Tag Archives: resume writing tips

Word Format Vs. Text Format And Why You Need Both

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Apart from crafting the content within your resume in a professional and effective manner, you will also need to consider how you will format your resume. This is especially important if you are submitting your resume online. You have to keep in mind that most employers who seek out and accept resumes online have very strict formatting rules in place to ensure that they can easily view your resume without any problems. With that in mind, you must consider Word format vs. Text format and why you need both.

At one time most companies who accepted resumes online would simply ask for potential applicants to submit their resumes in the body of emails.  However, when it came to printing up these resumes companies would immediately run into various formatting issues. Therefore, companies began to accept resumes in two general formats; Word or Text format. 

The problem is most people who put their resumes together will simply format them based on their personal preferences or based on the writing software that they use. However, just because you prefer one type of format or one type of writing software, does not mean that all potential employers will accept this type of file format.

For years many people would convert their resumes over to Adobe .PDF format, believing it to be the most professional manner in which to submit resumes online. However, more and more companies frown on this type of format due to the size of the files that are produced and in some cases because the company does not have the proper software to open and view these types of resumes. Given all these issues, it has now become an accepted industry standard that all resumes are either presented in Word or Text format.

How Do I Convert My Resume Into One Of These Two Formats?

90% of all writing software that comes packaged with computers allows you to save your resume in both Word format and Text format. So all you have to do is go to the “SAVE AS” function in your writing software and choose the Word or Text file extension.

If your writing software does not feature these options you can simply run an online search for a free conversion website or utility that you can use in order to convert your resume to either Word of Text. The good news is that there are literally hundreds of these free services available.

How Do I Know What Format I Should Submit My Resume In?

When it comes to Word format vs. Text format and why you need both, you will need to check this out with the company you are submitting your resume to. You will simply have to ask them how they would like for you to submit your resume and in which format they choose. Just be aware that 95% of all companies within the United States will accept either Word or Text format. This is why when it comes to Word format vs. Text format and why you need both, you should simply have a file version of each on hand so that you will be ready to submit your resume no matter what file extension and type that they desire.

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How To Properly Use Industry Keywords In Your Resume

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You need to look at your resume in a manipulative manner. The purpose of your resume is to gain employment by getting noticed by potential employers. With that in mind you need to work your resume in such a way that it operates as a personal infomercial that truly sales you to the potential employer. One of the easiest ways to take this idea to the next level is to use industry keywords. When you use industry keywords you will truly be able to reach your employers on a powerful and effective level that will truly cater to their personal needs.

Consider this, when an employer is looking through resumes of potential employees they are doing so in a selfish manner. They are looking at each resume to determine your worth and value to them. They honestly don’t “care about you.” They simply want to see what it is that you have that will truly benefit them in a great way. If they don’t see this in your resume and they don’t see a purpose or role or need that you would fill in their company, then chances are that they will never call on you.

How Does The Use Of Industry Keywords Improve My Employment Chances?

There are certain words and phrases that have been embedded in your employers minds. These are general words that speak to them when they consider their company. When you begin to use these words it will signal something in the employer’s mind that will lead them to believe that you are on the same page as them. Though these are not subliminal words, they work in much the same way. When you use these words, they truly grab the attention of the employer who may be reading your resume.

When you use industry keywords, you will need to make them specific to the type of company that you are seeking out employment through. For instance, if you are attempting to gain employment at a computer company that deals with technology and software, then you need to target a few well chosen relevant keywords such as: software, computers, and technology.  Some of these words may already be in your resume. Therefore, much of the work will already be done for you. However, you need to make sure that there types of words are used all throughout your resume in order to maintain a potential employers attention throughout your resume.

Other Ways In Which Companies Use Industry Keywords

Many companies will actually run all resumes they receive through a computer system that actually searches for industry specific keywords. If your resume fails to be flagged for such words the chances of you gaining employment through that company are slim to none. With that in mind you can truly see the dire importance in using industry keywords in your resume.  In some cases they are absolutely necessary to ensure your success.

It should also be noted that you can take advantage of many free online keyword utilities that will assist you in determining which keywords are used by specific industries.

See Resume Keyword Examples…

Supporting Your Strengths To Gain Better Results In Your Resume

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When it comes to resume writing many people are “all talk.” The problem with this is the majority of potential employers are aware of this. Therefore, when you are putting your resume together you will have to make an effort to go out of your way to support each and every statement that you make. It’s no point simply telling an employer what your strengths are; you have to show them what your strengths are based on your previous work experience or skills. Supporting your strengths is paramount to successful convincing a potential employer to call you in for an in person interview.

Most employers will ask a very common question during their live interviews. This question is: “What are your weaknesses and strengths?” When crafting your resume, you should have already answered this question by presenting your skills and experiences in a way that clearly reveals this information to anyone who is reading your resume. If you do this in your resume and leave nothing open for questions then you will be one step ahead of your competition.

How Do I Support My Strengths In My Resume?

1. The first thing you need to do is determine what your strengths are. You can do this by writing a list of everything that you consider to be your strengths. For instance, do you feel that you are a good communicator? If so, you would write “communication” down on this list of strengths.

2. Now that you have this simple idea in mind, you need go about finding a way to prove this to anyone who may be reading your resume. You can do this by backing up each of these strengths with facts or instances that would have allowed you to learn perfect communication skills.

3. So the next thing you should do is figure out what it is that makes you say you are such a good communicator. Think of examples from your past employment or any special classes or trainings that you may have undergone that would have contributed to you being a good communicator. These are things that you can use when it comes to supporting your strengths in a clear and accurate way that will be more than pleasing to potential employers.

Where Do You Go About Supporting Your Strengths In Your Resume?

There are numerous places in your resume that you can go about supporting your strengths in your resume. First and foremost, you can take advantage of this in your cover letter. You can provide a brief paragraph where you cover your main strengths and how you acquired these strengths. You can also support your strengths in your employment history when you list any skills that you gained through this employment.

However, don’t just simply list these skills; instead provide a brief example or idea of where these strengths came from. Such as with “communication” you could write something like: “gained communication strengths through multiple communication trainings.”  

There is no right way or wrong way to go about backing up your strengths with a purpose and a reason for how they came about. Just make sure that they flow well with the rest of your resume and that they are not overly “worded” down.

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Explaining Gaps in Employment History

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There may have been a time when you were unemployed for a large gap of time. These are simply referred to as “gaps in employment.” The problem is that the industry standards of resume writing do not feature a default location wherein you can explain or express the reasoning for your gaps in employment history. Therefore, you will need to find a way to justify these gaps using your cover letter.

It is crucial that you explain these gaps in employment, else a potential employer may consider that you were simply lazy and didn’t want to work for a period of time. Other employers may believe that you have on-going health issues which prevented you from working or that your personal life is so chaotic that you were unable to work. These are general concerns that an employer is likely to imagine if you do not explain to them upfront why you have gaps in your employment history. You can immediately put their thoughts to rest by simply explaining in your resume upfront why they will notice gaps in your employment history.

As previously stated, your cover letter is the perfect place to do this. You can include a paragraph like this, for example:

“You may notice while reviewing my resume that there is a gap in my employment history from January 2008 to March 2008. During that time, I was recovering from an operation to correct my vision. The surgery was successful and I am 100% recovered and am ready to commit myself to employment with your company. There are no future surgeries needed for my vision problems and I will not need time off work for such matters in the future. I wanted to inform you of this up front so that there are no concerns in regards to my brief gap in employment.”

Keep in mind that this is simply a rough example of one way in which you can go about explaining your gaps in employment history. You may additionally want to include a note in the Work Experience section of your resume where the gap is to refer to your cover letter for an explanation for your gap in employment history. This way if the employer skipped over your cover letter before reviewing your resume that they can quickly go back and review it to obtain answers.

Won’t My Gaps In Employment History Make It Harder For Me To Obtain Employment?

This is a legitimate concern and in some cases gaps in employment history may make it harder for you to obtain employment, especially if these gaps are continually appearing in your resume. However, you should never mess with or manipulate employment dates in order to hide your employment gaps. When you do that you are simply setting yourself up for disaster when an employer begins to check your past work history.

Honesty is the best policy when it comes to resume writing. If you are fearful about the gaps in your employment history just be prepared to express reasoning for your gaps otherwise you will be mumbling your way back to the unemployment line.

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Job Hunting Tips: The Benefits of Having Worked for a Competitor

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Are you currently hunting for a job in the same line of work that you are previously in? Or have you worked in the same line of work for years and are currently seeking out employment? If so, you will be happy to know that there are numerous benefits involved in applying for a position at a company that is a direct competitor of another company which you have previously worked in.

Many companies are more than happy to hire employees who have worked at their competitor’s place of business. One reason for this is experience.  Competitor “A” knows that you worked for competitor “B”, which means that they will instantly believe that you have knowledge and experience at the type of job that you are applying for at their place of business. This can easily convince a potential employer that you would be a great asset to their company and that you would be very easy to train due to your previous work experience.

It is a known fact that the majority of employers are more likely to hire an individual who have worked for their competitor over another individual who has the same experience and education. This is because they are aware that the first applicant has already proven themselves successful in this line of work. In fact, many employers will browse the work history sections of resumes simply looking for applicants who have worked for their direct competitors.

Another reason why some companies are more apt to hire an individual who has worked for a competitor over a person who hasn’t, is to simply attempt to acquire information about the other company. This may sound like a shady business practice but many companies will hire their competitor’s employees in order to learn how the other company “does it.” Or they will hire them to simply gain more information and knowledge about their competitor.

How Do I Tell A Potential Employer That I Worked For Their Competitor?

There are two simple and direct ways that you can tell a potential employer that you have worked for their competitor. First and foremost, you will need to list this past position in the work history section of your resume. You should list everything about your position. This includes the company name, years of employment, your position, and your specific job responsibilities. You may even wish to update your resume in order to add additional information in this section.

Secondly, you should make mention of this in your cover letter. You can immediately tell a potential employer that you are confident that you can carry out the job for which they are hiring because you worked for their competitor. This is very direct and a very effective way in which to blatantly tell an employer that you can use the skills and knowledge that you gained from their competitor to succeed at their company.

Never hesitate to tell a company that you have worked for their competitor.  Some applicants are fearful that this information will prevent them from getting the job. However, that is rarely the case.

More Resume Writing Tips from CareerRush…

Examples of Keeping Your Resume Updated

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Even if you are not currently seeking out employment you should always be sure to keep your resume updated. Most people will wait until they are looking for a new job before they will go back and update their resumes.  However, it is always much easier for an individual to update their resume as they go along. This way they can be more certain that the information they are placing in their resume is accurate, and so that they can easier remember the things that they desire to add to their resume when making updates.

A common problem amongst people who set out to update their resumes is that they have waited so that they will have forgotten important information. This may include all the responsibilities they had while at the previous job or even what months and years that they were employed with past companies.  Some people will even forget what their supervisor’s names were.

Without this type of information intact, it can cause the resume updating process to be long and drawn out. Additionally, it can result in you being dishonest on your resume even when you don’t mean to. This could result in you losing your chances of gaining a specific job if an employer discovers inaccurate information on your resume. There is no denying the importance of keeping your resume updated at all times.

Another thing to consider is this: even though you may be happy in your current place of employment, you may be offered an advancement or other means of employment that is too great to pass up. When this happens wouldn’t you rather have an already updated and accurate resume to immediately submit? Otherwise you may have to quickly slap an updated resume together, which could lead to a greater chance of you providing inaccurate information to a potential employer.

What Is The Best Method Of Keeping A Resume Updated?

One interesting thing you may wish to do is keep a Word document on your computer wherein you can constantly add updates on your current job and skills. Many people will actually keep index cards available in a file which they will add important career specific information to as new information becomes available to them. They can then take this information that they have collected yearly or monthly and can then add it into their preexisting resume.

When updating your resume, you should also be aware that industry standards for the formatting of resumes changes often. Therefore, a format that you may have used years ago may no longer be acceptable. So always be prepared to completely reformat your resume from beginning to end.

There is no right or wrong way to go about updating your resume just as long as you are actively updating your resume on a regular basis. You may want to schedule yourself or set up a reminder on your computer to alert you that you need to update your resume every so often. This is a great way to be sure that you keep on top of things concerning your resume.

Resume Writing Tips: Leaving Out Irrelevant Information

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One of the biggest mistakes that some resume writers make is including too much information in their resumes. Too many individual become way too wordy when writing their resumes. The problem with this is if your resume is too long, it may simply bore a potential employer to tears. When this happens, the employer begins to quickly lose interest. This is why you must be concise and direct when putting your resume together. You should basically omit anything that is not needed.

Remember, your resume is a tool that can be used to get your foot in the door. Once your foot is in the door and you have been contacted for an interview, then you will have the opportunity to talk about yourself and your skills to your hearts intent. Until that time you should greatly limit the information which you present in your resume. You should limit this information to what is relevant and what is needed to be revealed so that you can gain an interview.

The use of irrelevant information is the best way to take a professional resume and to turn it into a complete travesty. You should only consider including things in your resume which directly act with the type of position that you are applying for. You don’t need to include an over-kill of personal information.  Many people will do this believing that the revealing of their personal information outside of work will make an employer feel closer to them. This is hardly ever the case. An employer is only looking for those skills and attributes that will serve them well in the work place and are not concerned with your personal hobbies or life.

In fact, most companies want to make sure that their employee’s personal lives and obligations don’t conflict with their work. Therefore, you should limit the use of irrelevant personal information from your resume all together.

How Do I Know If I Have Included Irrelevant Information In My Resume?

The best way to determine if you have included irrelevant information in your resume is to simply interview yourself for the position that you are attempting to acquire. Begin reading over your resume. As you read over each section ask yourself if the information provided is relevant to the position that you have applied for. If it is not, then it most likely does not belong.

Read over your resume again. Have you included any personal information about yourself that is not relevant to obtaining a job? If so, this personal information should also be removed from the resume. You may want to apply this rule to your objective and cover letter as well. Oftentimes, people use their cover letter and objective to simply talk about themselves and what this job will do for them. Instead, you should be using these sections to tell a potential employer what hiring you would do for this job. Make your resume about your employers and not about yourself.

Omit what’s irrelevant from your resume and you will have a better chance of acquiring the position of your dreams.

Checkout the CareerRush Resume Writing Tips Knowledgebase for more tips.

Resume Writing Tips: Avoiding Age Discrimination

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Though age discrimination is illegal in the United States, it is still a common practice amongst companies. This happens in part due to applicants making age specific claims on their resumes. One of the great things about resumes is the fact that you are not required to place your age or birth date on your resume. This information is generally collected on a general application.

Therefore, you can instantly avoid age discrimination while crafting your resume by not placing age specific information on your resume. This includes in the writing of your cover letter. Many older individuals will use their cover letter to tell stories from their past. They will reveal their age and will even sometimes mention the fact that many companies discriminate by age. 

This will generally be an instant “red flag” to most employers. If a potential employer sees a claim like this made in a cover letter they are less likely to contact you because you have already made your age an issue. If you are presenting potential employers with legal actions and phrases such as “age discrimination” in your resume, they are likely never to contact you out of fear that you are the type of person who will file a lawsuit at the drop of a hat.

You are not required by law to reveal your age within your resume. Therefore, you should not even make mention of your age in any way, shape, or form unless asked upfront. Even then, a company is not permitted to not hire you based on your age alone. They can only pass you over you if you are not capable completing the job for which they are hiring you or considering you for.

Isn’t Hiding My Age Against The Law?

There is a difference between hiding your age and not mentioning your age.  There is no way that you can keep your age from a potential employer.  They might not know how old you are based on your resume but the moment that you walk in for an interview they will know how old you are. 

With that in mind, you don’t want to make a potential employer think you are younger than you are when crafting your resume. Therefore, you still need to include all date specific information such as the years you attended high school and college, and what years and dates you worked for other companies.

What you should do is prove to these potential employers based on your cover letter, objective and general resume information that you are the best choice for the job for which you are applying. If you can prove this to an employer based on your resume alone, the chances of them not hiring you upon meeting you and discovering your age are slim to none. Most companies are more concerned with experience and ability then they are with the age of a person.

Just because you don’t come out and reveal your age in your resume doesn’t mean that you are hiding your age. Just be prepared for questions that may be asked of you during your interview that may be age directed.

Resume Writing Tips: Don’t State the Obvious

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Resume Writing TipsThere are a few mistakes that people commonly make when they are putting their resume together. One such mistake is stating the obvious throughout their resumes. With a resume you want to limit the amount of words that you use. If you are constantly stating the obvious throughout your resume, it will appear unprofessional. Being aware of common obvious phrases that individuals use when writing their resumes will help you avoid falling into the same pattern.

I am “Available for the Interview”

Far too many applicants tend to use the phrase, “available for an interview” in their resume. In fact, many people will use this phrase more than just a couple of times in their resume so as to emphasize the point. However, the fact is, you don’t need to.

With a statement like this you are simply wasting space and boring potential employers by telling them the obvious. When you submit a resume to a company, they are already aware that you are “available for an interview.”  The simple fact that you presented the company with a resume is proof enough that you are interested in the position and are available for an interview.

Though phrases like “available for an interview” may seem needed by you, they are not! You need to avoid using these types of phrases so that a potential employer does not become annoyed with the obvious. These phrases simply waste the time of those reading them. You want to be direct and concise with the content of your resume and want to provide potential employers with information that they are not aware of.

This means you should be focusing more on the content that appears in your cover letter and objective. The things that you place in these two important sections of your resume are much more important than obvious statements.  However, most people who make these types of mistakes do so in their objective and in their cover letter.

When reading over and writing your resume, you need to ask yourself if what you are placing in your resume is necessary. If the details you are writing can be determined without reading them, then you should omit these words. There are more important aspects of your resume that you should be focusing on; such as the things that employers are not aware of. One of these is your special skills and job history. These are elements that a potential employer will not be aware of until you have revealed them to them.

How Can I Be Sure That I Am Not Stating The Obvious?

The best way to ensure that you are not stating the obvious is not to be personal within your resume. This means that you should only be providing content that is based on professional aspects of yourself and the job that you are applying for. You need to focus on providing facts based on your past work history and not on the type of person that you think you are or want to be.

Stick with the facts and keep it simple! If you do this, you can be certain that you are not stating the obvious throughout the resume. This will increase your chances of getting a call-back and will ensure that your resume is 100% professional in nature.

More Information: Our resume samples can help you get a better idea of how your resume should flow.

Resume Writing Tips: Defining Your Goals

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Resume WritingWhen writing your resume, you are ultimately defining your goals. Your resume will feature goals that you have already accomplished in the form of past work experience and special skills but it should also feature future goals. You want a potential employer to look at your resume and see that there are still things that you wish to accomplish. This will prove to a potential employer that you will bring a strong work ethic to the positions which they have open, for the simple fact that you have goals you wish to pursue in these available positions.

If your resume lacks definite goals, an employer will not be able to tell you apart from other applicants. Therefore, you must present your goals to potential employers so that they can see the worth in actually calling you in for an interview. If you lack these types of goals in your resume, you are not likely to gain the feedback and attention that you so desire. You are also less likely to be called in for an in person interview.

Keep in mind that the majority of companies in the world are not looking for “warm bodies” to fill their positions with. Instead, they are looking for individuals who are excited and interested in excelling at the jobs for which they are applying for. With a lack of goals in your resume, you are simply telling these potential employers that you are just another “warm body.” This is why you must go to great lengths in order to reveal your goals in your resume in an effective and professional manner.

Where Can I List My Goals In My Resume?

There are two very distinct places that you can list your goals on your resume. The first place is in your cover letter and the second is in your resumes objective.

Keep in mind, you should not simply create a section where you bullet-point your goals. Instead, you should include your goals in the general text of your cover letter or objective. Or you can choose to reveal your goals in both these areas. You simply need to learn how to turn your goals into professionally crafted statements that can show a potential employer what your goal and aim is for the position that you are currently applying for.

Perhaps the best and easiest way to do this is to seek out examples of cover letters and objectives that other individuals have created for their own resumes. You can then begin to read these cover letters and objectives and see if you can discover what their goals are. When you find wording that seems to express your own unique goals you can then use that text to apply to your own personal resume.

In fact, the best way to ensure that your resume is professional and worded in an enticing manner while successfully presenting your goals to the reader is to model your own resume after another professionals resume. Resume examples can greatly assist you in this task and can make it much easier for you to complete on your own.

Check out our free resume examples to get a better idea of how you should structure your resume.