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Can You Afford To Write Your Own Resume?
In today’s economy, if you can save a buck or two, you are ahead of the
game! However, as the saying goes, “penny wise, pound foolish,” there are
times when scrimping to save can be more costly in the end. This article
will provide you with a quick overview of what skills you need to write
your own resume and a case scenario to demonstrate the difference between
spending and making a wise investment in having your resume professionally
prepared.
Why would someone pay a professional resume writer to write their resume
when they have a computer, can use resume templates, and can find resume
samples online and in books to get ideas on setting up and composing their
own resume?
The answer lies in what type of position they are targeting and their
level of resume writing skills. Whether basic or complex, a resume must be
attractive, focused, and interesting to read. Failing to achieve these
objectives means failing to make a good first impression. Many things need
to be taken into consideration in order to accomplish these goals. Here
are five things to consider:
1. You must understand the technical aspects of resume development. This
includes resume design (what fonts to use and spacing), use of industry
specific key words, career synopsis and company profiles, appropriate
resume style and formats (reverse chronological, functional and
combination), and page length.
2. You must have good word processing skills!
3. You must understand what the hiring manager is looking for and what
you've done so you can make a match between their needs and your
qualifications.
4. You must have grammatically correct, creative writing skills to
communicate what you have done in the positions you have held using a
reasonable amount of detail.
5. You must avoid wasting the reader's time by listing too much irrelevant
information or going back too far if the position does not warrant it.
Some positions such as waitress, car wash attendant, and cashier might not
require a resume. If they do, it would be a general resume with a
traditional objective statement and chronological listing of jobs held
with a sentence or two under each to indicate responsibilities, along with
job-specific skills, and education. In a word: simple. However, sometimes
a resume needs to be strategically developed to emphasize the value you
offer a company, especially if the position is very competitive and you
need to stand out from the rest of the potential candidates.
Often, a job seeker finds himself or herself in a pickle because they have
held many different positions over the years and do not know how to keep
the resume focused for a particular position. Maybe you are returning to
the workplace after raising your children and are concerned the gap will
put you at a disadvantage. Maybe you are just starting out in your career
and do not think you have enough to offer a company. Or, maybe you are
ready for a career change and do not know how to create a presentation
that will position you for a new field.
If you have done your homework (which we believe you have since you are
reading this article!), you know that a resume is often referred to as a
"marketing tool." No different than a commercial advertisement, your
resume needs to entice the reader to buy the product (you) by grabbing
their attention, listing the product's benefits (your qualifications), and
compel the reader to make a move - in this case, to invite you to an
interview. As you know, time is money. The more time that passes after
sending your resume out, the more money you lose if it is not generating
responses. If you cannot afford to be out of work for several months, you
should make the decision to have your resume professionally prepared. Here
is a quick quiz to help you put things into perspective:
Client A: wanted to save money, so she prepared her own resume. She faxed
and mailed her resume to over 50 companies over a period of six weeks, but
nothing happened. While she kept her fingers crossed, she depleted half of
her savings. She eventually landed an interview in the seventh week
through someone she knew.
Client B: understood that having her resume professionally developed was a
good investment. Without one, she knew she could not launch her career in
the right direction. She faxed and mailed her professionally prepared
resume out to ten companies over a two-week period. By the end of week
two, she landed a great interview that resulted in a fabulous job.
Quick Quiz: who came out financially ahead in the long run?
If you answered the job seeker that invested wisely in consulting with a
professional resume writer, you are 100% correct! So, in summary, the
question is not whether or not you can afford to write your own resume.
The question is whether or not you can afford not to have it done
properly.
Written By
Ann Baehr
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Writers
Profile
Ann Baehr is a CPRW
and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her
former role as Second Vice President of NRWA and contribution to 25+
resume and cover letter sample books. To learn more visit
http://www.e-bestresumes.com
or see view resume samples, visit
http://www.e-bestresumes.com/resume_samples.htm
resumesbest@earthlink.net
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