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0175260The Résumé and Cover Letter00The Résumé and Cover LetterPurposeThe résumé is a marketing tool with a specific purpose of helping you obtain an interview that can lead to a job. People with skills that are in hot demand are hired on the basis of their résumé alone.No matter what method of job hunting you choose inevitably somebody will ask you for a résumé. The difference between one that is read and the one that is thrown away with no more than a mere glance is the construction, grammar and how error free it is. Errors are probably the number one reason why applicants are not asked for an interview. So, take your time, proof read carefully and then have someone else do the same before distribution.The absolute, unbreakable rules of résumé writing:No typing errorsNo misspellingsDo not tell a lie or mistruthDo not include any negative informationRésumé Length and FormatA one-page résumé is mostly for career beginners. Employers want so much detail about skills that a two-page résumé is preferable for people with some full-time work experience. A study with 64 business professionals found that the following résumé characteristics were more likely to lead to first choices for an interview:One page in contrast to twoA specific objective statement versus a general oneRelevant coursework better than no courseworkGPAs of 3.0 in contrast to no GPA listedGPAs of 3.5 in contrast to 2.75An accomplishment statement in comparison to no accomplishment statementWhen submitting your résumé and cover letter electronically, make it easy for the employer to access, such as using an attached Word document. Résumé FormatThere are three primary résumés:ChronologicalFunctionalCombinationTargetedThe one you decide to use largely depends on your work history.Chronological – these résumés list your jobs and duties in reverse chronological order. Most employers expect to see that format, and it best highlights your education and relevant work experience.Use a chronological résumé if:You have a good work historyYou have had no time-gapsYou have not had numerous job changesYou are looking for another job in the same field or a related oneYou have worked for a prestigious company that carries some weight in your communityAdvantages of the chronological:It is the most common type and is preferred for most situationsIt is very easy to useIt shows job stabilityIt can show steady growth in responsibilityIt emphasizes job titles and the companies you worked forIt describes duties and accomplishmentsDisadvantages of the chronological:It can emphasize “job hopping”It can infer too much about your ageIt can show lack of experienceIt can draw too much attention to gaps in employmentSkill/Functional Résumé – This format is usually reserved for career changers who want to de-emphasize huge gaps of unemployment or a lack of direct experience. Group your skill sinto categories and then briefly list your past job titles at the bottom.Use a Skill/Functional Résumé if:You are reentering the job market after an absence or gaps between employmentYou have had numerous job changesYou are looking for another job in a very different field or industryYou think your age is a barrierYou have had several unrelated occupationsYou are a mature individual with a varied background and numerous areas of expertiseYou are a new graduate from high school or collegeYou have skills and abilities other than those you are currently using and you desire to make a changeYou have extensive military background and experienceYou are self-employed and operate your own businessAdvantages of the Skill/Functional résumé:It highlights accomplishments and strengthsIt allows you to organize your skills in a way that best suits youIt eliminates repetition and redundancy of similar jobsIt allows flexibility in how you present yourselfIt is an excellent résumé to use for circulating through networksIt allows you to draw from diverse volunteer experience, interests, and skills that have not been a part of your past employmentDisadvantages of the Skill/Functional résuméIt de-emphasizes specific job titles and companies you worked forIt de-emphasizes longevityIt shows limited job dutiesIt may be unfamiliar to some employersCombination Résumé – This format lists your skills and experience first. Your employment history is listed next. With this type you can highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying for, and also provide the chronological work history that employers prefer.Advantages of the combination résumé:It allows you to showcase your skills first before revealing your short-work historyIt allows the reader to see the skills you’ve accumulated along the way if you’ve worked for a long time for the same company or held the same type of position for a whileIt allows you to place emphasis on achievements and skills first rather than pointing out that this is a big change in your career pathDisadvantages of the combination résumé:The chronological portion of this format highlights frequent job changes and timeline gapes in the employment historyThe chronological portion of this format will highlight unrelated experience or career pathThe combination portion will give the potential employer enough information to get a rough idea about your ageTargeted Résumé – This format follows expert advice for the job seeker and creates the résumé around the job they are applying for. It is organized by skills and functions transferred from previous experience; focuses on specific, targeted position (often from a job posting). You can avoid doing a targeted résumé for every position by doing a targeted cover letter and/or having a couple different versions of your résumé. ................
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