Quote:
Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan
I need to put together a resume but I REALLY don't know what a good resume includes these days. How much work history if any? Should there be an objective line? It won't be targetted to a specific job opening so I know I probably don't want a cover letter.
I guess to explain how this is going...I need/want to write a good resume but I have zero confidence in my ability to do so. Why? I have no idea. I have excellent communication skills...but...this...just scares me.
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If you can read and write proper English, you've already a leg up on 2/3 of the people handing in resumes, even to professional positions. You'd be surprised how few resumes are actually properly presented and thought out, most of them are just explosions of facts littered higgedly-piggedly across the pages.
In general, your cover page is as important as the resume - craft a specific cover page for any job where you are applying directly (as opposed to on a job listing site or talent agency). Look up the company on the internet and mention a couple things relevant to their business to show that you actually took the time to find something out about them, and this is not just a spampplication.
In the resume itself, be reasonably complete but concise. Do not mention your hobbies unless they have a direct bearing on the job - for example, if you are applying for an IT job and you have a server farm in your basement where you tinker around with the latest software and technologies (loser!) then mention it, but nobody cares if you breed attack rabbits. You need to get across three things: your work history; your education and certifications; your personal qualities and suitability for the position.
If you have large gaps in your job history, be absolutely sure to explain exactly where you were and what you were doing during that time - if you were off in Europe for a year on a sabbatical, explain that. If you were actually lying around the house collecting pogey, use phrases like "Due to a downturn in the industry at this time, I spent some time looking for work before I was able to find a job where I fit in and where I felt comfortable with the company."
One other thing - grab some resumes off the internet, and blatantly rip-off the format of one that you like (or, if that makes you feel bad, use one to "research" your own style. Whatever). It's not a novel, it's more of a form letter mixed with a bit of essay writing skill - you don't get points for originality, unless I guess maybe if you're applying at a marketing firm...