Category: Jobs and Employment
I was just wondering if anyone could tell me how to write a resume. Is there some sort of form you have to follow? I know you can go to monster.com to post your resume but I've never written one before. Any tips? Thank you.
Michelle
There are a couple of different formats and styles for writing resumes. Usually every style has its particular format, although you can definitely change things around as long as it looks good on paper.
MS word 2003 and I’m sure 2007 as well, have resume wizards which you can take a look at if you are planning on writing your own resume, or you can just use the wizard and let it do all the work for you. The resumes don’t look all that bad.
There are also job hunt sites which have resume builders, I know careerconnect.org has one which is accessible.
The biggest problem with the resume wizards typically revolves around the systems in which resumes are electronically sorted by HR departments and future employers. Some systems are geared to automatically elimonate any canned resume right from the get go.
I worked in HR for a few years, and it was a practice we did for all in coming resumes.
I'd suggest googling sample resumes, if I get a second I'll look up the site of a tech writing book that I used to point students too all the time for writing resumes and being successful beating the Electronic resume scanners. I've written my fair share of resumes both as a professional and as a career so I'd be happy to provide any pointers that may help you out, feel free to PB me if you'd like the assistance.
Oooo wow! I'd love to see sample resumes so I'll definitely google that. I want mine to look really well thought out. I know I don't have much going for me. I don't have a lot of work experience and I didn't finish college but you gotta start bettering yourself somewhere. Thanks guys for your help!
Michelle, I can't help much with format, but I can offer some suggestions as far as content. One thing I've been told a lot is there is no such thing as too much proofreading. Even after you run spell check and proofread it yourself, be sure to ask several people to proofread it again for you. Where I used to work, resumes and cover letters that came in with really bad spelling and/or grammar and typos, generally got passed around so everyone could have a good laugh. Yeah, that's unethical, but it does happen.
Another tip is to try to gear your resume and cover letter toward the specific job you are trying to obtain. It's good to have some general resumes with your basic school and work history, but if a job notice specifies certain abilities the employer is looking for, mention things that specifically relate to their wants and needs.
Good luck.
Not a lot of experience? Just what sort of experience do you have. For starters, it's a good idea to not include on your resume work done for family. You could always include an "experience" section which lists any volunteer, internships and paid employment. Like another poster said, tailor your resume to the job. A job title that falls in the human services field is not a good place to put fast food experience. Unless some of that experience is relevant to the job your applying for.
I know how difficult it can be for someone who has little work experience. You may want to considder getting some volunteer experience in a field that interests you. Try something that is a bit more involved than picking up trash in the park. Also, you may not to hear this, but if you're blind, education is really key to landing a good job. As a recent college grad, I am grateful for the education I have now. I currently work for our local Housing Authority in an AmeriCorps position, and the things I learned in school have definitely transfered over into my work. Hope this helps, and write me with any questions comments if you'd like.
Just a simple suggestion, when your starting to write the job experience part, the employers wants you to be very specific. Include the name of the job company to which you worked for, the duration, the location, and your duties and responsibilities. Simple and specific helps a lot because they could easily pin point where your at and what you've done in the past. I hope this helps. If I think of other suggestions, I will write it here.
Yes, there are so many different sample resumes online and in books. Look for the one that you could easily fit in depending on what type of jobs your looking for. Well, whether I like it or not, there's always going to be a problem with formating the resume. I think, the formating depends on the writer. As long as you have all the important contents or things you want your employer to know, then your good to go.