Resume Writing Tips & Free Resume Examples

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Writing a Resume takes more than just jotting down your job history. To help you in writing a wonderful resume I will start by giving you tips on what Not to include in a resume. Enjoy.

1. Salary expectations/history. Even if you are responding to an ad that specifically asks for this information, don't do it! If your expectations or salary history are too high, a prospective employer will weed you out right from the start. If it's too low, you have lost the bargaining power, or - worse - you will be hired possibly thousands less than you are worth. It's a no-win situation. Remember: It's always best to discuss salary requirements at the interview.

2. Personal data. This is a big waste of precious resume space. No employer will make the interview call based on your age, marital status, or "excellent" health. If you are in excellent health is directly related to the position they are seeking (maybe a warehouse job where you has to lift heavy objects), the time to bring that up is in the interview. We would like to think that there are enough legal protections against discrimination that disclosing information such as age, etc., would not be an issue, but unfortunately, you would just be fooling yourself.

3. Hobbies or personal interests. The only time that including these on a resume is a good idea is when your your interests are relevant to the position for which you are applying. For the most part, you can cover this in the actual interview.

4. Cutesy gimmicks. Cute or funny graphics on a resume immediately send the message that you are not to be taken seriously. Plus, they divert the employer's attention away from your achievements and qualifications. I once received a resume from a woman named Candy Kayn. Trying to capitalize on the "cuteness" of her name, she stuck candy cane graphics all over her resume. Within seconds, it was in the trash.

5. Your picture. Once again, discrimination protections notwithstanding, pictures simply give employers another reason to reject a resume. If they don't like your looks - if they think you look too young, too old, too fat, too thin, too good-looking, not good-looking, etc. - the resume may get tossed out unread. You want the employer to judge on the basis of your talents and qualifications - not on looks. So never include a picture. (Models and performing artists are the exception to this rule, since their appearance is part of their qualifications for some jobs. However, they generally submit 8"x10" photos separately - not on the resume itself.)

6. Reasons for leaving previous jobs. These never count in your favor. If you left a job involuntarily, that's a strike against you ("laid off" always sounds a bit like "fired" to some employers). If you left voluntarily, that's also a strike against you. "Maybe," the employer thinks, "he won't stick with this job either." The best course is to never raise the issue.

7. "References Available Upon Request." The only information on the resumes you create should be whatever is specifically related to the job your trying to land...reference sheets can be presented and discussed during the interview.

In Summary

Keep these little put hugely affecting things out of your resume and you will have success. By impressing an employer with your resume, they will be more than happy to set up an interview with you.

Good Luck in your Job Search!

You’ll want to have at least three references and no more than five. At least one of these references must be a personal reference who’s not a relation. It could be a acquaintance, a friend, or a co-worker. The others must be work or school references.

The first guideline for resume references is to ask the person first if you’ll be able to use them as a reference when applying for jobs. As long as you have a well relationship with them, most people are pleased to oblige for you and offer you a glowing recommendation.

The aim of a reference page is to have a list of people who could assert and elaborate on your professional experience for a potential employer. Your professors, advisors, and Past employers are the best professional references to have.

It’s crucial to have a resume reference sheet since potential employers would usually ask for a list of references they can contact. If you put in a statement like “References Available upon Request” on your resume, you must be able to produce a reference sheet once one is requested. Anyhow, having a reference page would save you time afterwards during the interview process.

Be sure to include people who know what sort of person you are and who are acquainted with your work. It’s important to select people who know your distinctiveness so that they could furnish a positive and precise description of you to the employer or company in which you’re seeking employment.

You must ALWAYS contact your references prior to including them on a reference sheet. It’s also a good idea to give them a copy of your resume and speak to them about the job you’re seeking so they’ll know how to best represent you.

Career fairs are designed to provide job seekers a way to explore career opportunities within a variety of companies at one location. Job seekers should take advantage of these fairs to be better informed about the job market. Career fairs must be a part of your overall job search process. It’s a great way to learn about job openings, research companies and practice your interviewing and networking skills. Read More..

Q. I have worked for a Big Three auto maker since I graduated from college over 11 years ago. I have an electrical engineering degree, with emphasis on computer engineering, and an engineering management degree. I've enjoyed a rewarding and prosperous career and received several important promotions. My last assignment involves new product launches, project management, process development, quality control, and training. Also, I was the information technology (IT) manager until recently. Unfortunately, politics and a limited number of positions at my current location (my wife and I do not want to relocate to Michigan) have caused me to become unhappy with my current position. My attitude is affecting how I am perceived. I am looking for new employment but have two questions: First, should I emphasize my managerial skills (project management and team skills) on my resume and minimize my IT role? Second, how long should the job search take?

A. Create at least two versions of your resume: one emphasizing the managerial role, and the other tilted towards information technology. Each requires a specific emphasis, and trying to homogenize your resume isn't the best route. Most job seekers are faced with the dilemma of "putting my best foot forward with my resume." This writing exercise will help you to focus on specific strengths in each area, which, in turn, may help you create a powerful resume that speaks to the reader (and potential hiring manager). Remember that a resume is an instrument to attract attention -- the "door-opener -- and should clearly reflect your skills.

Having more than one resume anyway allows you to closely align your background and skills to what is called for in the position description or posting/advertisement. This should increase your chances of being called for an interview or phone screen. Remember, if your resume stands out above the competition's, you will at least get a shot. If not, you need to tweak or rewrite your resume or have a professional create one for you.

As a note, longevity within a particular industry, such as the automotive industry, has advantages. You may want to explore other companies, such as tier-1 suppliers, or get into management consulting. At your age, I would strongly advise that you look for opportunities where the confluence of manufacturing processes, supply chain, ERP, and e-business converge.

How long will the search take? The old rule of thumb was one month for every $15,000 to $20,000 of annual income. However, since salaries have increased, and we now use "Internet-time" as the unit of measure, two weeks per $15,000 to $20,000 income is a better guideline. Of course, we've all heard about friends and colleagues being hired in days in this booming economy. But, in general, the more time you put into a job search, the less time it will take to find the right position.

Answering the Hard Questions

Q. I was recently fired from a position that I held for one month. I initially left on good terms, but that relationship has soured greatly due to the company’s financial problems. As a result, I have not listed the company on my resume. Should I mention this when interviewing? Also, I'm seeking an administrative position and have been faxing dozens of resumes for over one month and haven't had any interviews. Is it possible that employers/recruiters are moving slowly with hiring because it is still early in the year? I'm both working with employment agencies and searching on my own. Is there anything I can do to make myself more attractive as a candidate?

A. No one likes the experience of getting terminated, especially after just one month. What happened? Did you alienate yourself from your manager or colleagues? Was the job too difficult or over your head? How you answer those questions will indicate your course of action. Perhaps you have already tried getting your previous supervisor to write at least a general reference letter, since most companies prefer not being on record as firing people. If you can find someone to vouch for you from your old employer, that will help. If you're not getting interviews, you need to try other avenues to get your resume into the hands of more interested parties or perhaps try another line of work. I'm assuming that this wasn't your first job as an administrator, but if it is, you will not have much luck with recruiting agencies.

I can't recommend that you fail to mention your former firm on your resume, and you shouldn't lie about being let go, but don't make this the first sentence out of your mouth. Talk about the positive aspects of this job and your previous work experience if possible. Tell potential employers that your most recent employment assignment was on a trial basis and didn't work out. If you can provide a company reference, this is where you use it. If you choose not to mention this employer, you run the risk of being found out later on.

You can make yourself more attractive as a viable candidate by using the Internet and e-mail to send your resume rather than faxing it. Check the local Internet postings, attend job fairs, and knock on doors in person. Let your neighbors know you are looking for a position, network with your business and social contacts, and review the Sunday paper. The market for most types of workers is booming; you just have to be in the right place, so keep your chin up and treat your job search as a 40-hour per week job.

Explaining Dismissal

Q. I was dismissed from a position with a major bank. When asked why I left, I have told interviewers that there was a reorganization. Although this really was a factor surrounding the department in general, the company said it had to release me because some information was leaked from the department. When I challenged them, they couldn't produce the evidence. Anyway, I was the last one dismissed from the department within seven months. I have been out of work for five months and would appreciate advice on my search. I have sent out hundreds of resumes nationwide and am currently having second interviews with five reputable companies.

A. For a potential employer to check references from your previous employer, informally and off the record, would be relatively easy since it is a large bank -- perhaps this is why you've not received any offers to date. I believe you can be honest with a potential employer about your situation without cutting your own throat. You can at least explain in general what happened and why it happened, but to gloss over the situation with the oft-used "I was caught in a reorganization" apparently isn't working. You can point to office politics, a power struggle, and the fact you were the final employee to be released.

I would consider taking another position sooner than later, even if it were a notch below what you feel you are worth, just to get back into the market and to start rebuilding your self-esteem. Five months out of work must have hurt your finances, unless you received a severance package as part of your termination. Putting on rust waiting for the perfect offer is a mistake too many job seekers make.

Leaving a New Job

Q. My position was recently relocated out of my geographic preference, so I took a similar position with a smaller company. Although the job pays the bills, I am interested in pursuing more enticing opportunities from other companies to which I had applied prior to accepting this position. How should I handle this situation? I've been in my new position for only a few weeks, so it is difficult for me to take time off to interview.

A. Keep interviewing until you find the right position. Gingerly make a case with potential employers to meet with you before or after work, during lunch, or on the weekend. A new trend is for companies to conduct Saturday interviews, since candidates and hiring managers are so busy during their normal work schedules. You should try to be as fair to your current employer as possible, so if you're missing time, be sure to make it up somehow.

If you line up new work, give your current employer as much notice as possible. Offer to make the transition with a new hire as seamless as possible, even if it means you give back some time on the weekends with new hire. You'll feel better about yourself.

Unfair Raise

Q. My yearly raise is in January. A co-worker left last August, and I was asked to take on her responsibilities. I accepted and was given an increase in pay. When it was time for my yearly raise, I was told that I had already received one in August. The only increase I received in August was the increase for taking on more responsibilities. It's not fair to me at all. What should I do?

A. You must enjoy your work and current employer since you did agree to take on more responsibility as well as a raise in August. Next time, be sure to ask about the raise you were expecting six months from that point. You shouldn't expect semi-annual salary reviews unless your offer letter explicitly states that fact.

You do have a couple of options, though. The most obvious is to find another employer, especially if you feel slighted and hurt by the inaction of your manager. If your employer or manager gets the feeling you are looking to leave, and they don't want to lose you, they may be prompted to discuss this touchy situation. Since the economy is booming, recruiting new employees to replace those who are leaving has become costly and time-consuming for every employer, and no one likes to lose employees they want. You may be able to leverage your employer this way. If your employer takes no action, you know you are a short-timer there and really do need to leave. On the good chance you do get an offer, this process has allowed you to open your eyes to what else is out there and evaluate your current compensation against the market.

Article Source / About The Author

This sample computer programmer resume will give you a quickstart on building an effective and optimized resume for your job application. Visitors can feel free to customize and edit our sample computer programmer resume as per their requirement for job application. We hope that our sample computer programmer resume will go a long way in portraying your abilities and skillsets efficiently.

YOUR NAME HERE
123, MYStreet,
Somewhere, XZ 01234,
(123)-456 7890.

Objective

A challenging position as a Software Engineer and possibility of career growth.

Keywords

UNIX, C, C++, Visual Basic, M68000 Development, DEC, VAX, System Servers, SGI, Intel 8086 Assembler, VMS, Pascal, LISP, FORTRAN, Basic, Macro-II. ClearCase, RCS, MS, TeamWare, MS/DOS, Solaris, SCCS.

Employment History

2002 - Present Engineer
Arteck Industries, Scranton, PA
Worked on product planning along with its prototyping. Set up LAN and firewall consisting of Linux and Windows machines. Set up Linux web server and wrote Perl code to operate on the server system.

1997-2002 Software Engineer
Java Systems, Harrisburg, PA
Created web sites and documentation, using HTML, to manage various projects. Wrote design document, test plan, and user documentation. Enhanced HP-UX C library functions, for reliable shared access to the mount table. Developed a new libc function & fixed defects in other functions. Work done in UNIX and C using ClearCase.

Education
B.A. Computer Science, 1997
University of Richmond, Richmond, VA

1. Create useful labels and folders to keep you organized

Not every email is as urgent as the next, though it can be difficult to keep track of those you need to answer quickly. Develop a labeling system that helps you get things done. Tag your most important emails with ‘Reply ASAP’, or an equivalent. Less urgent tasks can be marked ‘To Do’, while the least urgent ones can be tagged with ‘Later’.

I also think it’s important to archive as many emails as you can. If you’re using Gmail, it’s not like you run the risk of running out of space, and it’s worth it in case you need to retrieve details or contact someone again in future.

To make retrieving emails easier I’d suggest removing immediate action tags like ‘To Do’ and replacing them with tags for the purposes of archiving (when you’re done with the email). If it’s correspondence with another blogger, tag it ‘Networking’ and archive it. If it’s to do with guest-posting, tag it ‘Guest-Posting’, and so on.

2. Process emails in batches

A simple way to increase your productivity is to turn off auto notifiers. It’s simply not necessary to check email constantly throughout the day, and doing so will regularly interrupt more important tasks. After receiving thousands of emails I can safely say that I’ve never received one that couldn’t wait 12 hours or so.

Process your inbox in batches. Make it once or twice a day, and try to get your inbox down to zero. This will allow you to plow through the rest of your productive tasks without constant interruption.

3.Re-read once

You can go back and edit typos in a blog post or article, but you only get one chance with emails. It’s important that your meaning and expression is clear, especially when making pitches or networking with other people.

Also, remember that spel

4. Read it, answer it

Many people have the habit of reading all the emails before actually replying to them. Sometimes they might even wait a couple of hours before getting back to these previously read emails.

Secondly, this process will also consume more time, since you will probably need to read each email a second time before remembering what you will need to say in the reply.

What would be a better approach? Simple, whenever you read an email, answer to it right away.

With all the career possibilities out there, deciding the career path you want to pursue can be a bit scary — and exciting. But, it's okay if you don't know exactly what kind of job you want after you graduate.

Take some time. Head in a general direction that fits your interests. You can adjust your route later on. In fact, studies show the average job-seeker will change careers (not just jobs) at least five times over his/her lifetime, and some may change as many as 10 times.

Here are some steps to get you started on thinking about your career goals:

• Explore your skills and interests.
• Research occupations that fit your personality and abilities.
• List the steps you need to take to accomplish your goals.