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| Building Quality Resumes |
Micki - Employment
Consultant
Resume help
Keep it concise, as prospective employers are busy. One page if
possible, two if necessary. However keep it relevant to the
position you are applying for. Make your experience stand out,
don't be vague, be honest and use action verbs. Remember that
your resume is the first impression so spell
check, have someone else check for proper grammar, spelling
and general appearance. Use appropriate paper, white orivory.
If you need to copy make sure you have clean and clear
copies. Remember to TARGET your resume for the position for
which you are applying. Finally leave out any personal
information i.e. height, weight and marital
status.
Cover Letter
Address your cover letter to the person responsible for hiring.
Be yourself, write, as you would speak. Be formal, get to the
point; be positive, confident, polite and professional. Always
type your cover letter unless it is requested specifically to
attach a handwritten cover letter. Indicate that you are
available; include phone number and email address if
applicable. Remember to spell check and have someone else
proofread. Always sign your cover letter and finally
use appropriate paper.
Written by a former Career Centre Staff Member
The points I would be sure to add are:
Correct spelling and grammar (Canadian English)
Consistent formatting rules, and grammar (ie. not
switching between present and past tense)
Simple and clean looking
Avoid overdoing it with unnecessary details
Use action words
Pay attention to current trends in resumes (don't be
afraid to do some research - It'll pay off).
Don't lie
Take an inventory of your "transferable skills" Two jobs
are rarely identical. This helps an employer see how you could
fit into their organisation best, rather than assume that you
have the required skills they want because your title was
"---"
Don't use short forms acronyms etc. (every time an
employer is left wondering what something means, it reflects
poorly on your ability to communicate ideas)
Assume nothing
If you are responding to a job ad or posting; in your
cover letter, let the employer know where and when you saw it,
and then systematically address how you can satisfy the
primary needs they expressed.
Include a cover letter that closes confidently and makes a
stab at setting up an interview.
Sylvia Employment Consultant
Some
thoughts:
Your resume is your first impression (particularly if it is
being mailed/faxed vs. dropping it off in person) so take the
time the make it impressive! It is your introduction to an
employer...it needs to look appealing, so ask for feedback
from employment counsellors and friends in the business you
are targeting. If you don't put effort into it, employers will
likely assume you won't put effort into the job they are
considering hiring you for either. Take the time to check
for typing errors, to use empowering words that describe your
abilities. For example, "created menu items to utilize
in-season produce, replenished buffet items as needed, rotated
food items to prevent spoilage" ... State your objective
clearly ... employers do not want to
guess at what you are applying for. Multiple objectives are ok
if they are in the same field and compliment each other, i.e.
ResidentCare/ Community Support, however if you are interested
in applying for a cook position as well as office support,
consider making up two resumes - each reflecting the skill
sets that are major strengths in that job - i.e., for
reception, consider computer skills, administration,
customer |
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| and Cover Letters |
service and then list typical job duties under each area. For a
cook position, consider the skill sets of cooking, event
coordination and planning and kitchen management. Focus on
detail ... many resumes are vague and do not help a potential
employer to "see you" and what you're capable of. For example,
rather than say "Trained staff", fill the sentence out by
saying "trained kitchen staff of 10 on portion size for each
dish and attractive plating presentation". It gives a
completely different picture, doesn't it? Remember, employers
love detail ... it helps them understand you better.
Remember, most employers glance at a resume and make a decision
in several seconds as to whether or not to read further based
on their first impression, so make it count! It's likely the
only chance you'll get for that position.
Janet Employment Consultant
Quality Resumes
and Cover Letters
My best advice on job applications is to
make it easy for the employer to get a snapshot
of you at your best. Employers are busy people, and
reviewing cover letters and resumes takes time. Making a positive
first impression is essential if you want to make it to the
next step, which is face-to-face with the employer in an
interview. Read the instructions on the job posting carefully,
and follow them exactly. If a detailed job description is
available, go over it carefully to ensure you have met the
main qualifications. Many employers do a scoring process,
giving points for each qualification stated on both the
cover letter and the resume. The resume should be neat and
organized, with lots of white space by the use of correct
margin settings. One to two pages is long enough to state your
relevant qualifications, and it is short enough to make an
easy read. You should not put personal information such as
age, social insurance number or health on a resume. Many
clients ask how far back to go when listing work experience.
It used to be appropriate to tell the employer your entire
work history and education. Current resume protocol for most
jobs is to go as far back as necessary to support your
statement that you have the relevant experience. For each job
on your Work Experience section, ask yourself if it is
relevant and meaningful to the position. The same
principle applies for the Education section. Try this for your
very next job application, and that dream job may become your
reality!
Still confused? Attend a Writing Cover Letters and Resumes Workshop
at the Career Centre. |
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