Resume Writing/Little Experience
How To Show Your Talents To the Fullest When Lacking Experience
You've got the savvy, but lack the proven practical. Follow along for helpful ways to showcase your abilities to your best advantage - and get that job!
Resume Writing is hard at any time, but especially difficult when you are first trying to "break into the business" - be it your first job out of school or your first career change. You can write a great cover letter, but your Resume looks dull and does not seem to support your talents - you have followed up on all contacts, and basically, you've been told to come back when you have experience in that area.
But how can you get that experience if no one will give you a chance?
Wake up - you're not giving yourself a chance - so why should anyone else! You MUST spend the time on your Resume - this is the supporting document for your Cover Letter as well as a way to prove to others you do know your own worth. A basic Resume that only lists Education and jobs does nothing to prove you know who you are, and what you have done - and what you can do.
Within your Education section - have you listed your courses? Not always a great idea - course titles do nothing to enhance your proven knowledge. What have you taken that actually applies to the job? Give a generic run down - if you took Business courses - what did you learn? Don't write "Business Concepts 101/102 etc." - write - "learned fundamentals of Business concepts as well as applications in an applied setting" (assuming you DID do this).
Nowadays computer knowledge and skills are an essential part of any career. Don't list your computer courses in Education - create a separate section for Computer Skills - and list the software you have learned and used. Think about putting your level of expertise on each area. For example, you can do Word Processing (MS Word) at an expert level, but have limited experience with Spreadsheets (MS Excel).
For your Experience Section - don't just put down jobs and dates - expand on your responsibilites! Use action verbs - really think about what you did. It doesn't matter if the job was part-time babysitting or a full-time CEO - what does matter is how you view what you did. Babysitting still takes knowing how to be prepared for emergencies, how to handle small children and keep the peace while maintaining a safe and fun atmosphere, and how to still be the boss. This actually shows leadership skills as well as time management skills. Don't lie, but don't dismiss your accomplishments either.
Take the time NOW to review your Resume, and see how you can revise it to your best advantage!
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Copyright August 11, 2007. Paym Bergson and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use of this material will constitute an infringement of copyright.
