It’s time of the year to start sharpening your pens (or your mouse) if you have been thinking of quoting your job for at least 6 months. I’ll take it that you have read this article before you decided that this job is not for you and one more day here is one more day wasting your talent. If it’s the case, let’s prepare your resume.
If you have been updating your resume regularly, it should be really easy to whip out your CV when the right opportunity comes by. If you haven’t, then it’s time to make it a habit. My suggestion is to update at least every six months so that your resume stay relevant and also that you don’t forget the little stuff you have been doing for your boss.
So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty details, shall we?
Cut the Pages
Try to limit your pages on your résumés. Yes, you feel the need to write as many experiences as possible relating to your job but given the time the HR have in sorting out your résumé from the pile of 50 or more résumés from other candidates, nobody has time to read thoroughly through anything more than 5 pages. And please don’t use the smallest font size so that you can squeeze as many words as possible. It makes our eyes tired and by the time we got to the bottom of your résumé, we have already lost interest.
Summarized your content
Put in what you can do at the top of the pages after your contact details. This allows HR to quickly determine if you are suitable for the job scope and not having him or her to scroll through your résumé for keywords.
Example: I have over 5 years of management, operations and sales experience in which I have participated in numerous major projects such as xxxx, xxxx and xxxx. My sales target is 90% and I have always achieved 95% every quarter.
Tailor your content
You must have heard or read this advice before. Seriously, using a generic résumé template across all the jobs are not going to cut it anymore. You need to tailor your content to suit your audience. Even if you are applying for the 10 of the same job with the same job title, each company have different needs and very different culture. My suggestion is for you to comb through the job description, research on the company’s history and culture before tailoring your profile. A boring stiff résumé will never fit into vibrant companies like FaceBook or Google. A quirky innovative résumé will be ignored in a more traditional company.
Point form
This is not a writing contest so flowery words that speak big vocabulary will only confuse and frustrated the reader. Simple, direct and in point form will make reading your résumé easier after the 101st résumé we have read, a lot gentler on our eyes.
Formatting
Do use standard formats and fonts such as New Times Roman or Arial, keeping to font size 11 or 12. If you need to highlight a title or key point, use bold and underlined. Skip the colors. If the HR were to need to print out the selected résumés for the hiring manager, it will usually be in black and white.
Contact Details
Please do not only give out one number. At least provide a second number where we can reach you. When we need to call 100 candidates for interview, if we don’t get through the first time, we might renegade your résumé to the bottom of the pile and call again when we reached the bottom. Calling the missed number back will only direct you to the main operator of the company. More than often, there is more than one HR who is in charge of recruiting and you might not get transferred to his or her line easily and his line is probably busy since he is calling the rest of the candidates.
Email Address
This irks me to the max when I see résumé with email addresses such as hotguy1990@hotmail.com or happycookie1978@gmail.com or maxxxxxoout@yahoo.com. Use an email address that reflects your name or your initials. This way if you replied to our mass email blast, we can easily identify you and tie in with the résumé you sent in.
Using numbers in the end is a big no no. It either shows that your preferred email address have been taken up and you are not creative enough (or lazy) to think up of a new one that suits you, or it just reflected the year you are born, or it represents the year you set up your email box. Whatever it is, it is just plain unprofessional.
Photo
I’m on the fence here whether should I include my photo in. Why? Because first impressions are lasting and I don’t want my first impression with the interviewer based on one photo, I rather give a lasting impression face to face. So unless it is absolutely a requirement, I usually skip the photo portion.
If you really have to use a photo, please use one that is professionally taken. No cut off arms and half bodies appearing in your headshot. And please, don’t use your driver’s license or passport photos. A good professionally photo will last you through many years (or many jobs) so it’s worth of the investment.
Cover Letter
It is crucial to have a good cover letter. Write the cover letter tailored to the job you are applying for. If résumé is showcasing your skills and talent, then cover letter is how those skills and talent you mentioned ties into what the company is looking for.
The above tips are just the basics of writing a good resume. I wish you best of luck in your endeavors!
So have you come across horrible resumes? Please do share your stories at below comments.
MiddleMe 
very nice article about how to create a resume…super….congrats…keep it up…kally………
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Thanks a lot, Stephen for your encouragement. Means the world to me!
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welcome……and keep it up…..your post really useful for many youth…especially those who are searching job.
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I just resigned! Woo-hoo. Would keep this post handy while I look for another job.
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Well, do keep a lookout of for more of the interviews related posts! Best of luck in your job hunting!
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Great advice Kally as usual. I love how you are able to make everything sound so easy. A great talent of yours. Like I said before, you are a natural teacher and it is a career that you should really consider.
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A lot of times, human complicated things when the issue is pretty simple. *smile* As long as I have supporters like you, I felt that I have achieved a lot.
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I’ll always be a member of your fan club Kally.
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Awwww.. You are just too sweet!
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All because of you dear!
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Im also a fan too kally.my resumes are not bright either.You seem to know how a resume should look like.Can you do mine for me.lol.😃.Also i think they should come up with a program that will do your resume for a person.That would be cool.
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Hey!! Thanks for dropping by!! I’ve got your email, just haven’t got round to answering it!! Haha! You can email me your resume and I don’t mind taking a peep at it and perhaps give you some pointers!! 🙂
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Thanks i have my resume on indeed.com.Also isn’t true that its better to use a certain kind of papper for resumes.?
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Well, it does depends on whether are you mailing your resume. These days, a lot of companies prefer emails than actual resumes.
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Yes they do and i do alot of emails.lol
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😂
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Busy busy busy.Thats great what you do i salute you especially with all the wisdom you have in your field of work.keep it up. ☝
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Awwww… thank you so much, my dear friend! You don’t know how much your words perk me up today!! Big hugs!!
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Ill take those hugs.Everybody needs a hug sometimes.But yes you deserve it.You work hard on what you talk about.uou definetley put an effort to stay on point wuth giving people the right answers i enjoy ya blogs. Very informational and i think people should really check your blog out more..I salute you.Thanksbhappy to be your friend. 😃
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Great advice! I’m a recruiter and I’ve seen some pretty god awful resumes. My favorites are when they include the selfie in the car pic on the resume. Classy.
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Haha! I know what you mean! Would you be interested in a collaboration post with me?
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That would be awesome!!
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Great! Do drop me an email at kally@MiddleMe.net. Looking forward in hearing from you. 🙂
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Will do!!
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Selfies on resumes.what.lol safety first…
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Hahahaha right?!
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I love this article. Been following pretty much all the points on my resume, and of late it’s been so hectic meeting employers, chatting about positions and negotiating salaries (always frustrating!). I find tailoring your resume and highlighting the skills mentioned in the job application onto the first half of your resume helps a lot – shows that you are paying attention to the ad and what is expected of the position.
I tend to submit my resume and cover letter in PDF format as opposed to Word, unless the job application states otherwise. I reckon it’s more professional that way – you can’t edit a PDF and so it’s final. Also, I tend not to bother to apply for jobs that were adverised 4-5 days ago. My hunch is that recruiters tend to start looking at applications once they start coming in…and most of the jobs I hear back from are when I applied within a couple of days the ad went up online.
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Great tips! Thanks for sharing these tips with us. One thing though, I do find that if you wait for a week or two to send in your resume works as well because they might not find the right person during the first few days and deciding to lower their standards as they get desperate to meet their target.
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That is true. I got a job earlier in the year when I applied on the closing date 😀 But these days I usually get a call the day after I submit the resume. I find that if it’s a permanent position, then employers do take their time to advertise and find the right person, the right “fit”.
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I am also aware that some companies advertise for jobs not really into hiring people but to advertise themselves out there as a brand. To create interest and buzz.
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Great advice Kally. I think I’ve used all of the points you’ve raised here and I still can’t get that elusive job. I’ve had so many interviews so I know I can write a great cover letter and resume but can’t quite get past the finish line. Guess I’ll just have to keep writing in the meantime.
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Hmm.. I will spend time to write about the finishing line soon. Try to catch the post!
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Sounds good to me. I’ll look out for it.
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Keep confidence in yourself.believe in you and you will get past the finish line and feel good you won.
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Thanks for the encouragement. But have given up the applying for the moment. One day I’ll get back into it.
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Its understandable but just bounce back stronger and text anytime.
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Thanks for that. What is it you do?
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Versatile.lol ❤
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People need you and your blogs you have great stories and wisdom.We need your blogs.😃 bloggers united 🌎
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Im a blogger. Inventor, kevin hart look alike.im a giver as well.Used to be a writer.Never hot anywere.lol.im here.
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Good piece of advice…
Kally I really hope that someday you write exclusively on recruitment criteria and trends of the teaching professional.
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Ah.. for that, I might need to do research as teaching professionals differs a lot from country to country and I am not an expertise in that field. Are you?
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Well Kally, I am not an expert but I into teaching and I am curious what’s teaching like in other countries.
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Haha. I see, let’s see if I can find someone who is in the teaching field, perhaps to give a pointer or two.
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I’ll be waiting. 🙂
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Excellent instructions. In my opinion, the trickiest to do properly is the tailoring – what to highlight, what to leave in, what to take out.
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Yes, that is difficult. But it helps to have someone else take a look at your resume before you sent out.
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good additional comment: you’re obviously a pro when it comes to CVs!
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I’ve seen too much of CVs in my lifetime!!
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Super helpful tips! thanks for sharing 🙂
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I’m so glad you love it! Thanks for coming by MiddleMe!
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I’m in HR and I can definitely relate to this. I have come across so many CVs that are poorly written, email addresses that are -to say the least- embarrassing like wheremabitchesat@server.com
Good piece. Please keep ’em coming.
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you can relate to this, especially since you are the expert here! Haha! Would you like to do a collaboration piece with me?
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I don’t consider myself an expert what-so-ever and I don’t know if I’d be of much help to you, but if you still want to, I’d be open to doing that.
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No worries. Why don’t you drop me an email and I’ll share more details with you? My email is kally@MiddleMe.net
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I sent you an email from my work email.
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Your email went into my junk mail. Lol! I’ve rescue it. What a long email, let me take time to digest it and get back to you. Thanks, dear!
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I know it’s long, it’s as long as a blog post. I’ve replied to your reply. 🙂
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Great article Kally. I recently polished up my resume and it took me hours. I like your tip on updating every six months.
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Thanks, Asa. Are you looking for a job?
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I was looking, but then I got promoted in my current department to a Project Manager Associate.
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Wow!! That’s really nice!! Congrats, my friend. Do you have time to drop me an email? I love to touch base with you.
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Hey Kally. Sorry for the delayed response, feel free to shoot me an email. Thanks.
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Emailed!! Do check your junk or spam inbox. 🙂 And Merry Christmas!
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Very educating!!!!!……. Thanks for sharing these tips
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You’re most welcome, my dear.
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It is a very useful information, but don’t forget to update LinkedIn which is a very powerful platform now
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That’s true too. I haven’t even set up my LinkedIn. Lol.
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Great tips here. I remember when I was working for our airport’s management firm we would get some of the funniest resumes. One in particular was a job title of “assistant to the clown.” I can’t recall the duties because we were laughing so hard it was out of control. Needless to say this resume wasn’t even close to being considered for any type of position with our firm.
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Great post as always on this site.
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Very well crafted details…this will surely help prospective candidates seeking newer opportunities, in creating the resume that will win them an opportunity to sit across the table for a face to face meeting
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Great point about using a professional email address! It could potentially turn off an employer who otherwise would love your resume.
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Thank you for your support!!!
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Bonjour KALLY
Ton amitié c’est un rayon de lumière
Une tendresse journalière
Un doux morceau de bonheur
Telle la douceur d’une fleur
Je viens déposer une petite recette sur ton blog que j’apprécie
Alors, je me dis
As-tu déjà ouvert ton internet .Es tu là ! Oui ou non
Ce n’est pas bien grave tu trouveras bien mon petit mot
Je venais juste te faire un petit coucou
Passe une bonne journée en samedi
gros bisous
Bernard
C’EST MOI LOL après un petit passage à vide
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La vie est un poème vécu au jour le jour
Avec ses joies, ses échecs, ses tristesses
Ses amours et ses détresses
Il faut savoir garder l’espoir
Réussir ses combats contre la maladie ,ses désillusions ect ….
Etre solidaire entre amis (ies)
Avoir du cœur c’est comme si on avait envie de tout partager
N’oublie pas que la vie est un poème vécu au jour le jour
Alors vit ,,,,,ce poème, ce petit écris je le partage avec toi
Gros bisous
Bernard
Belle journée
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