Resume Preparation - Resume Week I

With Christmas and New Year's taking away from Resume Week, Resume Week will overlap into next week so you may get all the information you need to create a successful resume and cover letter (Resume Week Part II). With that said please grab your pen and paper and let's continue in the subject of "Resume Preparation".

The first thing you need to do when writing your "killer" resume is to know what the potential employer is looking for in an employee. You will then know what words to use on your resume which will get your potential employers attention. Employers make finding the right words to use on resumes easy because these words are located in their job descriptions. Do a search for your employers job opening and look at the job qualifications. Are the qualifications skills that you have? Can you do what the employer is asking? If so write down each qualification you are capable of for later use.

If the employer did not list job requirements in their job ad you can do one of two things:

• You may do a job search using the job title and use the skills listed by another company for your resume
  
• You may go to Onet and do a search for the job title listed by the employer to get a detailed job description and job requirements for their job opening. (Onet also has useful information such as wage information that will give you an idea of how much you will be paid in a certain position depending on what state you live in and more.)

Now that you have a good list of skills for your resume you need to now think of what type of experience you have in this field from previous employment. If you don't have work related experience do you have education in this field? What about volunteer work? Whether it's work related experience, education or volunteer work this will need to be the next part of you resume.

* Remember: most people only read the top half of the page so that's where the most important information needs to go!

Your resume should only be one page long also. If you have a lot of work experience and or education limit it to the 2 most recent and/or relevant jobs and education. Think of your potential employer. If you were in charge of interviewing and screening resumes the last thing you need is a 2+ page resume to look over. Resumes that are more than 1 page or more than likely to be tossed in the recycle bin.

Now that we have the skills and education we need to put your resume together you will know learn how to piece this information together using a formula that will get you great results starting tomorrow. Remember to tune in tomorrow!

Happy Hunting Tampa!

Samara Bowling