Sometimes minimal changes to your resume and cover letter will have a drastic effect on the number of calls you are receiving. A good first step is to search the internet for free sample resumes for the type of position you are looking for and see what people are putting on their resume.
What to change
One you decide to make changes, you need to look at your resume objectively and ask yourself if you think it is a decent resume. What do you like or dislike about it? Does it represent you as a smart, go-getter that can get the job done? Or does it look dry and boring? Ask yourself why anyone else would want to look at it twice if you think it is boring.
Once you start to see areas for improvement, start making changes. The biggest area where most people can use changes in is the format. Approximately 75% of people who are looking for jobs still use the indented, basic style resume that looks like their grandfather put it together. Change the format and use tables instead of indentions. Widen the margins to get more on a page. Overall, just make it look good when you hold it up and glance at it.
Another area that many people need some help in is the organization of their resume. Long gone are the days were you need to put a career objective at the top of your resume that says you are looking for a fast-paced job in an exciting industry. Guess what? Everyone knows you are looking for a job. Instead of putting in a career objective, put in a professional profile and write a short paragraph about yourself.
Modern Resumes
You also no longer need to add the last line that says references provided upon request. Everyone you send your resume to knows you will provide references when they ask for them. There is no need to restate that. Instead, save that room and add a section to your resume of additional skills or civic and volunteer activities.
Finally, add some buzz words or power words that draw attention to all the things you have accomplished throughout your work history. These power words include: facilitated, managed, administered, developed and the list goes on and on. You can generally get an idea of the buzz words by viewing sample resumes on the job boards.
Ultimately, you need to look at your resume objectively and decide to make some changes to make you appear more appealing to prospective employers. Once you decide to make a change, go ahead and change and start sending out your new resume. Keep tweaking your resume until you get it right and you will start seeing the calls roll in. Don’t just sit around and wait for something to happen. Go ahead and make the changes and you will reap the reward.
About the Author:
Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively. To download your own free copy of the Job Search Handbook, visit http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com.
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