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Writing A Good Resume

Your resume serves as an advertisement about you. It’s the best method of selling yourself to an employer, and also serves as their first impression of you and your suitability for a job. What you write should convince the employer of what you have to offer their organization, and should entice them to set up a personal interview so that you can demonstrate in-person that you are the right person for the job. We’ve included a few pointers below to help you with the type of content that should be included in your resume.

Personal Details
You need to include your name, home address, college address (if applicable), phone number, and email address.

Education
You should list all high school or post secondary educational institutions where you have studied – the most recent education being listed first. Include subject options taken in each year of your course. Include any major, minor, special project, thesis, or dissertation work. Pre-college courses (high school, etc.) should then be included, and subjects taken and passed just before college will be of most interest.

Work experience
List your most recent experience first. Give the name of your employer, job title, and very important, what you actually did and achieved in that job. Part-time work should be included.

Interests
Depending on the position you are applying for, an employer will be particularly interested in activities that demonstrate your leadership or responsibility, or that involve you relating to others in a team. A one-person interest, such as stamp-collecting for example, will be of less interest to them unless it connects with the position you are applying for. If you have been involved in any type of volunteer work, be sure to provide details.

Skills
Employers prefer candidates that are versatile, so the more skills you possess, the more attractive your resume will look to a potential employer. Things you should showcase are your abilities to speak other languages, experience with computers and software, and even possession of a valid driver’s license.

References
Employers generally look for three work-related references from candidates. If you are at the early stages of your career or are still in high school or post-secondary education, it is usually best to give at least two to three names from your place of study and from any work situation you have had.

Length
It’s possible that everything you need to say will fit onto one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. But remember not to crowd your information into one page - use two sheets if you need to, but do not go longer than this. Putting page numbers at the bottom of the pages isn’t necessary, but sometimes the little details can impress.

Visual Appearance It is acceptable to use bold typeface, underscoring, bullets, etc., be sure to only use these sparingly. A resume covered in bold type and underlined text does not look appealing to an employer. And most importantly - don't forget to have someone else proofread your resume to look for any mistakes you may have missed!

Style
There are two generally accepted formats for resumes, Chronological and Functional.

A Successful Job Interview

A job interview can be one of the toughest scenario you will ever have to face. But it is an ideal opportunity to market yourself to a potential employer face-to-face. The employer uses this time to evaluate not only your skills and abilities, but also your potential "fit" within their organization.

Your goal is to answer their questions honestly with energy and enthusiasm, and you can sell yourself better in the interview if you are prepared. Here are some basic things to remember that will help you become better prepared for acing that interview!

1) Bring several hard copies of your resume. You never know if you will be interviewed by more than one person

2) Arrive at the interview at least 10 minutes early. But don't arrive too early. The hiring process is a busy and challenging time for any employer and assuming that they will be available to meet with you if you arrive too early may hinder your job search efforts.

3) Maintain a professional appearance. Business attire for men and a conservative suit for women.

4) Research the company before the interview. Arrive prepared to ask a number of insightful questions based on your research.

5) Ask specific questions about the position and what the employer is looking for in the ideal employee for this position. Focus your questions on the employer, not on yourself. Put the company's needs first.

6) Rehearse! You should know what your introductory statement to a potential employer would be. Know the key things that you want to say about yourself. Be prepared to explain, succinctly, who are you, what you have accomplished, what your key strengths are and why you are there for an interview.

7) Make eye contact. Offer a firm handshake at the beginning and at the end of the interview.

8) Be honest and get feedback. Do not misrepresent yourself and do not denigrate any previous employers. Ask about salary at the end of the interview and only in a final interview. Ask for feedback at the end of the interview. This will lead to a further clarification of your skills and make you a better fit for the position.

9) Close the interview strongly. You know what they are looking for – because you asked. Use this information to your advantage.

10) Have fun! Companies want to hire people who are not only qualified but have personalities that will add to their corporate environment and culture. Be yourself. Energetic, confident responses go a long way towards reinforcing a positive impression.

11) Follow up with your consultant as soon as possible after the interview with feedback. This will allow the consultant to follow up with the client in a timely, professional manner and will make everyone (including you) look good. Ask your consultant if it would be appropriate to send a thank you note to the employer, it will demonstrate your interest in the position.

Networking

Networking to acquire new business, business leads or business awareness requires a commitment of time and perseverance. Keep in mind that when you run an ad in the paper or on the internet, it is supposed to work on its own, but then again it may not. Up to 80% of all tips, leads and referrals in business come from networking, so pay attention to your work priorities and figure out where you can trim thirty minutes so that you can devote that bit of time to networking. Focus your networking time between external contacts and internal relationships because both sides need to be kept in perspective.

1) Allocate some uninterrupted time. You do this for VIP clients so you should do it for yourself.

2) Take advantage of “just a few minutes”. Take advantage of “on hold” time on the phone. Arrive early for appointments and spend a few extra moments after to write a few notes.

3) Allocate a set day for writing birthday cards for that month.

4) Get your Christmas cards printed early on in the year and start writing a personal note in each one rather than just the company name.

5) Carry thank you notes and when you finish a meeting or leave a client’s office, take the time to write a “thank you for your time” note.

6) Ask your staff who they know. Consider that each person you know knows 100 – 1000 people so maybe they know people you want to meet.

7) Start to notice exemplary customer service and when you witness it write the company and include your business card.

8) Include your business card with every item you send by mail – bill payments, thank you cards, etc. Your business cards are your silent salespeople.

9) Read daily newspapers and send letters of congratulations to people who achieve things you admire. Particularly look for people or companies where they or their business is congruent to your networking goals, your business development.

10) Send a thank-you card when you don’t get the business. You never know, perhaps your competitor won’t deliver. Be the individual that stands out from the rest for doing exceptional things.