips, cv writing, expert resume, graduate jobs, how to write a cover letter, how to write a resume, interview secrets, job hunt, job search, new job, professional resume, resume writing, student jobs, student resume, telephone interview, writing a resume

Aug

More Numbers Less Words

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Are you sick of not landing job interviews? Are you applying for jobs you feel you are more than qualified for, but not having any success? More than likely, the problem has more to do with the way your resume is written than not having the right skill sets for the job.

Resume writing is an art form and in order to be successful your resume needs to pass 4 major rules:

Skills and qualifications are highlighted in order to make your resume instantly stand out. Reports suggest that once a hiring manager or recruiter opens your resume you have between 10-20 seconds to make an impact. No impact, no interview, no job!

Strategic keywords to highlight your achievements and pass online screening software tools that are used to reduce the amount of candidate resumes that a business may receive for a certain role.

Formatted, structured and presented specifically to target your experience and industry

Presented in a professional manner using the correct font, bullet points, headings, length and most importantly error free!

How can I make my resume stand out from the crowd?

Using numbers and quantitative evidence to highlight your achievements is key to standing out from the competition and presenting value added evidence about the type of behaviour a hiring manager can expect from you. If your position involves business development, for example, rather than including a generic description such as “Excellent communicator and relationship manager”, you can spice up this sentence and turn it into an “Accomplishment Statement” that will aid your resume in being noticed. (Don’t forget to use strategic keywords!)

Example 1: Successful business development and account management helped to exceed annual sales target of $X by 15% for the full financial year.

Example 2: Managed a team of 6 Sales Representatives in conducting product launches to increase new product penetration into the market leading to an overall increase of $5 million over a 12 month period

Example 3: Part of the Project Management Team involved in the rollout of a 200 networks leading to a 10% increase in revenue and a further 20% in cost savings.

Proof and Evidence

Using numbers and evidence to back up your statements will aid your resume application and make your resume shine against other candidates. In the current economy where jobs are tough to get, you need to prove to the hiring manager that you are the best candidate for the job and the best way to do this is to use numbers to back up your achievement statements.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

Tags: college student job, cover letter secrets, cover letter writing, expert resume, graduate resume, job interviews, need a job, professional resume, resume example, resume writer, student resume, writing a resume

Mar

Best Resume Tips – Guaranteed To Help You Get Hired!

By RedStarResume 1 comment

Secret Resume Tip from the vault

When a hiring manager first opens your resume the first place their eyes will take them is directly into the middle of your resume. I like to call this area “Prime Real Estate”

As such it is important that your greatest strengths, skills and achievements are highlighted in this prime piece of real estate.

What I like to do is create a KEY ACHIEVMENTS category

All you need to do is jot down your top achievements that best describe you. No matter what stage of your career you are at, listing your achievements will add value to your resume and help you stand out from your competition.

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Mar

Don’t Limit Yourself!

By RedStarResume No comments yet

The journey to finding your dream job starts with a brand new resume

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Feb

Do I Really Need to Use a Professional Resume Writer?

By RedStarResume No comments yet

People look at me strangely when they ask, “Do I really need to use a professional resume writer?”

“Come on,” they say, “I can easily just write my own resume – what are you going to do that I cannot just do myself?”

Of course it’s true that anybody can write their own resume. The same is true that anyone can attempt to build a house or change the plumbing or paint some artwork, however in each of these examples you’d prefer to call on an expert because of their specific skills, knowledge and experience in their particular trades. The same can be said of a professional resume writer.

How long should a resume be? Should I include a qualifications profile or a career summary? How many duties and responsibilities should I include for my current role? Do I include the same amount of information for all my previous roles and how far back should my resume go?

How about questions relating to “soft skills” – should you include information like “volunteered for the Red Cross”? Is this relevant on your resume? How about the fact that you were the football captain at school – is this relevant?

Have a look at your resume and see if you have words such as “hard working”, “dedicated”, “team player”, or “loyal” – do these type of words enhance or actually detract from your resume? If you are using these types of words do you think your competitors are as well?

And what about achievements – do you have any on your resume? Is a hiring manager going to take one look at your resume and be impressed with your past experiences, skills and success? Have you mentioned initiatives you introduced to the business or awards you have won?

This is what a professional resume writer can do for you. They can open doors to get that interview. Remember – resume writing is not about reinventing the wheel, it is about ensuring that you adequately highlight everything that is required to make sure that your resume is selected and you are given the chance to present yourself in the interview. Once you make it to the interview you have the opportunity to prove to the hiring manager how good you really are. Without a professional resume you may never get this chance.

Find your dream job today – It all starts with a brand new resume.

Tags: college resume, cover letter tips, cv writing, expert resume, graduate jobs, how to find a job, professional resume, professional resume writer, resume, resume writer, student resume, writing a resume

Nov

Job Advertisment!

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Whether you’re looking to find a job or change your career path be prepared!

No matter what role you are looking for, do your research and make sure you’re ready to nail your job interview

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Oct

Looking for an Internship?

By RedStarResume 2 comments

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Summer Internships

Fall Internships and Spring Internships available when you select an internship program in the city you choose http://www.summerinternships.com/

Sep

Advantages for using a professional resume writer

By RedStarResume 1 comment

Something to think about…

How many times have you picked up a magazine while waiting for an appointment and flipped through the hundreds of pages of articles? How long did it take you to decide whether or not to turn the page? Studies show that most people make this decision in less than 5 seconds.

This is the exact same scenario with your resume—it can be discarded within a matter of seconds. When applying for jobs, you can be assured that 50% of all the other applicants have similar skills and knowledge. So how do you make your resume stand out from the others? How do you ensure that you’re at least given the chance to present yourself in person?

Your resume is a marketing document, a convincing reason to want to meet with you for an interview. Without an appealing and marketable resume that contains information employers require, you will not get the job you want. While you may feel that you are the perfect fit for a job, it means absolutely nothing if you don’t have a convincing resume which is written, structured and formatted correctly.

Remember: A well written, formatted, structured resume you will get more calls, more interviews and find a new job faster…. Guaranteed!

5 Reasons to use a professional resume writer

1) Staying ahead of your competition
In the current state of the economy, demand and competition for jobs has never been higher. It is guaranteed that when you apply directly for a job there can be upwards of nearly 100 people other people applying for the same job. Some of this competition has probably used a professional resume writer, and this gives you an immediate advantage before the screening process even takes place

2) Most candidates are not capable of composing a resume that adequately highlights their strengths, accomplishments and achievements
Writing objectively is hard, and most candidates tend to struggle when writing about themselves. Resume writers approach the writing process from an employer’s, rather than a candidate’s point of view. They are then more successful with highlighting what potential employers are really looking for.

3) Professional writers have direct knowledge of “buzz words”, “keywords” & industry jargon

4) Recruiters and hiring managers don’t have time to read through a bad resume
A well-formatted and grammar-free resume will grab a reader’s attention and generate interest in you and increase your chances at getting to the interview stage.

5) Applying for jobs is serious business
Just like you would call upon a professional builder to help construct your house or a professional mechanic to repair your car, you need a professional resume writer to help you get a job. Writers offer advantages over the competition that will greatly improve your chances at getting hired.

If you require a professionally written resume to help you with your job pursuit please visit the resume experts at “RedStarResume” http://www.bestresponseresume.com.au/

Tags: Advantages for using a professional resume writer, applying for a job, buzzwords, composing a resume, cv, expert resume, professional resume writer, Professional writers, Reasons to use a professional resume writer, Recruiters and hiring managers, student resume

Sep

The Hardest Challenges Facing College Graduates

By RedStarResume 1 comment

Competition (too few jobs and too many graduates)

Here is the scenario… You have graduated college with a good looking degree; you feel on top of the world and ready to pick and choose your dream job. The reality however is that your one of a many in the same boat. While you feel as though you would be best suited for a particular role there can be hundreds of other people who feel the same way as you. I often tell the story about my days as a recruitment consultant where I used to recruit for graduate positions. I would post a graduate position on the job boards and by lunch time I would have 200 applicants in my inbox. So what can you do to differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd? You need to ensure that your resume is in the top 5-10% of all resumes. A single mistake in your resume can be the difference between your resume ending up in the interview stack or in the deleted folder

Downturn in the economy:

We are all sick and tired of hearing about the global financial situation, sluggish economic growth and rising unemployment. Unfortunately this is the situation which new graduates find themselves facing when looking for a job in 2010. My best advice is to network, stay patient and increase the effort into the job search. You are going to have setbacks and days when you feel like the whole world is against you. The real challenge will be ones of Continuing perseverance and confidence.

Lack of Real world experience:

My advice to all graduates (and those preparing to graduate) is to seek work experience. I personally hated this advice while I was at university but looking back now my work experience helped me plan out my career and gain vital experience in competitive industries. When the time came to put forward my resume, my previous work experience set me apart from many of my competitors.

Too high expectations:

Many graduates (myself included) complete university and expect to hand pick the job which they want. Furthermore in 2010, graduates have an expectation that they know what is best and should actually be the boss rather than working for the boss. So many times I have had graduates apply for job positions which are so unrealistic and then get despondent because they are not getting interview requests. It’s important for graduates to realize that they need to gain the experience before they can call themselves the boss.

Debate between further higher education and job seeking

Do you continue to study or start straight away with the job seeking? Many graduates don’t have a choice in this matter but for those who do continuing to study can lead to greater results long term (financial and job position) and also further help distinguish yourself apart form other graduates. On the other hand is it better to start working and get your foot in the door? There’s no better education then real life experience of learning on the job.

RedStarResume: #1 resume writing service for college students & graduates

Tags: applying for a job, college, college graduates, college problmes, college students, graduating soon, high school, resume writing, student, student cover letter, student cv, student jobs, student resume, university

Interviewing

Resume Writing

Tips from the Pros

What Are The Key Ingredients To Preparing A Resume That Will Get You Interviews?

Can’t Get A Job …..

More Numbers Less Words

Best Resume Tips – Guaranteed To Help You Get Hired!

Don’t Limit Yourself!

Do I Really Need to Use a Professional Resume Writer?

Job Advertisment!

Looking for an Internship?

Advantages for using a professional resume writer

5 Reasons to use a professional resume writer

The Hardest Challenges Facing College Graduates

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