{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"categoryState":{"relatedCategories":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2022-06-27T18:31:16+00:00"},"categoryId":34264,"data":{"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","image":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"parentCategory":{"categoryId":34256,"title":"Careers","slug":"careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"}},"childCategories":[],"description":"Finding a job isn't what we'd choose to be doing with our free time. But since we all have to earn money somehow, Dummies has you covered with all the latest strategies for job searching.","relatedArticles":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles?category=34264&offset=0&size=5"}},"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"relatedCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{"count":10,"total":405,"items":[{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T22:05:53+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-06-23T14:00:19+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-23T18:01:10+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"How to Focus a Resume on Relevant Job Experience","strippedTitle":"how to focus a resume on relevant job experience","slug":"how-to-focus-a-resume-on-relevant-job-experience","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn how to transform an unfocused, convoluted resume into one that will help convince prospective employers to interview you.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Focus your resume on job experience that's relevant to a specific position to improve your chances of getting that job. Having relevant job experience is always a big plus in employers' eyes. If you have too many jobs in your background, you can structure your resume to highlight pertinent job positions and omit or deemphasize others.\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">An unfocused resume or job history may indicate to others that you lack commitment. It’s a reason <i>not</i> to hire you. Focus your resume to draw attention to your relevant job experience.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Separating relevant jobs from other jobs</h2>\r\nIf your resume looks as though it will collapse under the weight of a mishmash of jobs unconnected to your present target, you can eliminate your previous trivial pursuits. Group the consequential jobs under a heading that says something like \"Relevant Work Experience Summary\" or \"Professional Experience.\"\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">What if this approach solves one problem — the busy resume — but creates another, such as a huge, gaping black hole where you removed inconsequential jobs? Create a second work history section that covers those holes, labeling it \"Other Experience.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"imageBlock\" style=\"width: 444px;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"444\"]<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/134868.image0.jpg\" alt=\"Separate your relevant job experience in a resume from other unrelated job experience.\" width=\"444\" height=\"400\" /> Separate your relevant job experience in a resume from other unrelated job experience.[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Grouping temporary jobs</h2>\r\nDealing with an unfocused career pattern on paper is easier when it’s done under the banner of a temporary service company. Here are some guidelines for this type of treatment:\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>List the temporary services company as the employer.</b> You choose one job title that covers most of your assignments.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Identify specific assignments under the main title.</b> Give the dates in years next to the temporary services firm, skipping dates for each assignment (as shown below).</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"imageBlock\" style=\"width: 445px;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"445\"]<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/134869.image1.jpg\" alt=\"Improve focus by grouping temporary job experience under one major title.\" width=\"445\" height=\"400\" /> Improve focus by grouping temporary job experience under one major title.[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat if you work for several temporary services at the same time? The simple answer is that you use the same technique of dating your work history for the temporary service firms, not for the individual assignments. This dating technique is a statement of fact; you legally are an employee of the temporary services firm, not of the company that pays for your temporary services.\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">When excess jobs or focus isn’t a problem, you may choose an alternative presentation for a series of short-term jobs. The alternative doesn’t mention the staffing firm(s) but only the names of the companies where you worked.</p>","description":"Focus your resume on job experience that's relevant to a specific position to improve your chances of getting that job. Having relevant job experience is always a big plus in employers' eyes. If you have too many jobs in your background, you can structure your resume to highlight pertinent job positions and omit or deemphasize others.\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">An unfocused resume or job history may indicate to others that you lack commitment. It’s a reason <i>not</i> to hire you. Focus your resume to draw attention to your relevant job experience.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Separating relevant jobs from other jobs</h2>\r\nIf your resume looks as though it will collapse under the weight of a mishmash of jobs unconnected to your present target, you can eliminate your previous trivial pursuits. Group the consequential jobs under a heading that says something like \"Relevant Work Experience Summary\" or \"Professional Experience.\"\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">What if this approach solves one problem — the busy resume — but creates another, such as a huge, gaping black hole where you removed inconsequential jobs? Create a second work history section that covers those holes, labeling it \"Other Experience.\"</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"imageBlock\" style=\"width: 444px;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"444\"]<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/134868.image0.jpg\" alt=\"Separate your relevant job experience in a resume from other unrelated job experience.\" width=\"444\" height=\"400\" /> Separate your relevant job experience in a resume from other unrelated job experience.[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Grouping temporary jobs</h2>\r\nDealing with an unfocused career pattern on paper is easier when it’s done under the banner of a temporary service company. Here are some guidelines for this type of treatment:\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>List the temporary services company as the employer.</b> You choose one job title that covers most of your assignments.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Identify specific assignments under the main title.</b> Give the dates in years next to the temporary services firm, skipping dates for each assignment (as shown below).</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"imageBlock\" style=\"width: 445px;\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"445\"]<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/134869.image1.jpg\" alt=\"Improve focus by grouping temporary job experience under one major title.\" width=\"445\" height=\"400\" /> Improve focus by grouping temporary job experience under one major title.[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat if you work for several temporary services at the same time? The simple answer is that you use the same technique of dating your work history for the temporary service firms, not for the individual assignments. This dating technique is a statement of fact; you legally are an employee of the temporary services firm, not of the company that pays for your temporary services.\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">When excess jobs or focus isn’t a problem, you may choose an alternative presentation for a series of short-term jobs. The alternative doesn’t mention the staffing firm(s) but only the names of the companies where you worked.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Separating relevant jobs from other jobs","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Grouping temporary jobs","target":"#tab2"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b4aa66decbe\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b4aa66df1ea\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-06-23T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":196146},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:47:11+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-03-14T15:19:40+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:26+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Resumes For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"resumes for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"resumes-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn how to best showcase your skills and experience with this handy guide to building a job-landing resume.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Your resume is you in paper (or electronic) form. It’s the first glimpse employers get of the value you can bring to their company. Your resume should tell a compelling story of who you are and what you can do, especially in a tough economic environment or when you’re moving from one career to another. Show your skills by creating a focused resume that shows point for point how you fit into the company’s big picture.","description":"Your resume is you in paper (or electronic) form. It’s the first glimpse employers get of the value you can bring to their company. Your resume should tell a compelling story of who you are and what you can do, especially in a tough economic environment or when you’re moving from one career to another. Show your skills by creating a focused resume that shows point for point how you fit into the company’s big picture.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":196179,"title":"Resume Tips for Recent Graduates","slug":"resume-tips-for-recent-graduates","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/196179"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282539,"slug":"resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition","isbn":"9781119539285","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119539285-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition-cover-9781119539285-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Resumes For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9096\">Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7668664\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7668d93\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":143389,"title":"9 Ways to Bulletproof Your Resume","slug":"9-ways-to-bulletproof-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/143389"}},{"articleId":143388,"title":"Resume Basics: How to Protect Your Personal Information","slug":"resume-basics-how-to-protect-your-personal-information","categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/143388"}},{"articleId":143358,"title":"Changing Careers? Resume Tips to Ease the Transition","slug":"changing-careers-resume-tips-to-ease-the-transition","categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/143358"}},{"articleId":143391,"title":"What Not to Include on Your Resume","slug":"what-not-to-include-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/143391"}}],"content":[{"title":"9 ways to bulletproof your resume","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Write a strong resume that gets you noticed. The following tips help you work up a great resume that sells your skills instead of ending up in the reject bin.</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Make</b> <b>keywords count. </b>Keywords help employers find out whether you’re a player for the job they’re filling. Industry-specific jargon counts for keywords. For example, “Series 7 licensing for brokers” and “triage” for nurses. Noun phrases indicate qualifications for requirements, such as “word processing,” “supply chain management,” and “product launches.” And every match of your qualifications and experience with a job’s requirements<i> </i>becomes a keyword.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Get your bearings. </b>Use the web to research an employer before you apply for a job. Start with visiting the company’s website. Move on to sites like Hoover’s and BusinessWire.com. Until you know whom and what you are dealing with, you aren’t prepared to make a compelling case for yourself.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Use an uncluttered, eye-catching design. </b>If your resume is busy and packed with content, it will cause employers to stop reading and move on to the next candidate. Pay attention to layout and typeface choice, as well as the openness effect of white space. Good type choices include Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or Helvetica, but there are others as well. If you can use an 11-point font, do so — it’s easier on the eyes. For mobile resumes presented on small screens, consider 11-point to 14-point type.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Answer the “So what?” question.</b> This question is hidden and lying in ambush in every employer’s mind. Forget about sticking to the old name-your-previous-responsibilities routine. Every single time you mention a duty or accomplishment, pretend someone fires back: So what? Who cares? What does it all mean? Imagining these questions isn’t really pretending — these are employer responses. If you can answer these by describing the challenge you faced, the actions you took, and the results you attained, you’ll have a recipe for success.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Discuss an upward track record.</b> Without mentioning dollar amounts, style yourself as a winner by mentioning that you received promotions, awards, and bonuses.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Showcase anything that you did in the top 5 percent of company performance ratings or that received recognition and praise.</b> Employers are impressed with the cream of the crop.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Don’t apologize on your resume for any weakness that you may observe in your professional self.</b> Until you can do something about it, like get additional education or experience, don’t even think about shortcomings, and they certainly don’t belong on your resume.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Discuss teamwork in job descriptions, giving specific examples and results.</b> Employers love the word <i>teamwork.</i> They like <i>team building,</i> too. Talk about participating in tough tasks that help focus teams. Speak of trust as being essential to teamwork. Say that you were part of a team that succeeded in reaching a unified goal. The difficulty comes in making clear for which portion of the team’s production you can take a bow. You must separate your contribution from the group’s. If you don’t, you chance being looked upon as one who falsely claims credit for work you didn’t do.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Give examples of leadership.</b> Even as organizational structures flatten, every team needs a leader — unless you’re headed for a support job where leadership is a liability. In the same vein, vision and drive are desirable characteristics. What did you originate, initiate, spearhead, or propose? What have coworkers praised about you? What suggestions have employers accepted from you?</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"How to protect your personal information","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Protecting personal information is always a good idea, but especially so with digital resumes. When it comes to resumes and the Internet, identity theft is a huge concern. Resumes zing around the world via the Internet and mobile devices, giving thieves and scammers more opportunity than ever to boost your personal information.</p>\n<p class=\"Warning\">The No. 1 way to keep yourself safe? Don’t put your Social Security number on your resumes. Thieves can use your SSN as a free ticket to your bank and credit-card accounts. Resumes in job banks pose unnecessary threats to identity theft when the resumes include Social Security numbers.</p>\n<p>Make sure also that you are privacy-sensitive if you decide to post your profile online. Leave out any information not related to your job search.</p>\n<p>Finally, resume-blasting your information across the web is risky (and an ineffective way to find a job, to boot). If you decide to go wide and deep, use an anonymous and free e-mail address through a provider such as Yahoo!, AOL, or Gmail. Leave off your street address, and use a mobile phone number for pretty good security.</p>\n"},{"title":"Changing careers? Resume tips to ease the transition","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Career changers and transitioning military personnel sometimes struggle to write resumes that pack an interview-invitation punch. One such resume challenge is to turn your experience into skills that are relevant to new fields. Using understandable terminology helps you overcome that stumbling block.</p>\n<p class=\"Tip\">Always use the language of and address the concerns of the industry where you want to go, not the industry you are leaving behind.</p>\n<p>Make sure you also</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Learn the jargon of your intended industry.</b> Use that jargon carefully in your resume. Whatever you write has to be understood by all, including administrative employees who may be the first to screen your document.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Analyze your interchangeable skills (also called <i>transferable</i> skills) to make your old experience apply to the job you want.</b> A food server, for example, has sales experience (selling restaurant customers on extra menu items). An Army officer has management experience (overseeing soldiers). A teacher has training experience (changing student knowledge levels).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b></b><b>Consider using a hybrid resume format that takes the best elements of functional experience and pairs it with a standalone work chronology. </b>Although employers much prefer the reverse chronological format because it&#8217;s more straightforward, you may need the functional approach to play up skills and become a contender for your new target.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"What not to include on your resume","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>A well-crafted resume contains only the information that proves you’re a qualified candidate. Eliminate resume clutter by removing useless information that potential employers often view as filler and a waste of their time. Here’s a short list of the worst offenders:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">“References available on request.” Listing the actual references on your resume is even worse.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Your Social Security number or driver’s license number.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">The date your resume was prepared.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Your company’s telephone number.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Your high school or grammar school if you’re a college graduate.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Dates you spent involved in college extracurricular activities.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Dates you were involved with professional or civic organizations unless using them to fill in gaps or add heft to your claims.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Names of (human) past employers; put these on your reference sheet with contact information.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-03-14T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":207512},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:53:15+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-03-10T15:03:55+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:25+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Cover Letters For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"cover letters for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"cover-letters-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"This Cheat Sheet summarizes how to write a cover letter that will stand out among the rest, and the mistakes you should avoid.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"A cover letter is the first impression that job seekers make, so be sure it's a good one! By following some helpful writing tips, avoiding common mistakes, and incorporating elements of a standout letter, you'll set your cover letter apart from the rest.","description":"A cover letter is the first impression that job seekers make, so be sure it's a good one! By following some helpful writing tips, avoiding common mistakes, and incorporating elements of a standout letter, you'll set your cover letter apart from the rest.","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f750eea4\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f750f5f2\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":186493,"title":"Tips for Writing a Standout Cover Letter","slug":"tips-for-writing-a-standout-cover-letter","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/186493"}},{"articleId":186491,"title":"Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid","slug":"cover-letter-mistakes-to-avoid","categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/186491"}},{"articleId":186461,"title":"Elements of Eye-Catching Cover Letters","slug":"elements-of-eye-catching-cover-letters","categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/186461"}}],"content":[{"title":"Tips for writing a standout cover letter","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Your goal when writing a cover letter is to attract interest and get employers to read your resume. These five qualities define a standout cover letter ― one that lands your resume in the short stack of keepers and not the discard pile ― so incorporate them into your writing:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>Address your letters to individuals. Use names. Make an intense effort to find the name, correct job title, and address of the human being who will receive your letter.</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Introduce yourself by mentioning a mutual contact, previous telephone conversation or meeting, or by using a &#8220;hook&#8221; statement that sells your hottest, most relevant qualifications.</p>\n</li>\n<li>Inform the reader of the position you want near the top or in the &#8220;Regarding&#8221; space.</li>\n<li>Write in vigorous, vibrant, and animated language that persuades rather than sedates. Use attention-nabbing openings to grab the reader by the eyeglasses and hang on tight.</li>\n<li>Include your marketable skills and other benefits you bring to employers. Convince them that you have something they need and want.</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Focus on the employer. As much as possible, match point-by-point what the employer wants; in effect, you want your letter to say, &#8220;You want, I offer.&#8221;</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Specifically tell an employer how you can make money or save money for the company, while doing the job the employer wants done.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Be sure to include your accomplishments and achievements, and describe them with real numbers, percentages, or dollar amounts.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Include specific product, company, and industry knowledge — showing that you did your homework.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Avoid using acronyms, technical jargon, or military lingo.</p>\n</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/cover-letters/how-to-close-a-cover-letter/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">End your cover letter</a> using an action closing (say you&#8217;ll call) to position yourself for a positive follow-up. You lose face when you ask readers to call and they don&#8217;t. &#8220;I didn&#8217;t hear from you so, well . . . uh . . . ah . . . um.&#8221; Note: An action closing works in most circumstances, but not all. For example, you wouldn&#8217;t apply to become the White House chief of staff and tell the president you&#8217;ll call to set up an interview.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Cover letter mistakes to avoid","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The people who read cover letters and resumes oppose goofy grammar, typos, unusual punctuation, and other careless offenses against accepted language methods. You get only one shot to make a first impression, so when you&#8217;re preparing your cover letter, be meticulous and avoid these common mistakes:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Typos and other flubs</b> (such as failing to use capital letters when called for) can send your message straight to the Big Dead Letter Box, including the one in the cyber sky.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Writing the wrong tone and style of letter</b> to the right person does you no good. Is your industry or career field casual and breezy or button-down and formal? It makes a difference.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Summarizing your resume wastes the readers&#8217; time. </b>Add sales sizzle to new information.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Canned cover letters</b> — like generic resumes — risk being treated like junk mail.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Too many unsupported assertions and victory laps</b> (&#8220;exceptional communications skills, outsold the world&#8217;s workforce&#8221;) rise to uncertain clouds like hot air balloons. Validate claims with specific facts and numbers.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-03-10T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":208509},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:52:51+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-02-25T15:54:19+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:19+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Job Interviews For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"job interviews for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"job-interviews-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Even if you're shy, you can still ace that job interview. Learn how to prepare and present yourself in a positive light, no matter what.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Does the thought of interviewing for a new job send shivers down your spine? It doesn’t have to.\r\n\r\nWhether you’re searching for your first job, changing careers, or looking to advance in your current field, shine in every job interview by staying positive and overcoming negatives, such as getting fired or your own shyness. You can deliver a show-stopping interview!","description":"Does the thought of interviewing for a new job send shivers down your spine? It doesn’t have to.\r\n\r\nWhether you’re searching for your first job, changing careers, or looking to advance in your current field, shine in every job interview by staying positive and overcoming negatives, such as getting fired or your own shyness. You can deliver a show-stopping interview!","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9564,"name":"Joyce Lain Kennedy","slug":"joyce-lain-kennedy","description":" <p><b>Joyce Lain Kennedy</b> is a well-known, syndicated careers columnist in the US. She has been advising readers for four decades and is the author of seven career titles.</p>","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9564"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":183853,"title":"Job Interviewing: What to Say if You've Been Fired","slug":"job-interviewing-what-to-say-if-youve-been-fired","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183853"}},{"articleId":183824,"title":"Tips for Job Interviewing: How to Prepare for an Interview","slug":"tips-for-job-interviewing-how-to-prepare-for-an-interview","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183824"}},{"articleId":183790,"title":"Job Interviewing Tips for Shy People","slug":"job-interviewing-tips-for-shy-people","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183790"}},{"articleId":183792,"title":"Stay Positive during Job Interviews","slug":"stay-positive-during-job-interviews","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183792"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282327,"slug":"job-interviews-for-dummies-4th-edition","isbn":"9781118112908","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118112903/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1118112903/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1118112903-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1118112903/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1118112903/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/job-interviews-for-dummies-4th-edition-cover-9781118112908-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Job Interviews For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9564\">Joyce Lain Kennedy</b> is a nationally syndicated careers columnist. CAREERS NOW appears twice weekly in newspapers and on websites across the United States. She is the author of seven career books including <i>Resumes For Dummies</i>, 6th Edition, and <i>Cover Letters For Dummies</i>, 3rd Edition. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":9564,"name":"Joyce Lain Kennedy","slug":"joyce-lain-kennedy","description":" <p><b>Joyce Lain Kennedy</b> is a well-known, syndicated careers columnist in the US. She has been advising readers for four decades and is the author of seven career titles.</p>","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9564"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118112908&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f6f776c0\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118112908&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f6f77ddc\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":183824,"title":"Tips for Job Interviewing: How to Prepare for an Interview","slug":"tips-for-job-interviewing-how-to-prepare-for-an-interview","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183824"}},{"articleId":183792,"title":"Stay Positive during Job Interviews","slug":"stay-positive-during-job-interviews","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183792"}},{"articleId":183790,"title":"Job Interviewing Tips for Shy People","slug":"job-interviewing-tips-for-shy-people","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183790"}},{"articleId":183853,"title":"Job Interviewing: What to Say if You've Been Fired","slug":"job-interviewing-what-to-say-if-youve-been-fired","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/183853"}}],"content":[{"title":"How to prepare for an interview","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>You have to prepare for each and every job interview. Show your future bosses that you’re smart and ready for anything — and that you can communicate clearly and not go off track. Take a look at the following pointers to learn how to prepare for an interview.</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-257086 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Tips-for-Doing-Your-Best-in-Job-Interviews.jpg\" alt=\"Tips for doing your best in job interviews\" width=\"535\" height=\"3286\" /></p>\n<ul>\n<li>When <a href=\"https://dummies-wp-content.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/interviews/how-to-answer-common-job-interview-questions/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">answering interview questions</a>, concentrate on what you can do for the company, not on what the company can do for you.</li>\n<li>When you provide answer for interview questions, focus on your skills and other factors that make you valuable immediately. Employers don’t want to wait for six months before you deliver benefits to them.</li>\n<li>Present a fitting image for the job you seek. Walk it, talk it, and look it. Use this job interviewing tips to make an impression!</li>\n<li>Be confident and friendly as you reply to interview questions. <a href=\"https://dummies-wp-content.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/interviews/tips-on-what-to-do-during-an-interview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Throughout the interview</a>, maintain good eye contact, have a firm handshake, and smile frequently. Don’t use first names unless asked to do so. Likeability is vital.</li>\n<li>Memorize a short speech that tells your story quickly. Remember, interview preparation is key.</li>\n<li>Don’t chatter to fill a silence. You risk nervously blurting out harmful information. Rather than providing a quick answer for interview questions, instead ask: “Would you rather hear about my skills in A or B?”</li>\n<li>Avoid bringing up negative aspects from your employment history — unless you must to get ahead of the bad news that you’re sure is coming. Don’t ever trash your current or past employers.</li>\n<li>Don’t ask about salary and benefits too soon. Use deft moves to avoid giving away your negotiating leverage when you go for your bottom-line pay even in tough times.</li>\n<li>Develop a storytelling knack as part of your interview preparation — memorize short little true stories that support your claims of relevant skills and accomplishments.</li>\n<li>Final quick tip on interviewing: Don’t leave without asking when a decision will be made and whether you can call back to check progress on the decision.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Stay positive during job interviews","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The first rule of job interviewing is to project a favorable image of yourself. The second rule is to never forget the first. While the following tips may seem obvious, interviewers say that job seekers often stumble over the same blunders.</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Relevant experience.</b> When asked whether you’ve had directly related experience, say “yes” if you have and cite achievements proving it. If not, don’t just say “no.” Instead, comment that rarely are two jobs identical in every way, and that you are very interested in the job and give examples of how you handled common problems — such as cutting costs, dealing with disgruntled customers, managing difficult coworkers — that reveal your thinking processes, skills, and competencies.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Team relationships.</b> When discussing projects on which you worked, the interviewer may be listening to see whether you go beyond taking fair credit for your accomplishments — are you a credit hog? How often do you use the credit-grabbing pronoun “I” compared to the team-playing pronoun “we.” Credit hogs may be unable to perform as team members.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Departure reasons. </b>Griping in detail about why you want to leave your present job reveals your values, raising suspicions that a new position would merely replay your frustrations. Will you ever be satisfied or are you a malcontent?</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p class=\"article-tips Tip\">Record your answers to potential job interview questions. The next day, put yourself on the other side of the desk: Listen for what interviewers may be hearing. Do you sound like a winner?</p>\n"},{"title":"Job interviewing tips for shy people","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p class=\"SortTitle\">Are you a bundle of nerves during job interviews? Does your shyness make your mind go blank at inopportune moments? If interviews make you feel like you’re up to bat with two outs and the bases loaded, remember these tips on handling the pressure:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Show and tell with striking visuals. </b>Bring along a highly selective sample of your accomplishments. These could be praise letters from former bosses and clients, achievement awards, charts of goals reached — any attractive document that underlines your qualifications for the job you seek. Your visuals can do your talking for you when you’re stumped for an answer and need recovery time.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Speak up with a success sheet. </b>Create a one-page accomplishments document with a short description of up to 10 of your achievements. When a difficult question erases your memory banks, you can say “I am very interested in this job and a bit nervous. I’m drawing a blank. But I may have something related to your question here on my accomplishments page. . . Ah, here it is. . .” Glancing over your success sheet may uncork your brain.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Play for time. </b>Rehearse in advance a phrase or two that will give you time to collect your wits. “What a good question! Is it okay if I take a few seconds to give you a responsible answer?” And then write the question in your notebook. (Just don&#8217;t say it in a way that sounds as though you have short-term memory loss!)</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Get an interview coach. </b>Look around for a strong career coach, especially one with a specialty in interview prep. Alternatively, find a business friend with a digital camcorder or webcam who will rehearse with you until you’re no longer scared of the interview monster. If you’re looking ahead to interviews in a year or so, find a public speaking group such as Toastmasters where you can speak enough to gain poise and confidence.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Load up on questions.</b> Shy people often freeze up toward the end of the interview, when the interviewer asks “Do you have questions?” Asking smart questions conveys your interest in the job and in the employer. Pull out your notebook, if you need prompts, and ask “What do you expect the person you hire to accomplish in the first six months?” “What training would I receive?” “Why is this position open — what happened to the person who formerly held it?”</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Job interviewing: what to say if you've been fired","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>If your last job didn&#8217;t work out, how do you explain that to potential employers? If you were given the boot by your last boss, see if one of these answers may help you in your job interviews..</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Although I didn’t immediately realize it in this tight economy, hindsight makes me realize that being cut loose was a blessing in disguise. Now I have an opportunity to explore jobs that better suit my qualifications and interests. My research suggests that such an opportunity may be the one on your table. Would you like to hear more about my considerable skills in working with new technology?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Although circumstances caused me to leave my first job before I had a chance to prove myself, I was very successful in school and got along very well with both students and faculty. Perhaps I didn’t fully understand my boss’s expectations going in, but I get it now and won’t make that mistake again. Can I find another chance here now that I’m more mature?</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">After thinking about why I left, I realize I should have done some things differently. That job was a learning experience, and I think I’m wiser now. I’d like the chance to prove that to you that I’ll be the best young employee you’ve ever hired.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Certain personal problems, which I now have solved, unfortunately upset my work life. These problems no longer exist and I’m up and running strong with a determination to exceed expectations in my new job.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">I usually hit it off very well with my bosses, but this case was the exception that proved my rule of good relationships. We just didn’t get along well. I’m not sure why.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">My job was offshored to a low wage country. That’s too bad because people familiar with my work say it is superior and fairly priced.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">I was desperate for work and took the wrong job without looking around the corner. I won’t make that mistake again. I’d prefer an environment that is structured, success-centered, and team-oriented — where my best talents can shine and make a substantial contribution.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Just hanging your head and saying “I dunno why I was let go&#8221; falls in the “duh” department.</p>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2021-10-15T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":208449},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T22:53:53+00:00","modifiedTime":"2021-09-27T13:45:09+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:36:49+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Making the Leap to Your Dream Career","strippedTitle":"making the leap to your dream career","slug":"making-the-leap-to-your-dream-career","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"The biggest factor in your transition from one career to the next is money. Although you'd love to just quit your current job and dive headlong into your new ca","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<p>The biggest factor in your transition from one career to the next is money. Although you'd love to just quit your current job and dive headlong into your new career, financial realities keep you from acting rashly. The truth is that you need to continue to make a certain amount of money to survive as you make your move.</p>\r\n<p>To transition as gracefully and effectively as possible, think through the best way to choreograph your entry into a new job, your own business, or back to school. </p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Using your current income wisely</h2>\r\n<p>If you know that a career change is in your future, be proactive in getting your financial house in order. An honest assessment of your financial situation, while you're still employed if possible, gives you far more options in the long run than assuming you know where you stand.</p>\r\n<p>Before you initiate your move to change careers, make as much progress as you can toward the following four initiatives:</p>\r\n<ul><li>Increasing your savings: Sign up for an automatic transfer to your savings account. Create a monthly or weekly savings goal and do everything in your power to reach it.</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Reducing your monthly expenses: Look at every monthly expense you have. Does the value it provides match what you pay for it? Is it an essential expense? Eliminate bills where you can; downgrade others if possible. Don't focus only on your small expenses; take this opportunity to evaluate your biggest expenses as well to see whether you can find a creative way to restructure them.</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, your debt: Whether you make payments toward student loans, a car loan, or a credit card balance, your income requirement is likely to decrease rather dramatically as you eliminate each source of debt.</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Practicing living within your means: When you launch your new career, you don't want to rack up new debts to replace the ones you've just paid off. Instead, you need <br />to get in the habit of living within your means — without the use of plastic. When you begin acting on these initiatives, your discretionary income, the money you get to use for whatever you wish, decreases dramatically because most of it is going into savings or to pay down your debt. </li></ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Supplementing your full-time position with part-time work</h2>\r\n<p>Taking on a part- time job on top of your regular job can be a viable strategy if you want to do any of the following:</p>\r\n<ul><li>Build your cash reserves</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Gain some experience in your new field</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Develop a particular skill</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Strengthen your network of contacts within a new field</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Add new breadth to your resume</li></ul>\r\n<p>If you're going to invest your time and effort in a second job, get some extra bang for your buck by finding a part-time job that's in alignment with your target career in some way. Think about what you want this job to do for you. Do you want to use the job to get a look at your target industry, to strengthen one key skill you need to move forward, or to check out the competition of your target company?</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Doing contract work</h2>\r\n<p>Although you may think that your only option is to seek out a full-time job, your chances of landing a job improve if you open your mind to include the possibility of taking on project or contract work. Although a series of short-term gigs may not fit your ideal picture, having some money coming in while you gain some relevant experience isn't anything to sneeze at.</p>\r\n<p>More and more companies are turning to a project-based philosophy that allows them to hire just the talent they need to complete a particular project. As soon as a project is finished, the company releases those they no longer need.</p>\r\n<p>Although there's always a chance that your contract will be extended or converted to full-time, you can't know that for sure. Given the fluid nature of the economic climate, you may move from contract work to a full-time position, and back to freelance work over the course of a couple years. Living with this level of unfolding security takes a certain level of confidence and trust.</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Strengthening your position through consulting</h2>\r\n<p>If you decide to use your key strengths in a consulting role as you build toward your dream career, use your consulting gigs to get to know your ultimate target customer. Consciously take projects that allow you to use your talents to get into your target market's world. When you're inside, make good use of the opportunity to observe, ask questions, and get a feel for your target market.</p>\r\n<p>As your knowledge increases and deepens, you have a great opportunity to fine-tune your plan. You might refocus your approach based on new information. You might identify a need that no one is filling, or you might see that your competition in the market is losing its edge or missing the point. The insider perspective gives you the background you need to make a big splash when you open the doors to your business or go after your dream job.</p>\r\n<p>This strategy increases your chances of success because you're building your venture on real-life observations and knowledge rather than assumptions and theory. Knowing what your clients or employer need and are willing to pay for is what takes you to the bank.</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Working full time while attending school part time</h2>\r\n<p>Face it: Returning to school while working full time is no easy feat! You need a fair amount \tof motivation and stamina to work all day, attend classes at night, and spend time with \tyour studies. Although you must put some aspects of your personal life on hold while you enhance your training, taking on this lifestyle is well worth the effort if you need a degree to go for your dream!</p>\r\n<p>If you truly want to enter your target field, look beyond the short-term costs to see the long-term benefits. In the end, you'll be more fulfilled having trained in your field of choice.</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >Attending school with a part-time job on the side</h2>\r\n<p>Another education option is to attend school full time with a part-time job to cover at least some of your expenses. This option may take some creative financing and require that you change your living situation to lower your rent, but the big benefit of this option is that you get through the education phase more quickly.</p>\r\n<p>Look for funding at Free Scholarship Search (www.freschinfo.com). Perhaps you can find a way to go to school full time and not work at all during certain key semesters. Although this idea may seem far-fetched, do yourself a favor and at least check it out, especially if you're more productive when you devote all your time and energy to a single goal.</p>","description":"<p>The biggest factor in your transition from one career to the next is money. Although you'd love to just quit your current job and dive headlong into your new career, financial realities keep you from acting rashly. The truth is that you need to continue to make a certain amount of money to survive as you make your move.</p>\r\n<p>To transition as gracefully and effectively as possible, think through the best way to choreograph your entry into a new job, your own business, or back to school. </p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Using your current income wisely</h2>\r\n<p>If you know that a career change is in your future, be proactive in getting your financial house in order. An honest assessment of your financial situation, while you're still employed if possible, gives you far more options in the long run than assuming you know where you stand.</p>\r\n<p>Before you initiate your move to change careers, make as much progress as you can toward the following four initiatives:</p>\r\n<ul><li>Increasing your savings: Sign up for an automatic transfer to your savings account. Create a monthly or weekly savings goal and do everything in your power to reach it.</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Reducing your monthly expenses: Look at every monthly expense you have. Does the value it provides match what you pay for it? Is it an essential expense? Eliminate bills where you can; downgrade others if possible. Don't focus only on your small expenses; take this opportunity to evaluate your biggest expenses as well to see whether you can find a creative way to restructure them.</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, your debt: Whether you make payments toward student loans, a car loan, or a credit card balance, your income requirement is likely to decrease rather dramatically as you eliminate each source of debt.</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Practicing living within your means: When you launch your new career, you don't want to rack up new debts to replace the ones you've just paid off. Instead, you need <br />to get in the habit of living within your means — without the use of plastic. When you begin acting on these initiatives, your discretionary income, the money you get to use for whatever you wish, decreases dramatically because most of it is going into savings or to pay down your debt. </li></ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Supplementing your full-time position with part-time work</h2>\r\n<p>Taking on a part- time job on top of your regular job can be a viable strategy if you want to do any of the following:</p>\r\n<ul><li>Build your cash reserves</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Gain some experience in your new field</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Develop a particular skill</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Strengthen your network of contacts within a new field</li></ul>\r\n<ul><li>Add new breadth to your resume</li></ul>\r\n<p>If you're going to invest your time and effort in a second job, get some extra bang for your buck by finding a part-time job that's in alignment with your target career in some way. Think about what you want this job to do for you. Do you want to use the job to get a look at your target industry, to strengthen one key skill you need to move forward, or to check out the competition of your target company?</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Doing contract work</h2>\r\n<p>Although you may think that your only option is to seek out a full-time job, your chances of landing a job improve if you open your mind to include the possibility of taking on project or contract work. Although a series of short-term gigs may not fit your ideal picture, having some money coming in while you gain some relevant experience isn't anything to sneeze at.</p>\r\n<p>More and more companies are turning to a project-based philosophy that allows them to hire just the talent they need to complete a particular project. As soon as a project is finished, the company releases those they no longer need.</p>\r\n<p>Although there's always a chance that your contract will be extended or converted to full-time, you can't know that for sure. Given the fluid nature of the economic climate, you may move from contract work to a full-time position, and back to freelance work over the course of a couple years. Living with this level of unfolding security takes a certain level of confidence and trust.</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Strengthening your position through consulting</h2>\r\n<p>If you decide to use your key strengths in a consulting role as you build toward your dream career, use your consulting gigs to get to know your ultimate target customer. Consciously take projects that allow you to use your talents to get into your target market's world. When you're inside, make good use of the opportunity to observe, ask questions, and get a feel for your target market.</p>\r\n<p>As your knowledge increases and deepens, you have a great opportunity to fine-tune your plan. You might refocus your approach based on new information. You might identify a need that no one is filling, or you might see that your competition in the market is losing its edge or missing the point. The insider perspective gives you the background you need to make a big splash when you open the doors to your business or go after your dream job.</p>\r\n<p>This strategy increases your chances of success because you're building your venture on real-life observations and knowledge rather than assumptions and theory. Knowing what your clients or employer need and are willing to pay for is what takes you to the bank.</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Working full time while attending school part time</h2>\r\n<p>Face it: Returning to school while working full time is no easy feat! You need a fair amount \tof motivation and stamina to work all day, attend classes at night, and spend time with \tyour studies. Although you must put some aspects of your personal life on hold while you enhance your training, taking on this lifestyle is well worth the effort if you need a degree to go for your dream!</p>\r\n<p>If you truly want to enter your target field, look beyond the short-term costs to see the long-term benefits. In the end, you'll be more fulfilled having trained in your field of choice.</p>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >Attending school with a part-time job on the side</h2>\r\n<p>Another education option is to attend school full time with a part-time job to cover at least some of your expenses. This option may take some creative financing and require that you change your living situation to lower your rent, but the big benefit of this option is that you get through the education phase more quickly.</p>\r\n<p>Look for funding at Free Scholarship Search (www.freschinfo.com). Perhaps you can find a way to go to school full time and not work at all during certain key semesters. Although this idea may seem far-fetched, do yourself a favor and at least check it out, especially if you're more productive when you devote all your time and energy to a single goal.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":10363,"name":"Carol L. McClelland","slug":"carol-l-mcclelland","description":"","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10363"}},{"authorId":10188,"name":"Richard N. Bolles","slug":"richard-n-bolles","description":"","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10188"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Using your current income wisely","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Supplementing your full-time position with part-time work","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Doing contract work","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Strengthening your position through consulting","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"Working full time while attending school part time","target":"#tab5"},{"label":"Attending school with a part-time job on the side","target":"#tab6"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f515d6e2\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f515ddf3\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2021-09-27T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":201013},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T13:45:30+00:00","modifiedTime":"2020-01-15T19:24:44+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:35:45+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Automate Craigslist for Fast Job-Posting Alerts","strippedTitle":"automate craigslist for fast job-posting alerts","slug":"automate-craigslist-for-fast-job-posting-alerts","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Despite the craziness of Craigslist , it’s still a marvelous place to find up-to-the-minute job postings. In fact, if you were to walk into a business and ask t","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<p>Despite the craziness of <a href=\"http://www.Craigslist.org\">Craigslist</a>, it’s still a marvelous place to find up-to-the-minute job postings. In fact, if you were to walk into a business and ask the hiring manager about the first place he would post an ad for a new job, without much thought he’d likely say, “Oh, I’ll just drop it on Craigslist to get some résumés in the door.”</p>\r\n<p>Craigslist is a great resource for part-time jobs, temp jobs, and entry-level jobs. Typically, jobs posted on Craigslist are filled at a fast pace and can be a real solution for someone not interested in spending (or not in a position to spend) a lot of time on strategy or networking.</p>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">Although you should spend time researching a company before applying for a job, listings on Craigslist don’t always allow for that. You want to apply when you can and as soon as you can, before someone else snatches the job right from under you.</p>\r\n<p>Follow these steps to guarantee you’re the first person to know about any new job postings in your area of interest without camping out on Craigslist all day:</p>\r\n<ol class=\"level-one\">\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Visit <a href=\"http://www.Craigslist.org\">Craigslist</a> and go to the Jobs section you’re interested in.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Type in all the necessary filters in the search field so you see specific jobs that interest you.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">For example, if you’re an educator, click on the Education link in the Jobs section and filter with the keyword “ESL.” The results should be a list of jobs you could do pretty well at.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Copy the URL from the search result that you want instant updates from. Find the URL in the address bar of your browser.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\" style=\"word-wrap: break-word;\">It will look something like this: http://nh.Craigslist.org/search/sss?query=training+wheels+%28newfields|newmarket|Epping|stratham|greenland|hampton|seacoast|exeter%29&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=></p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Open a new browser tab or window, head to the <a href=\"http://www.ifttt.com\">IFTTT website</a>, and set up a free account.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">IFTTT is a free website that lets you build logical statements that connect several different actions online. For instance, you can build a <i>recipe</i> that sends you an e-mail every time you are tagged in a Facebook photo. You’ll soon receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your e-mail address.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Find the recipe called Craigslist Search and paste in the URL you copied from Craigslist.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">The faster you respond to a Craigslist posting, the more likely it is that someone will read your résumé. So if you think you’ll respond better by getting an alert via text message, Gmail, or chat, feel free to use any of the <a href=\"https://ifttt.com/recipes/search?q=Craigslist.\">900+ recipes for Craigslist on IFTTT</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">As you find job opportunities on Craigslist, remember to jot down the names of the companies. You need these names later when you search out people on LinkedIn to talk to.</p>","description":"<p>Despite the craziness of <a href=\"http://www.Craigslist.org\">Craigslist</a>, it’s still a marvelous place to find up-to-the-minute job postings. In fact, if you were to walk into a business and ask the hiring manager about the first place he would post an ad for a new job, without much thought he’d likely say, “Oh, I’ll just drop it on Craigslist to get some résumés in the door.”</p>\r\n<p>Craigslist is a great resource for part-time jobs, temp jobs, and entry-level jobs. Typically, jobs posted on Craigslist are filled at a fast pace and can be a real solution for someone not interested in spending (or not in a position to spend) a lot of time on strategy or networking.</p>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">Although you should spend time researching a company before applying for a job, listings on Craigslist don’t always allow for that. You want to apply when you can and as soon as you can, before someone else snatches the job right from under you.</p>\r\n<p>Follow these steps to guarantee you’re the first person to know about any new job postings in your area of interest without camping out on Craigslist all day:</p>\r\n<ol class=\"level-one\">\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Visit <a href=\"http://www.Craigslist.org\">Craigslist</a> and go to the Jobs section you’re interested in.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Type in all the necessary filters in the search field so you see specific jobs that interest you.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">For example, if you’re an educator, click on the Education link in the Jobs section and filter with the keyword “ESL.” The results should be a list of jobs you could do pretty well at.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Copy the URL from the search result that you want instant updates from. Find the URL in the address bar of your browser.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\" style=\"word-wrap: break-word;\">It will look something like this: http://nh.Craigslist.org/search/sss?query=training+wheels+%28newfields|newmarket|Epping|stratham|greenland|hampton|seacoast|exeter%29&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=></p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Open a new browser tab or window, head to the <a href=\"http://www.ifttt.com\">IFTTT website</a>, and set up a free account.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">IFTTT is a free website that lets you build logical statements that connect several different actions online. For instance, you can build a <i>recipe</i> that sends you an e-mail every time you are tagged in a Facebook photo. You’ll soon receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your e-mail address.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n <li><p class=\"first-para\">Find the recipe called Craigslist Search and paste in the URL you copied from Craigslist.</p>\r\n </li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">The faster you respond to a Craigslist posting, the more likely it is that someone will read your résumé. So if you think you’ll respond better by getting an alert via text message, Gmail, or chat, feel free to use any of the <a href=\"https://ifttt.com/recipes/search?q=Craigslist.\">900+ recipes for Craigslist on IFTTT</a>.</p>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">As you find job opportunities on Craigslist, remember to jot down the names of the companies. You need these names later when you search out people on LinkedIn to talk to.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9534,"name":"Joshua Waldman","slug":"joshua-waldman","description":" <p><b>Joshua Waldman</b>, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in <i>Forbes</i>, <i>Huffington Post</i>, <i>Mashable,</i> and the <i>International Business Times</i>. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.</p>","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9534"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":207875,"title":"Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"job-searching-with-social-media-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207875"}},{"articleId":204268,"title":"10 Job Boards That Are Social Media Enabled","slug":"10-job-boards-that-are-social-media-enabled","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/204268"}},{"articleId":163413,"title":"How to Find Local Job Recruiters on Twitter","slug":"how-to-find-local-job-recruiters-on-twitter","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/163413"}},{"articleId":163411,"title":"3 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Advance Your Career Change","slug":"3-ways-to-use-linkedin-to-advance-your-career-change","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/163411"}},{"articleId":163396,"title":"How to Use Google AdWords to Target Specific Hiring Managers","slug":"how-to-use-google-adwords-to-target-specific-hiring-managers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/163396"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282329,"slug":"job-searching-with-social-media-for-dummies-2nd-edition","isbn":"9781118678565","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118678567/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1118678567/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1118678567-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1118678567/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1118678567/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/job-searching-with-social-media-for-dummies-2nd-edition-cover-9781118678565-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9534\">Joshua Waldman</b>, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in <i>Forbes</i>, <i>Huffington Post</i>, <i>Mashable,</i> and the <i>International Business Times</i>. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9534,"name":"Joshua Waldman","slug":"joshua-waldman","description":" <p><b>Joshua Waldman</b>, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in <i>Forbes</i>, <i>Huffington Post</i>, <i>Mashable,</i> and the <i>International Business Times</i>. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.</p>","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9534"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118678565&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f1134bc3\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118678565&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f113530f\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":159028},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2019-07-28T18:45:33+00:00","modifiedTime":"2019-07-28T18:45:33+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:35:29+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","strippedTitle":"compare and contrast the 3 main resume formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn about reverse chronological, chrono-functional, and hybrid formats for resumes and whether or not they are right for your job search.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"How much are you worth to employers? Your resume inspires an employer's first best guess, so you want to ensure that it’s a compelling portrait of how your strengths and skills benefit the enterprise that you’re hoping will write your next paycheck.\r\n\r\nOne key element that comes into play is how you present information in your resume. You don't have to limit yourself to presenting your experience using the traditional reverse-chronological resume. In fact, unless you’ve had a traditional career history of rising through the ranks, this standard resume could hurt your chances of getting an interview.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Formats for resumes make a difference</h2>\r\n<em>Resume format</em> refers not to the design or look of your resume but to how you organize and emphasize your information. Different format styles flatter different histories.\r\n\r\nAt root, formats come in three styles:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The <em>reverse-chronological format</em> (or traditional format), which lists employment beginning with the most recent and working backward</li>\r\n \t<li>The <em>chrono-functional format,</em> which most frequently emphasizes skills and accomplishments first and chronology timeline second</li>\r\n \t<li>The <em>hybrid format</em>, which lets you customize how you emphasize both the functional skills and the chronology depending on your unique needs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Yes, there is such a thing as a functional resume that focuses primarily on skills and leaves out company names and dates where the work was performed. However, this format presents a big red flag for prospective employers, so don’t be tempted to use it under any circumstances.</p>\r\nThis table gives you a breakdown of which of the three formats enhances your personal curb appeal.\r\n\r\n<strong>Your Best Resume Formats at a Glance</strong>\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Your Situation</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Suggested Formats</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Perfect career progression</td>\r\n<td>Reverse chronological</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>New graduate</td>\r\n<td>Chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Seasoned ace</td>\r\n<td>Reverse chronological; hybrid when old jobs are most relevant</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Military transition</td>\r\n<td>Reverse chronological or chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Job history gaps</td>\r\n<td>Chrono-functional or hybrid</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Career change</td>\r\n<td>Hybrid; sometimes reverse chronological</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Special issues</td>\r\n<td>Hybrid or chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Multitrack job history</td>\r\n<td>Chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Demotions</td>\r\n<td>Any</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">The big question to ask yourself when you’re considering different formats is: “Does this format maximize my qualifications for the job I want?” The format you choose should promote your top qualifications, so make sure to select a format that helps you present your top-pick value.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Reverse-chronological resume format</h2>\r\nThe <em>reverse-chronological</em> (RC) format, shown in the following figure, is straightforward: It cites your employment history from the most recent back, showing dates as well as employers. You accent a steady work history with a clear pattern of upward or lateral mobility.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263102\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263102\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-chronological.jpg\" alt=\"reverse-chronological resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> The tried-and-true, reverse-chronological format.[/caption]\r\n<h3>The RC format's strengths and weaknesses</h3>\r\nCheck to see whether the reverse-chronological resume’s strengths work for you:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>This upfront format is by far the most popular with employers and recruiters because it puts the emphasis on what you’ve been doing most recently in your career and lets your career progression easily be seen.</li>\r\n \t<li>RC links employment dates, underscoring continuity. The weight of your experience confirms that you’re a specialist in a specific career field.</li>\r\n \t<li>RC positions you for the next upward career step.</li>\r\n \t<li>As the most traditional of formats, RC is a good fit for traditional industries but is the resume of choice for all industries when you can demonstrate solid progression in your career.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTake the weaknesses of the reverse-chronological format into account:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>When your previous job titles are substantially different from your target position, this format doesn’t support your objective. Without careful management, the RC reveals everything, including inconsequential jobs and negative factors.</li>\r\n \t<li>RC can spotlight periods of unemployment or brief job tenure.</li>\r\n \t<li>Without careful management, RC reveals your age.</li>\r\n \t<li>If you aren’t careful, RC may suggest that you hit a plateau and stayed in a job too long.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Should you use the RC resume format?</h3>\r\nUse the reverse-chronological if you fall into any of these categories:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You have a steady work record reflecting constant growth or lateral movement.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your most recent employer is a respected name in the industry, and the name may ease your entry into a new position.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your most recent job titles are impressive stepping-stones.</li>\r\n \t<li>You’re a savvy writer who knows how to manage potential negative factors, such as inconsequential jobs, too few jobs, too many temporary jobs, too many years at the same job, or too many years of age.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThink twice about using the RC under these circumstances:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You're a new graduate with limited experience in your target profession.</li>\r\n \t<li>You have work history or employability problems such as gaps, demotions, stagnation in a single position, job hopping (four jobs in three years, for example), or re-entering the workforce after a break to raise a family.</li>\r\n \t<li>You're trying to change careers.</li>\r\n \t<li>You're trying to re-enter a profession you worked in many years ago that isn’t showing up front and center with an RC.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>How to create a reverse-chronological resume</h3>\r\nTo create an RC resume, remember to focus on areas of specific relevance to your target position. For your work history section, you typically want to concentrate on your last four jobs or your last 10 to 15 years of employment.\r\n\r\nBe sure to include for each the name of the employer and the city in which you worked, the years you were there, your title, your key responsibilities, and your measurable accomplishments.\r\n\r\nTo handle problems such as unrelated experience or early experience that could date you but is too relevant to leave off, you can group unrelated jobs in a second work history section under a heading of <em>Additional Experience, Previous Experience,</em> or <em>Related Experience</em>.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">When it comes to including dates on your resume, you have multiple options:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If your jobs were extremely fluid, meaning you left one company and immediately started with the next, you can use months and years. However, if you had gaps of several months between one job stopping and one starting, it is perfectly acceptable to just list the years employed.</li>\r\n \t<li>When you have held multiple progressive positions with an employer, you don’t have to list the employer all over again. Instead, create an umbrella for the positions, listing the employer only once and the total dates, and then show your reverse chronology below. This figure shows how to present multiple progressive positions with the same employer.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263101\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263101\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-progressive-positions.jpg\" alt=\"progressive positions on resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"264\" /> Listing multiple progressive positions with one employer.[/caption]\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If your positions were similar and varied little, or you had the same job with a different title, it’s okay to group them versus describing them twice. The following figure shows an individual who had progressive positions with the same employer, but some of the jobs were similar enough to group instead of listing redundant information in two places.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263100\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263100\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-grouping-positions.jpg\" alt=\"Grouping positions on resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"276\" /> Grouping similar positions held at the same employer.[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Chrono-functional resume format</h2>\r\nThe <em>chrono-functional</em> (CF) format, shown in the following figure, is a resume of ability-focused topics — portable skills or functional areas that position you best for your new job target (or to overcome some challenge in your timeline). It ignores chronological order or even whether a particular skill came from employment. However, the chrono-functional format backs up all listed skills with a chronology that might come from employment, courses or education, volunteer work, and paid or unpaid internships.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263099\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263099\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-chrono-functional.jpg\" alt=\"Chrono-functional resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> A chrono-functional resume format, which is used to overcome timeline challenges in your work history.[/caption]\r\n<h3>The CF format's strengths and weaknesses</h3>\r\nThe following are the strengths of the chrono-functional format:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A CF resume directs a reader’s eyes to what you want him or her to notice. It helps a reader visualize what you can do instead of locking you into when and where you learned to do it. CF resumes salute the future rather than embalm the past.</li>\r\n \t<li>The CF format — written after researching the target company — serves up the precise functions or skills that the employer wants. It’s like saying, “You want budget control and turnaround skills —– here’s where I offer budget control and turnaround skills.” The skills sell is a magnet to reader eyes!</li>\r\n \t<li>It uses unpaid and nonwork experience to your best advantage.</li>\r\n \t<li>The CF format allows you to eliminate or subordinate work history that doesn’t support your current objective.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe weaknesses of the chrono-functional format include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Recruiters and employers are more accustomed to reverse-chronological formats than other types. Departing from the norm may raise suspicion that you’re not the cream of the crop of applicants. Readers may assume that you’re trying to hide inadequate experience, educational deficits, or who knows what.</li>\r\n \t<li>Functional styles may leave unclear which skills grew from which jobs or experiences.</li>\r\n \t<li>This format doesn’t clearly describe your career progression.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Should you use the CF resume format?</h3>\r\nThe chrono-functional resume is heaven-sent for career changers, contract workers, new graduates, ex-military personnel, and individuals with multitrack job histories, work history gaps, or special issues.\r\n\r\nJob seekers with perfect backgrounds (no gaps, career changes, or the like) and managers and professionals who are often tapped by executive recruiters should avoid this format.\r\n<h3>How to create a chrono-functional resume</h3>\r\nChoose areas of expertise acquired during the course of your career, including education and unpaid activities. These areas become skill, competency, and functional headings, which vary by the target position or career field. Note accomplishments below each heading. A few examples of headings are: <em>Operations Management, Sales, Budget Control, Cost Cutting, Project Implementation, Growth,</em> and <em>Turnaround Successes.</em>\r\n\r\nList the headings in the order of importance and follow each heading with a series of short statements of your skills. Turn your statements into power hitters with measurable achievements. The easiest way to do this is to always write CAR statements — the challenge you faced, actions you took, and results you obtained.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">It’s important to note two key elements that allow a chrono-functional resume to work:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Your resume has a work history listed either above or below the experience and accomplishments section.</li>\r\n \t<li>Each top skill lists the role in which it was attained.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you do not make these key connections in your resume, prospective employers will question the validity of your skills and become confused about where or when they were used. By providing this small bit of connective data, you make a chrono-functional a safe choice when navigating career challenges on your resume.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Hybrid resume format</h2>\r\nThe hybrid resume format may likely be something you haven’t encountered before. While it has been in use by a handful of professional resume writers for over a decade with great success and employer acceptance, it has rarely been shared with job seekers before now.\r\n\r\nA <em>hybrid resume format</em> takes elements from different resume types so you can maintain an employment chronology as well as use creative functional characteristics to overcome your career challenge without raising any red flags. This strategy works great if\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You want to highlight jobs from earlier in your career that might otherwise not be seen.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your most recent job was not as strong or as close a fit to your target.</li>\r\n \t<li>You have a gap in employment.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEssentially, with the hybrid format, you’re addressing employment circumstances in which there are challenges but a full chrono-functional adaptation would be overkill. Such challenges might include\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You held the target experience or industry experience previously in your career.</li>\r\n \t<li>The position experience or industry experience most relevant to your target is earlier in your career and will be hidden on page 2 of the resume.</li>\r\n \t<li>You were demoted with your current employer and wish to make that less obvious.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your recent employment is lower level, irrelevant, or covering a gap but your prior history is right on target.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>The hybrid format's strengths and weaknesses</h3>\r\nCheck out some of the strengths of the hybrid format to decide whether it’s for you:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>It quickly points prospective employers to early experience you have that matches your target, and it makes it seem more relevant.</li>\r\n \t<li>It can cleverly mask a gap in your employment history.</li>\r\n \t<li>It allows you the flexibility to put your best foot forward even if your most recent employment was not in line with your current target.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhen crafted correctly for job seekers with these kinds of challenges, there aren’t any weaknesses to using a hybrid format.\r\n<h3>Should you use the hybrid resume format?</h3>\r\nA hybrid resume helps you position your relevant experience and work history more effectively when you have gaps, demotions, career changes, career back-tracking, or haven’t worked in the target industry for many years.\r\n\r\nAlthough the hybrid resume looks neat and is highly efficient at what it does, those with strong career progressions in their chosen industry should steer clear. You don’t need to get fancy when you’re already on track.\r\n<h3>How to create a hybrid resume</h3>\r\nSome employment challenges require the lightest of tweaking to make them blend in, and others require more of a major renovation. You can decide on a case-by-case basis how much work your resume needs when you look at the job target and compare it to your work history.\r\n\r\nIf your career progression is all lined up for the job you want but the industry experience is hiding on page 2, all you need is a light tweak to help draw the eyes of prospective employer to relevant career information. You can stick with your reverse chronology and all the other elements that make an RC successful, but add a little summary line at the top of your professional experience section that connects your prior positions or industries with the target, as shown here.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263097\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263097\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-light-hybrid.jpg\" alt=\"Light hybrid resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> Use the light hybrid when your reverse-chronology resume is on track but some key relevance is getting hidden in your resume layout.[/caption]\r\n\r\nBut what if you’re facing one of those challenges that make it more crucial for you to play up a job from earlier in your career but going to a chrono-functional resume would be overkill? That’s when you go heavy with the hybrid!\r\n\r\nYou have room to be creative here as long as you adhere to two simple rules:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Always include a timeline, either before the professional experience section or after it.</li>\r\n \t<li>List jobs in the order they best serve you, but without the dates (since those appear elsewhere in the chronology). Feel free to leave out descriptions that don’t serve you.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe following figure shows you how you might present the timeline and job list on a resume.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263096\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263096\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-heavy-hybrid.jpg\" alt=\"A heavy hybrid resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> The heavy hybrid format comes into play when you have had solid jobs but they just aren’t presenting in the best order to qualify you for the position.[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter you decide on which resume format you're going to use, see \"<a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/resumes/why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers/\">Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers</a>,\" for ways to make your resume pop.","description":"How much are you worth to employers? Your resume inspires an employer's first best guess, so you want to ensure that it’s a compelling portrait of how your strengths and skills benefit the enterprise that you’re hoping will write your next paycheck.\r\n\r\nOne key element that comes into play is how you present information in your resume. You don't have to limit yourself to presenting your experience using the traditional reverse-chronological resume. In fact, unless you’ve had a traditional career history of rising through the ranks, this standard resume could hurt your chances of getting an interview.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Formats for resumes make a difference</h2>\r\n<em>Resume format</em> refers not to the design or look of your resume but to how you organize and emphasize your information. Different format styles flatter different histories.\r\n\r\nAt root, formats come in three styles:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The <em>reverse-chronological format</em> (or traditional format), which lists employment beginning with the most recent and working backward</li>\r\n \t<li>The <em>chrono-functional format,</em> which most frequently emphasizes skills and accomplishments first and chronology timeline second</li>\r\n \t<li>The <em>hybrid format</em>, which lets you customize how you emphasize both the functional skills and the chronology depending on your unique needs</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Yes, there is such a thing as a functional resume that focuses primarily on skills and leaves out company names and dates where the work was performed. However, this format presents a big red flag for prospective employers, so don’t be tempted to use it under any circumstances.</p>\r\nThis table gives you a breakdown of which of the three formats enhances your personal curb appeal.\r\n\r\n<strong>Your Best Resume Formats at a Glance</strong>\r\n<table>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Your Situation</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Suggested Formats</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Perfect career progression</td>\r\n<td>Reverse chronological</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>New graduate</td>\r\n<td>Chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Seasoned ace</td>\r\n<td>Reverse chronological; hybrid when old jobs are most relevant</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Military transition</td>\r\n<td>Reverse chronological or chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Job history gaps</td>\r\n<td>Chrono-functional or hybrid</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Career change</td>\r\n<td>Hybrid; sometimes reverse chronological</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Special issues</td>\r\n<td>Hybrid or chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Multitrack job history</td>\r\n<td>Chrono-functional</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Demotions</td>\r\n<td>Any</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">The big question to ask yourself when you’re considering different formats is: “Does this format maximize my qualifications for the job I want?” The format you choose should promote your top qualifications, so make sure to select a format that helps you present your top-pick value.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Reverse-chronological resume format</h2>\r\nThe <em>reverse-chronological</em> (RC) format, shown in the following figure, is straightforward: It cites your employment history from the most recent back, showing dates as well as employers. You accent a steady work history with a clear pattern of upward or lateral mobility.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263102\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263102\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-chronological.jpg\" alt=\"reverse-chronological resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> The tried-and-true, reverse-chronological format.[/caption]\r\n<h3>The RC format's strengths and weaknesses</h3>\r\nCheck to see whether the reverse-chronological resume’s strengths work for you:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>This upfront format is by far the most popular with employers and recruiters because it puts the emphasis on what you’ve been doing most recently in your career and lets your career progression easily be seen.</li>\r\n \t<li>RC links employment dates, underscoring continuity. The weight of your experience confirms that you’re a specialist in a specific career field.</li>\r\n \t<li>RC positions you for the next upward career step.</li>\r\n \t<li>As the most traditional of formats, RC is a good fit for traditional industries but is the resume of choice for all industries when you can demonstrate solid progression in your career.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTake the weaknesses of the reverse-chronological format into account:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>When your previous job titles are substantially different from your target position, this format doesn’t support your objective. Without careful management, the RC reveals everything, including inconsequential jobs and negative factors.</li>\r\n \t<li>RC can spotlight periods of unemployment or brief job tenure.</li>\r\n \t<li>Without careful management, RC reveals your age.</li>\r\n \t<li>If you aren’t careful, RC may suggest that you hit a plateau and stayed in a job too long.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Should you use the RC resume format?</h3>\r\nUse the reverse-chronological if you fall into any of these categories:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You have a steady work record reflecting constant growth or lateral movement.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your most recent employer is a respected name in the industry, and the name may ease your entry into a new position.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your most recent job titles are impressive stepping-stones.</li>\r\n \t<li>You’re a savvy writer who knows how to manage potential negative factors, such as inconsequential jobs, too few jobs, too many temporary jobs, too many years at the same job, or too many years of age.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThink twice about using the RC under these circumstances:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You're a new graduate with limited experience in your target profession.</li>\r\n \t<li>You have work history or employability problems such as gaps, demotions, stagnation in a single position, job hopping (four jobs in three years, for example), or re-entering the workforce after a break to raise a family.</li>\r\n \t<li>You're trying to change careers.</li>\r\n \t<li>You're trying to re-enter a profession you worked in many years ago that isn’t showing up front and center with an RC.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>How to create a reverse-chronological resume</h3>\r\nTo create an RC resume, remember to focus on areas of specific relevance to your target position. For your work history section, you typically want to concentrate on your last four jobs or your last 10 to 15 years of employment.\r\n\r\nBe sure to include for each the name of the employer and the city in which you worked, the years you were there, your title, your key responsibilities, and your measurable accomplishments.\r\n\r\nTo handle problems such as unrelated experience or early experience that could date you but is too relevant to leave off, you can group unrelated jobs in a second work history section under a heading of <em>Additional Experience, Previous Experience,</em> or <em>Related Experience</em>.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">When it comes to including dates on your resume, you have multiple options:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If your jobs were extremely fluid, meaning you left one company and immediately started with the next, you can use months and years. However, if you had gaps of several months between one job stopping and one starting, it is perfectly acceptable to just list the years employed.</li>\r\n \t<li>When you have held multiple progressive positions with an employer, you don’t have to list the employer all over again. Instead, create an umbrella for the positions, listing the employer only once and the total dates, and then show your reverse chronology below. This figure shows how to present multiple progressive positions with the same employer.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263101\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263101\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-progressive-positions.jpg\" alt=\"progressive positions on resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"264\" /> Listing multiple progressive positions with one employer.[/caption]\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If your positions were similar and varied little, or you had the same job with a different title, it’s okay to group them versus describing them twice. The following figure shows an individual who had progressive positions with the same employer, but some of the jobs were similar enough to group instead of listing redundant information in two places.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263100\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263100\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-grouping-positions.jpg\" alt=\"Grouping positions on resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"276\" /> Grouping similar positions held at the same employer.[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Chrono-functional resume format</h2>\r\nThe <em>chrono-functional</em> (CF) format, shown in the following figure, is a resume of ability-focused topics — portable skills or functional areas that position you best for your new job target (or to overcome some challenge in your timeline). It ignores chronological order or even whether a particular skill came from employment. However, the chrono-functional format backs up all listed skills with a chronology that might come from employment, courses or education, volunteer work, and paid or unpaid internships.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263099\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263099\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-chrono-functional.jpg\" alt=\"Chrono-functional resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> A chrono-functional resume format, which is used to overcome timeline challenges in your work history.[/caption]\r\n<h3>The CF format's strengths and weaknesses</h3>\r\nThe following are the strengths of the chrono-functional format:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A CF resume directs a reader’s eyes to what you want him or her to notice. It helps a reader visualize what you can do instead of locking you into when and where you learned to do it. CF resumes salute the future rather than embalm the past.</li>\r\n \t<li>The CF format — written after researching the target company — serves up the precise functions or skills that the employer wants. It’s like saying, “You want budget control and turnaround skills —– here’s where I offer budget control and turnaround skills.” The skills sell is a magnet to reader eyes!</li>\r\n \t<li>It uses unpaid and nonwork experience to your best advantage.</li>\r\n \t<li>The CF format allows you to eliminate or subordinate work history that doesn’t support your current objective.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe weaknesses of the chrono-functional format include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Recruiters and employers are more accustomed to reverse-chronological formats than other types. Departing from the norm may raise suspicion that you’re not the cream of the crop of applicants. Readers may assume that you’re trying to hide inadequate experience, educational deficits, or who knows what.</li>\r\n \t<li>Functional styles may leave unclear which skills grew from which jobs or experiences.</li>\r\n \t<li>This format doesn’t clearly describe your career progression.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Should you use the CF resume format?</h3>\r\nThe chrono-functional resume is heaven-sent for career changers, contract workers, new graduates, ex-military personnel, and individuals with multitrack job histories, work history gaps, or special issues.\r\n\r\nJob seekers with perfect backgrounds (no gaps, career changes, or the like) and managers and professionals who are often tapped by executive recruiters should avoid this format.\r\n<h3>How to create a chrono-functional resume</h3>\r\nChoose areas of expertise acquired during the course of your career, including education and unpaid activities. These areas become skill, competency, and functional headings, which vary by the target position or career field. Note accomplishments below each heading. A few examples of headings are: <em>Operations Management, Sales, Budget Control, Cost Cutting, Project Implementation, Growth,</em> and <em>Turnaround Successes.</em>\r\n\r\nList the headings in the order of importance and follow each heading with a series of short statements of your skills. Turn your statements into power hitters with measurable achievements. The easiest way to do this is to always write CAR statements — the challenge you faced, actions you took, and results you obtained.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">It’s important to note two key elements that allow a chrono-functional resume to work:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Your resume has a work history listed either above or below the experience and accomplishments section.</li>\r\n \t<li>Each top skill lists the role in which it was attained.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you do not make these key connections in your resume, prospective employers will question the validity of your skills and become confused about where or when they were used. By providing this small bit of connective data, you make a chrono-functional a safe choice when navigating career challenges on your resume.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Hybrid resume format</h2>\r\nThe hybrid resume format may likely be something you haven’t encountered before. While it has been in use by a handful of professional resume writers for over a decade with great success and employer acceptance, it has rarely been shared with job seekers before now.\r\n\r\nA <em>hybrid resume format</em> takes elements from different resume types so you can maintain an employment chronology as well as use creative functional characteristics to overcome your career challenge without raising any red flags. This strategy works great if\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You want to highlight jobs from earlier in your career that might otherwise not be seen.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your most recent job was not as strong or as close a fit to your target.</li>\r\n \t<li>You have a gap in employment.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEssentially, with the hybrid format, you’re addressing employment circumstances in which there are challenges but a full chrono-functional adaptation would be overkill. Such challenges might include\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You held the target experience or industry experience previously in your career.</li>\r\n \t<li>The position experience or industry experience most relevant to your target is earlier in your career and will be hidden on page 2 of the resume.</li>\r\n \t<li>You were demoted with your current employer and wish to make that less obvious.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your recent employment is lower level, irrelevant, or covering a gap but your prior history is right on target.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>The hybrid format's strengths and weaknesses</h3>\r\nCheck out some of the strengths of the hybrid format to decide whether it’s for you:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>It quickly points prospective employers to early experience you have that matches your target, and it makes it seem more relevant.</li>\r\n \t<li>It can cleverly mask a gap in your employment history.</li>\r\n \t<li>It allows you the flexibility to put your best foot forward even if your most recent employment was not in line with your current target.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhen crafted correctly for job seekers with these kinds of challenges, there aren’t any weaknesses to using a hybrid format.\r\n<h3>Should you use the hybrid resume format?</h3>\r\nA hybrid resume helps you position your relevant experience and work history more effectively when you have gaps, demotions, career changes, career back-tracking, or haven’t worked in the target industry for many years.\r\n\r\nAlthough the hybrid resume looks neat and is highly efficient at what it does, those with strong career progressions in their chosen industry should steer clear. You don’t need to get fancy when you’re already on track.\r\n<h3>How to create a hybrid resume</h3>\r\nSome employment challenges require the lightest of tweaking to make them blend in, and others require more of a major renovation. You can decide on a case-by-case basis how much work your resume needs when you look at the job target and compare it to your work history.\r\n\r\nIf your career progression is all lined up for the job you want but the industry experience is hiding on page 2, all you need is a light tweak to help draw the eyes of prospective employer to relevant career information. You can stick with your reverse chronology and all the other elements that make an RC successful, but add a little summary line at the top of your professional experience section that connects your prior positions or industries with the target, as shown here.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263097\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263097\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-light-hybrid.jpg\" alt=\"Light hybrid resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> Use the light hybrid when your reverse-chronology resume is on track but some key relevance is getting hidden in your resume layout.[/caption]\r\n\r\nBut what if you’re facing one of those challenges that make it more crucial for you to play up a job from earlier in your career but going to a chrono-functional resume would be overkill? That’s when you go heavy with the hybrid!\r\n\r\nYou have room to be creative here as long as you adhere to two simple rules:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Always include a timeline, either before the professional experience section or after it.</li>\r\n \t<li>List jobs in the order they best serve you, but without the dates (since those appear elsewhere in the chronology). Feel free to leave out descriptions that don’t serve you.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe following figure shows you how you might present the timeline and job list on a resume.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263096\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263096\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-heavy-hybrid.jpg\" alt=\"A heavy hybrid resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"771\" /> The heavy hybrid format comes into play when you have had solid jobs but they just aren’t presenting in the best order to qualify you for the position.[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter you decide on which resume format you're going to use, see \"<a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/resumes/why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers/\">Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers</a>,\" for ways to make your resume pop.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Formats for resumes make a difference","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Reverse-chronological resume format","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Chrono-functional resume format","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Hybrid resume format","target":"#tab4"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":207512,"title":"Resumes For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"resumes-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207512"}},{"articleId":196179,"title":"Resume Tips for Recent Graduates","slug":"resume-tips-for-recent-graduates","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/196179"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}},{"articleId":252069,"title":"How to Obtain Recommendations for Your First Job","slug":"obtain-recommendations-first-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252069"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282539,"slug":"resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition","isbn":"9781119539285","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119539285-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition-cover-9781119539285-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Resumes For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9096\">Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f013fa62\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f0140221\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":263098},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2019-07-28T18:02:55+00:00","modifiedTime":"2019-07-28T18:02:55+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:35:29+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","strippedTitle":"how to customize your resume for a job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn how to transform your one-size-fits-all resume into a targeted resume that will grab an employer's attention and get you the job you want.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Today's employers are inundated by resume submissions in a world where multitasking and information overload are already the norm. If you try to use a <em>Core</em>, one-size-fits-all, resume, your resume will end up in a black hole.\r\n\r\nEven though the computer age is upon us, fully customizing a resume remains a time-suck in busy lives — like preparing a five-course meal from scratch. That’s why you want to check out the <em>OnTarget</em> approach to customization described here.\r\n\r\nHere’s how you can get started transforming your one-size-fits-all resume into a targeted resume:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong> Read the job description to determine exactly what the employer needs.</strong> Mirror back what you find in each section of the OnTarget resume. Specifically, tweak your objective header statement and the contents of your summary, keywords, and employment history sections.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Cut out irrelevant content from each section of your Core resume.</strong> Keeping this content won’t make you look better; instead it makes you look like you’re overqualified and not likely to stay — or uncommitted and likely to leave.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Tweak wording to speak directly to the targeted position.</strong> This step may require crossover language if you are going from working with physicians and surgeons as your clients in the healthcare industry to executives in the IT industry. Look at the language used in the job description and use it in your OnTarget resume.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Staying OnTarget with your resume is a very simple process as long as you aren’t making a major life change such as returning to work after a gap or entering the workplace for the first time as a <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/resumes/resume-tips-for-recent-graduates/\">new graduate</a>.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Draw words from job descriptions for your targeted resume</h2>\r\nIn order to spoon-feed a prospective employer directly what he is seeking in a position, take a look at the job description. If you find the description to be vague, perform an Internet search for that job title and look at other descriptions to get a deeper sense of what is desired.\r\n\r\nFor example, if you have a background in retail sales, retail management, and customer service, the Core one-size-fits-all resume you have developed positions you to use all these skills. But now you are targeting a job in outside sales. When you review the job description, you’ll see no emphasis on retail or on management. From the description you can typically surmise:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The objective header statement you need to use to show you are applying for this position.</li>\r\n \t<li>What the employer values in a candidate, which you can play up in your summary section and in your results-focused job descriptions.</li>\r\n \t<li>The key skills that you need to list and emphasize in your keyword section and then later connect with responsibilities and CAR stories in your professional experience section (job descriptions).</li>\r\n \t<li>The wording you need to adopt to make your experience feel as relevant as possible. This is crossover language where you speak in the new profession’s language and not in your old profession’s language.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThis figure shows a Core one-size-fits-all resume for a job seeker who is overqualified for her target position.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263091\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263091\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-core.jpg\" alt=\"core resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"651\" /> This Core one-size-fits-all resume for a job seeker who last held a position in retail operations management makes her overqualified for targeting a sales position.[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the following figure, the same job seeker appears perfectly qualified for this job.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263090\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263090\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-targeted.jpg\" alt=\"targeted resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"553\" /> This OnTarget resume is for the same job seeker, but the focus of the content has been changed based on the target job description to complement an opportunity in sales.[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Use crossover language to be OnTarget</h2>\r\nImagine you need to cross a bridge to reach your prospective employer, have him open the door, and welcome you in. When you reach that door and he speaks the language of healthcare and you speak that of engineering, your interaction will be as if you are from two different countries. He’ll close the door, unsure of why you came knocking, and you will go away feeling frustrated.\r\n\r\nBut it never has to be that way if you discover how to use crossover language when writing your OnTarget resume.\r\n\r\nLuckily, crossover language is easy to apply when you have looked at the job description for your target position. Does the employer refer to clients as “patients”? Are their customers called “members” or “key decision-makers”? Do they “sell” or “consult”? Are their products “cardiothoracic medical devices” or “high-tech equipment”?\r\n\r\nAfter you have a feel for this language, you can begin changing the wording in your Core resume to reflect the target for your new OnTarget resume.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">When choosing crossover language for your OnTarget resume, don’t use words that you don’t have the knowledge to support in an interview. You must truly understand the language you’re using in your resume. Be sure to dig deep, do your homework, and be able to talk in the language of your target industry. Otherwise, you may find yourself embarrassed in an interview.</p>\r\nThe following figure shows a great example of using crossover language to target a new type of position. The job seeker’s before language pigeonholed him to home cabinet projects; after he targeted his resume, the specific crossover language demonstrated his match for project management.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263089\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263089\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-crossover.jpg\" alt=\"resume crossover language\" width=\"535\" height=\"269\" /> An example of revising a job summary using crossover language.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Job descriptions aren’t the only place you can learn about language when targeting a position that may represent a change in industry or responsibility. Look at the <em><a href=\"http://www.bls.gov/ooh/\">Occupational Outlook Handbook</a></em>, perform general searches by job title, and visit the professional association for that industry. You can uncover a lot of key language, core responsibilities, and strengths a particular type of position and industry require to help you make your resume a strong OnTarget match.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Going OnTarget with your resume can seem time-consuming. However, you will rapidly find that if you are targeting the same type of position over and over again, you only have to change a few words after the first customization. So be sure to save a copy of each new target you create. That way, when the next sales position or operations manager position comes along that you want to target, you can open that file, perform any needed customization, and be ready to go in a matter of moments.</p>","description":"Today's employers are inundated by resume submissions in a world where multitasking and information overload are already the norm. If you try to use a <em>Core</em>, one-size-fits-all, resume, your resume will end up in a black hole.\r\n\r\nEven though the computer age is upon us, fully customizing a resume remains a time-suck in busy lives — like preparing a five-course meal from scratch. That’s why you want to check out the <em>OnTarget</em> approach to customization described here.\r\n\r\nHere’s how you can get started transforming your one-size-fits-all resume into a targeted resume:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong> Read the job description to determine exactly what the employer needs.</strong> Mirror back what you find in each section of the OnTarget resume. Specifically, tweak your objective header statement and the contents of your summary, keywords, and employment history sections.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Cut out irrelevant content from each section of your Core resume.</strong> Keeping this content won’t make you look better; instead it makes you look like you’re overqualified and not likely to stay — or uncommitted and likely to leave.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Tweak wording to speak directly to the targeted position.</strong> This step may require crossover language if you are going from working with physicians and surgeons as your clients in the healthcare industry to executives in the IT industry. Look at the language used in the job description and use it in your OnTarget resume.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Staying OnTarget with your resume is a very simple process as long as you aren’t making a major life change such as returning to work after a gap or entering the workplace for the first time as a <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/resumes/resume-tips-for-recent-graduates/\">new graduate</a>.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Draw words from job descriptions for your targeted resume</h2>\r\nIn order to spoon-feed a prospective employer directly what he is seeking in a position, take a look at the job description. If you find the description to be vague, perform an Internet search for that job title and look at other descriptions to get a deeper sense of what is desired.\r\n\r\nFor example, if you have a background in retail sales, retail management, and customer service, the Core one-size-fits-all resume you have developed positions you to use all these skills. But now you are targeting a job in outside sales. When you review the job description, you’ll see no emphasis on retail or on management. From the description you can typically surmise:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The objective header statement you need to use to show you are applying for this position.</li>\r\n \t<li>What the employer values in a candidate, which you can play up in your summary section and in your results-focused job descriptions.</li>\r\n \t<li>The key skills that you need to list and emphasize in your keyword section and then later connect with responsibilities and CAR stories in your professional experience section (job descriptions).</li>\r\n \t<li>The wording you need to adopt to make your experience feel as relevant as possible. This is crossover language where you speak in the new profession’s language and not in your old profession’s language.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThis figure shows a Core one-size-fits-all resume for a job seeker who is overqualified for her target position.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263091\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263091\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-core.jpg\" alt=\"core resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"651\" /> This Core one-size-fits-all resume for a job seeker who last held a position in retail operations management makes her overqualified for targeting a sales position.[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the following figure, the same job seeker appears perfectly qualified for this job.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263090\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263090\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-targeted.jpg\" alt=\"targeted resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"553\" /> This OnTarget resume is for the same job seeker, but the focus of the content has been changed based on the target job description to complement an opportunity in sales.[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Use crossover language to be OnTarget</h2>\r\nImagine you need to cross a bridge to reach your prospective employer, have him open the door, and welcome you in. When you reach that door and he speaks the language of healthcare and you speak that of engineering, your interaction will be as if you are from two different countries. He’ll close the door, unsure of why you came knocking, and you will go away feeling frustrated.\r\n\r\nBut it never has to be that way if you discover how to use crossover language when writing your OnTarget resume.\r\n\r\nLuckily, crossover language is easy to apply when you have looked at the job description for your target position. Does the employer refer to clients as “patients”? Are their customers called “members” or “key decision-makers”? Do they “sell” or “consult”? Are their products “cardiothoracic medical devices” or “high-tech equipment”?\r\n\r\nAfter you have a feel for this language, you can begin changing the wording in your Core resume to reflect the target for your new OnTarget resume.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">When choosing crossover language for your OnTarget resume, don’t use words that you don’t have the knowledge to support in an interview. You must truly understand the language you’re using in your resume. Be sure to dig deep, do your homework, and be able to talk in the language of your target industry. Otherwise, you may find yourself embarrassed in an interview.</p>\r\nThe following figure shows a great example of using crossover language to target a new type of position. The job seeker’s before language pigeonholed him to home cabinet projects; after he targeted his resume, the specific crossover language demonstrated his match for project management.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263089\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263089\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-crossover.jpg\" alt=\"resume crossover language\" width=\"535\" height=\"269\" /> An example of revising a job summary using crossover language.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Job descriptions aren’t the only place you can learn about language when targeting a position that may represent a change in industry or responsibility. Look at the <em><a href=\"http://www.bls.gov/ooh/\">Occupational Outlook Handbook</a></em>, perform general searches by job title, and visit the professional association for that industry. You can uncover a lot of key language, core responsibilities, and strengths a particular type of position and industry require to help you make your resume a strong OnTarget match.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Going OnTarget with your resume can seem time-consuming. However, you will rapidly find that if you are targeting the same type of position over and over again, you only have to change a few words after the first customization. So be sure to save a copy of each new target you create. That way, when the next sales position or operations manager position comes along that you want to target, you can open that file, perform any needed customization, and be ready to go in a matter of moments.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Draw words from job descriptions for your targeted resume","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Use crossover language to be OnTarget","target":"#tab2"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":207512,"title":"Resumes For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"resumes-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207512"}},{"articleId":196179,"title":"Resume Tips for Recent Graduates","slug":"resume-tips-for-recent-graduates","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/196179"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}},{"articleId":252069,"title":"How to Obtain Recommendations for Your First Job","slug":"obtain-recommendations-first-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252069"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282539,"slug":"resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition","isbn":"9781119539285","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119539285-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition-cover-9781119539285-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Resumes For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9096\">Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f0138b62\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f01392c6\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":263088},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2019-07-28T17:20:35+00:00","modifiedTime":"2019-07-28T17:20:35+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:35:29+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","strippedTitle":"why creative resume designs are game changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn what defines a creative resume design and discover some new methods to make your resume stand out and how to use them in an effective way.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The formatting, content, and presentation of a creative resume can give you an edge during a job search. Desktop publishing and design software, first made widespread in the 1980s, has enabled some people to elevate the marketing and advertising strategy in their resumes.\r\n\r\nAnyone can use some creativity in a resume to help it stand out in a stack of plain resumes. Here, you'll see examples of when to go all-out with design and when to be more restrained.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">It’s important to recognize that the fancier your resume, the less chance it has of being scannable. If resume content appears on a colored background or pertinent data is in a chart or box, computers can't read it. But don’t discount these creative resumes — they don’t replace your regular OnTarget resume. Instead, use your creative resume for targeted mailings, networking, job fairs, and any time you can put a resume directly into the hands of a decision maker.</p>\r\nSubmit both formats and include the following in your cover letter: “For your convenience, I have also included a plain, scannable copy of my resume.” This approach solves the problem and gets your resume seen.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >What is a creative resume?</h2>\r\nA creative resume can be as simple as a resume with a logo of your initials at the top or pops of color. It can also be a full-out design project. Here are some more extreme examples of creative resumes:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A chef looking to land a position on a private yacht used a resume set up to look like an elegant, full-color, folding menu. He used fancy script fonts for headers and creative titles for sections, such as The Experience instead of Professional Experience. The chef currently sails the Mediterranean on a gorgeous sailing yacht.</li>\r\n \t<li>A fine artist looking to break into advertising painted an original work, scanned it into the computer, overlaid it with sections of her resume, and then cut them into puzzle pieces. Those were placed in a paint can with a custom marketing wrap branded to advertise her. The cans were delivered to agencies following a four-week postcard teaser campaign about solving your company’s advertising puzzle. After interviews with many companies, she became a creative director with the then WB television network.</li>\r\n \t<li>A tugboat captain wanted to land a position as a captain of a casino cruise ship. His resume used a line drawing of a cruise ship down one side of the page. He also positioned his qualifications for the change. Despite his lack of direct experience, he applied for one job and landed it.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >The yes and no of creative resumes</h2>\r\nIt’s critical to match your creative resume to the situation and make sure it is appropriate for the industry. Don't be creative just to be creative. Give the creativity a purpose. Think about the example resumes described previously.\r\n\r\nLower-level, blue collar, or technical jobs can be appropriate for a creative resume. For example, gear-shaped text boxes can run across the top of an engineer's resume to highlight his strengths. Not a lot of design, but a thoughtful, applicable design.\r\n\r\nThere really are no absolutes regarding the use of creative resume techniques as long as you pause and make sure that they won’t oversell you for the position or industry or be seen as inappropriate. However, do consider the following few no-no’s:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Neon or bright colors that burn the corneas:</strong> Instead, opt for soothing, professional shades or ones specific to the industry.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Company logos:</strong> You must have permission before using a former employer’s company or product logo.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Irrelevant, tasteless, or vulgar graphics or images:</strong> Your graphics should be relevant, such as a custom logo of your name or initials, representative design elements (images, icons, or text boxes) for the industry, or charts and tables.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Fancy, illegible fonts:</strong> Creative resumes don’t provide an excuse for using unreadable fonts. Choose an appropriate shape for non-relevant content such as headers; be elegant, bold, edgy, or fun. But make sure the font is readable and use a recommended font for the body text of your experience, skills, and accomplishments.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Busy layout:</strong> It’s fun to add creative elements to your resume, but don't make it crowded and overwhelming. Less is more, so plan carefully.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDon’t be afraid to experiment and play. Remember, blank page syndrome is the biggest enemy in creating your resume. Just jump in and get started with ideas.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Professional resume writer Cheryl Lynch Simpson of Executive Resume Rescue is a pioneer of creative resumes. She advises that you look at print marketing for ideas. Keep your eye out for mailers you receive, brochures at companies, and magazine ads. Keep the ones that appeal to you and use them to drive your ideas when creating your resume.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Creative resume designs strategies that pop</h2>\r\nWhen approaching your creative resume, don’t be afraid to play with layout, colors, and <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/software/microsoft-office/how-to-touch-up-a-picture-using-office-2019-tools/\">MS Office tools</a>. With an open mind, and the Insert and Design menus, just about anything is possible when creating a visually distinctive resume. The process requires thought, practice, and play.\r\n\r\nSpecial thanks to resume writers Posey Salem of Radiant Resume Career Services and Marie Plett of Aspirations Career Services, Inc., for their ideas, strategies, and contributions, which are highlighted in the following examples and ideas.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">When you want to perform a task, such as insert text shading or insert page border, perform an online search, and include your version of MS Word. You'll find step-by-step instructions with screen shots and even videos.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Lines and shading on a resume</h3>\r\nOne of the easiest design techniques is to apply lines and shading to offset content in your resume. You can use lines and shading around or over section headings, your name, or other body text to make it stand out. Or do something as simple as changing your bullets from black to a color.\r\n\r\nFor an elegant look, use the page border function in MS Word to create a border around the entire resume. Experiment with single and double lines of different weights (widths) to create a custom look.\r\n\r\nCheck out the following figure for some examples of lines and shading.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263084\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263084\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-lines-shading.jpg\" alt=\"Lines and shading on resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"284\" /> Courtesy of resume writer Posey Salem.<br /><br />Examples of lines and shading.[/caption]\r\n<h3>Text boxes draw the eye on your resume</h3>\r\nText boxes are an easy way to draw the eye to content and make it stand out. You can add a text box in several ways. A favorite method is to choose the Insert menu, click Shapes, select the one shape you like, and insert it into the document. Hover your cursor over the shape and then right-click to display a menu with the option of adding text.\r\n\r\nAfter you add text, experiment with adding color, shadows, and shading and changing the color of your font, as shown in the following figure. A black font on a light background or a white font on a dark background can make a nice contrast and increase legibility.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263083\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263083\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-text-boxes.jpg\" alt=\"Text boxes on a resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"320\" /> Examples of text boxes.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Be careful when selecting the content you include in a text box or other closed image, such as charts and graphs. This data can be rendered invisible by computer resume-scanning systems. Always choose data that would help the reader but would not count specifically toward meeting the requirements of the position. A great choice for a text box is a testimonial from a former employer. Also, you can highlight top content in a text box as long as it is repeated in text elsewhere in the resume.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>You can add charts and graphs to your resume</h3>\r\nCharts and graphs make great additions to your resume when you have numerical data to display. By including the data visually, you draw the eye to the return on investment you can offer by demonstrating your ability to make money, save money, maximize resources, or maintain satisfied customers. Graphs and charts are a power-packed way to demonstrate this growth or savings over time, as shown here.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263082\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263082\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-charts.jpg\" alt=\"Charts on a resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"979\" /> Examples of various charts and graphs.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe most commonly used charts and graphs are pie charts, column charts and graphs, and bar graphs and charts. But as you can see, many others are available. Which one you use in your resume depends on the type of data you want to convey. Experiment with MS Word’s offerings by choosing the Insert menu and looking at the SmartArt and Chart options.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you don’t have concrete numbers, you may still be able to use a chart or graph in your resume. Explore the SmartArt and Charts options and you will uncover a variety of formats that can lead to unique data visuals.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Monograms and logos on your resume</h3>\r\nIf you want to spiff up your resume without worrying about content scanability, consider creating a monogram or logo for your resume. The easiest way to do this is in a header at the top of your resume.\r\n\r\nEvery logo example in the following figure was created in MS Word using the Insert Shape menu along with some tweaking. Creating your own logo for your resume can be a fun way to get creative without detracting from your content.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263081\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263081\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Logos on a resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"439\" /> Courtesy of resume writer Marie Plett.<br /><br />Examples of monograms and logos.[/caption]\r\n\r\nResume writer Marie Plett designed the header (at the top of the figure) by using multiple overlapping shapes, shading, and background art. You're unlikely to create something like this on your first try, but with some patience and willingness to play with MS Word tools, you too can create dynamic monograms and logos.\r\n<h3>Graphics and icons can make a resume pop</h3>\r\nHave you earned an industry certification and been given permission by the granting organization to use the logo in your self-marketing? If so, including that logo would make a great addition to the header of your resume, as shown.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263080\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263080\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-graphics.jpg\" alt=\"Graphics on resumes\" width=\"535\" height=\"391\" /> Examples of graphics and icons.[/caption]\r\n\r\nLikewise, you might use icons in place of your bullets to represent an industry profession or a functional responsibility. These would be great in a key word list or the summary section at the top of a resume.\r\n\r\nAlthough you can insert images in MS Word, you probably won’t have to take that step. When you go to insert a new bullet into your resume, select Define New Bullet. Then look at the Symbols menu for various webdings and wingdings. Yes, those are funny names, but that's how MS Word refers to its symbol bullets. You have many choices that may be an appropriate match for your profession. For instance, pilots might select an airplane to represent bullets in the summary section of their resume. Or customer service representatives might select a phone for the bullets in their summary section.\r\n\r\nWhatever you do with graphics and icons in your resume, keep it simple and choose to include strategies only if they further your positioning for the target job.","description":"The formatting, content, and presentation of a creative resume can give you an edge during a job search. Desktop publishing and design software, first made widespread in the 1980s, has enabled some people to elevate the marketing and advertising strategy in their resumes.\r\n\r\nAnyone can use some creativity in a resume to help it stand out in a stack of plain resumes. Here, you'll see examples of when to go all-out with design and when to be more restrained.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">It’s important to recognize that the fancier your resume, the less chance it has of being scannable. If resume content appears on a colored background or pertinent data is in a chart or box, computers can't read it. But don’t discount these creative resumes — they don’t replace your regular OnTarget resume. Instead, use your creative resume for targeted mailings, networking, job fairs, and any time you can put a resume directly into the hands of a decision maker.</p>\r\nSubmit both formats and include the following in your cover letter: “For your convenience, I have also included a plain, scannable copy of my resume.” This approach solves the problem and gets your resume seen.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >What is a creative resume?</h2>\r\nA creative resume can be as simple as a resume with a logo of your initials at the top or pops of color. It can also be a full-out design project. Here are some more extreme examples of creative resumes:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A chef looking to land a position on a private yacht used a resume set up to look like an elegant, full-color, folding menu. He used fancy script fonts for headers and creative titles for sections, such as The Experience instead of Professional Experience. The chef currently sails the Mediterranean on a gorgeous sailing yacht.</li>\r\n \t<li>A fine artist looking to break into advertising painted an original work, scanned it into the computer, overlaid it with sections of her resume, and then cut them into puzzle pieces. Those were placed in a paint can with a custom marketing wrap branded to advertise her. The cans were delivered to agencies following a four-week postcard teaser campaign about solving your company’s advertising puzzle. After interviews with many companies, she became a creative director with the then WB television network.</li>\r\n \t<li>A tugboat captain wanted to land a position as a captain of a casino cruise ship. His resume used a line drawing of a cruise ship down one side of the page. He also positioned his qualifications for the change. Despite his lack of direct experience, he applied for one job and landed it.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >The yes and no of creative resumes</h2>\r\nIt’s critical to match your creative resume to the situation and make sure it is appropriate for the industry. Don't be creative just to be creative. Give the creativity a purpose. Think about the example resumes described previously.\r\n\r\nLower-level, blue collar, or technical jobs can be appropriate for a creative resume. For example, gear-shaped text boxes can run across the top of an engineer's resume to highlight his strengths. Not a lot of design, but a thoughtful, applicable design.\r\n\r\nThere really are no absolutes regarding the use of creative resume techniques as long as you pause and make sure that they won’t oversell you for the position or industry or be seen as inappropriate. However, do consider the following few no-no’s:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Neon or bright colors that burn the corneas:</strong> Instead, opt for soothing, professional shades or ones specific to the industry.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Company logos:</strong> You must have permission before using a former employer’s company or product logo.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Irrelevant, tasteless, or vulgar graphics or images:</strong> Your graphics should be relevant, such as a custom logo of your name or initials, representative design elements (images, icons, or text boxes) for the industry, or charts and tables.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Fancy, illegible fonts:</strong> Creative resumes don’t provide an excuse for using unreadable fonts. Choose an appropriate shape for non-relevant content such as headers; be elegant, bold, edgy, or fun. But make sure the font is readable and use a recommended font for the body text of your experience, skills, and accomplishments.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Busy layout:</strong> It’s fun to add creative elements to your resume, but don't make it crowded and overwhelming. Less is more, so plan carefully.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDon’t be afraid to experiment and play. Remember, blank page syndrome is the biggest enemy in creating your resume. Just jump in and get started with ideas.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Professional resume writer Cheryl Lynch Simpson of Executive Resume Rescue is a pioneer of creative resumes. She advises that you look at print marketing for ideas. Keep your eye out for mailers you receive, brochures at companies, and magazine ads. Keep the ones that appeal to you and use them to drive your ideas when creating your resume.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Creative resume designs strategies that pop</h2>\r\nWhen approaching your creative resume, don’t be afraid to play with layout, colors, and <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/software/microsoft-office/how-to-touch-up-a-picture-using-office-2019-tools/\">MS Office tools</a>. With an open mind, and the Insert and Design menus, just about anything is possible when creating a visually distinctive resume. The process requires thought, practice, and play.\r\n\r\nSpecial thanks to resume writers Posey Salem of Radiant Resume Career Services and Marie Plett of Aspirations Career Services, Inc., for their ideas, strategies, and contributions, which are highlighted in the following examples and ideas.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">When you want to perform a task, such as insert text shading or insert page border, perform an online search, and include your version of MS Word. You'll find step-by-step instructions with screen shots and even videos.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Lines and shading on a resume</h3>\r\nOne of the easiest design techniques is to apply lines and shading to offset content in your resume. You can use lines and shading around or over section headings, your name, or other body text to make it stand out. Or do something as simple as changing your bullets from black to a color.\r\n\r\nFor an elegant look, use the page border function in MS Word to create a border around the entire resume. Experiment with single and double lines of different weights (widths) to create a custom look.\r\n\r\nCheck out the following figure for some examples of lines and shading.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263084\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263084\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-lines-shading.jpg\" alt=\"Lines and shading on resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"284\" /> Courtesy of resume writer Posey Salem.<br /><br />Examples of lines and shading.[/caption]\r\n<h3>Text boxes draw the eye on your resume</h3>\r\nText boxes are an easy way to draw the eye to content and make it stand out. You can add a text box in several ways. A favorite method is to choose the Insert menu, click Shapes, select the one shape you like, and insert it into the document. Hover your cursor over the shape and then right-click to display a menu with the option of adding text.\r\n\r\nAfter you add text, experiment with adding color, shadows, and shading and changing the color of your font, as shown in the following figure. A black font on a light background or a white font on a dark background can make a nice contrast and increase legibility.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263083\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263083\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-text-boxes.jpg\" alt=\"Text boxes on a resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"320\" /> Examples of text boxes.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Be careful when selecting the content you include in a text box or other closed image, such as charts and graphs. This data can be rendered invisible by computer resume-scanning systems. Always choose data that would help the reader but would not count specifically toward meeting the requirements of the position. A great choice for a text box is a testimonial from a former employer. Also, you can highlight top content in a text box as long as it is repeated in text elsewhere in the resume.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>You can add charts and graphs to your resume</h3>\r\nCharts and graphs make great additions to your resume when you have numerical data to display. By including the data visually, you draw the eye to the return on investment you can offer by demonstrating your ability to make money, save money, maximize resources, or maintain satisfied customers. Graphs and charts are a power-packed way to demonstrate this growth or savings over time, as shown here.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263082\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263082\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-charts.jpg\" alt=\"Charts on a resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"979\" /> Examples of various charts and graphs.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe most commonly used charts and graphs are pie charts, column charts and graphs, and bar graphs and charts. But as you can see, many others are available. Which one you use in your resume depends on the type of data you want to convey. Experiment with MS Word’s offerings by choosing the Insert menu and looking at the SmartArt and Chart options.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you don’t have concrete numbers, you may still be able to use a chart or graph in your resume. Explore the SmartArt and Charts options and you will uncover a variety of formats that can lead to unique data visuals.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Monograms and logos on your resume</h3>\r\nIf you want to spiff up your resume without worrying about content scanability, consider creating a monogram or logo for your resume. The easiest way to do this is in a header at the top of your resume.\r\n\r\nEvery logo example in the following figure was created in MS Word using the Insert Shape menu along with some tweaking. Creating your own logo for your resume can be a fun way to get creative without detracting from your content.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263081\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263081\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Logos on a resume\" width=\"535\" height=\"439\" /> Courtesy of resume writer Marie Plett.<br /><br />Examples of monograms and logos.[/caption]\r\n\r\nResume writer Marie Plett designed the header (at the top of the figure) by using multiple overlapping shapes, shading, and background art. You're unlikely to create something like this on your first try, but with some patience and willingness to play with MS Word tools, you too can create dynamic monograms and logos.\r\n<h3>Graphics and icons can make a resume pop</h3>\r\nHave you earned an industry certification and been given permission by the granting organization to use the logo in your self-marketing? If so, including that logo would make a great addition to the header of your resume, as shown.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263080\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263080\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-graphics.jpg\" alt=\"Graphics on resumes\" width=\"535\" height=\"391\" /> Examples of graphics and icons.[/caption]\r\n\r\nLikewise, you might use icons in place of your bullets to represent an industry profession or a functional responsibility. These would be great in a key word list or the summary section at the top of a resume.\r\n\r\nAlthough you can insert images in MS Word, you probably won’t have to take that step. When you go to insert a new bullet into your resume, select Define New Bullet. Then look at the Symbols menu for various webdings and wingdings. Yes, those are funny names, but that's how MS Word refers to its symbol bullets. You have many choices that may be an appropriate match for your profession. For instance, pilots might select an airplane to represent bullets in the summary section of their resume. Or customer service representatives might select a phone for the bullets in their summary section.\r\n\r\nWhatever you do with graphics and icons in your resume, keep it simple and choose to include strategies only if they further your positioning for the target job.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"What is a creative resume?","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"The yes and no of creative resumes","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Creative resume designs strategies that pop","target":"#tab3"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":207512,"title":"Resumes For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"resumes-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207512"}},{"articleId":196179,"title":"Resume Tips for Recent Graduates","slug":"resume-tips-for-recent-graduates","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/196179"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}},{"articleId":252069,"title":"How to Obtain Recommendations for Your First Job","slug":"obtain-recommendations-first-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252069"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282539,"slug":"resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition","isbn":"9781119539285","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119539285-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition-cover-9781119539285-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Resumes For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9096\">Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f013137f\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;careers&quot;,&quot;job-searches&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119539285&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f0131aa0\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":263079},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T22:06:12+00:00","modifiedTime":"2019-07-28T16:39:07+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:35:29+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Job Searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"},"slug":"job-searches","categoryId":34264}],"title":"Resume Tips for Recent Graduates","strippedTitle":"resume tips for recent graduates","slug":"resume-tips-for-recent-graduates","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"If you just graduated, congratulations! Now, you need to write a resume that presents your knowledge, skills, and training in the best light.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":" \r\n\r\nWhen you’ve just walked the cap-and-gown line, you can sidestep “no experience” potholes by impressing employers with your vim and vigor, accomplishments, and up-to-date knowledge. Here’s a primer on putting together a resume for a recent graduate that can help you break into your desired field.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Check out award-winning new graduate resumes created by professional resume writers at <a href=\"https://careerdirectors.com/\">CareerDirectors</a> under the Find a Career Pro navigation button. Here you can find a number of great examples for overcoming new graduate challenges.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Promote your strengths</h2>\r\nAs a recent graduate, you have four key selling points and various minor ones:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You’re energetic and fired up to tackle assigned tasks and conquer the world.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your job skills and knowledge are up-to-date, and you’ve likely gained a lot of hands-on experience you may take for granted.</li>\r\n \t<li>You’re available for the right price. You cost much less than an older, experienced person. Maybe half as much.</li>\r\n \t<li>You belong to a global, networked era and aren’t afraid of technology.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThrow in assertions that you’re a fast learner, are untarnished by earlier workplace habits, and as a rookie, you are prime material to be developed in concert with a prospective employer’s viewpoints. With these selling points, hiring managers will want to take a second look at how you may fit into their organization.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Recognize your rookie soft spots</h2>\r\nYour key weaknesses are internal and external, but, luckily, they can all be overcome with resume strategy. As a new professional, you risk\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Being stereotyped by prospective employers as having book smarts but lacking practical experience.</li>\r\n \t<li>Taking for granted the relevant value you have to offer and not selling all the knowledge and skills gained from projects, papers, class learning, volunteerism, internships, and seemingly unrelated employment.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThese shortcomings are easy enough to put a positive spin on when you’re putting together your resume. Keep reading for ways to turn these negatives into positives.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Demonstrate how recent graduates add value</h2>\r\nJust as the times change, so do the strategies for putting together resumes. Your professors may recommend that you simply list your jobs and skills, but these days, that’s not enough. You need to recognize that your resume isn’t a list of everything you’ve done. It’s about selling yourself for jobs in the field you’re targeting. What is most important is including content on your resume that shows you’re ready for that type of position.\r\n\r\nUse the following key strategies to make your resume sell.\r\n<h3>Data-mine your college experience</h3>\r\nNeed a job? Get experience! Need experience? Get a job! This predicament has frustrated new graduates since the Industrial Revolution.\r\n\r\nIt might seem like you have a difficult resume challenge when you have nothing but education to work with. But that’s just not the case! Every core course you took and every volunteer role you held may offer juicy nuggets of value to your resume.\r\n\r\nConsider the following factors to identify the experience and skills you garnered in college and match your information with the job you hope to land:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Work:</strong> Internships, summer jobs, part-time jobs, campus jobs, entrepreneurial jobs, temporary work, and volunteer work.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Sports:</strong> Proven ability to achieve goals in a team environment; strength in competition, which looks good for many types of positions such as sales.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Awards and honors</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Research papers and projects</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Knowledge:</strong> Skills and abilities gained from completing core courses.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Campus leadership</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Grade Point Average (GPA):</strong> If it’s 3.0 or above; otherwise, omit it (some advisers set the GPA floor at 3.5).</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Technical skills and software facility</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Clarify your aim</h3>\r\nAlways start by very briefly clarifying your job target with your objective header. Ditch the wordy (and lofty) job objectives because that’s considered old school. Cut to the chase, like this:\r\n<blockquote><em>Research position in urban planning field in Chicago area.</em></blockquote>\r\nor\r\n<blockquote><em>Qualified for positions in: Sales ~ Marketing ~ Public Relations</em></blockquote>\r\n<h3>Summarize what makes you stand out</h3>\r\nInclude a summary to point out your strong points (I walk you through this process in Chapter 7). As a new grad, think about what professors told you were your strengths or what they wrote on your papers. Reread the recommendation letters you received from internships. Think about any recognitions or awards you were given for clubs, academics, or volunteer work.\r\n\r\nYour goal is to state in two or three sentences what makes you stand out. For example:\r\n<blockquote><em>Visionary and high-energy young professional recognized for savvy in targeting marketing projects and PR campaigns. Experience: worked on campaigns for the XYZ Company and the ABC Company. Creative: campaign selected out of 24 presented by fellow competitors. Quick-to-learn: attained 3.75 GPA in BS in Marketing.</em></blockquote>\r\nAnd it’s all true. Consider how it breaks down:\r\n<blockquote><strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Visionary and high-energy young professional recognized for savvy in targeting marketing projects and PR campaigns.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> I have been told by my professors, bosses, and internship managers that I have a lot of energy and vision for marketing and PR.\r\n\r\n<strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Experience: worked on campaigns for the XYZ Company and the ABC Company.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> I completed case study projects in my marketing classes on these companies that led to mock campaigns being developed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Creative: campaign selected out of 24 presented by fellow competitors.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> One of my case studies was overseen by a real marketing agency. Of my 24 classmates, my campaign proposal was selected as the one they would pitch to the client.\r\n\r\n<strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Quick-to-learn: attained a 3.75 GPA in BS in Marketing.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> It is always a good idea to showcase your GPA in your resume if you have attained at least a 3.0. Otherwise, leave it off.</blockquote>\r\n<h3>Sell your skills, knowledge, and training</h3>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">You may feel compelled to follow the direction of your professors and friends, and limit what you have learned to the names of classes written under your new degree in the resume’s education section. Don’t do it! This is how employers get the idea you just have book smarts, and your resume fails to provide the necessary keywords for computer scans.</p>\r\nInstead, this is where you turn your classroom learning, school papers, projects, transferrable work, and volunteer skills into resume gold. Under your summary, all you need to do is add a two- or three-column list with the title:\r\n<blockquote><em>Knowledge, Skills, and Training</em></blockquote>\r\nFill this section with the key skills, knowledge, and training you have for your target job. A marketing grad might include:\r\n<blockquote><em>Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations, Budgeting, Pricing, Graphic Design, Client Relations, Project Planning, Market Research, Branding, Writing & Editing, Social Media</em></blockquote>\r\nCheck out the following figure for an example of how this can look.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263076\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263076\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-knowledge-skills-training.jpg\" alt=\"Resume example of knowledge and skills bullets\" width=\"535\" height=\"141\" /> List your knowledge, skills, and training with bullets.[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow your resume leads with some keyword meat that you will support later in the experience section.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Most new grads make the mistake of skipping the keyword section because they feel they have little to offer. But that’s just wrong and a disservice to all the knowledge and hands-on skills you gained while attaining your degree. Dig deep into course descriptions, course syllabi, and textbook tables of contents to find the keywords relevant to your job target.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you aren’t sure what to play up in the keyword section, take a look at descriptions of jobs you are targeting. This will give you a good indication of the skills employers are seeking and should help you shape what you include.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Experience isn’t just about paid jobs</h3>\r\nThicken your work experience by including all unpaid positions, internships, special projects, and volunteer jobs/leadership roles (such as campus club president). List them just like you would employment in reverse chronological order under your experience section. For example:\r\n<blockquote><strong><em>Marketing Studies, FT</em></strong><em> – ABC University, Orlando, FL</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Marketing Campaigns: Completed campaign design for XYZ company course project that was selected by Stark Advertising Agency as the best out of 24 entries. Met with customer and Stark staff on mock pitch.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Marketing Collateral: Designed numerous collateral pieces from press releases to emails, websites, and brochures using Photoshop, AI, and WordPress in design class.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>President (Marketing Responsibility)</em></strong><em> – 123 Sorority, Orlando, FL</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Recruiting & Marketing Campaigns: Collaborated with volunteers to develop effective on-campus and off-campus recruiting campaigns that led to 30 percent increase in pledges over prior three years.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Communications & Promotions: Represented sorority to key influencers such as university administrative staff. Attained permission for unique on-campus fundraiser that led to raising $12,000 in one semester.</em></blockquote>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Highlight the experience most relevant to your intended future. If you have at least one year of full-time professional experience, place your education section after your experience section — unless your education is changing your career path.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Dump unhelpful information</h3>\r\nDon’t fatten your resume with irrelevant data such as hobbies, unless they are directly relevant to your job target or the employer. Include an activity only if it reveals skills, competencies, accomplishments, results, or other qualification to support your intended job. Omit high school data unless it adds a unique fact to the total impression that you’re creating.\r\n\r\nAlso, if you’re mailing your resume via the U.S. Postal Service, don’t enclose it in a report cover or bulky package; just slip it and your cover letter in a standard envelope. And forget about including school transcripts or letters of recommendation. Those belong in a nice three-ring binder portfolio you carry with you to the interview.\r\n<h3>Make unrelated work history relatable</h3>\r\nIt can feel easy to just write down what you did in your unrelated jobs and leave it at that. But what if your job was as a cashier and you’re targeting marketing coordinator? Words just aren’t going to mesh and sell you to the prospective employer.\r\n\r\nThis is where you have to do a little analysis of how what you have to offer can cross the bridge to what the employer needs.\r\n\r\nFirst, break your job down into fragments and explain them. For example, with the cashier description, don’t just say that your responsibility was “scanning products, making money transactions, and dealing with customers.” Instead do this:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong> Look at job descriptions that match what you are targeting.</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Consider how your skills can best be explained to fit those requirements.</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Describe each function in terms of your accomplishments and their outcomes.</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Avoid gaffes common to new graduates</h2>\r\nNew graduates are more likely than experienced job seekers to make the following mistakes.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Falling short of image standards:</strong> If you present an online resume blemished with the type of shorthand used for tweets and texting, or a paper resume flawed with typos, or a persona degraded with party pictures or a goofy profile on a social media site, you flunk.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Omitting heavy-hitter points:</strong> You fail to distinguish yourself by creating an opening summary that calls to mind an image of your brand, as I describe earlier in this chapter.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Keep your summary brief — three to four accomplishments is plenty.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Overcompensating with gimmicky language:</strong> Don’t get cutesy in your resume to compensate for a lack of qualifications. Avoid using exotically original language, such as “eyelinered genius,” a term used by a business graduate applying for an entry-level marketing position in the cosmetics industry. The term may be colorful, but charm communicates better in the interview.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Making employers guess:</strong> Employers hate being asked to decipher your intent. Merely presenting your declared major and transcript excerpts isn’t enough to kick off a productive job search. Add a targeted objective header statement, summary, and keyword section directed at a specific career field and type of position.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Leveling the experience field:</strong> Your resume is no place to give every job equal billing. Do what you can to make each one relevant for the prospective employer, but don’t be afraid to limit one to just a single line of job title, company name, location, and date in your reverse chronology for positions that just don’t seem to offer any relevant value.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Stopping with bare bones:</strong> Some rookies look at a sheet of paper and then at their embarrassing, bedraggled collection of jobs in their paid-experience stew. Desperate to get <em>anything</em> written, they settle for employer, job title, and dates of employment.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The solution is to pull together <em>all</em> experience, including volunteer and part-time gigs. Sit, think, think some more, and add all your relevant competencies and skills pointing in the direction in which you wish to work. You can use Chapter 8 as a good guide for avoiding what I call this issue of blank page syndrome.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hiding hot information:</strong> Data buried is data forgotten. Employers remember best the information you give first in a resume, not the data folded into the middle. The first one-third to one-half of the first page of your resume is prime real estate; determine your selling points and pack that punch up front.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Ignoring employers’ needs:</strong> Even the smartest new graduates make this mistake: They forget to find out what employers want from new hires. At this moment in time, no one cares what you want — the only thing that matters is the value-pack you bring to the employer. Rigorously study numerous job descriptions for your targeted positions so you can gain gems of wisdom for where to put your focus.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Writing boastfully:</strong> Appearing too arrogant about your talents can cause employers to question your ability to learn and function as a junior team member. Even when you’re just trying to compensate for your inexperience, avoid terminology that comes across as unnatural or blatantly self-important.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">When you’re not sure whether you sound too full of yourself, ask those who know you to read your resume and share feedback about what kind of person they think your resume represents. Then, go back and tweak wording if it needs to be toned down (or built up). An online thesaurus or crossword dictionary can be a great tool in coming up with similar words.</p>\r\n<a href=\"http://media.wiley.com/Lux/assets/63/129763.08037X fg0901.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view a resume for a recent graduate.</a>","description":" \r\n\r\nWhen you’ve just walked the cap-and-gown line, you can sidestep “no experience” potholes by impressing employers with your vim and vigor, accomplishments, and up-to-date knowledge. Here’s a primer on putting together a resume for a recent graduate that can help you break into your desired field.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Check out award-winning new graduate resumes created by professional resume writers at <a href=\"https://careerdirectors.com/\">CareerDirectors</a> under the Find a Career Pro navigation button. Here you can find a number of great examples for overcoming new graduate challenges.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Promote your strengths</h2>\r\nAs a recent graduate, you have four key selling points and various minor ones:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>You’re energetic and fired up to tackle assigned tasks and conquer the world.</li>\r\n \t<li>Your job skills and knowledge are up-to-date, and you’ve likely gained a lot of hands-on experience you may take for granted.</li>\r\n \t<li>You’re available for the right price. You cost much less than an older, experienced person. Maybe half as much.</li>\r\n \t<li>You belong to a global, networked era and aren’t afraid of technology.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThrow in assertions that you’re a fast learner, are untarnished by earlier workplace habits, and as a rookie, you are prime material to be developed in concert with a prospective employer’s viewpoints. With these selling points, hiring managers will want to take a second look at how you may fit into their organization.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Recognize your rookie soft spots</h2>\r\nYour key weaknesses are internal and external, but, luckily, they can all be overcome with resume strategy. As a new professional, you risk\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Being stereotyped by prospective employers as having book smarts but lacking practical experience.</li>\r\n \t<li>Taking for granted the relevant value you have to offer and not selling all the knowledge and skills gained from projects, papers, class learning, volunteerism, internships, and seemingly unrelated employment.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThese shortcomings are easy enough to put a positive spin on when you’re putting together your resume. Keep reading for ways to turn these negatives into positives.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Demonstrate how recent graduates add value</h2>\r\nJust as the times change, so do the strategies for putting together resumes. Your professors may recommend that you simply list your jobs and skills, but these days, that’s not enough. You need to recognize that your resume isn’t a list of everything you’ve done. It’s about selling yourself for jobs in the field you’re targeting. What is most important is including content on your resume that shows you’re ready for that type of position.\r\n\r\nUse the following key strategies to make your resume sell.\r\n<h3>Data-mine your college experience</h3>\r\nNeed a job? Get experience! Need experience? Get a job! This predicament has frustrated new graduates since the Industrial Revolution.\r\n\r\nIt might seem like you have a difficult resume challenge when you have nothing but education to work with. But that’s just not the case! Every core course you took and every volunteer role you held may offer juicy nuggets of value to your resume.\r\n\r\nConsider the following factors to identify the experience and skills you garnered in college and match your information with the job you hope to land:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Work:</strong> Internships, summer jobs, part-time jobs, campus jobs, entrepreneurial jobs, temporary work, and volunteer work.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Sports:</strong> Proven ability to achieve goals in a team environment; strength in competition, which looks good for many types of positions such as sales.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Awards and honors</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Research papers and projects</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Knowledge:</strong> Skills and abilities gained from completing core courses.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Campus leadership</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Grade Point Average (GPA):</strong> If it’s 3.0 or above; otherwise, omit it (some advisers set the GPA floor at 3.5).</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Technical skills and software facility</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Clarify your aim</h3>\r\nAlways start by very briefly clarifying your job target with your objective header. Ditch the wordy (and lofty) job objectives because that’s considered old school. Cut to the chase, like this:\r\n<blockquote><em>Research position in urban planning field in Chicago area.</em></blockquote>\r\nor\r\n<blockquote><em>Qualified for positions in: Sales ~ Marketing ~ Public Relations</em></blockquote>\r\n<h3>Summarize what makes you stand out</h3>\r\nInclude a summary to point out your strong points (I walk you through this process in Chapter 7). As a new grad, think about what professors told you were your strengths or what they wrote on your papers. Reread the recommendation letters you received from internships. Think about any recognitions or awards you were given for clubs, academics, or volunteer work.\r\n\r\nYour goal is to state in two or three sentences what makes you stand out. For example:\r\n<blockquote><em>Visionary and high-energy young professional recognized for savvy in targeting marketing projects and PR campaigns. Experience: worked on campaigns for the XYZ Company and the ABC Company. Creative: campaign selected out of 24 presented by fellow competitors. Quick-to-learn: attained 3.75 GPA in BS in Marketing.</em></blockquote>\r\nAnd it’s all true. Consider how it breaks down:\r\n<blockquote><strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Visionary and high-energy young professional recognized for savvy in targeting marketing projects and PR campaigns.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> I have been told by my professors, bosses, and internship managers that I have a lot of energy and vision for marketing and PR.\r\n\r\n<strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Experience: worked on campaigns for the XYZ Company and the ABC Company.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> I completed case study projects in my marketing classes on these companies that led to mock campaigns being developed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Creative: campaign selected out of 24 presented by fellow competitors.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> One of my case studies was overseen by a real marketing agency. Of my 24 classmates, my campaign proposal was selected as the one they would pitch to the client.\r\n\r\n<strong>Statement:</strong> <em>Quick-to-learn: attained a 3.75 GPA in BS in Marketing.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Translation:</strong> It is always a good idea to showcase your GPA in your resume if you have attained at least a 3.0. Otherwise, leave it off.</blockquote>\r\n<h3>Sell your skills, knowledge, and training</h3>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">You may feel compelled to follow the direction of your professors and friends, and limit what you have learned to the names of classes written under your new degree in the resume’s education section. Don’t do it! This is how employers get the idea you just have book smarts, and your resume fails to provide the necessary keywords for computer scans.</p>\r\nInstead, this is where you turn your classroom learning, school papers, projects, transferrable work, and volunteer skills into resume gold. Under your summary, all you need to do is add a two- or three-column list with the title:\r\n<blockquote><em>Knowledge, Skills, and Training</em></blockquote>\r\nFill this section with the key skills, knowledge, and training you have for your target job. A marketing grad might include:\r\n<blockquote><em>Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations, Budgeting, Pricing, Graphic Design, Client Relations, Project Planning, Market Research, Branding, Writing & Editing, Social Media</em></blockquote>\r\nCheck out the following figure for an example of how this can look.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263076\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"535\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-263076\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-knowledge-skills-training.jpg\" alt=\"Resume example of knowledge and skills bullets\" width=\"535\" height=\"141\" /> List your knowledge, skills, and training with bullets.[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow your resume leads with some keyword meat that you will support later in the experience section.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Most new grads make the mistake of skipping the keyword section because they feel they have little to offer. But that’s just wrong and a disservice to all the knowledge and hands-on skills you gained while attaining your degree. Dig deep into course descriptions, course syllabi, and textbook tables of contents to find the keywords relevant to your job target.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you aren’t sure what to play up in the keyword section, take a look at descriptions of jobs you are targeting. This will give you a good indication of the skills employers are seeking and should help you shape what you include.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Experience isn’t just about paid jobs</h3>\r\nThicken your work experience by including all unpaid positions, internships, special projects, and volunteer jobs/leadership roles (such as campus club president). List them just like you would employment in reverse chronological order under your experience section. For example:\r\n<blockquote><strong><em>Marketing Studies, FT</em></strong><em> – ABC University, Orlando, FL</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Marketing Campaigns: Completed campaign design for XYZ company course project that was selected by Stark Advertising Agency as the best out of 24 entries. Met with customer and Stark staff on mock pitch.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Marketing Collateral: Designed numerous collateral pieces from press releases to emails, websites, and brochures using Photoshop, AI, and WordPress in design class.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>President (Marketing Responsibility)</em></strong><em> – 123 Sorority, Orlando, FL</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Recruiting & Marketing Campaigns: Collaborated with volunteers to develop effective on-campus and off-campus recruiting campaigns that led to 30 percent increase in pledges over prior three years.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Communications & Promotions: Represented sorority to key influencers such as university administrative staff. Attained permission for unique on-campus fundraiser that led to raising $12,000 in one semester.</em></blockquote>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Highlight the experience most relevant to your intended future. If you have at least one year of full-time professional experience, place your education section after your experience section — unless your education is changing your career path.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Dump unhelpful information</h3>\r\nDon’t fatten your resume with irrelevant data such as hobbies, unless they are directly relevant to your job target or the employer. Include an activity only if it reveals skills, competencies, accomplishments, results, or other qualification to support your intended job. Omit high school data unless it adds a unique fact to the total impression that you’re creating.\r\n\r\nAlso, if you’re mailing your resume via the U.S. Postal Service, don’t enclose it in a report cover or bulky package; just slip it and your cover letter in a standard envelope. And forget about including school transcripts or letters of recommendation. Those belong in a nice three-ring binder portfolio you carry with you to the interview.\r\n<h3>Make unrelated work history relatable</h3>\r\nIt can feel easy to just write down what you did in your unrelated jobs and leave it at that. But what if your job was as a cashier and you’re targeting marketing coordinator? Words just aren’t going to mesh and sell you to the prospective employer.\r\n\r\nThis is where you have to do a little analysis of how what you have to offer can cross the bridge to what the employer needs.\r\n\r\nFirst, break your job down into fragments and explain them. For example, with the cashier description, don’t just say that your responsibility was “scanning products, making money transactions, and dealing with customers.” Instead do this:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong> Look at job descriptions that match what you are targeting.</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Consider how your skills can best be explained to fit those requirements.</strong></li>\r\n \t<li><strong> Describe each function in terms of your accomplishments and their outcomes.</strong></li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Avoid gaffes common to new graduates</h2>\r\nNew graduates are more likely than experienced job seekers to make the following mistakes.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Falling short of image standards:</strong> If you present an online resume blemished with the type of shorthand used for tweets and texting, or a paper resume flawed with typos, or a persona degraded with party pictures or a goofy profile on a social media site, you flunk.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Omitting heavy-hitter points:</strong> You fail to distinguish yourself by creating an opening summary that calls to mind an image of your brand, as I describe earlier in this chapter.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Keep your summary brief — three to four accomplishments is plenty.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Overcompensating with gimmicky language:</strong> Don’t get cutesy in your resume to compensate for a lack of qualifications. Avoid using exotically original language, such as “eyelinered genius,” a term used by a business graduate applying for an entry-level marketing position in the cosmetics industry. The term may be colorful, but charm communicates better in the interview.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Making employers guess:</strong> Employers hate being asked to decipher your intent. Merely presenting your declared major and transcript excerpts isn’t enough to kick off a productive job search. Add a targeted objective header statement, summary, and keyword section directed at a specific career field and type of position.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Leveling the experience field:</strong> Your resume is no place to give every job equal billing. Do what you can to make each one relevant for the prospective employer, but don’t be afraid to limit one to just a single line of job title, company name, location, and date in your reverse chronology for positions that just don’t seem to offer any relevant value.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Stopping with bare bones:</strong> Some rookies look at a sheet of paper and then at their embarrassing, bedraggled collection of jobs in their paid-experience stew. Desperate to get <em>anything</em> written, they settle for employer, job title, and dates of employment.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The solution is to pull together <em>all</em> experience, including volunteer and part-time gigs. Sit, think, think some more, and add all your relevant competencies and skills pointing in the direction in which you wish to work. You can use Chapter 8 as a good guide for avoiding what I call this issue of blank page syndrome.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hiding hot information:</strong> Data buried is data forgotten. Employers remember best the information you give first in a resume, not the data folded into the middle. The first one-third to one-half of the first page of your resume is prime real estate; determine your selling points and pack that punch up front.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Ignoring employers’ needs:</strong> Even the smartest new graduates make this mistake: They forget to find out what employers want from new hires. At this moment in time, no one cares what you want — the only thing that matters is the value-pack you bring to the employer. Rigorously study numerous job descriptions for your targeted positions so you can gain gems of wisdom for where to put your focus.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Writing boastfully:</strong> Appearing too arrogant about your talents can cause employers to question your ability to learn and function as a junior team member. Even when you’re just trying to compensate for your inexperience, avoid terminology that comes across as unnatural or blatantly self-important.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">When you’re not sure whether you sound too full of yourself, ask those who know you to read your resume and share feedback about what kind of person they think your resume represents. Then, go back and tweak wording if it needs to be toned down (or built up). An online thesaurus or crossword dictionary can be a great tool in coming up with similar words.</p>\r\n<a href=\"http://media.wiley.com/Lux/assets/63/129763.08037X fg0901.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view a resume for a recent graduate.</a>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9096"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34264,"title":"Job Searches","slug":"job-searches","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34264"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Promote your strengths","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Recognize your rookie soft spots","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Demonstrate how recent graduates add value","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Avoid gaffes common to new graduates","target":"#tab4"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":207512,"title":"Resumes For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"resumes-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207512"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":263098,"title":"Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats","slug":"compare-and-contrast-the-3-main-resume-formats","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263098"}},{"articleId":263088,"title":"How to Customize Your Resume for a Job","slug":"how-to-customize-your-resume-for-a-job","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263088"}},{"articleId":263079,"title":"Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers","slug":"why-creative-resume-designs-are-game-changers","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263079"}},{"articleId":263068,"title":"How to Handle Demotions and Other Red Flags on Your Resume","slug":"how-to-handle-demotions-and-other-red-flags-on-your-resume","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/263068"}},{"articleId":252072,"title":"How to Request Endorsements via LinkedIn","slug":"request-endorsements-via-linkedin","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/252072"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282539,"slug":"resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition","isbn":"9781119539285","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","job-searches"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119539285-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119539285/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/resumes-for-dummies-8th-edition-cover-9781119539285-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Resumes For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9096\">Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":9096,"name":"Laura DeCarlo","slug":"laura-decarlo","description":" <p><b>Laura DeCarlo,</b> was selected as the resume writing expert serving 54 national and international professional associations from the AMA to the ASCE. As the founder of Career Directors International, LLC (CDI), Laura has developed a leading resource for the education and certification of resume writers and career coaches worldwide. 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Job Searches Articles

Finding a job isn't what we'd choose to be doing with our free time. But since we all have to earn money somehow, Dummies has you covered with all the latest strategies for job searching.

Articles From Job Searches

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405 results
Job Searches How to Focus a Resume on Relevant Job Experience

Article / Updated 06-23-2022

Focus your resume on job experience that's relevant to a specific position to improve your chances of getting that job. Having relevant job experience is always a big plus in employers' eyes. If you have too many jobs in your background, you can structure your resume to highlight pertinent job positions and omit or deemphasize others. An unfocused resume or job history may indicate to others that you lack commitment. It’s a reason not to hire you. Focus your resume to draw attention to your relevant job experience. Separating relevant jobs from other jobs If your resume looks as though it will collapse under the weight of a mishmash of jobs unconnected to your present target, you can eliminate your previous trivial pursuits. Group the consequential jobs under a heading that says something like "Relevant Work Experience Summary" or "Professional Experience." What if this approach solves one problem — the busy resume — but creates another, such as a huge, gaping black hole where you removed inconsequential jobs? Create a second work history section that covers those holes, labeling it "Other Experience." Grouping temporary jobs Dealing with an unfocused career pattern on paper is easier when it’s done under the banner of a temporary service company. Here are some guidelines for this type of treatment: List the temporary services company as the employer. You choose one job title that covers most of your assignments. Identify specific assignments under the main title. Give the dates in years next to the temporary services firm, skipping dates for each assignment (as shown below). What if you work for several temporary services at the same time? The simple answer is that you use the same technique of dating your work history for the temporary service firms, not for the individual assignments. This dating technique is a statement of fact; you legally are an employee of the temporary services firm, not of the company that pays for your temporary services. When excess jobs or focus isn’t a problem, you may choose an alternative presentation for a series of short-term jobs. The alternative doesn’t mention the staffing firm(s) but only the names of the companies where you worked.

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Job Searches Resumes For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-14-2022

Your resume is you in paper (or electronic) form. It’s the first glimpse employers get of the value you can bring to their company. Your resume should tell a compelling story of who you are and what you can do, especially in a tough economic environment or when you’re moving from one career to another. Show your skills by creating a focused resume that shows point for point how you fit into the company’s big picture.

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Job Searches Cover Letters For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-10-2022

A cover letter is the first impression that job seekers make, so be sure it's a good one! By following some helpful writing tips, avoiding common mistakes, and incorporating elements of a standout letter, you'll set your cover letter apart from the rest.

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Job Searches Job Interviews For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-25-2022

Does the thought of interviewing for a new job send shivers down your spine? It doesn’t have to. Whether you’re searching for your first job, changing careers, or looking to advance in your current field, shine in every job interview by staying positive and overcoming negatives, such as getting fired or your own shyness. You can deliver a show-stopping interview!

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Job Searches Making the Leap to Your Dream Career

Article / Updated 09-27-2021

The biggest factor in your transition from one career to the next is money. Although you'd love to just quit your current job and dive headlong into your new career, financial realities keep you from acting rashly. The truth is that you need to continue to make a certain amount of money to survive as you make your move. To transition as gracefully and effectively as possible, think through the best way to choreograph your entry into a new job, your own business, or back to school. Using your current income wisely If you know that a career change is in your future, be proactive in getting your financial house in order. An honest assessment of your financial situation, while you're still employed if possible, gives you far more options in the long run than assuming you know where you stand. Before you initiate your move to change careers, make as much progress as you can toward the following four initiatives: Increasing your savings: Sign up for an automatic transfer to your savings account. Create a monthly or weekly savings goal and do everything in your power to reach it. Reducing your monthly expenses: Look at every monthly expense you have. Does the value it provides match what you pay for it? Is it an essential expense? Eliminate bills where you can; downgrade others if possible. Don't focus only on your small expenses; take this opportunity to evaluate your biggest expenses as well to see whether you can find a creative way to restructure them. Eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, your debt: Whether you make payments toward student loans, a car loan, or a credit card balance, your income requirement is likely to decrease rather dramatically as you eliminate each source of debt. Practicing living within your means: When you launch your new career, you don't want to rack up new debts to replace the ones you've just paid off. Instead, you need to get in the habit of living within your means — without the use of plastic. When you begin acting on these initiatives, your discretionary income, the money you get to use for whatever you wish, decreases dramatically because most of it is going into savings or to pay down your debt. Supplementing your full-time position with part-time work Taking on a part- time job on top of your regular job can be a viable strategy if you want to do any of the following: Build your cash reserves Gain some experience in your new field Develop a particular skill Strengthen your network of contacts within a new field Add new breadth to your resume If you're going to invest your time and effort in a second job, get some extra bang for your buck by finding a part-time job that's in alignment with your target career in some way. Think about what you want this job to do for you. Do you want to use the job to get a look at your target industry, to strengthen one key skill you need to move forward, or to check out the competition of your target company? Doing contract work Although you may think that your only option is to seek out a full-time job, your chances of landing a job improve if you open your mind to include the possibility of taking on project or contract work. Although a series of short-term gigs may not fit your ideal picture, having some money coming in while you gain some relevant experience isn't anything to sneeze at. More and more companies are turning to a project-based philosophy that allows them to hire just the talent they need to complete a particular project. As soon as a project is finished, the company releases those they no longer need. Although there's always a chance that your contract will be extended or converted to full-time, you can't know that for sure. Given the fluid nature of the economic climate, you may move from contract work to a full-time position, and back to freelance work over the course of a couple years. Living with this level of unfolding security takes a certain level of confidence and trust. Strengthening your position through consulting If you decide to use your key strengths in a consulting role as you build toward your dream career, use your consulting gigs to get to know your ultimate target customer. Consciously take projects that allow you to use your talents to get into your target market's world. When you're inside, make good use of the opportunity to observe, ask questions, and get a feel for your target market. As your knowledge increases and deepens, you have a great opportunity to fine-tune your plan. You might refocus your approach based on new information. You might identify a need that no one is filling, or you might see that your competition in the market is losing its edge or missing the point. The insider perspective gives you the background you need to make a big splash when you open the doors to your business or go after your dream job. This strategy increases your chances of success because you're building your venture on real-life observations and knowledge rather than assumptions and theory. Knowing what your clients or employer need and are willing to pay for is what takes you to the bank. Working full time while attending school part time Face it: Returning to school while working full time is no easy feat! You need a fair amount of motivation and stamina to work all day, attend classes at night, and spend time with your studies. Although you must put some aspects of your personal life on hold while you enhance your training, taking on this lifestyle is well worth the effort if you need a degree to go for your dream! If you truly want to enter your target field, look beyond the short-term costs to see the long-term benefits. In the end, you'll be more fulfilled having trained in your field of choice. Attending school with a part-time job on the side Another education option is to attend school full time with a part-time job to cover at least some of your expenses. This option may take some creative financing and require that you change your living situation to lower your rent, but the big benefit of this option is that you get through the education phase more quickly. Look for funding at Free Scholarship Search (www.freschinfo.com). Perhaps you can find a way to go to school full time and not work at all during certain key semesters. Although this idea may seem far-fetched, do yourself a favor and at least check it out, especially if you're more productive when you devote all your time and energy to a single goal.

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Job Searches Automate Craigslist for Fast Job-Posting Alerts

Article / Updated 01-15-2020

Despite the craziness of Craigslist, it’s still a marvelous place to find up-to-the-minute job postings. In fact, if you were to walk into a business and ask the hiring manager about the first place he would post an ad for a new job, without much thought he’d likely say, “Oh, I’ll just drop it on Craigslist to get some résumés in the door.” Craigslist is a great resource for part-time jobs, temp jobs, and entry-level jobs. Typically, jobs posted on Craigslist are filled at a fast pace and can be a real solution for someone not interested in spending (or not in a position to spend) a lot of time on strategy or networking. Although you should spend time researching a company before applying for a job, listings on Craigslist don’t always allow for that. You want to apply when you can and as soon as you can, before someone else snatches the job right from under you. Follow these steps to guarantee you’re the first person to know about any new job postings in your area of interest without camping out on Craigslist all day: Visit Craigslist and go to the Jobs section you’re interested in. Type in all the necessary filters in the search field so you see specific jobs that interest you. For example, if you’re an educator, click on the Education link in the Jobs section and filter with the keyword “ESL.” The results should be a list of jobs you could do pretty well at. Copy the URL from the search result that you want instant updates from. Find the URL in the address bar of your browser. It will look something like this: http://nh.Craigslist.org/search/sss?query=training+wheels+%28newfields|newmarket|Epping|stratham|greenland|hampton|seacoast|exeter%29&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=> Open a new browser tab or window, head to the IFTTT website, and set up a free account. IFTTT is a free website that lets you build logical statements that connect several different actions online. For instance, you can build a recipe that sends you an e-mail every time you are tagged in a Facebook photo. You’ll soon receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your e-mail address. Find the recipe called Craigslist Search and paste in the URL you copied from Craigslist. The faster you respond to a Craigslist posting, the more likely it is that someone will read your résumé. So if you think you’ll respond better by getting an alert via text message, Gmail, or chat, feel free to use any of the 900+ recipes for Craigslist on IFTTT. As you find job opportunities on Craigslist, remember to jot down the names of the companies. You need these names later when you search out people on LinkedIn to talk to.

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Job Searches Compare and Contrast the 3 Main Resume Formats

Article / Updated 07-28-2019

How much are you worth to employers? Your resume inspires an employer's first best guess, so you want to ensure that it’s a compelling portrait of how your strengths and skills benefit the enterprise that you’re hoping will write your next paycheck. One key element that comes into play is how you present information in your resume. You don't have to limit yourself to presenting your experience using the traditional reverse-chronological resume. In fact, unless you’ve had a traditional career history of rising through the ranks, this standard resume could hurt your chances of getting an interview. Formats for resumes make a difference Resume format refers not to the design or look of your resume but to how you organize and emphasize your information. Different format styles flatter different histories. At root, formats come in three styles: The reverse-chronological format (or traditional format), which lists employment beginning with the most recent and working backward The chrono-functional format, which most frequently emphasizes skills and accomplishments first and chronology timeline second The hybrid format, which lets you customize how you emphasize both the functional skills and the chronology depending on your unique needs Yes, there is such a thing as a functional resume that focuses primarily on skills and leaves out company names and dates where the work was performed. However, this format presents a big red flag for prospective employers, so don’t be tempted to use it under any circumstances. This table gives you a breakdown of which of the three formats enhances your personal curb appeal. Your Best Resume Formats at a Glance Your Situation Suggested Formats Perfect career progression Reverse chronological New graduate Chrono-functional Seasoned ace Reverse chronological; hybrid when old jobs are most relevant Military transition Reverse chronological or chrono-functional Job history gaps Chrono-functional or hybrid Career change Hybrid; sometimes reverse chronological Special issues Hybrid or chrono-functional Multitrack job history Chrono-functional Demotions Any The big question to ask yourself when you’re considering different formats is: “Does this format maximize my qualifications for the job I want?” The format you choose should promote your top qualifications, so make sure to select a format that helps you present your top-pick value. Reverse-chronological resume format The reverse-chronological (RC) format, shown in the following figure, is straightforward: It cites your employment history from the most recent back, showing dates as well as employers. You accent a steady work history with a clear pattern of upward or lateral mobility. The RC format's strengths and weaknesses Check to see whether the reverse-chronological resume’s strengths work for you: This upfront format is by far the most popular with employers and recruiters because it puts the emphasis on what you’ve been doing most recently in your career and lets your career progression easily be seen. RC links employment dates, underscoring continuity. The weight of your experience confirms that you’re a specialist in a specific career field. RC positions you for the next upward career step. As the most traditional of formats, RC is a good fit for traditional industries but is the resume of choice for all industries when you can demonstrate solid progression in your career. Take the weaknesses of the reverse-chronological format into account: When your previous job titles are substantially different from your target position, this format doesn’t support your objective. Without careful management, the RC reveals everything, including inconsequential jobs and negative factors. RC can spotlight periods of unemployment or brief job tenure. Without careful management, RC reveals your age. If you aren’t careful, RC may suggest that you hit a plateau and stayed in a job too long. Should you use the RC resume format? Use the reverse-chronological if you fall into any of these categories: You have a steady work record reflecting constant growth or lateral movement. Your most recent employer is a respected name in the industry, and the name may ease your entry into a new position. Your most recent job titles are impressive stepping-stones. You’re a savvy writer who knows how to manage potential negative factors, such as inconsequential jobs, too few jobs, too many temporary jobs, too many years at the same job, or too many years of age. Think twice about using the RC under these circumstances: You're a new graduate with limited experience in your target profession. You have work history or employability problems such as gaps, demotions, stagnation in a single position, job hopping (four jobs in three years, for example), or re-entering the workforce after a break to raise a family. You're trying to change careers. You're trying to re-enter a profession you worked in many years ago that isn’t showing up front and center with an RC. How to create a reverse-chronological resume To create an RC resume, remember to focus on areas of specific relevance to your target position. For your work history section, you typically want to concentrate on your last four jobs or your last 10 to 15 years of employment. Be sure to include for each the name of the employer and the city in which you worked, the years you were there, your title, your key responsibilities, and your measurable accomplishments. To handle problems such as unrelated experience or early experience that could date you but is too relevant to leave off, you can group unrelated jobs in a second work history section under a heading of Additional Experience, Previous Experience, or Related Experience. When it comes to including dates on your resume, you have multiple options: If your jobs were extremely fluid, meaning you left one company and immediately started with the next, you can use months and years. However, if you had gaps of several months between one job stopping and one starting, it is perfectly acceptable to just list the years employed. When you have held multiple progressive positions with an employer, you don’t have to list the employer all over again. Instead, create an umbrella for the positions, listing the employer only once and the total dates, and then show your reverse chronology below. This figure shows how to present multiple progressive positions with the same employer. If your positions were similar and varied little, or you had the same job with a different title, it’s okay to group them versus describing them twice. The following figure shows an individual who had progressive positions with the same employer, but some of the jobs were similar enough to group instead of listing redundant information in two places. Chrono-functional resume format The chrono-functional (CF) format, shown in the following figure, is a resume of ability-focused topics — portable skills or functional areas that position you best for your new job target (or to overcome some challenge in your timeline). It ignores chronological order or even whether a particular skill came from employment. However, the chrono-functional format backs up all listed skills with a chronology that might come from employment, courses or education, volunteer work, and paid or unpaid internships. The CF format's strengths and weaknesses The following are the strengths of the chrono-functional format: A CF resume directs a reader’s eyes to what you want him or her to notice. It helps a reader visualize what you can do instead of locking you into when and where you learned to do it. CF resumes salute the future rather than embalm the past. The CF format — written after researching the target company — serves up the precise functions or skills that the employer wants. It’s like saying, “You want budget control and turnaround skills —– here’s where I offer budget control and turnaround skills.” The skills sell is a magnet to reader eyes! It uses unpaid and nonwork experience to your best advantage. The CF format allows you to eliminate or subordinate work history that doesn’t support your current objective. The weaknesses of the chrono-functional format include the following: Recruiters and employers are more accustomed to reverse-chronological formats than other types. Departing from the norm may raise suspicion that you’re not the cream of the crop of applicants. Readers may assume that you’re trying to hide inadequate experience, educational deficits, or who knows what. Functional styles may leave unclear which skills grew from which jobs or experiences. This format doesn’t clearly describe your career progression. Should you use the CF resume format? The chrono-functional resume is heaven-sent for career changers, contract workers, new graduates, ex-military personnel, and individuals with multitrack job histories, work history gaps, or special issues. Job seekers with perfect backgrounds (no gaps, career changes, or the like) and managers and professionals who are often tapped by executive recruiters should avoid this format. How to create a chrono-functional resume Choose areas of expertise acquired during the course of your career, including education and unpaid activities. These areas become skill, competency, and functional headings, which vary by the target position or career field. Note accomplishments below each heading. A few examples of headings are: Operations Management, Sales, Budget Control, Cost Cutting, Project Implementation, Growth, and Turnaround Successes. List the headings in the order of importance and follow each heading with a series of short statements of your skills. Turn your statements into power hitters with measurable achievements. The easiest way to do this is to always write CAR statements — the challenge you faced, actions you took, and results you obtained. It’s important to note two key elements that allow a chrono-functional resume to work: Your resume has a work history listed either above or below the experience and accomplishments section. Each top skill lists the role in which it was attained. If you do not make these key connections in your resume, prospective employers will question the validity of your skills and become confused about where or when they were used. By providing this small bit of connective data, you make a chrono-functional a safe choice when navigating career challenges on your resume. Hybrid resume format The hybrid resume format may likely be something you haven’t encountered before. While it has been in use by a handful of professional resume writers for over a decade with great success and employer acceptance, it has rarely been shared with job seekers before now. A hybrid resume format takes elements from different resume types so you can maintain an employment chronology as well as use creative functional characteristics to overcome your career challenge without raising any red flags. This strategy works great if You want to highlight jobs from earlier in your career that might otherwise not be seen. Your most recent job was not as strong or as close a fit to your target. You have a gap in employment. Essentially, with the hybrid format, you’re addressing employment circumstances in which there are challenges but a full chrono-functional adaptation would be overkill. Such challenges might include You held the target experience or industry experience previously in your career. The position experience or industry experience most relevant to your target is earlier in your career and will be hidden on page 2 of the resume. You were demoted with your current employer and wish to make that less obvious. Your recent employment is lower level, irrelevant, or covering a gap but your prior history is right on target. The hybrid format's strengths and weaknesses Check out some of the strengths of the hybrid format to decide whether it’s for you: It quickly points prospective employers to early experience you have that matches your target, and it makes it seem more relevant. It can cleverly mask a gap in your employment history. It allows you the flexibility to put your best foot forward even if your most recent employment was not in line with your current target. When crafted correctly for job seekers with these kinds of challenges, there aren’t any weaknesses to using a hybrid format. Should you use the hybrid resume format? A hybrid resume helps you position your relevant experience and work history more effectively when you have gaps, demotions, career changes, career back-tracking, or haven’t worked in the target industry for many years. Although the hybrid resume looks neat and is highly efficient at what it does, those with strong career progressions in their chosen industry should steer clear. You don’t need to get fancy when you’re already on track. How to create a hybrid resume Some employment challenges require the lightest of tweaking to make them blend in, and others require more of a major renovation. You can decide on a case-by-case basis how much work your resume needs when you look at the job target and compare it to your work history. If your career progression is all lined up for the job you want but the industry experience is hiding on page 2, all you need is a light tweak to help draw the eyes of prospective employer to relevant career information. You can stick with your reverse chronology and all the other elements that make an RC successful, but add a little summary line at the top of your professional experience section that connects your prior positions or industries with the target, as shown here. But what if you’re facing one of those challenges that make it more crucial for you to play up a job from earlier in your career but going to a chrono-functional resume would be overkill? That’s when you go heavy with the hybrid! You have room to be creative here as long as you adhere to two simple rules: Always include a timeline, either before the professional experience section or after it. List jobs in the order they best serve you, but without the dates (since those appear elsewhere in the chronology). Feel free to leave out descriptions that don’t serve you. The following figure shows you how you might present the timeline and job list on a resume. After you decide on which resume format you're going to use, see "Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers," for ways to make your resume pop.

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Job Searches How to Customize Your Resume for a Job

Article / Updated 07-28-2019

Today's employers are inundated by resume submissions in a world where multitasking and information overload are already the norm. If you try to use a Core, one-size-fits-all, resume, your resume will end up in a black hole. Even though the computer age is upon us, fully customizing a resume remains a time-suck in busy lives — like preparing a five-course meal from scratch. That’s why you want to check out the OnTarget approach to customization described here. Here’s how you can get started transforming your one-size-fits-all resume into a targeted resume: Read the job description to determine exactly what the employer needs. Mirror back what you find in each section of the OnTarget resume. Specifically, tweak your objective header statement and the contents of your summary, keywords, and employment history sections. Cut out irrelevant content from each section of your Core resume. Keeping this content won’t make you look better; instead it makes you look like you’re overqualified and not likely to stay — or uncommitted and likely to leave. Tweak wording to speak directly to the targeted position. This step may require crossover language if you are going from working with physicians and surgeons as your clients in the healthcare industry to executives in the IT industry. Look at the language used in the job description and use it in your OnTarget resume. Staying OnTarget with your resume is a very simple process as long as you aren’t making a major life change such as returning to work after a gap or entering the workplace for the first time as a new graduate. Draw words from job descriptions for your targeted resume In order to spoon-feed a prospective employer directly what he is seeking in a position, take a look at the job description. If you find the description to be vague, perform an Internet search for that job title and look at other descriptions to get a deeper sense of what is desired. For example, if you have a background in retail sales, retail management, and customer service, the Core one-size-fits-all resume you have developed positions you to use all these skills. But now you are targeting a job in outside sales. When you review the job description, you’ll see no emphasis on retail or on management. From the description you can typically surmise: The objective header statement you need to use to show you are applying for this position. What the employer values in a candidate, which you can play up in your summary section and in your results-focused job descriptions. The key skills that you need to list and emphasize in your keyword section and then later connect with responsibilities and CAR stories in your professional experience section (job descriptions). The wording you need to adopt to make your experience feel as relevant as possible. This is crossover language where you speak in the new profession’s language and not in your old profession’s language. This figure shows a Core one-size-fits-all resume for a job seeker who is overqualified for her target position. In the following figure, the same job seeker appears perfectly qualified for this job. Use crossover language to be OnTarget Imagine you need to cross a bridge to reach your prospective employer, have him open the door, and welcome you in. When you reach that door and he speaks the language of healthcare and you speak that of engineering, your interaction will be as if you are from two different countries. He’ll close the door, unsure of why you came knocking, and you will go away feeling frustrated. But it never has to be that way if you discover how to use crossover language when writing your OnTarget resume. Luckily, crossover language is easy to apply when you have looked at the job description for your target position. Does the employer refer to clients as “patients”? Are their customers called “members” or “key decision-makers”? Do they “sell” or “consult”? Are their products “cardiothoracic medical devices” or “high-tech equipment”? After you have a feel for this language, you can begin changing the wording in your Core resume to reflect the target for your new OnTarget resume. When choosing crossover language for your OnTarget resume, don’t use words that you don’t have the knowledge to support in an interview. You must truly understand the language you’re using in your resume. Be sure to dig deep, do your homework, and be able to talk in the language of your target industry. Otherwise, you may find yourself embarrassed in an interview. The following figure shows a great example of using crossover language to target a new type of position. The job seeker’s before language pigeonholed him to home cabinet projects; after he targeted his resume, the specific crossover language demonstrated his match for project management. Job descriptions aren’t the only place you can learn about language when targeting a position that may represent a change in industry or responsibility. Look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook, perform general searches by job title, and visit the professional association for that industry. You can uncover a lot of key language, core responsibilities, and strengths a particular type of position and industry require to help you make your resume a strong OnTarget match. Going OnTarget with your resume can seem time-consuming. However, you will rapidly find that if you are targeting the same type of position over and over again, you only have to change a few words after the first customization. So be sure to save a copy of each new target you create. That way, when the next sales position or operations manager position comes along that you want to target, you can open that file, perform any needed customization, and be ready to go in a matter of moments.

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Job Searches Why Creative Resume Designs Are Game Changers

Article / Updated 07-28-2019

The formatting, content, and presentation of a creative resume can give you an edge during a job search. Desktop publishing and design software, first made widespread in the 1980s, has enabled some people to elevate the marketing and advertising strategy in their resumes. Anyone can use some creativity in a resume to help it stand out in a stack of plain resumes. Here, you'll see examples of when to go all-out with design and when to be more restrained. It’s important to recognize that the fancier your resume, the less chance it has of being scannable. If resume content appears on a colored background or pertinent data is in a chart or box, computers can't read it. But don’t discount these creative resumes — they don’t replace your regular OnTarget resume. Instead, use your creative resume for targeted mailings, networking, job fairs, and any time you can put a resume directly into the hands of a decision maker. Submit both formats and include the following in your cover letter: “For your convenience, I have also included a plain, scannable copy of my resume.” This approach solves the problem and gets your resume seen. What is a creative resume? A creative resume can be as simple as a resume with a logo of your initials at the top or pops of color. It can also be a full-out design project. Here are some more extreme examples of creative resumes: A chef looking to land a position on a private yacht used a resume set up to look like an elegant, full-color, folding menu. He used fancy script fonts for headers and creative titles for sections, such as The Experience instead of Professional Experience. The chef currently sails the Mediterranean on a gorgeous sailing yacht. A fine artist looking to break into advertising painted an original work, scanned it into the computer, overlaid it with sections of her resume, and then cut them into puzzle pieces. Those were placed in a paint can with a custom marketing wrap branded to advertise her. The cans were delivered to agencies following a four-week postcard teaser campaign about solving your company’s advertising puzzle. After interviews with many companies, she became a creative director with the then WB television network. A tugboat captain wanted to land a position as a captain of a casino cruise ship. His resume used a line drawing of a cruise ship down one side of the page. He also positioned his qualifications for the change. Despite his lack of direct experience, he applied for one job and landed it. The yes and no of creative resumes It’s critical to match your creative resume to the situation and make sure it is appropriate for the industry. Don't be creative just to be creative. Give the creativity a purpose. Think about the example resumes described previously. Lower-level, blue collar, or technical jobs can be appropriate for a creative resume. For example, gear-shaped text boxes can run across the top of an engineer's resume to highlight his strengths. Not a lot of design, but a thoughtful, applicable design. There really are no absolutes regarding the use of creative resume techniques as long as you pause and make sure that they won’t oversell you for the position or industry or be seen as inappropriate. However, do consider the following few no-no’s: Neon or bright colors that burn the corneas: Instead, opt for soothing, professional shades or ones specific to the industry. Company logos: You must have permission before using a former employer’s company or product logo. Irrelevant, tasteless, or vulgar graphics or images: Your graphics should be relevant, such as a custom logo of your name or initials, representative design elements (images, icons, or text boxes) for the industry, or charts and tables. Fancy, illegible fonts: Creative resumes don’t provide an excuse for using unreadable fonts. Choose an appropriate shape for non-relevant content such as headers; be elegant, bold, edgy, or fun. But make sure the font is readable and use a recommended font for the body text of your experience, skills, and accomplishments. Busy layout: It’s fun to add creative elements to your resume, but don't make it crowded and overwhelming. Less is more, so plan carefully. Don’t be afraid to experiment and play. Remember, blank page syndrome is the biggest enemy in creating your resume. Just jump in and get started with ideas. Professional resume writer Cheryl Lynch Simpson of Executive Resume Rescue is a pioneer of creative resumes. She advises that you look at print marketing for ideas. Keep your eye out for mailers you receive, brochures at companies, and magazine ads. Keep the ones that appeal to you and use them to drive your ideas when creating your resume. Creative resume designs strategies that pop When approaching your creative resume, don’t be afraid to play with layout, colors, and MS Office tools. With an open mind, and the Insert and Design menus, just about anything is possible when creating a visually distinctive resume. The process requires thought, practice, and play. Special thanks to resume writers Posey Salem of Radiant Resume Career Services and Marie Plett of Aspirations Career Services, Inc., for their ideas, strategies, and contributions, which are highlighted in the following examples and ideas. When you want to perform a task, such as insert text shading or insert page border, perform an online search, and include your version of MS Word. You'll find step-by-step instructions with screen shots and even videos. Lines and shading on a resume One of the easiest design techniques is to apply lines and shading to offset content in your resume. You can use lines and shading around or over section headings, your name, or other body text to make it stand out. Or do something as simple as changing your bullets from black to a color. For an elegant look, use the page border function in MS Word to create a border around the entire resume. Experiment with single and double lines of different weights (widths) to create a custom look. Check out the following figure for some examples of lines and shading. Text boxes draw the eye on your resume Text boxes are an easy way to draw the eye to content and make it stand out. You can add a text box in several ways. A favorite method is to choose the Insert menu, click Shapes, select the one shape you like, and insert it into the document. Hover your cursor over the shape and then right-click to display a menu with the option of adding text. After you add text, experiment with adding color, shadows, and shading and changing the color of your font, as shown in the following figure. A black font on a light background or a white font on a dark background can make a nice contrast and increase legibility. Be careful when selecting the content you include in a text box or other closed image, such as charts and graphs. This data can be rendered invisible by computer resume-scanning systems. Always choose data that would help the reader but would not count specifically toward meeting the requirements of the position. A great choice for a text box is a testimonial from a former employer. Also, you can highlight top content in a text box as long as it is repeated in text elsewhere in the resume. You can add charts and graphs to your resume Charts and graphs make great additions to your resume when you have numerical data to display. By including the data visually, you draw the eye to the return on investment you can offer by demonstrating your ability to make money, save money, maximize resources, or maintain satisfied customers. Graphs and charts are a power-packed way to demonstrate this growth or savings over time, as shown here. The most commonly used charts and graphs are pie charts, column charts and graphs, and bar graphs and charts. But as you can see, many others are available. Which one you use in your resume depends on the type of data you want to convey. Experiment with MS Word’s offerings by choosing the Insert menu and looking at the SmartArt and Chart options. If you don’t have concrete numbers, you may still be able to use a chart or graph in your resume. Explore the SmartArt and Charts options and you will uncover a variety of formats that can lead to unique data visuals. Monograms and logos on your resume If you want to spiff up your resume without worrying about content scanability, consider creating a monogram or logo for your resume. The easiest way to do this is in a header at the top of your resume. Every logo example in the following figure was created in MS Word using the Insert Shape menu along with some tweaking. Creating your own logo for your resume can be a fun way to get creative without detracting from your content. Resume writer Marie Plett designed the header (at the top of the figure) by using multiple overlapping shapes, shading, and background art. You're unlikely to create something like this on your first try, but with some patience and willingness to play with MS Word tools, you too can create dynamic monograms and logos. Graphics and icons can make a resume pop Have you earned an industry certification and been given permission by the granting organization to use the logo in your self-marketing? If so, including that logo would make a great addition to the header of your resume, as shown. Likewise, you might use icons in place of your bullets to represent an industry profession or a functional responsibility. These would be great in a key word list or the summary section at the top of a resume. Although you can insert images in MS Word, you probably won’t have to take that step. When you go to insert a new bullet into your resume, select Define New Bullet. Then look at the Symbols menu for various webdings and wingdings. Yes, those are funny names, but that's how MS Word refers to its symbol bullets. You have many choices that may be an appropriate match for your profession. For instance, pilots might select an airplane to represent bullets in the summary section of their resume. Or customer service representatives might select a phone for the bullets in their summary section. Whatever you do with graphics and icons in your resume, keep it simple and choose to include strategies only if they further your positioning for the target job.

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Job Searches Resume Tips for Recent Graduates

Article / Updated 07-28-2019

When you’ve just walked the cap-and-gown line, you can sidestep “no experience” potholes by impressing employers with your vim and vigor, accomplishments, and up-to-date knowledge. Here’s a primer on putting together a resume for a recent graduate that can help you break into your desired field. Check out award-winning new graduate resumes created by professional resume writers at CareerDirectors under the Find a Career Pro navigation button. Here you can find a number of great examples for overcoming new graduate challenges. Promote your strengths As a recent graduate, you have four key selling points and various minor ones: You’re energetic and fired up to tackle assigned tasks and conquer the world. Your job skills and knowledge are up-to-date, and you’ve likely gained a lot of hands-on experience you may take for granted. You’re available for the right price. You cost much less than an older, experienced person. Maybe half as much. You belong to a global, networked era and aren’t afraid of technology. Throw in assertions that you’re a fast learner, are untarnished by earlier workplace habits, and as a rookie, you are prime material to be developed in concert with a prospective employer’s viewpoints. With these selling points, hiring managers will want to take a second look at how you may fit into their organization. Recognize your rookie soft spots Your key weaknesses are internal and external, but, luckily, they can all be overcome with resume strategy. As a new professional, you risk Being stereotyped by prospective employers as having book smarts but lacking practical experience. Taking for granted the relevant value you have to offer and not selling all the knowledge and skills gained from projects, papers, class learning, volunteerism, internships, and seemingly unrelated employment. These shortcomings are easy enough to put a positive spin on when you’re putting together your resume. Keep reading for ways to turn these negatives into positives. Demonstrate how recent graduates add value Just as the times change, so do the strategies for putting together resumes. Your professors may recommend that you simply list your jobs and skills, but these days, that’s not enough. You need to recognize that your resume isn’t a list of everything you’ve done. It’s about selling yourself for jobs in the field you’re targeting. What is most important is including content on your resume that shows you’re ready for that type of position. Use the following key strategies to make your resume sell. Data-mine your college experience Need a job? Get experience! Need experience? Get a job! This predicament has frustrated new graduates since the Industrial Revolution. It might seem like you have a difficult resume challenge when you have nothing but education to work with. But that’s just not the case! Every core course you took and every volunteer role you held may offer juicy nuggets of value to your resume. Consider the following factors to identify the experience and skills you garnered in college and match your information with the job you hope to land: Work: Internships, summer jobs, part-time jobs, campus jobs, entrepreneurial jobs, temporary work, and volunteer work. Sports: Proven ability to achieve goals in a team environment; strength in competition, which looks good for many types of positions such as sales. Awards and honors Research papers and projects Knowledge: Skills and abilities gained from completing core courses. Campus leadership Grade Point Average (GPA): If it’s 3.0 or above; otherwise, omit it (some advisers set the GPA floor at 3.5). Technical skills and software facility Clarify your aim Always start by very briefly clarifying your job target with your objective header. Ditch the wordy (and lofty) job objectives because that’s considered old school. Cut to the chase, like this: Research position in urban planning field in Chicago area. or Qualified for positions in: Sales ~ Marketing ~ Public Relations Summarize what makes you stand out Include a summary to point out your strong points (I walk you through this process in Chapter 7). As a new grad, think about what professors told you were your strengths or what they wrote on your papers. Reread the recommendation letters you received from internships. Think about any recognitions or awards you were given for clubs, academics, or volunteer work. Your goal is to state in two or three sentences what makes you stand out. For example: Visionary and high-energy young professional recognized for savvy in targeting marketing projects and PR campaigns. Experience: worked on campaigns for the XYZ Company and the ABC Company. Creative: campaign selected out of 24 presented by fellow competitors. Quick-to-learn: attained 3.75 GPA in BS in Marketing. And it’s all true. Consider how it breaks down: Statement: Visionary and high-energy young professional recognized for savvy in targeting marketing projects and PR campaigns. Translation: I have been told by my professors, bosses, and internship managers that I have a lot of energy and vision for marketing and PR. Statement: Experience: worked on campaigns for the XYZ Company and the ABC Company. Translation: I completed case study projects in my marketing classes on these companies that led to mock campaigns being developed. Statement: Creative: campaign selected out of 24 presented by fellow competitors. Translation: One of my case studies was overseen by a real marketing agency. Of my 24 classmates, my campaign proposal was selected as the one they would pitch to the client. Statement: Quick-to-learn: attained a 3.75 GPA in BS in Marketing. Translation: It is always a good idea to showcase your GPA in your resume if you have attained at least a 3.0. Otherwise, leave it off. Sell your skills, knowledge, and training You may feel compelled to follow the direction of your professors and friends, and limit what you have learned to the names of classes written under your new degree in the resume’s education section. Don’t do it! This is how employers get the idea you just have book smarts, and your resume fails to provide the necessary keywords for computer scans. Instead, this is where you turn your classroom learning, school papers, projects, transferrable work, and volunteer skills into resume gold. Under your summary, all you need to do is add a two- or three-column list with the title: Knowledge, Skills, and Training Fill this section with the key skills, knowledge, and training you have for your target job. A marketing grad might include: Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations, Budgeting, Pricing, Graphic Design, Client Relations, Project Planning, Market Research, Branding, Writing & Editing, Social Media Check out the following figure for an example of how this can look. Now your resume leads with some keyword meat that you will support later in the experience section. Most new grads make the mistake of skipping the keyword section because they feel they have little to offer. But that’s just wrong and a disservice to all the knowledge and hands-on skills you gained while attaining your degree. Dig deep into course descriptions, course syllabi, and textbook tables of contents to find the keywords relevant to your job target. If you aren’t sure what to play up in the keyword section, take a look at descriptions of jobs you are targeting. This will give you a good indication of the skills employers are seeking and should help you shape what you include. Experience isn’t just about paid jobs Thicken your work experience by including all unpaid positions, internships, special projects, and volunteer jobs/leadership roles (such as campus club president). List them just like you would employment in reverse chronological order under your experience section. For example: Marketing Studies, FT – ABC University, Orlando, FL Marketing Campaigns: Completed campaign design for XYZ company course project that was selected by Stark Advertising Agency as the best out of 24 entries. Met with customer and Stark staff on mock pitch. Marketing Collateral: Designed numerous collateral pieces from press releases to emails, websites, and brochures using Photoshop, AI, and WordPress in design class. President (Marketing Responsibility) – 123 Sorority, Orlando, FL Recruiting & Marketing Campaigns: Collaborated with volunteers to develop effective on-campus and off-campus recruiting campaigns that led to 30 percent increase in pledges over prior three years. Communications & Promotions: Represented sorority to key influencers such as university administrative staff. Attained permission for unique on-campus fundraiser that led to raising $12,000 in one semester. Highlight the experience most relevant to your intended future. If you have at least one year of full-time professional experience, place your education section after your experience section — unless your education is changing your career path. Dump unhelpful information Don’t fatten your resume with irrelevant data such as hobbies, unless they are directly relevant to your job target or the employer. Include an activity only if it reveals skills, competencies, accomplishments, results, or other qualification to support your intended job. Omit high school data unless it adds a unique fact to the total impression that you’re creating. Also, if you’re mailing your resume via the U.S. Postal Service, don’t enclose it in a report cover or bulky package; just slip it and your cover letter in a standard envelope. And forget about including school transcripts or letters of recommendation. Those belong in a nice three-ring binder portfolio you carry with you to the interview. Make unrelated work history relatable It can feel easy to just write down what you did in your unrelated jobs and leave it at that. But what if your job was as a cashier and you’re targeting marketing coordinator? Words just aren’t going to mesh and sell you to the prospective employer. This is where you have to do a little analysis of how what you have to offer can cross the bridge to what the employer needs. First, break your job down into fragments and explain them. For example, with the cashier description, don’t just say that your responsibility was “scanning products, making money transactions, and dealing with customers.” Instead do this: Look at job descriptions that match what you are targeting. Consider how your skills can best be explained to fit those requirements. Describe each function in terms of your accomplishments and their outcomes. Avoid gaffes common to new graduates New graduates are more likely than experienced job seekers to make the following mistakes. Falling short of image standards: If you present an online resume blemished with the type of shorthand used for tweets and texting, or a paper resume flawed with typos, or a persona degraded with party pictures or a goofy profile on a social media site, you flunk. Omitting heavy-hitter points: You fail to distinguish yourself by creating an opening summary that calls to mind an image of your brand, as I describe earlier in this chapter. Keep your summary brief — three to four accomplishments is plenty. Overcompensating with gimmicky language: Don’t get cutesy in your resume to compensate for a lack of qualifications. Avoid using exotically original language, such as “eyelinered genius,” a term used by a business graduate applying for an entry-level marketing position in the cosmetics industry. The term may be colorful, but charm communicates better in the interview. Making employers guess: Employers hate being asked to decipher your intent. Merely presenting your declared major and transcript excerpts isn’t enough to kick off a productive job search. Add a targeted objective header statement, summary, and keyword section directed at a specific career field and type of position. Leveling the experience field: Your resume is no place to give every job equal billing. Do what you can to make each one relevant for the prospective employer, but don’t be afraid to limit one to just a single line of job title, company name, location, and date in your reverse chronology for positions that just don’t seem to offer any relevant value. Stopping with bare bones: Some rookies look at a sheet of paper and then at their embarrassing, bedraggled collection of jobs in their paid-experience stew. Desperate to get anything written, they settle for employer, job title, and dates of employment. The solution is to pull together all experience, including volunteer and part-time gigs. Sit, think, think some more, and add all your relevant competencies and skills pointing in the direction in which you wish to work. You can use Chapter 8 as a good guide for avoiding what I call this issue of blank page syndrome. Hiding hot information: Data buried is data forgotten. Employers remember best the information you give first in a resume, not the data folded into the middle. The first one-third to one-half of the first page of your resume is prime real estate; determine your selling points and pack that punch up front. Ignoring employers’ needs: Even the smartest new graduates make this mistake: They forget to find out what employers want from new hires. At this moment in time, no one cares what you want — the only thing that matters is the value-pack you bring to the employer. Rigorously study numerous job descriptions for your targeted positions so you can gain gems of wisdom for where to put your focus. Writing boastfully: Appearing too arrogant about your talents can cause employers to question your ability to learn and function as a junior team member. Even when you’re just trying to compensate for your inexperience, avoid terminology that comes across as unnatural or blatantly self-important. When you’re not sure whether you sound too full of yourself, ask those who know you to read your resume and share feedback about what kind of person they think your resume represents. Then, go back and tweak wording if it needs to be toned down (or built up). An online thesaurus or crossword dictionary can be a great tool in coming up with similar words. Click here to view a resume for a recent graduate.

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