Job Hunting - 9 Easy Steps to a Winning CV Resume

Monday, April 21, 2008

Free Resume Articles : Job Hunting - 9 Easy Steps to a Winning CV Resume by Robert Paterson

Do you want to get a head start in the job hunting market? Your cv resume is your most important asset. No matter how brilliant or highly qualified you might be, if your resume is not up to the mark, you will get rejected. Follow these 9 easy steps to make a resume that will give you the edge over your rivals.

1. Keep it simple

Don't try to impress with anything fancy or complicated. You have probably about five seconds to make your impression on the reader - if you try to be too clever, your cv will get trashed.

2. Be straight

Don't try to be witty or humorous. You might be tempted to make a joke to show that you'll be "one of the guys" when you start the job, but it's best to just confine yourself to being as factual as possible.

3. Never criticize former employers.

It might be very tempting to justify your reasons for leaving a previous job by slagging the employer to make you look good. Remember that if you do this the prospective employer is much more likely to put themselves in the position of the former employer, and to think that you might be a troublesome employee.

4. Be concise

Try not to ramble. There aren't any clear rules about how long your resume should be, but if you can fit it all on to a single A4 page, then that's probably the best. You have to include your full career history, education and achievements - so if you need to use two sheets, then do so. Don't try to cram it all on one page so it looks cramped. But never use more than two sheets.

5. Mark everything clearly

Again, there are no hard and fast rules about the design of a cv, but you should ensure that it's easy to find everything. Your name, address and contact details should be clearly shown at the top of the page.

6. Be brief

List your previous employment in reverse chronological order, stating briefly your responsibilities and any achievements. Resist the temptation to go into descriptive detail about them. You can save that for the interview. After this should follow your education history with qualifications gained. Then state your interests and hobbies. Again you should avoid going into detail about them - just state what they are.

7. Ask your referee's permission

It may seem obvious, but if you are giving someone's name as a referee, you should check with that person before you do it. It's only a formality, that's true, but your politeness will make your referee more disposed to write nice things about you.

8. Make it look good

Your resume should be printed on good quality paper, without any attachments. It should stand alone. You can show off any certificates or letters when the employer asks for them. Check carefully to ensure there are no spelling mistakes or typos on the resume.

9. Tell the truth!

It's tempting to tell little white lies on your cv, for example, to fudge the dates to hide any times of unemployment. However, this is a risky course of action, since the employer can easily check such details. Also try not to claim you can do something which you in fact can't do. This will be easily exposed. So the best thing is to be as truthful as possible.

About the Author
Robert Paterson writes for the blog "Success is not just about Money" which you can visit at http://positivehighenergy.blogspot.com/

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=859017