Tips on Writing a Resignation Letter Posted by Unknown on 8:29 AM

If you're leaving your job, you're probably eager to get on your way. After all, it's the end of the old and beginning of the new. But before you walk out the door, consider writing a resignation letter.

A resignation letter serves two purposes:

Tips To Write A Bullet-Proof Resume! Posted by Unknown on 7:57 AM

Tip 1 - Use Titles or Headings That Match The Jobs You Want

With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume hooks an employer's attention within a 5-second glance. A great way to do this is to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the jobs you want. For example, compare the headings Roger used in his before resume to the headings used in his after resume. Before Resume: Accounting / Recordkeeping Administrative Computer Skills After Resume: Management of A/R and A/P Accounts Computerized Accounting Applications Departmental Administration / Recordkeeping Which set of headings are the strongest for an Accounts Payable / Receivable Manager position? Even though Roger's title was Accounting Assistant, he actually managed over 1,000 A/R and A/P accounts. Using skill headings that market the true nature of Roger's job duties will generate him more interviews and higher salary offers. For more examples, like this one and the ones discussed below, click on 60 Free Online Resume and Job Search Workshops at ProvenResumes.com.

Top 10 Issues You Need to Know to be Resume Ready Posted by Unknown on 10:42 PM

Your resume is your ambassador to the work world. It functions for you 24 hours a day, opening doors to opportunities you didn't even know existed. But not all resumes are alike or are used alike today with all the electronic means available to reach your potential employer. Here are the most important issues to consider as you prepare your resume to represent you in the marketplace: 

1. Write your resume in your own words. It may be challenging - especially if writing ranks among your least favored activities - but if you write your own resume and don't hand it off to someone else you'll be able to be sharp in your interview. No embarrassment not knowing what the resume expert meant when he wrote that smart phrase on your resume! If you do hire an expert to help you, work closely with that person to be sure your resume realistically reflects your abilities and your vocabulary.
    
2. Put your best foot forward. People remember what they see first and last, so place your least important information in the middle. Have an objective or a key word summary or both in the beginning of your resume and end your document with strong content - such as your educational background.

How To Write a Finance Resume Posted by Unknown on 12:03 PM

Introduction

The basic steps to keep in mind while writing a finance resume are the same as with any resume. Always give a way to be contacted, make your objectives clear, demonstrate past experience in the field you are applying for, and highlight the skills that you can bring to the job position you are seeking. For a finance resume, your objective, skills, and past work experience are particularly important, as those two fields can prove that you are an expert in the finance field.

A well-written finance resume should begin by listing your contact information at the top of the document. Avoid fancy fonts and frilly decorations when designing this part of the document. You want to look professional, and frilly and colorful do not lend themselves to professional very well.

The next section of your finance resume should clearly state your objective; this is where you will state the type of finance job you are after. It is preferred when stating your objective to be as precise and direct as possible. Avoid providing vague statements such as "I wish to be gainfully employed in a position where I can best utilize my skills." Of course you do, but your goal should be tailored to the position you are applying for. This will take more time, but vague objectives make the writer look lazy and unprofessional.

The objective should be followed with a section where you list a summary of your qualifications. This section should include three or four major finance skills that you want to bring to the hiring manager's immediate attention.

Immediately following the qualifications section, you should list your relevant work history in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent position. Always list at least two or three responsibilities or skills learned from each job position, and only detail job positions that are relevant to the position you are seeking.

While the bulk of your finance resume will be devoted to highlighting your skills and work experience, the next section should list your educational history. Any special licensing or certificates should go into the educational section. The last section of the finance resume should list your references. These should be approved ahead of time, and should clearly list the names and contact information of at least three people who can vouch for your financial expertise.

Resume Career Objective & Resume Professional Objective Posted by Unknown on 5:32 AM

Introduction

A career objective is generally used in graduate resumes more experienced job seekers use a professional objective.

The resume objective should be

• Clear and concise.
• Contains resume action verbs.
• Contain job and skill related keywords.
• Focus on the employer's need rather than on yours.

A career objective expresses what you want to achieve in your career and which position you aspire to.

Your objective should include: your skills, achievements


Full Content
, the position you are seeking, the specific skills you want to learn and develop, the kind of company you would like to work for. These should be aligned to the job advert.

Your objective should be more what you can do for the employer rather than vice versa.

If the potential employer sees that your objectives are his targets then you have become a potential candidate, this is a good technique to quickly grab the attention of the reader.

Example Professional Objective
A lead role in the web software development team using Java and Apache.

Resume tips for IT majors and graduates Posted by Unknown on 8:50 AM

Now is the Time

By Molly Joss

Your academic year is underway; it’s now time to pay attention to your resume. Summer or graduation might seem like it’s far away, but your resume is calling to you, and you need to heed the call. Now is the time to get involved in activities that will beef up your resume experience section and to create a resume that will land you plum job interviews in the months to come.

When I say “create” a resume, I don’t mean treat it like an exercise in creative writing, however. You should never lie on your resume, exaggerate your past work experiences, or say you know how to do something that you don’t actually know how to do. Pumping up your resume with exaggerations is a quick way to flub an interview or lose your job.

Follow the tips in this article, and you will create a winning resume that will get you into top IT interviews.

Tip #1: Make the Most of the Blank Page

The biggest issue with student or recent graduate resumes is lack of experience. I hear students complain all the time that companies only want people with experience. But how are students supposed to get that experience? The answer is jobs or activities outside of the classroom. Spending your time wisely will get you the experience you need to land a great job.

Quick quiz: What is more valuable—volunteering as a tutor in the computer resource center or working at the closest fast food restaurant? Answer: The volunteer job is your best bet for crafting your resume. Any job or activity that is related to IT is better than one that is not. And if you can get someone to pay you for your time, that’s even better. Either way, make sure you work hard at your job to ensure you end up with a glowing letter of reference.

On your resume, include a few details about what you did and learned during each work experience. (Remember, volunteer work is still work.) A few specific details per job will help you fill out your resume. For example, if you spent your summer in a PC technician job helping a local non-profit company get their new computers up and running, you should state some specific accomplishments, like: “Set up and installed membership and donation software on six computers,” or “Created a wireless network for 12 computers, two printers and a server.”

Make sure to select details from the work that most closely relates to the type of position you are applying. In the previous example as a PC technician you might also have trained people on how to use the software. These experiences can easily be highlighted if you’re applying for a PC training or help desk job.

If you haven’t already joined an IT association for your industry, do so. Not only does being a member of a respected organization look great on your resume, you can also use the organization to research jobs and network to find job prospects. Some organizations also offer scholarships or formal job placement programs.

Many IT professionals use a portion of their resume for a summary of technical qualifications. Even though you’re just starting out, such a section is still appropriate. You can list software and hardware that you are familiar with, and of course, if you have a certification or documented training you should include that information as well.

Tip #2: Make the Most of Online Tools

Thanks to online job sites, vast numbers of resumes may come in for one position. Companies often funnel resumes into databases, which they search later for key words or phrases that match the description of the job they are trying to fill. Make sure you include appropriate search terms in your resume. You can even add a keywords section, labeled as such, at the end of your resume. The keywords should include such items as job titles, technical terms which might include programming languages, operating system names, and names of software applications. The section will include nouns, not the action verbs you see in many resume examples.

Recruiters, managers and HR staff will also search through databases posted on major job sites, such as dice.com, to find candidates for jobs that have not been posted. Doing so helps them search for employees without attracting a lot of attention or an avalanche of unsuitable resumes. Unless your resume is on such a site, and posted at least in part as a public resume, you might miss out on some great job opportunities. If you’re concerned about identity theft, you can post everything but your name and contact information. To allow interested parties to contact you, set up and post a separate email account that doesn’t reveal your name.

If you decide to apply for a job you see on a company site, make sure to put your resume in the body of the email or mail a paper copy to the company. Many corporate email systems trash or reject emails that enter the system with an attachment. A follow-up letter with a copy of your resume is an effective way to say that you are truly interested in the job and might help move your resume to the top of the pile.

Tip #3: Get Some Help

Crafting a resume that gets you where you want to go is not a do-it-yourself endeavor. Even IT professionals with decades of experience talk to someone more knowledgeable for help with their resume. In some cases, they even pay big bucks to “resume doctors” for this kind of help. However, chances are very good that you can get help for free at your campus job placement center.

Before you post, print or mail your resume to anyone, have someone check it for typos, grammar mistakes and readability. It is best to ask someone with knowledge of the IT industry—especially knowledge of the job for which you are applying. An IT professor will probably help you if you ask nicely and are considerate of their time. Someone at an IT organization might do it for you as well, particularly if you are a member of that organization.

Start Today

You won’t find a better time than now to pay attention to your resume. Put together a body of experience that will make you stand out of the entry-level crowd. All it takes is a little advance planning, some effort on your part, and some help along the way.

Molly Joss is an IT veteran who writes about career and job issues, among other topics of note.

Will Your Résumé Make the 30-Second Cut? 5 Tips Show You How Posted by Unknown on 10:49 PM

The average time an employer spends reviewing a résumé the first time around is only 30 seconds. While this isn’t much time to reveal your experience, skills, and accomplishments, it is enough time to see if your résumé contains one necessary ingredient. Focus.
Without focus the chances of your résumé making the final cut for a thorough reading are very slim. One of the most common mistakes about résumés is people equating them to a work history when the word, résumé, itself is from a French word meaning “to summarize”.

Here are 5 strategies to help you make the 30-second cut and beyond.
Tip #1 – Don’t leave the employer guessing. In a highly competitive job market, the typical, nationally advertised job receives hundreds of responses. Employers simply don’t have time to decipher vague résumés. To keep from falling into this category, clearly identify your career objective at the top of your résumé (just below your name and contact information). It can be as simple as listing the job title you’re applying for or including your career objective in a professional profile.
Tip # 2 – Think of your résumé as an 8x10 business card. By its sheer size, a business card requires focus and has no room for irrelevant information. Your résumé should be no exception. It should contain bulleted information, designed in a legible manner, and contain plenty of white space for easy reading.
Tip # 3 – Your résumé must deliver what your objective promises. After you’ve made the first cut, the employer then reads your résumé more thoroughly. This is where the body of your résumé must highlight the work history, experience, skills, and accomplishments that best support your career objective.
Tip # 4 – Don’t limit yourself to only one résumé. We all have a variety of experiences, interests, and skills. The idea is to have a separate focus for each résumé to maintain effectiveness. A recent client of mine was equally qualified as a sales executive as well as a pastry chef. By designing two résumés for her, she has now become twice as marketable.
Tip # 5 – Test your résumé on a family member or friend. Once you feel you’ve created a highly focused résumé, give it a test run before mailing it out to employers. Give someone 30 seconds to figure out your career objective. If they can, chances are your résumé will avoid the circular file.

By: Melissa M. Whitney