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Resumes – Tips For Making CV Look Professional Part 1

Professional It is important to focus on the layout of your Resume in addition to its content. Your employer would find it difficult to find the information in your CV if it is not displayed properly. Even though you may be a good candidate, but a lack of professionalism in your CV might reduces the chances of short-listing of your CV. Also, care needs to taken in cases to avoid the graphical look and use fancy designs in your CV or Resume unless you are applying for creative or design jobs. The simpler layout of your CV, the more easily it can be comprehended.

You may follow the below mentioned tips to make your CV look professional.

Font – You should use a standard font for your CV such as Times New Roman, Arial or Verdana. The selected font should be easily readable and non-fussy. Your employer need not ask anyone for the content in your CV while reading your CV. As per the font you have chosen, you may select the size of the text. The size of normal text lies between 10 and 12. You should ensure that the text on your CV should not be too small to cause strain to the eyes. Moreover, the larger fonts than necessary may give a weird look to your CV.

Subheadings – The title of your CV or Resume should consist of your name. You should ensure to make it larger and bolder as compared to the rest of the text. Also, the various subheadings should be bolder and larger than the body of the text. You need to give subheading to differentiate the separate sections of your CV. You can use the subheadings in either upper or lower case. You can also underlined it o put it in a table or shaded box. The subheadings need to be clearly defined.

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Resumes – Tips For Making CV Look Professional Part 2

Professional The subheadings appear in a CV or Resume consists of Personal Statement, Education & Qualifications, Work Experience including Career History, Key Skills, Professional Training,

Extra-curricular activities and References.

The length of your CV should not exceed more than two pages. In some cases where employer is interested in only relevant information then you need to make specifically a one-page summary CV. It is because, companies today receive a large number of CVs and they need a one-page summary to quickly study the CV and save time. You can even design both one page and two pages CV and send the one which looks appropriate to the occasion. In case of a two page CV, when you go on to the second page, you need to ensure that it starts with a new subheading.

Consistency – You need to ensure that the style and format of your CV remains the consistent everywhere. It includes the font used, heading size and text arrangement. Also, you need to keep the position of the text uniform throughout.

Use bullet points – It is recommended to use the bullet points to empathise your communication. Recruiters normally receive hundreds of CVs and they do not have time to read your entire CV. So, they quickly go through the bullet points to see if you fit the bill. By using the bullet points in your CV you can write concise sentences that catches the attention of the readers easily.

Use quality white paper – In case you are sending the resume or CV by post then you can ensure to use a good quality, white paper. You should avoid using the coloured paper unless you would like to apply for a design job.

Use Simple language- You should try to avoid the complex language in Resume to make it look stylish. It is advised to use simple language that conveys your message clearly.

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Resumes – Tips For Successful CV Part 1

Sucsess In order to write a successful CV that can land you a Job requires you to follow few tips in designing your Resume and avoiding common mistakes. Some of the common tips for writing a successful CV are mentioned below.

Design your CV as per the role advertised – You should make it a practise to tailor your CV to suit the role advertised. In case you are applying for different jobs, then you should prepare a CV for each job type that is targeted to each career area and highlights the varying aspects of skills and experience. Employers are looking for the relevant skills and experience needed for the job role. In case, you do not want to come across as normal mass mailing then you should take time for writing a CV that is specific to the organisation and job vacancy.

Keep your CV concise and meaningful – Your CV is basically an opportunity for you to present yourself in front of potential employers and get an interview call from them. Although you need to include all the relevant details in your CV but you should keep it concise. It only indicates your experience and skills. The interview is exactly the place where you can get the opportunity to explain in detail the points mentioned in your CV.

By using the bullet points on your CV, you can write shorter sentences that can catch the reader attention easily. You should be careful while making a concise CV as you should not left out important details like important info about your employment or education history. You also need to summarise your work experience by pointing out the most relevant skills and knowledge gained.

A concise CV or Resume takes the recruiters straight to the point and keep the person reading it from losing interest.

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Resumes – Tips For Successful CV Part 2

Sucsess Do relevant research – You should do relevant research about the organisation and the job role before applying for the role. It will give you a better outlook on the type of requirements an employer is looking for. It also highlight that you have a conscientious attitude.

Do thorough checking – Once you are done with the writing of the Resume, then you can do the thorough checking. You can easily make few common and simple grammatical and spelling errors by overlooking them. There are many employers who can outright reject CVs and Resumes because of these mistakes. You should not prepare CV in rush but take your own sweet time.

Once you are done writing your CV, you should take a Print out of it on a paper. It will help you in determining if there are any spelling mistakes present. It will also help you in judging if the print out of CV looks as you desired. In case where you are sending CV by email attachment then you should first try sending it to yourself to see if it opens correctly and maintains its format.

Another better way is to get your friends and family proof-read your CV prior to sending it.

Take care of any gaps – In case you have any unaccounted gaps in education or career history then you should explain it clearly or the recruiter may think that you are trying to avoid it. If you have pursued a full-time Higher Education course then it did not account for a ‘gap’ in your Resume.

Mention your extra-curricular activities sound interesting. You should be more specific in your interests. For example, in place of saying “reading”, you can write like reading the books of writer Chetan Bhagat. Also, mention about your interests and hobbies.

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Resumes – Types of Resumes

Resumes If you are formatting your resume for electronic submission then it increases your exposure to great extent. Usually, speaking, the electronic resumes or (e-resumes) can be classified into three categories including ASCII (plain text), social media (online), and scannable categories.

An ASCII resume – It refers to the unformatted and keyword-rich document which is designed to be copied and pasted into the e-mail body or it can also be entered directly into an online form.

Social media or online resumes – It includes social media resumes or online (HTML) resumes that are designed for posting as a component of a personal Website. They may also be uploaded to any social networking site like twitter or facebook. The social media resumes become very effective by including a relevant section of keywords. These help the profile to differentiate itself in online searches.

Scannable resumes – These resumes are submitted in the paper form and are designed for scanning into a resume database or programmed applicant tracking system. It automatically converts them into electronic form. There are some mid- and large-sized companies that continue to use the scanning technology, it is better to modify your resume into a scannable format while applying to varying kinds of organizations.

An employer on the basis of requirements of a position will determine the keywords that identify the best skills required for identifying a potential candidate. There are various Search engines and data tracking software that identify keywords and phrases in different manner. They utilize the various criteria such as the number of keywords, type of keywords and density of keywords for determining the ranking. Only those resumes which rank the highest are selected and read by the recruiters. You should focus on including the rich keywords and phrases in your resume as per the industry and career requirements.

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Resumes – Using The Positive And Active Words

Words You should make use of active and positive language in your CV or Resume to make it look effective and allows it to make a strong impression on the potential employers. You can use ‘power’ or action words in your CV or Resume that is mandatory for the promotion of your skills and experience. If you begin your sentences with action verbs then it instantly highlights the skill used and captures the reader’s attention. The usage of proper active words not only implies the meaning of your communication clearly but also impresses the readers. While writing you resume you should take time out to select few appropriate active verbs for using them in your Resume.

Let’s discuss few action words related to various categories that can be used in your CV or Resume.

Scientific – This category of action words revolve around the basic actions performed by professionals in the scientific field. It includes the words like Assessed, Calculated, Conducted,

Diagnosed, Evaluated, Examined, Observed, Recorded and Tested.

Management – This category of action words talks about the basic tasks handled by the professionals in the managing positions. It includes the words such as Administered, Controlled,

Co-ordinated, Corrected, Managed, Monitored, Oversaw, Performed, Reviewed, Selected, Supervised, Supported, Taught and Trained.

Organisation – This category of action words helps you to talk about the different tasks related to the organisation. It includes the words Arranged, Categorised, Collected, Compiled, Incorporated, Logged, Maintained, Organised, Planned, Prepared, Reserved, Scheduled, Supplied and Updated

Achievement – You can use this category of words to describe about your achievements and accomplishment at work and in education. It include the words like Achieved, Built, Completed, Delivered, Established, Expanded, Founded, Identified, Implemented, Introduced, Reduced, Solved and Streamlined

Communication – This category of action words revolve around the basic actions performed by professionals who are good at communication skills. It includes the words such as Administered, Advised, Demonstrated, Explained, Instructed, Liaised, Negotiated, Presented, and Responded.

Academic – This category of action words talks about the basic tasks handled by the professionals in the Academic positions such as Analysed, Completed, Researched and Solved.

Finance/Business – This category of action words helps you to talk about the different tasks related to the finance and business. It includes the words like Budgeted, Increased, Promoted, Represented and Sold.

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Resumes – Writing A Cover Letter

Writing Cover Letter A cover letter is a professional document that forms a part of your application along with a resume. A resume is basically a marketing tool that is intended for selling your professional experience, academics and skills. The cover letter is made up with a purpose for adjusting your application to particular job opportunity. The cover letter introduces you to the potential employer and details about your identity and the reason for your application. There are various types of cover letters and writing a cover letter makes an important step of successful job search.

The sales cover letter and career change cover letter are different from each other in context and style. Despite the cover letter type, you are required to include the following information such as position you want to apply, source of learning about employment opportunity, and your qualifications relevant to open position. The Cover letter for jobs is written for introducing you to your potential employer. It helps you to get attention of your employers.

You should learn to make an efficient cover letter. A Cover letter is basically not a personal essay and it is not an autobiographical record of your life. Usually, the reader takes only few seconds to read it. Thus, cover letters are kept brief, simple, and to the point. You need to think about the position you would like apply for, and highlight the professional qualities possessed by you which are extremely relevant to employment opportunity. It is important that your cover letter and your resume needs to be linked and also written in tandem.

In a cover letter, you should always include name and title of the concerned individual you are addressing. You should start your writing by explaining how you learned about the available position. You should also include a short paragraph that is devoted to explanation of your interest in the position. You should also write four to five sentences that covers your qualifications and experience.

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Resumes – Writing A Good Resume Title

Good Resume Title When you are applying for a job, then it is important to write a well organised and well designed resume. A written resume is the first thing that employers look at for screening or short listing the candidates. By writing an impressive resume, you can stand apart from other applicants. A resume title makes up an important component of well written resume. The title of your resume should be able to convince your prospective employer to read your resume completely. You should consider the following things in mind before writing resume title.

You should identify the job titles or positions you would like to apply for. You may use the job title as a component of your resume title. You should ensure that your desired position matches with the resume title as well as its contents. You should prepare a catchy resume title by making use of strong action words like “team player,” and “dependable.” You can also use words that suit the requirements of the job desired by you. For example, in case of sales, you can use the words like “proven sales techniques.” and others.

In case, you are applying for a specific job posting, then you should include the words in your resume title used by job advertisement. You should also indicate your professional goal in the resume title. Your resume title may also be constructed to highlights your career ambitions. It displays that you are focused on goals and you are assertive enough to achieve it.

You should use good keywords for using them in your resume title. Because these keywords are usually pick up by the search engines. These Keywords are especially helpful in cases when employers are searching for specific candidates that are already familiar with their work terminology. You should try to highlight your key experiences and skills in the title of your resume. It should read as “Five-year Expert in Web designing”. A good resume title certainly increases your chances of getting short listed.

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Resumes – Writing a Resume Objective

Resumes A resume objective is primarily written for introducing yourself to a potential employer and presenting your core strengths and goals. It tells the recruiter in brief that you are looking out for that job as you possess the required qualifications and work experience. It should have the perfect job title and it should enhance your abilities to do the job well. Before you get down to write your own resume objective, you should give some thought to your skills and abilities. You need to present yourself well and hence need to do some introspection. You also need a paper and pen to note down points that you feel is relevant to you and the desired job.

The first step in writing a Resume objective is to type the heading in bold. It should be either “Objective” or “Summary Statement.” You should use a bigger font size but font needs to be the same as the body. You should use 15 or 20 point font size and make it look stand apart from the body of the resume by adding a decorative edge to it. You can use standard font like Ariel, Courier or Times Roman font.

After typing the heading of the objective, you should proceed to write the body of the objective. It should be written as a smaller font size in either10, 11 or 12. You may use Ariel, Courier or Times Roman. It should start with a verb, like “Seeking” and Type the job title that you need to seek. In case you got lots of experience, then you need to mention the years of experience you got by doing this job or a related job.

In case, you do not have much experience then you need to focus on education and acquired skills in the relevant area of expertise. You should also add related skills that enhance your abilities for performing the job with expertise. You should also try to keep this paragraph short in about 2 or 3 simple but precise sentences. You should also be straightforward, honest and to the point. You can also skip a line prior to typing the second heading, and continuing with the Resume body.

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Resumes –Resume Builder Software

image You need to write a good resume for getting an interview call. As per a Research, only one out of every 10 resumes screened, gets shortlisted. In order to make an exceptionally good resume, you need to make effective presentation of your educational grades, professional experience as well as other academic or non-academic achievements. It all depends, how good you showcase your skills and strengths relevant to the job to get your resume shortlisted. Writing a good resume is not an art but a science. There are resume builder software available in the market. This software assists in the creation of the outstanding resume by following few easy to use and guided steps. You are provided with help at every step and will be given a list of power words. These are the words which are widely searched by many employers and recruiting agencies.

This software helps in the designing of the resume. It offers the various templates to choose from. User needs to submit his data in the software and it will help you preview your resume in many professionally designed CV templates. User can also download his resume or email it directly in Adobe PDF format and Microsoft Word format. One of the famous resume builder software is online resume builder software. With the help of this resume builder software, you can now arrange your resume section as per your desires. Thus, if you want to showcase your achievements then you can move the achievements heading anywhere in the resume. It is effective to emphasize your strong area. Similarly, these software allows you to reorder any of the resume section including your Education, Skills, Work History and Achievements. It also permits the user to create his own custom resume section including Hobbies, Career Highlights, etc.

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