Community Chat

[Mj12]

On 3/20/2015 AnnMarie-1 said:

It is expensive, around $500.00!

I think we may bite the bullet & do it, my husband lost his job suddenly last week (cost reduction) & he tried doing one himself & applying, but looks like the resume matters quite a bit...really, send back jobs around $10.00 an hour & he was a manager!

I'm so sorry about your DH's job. Please don't pay $500 or anywhere near that - there are many free sites online, you can find one you like, looks professional, and model your DH's after it. It isn't hard at all. $500 is a rip-off IMO.

This site has many different resumes you can get ideas from:

http://www.resume-help.org/free_resume_examples.htm

[Mj12]

Also - OP - if you have Microsoft Word - I thought they have a resume wizard on there.

[Plaid Pants2]

Also, correct spelling and punctuation helps.

If one doesn't know the difference of when to use their/they're/ there, or, to/two/too, then that can cost one a potential interview and job.

[Toppers]

Anne Marie, I know that you will get various opinions on this topic about your husband getting a professional resume done.

My husband had one done twice on two separate occasions, and I have to tell you that they really didn't help him out all that much, from what we could tell afterwards, when we looked back on the situations.

We didn't notice at the time, but they were both a little bit "too generic" in the way that they were written. They were both done by two different people.

Like terrier said, resumes nowadays are scanned for the key words that are in them.

If a professional resume doesn't have enough key words in it to fit a particular field, the resume won't even be noticed.

The last time that my husband was looking for a job, he went to talk to someone who helped with resumes at one of our area job centers, and the person gave resume advice and said that it is better if you do your own resume, as you know your career field the best, and you know the best key words to use for your field.

He was right. As soon as my husband did his own resume, he started to get responses to it.

There are books at your local public library that have resume information in them, resume examples, etc., and your local job center should have resume information, too.

There may even be someone at your job center, who can help with resume information, too. Sometimes they have someone there who does this. It doesn't cost anything.

[Snowpuppy]

a resume doesn't get you a job. It only pre-screens you for an interview. Try to match what they want in the announcement as well as you can with your background. Include everything the announcement asks for. Copy of transcript, professional license, etc.

Here in MI you can get free help at classes offered by the unemployment office. Your local library also offers assistance.

Can you judge your effectiveness? How many resumes does it take to get you an interview? At the height of the downturn I was averaging 1 interview for every 8 applications. A good friend who wrote an epistle was averaging 1 interview for every 50 or so applications.

[Kachina624]

On 3/20/2015 missy1 said:

The unemployment office here, helps with your resume for free.

Every state has a employment service that helps with job searches, from resume writing to job search workshops that teach the latest job search techniques. If a person hasn't looked for work recently, many things have changed including how resumes are used. It pays to upgrade one's job search skills in order to be competitive.

[Another new name Sue]

On 3/20/2015 terrier3 said:

Big companies don't even LOOK at resumes...they are scanned by machines for words that match the job description...or screened by third party firms or clerks looking to make sure the resume matches the job.

You can get simple outlines for resumes online....it shouldn't be more than one or two pages anyway. $500 is a major ripoff, IMO.

I still think person to person contacts and sites like Linkedin are more important, especially for management jobs.

I just went through this when I submitted resumes to two television stations. They both said no phone calls were accepted - everyone had to go through their site.

I hadn't heard back, so I called the managers - I know them at both places. They BOTH said they had never received my resume from corporate (it had been about a week or a little longer)...and both set appointments for me because I called. Same with my seasonal job. My manager there called me about a f/t position. I told him that the website said that all jobs had to go through the headhunter form and he just laughed and said not to bother about that....that's just to screen people OUT.

So my advice is to have him network with everyone he knows and make sure his Linkedin info is up to date (or start an account there).

I think it's MORE important to send thank you notes (handwritten) to anyone and everyone he networks with who helps him...and to everyone he interviews with - even the first round with a low level HR clerk.

Best of luck to your family!

I agree with terrier, as above. Networking is the key. You cannot sit at home and email resumes everywhere; it doesn't work. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for work (you are NOT asking for a job).

[moonstone dunes]

Agree that there is no need to have a professional write a resume. Linked In has templates; there are many examples on the web.

Focus the resume on accomplishments. i.e. Saved the company $X dollars; implemented program to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Avoid words like "Responsible For"..."Expert"..."Results Oriented"

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5269-resume-words-not-to-use.html

Ten Winning Resume Suggestions:

Richard M. Resume Writer, Executive Recruiter and Career Coach My Job is to Improve Your Future!

Keep It Factual
Don't stretch the truth. If you can't do the job or if you haven't done the job, don't paint a picture of yourself that real life won't support. Even if you can make it through the interview and get the job, employers can, and have, terminated employees for falsifying resume information. Consider the consequences of embellishment or misrepresentation carefully.


Keep It Brief
The higher up you are in an organization the more you are required to multitask and to delegate. The more you are required to delegate, the less time you will have to spend on any one issue personally. Consider this when you write your resume. You will only get the briefest of time when reviewed by a manager. Try to present your value, the Who, What, Where, Why, How and When of you, within the first 30 seconds.


Keep It Simple
Avoid run on sentences. Keep the structure simple. Length loses the reader. Brevity becomes you. Keep to the point and get to the point quickly. No one has time for blatant blarney.


Keep it Cold (objective)
Avoid weightless words that fail to enlighten the reader and provide no value. Words like "results oriented" don't add value and provide the reader with little insight into your unique skill set. Words that are overused, trite and self congratulatory should not be part of your qualifications. Keep in mind that the person reviewing your resume has read hundreds of resumes and has pretty much seen every variation of self embellishment under the sun.


Keep It in Your Language
If you wouldn't say it in a normal conversation or in an interview, you shouldn't use it in a resume. Speak from the heart, not from the dictionary.


Keep It Current
Your resume is not a tombstone. It isn't chiseled in granite. It is a reflection of who you are. As you change, so too should your resume. The time to update your resume isn't when your job is in peril and it isn't when you find out about a salary freeze. A good organization will give you periodic performance reviews. You owe it to yourself to do the same. At the conclusion of a major project or a major change in the organization you should take the time to update your resume.


Keep it Focused
Make it your job to know a great deal about the organization you intend to honor with your resume. Know their needs, know their history, know who is hiring, know what their future looks like and most importantly, know how you can help them. Tailor your resume to highlight your skills and experience which address these needs!


Keep It Directed
Be certain it is addressed to the correct audience. The correct audience is the individual or business unit that actually has the budget to hire you. It is rarely Human Resources. If the position description does not name a specific person then use "Dear Hiring Manager" in your resume cover letter.


Keep It Powerful
Use words that create an image. Understand the power of words. If they don't help you stand out, they are wasted.


Keep It Clean
Avoid over-usage of bolding, italicizing, exclamation marks, underling, etc. When translated to an ASCII file it looks like a broken jig saw puzzle.

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Resume-Tips-Ten-Winning-Resume-3257814.S.48154285

[Kalli]

Guess you can't use the old 'deliver the resume by hand so they have a face to associate with the application' approach is over.

Living in a small town area, that worked for me. My dad told me to stop by once a week and ask if they've made a decision yet and to be cheerful and brief. They will know you're really interested in the job.

But, of course, this was at the beginning of my career. Many years have passed since then.

[Colinka]

I found this book to be very helpful in my last job search: RecruiterGuy's Guide to Finding a Job by Bill Humbert. He covers all the bases to finding a really good job. If your husband was a manager, this may help him find a similar position. Also, the author has a website with lots of helpful advice for free.