Almost Every Idea and Resource to Help with a Job Search: RESUME AND COVER LETTER GUIDE

Chapter 1. Resume Guide

Resume Info 1

Employers want to hire people who can do the job and people who are like themselves personally, in short, people they like and can work with.

To weed out the people they want from the chaff, they use resumes, application forms, written tests, performance tests, medical examinations and interviews.

Gone are the days when a generic resume and a generic cover letter were enough to get you an interview.

For all you people going to school out there, don't expect that so-called advanced degree to get you that interview or that job. Always orient your resume to your future, not your past.

Unless it's in a technical skill, employers know that all them liberal arts/ business degrees don't hold a candle to real, live job experience, street smarts, intuition and proven success.

Such things as Phds are limited to research and teaching jobs. Business employers don't want you because they basically feel that you're an arrogant, naive snot. They think that they won't be able to satisfy your big ego. Sometimes it's better not to even say you have a Phd. if you're applying for a practical job.

If parts of your background might not look good on your resume like a gap of one year when you were unemployed, you could say you started your own consulting firm or other business that you worked for during that time gap.

Be prepared to have letterheads or business cards printed up to make this seem real in case potential employers want proof. Or if your uncle owns a company, ask him to give you a reference stating what a valuable employee you were for him during that period. Don't down me for unethical behavior. Everybody with savior faire helps themselves. It's just the way it is.

Remember that the point of your resume is to present yourself in the best way possible and unless you need to be bonded or get a security clearance for your new job, many companies don't check job histories very thoroughly except for perhaps your most recent one.

If you get laid off or simply want to live an interesting life, do something interesting like volunteer to help the aborgines in Australia, hike the Himalayas, sit in a temple with Hindus or do an archeological dig in Rome for three months, put it on your resume. It may be the one novel thing that will get you an interview.

The new concept they got nowadays is what they call the"Objective Statement". It's like the tag line of an e-mail. It's spozed to be you in one statement at the top of the resume.

Your resume must be outstanding to stand above the rest. Go for a nice, brownish, eggshell paper. Lie a little. Say you care about life and people. Absolutely no spelling or grammar mistakes are tolerable.

Get a proofreader. Keep it short and sweet. The big thing today is technology. Get an e-mail address and a fax number because it makes you look like a pro and since this is now a common way to send out resumes, the cute brownish paper doesn't really matter and you save bundles on postage.

On your resume right under your address, prominently write your e-mail address and fax number.

Focus on the employer, not on yourself. Match your qualifications with their needs. Tailor your resume to the specific job.

An executive summary is you selling yourself in 60 words or three lines.

If you had a lot of different jobs, get rid of the irrelevant ones when you're tailoring the resume for a specific job.

You are your achievements and education.

Show some white/ empty space in the resume.

Focus on the employer, what you can do for him. This is why people say to tailor your resume for every company you're applying to.

Try an executive summary, a 60 word summary about your objective and selling points.

Emphasize what you're good at.

Tailor your resume to the company or organization you're applying to. Creating a resume for a government job is different than creating a resume for a for-profit company.

Emphasize your accomplishments and education.

You should be able to get corporate e-mail addresses and fax numbers from any of the many business directories out there to help you find corporate addresses.

Your resume is more about catering to the needs of the employer rather than saying how cute and nice you are as a person. Companies want specialists not generalists therefore you must tailor your resume to suit their needs, That's the golden rule of finding a job. They get hundreds of generic resumes which go right into the garbage.

Research is the big deal in your quest for work because if you take the time to research every company you're applying to then tailor your resume and cover letter to reflect this fact with a few tidbits of information and a few names like the name of the boss or the personnel manager, you're separating yourself from all the generic crud out there and showing them that you at least give a damn enough to try a little harder. They're aware of all these things.

Your interview will also go a lot smoother if you can rap a little about the company and show interest. A manager for IBM was interviewing someone and asked him what the letters in IBM (International Business Machines) stood for.

When the guy didn't know, the interview was over. Many resumes are now being scanned by computers looking for main keywords relevant to the position so fill your resume up with those specific keywords.

Resume Info 2

The two biggest abilities you can and must show regardless of whether you're a young fluff or an old timer are computer literacy and internet knowledge. Not only do you write these on your resume but these tools are a big ally in your research for your job search.

You can buy Cd-Roms that are databases for just about every corporation in America. You can buy a phone book Cd-Rom which has the break down of names and phone numbers of the infrastructure of many major corporations. There are database websites with this information on them too.

On your resume, always write in that you're currently exploring a new type of business/ office software.

Put a short sentence at the beginning of the resume stating the kind of job you're looking for. Don't go all over the place, keep the resume focussed on one area; lean and clean.

Don't overwrite it. Leave white, empty spaces to make it look uncluttered. Don't use first person and third person pronouns. Don't use "I", they know the resume is about you and don't refer to yourself as he or she. Use active delivery over past tense. Show that you're flexible and willing to learn new ways.

Omit the negative things like illness, criminal record, substance abuse, mental illness, quitting, getting fired, etc. The Americans With Disabilities Act gives you the right not to disclose disabilities unless they would affect the job directly or you would need special accommodations.

Wait until you get the job to tell them. If you were a housewife, don't be ashamed of it. Put it on your resume along with all the things you did during your stint like led a pack of girl guides, taught Sunday school, etc.

Resumes are required for professional, technical, administrative and managerial jobs, sales positions, secretarial, clerical and other office jobs.

Resumes are sometimes required for skilled jobs, (baker, hotel clerk, electrician, drafter, welder). Resumes are not required for unskilled, quick turnover jobs (fast food server, laborers, machine loader, cannery worker, etc.).

Some employers are wary of former business owners because they think they're too independent or else think the guy just wants to learn the ropes of the business and then quit after six months to start his own.

Ask people permission to use them as references before you put their names on a resume and since they're busy anyway, offer to write them your own reference as a guide which they can fine tune and sign.

Gather specific information about the jobs you are applying for. You need to know the pay range, education and experience usually required, hours and shifts usually worked, etc.

Most importantly, you need to know the job duties so that you can describe your experience in terms of those duties.

Study the job description. Some job announcements, especially those issued by a government even have a checklist that assigns a numerical weight to different qualifications so that you can be certain as to which is the most important.

Looking at such announcements will give you an idea of what employers look for even if you do not wish to apply for a government job.

If the announcement or ad is vague, call the employer to learn what is sought. Once you have the information you need, you can prepare a resume.

You may need to prepare more than one master resume if you are going to look for different kinds of jobs otherwise your resume will not fit the job you seek.

Type your resume using a standard Times Roman typeface. Keep the length down to two pages at the most. Describe yourself as a wow, whew, zooie fantasmic, incredible, great person.

Leave all embarrassing or negative information off the resume but be ready to deal with it in a positive fashion at the interview. Again, cater it to them, not you but state clearly where you want to go, what kind of job you want.

It's an advertisement for you. Keep sentences simple. Style is everything. It must look good. Minimize weaknesses. Proofread the master copy carefully. Use the best quality photocopying machine and a crisp brown or grayish thick paper.

The following information appears on almost every resume:

Your name, address and phone number as the header centered on top.

Job or career sought.

Education.

Work experience, starting with most recent.

Military, government.

Education, starting with most recent.

Languages.

Computer skills.

Patents, publications, awards.

Association membership.

Volunteer work.

Office machines, tools and equipment you have used.

Skills.

Lifestyle activities.

Other qualifications; hobbies, organizations you belong to, honors you have received and leadership positions you have held.

Personal information. Height, weight, marital status, physical condition. Although this information appears on many resumes, it is not important according to recruiters. In fact, employers are prohibited by law from asking for some of it.

If some of this information is directly job related, the height and weight of a bouncer is important to a disco owner, for example, list it. Otherwise, save space and put in more information about your skills.

If you're attractive and really want the job, include your photograph.

Other information, such as your Social Security number, is often asked for on application forms but is rarely presented on resumés.

Application forms might also ask for a record of past addresses and for information that you would rather not reveal, such as a record of convictions.

If asked for such information, be honest. Honesty does not, however, require that you reveal disabilities that do not affect your overall qualifications for a job.

Include the phrase "References Provided On Request." Often just a statement that references are available is enough. If your references are likely to be known by the person who reads the resume, however, their names are worth listing.

The way you arrange your resume depends on how well your experience seems to prepare you for the position you want. Basically, you can either describe your most recent job first and work backwards or group similar skills together.

No matter which format you use, use specifics. A vague description of your duties will make only a vague impression.

Identify accomplishments. If you headed a project, improved productivity, reduced costs, increased membership or achieved some other goal, say so.

You need two different kinds of information; facts about yourself and facts about the job you want.

There are generally four types of resumes:

Reverse chronology.

Function; ability and skills.

Hybrid of the above two.

Portfolio.

Reverse chronology is simply jobs worked from present to past. If you're an old timer, you might not want to appear too old by only listing the past 10-15 years of your work history.

Function is listing your skills, capabilities, awards, honors, etc.

A hybrid combines the two.

A portfolio is often used for artistic or creative abilities such as an advertising person might put together a few of their best projects, an architect, his best plans, a graphic designer his best drawings, etc.

There's no set formulas for resumes. Books have been written about this simple piece of text. Just keep it brief and do it your way. Say something about your religious commitment like you went to a religious school or currently belong to a religious organization.Make your resume your way as you see fit to shed the best light on you.

Reverse chronology is the easiest method to use. It is also the least effective because it makes when you did something more important than what you can do.

It is an especially poor format if you have gaps in your work history, if the job you seek is very different from the job you currently hold or if you are just entering the job market. About the only time you would want to use such a resume is when you have progressed up a clearly defined career ladder and want to move up a rung.

Resumes that are not chronological may be called functional, analytical, skill oriented, creative or some other name. The differences are less important than the similarity which is that all stress what you can do. The employer can see immediately how you will fit the job.

This format also has advantages for many job hunters because it camouflages gaps in paid employment and avoids giving prominence to irrelevant jobs. You begin writing a functional resume by determining the skills the employer is looking for.

Again, study the job description for this information. Next, review your experience and education to see when you demonstrated the ability sought. Then prepare the resume itself, putting first the information that relates most obviously to the job.

The result will be a resume with headings such as Engineering, Computer Languages, Communications Skills or Design Experience. These headings will have much more impact than the dates that you would use on a chronological resume.

Resume Info 3

Your C.V. and resume are selling documents. Take your time on them. If you really want the job, tailor each one you send out to the company from the point of view of a real person reading it and a computer scanning it for keywords.

Use a simple, easy-to-read format.

Don’t waste space. Not too much white space. Don’t write too much text. People don’t like self-centred people. There is a fine art to selling yourself without looking like a braggart. Act like a decent, morally good, helpful, polite person. It’s much better than arogance.

Don’t use too many self-centerted descriptive words about yourself.

It’s all about what you can do for them not what they can do for you.

Don’t say something like you’re a skier and want to move there because of the great ski areas nearby. You’re there to work.

When they ask what is your biggest shortcoming, say I’m a workaholic. You’re dedicated to your job. You have the religious work ethic.

Say what you have to say in as few words as possible.

Make your resume look good. Use nice paper.

Spacing is important. Break the info up into meaningful chunks.

Use key words, terms and headings that they are looking for like the job title.

It’s about skills. The more skills you can write down, the better you look. A skill is anything practical related to rthe job. It’s not pole dancing or skiing.

We live in a weird world right now. I was brought up as a Catholic Christian. We were told to be modest but modesty does not seem to be encouraged in a capitalist world. A capitalist world is actually evil because it’s about competition for money. You have to assess what qualities the job you’re looking for entails and the people you will be dealing with. If you want to be a machinist, there is no need for cut-throat arrogance. You can slow down but for many jobs in capitalist-land, they’re looking for the loudmouth arrogant psychopaths because they can get them to do almost anything. Set your priorities and live by them.

If you want to go Machiavallean, go all the way. Personally I think anyone who sells their soul for money and power knows they’re a scumbag. I want to feel good about myself so I refuse to be a greedy pig.

I’ve been around a little bit from military college at seventeen to capitalist scumbags throughout my life. The world of business and money is always going to be full of evil scumbags but there are plenty of old-fashioned people with traditional values there too. You can make it in most fields by being a decent person.

If you can’t be a scumbag, don’t get into sales. When a person’s paycheck is tied into making the sale, they don’t see people as decent customers. They see them as money. I never trust any sales person ever.

Document your achievements and your past experience and skills without coming off like an asshole.

Attract attention.

Have interesting relevant information

Th eresume must be easy to read.

Break it up with bullet points.

Keep it sharp and factual.

A resume will usually contain about six different topics of information:

Personal Information.

Education and Qualifications

Additional Training

Career History

Skills and experience

Languages

An optional Profile

Bosses want conformist, punctual problem solvers with good attitudes.

Your CV is your brochure.

Resume Info 4

The following rules apply to all resumés:

Keep the length down to two pages at the most.

Remember your mother's advice not to say anything if you cannot say something nice. Do not criticize anybody or anything.

Leave all embarrassing or negative information off the resumé but be ready to deal with it in a positive fashion at the interview.

Proofread the master copy carefully.

Have someone else proofread the master copy carefully.

Have a third person proofread the master copy carefully.

Use the best quality photocopying machine/ printer and good paper.

If possible, use resume software to prepare your resume. There are computer programs that make it easy to produce a professional looking resumé. Your local school, library, employment service local office or print shop can help.

Do not include irrelevant personal information (age, weight, height, marital status, etc.)

Do not include salary and wages.

Center or justify all headings. Don't use abbreviations.

Be positive. Identify accomplishments.

Use action verbs.

Be specific. Use concise sentences. Keep it short. Inspect photocopies for clarity, smudges and marks.

Action verbs give your resumé power and direction. Try to begin all skills statements with an action verb. Here is a sample of action verbs for different types of skills:

Management skills; administered, analyzed, coordinated, developed, directed, evaluated, improved, supervised

Technical skills: assembled, built, calculated, designed, operated, overhauled, remodeled, repaired

Clerical skills: arranged, catalogued, complied, generated, organized, processed, systematized

Creative skills: conceptualized, created, designed, established, fashioned, illustrated, invented, performed

Financial skills: administered, analyzed, balanced, budgeted, forecast, marketed, planned, projected

Helping skills: assessed, coached, counseled, diagnosed, facilitated, represented

Research skills: clarified, evaluated, identified, inspected, organized, summarized

Communications skills: arranged, addressed, authored, drafted, formulated, persuaded

Once a resumé is completed, it can be fed into the Talent Bank now available in many local government Job Service offices. The bank is an electronically searchable database of resumés or other statements of qualifications from job hunters seeking employment.

Those searching for jobs or new opportunities can post their resumés/ qualifications to the bank. Employers search the banks to select a group of resumés for further screening but don't count on it though. That's only one of many outlets to look for a job.

jobstars.com/understanding-your-resumes-audience

Build a resume that gets you an interview.

The easiest rule is what can I do for them not what can they do for me.

A resume audience has two parts.

The applicant tracking system/ ATS

a human being

The ATS analyzes the resume vs the job requirements. There are many ATS software like

ApplicantStack

Breezy HR

BrightMove

Bullhorn,

IBM Watson Talent

Greenhouse Software

iCIMS Recruit

JazzHR

Jobsoid

Jobvite

Lever

Newton

Recruiterbox

SmartRecruit

The Applicant Manager

VIVAHR

Workday

Zoho Recruit

They all look for relevant keywords and phrases.

If you pass that, a human looks at your resume to skills and the ability to be team player, to get along with people.

You need a certain amount of skill but the x factor is your ability to get along with people at work.

Dead Recent Space on a Resume Gets it Tossed

Employers know that the longer anyone is out of work, the more likely they are to be terrible employees.

The longer you are unemployed, the less anyone wants you.

Put something on your resume for right now, no matter what it is.

It could be a job or part time job in an unrelated field.

It could be that you’re an independent contractor advertising yourself on guru.com and elance.com.

Create a linkedin profile posing as consultant for hire.

Do anything to fill the dead space on your resume.

Get Experience for Your Resume

Experience is anything activity or skill. It could be things like:

Admissions ambassadors

Athletics or club sports

Choir or band

Community service

Volunteer work

Honor societies

Internships

Orientation leaders

Part-time employment

Work study

Resident assistants

Service-learning

Sororities or fraternities administration

Professional organizations

Student activities

Student government

Student media

Study abroad

Theater

Tutor

Research

Do summer jobs and part-time jobs in your field.

Do job shadowing.

Learn skills you can use on the job.

Do something where you participate as part of a team to show that you’re a team player.

The more you participate, the more you network.

Power Words for Resumes

Accomplished

Accurate

Achieved

Acted

Action-oriented

Active

Adaptable

Adapted

Adaptive

Addressed

Adjusted

Administer

Administered

Advanced

Adventurous

Advise

Advised

Affectionate

Aggressive Allocated

Ambitious

Analytical

Analyzed

Appraised

Approved

Arbitrated

Arranged

Artistic

Assembled

Assertive

Assessed

Assigned

Assisted

Astute

Attained

Attentive

Audit

Audited

Authentic

Authored

Authorized

Balanced

Bold

Broad-minded

Budget

Budgeted

Built

Businesslike

Calculated

Calm

Candid

Capable

Careful

Caring

Catalogued

Cautious

Chaired

Charming

Cheerful

Clarified

Classified

Clear-headed

Clerical

Clever

Coached

Collaborated

Collected

Combine

Communicate

Communicated

Communication

Competent

Competitive

Compile

Compiled

Completed

Complex

Composed

Computed

Conceptualized

Conducted

Confident

Conscientious

Conservative

Considerate

Consistent

Consolidated

Contracted

Convinced

Cooperative

Coordinated

Corresponded

Counsel

Counseled

Courageous

Create

Created

Creative

Critiqued

Curious

Customized

Daring

Decisive

Delegated

Deliberate

Delivered

Demanding

Demonstrated

Demystified

Dependable

Designed

Detail oriented

Detailed

Determined

Developed

Devised

Diagnosed

Dignified

Diligent

Diplomatic

Directed

Disciplined

Discreet

Dispatched

Displayed

Dominant

Drafted

Dynamic

Eager

Easygoing

Edited

Educated

Efficient

Emotional

Empathetic

Employed

Enabled

Encouraged

Energetic

Engineered

Enhanced

Enjoy challenges

Enlarged

Enlisted

Enterprising

Enthusiastic

Equipped

Established

Evaluate

Evaluated

Examined

Executed

Expanded Expanded

Expedited

Explained

Exploratory

Expressive

Extracted

Fabricated

Facilitated

Fair-minded

Familiarized

Fashioned

Filed

Financial

Firm

Flexible

Forceful

Forecasted

Forgiving

Formal

Formulated

Founded

Frank

Friendly

Furthered

Gained

Generated

Generous

Gentle

Goal-oriented

Good with figures

Good-natured

Growth-oriented

Guided

Handled

Healthy

Helped

Helpful

Helping

Honest

Humorous

Idealistic

Identified

Illustrated

Imaginative

Implemented

Improved Improved

Improved

Impulsive

Increased

Independent

Individualistic

Industrious

Influenced

Informal

Informed

Initiated

Innovative

Inspected

Inspiring

Instituted

Instructed

Integrated

Integrity

Intellectual

Intelligent

Interpersonal

Interpreted

Interviewed

Introduced

Introspective

Intuitive

Invented

Inventive

Investigate

Investigated

Kind

Launched

Lead

Leadership

Learned

Lectured

Led

Leisurely

Light-hearted

Likable

Located

Logical

Loyal

Maintained

Managed

Marketed

Mature

Maximized

Mediated

Methodical

Meticulous

Mild

Moderate

Moderated

Modest

Modified

Monitored

Motivated

Motivational

Negotiated

Objective

Obliging

Observant

Open-minded

Operated

Opportunistic

Optimistic

Ordered

Orderly

Organized

Original

Originated

Outgoing

Overhauled

Oversaw

Paid

Painstaking

Patient

Perceptive

Performed

Perservering

Persistent

Personable

Persuaded

Pioneered Planned

Planned

Playful

Pleasant

Poised

Polite

Positive

Practical

Precise

Prepared

Presented

Prioritized

Processed

Produced

Productive

Professional

Programmed

Progressive

Projected

Promoted

Proud

Provided

Prudent

Publicized

Punctual

Purchased

Purposeful

Quick

Quiet

Rational

Realistic

Reasonable

Recommended

Reconciled

Recorded

Recruit

Recruited

Reduced Reduced

Referred

Reflective

Rehabilitated

Relaxed

Reliable

Remodeled

Repaired

Reported

Represented

Research

Researched

Reserved

Resolved Resourceful

Resourceful

Respectful

Responsible

Restored Retiring

Retrieved

Reviewed

Revised

Revitalized

Robust

Romantic

Scheduled

Screened

Seek adventures

Self-confident

Self-controlled

Self-reliant

Seller

Sensible

Sensitive

Serious

Served

Set goals

Set up

Shaped

Sharp-minded

Sharp-witted

Simplified

Sincere

Skeptical

Sociable

Solved

Speaker

Spearheaded Specified

Spoke

Spontaneous

Stable

Steady

Stimulated

Strengthened

Strong

Strong-willed

Structured

Summarized

Supervised

Supported

Supportive

Surveyed

Sympathetic

Systematic

Systematized

Tabulated

Tactful

Taught

Teachable

Teacher

Teaching

Team player

Team-oriented

Technical

Tenacious

Thorough

Thoughtful

Thrifty

Tolerant

Tough

Traditional

Trained

Transformed Translated

Trusting

Trustworthy

Truthful

Typed

Unaffected

Unassuming

Understanding

Unexcitable

Uninhibited

Updated

Upgraded

Validated

Verbal

Versatile

Visionary

Warm

Wise

Witty

Writer

Wrote

Action Verbs for Resumes

writeexpress.com/action-verbs.html

quintcareers.com/action_verbs.html

online.onetcenter.org, look through occupation descriptions

List of Positive, Desirable Personality Traits

Achievement

Ambition

Appreciation

Believe In Yourself

Caring

Character

Class And Grace

Commitment

Common Ground

Compassion

Confidence

Courage

Courtesy

Dedication

Determination

Devotion

Encouragement

Excellence

Foresight

Forgiveness

Friendship

Generosity

Giving Back

Gratitude

Hard Work

Helping Others

Honesty

Hope

Humility

Ingenuity

Inspiration

Integrity

Laughter

Leadership

Learning

Listening

Live Life

Live Your Dreams

Love

Loyalty

Making A Difference

Motivation

Opportunity

Optimism

Overcoming

Patience

Peace

Perseverance

Persistence

Preparation

Reaching Out

Respect

Responsibility

Right Choices

Rising Above

Sacrifice

Sharing

Soul

Sportsmanship

Spread Your Wings

Stewardship

Strength

Teaching By Example

Team Work

True Beauty

Trust

Unity

Vision

Volunteering

Using References Info

Your list of references should be a range of both personal friends and professional people. If you know a lot of people, tailor your references for the particular job you're applying for.

Tell the people you plan to use as references so they know if they get a call out-of-the-blue. You have to get their permission.

Make sure you pick people who will hype you up.

List a few at the end of the resume. Pick people that you think might make good references for the particular job.

jobsearch. dead website, try dotdash.com, thebalance.com and thoughtco.com
/od/referencesrecommendations/a/referencetips.htm, obtaining references

Skills and Competencies/ SCANS

The U.S. Department of Labor, dol.gov, has compiled a list of baseline skills and competencies that describe the various types of skill sets used in the world of work in general.

You can use the following list for two purposes:

To help you identify what you're good at.

To use as descriptors when writing your résumé.

The Foundation-Competency Requirements:

Basic Skills

reading

writing

arithmetic

mathematics

speaking

listening

Thinking Skills

thinking creatively

making decisions

solving problems

seeing things in the mind's eye

knowing how to learn

reasoning

Personal Qualities

individual responsibility self-esteem sociability self-management integrity

Competencies Effective Workers can Productively Use:

allocating:

time

money

materials

space

staff

Interpersonal Skills Information

working on teams teaching others serving customers leading negotiating working well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds

Technology

acquiring and evaluating data organizing and maintaining files interpreting and communicating using computers to process information

Systems

understanding social, organizational and technological systems monitoring and correcting performance designing or improving systems

Technology

selecting equipment and tools applying technology to specific tasks maintaining and troubleshooting technologies

Chapter 2. E-Resumes: Email Resumes

What is an E-Resume?

The term "e-resume" has two meanings:

1.) Your resume in a computer file as opposed to a hard copy resume made out of paper that you send out by e-mail.

2.) An e-resume website more popularly called a resume bank is a website where you put your e-resume on along with thousands of other people with the hope that some employer will look through them, find yours, be impressed then call you up for an interview.

The e-resume or electronic resume is your resume in electronic format such that you can e-mail it to prospective employers as is without the need for paper entry. An e-resume is necessarily simple and plain.

The content of electronic resumes is different from a hardcopy resume in the sense that a machine scans the resumes the company has and spits out the ones that have the key word or key term the operator types in just like you would do a search on a search engine.

Format your electronic resume as simple as possible in Text Only or Rich Text Format.

You look for job ads in your field, then add a few key words from that ad into your resume then e-mail it to the particular company.

You can create both a word-processing e-resume and a PDF format resume using the Adobe Acrobat program, adobe.com. I've seen freeware programs that convert text between a word program and PDF. Only send the PDF resume if they want it. Most want a word format resume so they can scan it for the keywords they're looking for.

When applying for a job online, the company's website usually tells you to "paste your resume here." Copy your resume (highlight it then press Control+C on the keyboard or "copy" with the mouse, position your cursor on the website then press "Paste" on the mouse or Ctrl+V on the keyboard.

If the job ad states "no attachments", put your resume in the body of your e-mail. It shouldn't be longer than a page anyway right after a short cover letter. Title the subject line of your e-mail as the job position ending with "job ad" like forensics lawyer job ad.

Use the internet to look for companies who you might want to work for and send an e-resume by e-mail along with a cover letter to their HR department. If you talk to them on the phone or send them a letter and they send one back, you can quickly e-mail them a copy of your resume.

If you use MS-Word or Wordperfect, most of the time you can send your resume in that format without any problems but if you want extra safety, press the "save as" button then save the file either as Rich Text Format/RTF or ASCII which can be read by any word processing program out there.

Think of the PDF format as sending a picture. Your resume appears like a photo. You can get this format through the free Adobe Acrobat program, adobe.com.

When responding to a job ad that does not want attachments, include the resume as part of your original e-mail message.

Some large companies want e-resumes because they can scan them with keywords and pick out the ones that contain these keywords they're looking for. The key is to guess what keywords they're looking for and make them a part of your e-resume.

This is a way for employers and human resources to get through the clutter of all the resumes they get in order to find the few they're interested in.

Think of doing a search on a search engine. If you use one word like "welder" you might get a million hits. If you use the term underwater welder with A2 experience, you will narrow it down by a lot. If you select all these, then add a qualifier of five or more years experience, you will further narrow down your field.

This is how e-resumes work. It's easy with Optical Character Recognition/ OCR software. The computer scans the résumés for the keywords and phrases the employer wants. You have to use the right keywords in your resume to get picked for further scrutiny. They punch in the keywords they want and reduce a massive list down into a few resumes then choose from there.

Loosely defined, there are generally two types of digital résumés:

E-Resumes, those that can be e-mailed or posted to a website.

Scannable Résumés, the paper resume that you send for a job application then some person at that company, usually a lowly clerk in the human resources department, scans it into the computer in order that it be searched along with all the other resumes for keywords such that the resumes with those keywords in them are the ones that get spit out for further scrutiny.

For you, the job seeker, these résumés must be designed to have as many salient keywords for your profession as possible.

Some corporations like e-mail resumes and fax resumes, some don't.If you're advanced, you can get your own website and put your resume there. Go to occ.com for a referral to a professional web resume service.

You could send out cover letters and refer them to your website which could be your name like marcopolo.com for more info or you could get an autoresponder which is kind of like sending a cover letter and if they want your resume, they type in resume@marcopolo.com and get your resume automatically e-mailed to them. At the very least, get an e-mail resume in addition to a paper one.

For most standard transactions, put your resume in Ascii (American Standard Code for Information Interchanges) and fill it with plenty of key words that the search engines employers use when looking to fill their positions.

There are several ways to look for jobs. Firstly, you will most likely post this resume onto job websites, some for free, some for a fee which employers go to looking for workers to fill their slots.

The second most popular way is you look through ads in job websites looking for workers and when you see the ones you like, send them an e-mail of your resume and cover letter and maybe send them a fax resume too just to give you some repetitive power which is the basic tenet of advertising anyway.

Do not send the resume as an attachment to the e-mail both because they sometimes get lost in the transfer and since viruses are associated with attachments, many people dispose of them without opening them. Send the resume in the main body of the e-mail.

Get a simple e-mail name. Just because the e-resume is free is no reason why you should make it longer than normal. Don't get cute with graphics, etc. For the title, use the job you're applying for. Include a cover letter, follow their instructions exactly.

The third way is to get a mailing list of all the companies you want to work for then send an unsolicited bulk e-mailing of your cover letter and resume to the personnel department and the particular department you want to work for. Some companies may take offense to this but it's always worth a try. Make sure you don't inadvertently reveal your entire mailing list at the end of the e-mail.

It's always best to personalize your cover letters and tell them how much you love the company. If you know somebody who referred you to the company, include their name in your letter.

This is sometimes called a referral letter kinda like Joe Smith, the vice president of sales in your widgets department suggested I contact you about the position of manager trainee in the sprockets department..

The other way is to have your own website, an e-mail autoresponder service and/ or a fax-back service such that whoever calls up that particular e-mail address or fax number gets a copy of your resume.

Keep your e-mail address businesslike like tomthall@aol.com rather than skywarrior@aol.com. Use a cover letter even with electronic resumes.

An easy way is just to get a website called tomthall.com or whatever your name is, put it on all your job-related correspondence so it's very easy for employers to look up your resume but be aware that in some industries, the internet is hardly ever used so don't give up on paper just yet.

Generally these days when I see job openings advertised, they usually have a fax number and/ or e-mail address and they expect you to send them your resume electronically right away.

When a job is advertised, it's all about speed. Send it as soon as you see it.

Job-resources.com is up on the latest electronic resume technology.

Keep sending them follow-up e-resumes every month to show them you're still looking for a job. If you get an interview or a job offer, send an acceptance or decline e-mail/ fax/ letter right away.

Once you get a job, send letters thanking anyone who might have helped you get it. It will help them think well of you if you need their help again.

Don't fill an e-resume with graphics and fancy formatting. It's irrelevant and could make it more difficult to download.

ASCII is the simplest format around with characters are universally recognized so that any computer can understand them.

To create an ASCII file, simply save your file in that format from your word processing program.

Use a font size of 11 to 14 points. 12-point is considered standard.

The word-wrap function doesn't operate in ASCII so don't exceed sixty-five characters per line.

Since there is no formatting in ASCII, use asterisks, plus signs or capital letters when you want to highlight something.

Minimize the use of abbreviations.

E-mail your résumé to yourself to see how it goes through.

Because of the problems of viruses, don't send the résumé in the form of an attachment unless an employer specifically requests that you do it this way.

Keep two versions of your resume, a scannable version and a traditional one that people actually read as opposed to scanning it into a computer. Take a traditional copy to your interview.

Rather than sending out resumes one by one, you either post your resume here and employers come to look or some of these places offer a service something like spam. They'll e-mail your e-resume to their mailing list of recruiters and companies in a particular sector.

We know that employers and headhunters have anti-spam software on their computers geared to delete unapproved e-mails.

The best you can do is to write an interesting subject line and hope the person decides to read it. Your e-resume should be a bit more interesting than the average, generic one.

E-mail Job Hunting

You can send an e-mail made up of a cover letter and your resume to companies but it should be short, brief, power-packed and be addressed to specific people or at least to a specific department, either Human Resources/ Personnel Management or the specific department you want to work for.

You should try to do some research on the company to find specific names of people because if you don't, your e-mail will either go to the company webmaster or some secretary who quickly deletes anything that's not immediately relevant to the business at hand because they're always swamped with work and they're lazy anyway. Another unsolicited e-resume just means more work for them if they're to print it out then route it to the correct department. It's much easier to press the delete button.

In order for the e-mail to get opened and read, everything has to be exemplary and compact. Tailor your e-mail to them. Use their company name in the cover letter with a comment about their business performance to make it seem like you've been following them in the media even if you could care less. Make it seem like you've got something that can help them.

Your headline, lead and sig files all have to be enticing in order to grab their attention.

Don't use the "!" symbol in your e-mail. It's a red flag for spam and will probably be deleted by their spam filter.

You have to either brag about yourself or if you're too modest for that, put your best foot forward. Be modest but shine through it too.

Your immediate mission is to make your e-mail so enticing that they want to read it then call you up to offer you an interview. You have to do this with substance not hype. There is no set formula on how to do this except to be honest and write from the heart.

Put your resume right after your cover letter, not as an attachment because attachment are usually deleted because they are thought to be ads for something. The whole thig should be no more than three pages in Times New Roman Font 14.

Put it in either Rich Text Format or MS-Word. Remember, the e-mail must be short, concise and enticing. Provide information about your specific accomplishments. Don't just list your generic job titles or the formal education you have.

Think like the employer does. What can you say in your cover letter to make him or her think that you sound like you know the field? Appeal to their emotions, tell a short story but be believable. If you use hype, most can sense that and reject you upfront but even if they don't, when they meet you for the interview, you're toast.

Put a phone number, a fax number if you have one and your e-mail address down. Your street address is not necessary.

Look at your e-mail resume as an ad. Constantly revise it to make it sound better.

You are like a corporate brand when looking for work. You have to brand yourself into the image you want to be. Watch how they market movies into a quick 30 second ad. They brand it with one simple statement like a fun, goofy, romantic comedy or a high action thriller. Read my business book for more details.

When you brand yourself, you make all your correspondence look alike, the same message, the same font, the same color background, etc. Make your business cards, e-mail messages, personal website, resume and cover letter all the same style.

Make one master copy of your e-mail then change it a bit to suit every query you send out. Look for good e-mail management software or share that can help you keep several copies of your e-mail on record and change them quickly if you want to.

Don't underestimate the subject line. It has to be bang-on in order to elicit interest. Make your subject clear.

Use a process called a "multi-pair" message which is an e-mail that contains two versions; html and text. When it arrives, the computer software of the receiver displays it in whichever format it's programmed for.

If you have a personal website, put a prominent link in your e-mail plus your website name in your contact information. Make your website works good on the big three browsers; Internet Explorer, Netscape and Mozilla Firefox.

Don't use graphics in your e-mail because when they're processed on many computers, they don't show up as a graphic image but as a bunch of garbage text.

You're projecting the image of your future potential benefit to them. Be professional but not so professional that you come off like a technocratic robot. You have to be be personable and personal too.

There is multimedia software on the market like Astound and PowerPoint that can help you present your e-resume as a short audio-visual presentation with pictures and you talking. It's just a file that the receiver opens through either Windows Media Player or Real Player.

Employers don't care about you personally. They care about what can you do for them. They don't necessarily want a generic person although some do because they just want a servant who obeys them but in the creative, technical fields, they want a maverick with original ideas.

When you do a telephone query as a follow-up to your letter, e-mail or resume, don't be sheepish or apologetic as though you feel like you're wasting their time. You're looking for a job. This is within the bounds of normal assertive protocol so present yourself as a worthy candidate looking for work.

Don't make your resume generic. Add some off-color to it, make it an original design, original content or something like that. You don't have to follow the formulas.

Don't use acronyms or netiquette terms in e-resumes. Use the long form or words and terms.

Most employers and recruiters use filtering Software that relegates e-mail perceived as spam into a garbage folder which they can look at if they want or delete immediately. Because of this, when the recruiter goes to look at these low priority e-mails, he looks at the headings only.

If your heading says something like Resume For Your Consideration, if this guy or gal are savvy, they will make the inference that you must be pretty generic to have a header like that so they will press the delete button.

You're not doing them a favor by sending them your resume or at least they don't know that yet. You need to show in your subject line that you can help this employer. It's your headline for an interesting story - you.

Try to direct it personally at a person's name or at least a job position rather than to a generic company name.

Come off like a visionary on fire for your work and your field.

Create a Job Profile/ Keywords in Your Profession

On some websites, you create a job profile of yourself that employers can look at. It's another type of resume. Just put descriptive info though. Don't put your Social Security Number, Date of Birth, etc. on it because someone can easily steal it for identity theft.

The thing is that most hard copy and e-resumes are scanned by a computer. If a boss at company x is looking for someone from any profession, there are at the most about five keywords or key terms that describe or name any profession.

Figure out the several different names your profession goes by and make sure you imbed them into your resume or job profile.

tagcrowd.com

wordle.net

jobster.com/at/person/edit_profile

E-Resume Websites

Use discretion when disclosing personal information and resumes on internet job sites.

Some of these websites tell you how to create an e-resume and how to send it. Others offer to write one for you for a fee.

resumeworded.com, ResumeWorded, AI-based platform, instantaneous feedback on your resume.

cb.com/ResumeDirect

hrsdc.gc.ca, look up e-resume.

acorncreative.com

resumark.com

amby.com/kimeldorf/portfolio

anamericanresume.com, we convert your resumes for the web

autoresume.com

bc.edu/offices/careers/skills/resumes/electronic/

benchmarkemail.com

bethel.edu/career-services/jobs/job

blackcareerzone.com/e-resumes.htm

careerconnect.theglobeandmail.com

careerfolios.com

careerperfect.com/careerperfect/resumes.htm

resolio.com/app, create a professional looking resume and publish it online.

emurse.com, helps you convert your resume into the e-resume format

myamiko.com, online resume generator.

bixee.com

careerproplus.com

careers.2jobs-4jobs.com/electronic_resume_posting.html

careersoar.com/resume_services/posting.htm

collegecentral.com/eresumes.cfm

crunchers.bc.ca/resumes

csuchico.edu/plc/e-resume.html

damngood.com

resumes.yahoo.com

dbm.com/jobguide/resumes

dnaco.net/dantassi, entry level jobs.

e-bestresumes.com

employee-selection.com/part-time-jobs/electronic-resume-posting.html

employment.beyondhost.com/jobsineducation/electronic-resume-posting.html

en.mimi.hu/career/electronic_resume.html

e-resume.net, (888) 277-5550.

e-resume.us eresumeiq.com

eresumeiq.com/links.html

e-resumes.biz

eresumes.com

eresumes.com/job-skills.html

eresumes.org

essayinfo.com/resume/eresume.php

execsearches.com/articles/e_resumes.htm

faqfarm.com/job/29452

getouttoday.com/career/resumes/eresumes.htm

gotmarketing.com

gresumes.com

gti.net/mocolib1/eresume.html

iccweb.com/erd/erd.asp, electronic resume distribution

individualsoftware.com, resume software.

innovative-resumes.com

jcitech.com/jobmatch

jobcyclone.com/submitresume.php

jobhunt.org/resume

jobs.cymantix.com/work/electronic_resume_posting.html

jobs-careers-resumes.co.uk/electronic-resume-posting.html

jobsearch. dead website, try dotdash.com, thebalance.com and thoughtco.com
/cs/resumewriting/ht/resume.htm

jobsearchtop10.com

jobsonline.9f.com/environmental-jobs/electronicresumeposting.html

jobsonline.jobastone.com/online-jobs/electronic_resume_posting.html

jobstar.org/tools/resume/res-elec.php

jobweb.com/resources/library

jobwerx.com

jumpstartyourjobsearch.com

knockemdead.com/electronic_resume.php

leadyou.com

microsoft.com/smallbusiness/products/online/hub.mspx, submit your e-resume to search engines.

money-zine.com/definitions/career-dictionary/electronic-resume/

msgtag.com, this software will tell you when your e-mail was received and when it was opened.

oakton.edu/resource/stuserv/netjobs/resumes/

owl.english.purdue.edu/owl

parw.com, professional assn. of resume writers.

prefres.com/e_resume.html

proedesigner.com

provenresumes.com

provenresumes.com/reswkshps/electronic/emlres.html

quintcareers.com/e-resume_format.html, your e-resume's file format aligns with its delivery method.

quintcareers.com/e-resumes.html

reslady.com/electronic.html

resumania.com

resume.com

resume.monster.ca/section1972.asp, what you need to know to protect yourself when dealing with online resumes.

resumedotcom.com

resumeeasy.com

resumeimpact.com

resume-place.com

resumepostoffice.com

resumerabbit.com

simplycareer.com/web/fax-blasting.php, blast your resume to hundreds of employers.

resumes.electronic.robertgerberg.com

resumes-247.com, offers html-formatted web resumes.

resumesandcoverletters.com

resumes-for-jobs.com/receptionist_resume_examples/electronicresumepostings.html

resumezapper.com

reswriter.com

/eresume.html

signaturescan.com/news/48926-electronic-resume-writing-tips-that-boost-your-interview-appointment-success.asp

smarthunt.com

stats.bls.gov/oco/oco1000.htm, keywords.

stepstone.com, software that recruiters use to pick out resumes from the bunch using keywords.

sunoasis.com/eresume.html

susanireland.com/eresumework.htm

technicaljobsearch.com/resumes/electronic-resumes.htm

thespringmall.com/thespringmall/resumes

totalresume.com

ttgconsultants.com/emailing-resumes/

uwc.ucf.edu/grad gateway/beyond_gradschool/e_resumes.htm

vault.com

virtualresume.com

wa.gov/esd/work/resumecenter.htm

web.olivetcollege.edu/careerdev/sample_electronic.htm

aarp.org/money/careers/findingajob/resumes/a2004-06-08-electronicresumes.html

joblounge.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-e-resume-guide.html

totalwoman.com/careerperfect/cp/resumefaqs3-1.htm

The Job Search Email Correspondence

A professional tone should be maintained when communicating with prospective employers. Email mistakes leave a bad

impression. Get your point across then end the e-mail.

Use a meaningful subject header for your e-mail that is appropriate to the topic.

Always be professional and businesslike in your correspondence.

Address the recipient as Mr., Ms. or Mrs.

and verify the correct spelling of the recipient's name.

Be brief.

Do not use email slang symbols in your e-mail communications with business people.

Do not use strange fonts, wallpapers or multicolored backgrounds.

Sign your e-mail with your full name.

Proofread and spell-check your e-mail before sending it.

Present a polished, professional image.

Email Thank-You Notes

If you've had an interview with a prospective employer, you could send a thank-you note by e-mail a day or two after your interview. Keep it short.

I just wanted to send a quick note to thank you for yesterday's interview. I feel that I can be a good asset to your organization. I appreciate the opportunity to be considered for employment at ABC Corporation.

Sincerely,

John Doe

Chapter 3. The Video Resume

CD/ DVD/ Video Resume/ Visume

You could make up a CD/ DVD or USB drive with you on it talking. Identify yourself then talk about what you've done. Edit in some pictures of your work, action shots of you or people saying what a great worker you are. End it with a graphic of your contact info.

They say that the video resume is not you talking about what you've done all your life. It's a short introduction of yourself with no long-winded diatribe.

If you send an unintentionally funny video resume around, somebody could post it to youtube then the TV stations might get it and broadcast it as a joke.

lifehacker.com/399645/snag-that-job-interview-with-a-video-resume

barneysvideoresume.com

blazitresume.com, video resume service.

brassring.com

career-resources.dice.com/technical-resume/video_resume.shtml

streamingvideoresumes.com

collegegrad.com, develop your video resume

collegegrad.com/videos

cyberviewcv.com

education-portal.com/articles/job_resumes_20_creating_a_video_resume.html

talkingcv.com

employeetv.com

freevideoresume.podbean.com

gorecroot.com/job-seeker-talk.aspx

hiremenow.com

humanresources. dead website, try dotdash.com, thebalance.com and thoughtco.com
/od/recruitingandstaffing/qt/video_607_rs8.htm, do employers want video resumes?

jobsearch. dead website, try dotdash.com, thebalance.com and thoughtco.com
, video resumes.

jobsearch. dead website, try dotdash.com, thebalance.com and thoughtco.com
/od/resumes/g/videoresume.htm

gocvone.com

jobwizard.com

oedb.org/library/starting-a-career/how-to-create-a-video-resume, video resume from our site. peoplescreening.com, provides low cost video resume services to job seekers.

photobucket.com/images/videoresume

quintcareers.com/video_resumes.html

meetyournewemployee.com

resumestorm.com

resumetube.com

resumevideo.com

tubemogul.com

vault.com

videobio.com

videoresume.biz

videoresumes.com

videoresumes.tv

videoresumesecrets.com

visualcv.com watchmyvideoresume.com

youtube.com, video resume.

Video Resume Websites/ Video Resume Bank Websites

Youtube.com has a bunch of videos on it. You can post your video resume there.

The following websites say they're like youtube but for video resumes only. They say employers look for employees here.

You create an internet resume with a pdf or http text file then add video, pictures, a slide show, etc.

giggedup.com, post video resumes of yourself for prospective employers to search.

internetresume.com blazitresume.com

doyoubuzz.com

emurse.com

innovatecv.com

jobster.com

myworkster.com

resumebook.tv

rezbuzz.com

uboast.com

videobio.com

videoresume.biz

videoresumes.com

videoresumes.tv

visualcv.com

workblast.com

The Personal Bio Video as an Icon or Website on Your Resume

As far as I know this works for jobs where the employer is looking for personality like hospitality, nonprofits or education.

You make a personal biography video over and above a video resume.

You say this is who I am like:

I traveled to 22 countries, show stills and video

I ride horses

I have a dog called Bobby

This is my mother.

I volunteer at this soup kitchen.

I go to this church.

You post it up online. You either put an icon on a video resume or put the website down on a resume. Employers can look at it if they want.

Youtube Job Search

You can upload a video resume of yourself then put a link to it on your resume.

If you're into your field, set up an entire youtube channel where you develop a reputation as an expert in your field.

If you have a professional website, put a link to your youtube channel on it.

Chapter 4. Curriculum Vitae/ CV Guide

Resume Packet/ Resume Portfolio

Buy cheap folders at stationary shops. A resume packet is your resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation, photo print, business card and anything else you want all in one envelope.

Take it with you to hand out at job interviews.

Curriculum Vitae/ CV Info

A CV, short for curriculum vitae, is a life story which some organizations will want you to write for them, several pages describing your life.

Your CV is a document that showcases your USPs (unique selling points). There's no universal format but your CV should cover your name, address, phone number, email address and a personal statement, one paragraph describing who you are.

Talk about the following things any way you see fit:

Work experience

Education

Skills

Hobbies and interests

References

Your curriculum vitae is a mix of a resume and cover letter done in a more creative, personable, detailed way. It is a profile of your life achievements and interests, usually geared for academic performance.

A CV is mainly used for applying to graduate school or an academic type of job.

Put your name on the header of each page.

Etiquette demands we be modest but you have to show off what you did.

List your achievements using the s.t.a.r. technique:

situation; provide a brief overview of the situation.

task, outline the specific task or responsibility you were asked to accomplish.

action, explain the action or activities you took and why.

result, describe the positive result or outcome of your actions.

Don't list anything past ten years.

Spell out everything, even acronyms.

Don't use jargon or slang. Be clear and simple.

Use a bullet style, short points.

Keep your CV to no more than two pages.

Keep it short and interesting.

Look at the biographies in the Who's Who books at the library. Find them at #920-#929 at the library.

mcgill.ca/caps/students/job-search/cv

careers.utoronto.ca/mycareer/resumeinterview/cv.aspx

visualcv.com, create curriculum vitae online

curriculumvittae.com

thecvstore.net thecvblog.com, thecvblog.

hsph.harvard.edu, type "cv" at the search engine.

cv-motivation.com

cvtips.com

cv-service.org, curriculum vitae services.

cvwriting.net

easy-cv.com

Chapter 5. Cover Letter Guide

Cover Letter Info

It's not about you. It's about what you can do for them.

Resumes are generic but a good manager or HR person will smell a form cover letter within ten seconds of reading it. If that's how much effort you put into a personal application to that particular company, that's how much effort they will give to hiring you. Personalize your cover letters.

You will need a cover letter whenever you send a resume or application form to a potential employer. The letter should capture the employer's attention, show why you are writing, indicate why your employment will benefit the company and ask for an interview.

The kind of specific information that must be included in a cover letter means that each must be written individually and typed perfectly.

Frequently only the address, first paragraph and specifics concerning an interview will vary. These items are easily changed on your word processing program.

The purpose of these letters is to tell how your job talents will benefit the company, show why the employer should read your resume or application form and ask for a job interview. The general steps are:

Write a separate letter for each job application.

Type letters on quality eight x 11 paper.

Use proper sentence structure, correct spelling and punctuation.

Convey personal warmth and enthusiasm.

Keep your letter short and to the point.

Sell yourself with hype.

Flatter their company by showing how you watched it in the stock market or something like that.

Sign it personally.

Show that you've done some homework on the company (you know what they do, their interests and problems). Try to identify something about you that is unique or of interest to the employer.

Request an interview. If possible, suggest a specific date and time. Include your address and your telephone number.

Address each letter to the specific person you want to talk to (the person who would actually supervise you). Highlight your job qualifications. State the position you are seeking and the source of the job opening (newspaper ad, friend, etc.)

Include this short cover letter with your resume introducing yourself, stating your interest in working for the company and expanding on some of the points in the resume.

Many people dismiss the cover letter as an obligatory piece of paper to include with their resumes. Some people don't even send cover letters with their resumes which is a big mistake.

Don't use your cover letter as a dull piece of crud like "Enclosed is my resume.. Please accept my resume in consideration.. I'm interested in working.. " You have to tell them who you are and what kind of job you want. The cover letter is your personality and ability.

Sell yourself. The letter should say meet me, meet me, I'm a cool person, great for the job. Take the ball from the passive court where you're waiting for the phone call to write in your cover letter that you will call in seven days to confirm receipt of your letter and to ask if they're interested in an interview. The cover letter is a warm handshake telling them how they can benefit from you.

Show them you're a high energy person with a strong personality without being arrogant or too clever. You tell them what you can do for them.

Once again, use some tidbits of your research to flatter them a little that you know about them. Be a name dropper like.. Joe Gibbs from the marketing department told me there were some challenging jobs in your department.

There are different types of cover letters. One is in response to an ad. Another is a Network Letter where you talk to everyone you know and simply send out letters using their names as a kind of introductory letter about yourself.

Finally, many desperadoes get the names of 500 corporations and send out blind spam letters about themselves often without any success. You have to be outstanding to get responses with blind spam letters.

Your purpose is to get a job so word it aggressively and talk to a real, live person which means don't make it too stiff and formal.

Bottom line, tailoring your resumes and cover letters to each company you're applying to beats the blind approach everyday, hands down.

In a nutshell, the purpose of cover letters is to:

Tell how your job talents will benefit the company.

Show why the employer should read your resume or application form.

Ask for a job interview.

The cover letter includes:

Salutation. Each letter should be addressed by name to the person you want to talk with. That person is the one who can hire you. This is almost certainly not someone in the personnel department and it is probably not a department head either. It is most likely to be the person who will actually supervise you once you start work. Call the company to make sure you have the right name and spell it correctly.

Opening. The opening should appeal to the reader. Cover letters are sales letters. Sales are made after you capture a person's attention. You capture the reader's attention most easily by talking about the company rather than yourself.

Mention projects under development, recent awards or favorable comments recently published about the company. You can find such information in the business press, including the business section of local newspapers and the many magazines that are devoted to particular industries.

If you are answering an ad, you may mention it. If someone suggested that you write, use their name with permission, of course.

Body. The body of the letter gives a brief description of your qualifications and refers to the resume, where your sales campaign can continue.

Closing. You cannot have what you do not ask for. At the end of the letter, request an interview. Suggest a time and state that you will confirm the appointment. Use a standard complimentary close such as "Sincerely Yours" leave three or four lines for your signature and type your name.

I would type my phone number under my name. The alternative is to place the phone number in the body of the letter but it will be more difficult to find there should the reader wish to call you.

A letter of introduction is when some high profile person like a professor or president of a company writes what amounts to a glowing recommendation of you saying he knew you for x number of years, you worked on the X project with him, you're a good, pleasant person and an expert in your field and says you'd be a good worker then include it with your resume.

Cover Letter Websites/ CV Websites 1

Try #808.0666 or HF5383 at the library for books about cover letters.

finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/careerist/26522, 9 Steps to Acing a Job Interview

careerlab.com/letters/default.htm, CareerLab - Cover Letter Samples

damngood.com, Damn Good

interviewup.com, InterviewUp

cvtips.com

myfuture.com/toolbox/coverletter_all.html

susanireland.com

bestcoverletters.com

cv-resume.org

quintcareers.com/cover_letter_samples.html

cover-letter-resource.com/category/cover-letters-samples

opencoverletters.com

adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocecs/crc/step4letters

broder.com/printshop

career.vt.edu/jobsearc/coversamples.htm

careerlab.com/letters

careerlab.com/letters/chap06.htm

careerlab.com/letters/default.htm

content.monster.com/resume/samples/coverletters how-to-write-a-cover-letter.com

labor.ny.gov/stats/publications/winning_edge/winnedge_coverltr.shtm

coverlettercentral.com

expertsoftware.com

interviewghost.com/letter-resume/sample-of-emai-cover-letters

careerlab.com/letters/default.htm, cover letter library.

ccp.rpi.edu/resources/handouts/careers-and-graduate-school/cover-letters

quintcareers.com/covres.html, dynamic cover letters.

quintcareers.com/cover_letter_samples.html, job search cover letters. jobstar.org/tools/resume/cletters.cfm

monstertrak.com/jobguide/career.html#writing

newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/writing

provenresumes.com/cover-letter.html

quintcareers.com/sample_email_cover_letter.html

susanireland.com/coverletterwork.htm

ub-careers.buffalo.edu/cover

umeais.maine.edu/career/otherlets

Cover Letter Websites/ CV Websites 2

thebalancecareers.com/free-cover-letter-examples-and-writing-tips-2060208

thebalancecareers.com/how-to-write-interview-winning-cover-letters-and-resumes-2063186

healthcare.careercast.com/article/healthcare-cover-letter-dos-and-donts

careeronestop.org/JobSearch/Resumes/cover-letters.aspx

Resume Tips

themuse.com/advice/43-resume-tips-that-will-help-you-get-hired

Harvard Business Review: How to Write a Cover Letter

hbr.org/2014/02/how-to-write-a-cover-letter

livecareer.com/cover-letter/examples/medical/healthcare-support-administrator

monster.com/career-advice/article/healthcare-cover-letter-dos-donts

Resumes and Cover Letters Templates

templates.office.com/en-us/Resumes-and-Cover-Letters

resources.depaul.edu/career-center/resumes-interviews/Pages/resumes.aspx

Resume Examples By Industry

monster.com/career-advice/article/resumes

University of Pittsburgh Public Health: Writing Cover Letters

publichealth.pitt.edu/careers/job-search-tool-kit/writing-cover-letters

Writing Resumes and Cover Letters

careers.ucsc.edu/student/resources/resume_cover_letters/index.html

Chapter 6. A Portfolio to Showcase your Work: Physical and Online

Career Portfolio/ Website Portfolio 1

A portfolio is a representative sample of your best work in your field.

A portfolio is a collection of your work.

Portfolios are the pictorial resumes people in jobs like architecture, drafting, graphic arts, illustrator, cartoonist, model, artist, journalist, writer and others in the creative arts do to demonstrate some of their work.

It's a file either in hard copy or e-form that documents your past work, usually paintings, drawings or photographs. Some people put their portfolio up on the website then give the website name in a short resume or introductory letter. People use them to apply for admissions to artsy-technical type colleges and to look for work.

In these areas, people want proof of what you can do. You have to show them some of your work.

There are two types of portfolios:

1.) A paper one.

2.) An Electronic one, either on CD or a website.

With a paper one, you have to prepare a folder where you put everything in. These are almost identical to the press kits almost everybody uses in the entertainment industry to promote themselves except that in this case, the product is you. You're selling yourself.

The most common folder I've seen used is a folder with inside flaps on both sides where you put in your content. Typically, you'd put in a resume, cover letter, some reference letters, a copy of your diplomas, a photograph for entertainment types and either prints or copies of your work or a CD with your work on it.

The entertainment types like to put cool looking covers on their portfolios like the name of their band with a symbol on it or a cool looking drawing or photograph.

Probably the easiest way to create a portfolio is to send around a resume with a cover letter like everybody else does but also direct the person to your website which is your career portfolio. It has a photo of you on it, your resume, cover letter and reference letters but it also shows examples of your work, either prints if you're a graphic artist, text if you're a writer or journalist and video if you're an anchor, teacher, etc.

Have your website with four or five icons such that the viewer can click on anyone he wants, either your resume, cover letter, work examples, etc.

People have a tendency to go overboard on their career websites with elaborate essays about who they are, their work philosophy and what they want to do. Don't overdo it. Stay professional. Talk about what you did, not what you want to do.

Career Portfolio/ Website Portfolio 2

A résumé lists your work experience and skills. A portfolio might include a page for your work history but it primarily includes examples of what you do.

If you do an action thing, make a DVD about it like show how you built a part of a house for a contractor.

Collect and catalog your best work.

Plan your portfolio.

Assemble it.

If it's something like artwork or even projects you've done like for an architect, buildings you've designed, you can put them all on a DVD or on a website.

Your portfolio gives a detailed picture of what you're capable of unlike a resume which doesn't show what you can actually do.

Showcase your skills so the employer knows you can do what he wants.

Many job seekers don't provide a portfolio. It's to your advantage if you do in a creative field.

The items in your portfolio are called articles. You keep adding to them as you live your life.

You could tailor your portfolio to the particular job you're applying for.

Here are some items you can include in a portfolio:

Anything you've created

Audio recordings

Brochures describing a product or service you've created.

Certificates, licences and awards

Computer disks with samples of your work; publications, databases, or computer programs you've created.

Course descriptions of classes you've taken or taught

Formal evaluations of your work

Job descriptions of positions you've held

Letters of recommendation

Link to your website or a copy of it

Lists of grants, scholarships and awards

List of organizations you've joined

Newspaper and magazine articles about projects you've been in

Projects you've done

Résumés or a curriculum vitae

Sheet music or scores

Video of artistic performances or exhibitions

Visual art including drawings, photographs, etc.

Writing samples, such as school essays, manuscripts for articles and books, and published pieces.

Order and arrange your artifacts for maximum esthetic effect. Put your best work upfront.

If you've worked with different themes, keep these categories separate like for artwork, keep one section for landscapes and one for portraits.

You can organize your portfolio as follows:

A table of contents.

An overview or summary of the portfolio.

Titles and captions for each artifact.

An index to your artifacts.

You could combine your résumé and portfolio into one document.

Your interviewer or interviewing board might ask you to present your portfolio as part of an interview or oral exam. Present it as a Powerpoint presentation. Prepare some answers to possible questions.

Career Portfolio Websites

portfolio.fsu.edu

amby.com/kimeldorf/portfolio

amby.com/kimeldorf/portfolio, portfolio library.

amby.com/kimeldorf/portfolio/p_mk-08.html, portfolio planning and design guide.

behance.com

biz.colostate.edu/career/portfolio.htm

bsu.edu/students/careers/documents/portfolio

carbonmade.com

career.fsu.edu/experience/document/portfolio-guide.html, career portfolio preparation.

career.fsu.edu/experience/document/portfolio-guide.html, preparing a portfolio.

career.fsu.edu/portfolio, career portfolios; samples and resources.

careerservices.uvic.ca/tutorials/career-portfolio.html, career portfolio tutorial.

ccd.me.edu/careerprep/career_portfolio.pdf, career portfolio maine career advantage.

ccd.me.edu/careerprep/career_portfolio_rubrics.pdf, career portfolio rubrics.

clevercontent.com

career.fsu.edu/portfolio, career portfolios.

creativegroup.com/careerresources

beyond.com

curriculum.org/tcf/teachers/projects/repository/portfolios.pdf, building a personal and career portfolio.

depts.washington.edu/geogjobs/careers/pfolresources.html, creating a career portfolio.

ed.gov/pubs/or/consumerguides/classuse.html, portfolios; student uses.

eduscapes.com/tap/topic82.htm, electronic portfolios.

electronicportfolios.com, electronic porfolios and digital storytelling.

electronicportfolios.org/portfolios/howto/index.html, portfolio; create your own.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/career_portfolio

eportfolio.citytech.cuny.edu

eportfolio.citytech.cuny.edu, e-portfolio resources.

figdig.com

learnovation.com

ocontent.htm

portfoliocity.com, create an online portfolio to showcase your work.

portfolios.com

portfoliow.com

clevercontent.com, free service offers professional showcase for artists of all kinds.

portfoliovault.com

portronics.com, digital portfolio.

quintcareers.com/job_search_portfolio.html, job search portfolio.

reta.nmsu.edu/lessons/digital, digital portfolios: eacher's overview.

ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/portfolio/por_proc_strt.shtml, portfolio toolkit.

rit.edu/~964www/student/jobsearchinfo/portfoli

sessions.edu/career_center/building_strong_portfolio.asp

stec.uvic.ca/tutorials/careerportfolio.html

yorku.ca/careers/jsm/portfolio.htm

zinch.com, write about yourself and create a portfolio

Portfolio Products Websites

officedepot.com

pearlpaint.com

samflax.com

studentmarker.com

Credential Filing Services

Submit your application stuff there then a potential employer can go there to access your portfolio, etc.

interfolio.com

chroniclevitae.com

If you’re an Artist, Check out my Artist Book for info about Creating a Portfolio

I list at least 30 online places to sell art.

Friday, 28 January 2022

RESUME AND COVER LETTER GUIDE