by Karen Zortman-Loos

Created on: July 18, 2010

So you want your resume to sizzle! What can you do to make your resume be read first? You have the capacity to make this resume sing the right tone by getting the hiring agents attention!  The first few seconds you are going to entice the reader.

Spell Check

They are looking for a copy assistant, and you didn't happen to check your spelling first! This one goes to the bottom of the pile!

Grammar

The way you write it and you meant to put a period but you use a comma instead. These little things won't get you the call for the interview.

Mirror, Mirror on this page

Much like Snow White, you need to know what the Seven Dwarfs needs are! Does the job advertisement state having 3 years of clerical experience? What does this mean? Do they want someone with: Word, Excel, Ten-Key, good phone skills, and more? Perhaps, they are looking for someone that speaks both English and Spanish! Do you have a college education in business, and 5 years of marketing experience? Make sure if you apply for the job their needs are being meant, and don't lie about your credentials because they will find out one way or another! Be honest!

Keep It Simple

Only two pages at the most to describe yourself for the job. Name, address, telephone numbers: work, home, or cell, e-mail, or the best way to get a hold of you! Give experience but not from 20-30 years ago unless this is the only job you have held for that time period. Again, mirror what they are looking for! If they want someone with results for numbers, and keeping a work force happy. Give examples such as: Taking a company that was in the last phase of economic loss to being a dominant force in the community. Sales improved based on the new training personnel, and people were happy to go to work based on the new attitude of XYZ Company. With all this in mind, we were able to find out what our competition was doing, and had better retention of our people and customers. Two years of progress and we not only retained our people, but had less people taking sick days.

Find out about them

Use the Internet, newspapers, library, and more to find out what this company does. Also, do they have partners? Is this a corporation? Non-profit? What makes them tick! Use their jargon, again to mirror what they are looking for!

Reviewing your resume

Have someone review your resume before you send it out! Perhaps, someone else could give you some ideas such as style, format, and bolding. Don't worry about using colored paper like they used in the 80's. They just want to read your black and white masterpiece. Appeal to their needs, and don't forget to demonstrate your skills in a cover head letter. Again, mirror what they are looking for in what you have done at Meredith Publishing.

With No Errors You Could Receive The Golden Ticket

Once your resume is perfect to send off to the human resources director send it off, and be hopeful that you will receive a call from their office for the next step. As Dr. Martin Luther-King said, "You only need to take the first step to get you there, you don't need to see the whole staircase." After that you just need to be confident, and keep going forward!  You can't stop there because you have to put a lot of effort into the job process just as if you were working at a job. The "golden job" may take awhile but keep working at finding that great job. You can't give up on the process or yourself. You need to keep motivated, and keep everything organized! Also, follow up is another step that is part of the long journey.

Good luck!

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