Fundamentals of a Good Chronological Resume

Friday, February 29, 2008

Free Resume Articles : Fundamentals of a Good Chronological Resume by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

You probably have about 30 seconds to convince a potential employer that you deserve an interview. A resume summarizes your accomplishments, your education, and your work experience, and should reflect your strengths.

What follows is an outline of a typical chronological resume -- best suited for entry-level job-seekers or those who have stayed in the same field. Career changers and those job-seekers with varied work experiences and accomplishments may want to utilize a functional resume style.

Not sure what kind of resume you need? Check out our Resume Resources for more details.

Here are the key components of a standard chronological resume:

Identification
It is essential that a potential employer can reach you.

This section should include your name, address, phone number(s), and e-mail address. If a college student, this section might also include a school address and a permanent home address.

Job Objective
A job objective is optional and should only be included for new college grads and those changing careers. Otherwise, use your cover letter to show your career interests and job objective.

If you do use an objective, make sure your objective explains the kind of work you want to do, and keep it between two to four typed lines. Read more.

Key Accomplishments
Some resume experts are suggesting adding a section that highlights your key accomplishments and achievements. Think of this section as an executive summary of your resume; identify key accomplishments that will grab the attention of an employer.

This section should summarize (using nouns as keywords and descriptors) your major accomplishments and qualifications

This section can also be labeled "Professional Profile," "Summary of Accomplishments," "Key Skills," "Summary of Qualifications," "Qualifications Summary," or "Qualifications."

Education
For new college grads, this entry should be your next. For others with full-time work experience, this section should follow your experience section.

This section should include school(s) attended (including years of attendance), majors/minors, degrees, and honors and awards received.

For new grads only: There appears to be a growing trend of employers wanting your GPA in this section. If you decide to do so, make sure to use the GPA that puts you in the best light -- either overall GPA, school or college GPA, or major GPA.

Professional Experience
This section can also be labeled "Experience, "Work History," or "Employment." We like using experience -- especially for new college grads, because experience is broader than work history, allowing you to include major school projects that showcase your skills and abilities.

This section should include company name, your job title, dates of employment, and major accomplishments. List experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with your most current experience.

List your accomplishments in bullet format (rather than paragraph format). Avoid discussing job duties or responsibilities.

If you don't have a lot of career-related job experience, consider using transferable skills to better highlight your work experience.

Finally, make sure to make use of action verbs when describing your accomplishments.

Affiliations/Interests
This section is optional; include only if you have room on your resume for it. Items from this section are often used as an ice-breaker by interviewers looking to start an interview on an informal basis.

This section should only include professional memberships and non-controversial activities/interests.

References
Many experts say this section is passe, but if you have room, include it. If nothing else, this section signals the end of your resume.

This section should only include a statement saying references are available upon request.

Do not include the names of your references on your resume.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Dr. Randall Hansen is Founder of Quintessential Careers, as well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He can be reached at randall@quintcareers.com Read more about Dr. Hansen.

Source: For more information, please visit http://www.quintcareers.com/resume.html

Avoid These 10 Resume Mistakes

Free Resume Articles : Avoid These 10 Resume Mistakes by Katharine Hansen

As a resume writer, I see hundreds of resumes, and the vast majority of them are much weaker than they could be. I see the same mistakes over and over. This article describes the 10 I see most often. All are easy to fix.

Don't make these resume mistakes:

1. Resume lacks focus.
A sharp focus is an extremely important resume element. Given that employers screen resumes for between 2.5 and 20 seconds, a resume should show the employer at a glance what you want to do and what you're good at. In a recent study by Career Masters Institute, employers wanted resumes to show a clear match between the applicant and a particular job's requirements. A "general" resume that is not focused on a specific job's requirements was seen as not competitive. In an even more recent study by CareerBuilder.com, 71 percent of hiring managers preferred a resume customized for the open position.

One way to sharpen your focus is through an objective statement. Your objective statement can be very simple and straightforward; it can be simply the title of the position you're applying for, which can be adjusted for every job you apply for. Or you can embellish your Objective statement a bit with language telling how you'll benefit the employer. Something like:

Objective: To contribute strong ________ skills and experience to your organization in a _________ capacity.

In this day of being able to manage our own computer files, you could have several versions of your resume that are essentially the same except for the objective. A specific objective is always better than a vague or general one. You can read more about resume objectives in our article, Should You Use a Career Objective on Your Resume?
To sharpen your focus, you can also add a section called something like "Summary of Qualifications," "Profile," or the like. Such a section can contribute to powerful resume opener that draws the reader in; it can be part of the top third of your resume that showcases your best selling points, catches the prospective employer's attention, and immediately demonstrates your value as a candidate. "Think of this section as an executive summary of your resume," writes my partner, Dr. Randall Hansen. "Identify key accomplishments that will grab the attention of an employer."

You can use your Profile/Summary section to position yourself for each job you target by tweaking the wording to fit each type of position.

2. Resume is duties-driven instead of accomplishments-driven.
Resumes should consist primarily of high-impact accomplishments statements that sell the job-seeker's qualifications as the best candidate.

Never use expressions such as "Duties included," "Responsibilities included," or "Responsible for." That's job-description language, not accomplishments-oriented resume language that sells. After all, if you were an employer and wanted to run a successful organization, would you be looking for candidates who can perform only their basic job functions, or would you want employees with a proven track record of accomplishments? In these days in which most resumes are placed into keyword-searchable databases, you won't find employers searching resumes for words like "responsibilities," "duties," or "responsible for."

Instead, focus on accomplishments that set you apart from other job candidates. In each job, what special things did you do to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else? What did you do to make it your own? What special things did you do to impress your boss so that you might be promoted? What were the problems or challenges that you or the organization faced? What did you do to overcome the problems? What were the results of your efforts? How did the company benefit from your performance? How did you leave your employers better off than before you worked for them? How have you helped your employers to:

make money
save money
save time
make work easier
solve a specific problem
be more competitive
build relationships
expand the business
attract new customers
retain existing customers

Accomplishments are the points that increase reader's interest, stimulate a request for a job interview, and really help sell you to an employer -- much more so than everyday job duties. In the above-cited study by Career Masters Institute, content elements that propel employers to immediately discard resumes include a focus on duties instead of accomplishments, while documented achievements were highly ranked among content elements that employers look for.

For more about how to identify your accomplishments, see our article, For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments. You may want to use our Accomplishments Worksheet to help you brainstorm your achievements.

Some job-seekers list accomplishments in a separate section or isolate accomplishments from duties/responsibilities when describing their job functions. I don't support this practice because everything on your resume should be accomplishments-driven. If you label only certain items as accomplishments, the reader's assumption is that the other things you did were not accomplishments.

Be sure also that the accomplishments you list support your career goals and that you tailor them to the job you're targeting with this resume.

3. Resume items are listed in an order that doesn't consider the reader's interest.
"The Resume Ingredients Rule," set forth by Donald Asher, author of numerous resume books (see our Q&A with him), says that information on a resume should be listed in order of importance to the reader. Therefore, in listing your jobs, what's generally most important is your title/position. So list in this preferred order: Title/position, name of employer, city/state of employer, dates of employment. I can't tell you how many resumes I've seen that list dates first. Dates can be important to some employers, but they're generally not as important as what your position was and whom you worked for.

Education follows the same principle; thus, the preferred order for listing your education is: Name of degree (spelled out: Bachelor of _____) in name of major, name of university, city/state of university, graduation year, followed by peripheral information, such as minor and GPA. If you haven't graduated yet, list your information the same way. Since the graduation date you've listed is in the future, the employer will know you don't have the degree yet.

By the way, the Resume Ingredients Rule is also the reason that experience and education are listed in reverse chronological order on your resume; it's assumed that your most recent education and experience are most important and relevant to the reader.

Also consider whether your education or your experience is your best selling point and which should therefore be listed first. Generally, brand-new graduates list education first, while job-seekers with a few years of experience list experience first. When job-seekers add value to their education by attaining an MBA or other graduate degree, they often switch education back to the more prominent position because it now becomes the hot selling point. In fields such as science and higher education, in which education remains a more important selling point than experience, education tends to be listed first consistently. In many countries outside the U.S., education is also considered more important than experience.

4. Resume exposes the job-seeker to age discrimination by going too far back into the job-seeker's job history.
The rule of thumb for someone at the senior level is to list about 15 years worth of jobs. Age discrimination, unfortunately, is a reality, and even more likely, employers may think you're too expensive if you list too much experience on your resume. Similarly, don't provide the date of your college graduation if it was more than about 10 years ago. Read more in our articles, Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Strategies for Older Workers and Positive Attitude is Key When Fighting Prejudice Against Older Workers.

5. Resume buries important skills, especially computer skills, at the bottom.
There are few jobs today for which computer skills are not important. Yet many job-seekers, even those in technology fields, tend to tack a "Computer Skills" section to the end of their resumes. If computer skills are relevant to your field, list them in your Summary or Profile section. That way, they'll catch the reader's eye in the first third of your resume. If you are in the technology field, list your technical skills in a separate section called something like "Systems Proficiencies," but be sure it's on the first page of your resume. You may want to set your skills up in a reader-friendly table, as in these samples: IT Resume and New Grad IT Resume.

Similarly if language and international-business skills are important in the type of job you seek, list them in your Summary or Profile section, not at the end of your resume.

6. Resume is not bulleted.
Use a bulleted style to make your resume more reader-friendly. In the above-cited study by Career Masters Institute, use of bullets was the 2nd-highest ranked preference by employers, and density of type (paragraphs rather than bullet points) was ranked highly as a factor that would inspire employers to discard a resume.

Use bullets consistently. Some job-seekers bullet most of their resume but don't bullet the Profile/Summary section, for example. Or they will list the overall scope and responsibilities for each job in an unbulleted section before beginning a bulleted section describing accomplishments. Given that the reader can't easily discern a rationale for why some material is bulleted and other material isn't, it's best to bullet consistently throughout the resume.

7. Resume uses a cookie-cutter design based on an overused resume template.
Most resumes created from a Microsoft Word template are instantly recognizable to employers as such. There's nothing wrong with that except that employers have seen a million of them, so they don't stand out. The employer immediately senses a certain lack of imagination in the job-seeker. These templates are also somewhat inflexible and contain problematic formatting. "Using a template or any kind of boilerplate to demonstrate your value to a company is the worst thing you can do to yourself when job hunting," says Nick Corcodilos of Ask The Headhunter. "You're supposed to be uniquely qualified so the company will choose you instead of some cookie-cutter drone -- right? Do you really want a template?"

8. Resume lacks keywords.
Job-hunting today increasingly revolves around the mysterious world of keywords. Employers' reliance on keywords to find the job candidates they want to interview has come about in recent years because of technology. Inundated by resumes from job-seekers, employers have increasingly relied on digitizing job-seeker resumes, placing those resumes in keyword-searchable databases, and using software to search those databases for specific keywords that relate to job vacancies. Most Fortune 1000 companies, in fact, and many smaller companies now use these technologies. In addition, many employers search the databases of third-party job-posting and resume-posting boards on the Internet. Pat Kendall, president of the National Resume Writers' Association, notes that more than 80 percent of resumes are searched for job-specific keywords.

The bottom line is that if you apply for a job with a company that searches databases for keywords, and your resume doesn't have the keywords the company seeks for the person who fills that job, you are pretty much dead in the water. To read more about keywords and how to identify the best ones for your field, see our article, Tapping the Power of Keywords to Enhance Your Resume's Effectiveness.

9. References are listed directly on your resume.
Never listed specific references directly on your resume. List them on a separate sheet, and even then, submit them only when specifically requested by an employer.

Even the phrase, "References: Available upon request," is highly optional because it is a given that you will provide references upon request. If you couldn't, you would have no business looking for a job. The line can serve the purpose of signaling: "This is the end of my resume," but if you are trying to conserve space, leave it off.

10. Resume's appearance becomes skewed when sent as an e-mail attachment and/or resume is not available in other electronic formats.
Have you ever noticed that when you send a resume (or any document) as an attachment from your computer to someone else's computer, it sometimes doesn't look the same on the other person's computer as it did on yours? Maybe it has more pages on the other computer, or maybe Page 2 starts at the bottom of Page 1, or maybe the fonts are different.

If you are regularly sending your resume as an e-mail attachment, you may want to experiment with sending it to friends' computers to ensure that the formatting appears consistently from computer to computer.

Beyond a resume that can be sent as an e-mail attachment, it's crucial these days to have at least one type of electronic version of your resume for sending via e-mail and posting to Internet job boards. It's an absolute must these days because, as noted earlier, 80 percent of resumes today are placed directly into keyword-searchable databases. Read more in our article, The Top 10 Things You Need to Know about E-Resumes and Posting Your Resume Online. A text version of your resume is the most common and preferred format for electronic resumes. Read more about them and about other electronic formats you might need in our article, Your E-resume's File Format Aligns with its Delivery Method.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Katharine Hansen, Credentialed Career Master, is a former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for job-seekers, and prepares job-search correspondence as chief writer for Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters. She is author of Dynamic Cover Letter for New Graduates; A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market; and, with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters and Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, all published by Ten Speed Press. She can be reached by e-mail at kathy@quintcareers.com

Source: Formore information, please visit http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_mistakes.html

Resume Tips - Special Insights

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Free Resume Example Articles : Resume Tips: Special Insights

There are some things about resumes that don't often get considered. It is important when writing your resume that you think about what a it is, what it does and what a it cannot do. Sounds strange, doesn't it?

Think about this:

• It is not a type of document that you can make once and forget about. You will update it from time to time as needed.
• There is a directly proportional relationship between how a it looks and how much time you have spent working on it.
• It is a marketing tool. It tells others about you and attempts to "sell" the employer on the idea that YOU are the best person for the position.
• It is your best bet for getting hired – no matter what your field is.
• If you don't spend your time NOW making yours the best it can be, you will either spend the time LATER working on it, or you will pay someone else (who doesn't know you) to write it for you.

Why is one piece of paper SO important?

It is important because the employer has no idea who you are. It represents you. You can't be there to speak for yourself, so your resume has to do that in a clear and arousing way. Arousing? You want to arouse the employer's interest to the point that he/she makes a phone call to interview you.

That's the whole purpose!

It gives you an opportunity to meet the employer face to face. That's why it has to be a professional piece of work. It's not that writing a resume is hard. It isn't hard at all. When you have the right information, such as what is available on this site, you can present your own personal information in a way that makes YOU a person of interest to employers.
It just takes a little time.

A resume can either get your foot in the door or get a door closed in your face. Write the best one you can and you'll likely find yourself with your foot in several doors.

Source: http://www.professional-resume-example.com/resume-tips.html

Choosing An Online Resume Service

Free Resume Example Articles : Choosing An Online Resume Service


There are two distinct types of resume services – local and online (Internet-based). Which one is right for you? Many factors must be considered to make that decision – most of which include credibility, convenience turnaround time, and price.

Many job seekers are skeptical about hiring a resume writer over the Internet because they are afraid of getting ripped off. That is very understandable in today’s day and age. So what can you do to make sure you are working with a credible online resume service? Check their credentials. If they are legitimate, their credentials should be listed on the homepage of their website. Also, you should be able to speak directly with someone on the phone. You should also check the sample resumes on their website so you can see the quality of their work.

Most online resume services have a toll free number and communicate with their clients via email and Live Chat as well. If the resume writers respond within a day to answer inquiries and you do not get an answering service or a switchboard, that is a good sign that you are working with a resume service that writes resume full time as their primary line of work and not part time as a second income.

Local in-person resume writing services are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Unless a resume service’s local yellow pages ad lists every aspect of their business services and credentials, you will not know if they are the right resume service for you until you are sitting across from the resume writer in their office. The advantage in finding a resume service on the Internet is that you can view their work, services, and fees online before calling them.

As for the local resume service, if you decide they are not for you after traveling to their office to meeting with them in person, you must venture out to find another resume service that is. That alone can take hours if not days. Chances are you will probably end up choosing a local resume writer just because you’re tired of running around town! Even then, you’re not done. You still have the revision process ahead of you. Unless you are going to do that via email, you will have one chance in person to catch errors and make changes.

If you are in a rush, you might have a hard time finding a local resume writer who is available to meet your deadline because they usually have office hours from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, and have someone in their office. It is difficult for a local resume writer to speak with clients on the phone with another client sitting across from them. For starters, there is a level of confidentiality that must be maintained and because it is simply and interruption. Furthermore, you only have a few local resume services to choose from versus the number of resume services available to you online.

In summary, if you visit an online resume service that has great resume samples, excellent credentials, and communicates with you to answer any of your questions via phone or by email within a few hours, you should seriously consider using them. If they are in another state or country, you shouldn’t let that stop you. Working by email and telephone is a convenience that you should embrace. The main thing to consider is their ability to write a strong resume for you and the price. If there is a telephone consultation, the price is generally higher than if you were filling out a questionnaire or online resume form without speaking directly with the writer. If cost is a major consideration, then it is great to know that filling out a questionnaire is an option. It sure beats developing the resume yourself!

This article is courtesy of Quick and Affordable Resumes, a reputable online resume service that creates high quality resumes and cover letters incorporating the use of online resume forms. For more information visit http://www.quickandaffordableresumes.com/


Source: http://www.geekinterview.com/articles/Choosing-An-Online-Resume-Service.html

Make Sure Your Resume Gets Read

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Free Resume Examples Articles : Make Sure Your Resume Gets Read by Michael Harrison

Cover letters and how to do them.

You may spend hours getting your resume into order for the job application but could easily scupper any chances you may have if your cover letter doesn't do its job.

Very often your cover letter and resume are the first contact you have with your potential employer and yet you may have about 30 seconds to get their attention and arouse their interest.

There are therefore some crucial principles you must follow. Your cover letter has to get attention, create interest and show how you are such a strong candidate that they feel they must read your resume. It's then the resumes job to make sure they call you for interview.

Opinions vary on how much time you have at this crucial stage. One thing is certain, not very much. Some recent statistics bear this out. It is claimed that on average employers spend only 10-15 seconds on each resume and that 82-94% of applicants are rejected at the resume stage. Turn that round. 6-18% are called for interview.

In the competitive jobs market you will easily get 100 applications so the whole point of the cover letter and resume is to get you in the top six.

How do you go about it?

* Positive language.

* Action words

* Prove your resume matches the job requirements.

When you are applying for a job in response to an advertisement you must pick out the key skills and experience that are required for the position and clearly demonstrate how you match them.

In order to attract the most suitable applicants job advertisements are very carefully thought out and worded. Your cover letter therefore must show that you have understood the needs for the job being advertised and it must summarize why your application should be given serious consideration.

Exactly the same principles should be followed in the resume where you have a little more space to bring out the detail. Note; little!

Key cover letter points;

* Quote job title and reference number at start of letter.

* If the person you are responding to has used their Christian (given) name you can use this in addressing them. Be careful to not to be too familiar.

* Try to start with a dynamic opening sentence that gets their attention.

* Demonstrate your energy and motivation.

* Demonstrate you understand the business and the need for the recruitment.

* Illustrate that your are achievement oriented and try to match some past quantified achievements to the job being advertised. * Show personal motivation and desire to belong and grow.

If you can achieve all of this you will more than likely get your resume read. The resume then has to continue in similar vein and reinforce all the matches, skills, experience, reliability and your scope to develop so that you get to the interview.

Resource Box:

Article by Michael Harrison, Author, Publisher and Business Consultant. If you have found these tips helpful you can find more at http://www.how-to-do-a-resume.com/

**Attn: Ezine Editors / Site Owners / Webmasters / everyone** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include this resource box.

About the Author
Michael Harrison is an author, publisher and business consultant specialising in helping business owners and individuals to realise and release the full potential of their situation. He has helped many people to improve their business situations and advised and supported individuals to embark on new directions in their careers.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=786692

Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Your Resume And Cover Letter

Free Resume Examples Articles : Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Your Resume And Cover Letter by Mike Selvon

A resume and cover letter are two of the most important tools in your life if you are actively seeking employment. They are the keys to finding a great job and making a good first impression. But far too often people underestimate the power that a good cover letter and curriculum vitae play in an employer's decision to hire someone for the vacant position.

Things such as stains, faded ink and rumpled paper are only the beginning of horror stores from the working world. Do not make those same mistakes with your documents. Knowing the good resume samples from the bad is the key.

A resume and cover letter are very important, and when done correctly, will likely get you the all-important interview. Done poorly, they can cost you the chance at the job. If you are unfamiliar with writing out a curriculum vitae, then there are always resume templates in Word or on the internet. The templates can show you the correct resume format and even allow you to plug in your information in the correct spots. It is that easy.

One of the biggest mistakes that occur when writing a curriculum vitae is spelling errors. Even if you are horrible at spelling, there is usually a spell-check feature on the word processing software program you are using. The truth is, with the availability of the software spell check-function, spelling mistakes are unforgivable.

Do not let simple mistakes in spelling keep you from the job of your dreams. The same thing applies to your cover letter. It should be free of spelling errors and be as grammatically correct as possible. This is not the time to try out new words. Keep it simple and tell the employer why you want the position and why you feel that you would be an asset to their company.

Another classic curriculum vitae blunder is forgetting to update your information. You want the employer to be able to contact you. An old address says that you did not check your resume before undertaking your resume distribution.

Keep your curriculum vitae updated with personal information and employment information at all times. Also, consider keeping it to one or two pages. Employers are busy, time-is-money sort of thing, so do not send a book that details your entire life.

Writing a great resume and cover letter is not impossible. You can do it and get that interview. Be honest, be prepared and always make sure to put your best foot forward.

Addressing the hiring person by name is a great way to show that you paid attention to the ad. If you are not sure who to address the cover letter to, you can always call the company to find out. Being pro-active will speak volumes to any employer.

About the Author
A whole world of information about resume and cover letter mistakes can be at your fingertips from Mike Selvon portal where a free gift awaits you. Drop us a note at our resume writing tips blog.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=786302

Useful Pointers When Writing A Professional Resume

Monday, February 18, 2008

Free Resume Example Articles : Useful Pointers When Writing A Professional Resume by Mike Selvon

Most people introduce themselves when meeting a stranger. A brief handshake and giving your name are just two of the ways to let someone know who you are. A professional resume is an introduction from you to a potential employer.

You may not be able to shake his or her hand until the interview portion, but you can still let employers know who you are. Writing a curriculum vitae is not hard, yet many people do not know how to write a resume. There are resources to help you though.

If you find that you are having writer's block when it comes to writing your professional resume, then there are places you can turn to for curriculum vitae templates and resume samples. Microsoft Word allows you to create a resume and simply fill in the information. You save it to your computer and then either email, fax or mail the document to the employer, depending on what he or she has requested.

A cover letter is the most often overlooked piece of paper when a person is applying for a job. This is particularly true of online job banks. People upload their curriculum vitae but fail to create a cover letter. It may explain why they do not often hear back from the company.

An employer can learn more from a good cover letter than an excellent curriculum vitae. Cover letters show intent and why you would be a good fit for the company. Take the time to write a cover letter. In today's job market it is expected, as it demonstrates good business ethics and shows respect.

Even though there have been countless articles and interviews done on this subject, it bears repeating as some people have not learned the lesson. Do not lie on your curriculum vitae. It is good practice to make your curriculum vitae stand out, but do not do this by lying or fudging the facts.

Most companies will check to ensure that you are telling the truth about your salary history, education and your past employment. It is not worth the repercussions.

You should go into depth about your work experiences and skills. However, it is imperative that you stick to information that is related to the position being offered. It may be interesting that you can stick a spoon on your nose, but an employer may not want to know that much about you.

A professional resume gives relevant information and lets the employer know about your past work experience. If you have skills and talents that are applicable, then include this information.

About the Author
A whole world of information about writing a professional resume can be at your fingertips from Mike Selvon portal where a free gift awaits you. Drop us a note at our resume writing tips blog.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=784843

Landing Your Dream Job With A Perfect Resume

Free Resume Example Articles : Landing Your Dream Job With A Perfect Resume by Mike Selvon

The perfect resume is not a myth. It has nothing to do with elite schools or incredible work experience. A blue collar worker can have a stellar curriculum vitae and a white collar professional may have a poorly written one.

Writing a resume should be about knowing what employers look for in their job applicants. It is about detailed information that is accurate, truthful, not over-winded or too long. There is a fine line between not including enough information and including too much.

There are a few things that a great curriculum vitae has within its set margins. The first is personal information such as your name, address and contact numbers. It is also a good idea to put in your email address, in case they prefer communicating electronically.

The second is information about past job history and education. You will also want to mention salary history so that the employer knows what type of pay you will be asking for and whether or not you may be too expensive for their budget. Not every employer bases their opinions of hiring on salary requirements, but some do.

Not everyone can write a perfect resume. Even professional resume writers will make mistakes. However, it is important to know how to write a curriculum vitae just in case you need to submit one to a job possibility.

A bad one gets tossed into a folder or even worse, the trashcan. Avoid this by knowing the basics. If you have tried and still cannot get it right, then perhaps you should hire a professional.

Writing resumes can be very confusing. A professional writer can help you with the proper format and coach you along. If you do not know any professional writers, then you can always go to the local University and talk to the teachers in the help desk area.

They may be able to give you a sample of the particular curriculum vitae you want and can tell you how to set your information in place. As well, a quick internet search will provide you with many helpful tools, such as resume templates, resources and examples.

No one has an absolutely perfect resume. There are always flaws or mistakes. The goal is to eliminate as many mistakes as possible. You do not want to send in a curriculum vitae filled with incorrect spelling and grammar.

Make sure the paper you are using is good quality and is free from any stains or scents. Spraying your document with your favorite cologne or perfume will not help you land the job.

About the Author
A whole world of information about creating a perfect resume can be at your fingertips from Mike Selvon portal where a free gift awaits you. Drop us a note at our resume writing tips blog.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=783066

Five Essential Resume Writing Tips

Friday, February 15, 2008

Free Resume Example Articles : Five Essential Resume Writing Tips by Jason Kay

As you prepare your resume in hopes of acquiring your dream job, keep these tips in mind to make sure you give yourself the best chance of being recognized and hired.

1.Most relevant experience/skills/education first. The order of the information on your resume is different for everyone. It all really depends on your particular education, experience, training, and other background. It also depends on the position you are applying for. You should emphasize your most relevant skills by placing them at the top of your resume.

2.Be specific and specialized - employers are looking to solve a problem by hiring someone. Let them know how you can solve their problem. I know you're proud of the varied background you have. You've done a little of this and a little of that. You think it makes you a more well rounded person and capable of adapting to new positions more easily. Guess what? You're right. But, most employers will not appreciate a diverse set of jobs and experiences the way you and I do. Hiring managers have a specific job to fill, and they're going to be stressed about it until they fill it. They need someone who can perform the specific duties required of the position. They're not looking for a jack of all trades, they want a specialist. So read the job description very carefully and rework your resume as much as possible to make it look like you are the specialist he/she is looking for. Hopefully you won't have to rework it that much. If you find you are having to, guess what, you're not the person for the job. Save yourself the trouble of writing and rewriting and applying only to be rejected later. Concentrate your efforts on job openings you are qualified for.

3.Use capitalization/bold/italics sparingly. As a professional resume writer, I can't tell you how many resumes I've seen that have LOTS OF CAPITALIZATION. If you capitalize everything, nothing stands out. Use capitalization only for section headings and maybe your name at the top of the resume. That's it. Capitalization should be used sparingly to make important points stand out. The same goes for bold and italicized font.

4.Only include relevant information. Resume is not employment history, but an employment summary. Resumes are not supposed to be biographies. No one ever said that your resume should include every job you've had since high school. Make sure that the jobs listed on your resume are relevant to the position you are applying for. People with lots of positions should limit the ones they list to the ones which demonstrate skills needed in the new position. Don't worry about employment gaps. The whole issue is definitely overblown. If gaps in your employment history is mentioned during an interview, simply be honest and say that you held a position that you chose not to include. Say that was a different line of work that you have since moved on from.

5.Spell check and read, then reread. Any basic errors could be fatal to your application. Definitely use the spell-check feature on your word processor before you submit your resume. But also be sure to read it before you submit because some words may not be misspelled (and not be caught by spell-check) but are incorrect grammatically. Then it's a good idea to reread again after several hours because sometimes we just see what we want to see. Sometimes an incorrect word is right there, plain as day, and we don't see it because we aren't really reading it because we're sure what it must say. This issue is so important because even one misspelling or incorrect word can spell doom for your job chances. Employers typically get so many resumes for each and every open position. This creates such intense competition that employers simply don't need to accept anything less than perfect. In fact they're looking for reasons to narrow the field down. Don't give them such an easy reason to toss your resume.

About the Author
Jason Kay is a professional resume writer and contributes to career related websites such as JobGoRound.com, which includes career advice and reviews of resume writing services.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=779549

How Important Is A Cover Letter With Your Resume ?

Free Resume Example Articles : How Important Is A Cover Letter With Your Resume ? by Mike Selvon

It would be hard to image someone ignoring a vital piece of information that could make the difference between getting an interview, or having their resume tossed into the nearest trash can. Yet many people elect not to include this document along with their resume.

They choose not to include a cover letter. Cover letters are your introduction to the employer. They show intent, as well as showing that you have actually read the job posting. They catch the employer's eye which could mean getting that life-changing phone call.

Cover letter writing is a lot like learning how to write a resume. You either learn how in a class or you do a little bit of online research and learn through that method. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about writing cover letters.

If you do not know the difference, then it can cost you a shot at the job you have always wanted. Resume cover letter writing is a blend of creative and technical writing. It is designed to grab the attention of the employer and make them want to see what is on your resume.

A cover letter is not an opportunity to discuss your pet lint collection. It should not be informal and chock full of useless information that does not apply to that position being offered. It is a chance to introduce yourself.

If the employer wants to know about lint collections, then you can always let them know at the interview or even better, later when you have the job. Address the letter to the hiring person, usually someone in Human Resources, and tell them why you are a great candidate for the job.

Tip number one. Do not undersell yourself. Your goal is to sound confident and sure of your abilities. Tip number two. Do not oversell yourself. An over inflated ego is a great way to turn an employer off and could cause them to think that perhaps you embellished your curriculum vitae.

With cover letter writing, there is a fine line between the two extremes. A third tip is to know who will be reading your curriculum vitae. This may not always be possible if the ad did not state a name. However, if it did, make sure and address the individual directly.

Take advantage of any assets you have in your arsenal. Use a cover letter to show your potential employer that you are serious about winning that position. If you have looked for help, but are still unclear as to what cover letters should include, then you can always use a professional resume writing service to help you write your cover letter, or provide you with sample resumes and cover letters. Just make sure to personalize the letter and tell them why you want the job.

About the Author
A whole world of information about the importance a cover letter can be at your fingertips from Mike Selvon portal where a free gift awaits you. Drop us a note at our resume writing tips blog.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=779279

Resume Writing: Making it Proper so you can Prosper

Free Resume Examples Articles : Resume Writing: Making it Proper so you can Prosper by Jennifer Jordan

Ah, the resume: the one piece of paper that allows you to showcase your accomplishments, boast, brag, and exaggerate….if ever so slightly. While it may simply be a piece of paper, a resume is the key to employment for many. This makes a proper resume particularly important, if you want your career to resume, that is.

Upon preparing your resume, consider the following:

Be honest: Past experience and qualifications are often directly proportional to one another; hence, the more duties you have under your belt, the more qualified you ultimately become. However, the overzealous applicant may list responsibilities that they rarely ��" if ever ��" possessed. For instance, if you were once given petty cash and sent to fetch lunch at the local sandwich shop, the job description of "handled company money and bookkeeping on a regular basis" should probably not be used. Employers are generally well versed in dissecting a resume, and they will know if the listed job duties do not match up to the listed job title. If you come across as dishonest, your resume will be tainted by both desperation and deceit.

Be Specific: Being specific in a resume may appear to be a bit of a conundrum: you want to be as detailed as possible but you don't want to drone on to the point where your resume must be delivered in volumes. Thus, the key is in picking what you decide to be specific about. Does a potential employer really need to know every single thing you've done in every job you’ve ever had? No. But, you might want to elaborate on the fact that you "increased company profits by 50 percent in the first quarter." This will speak volumes over being vague and simply stating that you "increased profits."

Don't be Superfluous: Sure, a resume is your podium, a proverbial place for you to stand on your accomplishments and "Thank the Academy." Even so, there are certain things a resume should not include. A list of hobbies, for instance, is a waste of space. Most employers don't have the time - or patience - to read about how you won first place in the city bowling league. Salary requirements are another thing that should be omitted. Unless they are specifically requested, listing salary requirements can take you out of the running before the race has even begun. An applicant must first charm an employer before automatically ruling themselves out by asking for too much money.

Add on Finishing Touches: An effective resume needs to have confidence, but also humility. Being overly timid, or overly boastful, will both work against you. Keep in mind that you are asking for a "chance" at a job. This makes your task particularly challenging: you need to make the potential employer think that you walk on water, without actually saying that you do. A resume should also be eloquent and intellectual, but not overly verbose with big-worded vocabulary. An employer doesn't want to, and probably won't, consult a dictionary to decipher what a resume is trying to convey. Finally, the checking of spelling and grammar is an essential part of the resume process. Before submitting a resume to a employer, you should proofread your resume like someone with obsessive compulsive disorder. Getting someone else to look it over is also a good idea. Nothing will hurt a resume more than typos, spelling mistakes, or incorrect usage of grammar.

If even after a stellar resume is written, and sent to prospective employers, the applicant still has no hope at finding a job, simply initiate plan B: Marry Rich.

About the Author
Jennifer Jordan is an editor and staff writer for http://www.verbaladvantage.com. An English major and professional writer, she spends her days correcting grammar and wondering why she's unpopular.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=777066

What You Should Know About Resume Styles

Friday, February 8, 2008

Free Resume Examples Articles : What You Should Know About Resume Styles by Carlee Evie

The job market is extremely competitive, and you want to make the best impression possible. While there hundreds of resume styles being used by job seekers, you want to take the time to choose the right one.

You may be wondering why there even has to be so many styles. Well, for starters, resumes aren't just presented as physical documents any more. There's a growing trend for people to view documents like resumes on the computer. A style that works splendidly as a printed document just will not work as well when sent through email or fax. So, this has naturally led to more styles for each medium.

Then you also need to consider that certain positions may call for a very specific resume style. So you'll need to be adaptable. You'll want to tweak your resume to suit each situation so that it showcases your relevant skills. That's what a resume is for, after all: To show off your expertise.

The most prevalent resume style is the chronological template, by far. As most can guess from its name, the chronological resume lists all the previous jobs you've, starting with the most current or recent.

Then there is the functional style, a slightly newer template that has been getting more attention lately. Instead of listing your jobs and accomplishments by date, you list your most impressive qualifications first and then work your way down to the lesser ones. This kind of resume is easy to skim, which helps a prospective employer decide if you sound like a good match for the job. It also helps beef up your strong points.

You'll find a few other resume styles as well, but most of them are just variations of the chronological and functional resumes. By the way, don't shy away from experimenting with different combinations of resume styles to suit your needs. The whole idea behind the resume is to communicate your abilities in the clearest way possible, and choosing the best resume style gives you the freedom to do that.

About the Author
Trying to Write the Perfect Resume? Visit Make a Resume. We show you everything from How to Do a Resume that Stands Out to Free Resume Templates and more!

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=776581

Jobs: The Ideal Resume

Free Resume Examples Articles : Jobs: The Ideal Resume by Nicholas Tan

When one goes for an interview, the potential employer has no idea of who the applicant is. In some cases, the person applied to the ad while others used a headhunter or job site on the internet and matched their credentials for the position.

The first impression employers always look at is one’s resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct.

The resume must say almost everything about the person. This should always start with pertinent information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number and social security number. The details here are needed so if one is considered to be a potential employer, it will be easy for the company to get in touch with the applicant and be scheduled for an interview.

Next is the career objective which is the reason why the applicant wants to apply for the position. By putting a strong goal in mind and not a general one, the employer will see that this person has a direction which is why that person wants to work for the company.

The next section should include the relevant skills and knowledge one has had in the current and previous jobs as well as highlighting one’s major accomplishments. By putting in detail the things one has done in that position and experiences learned from it, that information is already basis for the employer to see the potential the applicant has for that position. It shows the qualities one possesses and the benefits one can contribute to the further growth of the company.

After that, the resume should show one’s educational background. Some companies prefer someone with a degree in a certain field, a licensed professional to do the job or one who possesses a master’s degree. By showing one’s credentials, it is a good indicator of the type of training one has possessed in school and the accomplishments one has achieved in the course of one’s career.

The latter section should provide details such as hobbies, interests and character references. Employers look at potential applicants who not only have the qualifications for the job but also those who also those who are well rounded. Being active in a certain organization and be seen as a leader in a group shows one’s social skills with others. Character references do the same and give people an idea how one performed working with that person.

There is no ideal resume. It depends on the job. It is an important step one must pass before being called for that first interview.

About the Author
Submit your articles and get a PR4 backlink to your website! Submit Articles! We provide free articles and information. Check us out at Free Articles!

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=771536

Resume or Curriculum Vitae - Start Now to Get Ahead of Your Competitors

Free Resume Examples Articles : Resume or Curriculum Vitae - Start Now to Get Ahead of Your Competitors by Michael Harrison

The first time you do almost anything it's difficult, and so it is with your first resume. Also the first attempt usually can be improved upon. Doing the first resume is a bind because it's so difficult to get over concisely in writing all that you have achieved.

You have to represent your educational background and qualifications plus your career experience whilst bringing out something of what you are going to be able to contribute in a new job.

The spur to do a resume for most people is when they get fed up and start looking for an alternative job. Sometimes this can be when facing unemployment and having to make a fresh start. Usually they see an advertisement and only then do they consider doing a resume.

This can mean that the resume is done under some form of time constraint. I remember well my first resume taking the whole of one weekend.

That was at a time when we did not have personal computers and word processing capability. So my first resume was hand written and a neighbour kindly typed it up for me. Things are so different now.

We can draught out a resume, edit it and change it at will to suit a particular situation or job application and develop and update the resume as we progress through our career. Vitally we can tailor the resume to the new job application, emphasizing particular points that should make the application particularly attractive to the potential new employer.

This means that when you have got that first resume in the can, with faults and all you can easily and speedily develop and improve your presentation so that you increase your chances of getting to interview. Getting you to interview is the sole purpose of the resume.

So I guess there are no excuses get your resume in the can and be ready. If you are daunted you can get more help here. You won't regret it and think of it like this, you will already be one step ahead of most of your competitors.

Resource Box:

Article by Michael Harrison, Author, Publisher and Business Consultant. If you have found these tips helpful you can find more at http://www.how-to-do-a-resume.com/

**Attn: Ezine Editors / Site Owners / Webmasters / everyone** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above. You can use other articles similarly from http://www.be-your-own-business-expert.com/Article.html OR subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter. Each issue is packed with motivational, business and personal development material.

About the Author
Michael Harrison is an author, publisher and business consultant specialising in helping business owners and individuals to realise and release the full potential of their situation. He has helped many people to improve their business situations and advised and supported individuals to embark on new directions in their careers.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=769378

How To Write A Great Resume

Monday, February 4, 2008

Free Resume Examples Articles : How To Write A Great Resume by Pawel Reszka

Whether you're looking for a job or outlining your life, having a resume that actually gets read and acted upon is critical. A vast majority of resumes end up going from the envelope or "in-box" into the trash. Creating a resume that rises to the top of the selection pile, and stays there, requires a few key points.

Know your objective

As you go about creating your resume, understand what you are trying to accomplish. Are you trying to tell the reader what your job skills are or do you want to present your life's work. These two ideas may appear the same, but when you start to think about it they take on two differing ideas. Once you pass this idea, select those aspects of your skill-set that highlight your skills and present them as they relate to the desired end. Get to specific skills that address the end you want and remember that your space limitations.

Narrow your skill set

You may have a wide skill-set, but do all those skills apply to the position you are applying for? Narrow your skill-set down so that the skills you list apply closely to the end you are looking for. If you have a skill-set of 15 abilities, narrow the list to the top 5 or six most applicable to the position in question. The rest can wait for a personal interview. Do the same limiting exercise for the interview with the remaining skills but make sure to remember to work them into the interview conversation.

Highlight your strengths

Once you have your skill-set under control stick to those skills through the resume. In essence, these skills are the theme of your resume. The theme can change from position to position, depending upon the position, but these skills are the ideas you want to "punch" throughout the résumé.

Be clear

Remember that you are competing for the attention of the reader. The reader will spend very little time reading your resume the first time around. Don't over complicate the issue with longer words of concepts. In this respect, consider yourself an advertising copy writer. Hit them hard with a short description and move on. Generally, think about a smart person with a very short attention span.

Use grabbing techniques

Since you are trying to get noticed, you need to use ideas that will stand out from a distance. Use visual cues that might be noticed if a person is walking past a desk and glances at a pile sitting on it. But remember, just because the resume is on top of the pile doesn't mean that it will stay there for long. Ideally, you want your resume to be picked up and read by a person just sitting down or quickly thumbing through a folder that was just opened and begun to be looked at. Use %, #'s, $ or bullet points for a noticeable quick read by the person making the first "cut." Another great idea is the use of action words. Interestingly enough, action words not only say that you are a "doer" but they stand out on a page within a sentence. Visual flow is important

Give some close thought to the layout of the resume. If the reader has to think about picking up the resume to read it you have likely lost the battle right from the start. Your name, of course, needs to stand out and be right at the top of the page because that is what gets the call back made easily (if they want to call don't make it hard), but remember that you need to start the readers eye working down the page. Consider how you might use fonts to attract and move the readers' eye and attention. Remember not to muddle up the resume with to many fonts. Two at most is best with a readable size. Don't go below a 10 point font size. The big thing is that you do not want the reader to have to work at getting through the highlights of the resume.

Use "white space" to advantage

Many people believe that they need to cram as much information as possible into a resume. In reality, it is often the abundance of "white space" that gets the resume noticed. This does not suggest leaving out your strengths and theme but rather using the space you have to advantage. An extra line space here or there makes the readers eye travel toward that next relevant item on the page easier.

Know your audience

Although you may feel that you need to stick with one resume, don't, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot use more then one resume. Create several resumes using different skill-set themes and layouts for differing types of positions. The closer you can get to the skill-set that attracts that type of person associated with that type of job the better. Each person expects certain words to appear on the resume outlining the person for that job. Finding and using those "right words" is the trick.

About the Author
If you are tired of working a day job then learn how to make money online at: http://www.affhelper.com/make-money-online.html Also, check out these strategies that make me instant cash every day: http://www.easyformulaforprofits.com

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=767376

Effective Resume Writing - First Step to Your Golden Career

Free Resume Examples Articles : Effective Resume Writing - First Step to Your Golden Career by Talent Onions

Your resume is the first step towards your career. This is a brief summary of your qualifications, skills, and background that represents your education and previous work experiences. The purpose of a resume is to obtain an interview, at which time you will have an opportunity to describe in person what you can contribute to the organization. Therefore, it is important for your resume to represent you in a clear, well organized, and easy-to-read style. Your resume should focus on results you have produced.

If you are applying online for a job, you can get benefit of Customized Resume Services provided by Job Portals. Talent Onions has team of expert professionals in effective Resume writing. They will guide you in making a really appealing, and beneficial resume. Talent Onions also helps you in submitting your resume to several consultants for quick results.

Getting Started with Resume

There are different opinions about format, style and layout of a resume. Gather information about yourself, write down the most significant details of your previous work experience, awards received, projects undertaken, and special skills. Emphasize your resume according to the position you are applying and delete irrelevant information for targeted job.

Identifying Sections of Resume

The most important thing before writing a resume is to identify sections which you are going to present in the resume. Categorize the collected information and then out them one by one to respective sections.

Some must have sections are:  Contact Information (with current contact details)  Objective (clearly stating position you are seeking)  Education (current degrees on top)  Experiences (current job on top, followed by others)  Additional Information  References (if asked by recruiters, generally furnished on demand only)

Remember to provide all necessary details while describing your previous work experiences, with position you are holding in organization, your job responsibilities, projects handled by you, your success stories or achievements in organization.

Guidelines for Resume Format

Before posting your resume take care of recruiters demand. Your resume format should be based according to their demand. If they are using scan technology for resume selection you must present your resume in scanner friendly version with clear text and less formatting. If they are focussing over keywords selection process, use your specialization and areas of strength as keywords in your resume.

About the Author
Talent Onions aims to be India's leading provider of Internet recruitment and job search solutions. For more details, please visit: http://www.talentonions.com

Great Resume Writing Tips

Free Resume Examples Articles : Great Resume Writing Tips by Ayan Gupta

Your resume provides the potential employer, a commanding message about what kind of employee you would have been. Before you write, seize time to do a self-assessment on paper. Chalk out your skills and aptitude, in addition to your work experience and extra-curricular activities. This will make it easier to prepare a scrupulous resume.

In order to highlight your wide-ranging skills, you need to make the most of your resume. The function of the cover letter and resume is to get you to the next step, i.e.--interview, so make sure you don’t commit any slip-up in this. In order to avoid such blemishes, go for these fundamental guidelines--

By means of word processing software, make sure that you have test out the spellings before putting your resume forward. Once you have finished off with that, give it a reality check for the rest assurance element.

When writing a resume, provide an exact view of your skills by giving the sufficient details of it. This is not to say, to elaborate the list of your each project but be comprehensive by abridging it.
In short, devise you resume so that it articulates most about you in the smallest number of words.

You should boast resumes of two versions, one to be sighted at online and other when going for an in-person interview.

Whatever thing you send or propose online, take care that it should be in basic formatting, such as-- spacing and paragraph breaks, because fancy formatting does not leave good domino effect nearly in all the computers.

By incorporating relevant keywords, you come up with the powerful resume.
Encompass the degrees you have finished or you are working on, as well as your credentials.
Dwell on those things that are most upbeat about you and get rid of the more off-putting. For instance, if your GPA is 3.5 you should yearn for highlighting it, but if it is 2.5 you must rule out it. Refer to your GPA (Grade Point Average) only if it is very elevated.
Make them known about your past experience, you have been worked on. Write with the most current.

Technology Summary: List only the technologies you know well.
If you are in more than one position or have proficiency that may fit more than one role, you should have multiple versions of your resume available that emphasize those skills.
Make use of job titles and skill headings that go with the jobs you want. This will hooks the attention of the employer in a first glimpse.
Employing numbers and quantifying makes a flamboyant image in their mind whereas general statements are easy to neglect comparatively.
While writing the resume, take the level of job and salary into the consideration, you crave for.
Don’t apply the word “Resume” at the top of the page or mention the date when you have prepared the document.
Ensure that your name emerges at the top of all pages.
Stay apart from the usage of verbs such as--"assisted", "helped", "aided", "participated" or "involved" because they do not assert exactly what you did and the employer will not know what your input was.
Institute with the strong verbs such as--wrote, presented, advised, etc.
Shun the use of expressions such as "responsible for" or "duties included" as your actions might not be understood.

Evade excessive reiteration
Keep away from the weak verbs such as "did", "had" and "handled".
Do not create any section if you have only one piece of information; in its place, incorporate another apt section named-- Summary of Qualifications.
Before giving names to the potential employer about any references, inquire people if they are ready to dole out as references. Do not include your reference information on your resume. You might have observed at the base of your resume-- "References provided on the request."
Lots of company finds e-mail address helpful. Make a note that your e-mail sound professional.
Integrate your web site address only if the web page reflects your professional ambitions.
Be sturdy with your form--margins, underlining, and capitalizing. To draw the reader’s eye down the page, make use of white space, bold type, italics, etc.
Keep it relevant. Just barred yourself from including--Salary requirements, abbreviations, glitches, reasons for leaving jobs, and personal opinions.
Be explicit about dates, accomplishments, job titles, employers and interests.
Use what is entitled-- the telegraphic style. Pass over all personal pronouns --I, we, etc.
Before you furnish your Resume to any potential employer, make it proofread to be reviewed and critiqued by a career counselor.

Source: http://www.itmatchonline.com/article/Great_Resume_Writing_Tips.php
About the Author
ITMatchOnline, an outsourcing hub where provider and buyer exchange their needs. Looking to Outsourcing Writing Services? Visit Itmatchonline.com