Resume Tips And Advice

Is it time for you to write or update your resume, but you're not sure how or where to begin? Try this simple five-step method for putting together and writing a resume that can make the difference between landing an interview and landing your job hopes in the wastebasket. The SCORE checklist - Search, Customize, Organize, Research and Edit - can garner great resume results for those who use it.  More »

In this line of work, I get to see lots and lots of resumes. Occasionally I'll see one that's so outstanding it would make a hiring manager weep tears of joy. On the other end of the spectrum you have the ones that are just baffling.  More »

Two things we hear about resumes: Resumes are not read, they are first skimmed; and your resume has 15 seconds to capture the reader's interest. Both of these statements can apply equally to newspapers and resumes. Resumes are treated a lot like newspapers: They are skimmed first and read only if the reader is interested in something he or she skims.  More »

Yeah, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but nobody reads resumes. Don't feel too bad. I make my living as a web writer and nobody reads web pages, either. What they do is scan them. I'm talking about human eyeballs and human brains taking in and processing information. People skim their eyes around the page, looking for visual elements, words, or phrases that stop them in their tracks. The experts call it information foraging. Here are three tips to help you write a user-friendly resume with built-in eye-catchers that help hiring managers find the good stuff.  More »

You've probably seen words and phrases like detail oriented and strong communication skills in job ads. And maybe you've used some of the same wording on your resume. But while employers are more likely to look beyond those soft skills to whether you have the qualifications to do the job, you may need to address those soft skills in a job interview and support them with examples.  More »

You don't have a lot of time to grab a hiring manager's attention when he or she begins looking at your resume. Get your resume noticed by using action words that carry more impact than their milder alternatives. Here are five examples of resume power words that outshine their blander cousins.  More »

Quick! Name the top three resume formats in use today and who should use which one! OK. Just kidding. If you knew the answer, there'd be no reason for this post. If you're trying to create a resume on your own, or simply want to know the difference between Chronological, Functional, and Hybrid resumes, then this post is for you.  More »

Why are typos so common on resumes and cover letters? At least in part, it's because we think spell checkers are more effective than they are. Some career pundits will tell you not to worry about typos, but you and I both know that's silly. Any error is a strike against you, and the hiring manager may have a one-strike-and-you're-out policy. Spell checkers are good at spotting real spelling errors, but they're no help if your typo happens to be a real word. Do you think you're smarter than a spell checker? Take this quick quiz and find out!  More »

Last Tuesday I spent the day in Boston critiquing resumes at the Women for Hire job fair. I met dozens of smart, talented, eminently qualified job seekers -- and saw a lot of resumes that were NOT passing the 10-second test. Like it or not, hiring authorities typically decide within 10 seconds whether they'll bother to read your resume. Does your resume have an impressive opening that will hook your reader in 10 seconds or less? If not, maybe that's why it's not getting you as many interviews as you'd like.  More »

While job-hopping can create concern among prospective employers, having worked for only one employer for a long time -- say, 10 years -- can also elicit a sense of alarm when a hiring manager looks at your resume. If you're one of these individuals and looking to go elsewhere, there are five questions you need to ask yourself.  More »