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Well, I will say this, I really steered clear of the whole you need a resume and cover letter song and dance. But I have to add that it is really important. I will not underestimate the power of a great resume and cover letter. That goes without saying for any job. My book gives you the option on what to do here. You can either do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. A poor resume and cover letter is like showing up to a formal in sweat pants. Would you do that?
As another poster said, many employers use a system that screens resumes for key words and use it to "cull the calf from the herd." Employers get a lot of resumes these days so if you want a job, your resume needs to stand out. Back in the day, job seekers used nice quality paper and font style/size to attract attention to their resume. These days, with the electronic application process, your resume needs to have substance, key words used in your field and list true accomplishments to get attention.
A well written resume will reflect your experience and accomplishments, without being a glorified job description. So many people just list what they do, day after day. While this is important, employers want to know what it is about you that reflects your initiative, creativity, work ethic, ability to work under pressure, etc....
On my resume for example, I listed that I "conceptualized and created a training manual, along with a training program for new employees."
This reflects creativity, initiative and willingness to go above and beyond my daily duties. Employers want to hire folks who will contribute something to their company, so make it a point to list what it is you have done in the past to improve or streamline procedures, efficiancies, safety, etc...
"I have to disagree with this statement. Employers are receiving hundreds of resumes through the mail and email for each position. You end up on top of the pile if a respected employee walks into the hiring manager's office and hands it to him/her with a recommendation"
Maybe some employers are getting "hundreds of resumes for each position" but don't think that it's like that all over. In human services, and in a lot of healthcare, we get very few resumes that actually reflect appropriate qualifications for a job. Sure you get a lot of resumes from online job sites, but most of them are for people who applied even though they are not qualified (like we require an RN, Master's degree, or MD and they apply anyway, even with no degree).
We're lucky to get 3-5 appropriate resumes for an open position. And if a respected employee recommends someone, that might help them a little, but hiring managers really want to interview all the candidates and pick the best one, rather than rely on what a co-worker tells them about a buddy.
A resume will probably not get you into a job, but it can definitely keep you out of one. As mentioned earlier, many companies now use automated key word locating software to scan resumes for potential applicants. This is especially true for companies that have online applications where you upload your resume. I have seen numerous, otherwise qualified, applicants rejected because of this. I have also been in a position to review resumes for potential candidates. When you have a stack of resumes 1 foot tall, trust me, you don't read them all. Employers will quickly glance over a resume for key points such as work history (job titles/employers), education (degree/no degree), references, etc. If these things are not easy to pick out at first glance...reject, on to the next.
It all depends on the job and the company. Its like dating. You date the girl down the street, you can walk up to her, talk to her, and if its chemistry, ya'll start going out. If its some rich girl, highly ranked in the social echelon, then you need connection, something to make you stand out, your resume, your networking, all of it helps. There is no ONE thing that is the miracle answer. You want to win the lottery, hey it happens, the odds are against you doing it. Get a professional 2 page resume, nice short cover page, introducing yourself and what you can do, what you have done, if you know someone in the company that you are trying to get employed with, get them to drop your resume off with the person that is making a decision on the job, not just an HR person, but someone that has a say in it, HR can drop it for many reasons. If you are going to network, use it, dont just throw your name in there and hope, work it to its advantage. Find out about the company if you get an interview, and go prepared for it. Resume, network, and follow-up. If you want a job, you have to send out a dozen resumes a week, keep on trying, one will come back, you'll get interviews, and you will learn, what youre doing wrong, and what youre doing right. experience is the best thing.
It is very important at first, but if you get the interview, your personality and how you come across will play a bigger role imho. I found many interviewers clearly hadn't bothered reading the resume/application or only glanced over it.
Your resume's job is to get you the interview. If it is poorly written you won't get past pre-screening much less get in front of the hiring manager.
Your resume should be written from the prospective employers perspective. In other words it's not about you and what you want; it's about you and want the hiring manager wants. Make it easy for decision makers to see what you bring to the table and how your skills can be applied to their work.
I too disagree with the networking statement. I know several high school students who found work this way as well as more experienced workers.
There are general keywords and there are keywords specific to the position that you're seeking. Just a few examples:
General: Experienced, Action oriented, Successful, results driven, high energy, etc.
Specific to, say, Marketing: Product Marketing, Marketing Communications, Program Management, E-Marketing, Direct Mail, etc.
If you're responding to an online job posting, you can pull keywords from the "Duties" and "Qualification" sections of the job description. Make sure to include them in your resume. Typically, put them into a Summary statement at the beginning of your resume.
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