Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Writing a Resume Objective Statement

A resume is one of the most important tools that you can use in expediting your job search. It is the information that you would use to convince a hiring manager that you deserve an interview. It is not so much about your experience, but about how you word it that is important. Your resume is basically your personal advertisement to the employer to convince them they should hire you.

There are many parts and types of resumes. When you set out to put your resume together, you will need to research the type of resume that best fits your career history. Once you have chosen a resume type, you will need to gather all of your information.

The first part of your resume will include your contact information and name. The next portion of your resume will go one of two ways. You will either write an objective statement, or write a positioning statement. In years past, the objective was always the first part of the resume under the contact information. In recent years things have changed, and some experts recommend using a positioning statement instead.

What Is an Objective?

Simply put, an objective statement tells the employer what you are looking for in a job for which you would like to be hired. Objective statements are controversial these days, because tight job markets give employers a lot of people from which to choose. A lot of employers would rather hear what you have to offer them rather than hearing what you want.

If you decide to go ahead and use an objective statement in your resume, then you need to understand a few basic points. State your objective sentence in a clear and concise manner. Use active verbs rather than passive verbs to describe your objective. Make sure that your objective is specific and does not use any generalities. If you say, “I would like an administrative job using my customer service abilities,” that does not give the employer anything specific to evaluate you by. A better example goes something like this, “Executive level administrative professional with seven years experience in process improvement seeks to join a company facing the challenges of the new millennium head-on.” This tells the employer exactly what your goal is and what type of job you are searching for.

What Is a Positioning Statement?


A positioning statement is similar to an objective, except that it focuses more on what you have to offer a potential employer. You will want to follow some of the same advice that goes with an objective. Use action words. This lends power and creates a feeling in the employer that you will be an achiever in the organization. Here is one example: “Diligent achiever, adept at collaborating with customer to produce quality content relevant to the end user.” Notice the high powered action words, diligent and adept. These words will reinforce the idea that this applicant will produce positive results.

Whether you choose to use an objective or a positioning statement, make sure that your resume stands out from the crowd. If you follow these recommendations, you are much more likely to get the job.

Tip: Start writing with a sample resume objective and your own statement will be more professional and faster.

Why Writing a Great Cover Letter Is Crucial to Your Job Search

Writing a great cover letter is arguably the most important part of your job application process. Of course your resume will clearly outline your specific experience, skills, and qualifications. But your cover letter is your chance to set yourself apart from other applicants that may have similar qualifications.
Unfortunately, many job applicants submit mediocre cover letters and miss an opportunity to get ahead of the pack. In fact, many employers say that cover letters—not resumes—are often the deciding factor in their search for a new employee.

So how do you write that killer cover letter that will get you the job? It’s easier than you think. But in order to write a great cover letter, you have to know the dos and don’ts of writing a great cover letter.

Use proper grammar and spelling.
It seems like a no-brainer, but you should never submit a cover letter with grammatical and spelling errors. A clean, accurate cover letter will show that you are thorough and pay attention to detail, not to mention exemplify professionalism.

Keep it short and sweet.
When writing about yourself, it’s easy to ramble on and on. But a succinct yet thorough cover letter will demonstrate your communication skills and be more inviting to read. A few short paragraphs are all you need.

Be professional. A cover letter seems like a great opportunity to show your personality. And it is. But save your sense of humor for another day. Humor rarely comes off as it was intended in a cover letter. In general, it’s best to keep a professional and straight forward tone.

Highlight your strengths. Even if you’re slightly under qualified for the job, never mention your weaknesses in your cover letter. The cover letter is a place for you to shine.

Explain why you’re applying.
Tell the employer in your cover letter why you want the position. State the position you’re applying for right up front and explain why you’re interested in that job with their firm. This is a great opportunity to impress the reader by showing that you’ve done your homework as well as demonstrate your passion for the position or industry.

Explain what’s in it for them. When hiring a new position, employers want to know what you can bring to their organization. Identify the contributions you’ll make to their firm and how they can benefit from hiring you.

Say thank you. At the end of your cover letter, always thank the reader for taking the time to read your letter. It’s also an ideal place to declare your plans to follow up on your application. Let them know they’ll be hearing from you and that you intend to take action, instead of waiting for them to call you.

Writing a great cover letter gives your potential employer an opportunity to learn more about you than what’s on your resume. Never miss this opportunity to impress your reader and get the job you’ve always wanted.

Tip: Download a sample cover letter - your own cover letter will be more professional and faster to write a result.

Using Resume Buzz Words to Write a Technology-Proof Resume

These days, landing an interview means more than just an impressive resume. With technology becoming an important part of the hiring process, your resume has to pass the technology test with resume buzz words.

Once upon a time, your resume only needed to impress a pair of human eyes. Your resume would land in the hands of a human resources professional or administrative assistant and their judgment alone would determine whether you moved on to the next phase in the hiring process.

In an effort to make hiring faster and easier, many companies have added resume scanners into the mix. That’s correct, your resume may have to pass a computerized test before it even finds its way onto the HR desk. Resume scanners help hiring companies sort through piles of resumes based on key words and terms. As if job searching weren’t difficult enough, it just got a little bit harder.

Or did it? If your resume is written for both the human reader and the computer scanner, you can use this new technology to your advantage. Instead of ending up in the shredder, your resume can sit at the top of the pile with the proper inclusion of resume buzz words.

When writing your resume, it’s important to highlight certain key words, or buzz words, that these scanners are looking for. Make it easy for these machines to find what your potential employer is looking for. Not sure which resume buzz words to include? Here are a few to get you started:

Keywords Used in their Job Posting. Employers don’t want to waste their time with job seekers that haphazardly submit their resume to dozens of job postings. With that said, resume scanners will search for specific keywords used in the job posting to find applicants who took the time to customize their resume. Take a good look at the ad and be sure to include relevant buzz words.

Industry Related Terms and Organizations. Depending on your field and the organization you are applying with, include keywords that are relevant to the industry. You may also refer to companies and organizations that are also related to the industry.

Skills and experience related keywords. When highlighting your specific skills and background, use basic descriptors that the scanner will recognize. Label your software proficiencies by name along with your individual talents such as team player, leader, or independent.

Past employers and positions. Clearly define your past experience by highlighting the positions you held, departments, and well-known companies you may have worked for. Make it easy for the machine to identify that you were a manager at a well-known firm.

Most importantly, you need to be honest. Including certain resume buzz words might get you past the initial scan. But you must be able to back up your claims in an interview. Only include resume buzz words that accurately define you and your experience.

When writing a resume, it’s important to keep in mind that a computerized scanner may be evaluating your credentials. Include resume buzz words in your polished resume and you’ll be one step closer to landing your dream job.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

How to Find a Sample GED Test

Preparing to take the GED can be a daunting experience if you are not properly prepared for the exam. This exam is broken into 5 different sections, one is an essay format and the other four are multiple-choice questions. You need to score at least 225 points for the whole test in order to pass. Taking sample tests is a great way to prepare.

How do you find these sample tests? I have one word for you: Internet. I know you have the Internet because you are reading this so, no excuses. The first thing you do is a search for “Sample GED exams” and you will get a ton of pages that give you the option for sample GED exams. The real question is, which one do I use?

A lot of that depends on what you need. If you are in need of some training as well as the test samples themselves, you will want to enroll in an online preparation course. Most of the same sites you will find for the sample exams will offer Adult Education Classes for the GED exam as well, so, you would be in luck.

If all you want is the ability to take the test and have it graded to see how you do, there is also that option. A lot of these sites will offer samples of the test so you can practice taking them in a relaxed atmosphere; however, in order to really practice for the test you will probably need to purchase a practice package from them.

By purchasing the practice tests, especially online, you can track your performance over time as you take the tests over and over. The important thing with these test is not only getting the correct answers, but doing it all in an actual testing environment. That means having the tests timed because you won’t have all day when you take the real GED exam.

Most of the websites you will find for preparing for the GED test will have a lot of different options made available to you. There are practice tests, test preparation programs, adult education programs and the option, depending on the site and location, actual classroom learning.

Now, some of these sites offer these services for free while others offer packages that include multiple functions and features. There is another way to prepare for the GED that does not involve the Internet at all and that’s with a GED Prep Book. You can find these at most bookstores and at your local library.

I would suggest actually purchasing your own copy of such a book so you can write in it and make your own notes because, you can’t do that in a library book. These books will help you prepare for the test as well as offer sample exams for you to take. The drawback to these books is that there is no guidance or way to track your progress.

No matter how you choose to prepare for the GED, it’s a very important thing to have completed if you don’t have a High School diploma. A GED is the your first tool to many entry level jobs that can lead to some very exciting careers.

Find actual sample GED test answers and questions at SampleGED.com.

The Best Job Search Sites

Everyone’s looking for work these days it seems and with all the ways to go about it, newspaper ads, local ads, the Internet, it can be an overwhelming task deciding which is the best way to go about it. Herein I will list for you the top rated online job search websites as well as their pros and cons so you can get the best results during your job-hunt and get to work faster.

JobGoRound.Com - This website has the ability to find job openings with just a click or two of the mouse. All you need to do is enter a keyword, set your location and you can see hundreds of offers. That is the upside to the service, the downside is that you have no means to post a resume on the website for potential companies to find you and offer you a position. You can; however, use a job search assistant to find places and post your resume with them and the site offers some advice on resumes as well as interviews.

Monster.Com - Everyone’s heard of Monster, it’s one of the premier job search sites and it offers a great deal of options for helping people find jobs as well as helping recruiters find people for their company. You can use a job search assistant to scour the service for jobs that match your skills and have to postings emailed to you as they appear. You can also post your resume online for companies to view and you are given the ability to share that resume at will when you apply for any jobs. Monster also has the luxury, because of their well-known name, to attract one of the largest databases on jobs online, which means the choices are almost endless.

HotJobs.Com - Yahoo’s HotJobs.Com pretty has everything you can think of under the sun to help you find that one perfect job you need. The system they use makes separating job search types by skill, location and pay easier than any other site online at this time. You can get assistance that is as detailed as you want it to be through their search assistants and email notifications. There is online resume assistance as well as the ability to store and update your resume whenever needed. You can also save the searches you have done so that, instead of having to look all over again, you simply return to your previous searches which saves a great deal of time and stress.

Job openings are updated constantly and using the saved searches on these types of websites makes looking for jobs easier than ever. There are also a ton of tools on these sites to help with interviews from tips to things you should practice as well as things you never want to do during an interview.

The best part of these types of search engines is the time it saves you. Looking for work in the newspaper is time consuming and not very effective anymore as most companies are placing their ads almost exclusively online.

Tip: Be sure your resume is up to date before beginning your job search. Read resume service reviews to choose the best resume writer for you.

How to Embellish Your Resume without Lying

Lying on a resume is one of the worst things that a person can do for their careers. Many resumes are fact-checked before an employee is hired; keeping the ones who lie away from the jobs they seek. Even after a person has been hired, finding a lie on a resume is often grounds for dismissal. So, what to do when your resume is lacking and you don’t want to lie? Embellishment is an art form that can bridge the gap between a lack of experience and the job you want.

Since you won’t be inventing any experience that you really don’t have, you have to play up the experience you do have. Sometimes ordinary tasks are really much more than they sound like in conversation. Even low-level employees are given tasks that are based on trust and responsibility, ands those can be played up without ever being untruthful.

If you have experience working with the public, this gives you a wealth of material to embellish. Working with the public requires a number of interpersonal and communications skills that are important to any business. Instead of “worked at the counter” or “rang up sales,” play up the skills it took to do what you did. You communicated with the public, you solved customer problems, you made sales, you upsold products by communicating to the customer the various options available to them, etc. These are all skills that are useful in many different fields.

If your educations credentials leave a little to be desired, you can play up what you actually studied instead of how many years you studied. If you didn’t quite graduate from college, go into detail about the subjects you studied that could be helpful in the job you’re seeking. If you have a degree in a field that isn’t applicable, play up the classes that were. For instance, a person seeking a sales job won’t be helped much by their botany degree, but they may be helped by mentioning that they studied psychology and sociology, both subjects that can help in relating to customers. Find something, somewhere that you studied that might be useful to a prospective employer. By playing up that instead of the degree field, you can make your educational credentials sound perfect without ever lying.

Think about the many skills you’ve picked up away from the job. You probably have a number of talents and credentials that aren’t related to former jobs but that can help to build your resume. If you’ve ever served on a local committee, that’s an organizational credential that you can use to your advantage. Any volunteer work in your past can show your initiative as well as special skills. If you’ve ever served as an officer of a sorority or fraternity, helped to organize a charity drive or helped arrange a large meeting, you have skills that should be played up on your resume. Use action words and details to make these skills sound relevant and you may just impress an employer.

Read resume service reviews of the top professional resume writing services.

Prepare Your Resume for Leaving the Military

When leaving the military, finding a job can be a far more involved process than it was while in the military. One of the most important things to remember is that most employers will not be familiar with all of the things you did while you were there. They may not understand the positions you held, the responsibilities you had and how those experiences are relevant to the jobs they are interviewing you for. Your job with preparing your resume is to make all of these things obvious from a civilian’s point of view.

To start your resume, create a list of each position you held in the military in reverse chronological order. The most recent should be first, and so on. Each job position should be described as best you can with what you accomplished during that time and how long each position was held.

Then, take a look at what you have and decide whether a civilian would understand much of that description. To make sure they can, describe things clearly and without using military language. Don’t use any abbreviations or military lingo that the general public wouldn’t understand. This goes for the job title itself as well.

Next, make sure to include any special training that you had as part of each job title. Any special training is important to include on a resume. If you took courses or were licensed to carry out certain duties, include that information. Also include the major projects you were a part of and any special accomplishments. To make these stand out on a resume, and to make them easily understandable, put them in an overall context. If you took a course not offered to everyone, mention the number of people eligible for the course out of the entire military. If you worked on a part of a major project, however small that project was, mention the outcome of the project.

Many people also find it useful to create a special skills section of their resume. Having been in the military, your special skills are likely too numerous to list them all, so this can be the portion that you tailor to each job that you apply for. To make this easier, create a master list of the skills you have amassed during your time in the service. When you apply to a job, take a look through the list and pick several that would be most appreciated by your potential employer.

Like the rest of the information on the resume, the special skill section should be easy to read and understand by someone who has never been in the military. Tank driving might not be a skill that you can use elsewhere, but handling large machinery might be. There are many skills specific to the military that can actually translate into a broader range of skills if approached in the right way. Instead of simply listing tank driving as a skill, list that your special training taught you how to handle large machinery, including the tank you drove while in the service.

Find a professional military transition resume writing service.