Resume Writing Tips & Free Resume Examples

College students' work experience is often seemingly unrelated to their job targets, and aside from that, the only information left to include is education. However, while this may seem like the case, it simply isn't so!

Transferable Skills

One method of approaching a college student or new graduate resume is to focus on transferable skills. These skills are applicable to different situations. The ability to communicate well, for example, is a skill that is useful in any industry or position. Other transferable skills may include the ability to work well with numbers, sales skills, or an ability to solve problems by looking at the big picture. These are only a few examples.

How do you list transferable skills? There are a number of ways to include transferable skills in your resume, job application, and cover letter. The following are some tips for various sections of the resume.

The Summary or Profile

Objective statements are out. Profiles are in. Open with a brief introductory paragraph describing your most "sellable" points. Briefly list transferable skills here, or present them in a keyword summary list. This is exactly as it sounds: a list of keywords. Use those that show your transferable skills.

Education

Depending on your college major, you likely had to write papers, complete projects, or both. What were the outcomes of these? Did you conduct comprehensive research on a subject? Design an engineering plan? Were these published or put into use in the "real world"? Use as much of your educational experience to your advantage. You can also include a summary of coursework, which often demonstrates transferable skills that are used in the educational setting and in the world of business.

Employment History

Many college students have a work history unrelated to their targeted field. If this is true for you, take heart. You can include many transferable skills on your college or new graduate resume. At the most basic, you likely gained professional skills such as dependability, working with others, collaborating on projects, communicating with clients or customers, and much more. Your work history may not be as unrelated as it first seems.

Additional Information

Any volunteer work or memberships may lead to transferable skills. Just as your employment history helps you learn transferable skills, so too does volunteer work. It also demonstrates a commitment to helping others. If you've fulfilled any roles in a professional organization, this too can show transferable (and sometimes directly related) skills.

When you take the time to thoroughly review your experience, education, and other related activities, you will discover a number of transferable skills. Use these to your advantage! Your resume, college application, job application, or cover letter will be much stronger for it. Read More..

Many people discount the value of including their volunteer work in their resumes. On the other hand, many employers are interested in finding people who are willing to commit themselves and go the extra mile for little in return. Volunteer work is a great way to show you’re focused on impact and not just compensation. Read More..

More than two thirds of resumes received include a cover letter so not including one puts an applicant at a distinct disadvantage as other applicants have more opportunity to catch the reviewers’ eye and land an interview. Cover letters are also a great opportunity to draw focus to what makes you an ideal candidate or explain a period of unemployment in your past. Read More..

Nothing is more boring than receiving a two or three page resume from a prospective employee that looks more like an essay. Instead, employers want you to highlight what you think your best qualities are, and lay them out from the very beginning. Choose a few relevant qualities. Highlight them, make them bold, put them in bigger font, just do something to make them stand out from the rest of your resume. Once you’ve done that, place them at the very top of the first page. Your interviewer will be much more interested in you if you don’t waste his or her time from the very beginning. Read More..

The rules of thumb for a basic resume aren’t really as challenging as some would think. Unless you are in a technical field or seeking an executive position, your resume shouldn’t be more than one page. It should include your objective at the top, your education, and your last ten years of work history in chronological order with the most recent first – working backwards. Depending on the space available, you can add a “Special Skills” Section. Though some prefer to indicate that references are “available upon request,” I advise adding the names, titles and phone numbers of two references at the bottom. It just makes it easier on the hiring agent.

This is the standard format that I use, and while there are other details involved, the challenge of writing a good resume is more about preparation than putting computer ink to paper.

Prior to writing your resume you should make sure that your answer greeting for the phone numbers you include on the resume is something you wouldn’t mind a potential employer hearing. I had one client with a cell phone greeting that was completely inaudible, and another client with a greeting that sounded as though she was in the middle of a party.

I don’t advise using an e-mail address on a resume. There are just too many reasons that something could go wrong (i.e.: mailbox overload, technical problems, etc.) However, if you feel you must use your e-mail address, here are some tips. Change your e-mail address or reconsider using it on a resume if it is something like wildchild@whatever.com or buffdude@whatever.com. The idea is that you want to convey an appropriate image from the start. Also, you need to be able to check your e-mail several times daily in order to be responsive. If you are going to be out of town and don’t have other access, make arrangements to have someone check your e-mail. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that, if a hiring agent is really interested, he will call you if he can’t get you by e-mail. The responsibility is yours to be accessible. If you make it difficult for them, or add time to their schedule, you may be risking your candidacy.

What I’ve shared may sound like a lot of common sense, but there really is a process to creating a good resume. Streamlining work history is usually the key concern for most people. Resume preparation becomes more difficult, however, for those who have problematic situations, but even those can be resolved. If you have limited work history, making your resume appear “thin,” then add or elaborate on a “Special Skills/Training” section or “Special Skills/Experience” section. If you don’t have a college degree or formal education beyond high school, you can still use your graduation from high school on your resume. Include other training, as well. For those with a long military background, make sure your duties are expressed in everyday language, and show a relation between that work and your new career objective.

The most important action to take when preparing and writing your resume is to adopt a marketing mindset. With a basic format and the right mindset, that resume headache you started out with will never haunt you again.

Mary Kurek is a Networking and Marketing Coach who works with entrepreneurs and people transitioning jobs and careers. Mary is launching an instant resume kit in late March 2007. She conducts workshops on the subjects of networking, entrepreneurship and small business marketing. Her new book, Whose Hiding in Your Address Book is due for release June 2007. Visit http://www.marykurek.com Read More..

Back in the 1950's, a Time magazine reporter interviewed a world-famous pianist about his work. The reporter asked: "What's most challenging about playing the piano?" The pianist thought for a moment and replied: "I do OK with the notes, but the spaces between the notes give me lots of trouble." What he meant, of course, was that he was very competent at the mechanics of playing the piano, but found the subtlety and nuance of making music, getting the "spaces between the notes" right, a continual life-long challenge. Job seekers are getting great advice today from a variety of sources about pursuing career opportunities. The total job search process is well-documented in terms of how to perform discrete steps such as drafting a resume, preparing and using cover letters, using job boards on the internet, etc.. While mastering each of the steps is important, it doesn't necessarily enable a job seeker to address the "spaces between the notes" of the Job Search process. Good mechanics may not be enough to get to the job offer. Here's a summary of some key issues to address to be effective in working on those "spaces between the notes." Understanding the first steps taken by the employer is vital for the job seeker, so let's begin there. Job Specifications: what the company wants When a position becomes available in a company, the HR function and hiring manager review and reach agreement upon the criteria for selecting the right person. Job specifications define requirements such as education, work experiences, industry background, skill sets and technical proficiencies, which may result in eight to ten criteria for the hiring decision. The specifications, in turn, drive all phases of the selection process, such as resume screenings, evaluation of job fair candidates, interview assessments, etc., through to hiring of the final candidate. The job specifications are readily available to job seekers in ads, postings on company web sites and other sources. The order of presentation of the specifications also demonstrates what is most to least important and may suggest possible tradeoffs and areas of flexibility as well. The challenge of the job seeker is to get at the "spaces between the notes" by effectively addressing the job specifications at every stage of the selection process: the resume design, the phone screening interview and the job interview. Consider the following: Resume Design: send a clear message A resume screener searches for candidates who match the specifications. A strong, focused resume that captures three or four core competencies plus related accomplishments allows the screener to make multiple connections with the job specifications. The resume screener doesn't need to know all that the job seeker has ever done; instead, he/she is looking for the match between the specs and the background outlined in the resume. Some key points: Core competencies are the key skills of the job seeker, those skills that are performed well, with subject matter expertise, supported by solid accomplishments. Core competencies should be evident throughout the two-page resume. Every job seeker has one set of core competencies, so one resume should be used, mixing and matching the presentation of the core competencies to improve the correlation with job specs as needed. If the core competencies match up well with the specs, then the process moves forward. Phone Screening Interview: get "on message" Recruiters contact those prospects that appear to match up well with the specs to determine if they are viable candidates. Like resume preparation, there are abundant resources available for how to handle this step as well, but some key points to improve performance are: Recruiters ask questions because they don't know what the answers are. Respond to the questions asked, avoid using questions to segue into other areas. Comments about career, job roles and responsibilities are most effective if the job specs are used to drive the details. Core competencies should be presented using the priorities of the job specifications as script direction. Any shortcomings versus the specs should be addressed by citing other, comparable achievements. Finally, close the call with a summary of core competencies and state a strong interest in a meeting to discuss the opportunity. All other considerations being equal, the job seeker who stays "on message" by presenting his/her core competencies in terms of the job specifications will get the opportunity to interview for the position. Interview: talk about the specifications Interviewing job seekers enables a company to evaluate the candidates, test their own expectations and find the "best fit" to effectively meet their hiring goals. Consider some key points about job interviewing: The job specs provide a "road map" for content. Use the specs to share details about career, job roles and responsibilities that connect to the specs. Listen to the Interviewer and answer the questions asked. Be prepared to ask a few solid questions that demonstrate knowledge and comfort level with the job specifications, which will illustrate that you "walk the talk" when it comes to the company requirements. A final point: ask for the job! Summary Today's job seeker is on a steep learning curve to successfully launch and sustain a career search process. But focusing upon one's career, skills, abilities and goals is not enough. The key issue to address is the company goals and job specs. At each step of the resume/phone screen/interview process, the job seeker is challenged to integrate the job specifications with his/her core competencies, fully demonstrating the connectivity between their skills and company needs. Doing so effectively enables the job seeker to get the "spaces between the notes" right and greatly increase the potential for success in the interview/selection process. Bill Broderick is a Management Consultant in Human Resources with a broad background in executive search and selection as well as career coaching. He is a Partner in Work Ministry, Ltd and the website, www.workministry.com, which is dedicated to assisting job support groups. He can be reached at: bbroderick@workministry.com

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Whether you are preparing an application letter or an acceptance letter, it is important to understand the purpose of each type of letter so that the recipient can quickly understand the information that you are trying to convey.

Cover or application letters are used to introduce your resume to a potential employer. In the first paragraph, tell the employer that you are interested in working for them and describe the position you are seeking. In the second paragraph, outline your strongest qualifications that match the position. Provide evidence of your related experiences and accomplishments. Make reference to your enclosed resume. Sell yourself in the third paragraph. Convince the employer that you have the personal qualities and motivation to perform well in the position. In the fourth paragraph, suggest an action plan. Request an interview and indicate that you will call during a specific time period to discuss the possibility of an interview. In the last paragraph, thank the reader for their time and consideration.

Prospecting letters are used to find out if a job opening exists or may be created. In the first paragraph, indicate your interest and reveal your source of information. In the second paragraph, outline your strongest qualifications. Focus on broader occupational or organizational skills. In the remaining three paragraphs, sell yourself to the employer, suggest an action plan, and thank the reader for their time and consideration.

Networking letters are used to make contact with a specific person recommended to you by someone else who may assist you in some way with your job search. In the first paragraph, tell the reader how the two of you are connected (i.e., alumni, mutual friend, similar background, etc.). In the second paragraph, state your purpose without pressuring the reader. Briefly explain your situation. In the last paragraph, request a meeting at a mutually convenient time, and indicate that you will call during a specific time period to make arrangements.
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An computer programmer resume should clearly show a candidate's technical skills. To achieve this, add the technical summary or technical expertise section to your resume. Further break this section into subcategories for a quick scan of your knowledge of programs and applications.

Fortunately, software resumes have a very simple format. The key to writing an effective resume is to put yourself into the head of the prospective hiring manager or human resources recruiter.

Keep a strong focus

Keep a strong focus on your goals in the field of programming, incorporating parts of your background to illustrate them. A statement of your goals is one of the clearest indicators to a prospective employer of whether or not there might be a match.

For example include the following that is applicable to you

• software
• technical certifications
• operating systems
• networking/protocols
• programming/languages
• database applications
• Web applications

Highlight some of your soft skills in a Career Summary section to add a personality to your software resume. Remember your resume should be short enough, yet should be able to effectively showcase your achievements. Do not make it excessively lengthy.

computer or other qualification in an computer programmer resume should consist course content in brief, the duration, the institute and also the result. This domain could also consist of the projects done including platform used ( Front-end and Backend) which add a value to the job applied for and correspondingly any qualifications like personality development, marketing diploma or in general research or studies being associated with.

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This sample builder 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 builder resume as per their requirement for job application. We hope that our sample builder resume will go a long way in portraying your abilities and skillsets efficiently.

My Name
1234, MyStreet,
Somew, MU 0123,
(123)-456 7890.

OBJECTIVE

Obtain a challenging position with commercial development company in New York Metro area, where I can learn and contribute in positive ways.

EXPERIENCE
Takeda Construction Belmar, NJ; October 1998-Present
Design Engineer

• Required to prepare daily construction logs for ongoing projects.
• Field supervisor for build out of office projects over 25,000 sf.
• Prepared budgets and cost breakouts for subject appraisal and approval process
• Coordinate filed activities with design changes and internal scheduling

Manalapese Brothers Developers Ocean, NJ; January 1996-September 1998
Construction Management / Staff Engineer

• Supervised site work for subdivision build outs. Typical home in excess of 4,000 sf
• Prepared budget and cost breakouts for planning board review.
• Met inspectors on site to keep development process proactive
• Was site manager for over 100 custom home build outs.

Holman Group - Office Development Parsippany, NJ; May 1994-January 1996
Draftsman / Site Work Coordinator

• Verified field measurements of survey team for final designs.
• Drafting of various office and retail improvement projects. Typicla size in excess of 100,000 sf.
• Responsible for survey crew training and scheduling. Sometimes fill in for crew chief to run traverse calculations and levels.
• Exposure to primarily office and retail build outs.

EDUCATION
Algamesh University, Algamesh, Ohio B.S. Civil Engineering; June 1994

• Student body president, senior year.
• Internshi

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A professional acting resume is a written copy of any previous acting work you might have done. In your resume make sure you list the roles you've played in movies, TV or plays, your training (if any) and all the special skills. Special skills may also include things like juggling and skateboarding.

At the same time you do not have to list everything you’ve done but the most important roles and events first followed by others performances and emphasize on the key roles that you have performed.

It is better to produce an acting resume that accurately represents your experience and your achievements. This document should ideally be a one-page document that lists your Theatrical, Stage, Film, TV, and Commercial experience. A good idea is to sub-divide your acting resume so that each area of your career is clearly represented.

Awards and Honours are critical information and should be acknowledged as such. Training and education both formal and informal should be detailed along with membership of professional affiliations.

• Don't lie about your experience or make up any special skills or write things down just so you fill in the special skill area.
• Do not make a resume larger that 8 ½ x 11. If possible stick to the fundamental one page lengthy resume.
• Your resume should be well readable by others, so take care of the appropriate font size.
• Make sure the head shot shows your face.
• If possible include a headshot that is better or more glamorous you, but still you.
• The contact information should be up-to-date.
• Create an email address just for your acting resume.
• Emphasise your education and training to add strong touch to your resume

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1. Don't make spelling or typing errors.

2. Address it to the person who can hire you. Resumes sent to the personnel department have a tougher time of it. If you can find out (through networking and researching) exactly who is making the hiring decision, address the letter to that person. Be sure the name is spelled correctly and the title is correct. A touch of formality is good too: address the person as "Mr.," "Ms.," "Mrs.," "Miss," "Dr.," or "Professor." (Yes, life is complicated.)

3. Write it in your own words so that it sounds like you--not like something out of a book. (Electra gets in trouble with libraries when she says things like this.) Employers are looking for knowledge, enthusiasm, focus.

4. Being "natural" makes many people nervous. And then even more nervous because they are trying to avoid spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. If you need a little help with grammar (do they still teach grammar?)--check out the classic work on simple writing, Strunk & White's Elements of Style, published in 1918 and now online. A good place to begin is "Chapter 5: Words and Expressions Commonly Misused."

5. Show that you know something about the company and the industry. This is where your research comes in. Don't go overboard--just make it clear that you didn't pick this company out of the phone book. You know who they are, what they do and you have chosen them!

6. Use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the employer. (This is where your industry research and networking come in.) If you are applying for an advertised position, use the requirements in the ad and put them in BOLD type.

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