How to Write a Great Resume

Your résumé is your biggest tool in deciding whether you will be called in for an interview.Employers receive so many applicants for a single position that they will use your résumé to qualify you for the the position. A résumé that is full of errors or not targeted toward the type of position, will not make the cut. By following the guidelines that are listed on this page you can create a résumé that will get you noticed.
There are free word processing programs such as Openoffice and Google documents that you can use to type your résumé . You will want to use Microsoft Word if it is possible. The reasoning behind this is that these free programs do not have as advanced editing features. In addition files in these types of format may not process correctly when electronically submitted to the employer.
When typing your résumé, use a generic font such as “Times New Roman”. Using other types of font is distracting or considered unprofessional. Make sure that all of your contact information is easy to find. Your contact phone number, home address, city, state, and zip code should all be listed. Your résumé should be no longer than two pages in length. Choosing the résumé format is another important factor. The three basic résumé formats are
1. Chronological
2. Combination
3. Targeted.
In a chronological résumé, you start by listing your most recent position first. After listing your work history, the rest of the resume focuses on your education, skills, etc. A chronological résumé is typically preferred by employers.
In a combination résumé, you will list your skills and experience first. After that, you employment history is listed in chronological order. This type of résumé can be used to highlight the skills that you possess that are relevant to the job position.
Finally, there is the targeted résumé which focuses on the specific job opening. A targeted résumé will highlight your skills and experiences that are relevant to the position you are applying for. With this type of résumé, you will have to re-write the résumé for every position you apply for.

Know more about Types of Resumes- Know Which One Will Work Best For You
It is good practice to tailor your résumé toward the position you are applying for. A good way to do this without having to re-write your résumé for every job application is to include an “Objective” and “Summary of Qualifications” heading.
The purpose of the “Objective” is to convey what your intentions are and why you are the best candidate for the position. For example, say you are applying for a position in pharmaceutical sales. A strong objective statement would be written like the following: “To obtain a pharmaceutical sales position in an organization that is seeking an extraordinary record of generated new clientele, exceeding sales goals, and creating customer loyalty”. Generating new customers, breaking sales goals, and strong loyalty would all be extremely important to this type of position. Objectives must be concise and straight to the point in order to be effective.
Your “Summary of Qualifications”, will be a collection of several concise statements that focus on your most importation skills, abilities, and achievements that you bring to the table. This is the most difficult part of your resume to create. Every word that you use or don't use on your “Summary of Qualifications” matter. In order to create the most effective one, you must look at the job description. Pick out what qualities the employer is looking for with the position. You may also need to brainstorm other qualities that the employee would ideally want in a candidate for the position. Once you have this list of skills, traits, and qualities, it is time to put it all into words. Use a mix of the following to convey your message to describe how you possess each ideal trait:
• Relevant promotions, awards, recognitions
• Your areas of expertise
• An example of an accomplishment that was special
• the mix of skills, depth that you possess

An example of a “Summary of Qualifications” would be the following: " Passionate leader with eight years of experience inspiration employees to perform above and beyond. Out of the box thinker who energizes through change, driving excellence, and growing employee talent. This lead to a series of promotions, leadership awards, and accomplishments in unprecedented sales. Previous background includes negotiation, public speaking and marketing. Committed to developing strategies for long term grown. “
Lastly, you will also want to include an area in your résumé that highlight your skills and/or accomplishments. In this section, you will go into more detail about what you have achieved in your previous positions. This section can also be named “Professional Highlights”, “Summary of Accomplishments”, “Recent Accomplishments”, etc. You may want to use bullet points to structure this part of your résumé. Specific facts and figures should be included when possible. For instance, “Reduced employee turnover by 40% from 2010 to 2012” is a viable fact that will stick out to the employer. You will want to keep this section, like the rest, concise. Another example of a bullet point that could be added to this section is: “Chosen by the C.E.O. Of Pepsi to lead a special task force to plan and implement a successful marketing strategy for selling a new snack in Brazil.”
Before you hit the send button on that email to a prospective employer it never hurts to have a second pair of eyes look over it. While editing software today will catch many errors, having someone else look it over your will ensure that it makes sense when read by another person. By following these guidelines, you are sure to get a call about an interview and be well on your way to a new career.
Sample Resume for your reference
1. Sample Resume 1 - http://goo.gl/6GekI
2. Sample Resume 2 -http://goo.gl/8tHVw

How To Win an Interview

You only have one chance to leave a first impression when you meet someone for the first time. When you are interviewing for a new job, preparing for the interview will help determine your probability of success. In the current economic conditions, even college graduates are having a hard time finding a career after a solid education. Just like studying for your last final in Algebra, being prepared will ensure your success in an interview.
Research the company
An employer can easily tell if you know nothing about the organization. When you don't know about the organization, the employer can assume that you have either blindly been applying for several over positions at other companies or you simply didn't care enough to do your homework. In this day in age, it is very easy to find out about an organization. One great resource is www.glassdoor.com. There is extremely valuable information about an organization including history, product/services, employee reviews, salary, etc. Virtually all organizations have a company web site that has information about its culture, vision, mission, and other pertinent information. This information is usually found under the “About Us” section. Social media is another medium that you can find information about a company, You can become a fan on Facebook or a follower on Twitter to learn about the company and see how they handle their customer relations. Linkedin is a great professional social media tool and you may find out that a connection actually works . This is a great opportunity to find out firsthand from a current employee what is important to the organization.
Match the job description to your skills

This is really a two-part step. You must read the job description very carefully and pick out key words like “detail oriented”, “result-driver”, and “organized” to pick away what the actual job will entail. This is also where your social connections via Linkedin or job reviews on www.glassdoor.com can come in handy. Using these tools, you can learn about the organization from people who have worked there. This could be invaluable information that you can use to your advantage during your interview. Once you have a good understanding of what the employer is looking for, you can then match up your skills with their needs. A good way to prepare for this is to write down the key abilities, skills, etc. that the employee is looking for and writing down underneath each skill, an example (story) of how you have used each particular trait in previous positions. This question will most probably be asked in your interview. Also, please save your time and the employers time by not applying to jobs where your skills don't match what they are looking for.
Prepare your portfolio
Investing in a good quality binder to keep copies of your resume, references, awards, list of questions, and notepad will be worth the money. Although in most cases, an employer will already have a copy for your information, it will show them you are an organized individual when you come prepared to supply it. Ensure that you have each document in filed in an organized manner so you can quickly reference it during your conversation. Otherwise it may cause you to become a bit nervous when you are fumbling through your portfolio to extract the necessary documents.
What not to bring....
It is important that you keep unnecessary items in at your home or in your vehicle during an interview. Chewing gum during an interview is distracting and unprofessional, so discard it before the interview. Do not bring your cell phone will you to your interview under any circumstances. Even if you leave it on silent or vibrate, it is a source of distraction. Truly, the only items that you should carry with you to the interview is your portfolio and your car keys.
Get directions and plan your route
If your interview is during peak traffic hours, make sure you plan to leave your house accordingly. It is nerve-racking to be stuck in traffic or an accident that causes you to be late for an interview. A good rule of thumb is to plan your arrival ten minutes prior to the interview. GPS on phones is reliable, but not without error. You should look up directions via Google maps or Mapquest, especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. If the interview location is a bit tricky to find, don't hesitate to ask and write down directions during your conversation with your potential employer prior to the interview.
Dress for success
No matter what the position is that you are applying for or what the company culture is, dressing professionally is necessary. Other than the unlikelihood that the employer specifies otherwise, a business professional outfit is appropriate in almost every situation. Be aware of strong cologne, perfumes, hair spray, and other smells. Any such product should be used sparingly as to not distract the interviewer. Details are important so make sure your shoes are dirt-free and shiny and your clothes are ironed and laundered. Makeup and jewelry should be kept to a minimum.
Practice!!!
There are plenty of sources on the internet that you can find in regard to what kind of questions to expect and examples of answers to give (including our site :)). Its important to study these questions and know how you will answer many of them. Another great tool is to role-play an interview. While many people may feel uncomfortable pretending to be at an interview, this can make the real thing a whole lot easier. Have a family member, friend, or someone you are comfortable with to practice with. Its important to not only practice the question and answer portion, but to include the introduction and ending as well.
Conclusion
Interviews are a big deal. Its never a good idea to just “wing it” because employers can see right through that. Being well prepared for your interview will help keep your anxiety level down. This will help you focus on your goal of the interview – A new career.