Resume Tips And Advice

If the economy watchers are correct, finding a job will be easier--if just a little--in 2010. And that makes this holiday season a great time to fine-tune your resume so you're ready to jump when the next job opportunity knocks. So, carve out a little time and look at four areas of your resume.  More »

On a resume, bullet lists are a lot easier to read than paragraphs, so if you're already using bullet lists, you're ahead of the game. But don't get excited just yet. There are good bullet lists and there are bad bullet lists, and many of the resumes I see have baaad bullet lists. Find out whether yours need help, and follow these three simple tips to bullet perfection.  More »

Most of us prefer to do things as quickly and easily as possible, as long as we don't sacrifice quality. Am I right? So here's a form that will make it quicker and easier to translate a job posting into a targeted resume (and cover letter) that shows the employer what a good candidate you are.  More »

You can't know whether the person you're emailing will or won't dump you because of a typo on your resume or cover letter. But you can be sure that most job openings are going to attract a lot of applicants, and the folks on the receiving end are going to need some way to make the pool smaller. That's why you have to make sure your resume and cover letter are perfect every time.  More »

Most of us are drawn toward people who are passionate about their work. Their enthusiasm can inspire us to do bigger and better things, spur us into action, or just make us feel good about ourselves. Maybe your resume and cover letter could use a little passion to inspire a hiring manager to call you for an interview.  More »

Let's talk about verb tenses: past, present, and future. Only two of these should ever be used on your resume, and future isn't one of them. How do you know what tense to use and when to use it? Find out in this blog post.  More »

In order to critique your resume effectively, you need to understand how a hiring manager will look at it. As a rule, resume reviewers start by making a snap judgment based on their first impression. If there are no immediate red flags, they'll spend the next 10 to 30 seconds scanning it to determine whether you seem to have the right qualifications. If your resume passes those two tests, it has a good chance of being reviewed more thoroughly.  More »

No, I'm not suggesting that you stop using job boards to find a job (how silly would that be?). I'm simply suggesting there might be a better way to apply to the jobs you find on those big job boards. With this alternate method, you'll improve your chances of getting your resume and cover letter into the employer's hands in a way that gets you noticed.  More »

One of the biggest complaints HR reps have about resumes is not enough action words! Every resume needs punch-packing, meaningful action words to impress readers. If yours is missing that punch, read this post and update your resume!  More »

Some older job candidates blame their lack of job search success on age discrimination, when really it's their bad attitudes and/or bad resumes that keep them from getting hired. Well, this week I heard a story from a hiring manager who's looking to hire someone with top-notch technical skills to head up a department. One of the applicants was over 60, but his resume made it clear he's kept up with the latest technologies. This story seemed like a perfect illustration of how a job candidate can be somewhat old, but not be an old fart.  More »