SECRETS OF A PERFECT RESUME

Your resume is your ambassador to the work world. It helps open the doors to many wonderful opportunities you didn't even know existed. Not only is your resume the first thing an employer sees from you, it is what the employer will use to decide whether you are eligible for the job or not. Basically, most recruiters spend 10-15 seconds scanning a resume. A brief glance is all they give when they categorize the thousands of resumes that are sent by candidates. Thus it becomes very important for you to ensure that your resume doesn't go unnoticed in the pile of papers. The secret lies in the details you include, how intelligently you include them, how readable your resume is, and most importantly, its overall presentation and appearance. There are different types of resume which are listed as follows:

Chronological Resume
In this format, the emphasis is placed on employment experience. Your job history is presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent jobs placed at the top of the list. Potential employers can easily see what you have done, and how you have worked with which company for how many years and also your progressed is analyzed.

This is the most common style of resume but freshers should avoid this format since this type of resume may end up highlighting their lack of experience. Experienced people to show their job history and experience can use this type of resume.

Functional Resume
In this format, your skills and achievements are emphasized. Your skills and previous relevant experience (including educational experience) are presented at the beginning of your resume. By this type of resume the employers can have a basic idea of how you are fitted for the job and what are your qualifications regarding the job. Preparing this type of resume may take lot of time, but you are free to highlight your talents instead of your recent job experience. The Functional resume will not be of use if the employer is looking for a clear job history and he may be put off by this format, especially if you've used it to hide your inexperience.

Combination Resume
This type of resume is fast gaining popularity. It is an effective combination of both. The Combination resume is simply a functional resume with a brief employment history and job experience added. Skills and accomplishments are still listed first; the employment history follows. Thus the employer will immediately know your qualification for the post as well as the experience you had and how well he can hire your expertise for the job.

Whichever format you may use, remember, you can't afford to make any mistakes. You have to be perfect in every sense and your perfection and smartness is what will count.

Here are a few important tips:

Draw the attention of the employer
Use such a design that it will draw the attention of the employer towards your resume. Employers make a snap decision at the mere sight of a resume. Don't make silly spelling mistakes. Keep your resume neat and clean. Your resume must highlight the most important information about your work experience, skills and education. If they see unrelated job titles or skills the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate assumption that you are not qualified for the job. So avoid that please.

Say the key words
Never keep beating the bush. Be brief and to the point. The right words and descriptions can go a long way into getting yourself short-listed for the interview. Highlight numbers, skills and accomplishments in a concise, clear manner.

Read the job ad carefully and use proper terms
The job ads use key word and descriptions in the ad that gives you a brief idea of the type of job available with the particular company and their requirements. Analyze these words and try to use synonyms or replicate them on your resume.

Highlight your skills
This is very important because it will make the employer to be aware of your skills and achievements. For example if you are looking out for the post of a steno-typist you must mention your speed on the typing machine and your capabilities as a steno.

Create an image to match your needs
As you write your resume, keep in mind the level of job and salary you want. Be sure to create an image that presents you at the appropriate level with the words you choose.

Thus resume preparing is not that tough. It only requires some smartness and skill. Remember your resume is a unique marketing tool, which pays you back for all your hard work. Think of your resume as a promotional brochure about you. It is the first thing that helps a potential employer decide why you are right for his organization. It is a competitive world out there, with many people contesting for the same job. You can use your resume to get an edge over other candidates and increase your chances of getting hired. So make sure your resume stands out.