Resume Writing

Nearly every article or book you will ever read will claim that they are the ultimate authority on resume writing. We're not going to make that claim here today. But we will tell you that we thoroughly research every resume writing article before we publish it. In fact, one of the advantages of an e-zine is that you are getting up-to-date information.

Not only do we thoroughly research each article on resume writing before it is published, but we also provide examples of well-written resumes whenever possible. This way we are assured of delivering to our readership the kinds of information that most people are looking for on the web.

Writing a Resume that Stands Out

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When you are writing your resume, you want to make it stand out from the rest of the crowd. You're in competition with many other individuals looking for a job, so you want your resume to make a lasting impression. Depending on the recruiter or the human resources person involved, there may be over one hundred applicants for a single job, so they need to narrow the field quickly. That screening process is a problem for many job applicants.

Have you ever read a job posting, and known in your heart that you are a great fit for the job? You know, the kind of job you could do without breaking a sweat. Your heart starts pumping, and you open up your electronic resume. You give it the once over and send it in, then you wait... and you wait. Nothing happens, no call. It's their loss right? No, it's your loss, because you missed out on a great opportunity.

Tailoring Your Resume to a Job

If you were such a good fit for the job, then the recruiter should have known that just by reading your resume. Your resume should have been written to demonstrate how you're uniquely qualified for the job, but it didn't. History is such a great teacher if we learn from it. Don't repeat past mistakes when writing a resume.

You need to take steps to improve your chances the next time a job opportunity presents itself. So how can you do this? Well, one approach is to tailor your resume to each type of job you're looking for. But we're getting ahead of ourselves because resume writing is more than just creating a customized resume.

Choosing the Best Resume Style

Writing a great resume, which is a resume that delivers results, starts out by choosing the best resume style that balances the job you're seeking, your job skills, and your work history. So you're first stop on your resume writing journey should be a review of each of the different resume formats used today:

Chronological Resumes - the chronological resume format is the most commonly used resume format today. It is a good format if you don't have any employment gaps in your work history, since it emphasizes your career timeline by listing your past employment in reverse chronological order.
Functional Resumes - the functional resume format is a good choice if you are new to the workforce or are looking for a career change. With this format, you're going to emphasize your career achievements.
Combination Resumes - the combination resume format starts out with a functional approach, and then finishes up with a chronological style. It is the most effective resume format when it comes to the marketing of your services.

Resume Templates and Wizards

Once you've chosen one of the above three resume formats, your next objective will be to speed up the whole resume writing process by using resume templates and wizards:

Resume Templates - you can use a resume template as the foundation for your resume. A good resume template will not only outline the correct sections to include in a resume, but also explain what type of information is best included in each of these sections.
Resume Wizards - you can also use a resume wizard to speed up the resume writing process. Wizards are normally packaged with word processing applications. If you decide to use one, make sure the finished resume is packaged exactly as described in the resume styles mentioned earlier.

Resume Writing Help

If you're trying to write a resume, and you're struggling, then you really need to step back from the entire process. While writing a resume should be a structured process, writing the content should also come naturally.

If you're looking for some resume writing help, then you might want to take a look at some of the resume writing resources we have to offer. This includes publications such as Resume Writing Tips or How to Write a Resume. We also have a career dictionary, as well as an offering of over 300 examples of resume power words.

Resume Writing Samples

If you're a visual person that needs to take a look at some examples before you're able to start writing, then we can help there too. In fact, we have a variety of resume samples including:

You can find our complete, and up-to-date, list in our feature article on Resume Writing Samples.

Resume Cover Letters

Resume cover letters are an important, but often overlooked, part of the resume writing process. You can spend days writing a resume that looks polished and professional but you need to keep things in perspective. A great cover letter is your introduction to your next potential employer.

Make sure you dedicate the time and attention your cover letter deserves. Be sure to take advantage of the information we have already put together on topics such as how to write a cover letter, as well as free cover letter templates.

Distributing a Resume

Finally, our article on Resume Posting Service can help you to better understand the three ways to leverage the speed of the Internet to increase your resume exposure: resume blasting, resume distribution, and using a resume posting service.

You might also want to consider preparing an electronic resume. In the information age, electronic resumes are becoming an extremely popular way of reformatting your resume. These electronic resumes are especially important if you know the hiring company is going to scan your resume into a database.

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