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View Poll Results: USEFUL & FEEL THE NEED TO CONTINUE WITH GOOD POSTINGS..........???
Yes........ Let us Go ahead......... 61 96.83%
No.......... Not so useful....... 2 3.17%
Voters: 63. You may not vote on this poll

pratik.kubavat
33

this is really a good thread
& i personally do believe that (Resume/Curriculum Vitae/Bio-data) is the identity of a candidate
Because it's the first thing that we send to employer while getting job
It should be perfect
Is there anything for me CRK , just let me know

From India, Ahmadabad
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

- My CV Builder



There are many reasons why your CV or resume can be rejected. Some of the most common reasons are listed below:

The Initial Impression From Your CV - As statistics have shown, a potential employer looks at a CV for around 10-15 seconds before an impression is created in their mind as to the suitability of the individual for the job. This shows that unless you attract the attention of the reader, your chances of getting an interview will have been reduced straight away. You have to remember that a potential employer may have scores if not a hundred or more CVs to look at, and there may only be a limited time to analyse these CVs and create a shortlist. Therefore, you have to ensure that your CV or resume shows the reader that you match their requirements and that the reader is able to recognise that from your CV very easily.

The Length of Your CV - The best size for your CV is two pages of A4. For resumes, the best size is one page in length, and only use two pages if it cannot be avoided. You should only make CVs longer if it is specifically required from you to provide the potential employer with additional, or more detailed information.

The Way Your Information is Organised - If the potential employer is not able to follow your CV and locate relevant information they will most likely not bother to try any harder to find the information and instead just give up. This means that your CV or resume will be put on the rejected pile. You must organise and arrange your CV or resume in such a way that the potential employer will see what they are looking for more or less instantaneously. Avoid cramping too much information and make sure there is plenty of white space.

Your CV is Overwritten or Provides Too Little Information - Both of these should be avoided. Too much information in lengthy paragraphs makes it hard for the reader to find the relevant information. And on the other hand, not providing all the relevant details from your qualifications, career history and other experiences will leave the potential employer without anything to determine your suitability for th e job. You must first analyse the requirements for the job and then choose the most appropriate information from your skills audit to include within your CV or resume. This will ensure that you do provide enough information and only what is relevant.

Spelling Mistakes, Typos and Poor Grammar. - No matter how hard you look and check over your work, there always seems to be something that you have missed. Errors such as these can make you appear unprofessional and as someone who is careless. Therefore, you should always get somebody else to check your CV for grammatical errors.

Your CV Does Not Demonstrate Results of Achievements - Your CV or resume is your personal marketing tool. If you do not demonstrate past results and achievements to prove to the employer that they should employ you as opposed to others, then your CV or resume has failed. You need to clear state that you are suited for the job and then present evidence for that suitability. This is the objective behind your CV or resume.

CRK

From India, Vijayawada
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

By Jason Belasco

The word "resume" originates from the French, and means "to summarize." Damn French. Because of their stupid word, you now have to condense your entire lifetime onto one piece of paper, with the desperate hope that someone who reads it will instantly know what a great person you are and give you a high-paying job.

But you, my friend, are completely misguided if you think that's what your resume will get you.

The purpose of your resume is not to get you a job. "What?!" you say. "Years of classical conditioning have instructed me that if I write a good resume, I'll get a good job!" Sorry, but you've been had.

The purpose of a resume is to get an interview, not a job. Once you get in the door, it's your winning personality and discussion of your lifetime of experiences that will get you the job.

You could have the most brilliant resume in the world, but if you walk into an interview and do nothing but drool on yourself, that resume will be worthless (unless the job consists of massive drooling, or you are an actor portraying a 2-year-old). But drool no more, for today you will learn how to put together the perfect resume: one that will play up your experience, play down your liabilities and at least improve your chances at eventually acquiring your dream cubicle.

One footnote: We will be working under the assumption that you are either still in, or have recently graduated from, college. If you've been out in the real world (or sleeping on your mom's couch) for more than a couple of years, this all still applies to you. The only main difference is that you'll have to talk more about your work experience, whereas recent college grads can add stuff like school activities to their resumes.

Instructions

Make a Huge List

Before you sit down to write (or fix) that resume, the first thing you should do is make a list of everything you have ever done or accomplished in your entire life. This means everything: every single job, award, honor, volunteer work, skill, language, hobby, wart, bad dream and witty retort. Try to make the list chronological, starting with your most recent accomplishments and working your way backward right up until you received your Quickest Passage Through The Birth Canal Award. We shall deem this list your "Fat List."

Henceforth, when we speak of your Fat List, we speak of the list of your life, not the list of your daily fatty-foods intake. Take good care of this list. It is your new best friend.

Why the need for such a list? Three reasons:

1. Because you can now keep this list, add to it as you accomplish more things in your life, and pick and choose as you tailor your resume to different job positions.

2. Because it's really, really hard to remember everything off the top of your head, so this list will function as a reminder of those little details that may really impress a prospective employer.

3. Because seeing everything you've done on one list will help you remember things you've done that you can't fit on your resume, but can still bring up in an interview.

All too often, people will look at their resumes and hear a nagging voice in the back of their head telling them that something's missing. With a Fat List, you can rid yourself of such voices, or at least get them to change their messages to more interesting topics of conversation.

Now don't get too detailed with this list. You don't have to write down everything you did at each job, or how much you won for a particular scholarship. Just write down the name of the event and the date when it happened.

But we understand that even writing a simple Fat List can be tough. It's a lot of information in one place. So what you should do is organize your Fat List into the following sections:

1. Education: Include where you went to school, what your GPA was, a list of classes you took, what your major/minor was. If you're still in school, your most up-to-date information is fine.

2. Employment: List all jobs you've ever had, and the dates through which you had them, including all volunteer work. If nuns made you do it, it still counts.

3. Activities: Mention all school activities in which you participated. Write them all down. If you held any leadership positions or started a group yourself, throw that in, too.

4. Honors: These are academic, athletic or community awards or scholarships. Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude and the George Jetson Scholarship of the Future would all be included here.

5. Skills: If you speak any languages (even if only at a conversational level); all of your computer knowledge, especially of complicated programs; if you know how to operate heavy machinery--all of that stuff goes into the "skills" category. This is like the potpourri category of stuff you know how to do, but about which nobody has really cared much (so far).

:)

CRK
crk.mbahr@yahoo.com

From India, Vijayawada
vluvsunny
Yes, this is a very important point. I didnt realise how important a resume can be before i was really embarrased by an interviewer. I started takingit very seriously ever since. I think, this is a very helpful article not only for freshers but for experienced professionals like me. I think a lot depends on the layout of the resume. People will give you several suggestion but eventually, ur resume should not take a lot of timwe to read.
From United States, Cambridge
vluvsunny
infact if you guys are looking for more information on resume making. There is a nce blog which can help you. It talks about all the possible errors you can have on your resume. just type "is your resume cheating on you" on google and choose the english forum's option. it is a nice blog. you will find it very useful.
From United States, Cambridge
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

Choosing the best resume format depends on your background and the requirements of the jobs for which you want to interview.

The three most common résumé formats are - The chronological resume allows you to emphasize your career growth and progression. You present your most recent job and educational experience first, then trace backwards in time. Describe the duties you performed under each listed experience. This format is not advantageous for people with limited or unrelated employment experience, and gaps in employment are readily noticeable.

The functional resume focuses on professional skills, responsibilities, and accomplishments. It is organized by functional titles that explain general areas of expertise.

Under each function heading is a brief explanation of your accomplishments in that area. You can tailor the functional résumé to highlight specific skills that you have that the job requires. This format is good for recent graduates, liberal arts majors, career changers, and people with limited work experience or interrupted careers.

The combination resume incorporates both the chronological and functional formats. You can tailor the explanation of your job history to fit the types of jobs for which you are applying; you can also show continuity in your job record or history. Organize your background by skills and functions rather than by job title. List your job titles and employers in reverse chronological order at the end of the résumé



CRK

crk.mbahr@yahoo.com

From India, Vijayawada
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

Make your resume a quality document

Set yourself a high standard when writing a resume for yourself. Invest time and money to produce a beautifully set out, laser-printed, professional looking resume you are proud to send out. You can add one color or perhaps print on a cream, high-gloss paper. Keep to one or two fonts, sizes and styles.

Remember your resume is a business document so don't go overboard. Quality is the key so don't overuse special effects. Tip: Use one of the resume wizards in either Microsoft Word or WordPerfect.

Write a skills-based resume

Write a skills-based resume concentrating on the skills, knowledge and achievements and how these make you an outstanding candidate for the position.

Get away from the dry, functional, chronological listing of positions held and duties performed. Your resume must stand out from the pack. It should let your reader see at once what you've achieved for others and by inference what you offer any prospective employer.

Pitch your resume to meet your prospective employer's needs

You're typically competing against 100 other candidates and the employer will only call four or five to an interview. You want to be one of those select few.

To win that interview you must work out what your prospective employer wants and pitch your resume to meet those needs. Closely study the advertisement and try to match your skills and achievements to those specifically mentioned.

Nine out of ten people fail to write about what the employer's central question: Can this candidate do the job? Most resumes are an autobiography or a chronological list of positions held. This makes it hard work for the reader.

Keep the employer's central question at the forefront of your mind when you put together your resume. The reader looks at the information presented and says ‘so what’. You have to work out what the employer wants so as he or she reads the information, the response is ‘great, that’s what we want.’

Think through the qualities the best candidates have for such a job

If you wanted to hire a software programmer, what qualities and qualifications would the ideal candidate have? Unless the employer asks for a specific programming skill, list and highlight all the operating systems you're familiar with, programming languages you have qualifications in, the software packages you have used. In this way, your specific skills will shine through.

Think of the image your resume presents

Every resume must use good layout, high-quality paper and perfect typing. But beyond these needs, think what image your resume presents. If you're applying for an auditing position, you will want a conservative image, minimum color, few or no graphics, and the best-quality paper.

This will generate an image of a conventional, careful and controlled person. If you're applying for a copywriting position, you can be more creative and show your skills when presenting your resume. If you're a prospective sales representative, you must come across as confident, resourceful and dedicated. You must think about the image your resume and work hard to

match it to the position and employer's needs.

Keep your resume short, relevant and specific

You must get the reader to remember five or six key messages selling your qualifications and skills so you stand out as a candidate to interview. You want the reader to remember you and to pick you for interview.

Write your resume as short as necessary

You may only need a one-page resume if you're a school-leaver or graduate with little or no work experience. Most resumes are two pages long. Never go beyond three pages. By the time your reader gets to the end of a long resume, he or she will have lost your key messages in the detail.

You don't have to include everything in your resume. Keep what's relevant and impressive. Don't go into too much personal information such as your marital status, children or hobbies. Include only outside interests that show important sides to your character. Mention outside interests that show you are community spirited or ones relevant to your chosen career.

For example, you could mention your position as Chair of the Parent-Teachers Association or your interest in photography if applying for trainee journalist posts.

Decide on the key messages you want the employer to remember

Research shows most people can only remember half a dozen ideas from reading a ocument. As an employer reads dozens of resumes, he or she will only remember a fraction of the content of each one. You must decide what you want the reader to member. This is usually why your qualifications and skills match those of the prospective employer.

For example, if you are applying for a position as a IT Help Desk Manager, your key, specific messages might be:

Four years' experience as a supervisor on an IT Help Desk for a medium-size company,

Training staff in Microsoft Office products,

Knowledge of C++ and Unix,

Degree in Office Technology from Kent University,

Author of plain language guide to database management.

Place the key messages to catch the reader’s eye

Present your key information on the most prominent position on the first page.

Use the top half of the page, using layout to draw attention to this text. You can use a heading such as ‘Most Relevant Experience and Skills.’

Throughout your resume, use layout, bold, bullet points and indentation to highlight the important information you want the employer to notice. Never bury important information in a long paragraph.

Write a hard-selling summary or profile

Grab the reader’s attention and stand out from the crowd by summarizing your best information first.

Write a summary of your career highlights to show what you offer your future employer.

Use a summary that sells how your background and experience will benefit potential employers. Don’t use the summary to state what you want as a career or the type of job you are seeking or your desires or expectations

CRK

From India, Vijayawada
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

Your curriculum vita (CV) may be incredible, but if your cover letter's not as spectacular, no one may ever even see the CV.

A good many job seekers forget that their cover letter operates as a sort of first impression. When paired with a solid CV, the cover tells the employer that the job applicant is professional and thorough. On the flip side, a misspelled, inaccurate cover letter says, "Don't hire this person!"

Ironically, the most important weapon you have in ensuring that your cover letter shines is the position advertisement itself.

Typically, job opening ads contain pertinent details about the responsibilities of the position, the necessary qualifications that candidates must have to fulfil those expectations and perhaps a bit of background about the company. It's up to you to use the employer's most "important" words (aka, "key words") in your cover letter.

Use Key Words and Phrases

For instance, if an advertisement states that it wants people who are "dedicated", "mature" and "creative", it will behove you to use those terms somewhere in your cover letter. Obviously, you don't want to repeat them verbatim (as in "I am dedicated, mature, and creative"); however, if you weave those adjectives throughout your cover, you'll be more likely to catch the attention of whoever is screening the CVs.



Additionally, your cover letter should echo the qualifications you have that match the qualifications requested in the ad copy. If the posting wants someone "with a background in management" and you've been an IT manager for the past year, mention it somewhere in your cover letter. There's no need to go into too much detail, but you can easily add this fact in a natural way.

How Long Should My Cover Letter be?

As far as length is concerned, most cover letters follow a one-page rule. The exception would be if you're trying to attain a position that has a significant number of requirements or is academic in nature. If this is the case, you may want to consider a longer, more comprehensive cover letter.

Typically, three or four paragraphs are sufficient to whet the prospective employer's appetite and entice him or her to turn the page to your CV. The first paragraph should be an opening, but avoid terms like "hello", "hi", or "greetings". This isn't an email to a good friend - it's a professional letter.

The second (and perhaps third as well) paragraph should highlight your qualifications (using those key words from the advertisement). And the final paragraph should tell how to get in touch with you. (It may also include salary requirements if those are specifically requested.)

Proofread

Of course, it's critical to always proofread your cover letter before sending. (You might be surprised at the number of errors one cover can contain… and that usually results in the applicant never making it to the job interview stage.) Just to be on the safe side, ask someone else to read it, too. Then, sign it and attach it to your CV.

At this point, you'll know that you've done everything possible to make your cover letter (essentially your "calling card") work for you. Remember that it's not intended to take the place of your CV; it's meant to introduce the CV. Keep that in mind, and your odds of getting a phone call from your prospect will greatly increase

CRK

From India, Vijayawada
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

Rajashree B Mustafi @ info.shine.com

Just having a good resume isn't enough in today's competitive world. The resume must reach the people who matter. Here are some ways to send your resume to prospective employers..

Having a great resume is the first step to a good job. But how you send it across to employers is equally important. In today's competitive job market, where you’re contending with hundreds of competitors, knowing the right way to send out your resume makes a huge difference.



Be organised and focussed: When applying, keep a log ready detailing the name of the company, the position advertised and applied for and also the dates you sent your resume across. When you get an interview call, make sure you know everything about the company.



Posting resumes on job-portals: Job portals are becoming increasingly popular as means of searching for jobs and candidates. While posting your resume on a job portal, have an electronic version ready. How? Open your resume in MS Word, then type File-Save As and choose Text Only, creating a .txt version. Close the file, reopen it and edit the stray characters. Then, cut and paste into websites; it’ll automatically format itself. When you post your resume on the portals, set up search agents to know about a new posting.



Jobs from advertisements: When you choose a job from an advertisement, surf portals to cross-check and see the company website as well. Try to find the name of the hiring manager and address your correspondence directly, revising the cover letter to fit the ad. A cover letter is viewed only for 3-7 seconds, so, keep it brief and easy to read. Don’t repeat what’s in your resume, instead, tell how you meet the criteria.



Send your résumé to friends: Send your resume to friends asking them to print it and show it to you. Make necessary changes until you're sure the prospective employers will receive a consistently professional-looking document. But the best way to send your resume is to submit it the way the employer suggests. If you’re submitting online, use the online submission form they’ve set up. Do exactly what they tell and you can’t go wrong, even if it means submitting the resume separately for each employer.



Print resume and cover letter on matching stationery: No fancy colours please, but print the resume and cover letter on matching stationery making sure they are neatly printed. Put them in suitable envelopes so that your resume doesn't get folded. Mark in your job search log, the date you e-mailed/mailed them.



Call the employer: Call the employer no later than 3 days after your send your resume. Tell them, "I'm calling to see if you got my resume", showing your interest and keenness to know more about the job. Watch your energy levels and intonation while speaking and also be friendly, professional and conversational. End by asking if you may call them again to know how the selection process progresses.



E-mail submission: Though it is a popular means to submit resume as an attachment, it should not be a preffered means as the resume might land into spam. Spam blockers used by companies stop all emails with file attachments if they come from unknown addresses. So, send your resume in the body of the email. While cutting and pasting, make sure to fix any line breaks or garbled text. Paste the resume into a text editor (like the Notepad), select that text and then copy and paste into your email, removing all formatting errors.



However, the all-time best is to submit your resume by hand. Go to the office and give it to the hiring manager. Though not always feasible, if possible, it’s worth it. Thus, you can send your resume and succeed in the rat-race; as having a good resume isn’t just enough! It has to reach where it matters

CRK

crk.mbahr@yahoo.com

From India, Vijayawada
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

Ezine@rticles


If you are job-seeking and want to land the job interview, you got to make use of a powerful tool at your disposal: Your Cover Letter.

Your cover letter can make or break your success. If your cover letter is truly amazing, you'll get the manager to call you immediately. If it isn't great, it will land in the trash.

Writing Killer cover letters is simple. It's a skill anyone can learn. It takes patience and persistence. Here are a few effective techniques you can use to write killer cover letters...

Ask - The purpose of your letter is to ask for the interview. So just ask for it. Don't exaggerate about your skills. Just tell them that you want the interview.

Be Brief - Don't exaggerate about your skills. Tell them why you think that you are best suited for the job they are offering. If your letter doesn't tell them that, they won't bother calling you. They don't care about what you got. All they care is about what you give to them!

Convince - Convince the manager that you are the right person for the job. Before you start off with the regular salutation, write a killer headline that grabs attention like this one:

Three Reasons Why I Believe I May Be the Best Candidate for the {Job Title} You Are Offering

Tell them why you think that you are the best person for the job. Tell them how you can fulfill your roles and aid in company's growth.

Customize - Don't send the same letter to every company. Customize it to suit the needs of each company. And don't send your letter to the human resource team. Send the letter to the person who has the power to hire you immediately. Use these tips and your manager will be impressed even before he meets you. Be Prepared for the Call.

CRK

From India, Vijayawada
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