Monday 5 December 2011

The best engineering resume that stands out


Sometimes even the resumes with good content get left behind in the filtration and selection process. Most of the engineers are able to write down all the technical details regarding their projects along with other academic and professional details but they don’t know the proper method to market it. Following are a few points to be considered while writing your resume or come to know how to write a good resume.


  • Resume type- There are three kinds of resume- Chronological, Functional and Combination resume. It all depends upon your work profile that which one of these suits you the best. If you have an extensive work experience and are still working or have just left working for a company before applying here, then the Combination or Chronological resumes are the best. But if there is some considerable gap between your last employment and this application then the functional resume will best solve the purpose.
  • Resume design and layout- Would a reader prefer just text or text with photos? Ask yourself this question. Along with writing about all your projects you can also put in some of the photos of you and/ or your team working at the project site. This will definitely impress the recruiter. Further, remember to choose an industry standard layout for your resume and make sure the font and size are easily readable.
  • Just the required information- Keep it short and crisp. You should furnish only that information which has some relevance to your line of work. Not every personal detail needs to be mentioned here.
  • Always use keywords- A very important thing to do before drafting your resume is to research about the job post being offered and look for all the commonly used industry standard terminology. Use this terminology in your resume. This will help increase the chances of selection of your resume by the computer systems as they filter out other resumes with redundant words.
  • Sell your skills- It is important to market yourself as the most competent prospective employee. Most engineers add all the relevant details of their projects and accomplishments but fail to properly market themselves. You need to speak out how your skill set will benefit the company in achieving higher targets.
  • Being an engineer, there will be many projects and work done to your credit. Writing the details for the same can become too much of a clutter and thus will take time to be read. The one thing that the recruiter is usually hard pressed for is time. So, put in the precise details in accordance to the type of industry you are applying in. if it’s the automobile industry, elaborate on all the details regarding your mechanical and technical work. Don’t leave out the rest of your details, just write them in short.

Incorporating all these points into your resume will surely give you a head start versus the other applicants.


Wednesday 30 November 2011

Drafting considerations for Architect resume


Resumes are the summary of your professional credentials and career aspirations. Right from education, to your career objective, everything related to your professional profile should be shared in the resume. In the similar fashion, an architect resume summarizes your architect related qualifications and experiences. However, just by including the details in the resume, your chances of winning the interview call are not optimized.

You must ensure that the employer reviews your resume, and is convinced about your suitability for the job, only then would he/ she be incited to call you for a personal round of interview. This requires careful drafting and designing of an architect resume, with all aspects given due consideration. Before you actually start with the resume writing, it is always better to refer to few example resumes, to get a brief idea about the information to be shared, and different layouts used in the industry. All this would be helpful in drafting a good professional resume. For providing additional advantage, you can draft an accompanying cover letter by referring to the resume cover letter examples on the web.

Requirements for a good architect resume?

Design Aspects:
The main purpose of designing your architect resume is to optimize the chances of it being viewed by the employers. This can be done if your resume is able to grab the fast rolling eye balls across the heaps of resumes.
  • Visibility:

You must select a format which enhances the visibility of your resume. It can be done by using unique striking layouts, which are not common. However, care must be taken that they best meet your requirements, and are professionally acceptable. The layout selected should be effectively able to highlight key skill-sets, and additionally mask the subsiding attributes, if shared. For example, if your grades in the exams are not relatively better, you can select a format which does not require the same to be mentioned. Similarly, if you have worked for similar set of job descriptions, you must include them in your resume, and highlight the same for optimization.
Another importance of visibility is the clarity. All information should be easily accessible and searchable in the resume. A too crowded resume can discourage the employer from reviewing it, and spending extra time over it. It is always better to stick to a uniform pattern throughout the resume, when it comes to details like font size, space between characters, and other format options. MS Word format features can be used judiciously.
  • Content:

Once you have selected an eye-grabbing design for your resume, next thing is to provide relevant and inciting information to the employers, so as to retain and force them to review the architect resume further.



  •     Objective:

Being the foremost thing the employer views in your resume, it should be written in a professional way, with complete precision. It should be able to convey your job expectations concisely, and as per the desired job profile.
  • Work and Education:

Depending upon whether you have more experience, you can change the order of work and education details. All information should be presented in a chronological order with recent accomplishments being mentioned first. Follow the same pattern throughout the resume. If your past work job responsibilities are similar to the new job, include them in the work experience details suitably.
  • Other details:

All other details too included in a similar pattern with important and relevant details being the first. Do not exaggerate and give unwanted details as it may give rise to embarrassing situations later.

These designs and writing consideration, can give your architecture resume an impressive outlook and ability to win you the interview call.

Monday 28 November 2011

Five things to be excluded from your resume


In the last blog we had discussed 5 things not to be included in your resume. You might write a great resume referring to many different sample resumes available online. However, if you do not know what things should be excluded from your resume, you would never recognize any mistake, and probably would do the same. We have a list of 25 things that should be excluded in a resume and we have discussed five of these earlier. Today we will move on and discuss more on the same.

What should not be included in your resume? Continued

6. Do not mention every job you took up:
You might have taken up a job during your college days, worked with some organization to earn extra pocket money, etc. However, you do need to include details of every job in your resume. Include only the jobs that occupy a huge duration of your career.

7. Age:
Believe it or not, some recruiters might discriminate on the age factor while screening resumes. This discrimination is unethical and illegal but it happens under disguise of some other reason. I am sure you do not want to miss out an opportunity, even before you are interviewed for the same. Thus, do not include age in your resume, unless asked for it.

8. Political or Social Identity:
Do not try to boast of your political or social identity. The recruiter might not entertain the same and probably would not want such a famous person to be a part of the organization.

9. False work experience:
Mentioning false work experience is a bigger sin than not having work experience at all. If you do not have work experience, you can at least prove yourself in the interview. However, if you mention false details, then you will be in big trouble, when you are cross-questioned on the same.

10. False Academic details:
False academic details should never be resorted to get a job. Even if you get one, and the employer later comes to know about it, he/she can terminate you without any notice, for providing fake details.

Make sure when you make your resume that you do not commit these mistakes. These are small things, but it can cause a huge damage to your career. We have more to come in this regard, and we would discuss it soon. Until then, keep reading for more on resumes here.

Thursday 24 November 2011

A perfect HR resume


The Human Resource (HR) field is one of the most popular careers. Every year many students choose this career to work as HR professionals with their dream organizations. Each one of us has a dream job. We wish to work at some particular post in some particular organization. To get going we need to start working in the same field and thus we appear for many interviews. In these interviews, we have a tool that helps us prove ourselves and fetch us our dream job. This tool is our resume. Let us discuss about resume and resume writing tips with reference to HR resume in specific to get an opportunity to find a human resources jobs.

An HR is someone who screens many resumes daily and analyzes a candidate based on his/her resume even before meeting them in person. Thus, an HR professional is expected to know everything about resumes. When you as a candidate apply for a job in the field of HR, you should know what points in your resume will help you get an interview call, what points should be highlighted, what should be excluded, etc. When you as a candidate write your resume perfectly you put across that you are worthy of the position you seek and thus create a strong footing for yourself. One may get number of online information providing tips on how to make a resume.

To help you write your perfect resume, read the tips given below. These tips should be adhered to, to make your resume impressive and flawless.

Understand the purpose of the resume:

The resume is not just a mere account of your details. It represents you. When you understand the fact that your resume represents you, the thought process changes and you write a better resume rather making it a boring piece of information.

Justify the information:

Do not just mention your skills and strengths. Justify your skills and strengths in a way that the reader is convinced and does not doubt your ability.

Keywords:

Keywords play a very important role in resume screening. There are some particular words associated with every profession. Including these words in your resume is a must. It could be some degree, skills, quality, etc. Many job search engines allow the employers to filter their search for the right candidate by filling the keywords they think are suitable for their requirement. Thus, if your resume has these words, you get short listed. The job description given by the employer helps you choose the right keywords for your resume.

 Headings:

Segregating your resume in different sections and giving proper titles to every section is again mandatory. This makes it more legible and facilitates the reader to read the information that he/she is looking for.

Proofread:

Sending a resume with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors is a big blunder. Proofread it twice, even thrice if necessary before sending it across.

Use these resume writing tips for writing a perfect HR resume. To further increase the chances of being called for an interview, write a resume cover letter that highlights your strengths and projects the best  and most relevant points of your resume. 

Monday 21 November 2011

Meeting Employers' Needs

Recruiters use resumes to identify prospective candidates for their open positions and to screen candidates to select the best qualified for further consideration and interviewing.

 
Providing the information employers need
An employer's initial assessment of a resume usually involves one or more reviews to determine how closely the person described in the document matches the profile of an ideal candidate. In most cases, the information provided in the resume about a person's field of employment, experience, and skills is compared to the requirements specified in a position description or recruiting requisition developed by a human resource department and/or hiring manager.

Often, a quick evaluation is performed first to eliminate those individuals who clearly are not qualified for the position because they have no background in the requisite career field or lack adequate experience. Then a more detailed assessment is performed to identify those candidates who best match the position specifications and should be interviewed by phone and/or in person.

To best represent you in this evaluation process, your resume must present your qualifications in the right vocabulary and in the right place.
  • The right vocabulary. Recruiters look for terms that express the skills and knowledge required to qualify a candidate for the available job. Because most recruiters don't have a working background in the technical fields for which they recruit, the greater the similarity between the terms they use and the terms found in your resume, the easier it is for a match to be identified. So express your qualifications in the vocabulary of recruiters. To determine the exact words and phrases to use, check the employment ads in your local newspaper and other publications for positions similar to the one you're seeking. See how recruiters are describing your skills and background, and then include their terms in your resume.
  • The right place. The sheer volume of resumes that employers must review for each position precludes them from spending more than a moment or two on each document. In such a situation, even qualified candidates can be overlooked if their skills and experience are hard to find in the body of their resumes. To make sure that your resume isn't missed for the position you want, summarize your credentials in a paragraph titled "Profile" and place it at the top of your resume, just above the experience section. Although other sections of your resume provide much more information about your capabilities, this up-front summary ensures that even a harried reviewer can quickly find and evaluate your potential match with an open position.
Understanding how employers process resumes
Today, resumes can follow one of two paths when employers receive and process them.
When you send your resume by mail or fax to an employer's human resources department, the document goes through several steps:
  1. The employer quickly reviews the resume to assess its match with the requirements for a specific open position and/or the employer's general hiring needs. If no match is possible (for example, you're a pastry chef and the organization manufactures surfboards), you may not be notified, and your resume will be immediately discarded. If, on the other hand, your resume demonstrates the possibility of a match, you may or may not be notified, but your resume proceeds to the next step.
  2. In most cases, your resume is then entered into a computerized resume management system. Employers now receive so many resumes from prospective candidates that even small and mid-sized organizations have turned to these systems to help them organize and use candidate information. Basically, a resume management system enables an employer to store the contents of your resume in a database where it can be subsequently located for further review. If your resume is not entered into a computer, it likely will be stored in a traditional paper-based filing system. In most cases, the original of your resume always remains in a file in the human resource department. When recruiters or hiring managers want to review the document, copies are made and distributed as necessary.
    Because most organizations use copies rather than the original of your resume for internal distribution, produce your resume on high-grade white paper. Only your copy shop appreciates your using more expensive colored paper, and it's an investment that can affect the clarity of subsequent photocopies.
  3. If you're applying for a specific position, your resume is next subjected to a detailed review to assess your qualifications for that opening. If you seem like a good match, you may be called by a recruiter who will conduct a telephone interview to obtain additional information and further evaluate your credentials.
  4. The resumes of the best-qualified candidates are then sent either electronically through the resume management system or by paper to the hiring manager for review. Based on that evaluation, a decision is made about whether or not to invite you in for a face-to-face interview. If you receive an invitation, your resume probably will serve to help develop and organize the questions you will be asked. If you do not receive an invitation, your resume normally remains in the resume management or paper filing system so that it can be considered for future openings.
When you send your resume over the Internet to an employer or attach it to an online application form, the e-document goes through several steps:
  1. Your resume travels cyberspace as e-mail. When it arrives, the employer downloads the message and quickly reviews your resume to assess its applicability to a specific opening or the organization's general hiring needs. If your credentials match a current or anticipated vacancy, the resume file is transferred to a resume management system. In many cases, the employer sends you a return e-mail message indicating the receipt of your resume and its status.
  2. If you're applying for a specific position, the computer file of your resume is then retrieved from the system and subjected to a detailed review to assess your qualifications for that opening. As in the paper resume process, you may then be called by a recruiter who will conduct a telephone interview to obtain additional information and evaluate your credentials.
  3. The resumes of the best-qualified candidates are sent electronically through the resume management system to the hiring manager for review. From that point, the process proceeds exactly as it does for a paper resume. A decision is made about whether to invite you in for a face-to-face interview. If you receive an invitation, the development and organization of questions you'll be asked will stem from your resume. If you do not receive an invitation, your resume normally remains in the resume management system so that it can be considered for future jobs. 

Great Resume Examples

A great resume has four distinguishing features. Each of these features contributes to a positive first impression - in written form - and all of them are necessary if you want to make that impression linger. Great resume examples shared on number of websites if the one of the best guidance to create own one.

 
A great resume sells your successes
A great resume promotes you as an employment candidate by highlighting your capabilities and accomplishments. It focuses on the successes you have enjoyed at work and the contributions you have made to other employers. Your resume is not the place to volunteer negative information; if asked, of course, you should provide a complete and accurate accounting of your employment record. A great resume describes the tasks you performed, the actions you took, and the benefits you delivered, all of which reaches beyond dull- sounding responsibility statements, such as "I was responsible for doing this or that." In short, a well-crafted presentation portrays you as a person who gets the job done, rather than someone who simply had a job description.

Some people are uncomfortable with proactively selling themselves. Pointing out your finest qualities is, however, the best way to differentiate yourself and your record. Selling your successes tells an employer that you understand what he or she is looking for and explains how, if hired, you are likely to perform on the job. Although you may feel like you're boasting, you're not. As the old saying notes, "It ain't braggin' if ya' done it."

A great resume tells the truth
A great resume is accurate and truthful. It portrays your employment record in the best possible light, but never by making misleading statements, fudging the facts, or exaggerating your role or accomplishments. Employers know that many resumes contain false information. As a result, they are now much more vigilant about checking employment dates, positions held, activities performed, and other details presented on resumes. And nothing will end your candidacy for that dream job more quickly than to be caught in a lie. So, don't risk it; rely on just the facts - without embellishment.

A great resume is error-free
A great resume has no spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors. It is neat, well written, and carefully edited. This type of resume gives employers two ways of looking at you: First, it provides the information they need to evaluate your employment record; and second, it affords them an insight into what you are like as a worker. An error-free resume demonstrates that you are a careful person who is attentive to detail and takes pride in your work.

A great resume is clear and complete, but also concise
A great resume provides everything an employer needs to evaluate your qualifications for a position opening. Being complete, however, doesn't mean overstepping "enough, already." A great resume is never more than two pages long. Leave out any irrelevant information and facts that do not substantially enhance your employment credentials. In addition, present your information in short, hard-hitting statements that are easy to read and understand. Avoid flowery or pretentious language, run-on sentences, and long-winded paragraphs. check out number of free resume samples to get more information.




Tuesday 15 November 2011

First Step to Great Resume

The first step in writing an effective resume is to determine your employment objective: the specific goal you would like to achieve in your next job.

Setting your sights
  
Great resumes have a clear and distinct theme. Every detail included in the resume supports that theme and reinforces its impact on the reader. This theme is your objective; it has two elements:
  1. The attributes and circumstances you want in your next job
  2. A clear and positive relationship to your career and its advancement
In other words, your objective has both a near-term and a mid-to-longer-term purpose. The message you're conveying focuses on your immediate goal in the job market - to make very clear the kind of job, work, and employer you're seeking. Your objective also connects your past, current, and future jobs into an integrated strategy and direction for your career.

Determining your objective requires that you know what professional interests you have and what potential positions may allow you to express those interests. In addition, you need a realistic sense of your current skill level and expertise in your chosen field. You then can figure the level and scope of position for which you are competitive. Achieving such understanding involves both introspection and research. You must know yourself and the workplace and continually update that knowledge as you grow and develop and the workplace changes.
Taking stock of your interests and making sure that they are aligned with your work is necessary whether you're a first- time job seeker, a seasoned worker at mid-career, or a highly paid expert in your field. To help you with the process of self- exploration, use one or both of the following exercises.

The lottery.
Imagine that you won a huge jackpot in the lottery. Suddenly, finances are no longer an issue. The mortgage is paid, money is put away for the kids' educations, and your retirement program is generously funded. Now, you can do whatever you want to do with your life's work. What would that be? What activity would get you up in the morning and give you the most satisfaction at the end of the day? Describe it in a few lines - either on paper or in an electronic document that you can refer to.

Your tombstone.

You spend much of your life at work. Aside from your family, faith, and friends, your career is probably the most important aspect of your life. If you suddenly learned that you were terminally ill, how would you like to be remembered? What would you be most proud of having accomplished at work? What would give you the greatest satisfaction? Write your thoughts down.

If you're a first-time job seeker, you may have to research which occupations and specific jobs provide the opportunity to express these interests and abilities. If you are a seasoned workplace veteran who is in transition or seeking greater satisfaction in your work, you may need to explore alternative career fields. Whatever your situation, you can find such information at college and university career centers, state employment security offices, public libraries, and on the Internet. For example, America's Job Bank offers a Career InfoNet that can help you identify career paths and opportunities.

Getting help
If you need help pinpointing your career interests, you can find several assessment exercises available through professional career counselors and centers. These include the following:
  • The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
  • The Keirsey Temperament Test
  • The Self-Directed Search (SDS)
  • The Unisex Edition of the ACT Interest Inventory (UNIACT)
  • The Vocational Interest Inventory (VII)
  • The Career Occupational Preference System Interest Inventory (COPS)