From: Yvonne Green, MLIS
Today
Dear Graduate,
April and May are "Job Fair Months". If you are not getting a sufficient number of responses to your job-search efforts, it's time to take a look at your resume.
Have you been punching in enough "keywords" to turn yourself into an IBM super computer? Are you finding the resume tips someone in your unique position needs?
Oh, yes, you can find tons of resume-writing tips on the Internet, even some exclusively for recent grads, if you are willing to dig through the mountains of resume information out there.
Here, let me lend you a shovel, - a Bull Dozer is really what you need.
What you want are FREE resume tips and a web site devoted exclusively to answering YOUR questions and keyword searches.
Do you recognize any of the following keywords?
"...effective interview thank you letters"
"...how to write a high school resume"
"...thank you letter after second interview?"
"...student resumes"
"...resume tips for recent college graduates"
"...are professional resume writers worth the money?"
"...resume writing tips"
Well, you can give your frantic fingers a rest now!
You've finally found the web site you've been looking for. At High-School-Resume.com we cover ALL your "job search" issues, including information on:
- "how to dress for an interview," and
- "interview etiquette"
No aspect of the job application process that interests you gets by us.
Been There, Done That...
Armed with a master's degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) and a bachelor's in English, Writing Concentration, I somehow became the office's unofficial "Ask her" person regarding resume writing. If I didn't know the answer, I'd looked it up. What else would you expect from a person with a library science degree?
(And then there are times you just get drafted--yes, drafted to scan stacks of resumes before they reach the boss' desk!)
Years of experience trained my eyes to spot "resume" trouble as soon as I took the document out of the envelope.
And it's this information and education accumulated over years of experience that I'm going to share with you now.
You will discover, if you have not already, that the "so-call" experts--be they recruiters, hiring personnel, career specialists, or professional resume writers--do not all agree on the resume issue. That is why you often run into "conflicting" advice on what to do and how to do it. Look, you do not have an "Ouija" board! There is no way that you can know a potential employer's preferences ...
But...
The "Hiring-Powers That Be" tend to agree on the things that "drive them bonkers". And these are the things you want to pay attention to-the things you want to avoid. The Hiring-Powers can start listing "resume boo-boos" in a heartbeat. Here's a partial list from the unofficial, "Eliminate Once and For All List of Resume No, No's":
- "No, No" # 1 - Sending a generic resume. Every resume you send is supposed to be "customized," designed to match the specific job description or ad you are responding to.
- Sloppiness - No misspellings; no handwritten--don't laugh--no handwritten cover letters, resumes or envelopes, please; no tips on what you had for breakfast-no coffee, danish or jelly donut stains allowed.
- Sending a resume without a cover letter. No. 1 purpose of a cover letter is to "sell" yourself. To tell a potential employer why your education, skills, and experience make you an excellent candidate for the position.
- Speaking of cover letters: Using "To Whom It May Concern" when YOU have been supplied with the CONTACT Information. Trust me on this, Mr. Smith, who came in the office in a "good" mood, gets "irritable" after opening envelope after envelope greeting him as, To Whom It May Concern. [Hint: It tells him something about you-and it's not flattering.]
And, as they say, "there's plenty more where that comes from."
Here are a few for you to consider:
- Resumes that do not match the job description.
- Ignoring job requirements.
- The outdated practice of using an "Objective" (wait till you find out what The Wall Street Journal says hiring managers now think about the "Objective").
- Irrelevant information - physical description (your weight, height, eye color--and they don't want your picture either).
- False Information - You know what this is. Tip: You can get fired when it has been discovered--so watch it.
- Dictionary Phobia - Do not be afraid of using a dictionary. Recruiters have actually seen "wrong word" choices that have made them groan: "accounting cleric" [clerk] or "statistics mayor" [major] or "ruff [rough] draft".
- Avoid buzzwords - they are tired of "challenging," "impacted," "utilized," "aggressively," "proactively," and don't start writing about "thinking outside of the box" - FIND OTHER WORDS.
And the beat (list) goes on...and on...and on. Since there's more, much, much more. You need to...
 This e-book takes you on an imaginary journey, and makes You, the recent grad, a hiring manager with 72 resumes on your desk demanding your immediate attention.
We go through that pile together. By using this unusual approach, you'll learn the frustrations about resume errors that recruiters and hiring managers have complained about for years. Most important, you learn not to make them!
Hiring managers and recruiters will not attempt to make you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect resume". They know there is no such animal! You have a better chance of finding a mermaid, than writing the perfect resume.
"Then, what do they want?"
They want a well-written, customized resume that supports your cover letter--nothing more, nothing less!
"What?"
They expect your cover letter to explain to them why your education, knowledge, skills, and experience make you a good candidate for the position they need to fill. That's it! That's All!
Don't pay a substantial amount of attention to resume styles (Chronological vs. Functional), formats (where to place education information, at the top or bottom), Font size (11 or 12 pt.)--THIS IS NOT A DESIGN CONTEST. For a recent graduate, with little work experience:
- Use a chronological resume.
- Education placement? - General rule, if you have less than 3 years of work experience, it goes at the top.
- Paper Color: Stick to White or Ivory (cream), if you mail it.
- Font Size: 11 or 12 pt. (point) is fine.
- Font Choice: Do not get creative unless you are applying for a graphic artist/designer position. Times New Roman or Arial is good enough.
And remember if a potential employer is stewing over things like preferring functional resumes over chronological, and the education placement--at the top, not the bottom. He is anal and you don't want to work for such a person anyway.
And don't be shocked--there are a lot of anal bosses out there. Consider yourself lucky you are not called for an interview--you might impress him and get hired!
In our e-book, Stop Making Dumb Mistakes on Your Resume!, we do better than answer all your frequently-asked questions. We take you on a journey. You, recent grad, are someone named: F. T. Job-Now (stands for "Fill This Job Now"--a name your boss has recently baptized you with).
You've placed an ad in the newspaper for the position you desperately need filled, and you now have 72 resumes resting on your desk. Starting from this "walking in the hiring manager's shoes" vantage point, we take you to your desk where you spread the first handful of resumes across it.
You plop down in your chair and you gulp down some coffee as your eyes scan the cover letters. You choke. You start coughing. You can't believe your eyes. You've never seen such "outrageous" cover letters in your life (Chapter 1 - The Insane Cover Letter and Cover Letter Goof-ups).
After spending the next 30 minutes sharing these with your co-workers and the others who rushed down the hall after hearing the howls of laughter coming from your office, you finally get back to work.
You place the "outrageous" in a corner of your floor-"the Guillotine" section, so they will be ready for the Executioner--uh, your assistant to shred them.
You go for the next batch of 10. You spot some cover-letter boo-boos; then you flip past the cover letters and briefly glance at their attached resumes.
Oh, no, you think. Every single one has at least two or three errors from the unofficial hiring manager's "Eliminate Once and For All List of Resume No, No's" (Chapter 2 - Banish the Following from Your Resume-Forever!).
You scoop up the 10 and place them face down in your "I don't really want to but I'll take a closer look" pile.
Bravely, you reach for the next 20, not 10 (you're getting ambitious - you are also getting hungry). Your eyes resume "scanning mode".
Suddenly, both hands reach up and grab a lock of hair--one on the right side of your head and the other on the left side of your head--you start pulling down.
Then you remember, That's how Uncle Mort went bald, and you immediately release your hair, but it's too late loose strands are on each palm.
Although you're in a state of disbelief you keep scanning the 20, and on every one of the resumes in that pile you've spotted no less than two of the 15 most-hated errors (Chapter 3 - Hiring Managers' Most Hated Resume Errors).
That's at least 35 resumes so far--but this is not what you call progress. Your aim is to fill a position, not reject resumes. You sit there for the next five minutes looking like a man abandoned by his dog.
You reach for the next 10. They weren't bad; now only if they didn't suffer from the single most overlooked resume problem committed by 71% of job seekers (Chapter 4 - The Job Description - Pay Attention - Careful Attention).
Slowly your left hand inches its way toward "the stack" to grab another handful, but then you remember out loud, "Is it lunch time yet?"
A quick glance at your wristwatch and you're out the door faster than a cheetah spotting its first prey in three days.
My, my, how time flies when you're having fun. Now you're back at the office already, staring at "the stack" like it's a dead shrunk. You say to yourself, I'm a man; I can take it. And you pick up another 15 and start your scanning process, but this round takes longer, a lot longer because you found some cover letters that peak your interest.
Yes, you found some with good cover letters, but when you read the accompanying resume--the big letdown! You ask yourself, "The letter was on target; what happened to the resume?" (Chapter 5 - Cover Letter and Resume Equality).
For the next three hours you pour over the remaining stack, pulling out those that strike you and tossing the others at the "Guillotine" section on the floor. Of the 72 resumes you found 7 prospects who wrote "a trash-proof" resume (Chapter 6 - The 3 Step Resume Formula).
You thank the heavens and wondered why since they all took the time to write, why didn't they all take extra time and do it right (Chapter 7 - Your "Knick Butt" Resume Package).
Years before Yvonne wrote the book she used the techniques in, Stop Making Dumb Mistakes on Your Resume! to get me the Administrative Assistant job I have right now! I got an extra $3,000 in salary. Thanks!
P.S. I'm glad she finally decided to write these secrets down.
- M. A. Joseph
New York, NY
In this book, written especially for you, Recent Grad, you will discover the...
- Proven answers to the most frequently-asked questions by grads: "How can I write a good enough resume to get an interview?" "What are employers looking for on a resume?" "How many pages must my resume be?" "I don't know where to start?" We give you the "bottom line" answers to your daunting questions.
- Simple 3 step formula for instantly producing the resume employers want. We give you the easy step-by-step blueprint to writing a resume that gets results. You gain confidence in your finished resume package.
Fact: The single most overlooked resume problem committed by 71% of job seekers. Hint: Are you a careful ad reader?
Careless reading of job ads results in resumes with no relationship to the job description, a problem about to drive hiring personnel to drink. But not you! No way, that won't be your mistake.
- There are over 15 "most-hated resume errors" that totally frustrate all hiring managers. You'll gain the advantage because you will avoid these deadly mistakes.
- Instantly discover the "Eliminate Once and For All List of Resume No, No's" that condemn thousands of resumes to that RESUME GRAVEYARD--the Trash Bin. Gain "insider" knowledge of the more than 20 common "boo-boos" that quickly sound the death knell for your document.
- MOST IMPORTANT, contrary to popular opinion, your resume is just a "supporting document"; it is your cover letter that convinces a hiring manager to call you in for an interview. Find out why (you need to know why).
- Over 10 samples of "outrageous" cover letters and cover letter goof-ups. You'll see actual letters that were the "talk of the office" before their prompt disposal. You'll avoid embarrassing goof-ups that will instantly kill your chances of being called for an interview.
- Discover the secret of mastering the Equality Resume/Cover Letter problem. Good cover letter, but disappointing resume. Of course not! You will automatically produce a balanced resume package.
Hundreds of resumes pass through our office. So when the discussion turns to "resume goof-ups" we get comments from Yvonne. She eats, sleeps, and breathes resumes.
- Stephanie Lane
Brooklyn, NY
- Two complete Job Response Packages with sample job advertisement and coordinating resume package response. Boost your success! "Do as we do; do as we say". You can't miss. With these two professional examples you learn exactly what a "response to a job ad" should be. You create your own impressive package using your new found know-how.
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- Fast electronic format means immediate delivery to your desktop. Start learning in minutes - no waiting weeks, a la snail mail, for book delivery.
Copyright 2004. We don't waste your time with "outdated" resume instruction. Books printed prior to the Year 2000 are okay to enhance your knowledge, but don't follow their advice.
We give you the latest expert advice. We tell you what The Wall Street Journal says are employers' current feelings toward use of "Objectives" on your resume, reported as recently as October 2004.
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The Real Purpose of a Resume
- Resume or Cover Letter - Which is the Better Sales Document?
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- Debunking Resume Myths
- Are Professional Resume Writers Worth the Money?
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Getting That First Break
- Know What You Want (Self Assessment)
- Know Your Skills (Skills Assessment)
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Exploring the Interview and Follow-up
- Funny Questions - What Are They Probing For?
- Illegal Interview Questions
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- Interview Etiquette - Lose the Gum
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- After the Interview, Now What?
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