More than Just Words: Keywords

The advent of job seeking on the internet has led to both great and terrible things for job seekers. Jobs are now easier to search for, and geographic location no longer limits networking to your immediate area. On the other hand, however, it has become harder for job seekers to stand out in the job search, in part because of the implementation of programs known as “ATS” or Applicant Tracking Systems. These systems scan through applicant resumes and cover letters, ranking them based on keyword saturation. The higher the count of keywords in your resume, the more likely it will be pushed...

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The Importance of a Summary Section

You might be surprised to hear that many recruiters, business owners, and hiring managers do take the time to read an applicant’s summary section. Still others choose not to go on and read the rest of the document if a summary section is not included or poorly written. Yet despite this, many job seekers choose to eschew a summary section, or put it in as a sub-par afterthought. This is a bad decision. The summary section is often the first thing a hiring manager will read about you, and if it’s written poorly, it could be the last. Most people agree that the summary section should be a 4-7...

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To Put or Not To Put: Resume Writing

When I wrote my first professional resume, my instinct was to include everything I’d ever done on it. This not only resulted in a poorly written resume, but it never landed me any interviews because my accomplishments weren’t relevant to the position, or didn’t include the right keywords. I thought a successful resume included everything, rather than being targeted The Hamlet reference in this article’s title (and photo) encompasses the question I learned to ask myself whenever I wrote a resume. To put or not to put, that is the question! Creating a targeted resume necessitates you...

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Chronological Versus Functional Resumes

Resume writing. Whether you love it or you hate, it’s something you’ll probably have to deal with at some point in your life. Many people write resumes with the understanding that it’s the resume that gets them the job. This is a misconception; resumes don’t get you the job, but they can ensure you don’t get the job if you submit a bad one. A resume’s purpose is, instead, to entice hiring managers to interview you. The interview is, ultimately, what will get you the job. Having said that, a well-written and formatted resume is paramount in a successful job search. Before you begin writing...

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Resumes & Results-Driven Accomplishments

Creating an eye-catching resume is partially about aesthetic. Does your resume look nice, is all the grammar correct? However, no matter how pretty your resume looks, it won’t make it past a decision maker’s desk without having good content. And good content comes from demonstrating results. Use your resume as a platform to show, concretely, your abilities in a particular role. It’s one thing to say that you are capable of doing something, and it’s quite another to show that you can do it. Utilizing results-driven accomplishments in your resume solves this problem by pointing to concrete...

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