Friday, February 17, 2012

Resume Examples and Tips for Experienced Professionals

The resume for experienced candidate is surely different from that  of a fresher applicant. If you are writing for an experienced candidate, you need to keep certain things in mind. For an experienced resume, you need to focus on your past work history and explain to the employer about the job responsibilities you handled during these employments. You can refer resume examples for experienced professionals for designing your application. Going through the examples, you will get complete idea on writing this type of applications.


resume example for experienced candidates

Resume Tips for Experienced Professionals:


Here are some tips for writing the resume for an experienced professional. With these tips, you can create a perfect job application that will make a positive impact on the employer and get you the job opportunity.

  • Use chronological resume format for writing  experienced resume. If you have experience in similar field, this format is best for presenting your details.

  • Your work history and educational details are presented in reverse order of chronology. Your most recent work experience is listed first. 

  • You can give the details like name of the employer/ company, location, job title, employment dates, and work responsibilities. After your most recent experience details, list the next recent experience details. 

  • If you are highly experienced professional with lots of jobs in past, you do not require to provide details of all your past jobs. Only give the information about the recent three employments. 

  • Same is the case with education section in your application. This section should also be written in reverse chronological order. 

  • Give the details of your most recent degree in the beginning and then the next degrees. Provide the name of your college/university and year of passing the degree. 

  • Use a compelling objective statement for your CV. It should convince the employer about your suitability for working in the applied position. 

  • You have to list your major accomplishments in your objective statement and explain to the employer how these can help you to work efficiently in your prospective profile. It is the most important section in the resume as employer will read it  immediately after he opens your application. 

  • With a powerful objective statement, reader will be forced to go through the entire resume and call you for the personal interview to know more about your qualifications and traits. 

  • One more thing you can do to design an impressive application is to refer the example of resume for experienced professionals.  These examples will show you how to present the details effectively in your application and how you can create a positive an impact on the recruiter. 

All these tips together will help you in designing a perfect application for experienced candidate. You can take help of best resume writers to help you draft your resume.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

My First Job Interview

first job interview

After completing studies, all of us aim to get a job in a prestigious company and earn a handsome salary. I was very excited about all this when I achieved my graduation degree. I was ready with my resume and went to the interview test. The excitement at that stage is memorable, when you give your first job test and the recruiter announces that you are among the one who is shortlisted for the next round. I was successful in cracking the next round too. And then it was the “interview round”. 

I also faced the same trauma which most of us face during the “first job interview”. Honestly, I had butterflies in my stomach. I was so nervous that I felt like running away from the interview place. How well prepared you may be for the interview or how talented you may be, all of us go through this stage of interview nervousness. I was counting the moments at that time. Alas!! the time arrived when I had to go in the interview room. I was feeling very nervous. But then, as the interview progressed, I started feeling comfortable and calm. As I answered the questions, my confidence began to arise. At the end of the interview, I felt satisfied and confident with the interview session and stepped out of the room with more energy and desire to do better next time.
stay confident

That was the time I realized that success comes in cans, not cant's. Its you who can beat the fear within yourself. Remember while going to the interview that it's just an interview and the interviewer is also person like you. Be yourself. Listen to your inward voice and bravely obey that. Let not the fear hide your potentials and talent. Fight the fear and move forward. Desire to try and do better is what you need to be successful. Your will power, confidence and hard work is the key to crack the job interview successfully.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

How to make your customer service resume eye-catching?


Person working as a customer service representative has to provide number of services to the customers and resolve their queries. They should have a complete understanding of the subject and should be able to answer any query asked by the customer.
For working as a customer service executive, you need an impressive customer service resume that will highlight all your job specific skills and traits. 
For designing your application, you can also refer the customer service resume examples. These examples will give you complete idea of the details to be included in job applications. Now we will see how you can make your customer service resume impressive and attractive.
Writing an Impressive Customer Service Resume:
More impressive your resume, better are your chances of getting an interview call from the employer. During the interview, you can convince the employers to hire you for the job. Working in this position, you will have to handle numerous responsibilities. For this, you must possess broad range of skill set and list all the necessary skills in your application. Here are some important tips for making your customer service application impressive.
  • If you are an experienced candidate, list your past work experiences and qualifications. Mention the responsibilities you handled for every job position in past. You may not know what skills employer is expecting for the customer service job. Hence, try to include maximum job relevant skills and special accomplishments in your application. 
     
  • List the experiences in chronological order of importance. List the work responsibilities in bulleted points for better readability. Place these details under the position you have help in the past. Emphasize on the duties where you needed to regularly interact with the clients and solve their queries. Show the employers that you possess excellent set of interpersonal skills.

  • Transferable skills are most important for customer service job. Also, don’t forget to mention your computer skills in your application. You will be assisting the client with different application and database software; hence, you should possess excellent computer skills to provide such assistance. 
     
  • If you hold the job specific technical knowledge, you can list it under separate section. Make different sub categories and include the information in the corresponding sections. List all the operating systems you are familiar using and knowledge of different database tools.
One more thing you can do to make your application eye catching is to choose an appropriate format. Most job seekers prefer chronological format for listing the details in their application. This format will make the details readable and easily catch an eye of the recruiter. Also go through some customer service resume examples to get more understanding on writing such resumes.
 

Monday, December 19, 2011

Surviving a Layoff and Explaining it Gracefully on Resume

Layoff on resume


Due to the economic recession suffered by the IT industry in recent few years, many employees were laid off to downsize the company or due to unavailability of projects. Employees are forced to change their jobs during such economic slowdown. Layoff may make a bad impact in your CV and raise the eyebrows of the employers when you apply for the job next time. Not only recession, but there are many other reasons for lay offs. An employee may be fired for not performing according to the expectations or due to misbehavior. Hence, your potential employers will need clarification of the reasons of your layoff. When applying for the job, it is important to design your CV in such way that it makes you the most suitable candidate for the job and provides explanation of your job loss. 
Surviving layoff

How to present layoff in your CV?
There are various reasons for the layoffs. Many times company has to let you go for economic reasons, no matter how good your performance is. Sometimes, your poor performance can be the reason, but you may get prior notice for such kind of layoff. When you are applying for any job after suffering a sudden job loss, it is important to explain your layoff carefully to the employer or you may lose the job opportunity. You may not even be called for the personal interview to prove your suitability for the job. 
Here are certain things that you need to keep in mind while presenting the information of your layoff in your CV –
  • Be straight forward while listing the information of your job loss. Many companies will fire the employees due to the poor economic condition suffered by the company. You will not be blamed for such layoff during your prospective job application if you present these details carefully. Many times companies reduce the highest paid employees or cut down their salaries during economic slowdown. Such fired employees are replaced by the lower paid employees.
  • If your layoff was due to your poor performance, such information in your CV will certainly affect your chances of getting a job. If this is the case with you, you need to hide these details and explain to the employer that there were certain personal reasons that affected your performance. You must also make sure to tell them that these problems do not exist anymore and will not affect your efficiency in the future. The layoff information in your CV should not say anything negative about you. Explain as much as you can about your job loss and convince the employer in a proper way.
  • Even if you are dismissed for bad conduct or poor performance, it is bad idea to hide this fact from employers. Your dismissal will not change your capabilities and experiences. Some people may, however, look at it in a negative way; the layoffs generally don’t affect your performance. You must learn from your past mistakes and understand the reasons for your dismissal and try to avoid them. You can convince the employer by stressing on your work history and your unique skills and capabilities. If your details exactly match the job requirements, employer will at least call you for the personal interview to know the reasons for your dismissal.
Creativity is another best thing to survive a layoff in your CV. Be creative while writing your CV and add the details depending on the position applied for and expectations of the employers. You must not be ashamed of the layoff; rather you can explain the circumstances under which the layoff happened.
You can view open office resume template and resume examples for writing an awesome resume.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Dress For Success-What to wear to an interview??



interview dress

Job Interview Dresses


You should have pleasant appearance when you are appearing for the personal interview. It leaves a first impression on the potential employer and it should be a lasting one. When you enter the interview room, interviewer will initially see your attire and make a judgment about your appearance. Hence, it is important to dress up professionally whenever you appear for any interview. Here are some interview tips for selecting proper attire for interviews.

Attire for Interviews:

Whenever you appear for the interview for any job, it is important to dress professionally. Formal dressing is always recommended for the interviews no matter even if your prospective office environment allows casual dressing. You need to create an initial impression on the employer and proper dressing is the best way to create a positive impact on the minds of the interviewers before starting your communication.
Which is the best attire for the interviews? There is no such perfect dress code for the interviews. Yu must wear the dress that looks formal and perfect on you and most importantly you should feel comfortable in it.
Following are some ideas on dressing for your job interview.

Interview Dressing for Men:
interview dresses for men


  • Suit (or even a formal long sleeves shirt preferably white)-
A candidate wearing a suit will obviously make a better impact on the employer than the candidate wearing a jeans and a t-shirt. Depending on the position you are applying for, you can wear a suit or just a plain, light color full sleeves shirt. Suit is recommended when you are applying for a managerial level or executive level positions.  
  • Dark Color formal pant-
A dark color pant always suits well on a plain, light color formal shirt.
  • Belt-
Using a belt will enhance your personality and provide you better appearance.
  • Tie (optional)-
Tie is optional and it can be used depending on the interest of the candidate.
  • Leather shoes and dark color socks-
Use either black or brown color well polished leather shoes.
  • A neatly set hair (professional hairstyle)-
Set your hair properly with the gel or comb it neatly.  
  • Clean shave-
Clean shave is must before the personal interview.
  • Use mild perfume or deodorant-
  • Trimmed nails.
  • Folder or a briefcase for documents.
Do not carry the bundle of documents. Carry the necessary documents and organize them properly in a folder or a briefcase.
Interview Attire for Women:
interview dresses for women
  • Dark color suit.
  • Skirt should be long enough to sit comfortably.
  • Matching blouse.
  • Professional shoes.
  • Limited jewelry.
  • Decent hairstyle.
  • Light makeup.
  • Apply mild perfume or deodorant.
  • Manicure and clean the nails properly.
  • Carry a folder or briefcase for holding the documents.


What are the things that should be avoided during the interview?
  • Chewing gum.
  • Mobile phones.
  • I-pod.
  • Soft drinks, tea, or coffee.
  • Cover the body tattoos, if any.
  • Piercings should be either removed or hidden.

Tips for Choosing Appropriate Attire:
-When you are expecting to go to an interview, make sure you have an appropriate dress for the interview. The dress should be decent and formal. For men, light color formal, full sleeves shirt and dark color formal pant can be the perfect attire. You can also use a tie on it. The dress should be properly washed and ironed.

-Get the clothes ready a night before appearing for the interview. Keep all the things in place so that you don’t miss out anything in a hurry. Remember to carry a handkerchief and watch while going to the interview. Polish your shoes.

-Use a mouth freshener or a breath mint before you enter the building or the interview room.

All these tips will help in enhancing your personality and improving your appearance when you are appearing for the interview.

Also know the key ingredients that can spoil your resume.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Should You Disclose Disability On Resume Or To the Employer

should you disclose disability
Should you disclose your disability on resume or to the employer?

Many times the question arises in the minds of the disabled job seekers whether to disclose their disability or not when they apply for any job position. Disclosing the disability in the job application is the hotly debated topic among professionals and disability services. As per the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the job seekers with disabilities are not forced to disclose their disability as it can directly question on their performance in the job.The disabilities can also lead to job gaps in your career and so you should know the means to handle them .

When can you talk about your disability?

If you have certain disability, see whether you can work efficiently and perform the necessary functions for the position you are applying for. See if you need any adjustments to work comfortably. Keep in mind that adjustments do not mean in any case for lack of knowledge or skills. You will be hired only if you are appropriate for the position. If your disability is such that it can affect your efficiency at job, you will certainly not be hired for the position.
You can disclose the details of your disability to the employer when you know that it cannot  stop you from performing essential functions of the work.

Disclosing your Disability:

Disclosing your disability can sometimes benefit you while it can sometimes force employer to think of your work efficiency and reject your application. Disclosing these details can be disheartening. Some recruiters may reject you just because of the set notions about the disabled people. On contrary, disclosing the details of your disability can secure you under the discrimination of Americans Disability Act. It can allow you to speak openly with the employer regarding the accommodations and adjustments.
It is a very sensitive issue to handle in your resume. Hence, it is important to follow proper tips and consider various things before you list your disability on CV.

When you wish to list it on your CV, make sure about
  • How clearly you can discuss it with the employer?
  • What will be the effect of your disability on your work?
  • Whether it will affect your performance?
  • What is employer’s attitude towards disabled?
  • Your own comfort and trust levels
  • Accommodation, if required
Consider all these things before you disclose the disability to the employer.

How to disclose your disability?

When you are applying for any job position, the disability disclosure letter should accompany your resume when you send the application. This should include the details as follows:
  • Basic information about the disability
  • Positive and negative effects of disability on the work performance
  • Type of accommodations availed in the past
  • Expected accommodations
Disclosing your disability to the employer is your personal choice. No one is going to force you for it. If you think that your disability cannot affect your performance in job, but mentioning it in the application makes it harder for you to get the interview call, you can surely avoid disclosing it. It is also not a good idea to hide it completely from the employer. Instead, you can discuss about it with the employer during the face to face personal interview, where you can also convince them that this disability will not affect your efficiency. You can take a glance at  open office resume template .

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Achievements and Accomplishments-How To List Them On Resume To Leave An Impressive Mark



Achievements and Accomplishments
How to effectively list achievements and accomplishments on resume to make an impressive mark?

Resume is the document for promoting you in the job market and hence it should impress the employer at first sight. For this, it is important to include the details exactly as expected by the employers. You need to make sufficient research to know the expectations of employers and include them accordingly in your CV. There are various sections in a resume and all these parts are equally important. Here we discuss the importance of listing key achievements in your CV. Going through the abstract you will know how this section helps you in getting to the job interview.  

Achievements in Resume :
Achievement or accomplishments are the short term goals that you have achieved in your previous jobs. Any recognition received from the employers can also fall in the category of achievements. Accomplishment is a significant part of your CV. It explains the employer about your contribution towards the organization and tells them that you are worth as an employee. The credentials and experiences in resume tell to the employer what you are capable of while the accomplishments in CV will tell the employer about how you used your capabilities to achieve the particular feat. Including this section is very important as it increases your chances of getting an interview call.
Now as you know the importance of this part in your CV, you must know how to include it in the CV. There are certain things that should be included and excluded. Hence, know them to make this part informative and attention grabbing.

Achievements can be categorized as professional and academic (see BSR). You can include both these types in your CV.


The professional achievements may include:
  • Exceeding the assigned work targets
  • Received best employee or best performer award Attendance awards
  • Planning and implementing the policies successfully
Academic achievements may include:
  • Awards for Best Student of the year
  • Awards for scoring highest marks in any particular subject or overall performance in an year
  • For conducting the projects, seminars, workshops, etc., exceptionally
  • For winning different interschool/ intercollegiate competitions

There is specific format for presenting these details in your CV. If you are writing an achievement based CV, you need to follow this format. Else, you can just list your achievements in a descriptive manner.

Format for Listing Achievements :
Your accomplishments are divided in three sections to provide better idea of your capabilities to the potential employer.
Task-
[This part includes the details of what all you aimed to achieve working in the position. Talk of the responsibilities assigned to you]
Effort-
[Talk about the efforts you took for completing the assigned task]
Result-
[Provide the end result of your efforts. Explain them to what extent you were successful in completing the assigned task. Also tell how your efforts benefit the organization]

Accomplishments in resume should include all these three sentences. However, this will affect the length of your CV, you can use this format when you have less or irrelevant work experience or you are switching your job field.

This section is usually present after the work experience section in the resume. Knowing the basic tips for writing these details, you can impress the employers by listing your achievements in an impressive way.