In the economy that we are facing, having a great resume is essential for getting the job you want. A resume that looks great and has stellar content can be the deciding factor between a job and the garbage. Here are some tips about writing great content for your resume.

1. Get Specific
A generic resume that doesn’t make any specific notation about the job you are applying for won’t get you very far. You should make it very clear that you want the specific job that you are applying for. That may mean rephrasing your skills list, removing the skills that don’t apply to the job, focusing your job history, and writing a goal statement that is specific to the job you are applying for.

2. Make Connections
Don’t make a job recruiter try to figure out how your experience applies to the position they are trying to fill. Make the connection between your retail experience and your ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment or your summer camp counseling and your ability to lead a group of disparate individuals. Show the parallels between your past and your present.

3. Put a Cover on It
It is essential to include a cover letter with your resume. A cover letter needs to include specifics about the job you want and how the skills you have relate to the job you want. It’s also a good idea to do some research about the company you’re applying to. Let them know what it is about their business that is a good fit for your experience. Set yourself apart.

4. Keep It Clean
While it may be no fun to hear, it is essential that your resume and cover letter be error-free: no typos, no grammar errors, consistent punctuation, well-organized formatting, and while you’re at it, make it look good. You might be well-qualified for the job, but if the recruiter thinks you are not conscientious enough to make sure your resume is error-free, they won’t believe your work will be error-free either.

Getting your resume just right can be tricky, especially for non-native English speakers. We are here to help.

Tags: bad grammar, cover letter, editing, esl, jobs, resume, writing

This entry was posted on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 8:42 am and is filed under writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.