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Resume
Writing
A resume is an outline of your
education, work experience and significant accomplishments. It
serves to introduce the applicant to prospective employers. The
length of your resume varies according to your level of experience.
A one page resume is acceptable for entry-level positions but in order to be engage
the attention of the recruiter, the professional resume can be two
pages long. It is crucial to bear in mind that this
is your window of opportunity to secure an interview. Therefore, the
information included should be limited to those which support your
suitability as an ideal candidate. The resume should
essentially state: |
| *
What kind of work you want - your career
objective. |
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Who you are - your previous work experience &
responsibilities. |
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What you know - your education and training.
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What you have accomplished - your skills and
abilities. |
| What to
include in a resume |
| It is important to include
information which is relevant to the job
being sought. With technological developments, larger organizations
utilize software to scan resume in the screening process. Impressive
resumes are selected based on certain job-related key words. For
example, an application for a Human Resources Manager will be
screened for key words such as labour laws, dispute resolution,
negotiation, employee relations, recruitment and change management.
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| Your NAME, ADDRESS and
CONTACT INFORMATION should be visibly displayed at the top of
your resume. |
| You should also state in the following order your: |
Career
Objective
Experience
Education
Special Abilities
Talents
and Significant Achievements |
| Before preparing your resume, make sure that you can count on a recommendation from at
least two persons who have knowledge of you and your abilities. You
must consult with them before disclosing their identity to the
employer. It is also strategic not to include information about
references on your
resume until it is requested by the employer. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO BE TRUTHFUL. If the resume leads to
a job interview, your prospective employer will be able to
determine whether or not you have been truthful. |
| Tips on building
a good resume |
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Use standard 81/2 inch x 11 inch white paper.
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Resumes should be laser printed or typed.
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Keep a 1 inch margin on each side of your resume.
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| * Put the most important information on the 1st page.
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CAPITALIZE and Bold all major headings.
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Use double space between sections and single space between lines. |
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Keep sentences short. Use action verbs at the
beginning of each statement. |
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Be honest, do not exaggerate your experience or
skills. |
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Check for spelling, and grammatical
errors!
Things not
to do when preparing your resume |
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Do not date your resume, keep it current.
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Do not include religious or political organization
membership. |
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Do not mention salary, discuss this subject in the job
interview. |
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Do not include a photo.
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Do not include NIS, TRN or any other official number.
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Do not give reasons for leaving past jobs.
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Do not include too many details of your personal life.
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| The following is a sample of
a good resume. |
SUSAN J. PUBLIC
123 Anywhere
Street
Montego Bay, St.
James
Jamaica
Telephone: 876-940-1234
Email: sue-public@wantajob.com
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| Career
Objective: A Challenging
Supervisory position in a growing organization. |
| Experience:
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| 1997 to present
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Computer
International Inc, Kingston, Jamaica. |
| DATA ENTRY
SUPERVISOR |
| Responsible for
daily supervision of 15 employees. |
| Proficient in
Microsoft Office, and Excel and all other office
duties. |
| |
|
| 1995 to
1997 |
Health
Services Ltd. Montego Bay, Jamaica |
| SECRETARY |
| Typed 50 WPM,
answered 5 line switchboard and assisted
Patients. | |
| Education: |
| 1992 to 1994 |
Browns Town
Community College |
| Associate Degree in
Business Administration. |
| |
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| 1987 to 1992 |
The Wolmer's High
School for Girls |
| 7 CXC Subjects:
Mathematics, History, Geography, English Literature, English
Language, Office Procedures
and Accounting. | |
| References: Available Upon Request. |
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Cover
Letter |
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| A cover letter is an ideal
opportunity to illustrate your ability to communicate effectively
and |
| your achievements. A resume
should be accompanied by a cover letter if sent via post or
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| fax. The cover letter should
outline how your qualifications make you an ideal candidate
and |
| why you want to work for
this particular organization. It is best to use the job
requirements |
| as stipulated by the
employer, as a guide in writing the letter. Your focus should be
on |
| confidently illustrating how
your contribution, in the position, can be invaluable to
the |
| organization. Less emphasis
should be placed on personal benefits to be derived from
the |
| company. The letter should
also be concise. |
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| Guidelines in Writing
Cover Letters |
| • Never use generic letters, each letter should
be tailored for specific jobs. |
| • Never use "To Whom It May Concern", letters
should be personally addressed to the |
| recipient. |
| • Never generalize about the position being
sought, do your research and be specific. |
| • Never repeat the details of the resume,
elaborate on valuable qualities not mentioned |
| before or illustrate new
ones which sell you as an ideal candidate. |
| • Never convey desperation to get the job - focus
on your assets and not why you want the |
| job |
| • Never send out a job application without proof
reading or spell-checking, an error-free |
| letter is just as
important as a perfect resume . |
| • Never use coloured stationery unless you're an
artist otherwise, light coloured paper which |
| matches resume is
enough |
| |
| The following is a sample of
a good cover letter. |
|
SUSAN J.
PUBLIC
123 Anywhere Street
Montego Bay, St. James
Jamaica
Telephone:
876-940-1234
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|
September 21,
2004 |
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| Mr. James
Tulloch |
| Human Resource
Manager |
| Cigel Informatics
Limited |
| 2-4 Hallway,
Kingstown |
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| Dear Mr.
Tulloch, |
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Re: Data Entry
Supervisor |
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| I wish to be considered for
the above-mentioned position as advertised in the September 14,
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| 2004 edition of the Daily
Observer. |
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| My attached resume will
illustrate that my qualifications and seven years experience in a
|
| similar capacity make me a
suitable candidate for the vacancy. I am a team player and goal
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| oriented. These are key factors that have enabled me to successfully lead a team of
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| fifteen colleagues to
surpass company targets for the periods 1999 - 2001 and 2002 - 2004.
I |
| would welcome the challenge
of using my expertise to increase productivity within your
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| organization. |
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| I would appreciate an
opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience. Thank you
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| for your time.
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| Yours truly, |
| Susan Public |
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Thank you letters |
| Whether or not you get the
job, it is a common practice to send a letter expressing |
| appreciation for the
interview. You could use the opportunity to outline key development
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| issues related to the
industry not discussed in the interview that may be of interest to the
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| organization and
illustrate your proficiency in dealing with them. |
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| The information was compiled from
sources which included:
http://resumeedge.com/students/resumeadvice
http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Customer/MSN/CareerAdvice/CoverLettersAndResumes.htm
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