Resume Template Download Free

Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume

Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent college grad, your resume is the 'key' to opening the doors of employment. It is an employer's first impression of you and believe it or not, many hiring officials spend less than thirty seconds reviewing it. With only fleeting moments to make a first impression, it is imperative that your resume be organized.

Polish your shoes, practice your handshake, and take note of some tips for creating an organized resume that will catch the eye of even the most weary of HR associates:

• Start by sitting down with your old resume and a timer. Give yourself fifteen seconds to read it. How far did you get? Were you able to read the whole page? Besides 'getting your foot in the door,' your goal is to create a resume that can be scanned top to bottom in less than 30 seconds. It must be organized to punctuate your strengths and highlight your employment-related achievements. Next, give yourself another fifteen seconds but this time skim your resume as if you were the person doing the hiring. What parts stood out? Was it a bold or italic phrase? Was it a tabbed column of words or a dollar sign? Think about what words or sections jumped out at you, circle them in red, and use them within the body of your new resume. For another opinion, take a fresh copy and ask a friend or family member to do the same.

• On scrap paper, create a chart and write all of your past jobs across the top of the page. Below each job title list at least 2-4 duties/accomplishments relating to the position. Analyze each of those and ask yourself: Does this achievement have any relevance to the job I'm now pursuing? Will the reader of my resume be impressed by the money I've saved the company/the body of work I created/the skills I've acquired? If your answer is yes, the next step is to prioritize those duties and/or accomplishments.

For example, let's say you are an administrative assistant listing relevant duties and achievements from your last job. This is your newly-brainstormed, non-prioritized list:

• answered phone calls

• created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales

• coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements

• saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors

Now, take a moment to prioritize your list. Which description should be listed first? Which of the four will quickly catch the reader's eye? Depending upon the type of job you're applying for, if you saved your former company any money or increased their productivity in any way, that fact should be listed first.

Now read the list:

• saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors

• created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales

• coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements

• answered phone calls

Always position your strongest achievement first. Either they'll be impressed and move on or think 'Wow!' and continue reading directly below. An eye-catching first statement will positively affect every statement listed beneath it so choose wisely.

• Use Bulleted Lists. As opposed to a sea of text, a bulleted list focuses the eye to a specific area on the page. They are often used to highlight your accomplishments instead of hiding them within bulky paragraphs.

Example:

Saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors. Created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales. Coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements. Answered phone calls vs.

• saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching office supply vendors

• created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales

• coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements

• answered phone calls

Remember, one of your goals is to make reading your resume as easy as possible. The reader's eye will dart straight to the bullet and focus on what is written to it's immediate right. If you want to hold the reader's attention, use 'action words' (verbs) next to a bullet (see example above). Employing strong action words will assist the reader in visualizing you carrying out those tasks for their company.

To an HR official, an organized resume can be interpreted as the sign of an organized person. An organized person has the potential to have an organized desktop, organized file cabinets and organized work habits. These are skills and qualities that employers desire in an employee. If you can present a company/organization with an organized resume it will put you one step ahead of your less organized competition.

BONUS TIP:

• Do not make 100 copies of your resume until at least one other person has reviewed it for errors and inconsistencies. Five minutes of 'editorial prevention' can mean the difference between getting an interview or getting a rejection letter.

About The Author

Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of Organized Artistry, LLC, transforms 'mess' into 'masterpiece' with patience, organizing know-how, and a sense of humor. For more articles and to get your FREE e-list of 'Top Ten Tips for Organized Living' visit http://www.organizedartistry.com; stacey@organizedartistry.com

MORE ARTICLES:

How Long Does It Take To Write A Resume?
Many people can easily write a resume in just a couple of hours. They can do this by following a resume sample and just writing their information in place of the sample.

The Perfect Resume
The perfect resume presents hiring managers with a four-fold vision of who you are and what you bring to the table: The perfect resume offers Logical Proofs:     Facts Quantifiable data Logical conclusions Achievement and success statements Relevant professional goals/accomplishments Limits the use of jargon Maximizes use of occupation/industry-specific key words Your capabilities and skills Clear, specific, measurable, and quantifiable words and phrases Sells you based on your achievements to date The perfect resume offers Your Vision & Creativity: Balanced white space Visually easy to read A resume style and paper consistent with your self-marketing vision Clear big picture of who you are Sells you based ...

Tips for Making Resume Cover Letters
Resume cover letters are extremely important, though many jobseekers don't fully realize it. A well-written cover letter can mean all the difference in the world, or at least become the deciding factor in whether your resume gets read or cast into the circular file.

Resume Outline - Add Structure & Flow to Your Resume
Building your resume, based on a resume outline will give it structure and flow..

Preparing Your Resume and Cover Letter: What They Forgot to Teach You in College
Congratulations! You have a college diploma in your hand that says you're ready to go out into the working world. You may have maintained a stellar GPA. You may have participated in groundbreaking scientific research. You may have written, produced, and performed an entire concerto. Whatever your program of study, you may feel like your college education has paved the way into the work force. That is, until you realize something: you don't know how to prepare a resume.

Staff Financial Group Launches Videoheadhunter.net, a Video Site Encouraging Job Seekers to Utilize Video Resume Technology and Social Networking Site
Atlanta recruiting firm Staff Financial Group Launches New Website "VideoHeadHunter.net" to assist job seekers in their job search. The site provides video "How to" instructional videos for job seekers. Jobseekers can learn how to use the social networking site "LinkedIn" or watch an excel tutorial on 'how to do a v-lookup". VideoHeadHunter.net also allows job seekers to post video resumes for free.

Sample Resume Objectives: Good, But Summaries Are Smokin!
Since college I've been told that a resume ought to have an "objective statement" at the top. Maybe you've been told the same.

Finally Revealed: The Top 7 Resume Killers?
During my job search I read dozens of books and articles took programs and evensat at the feet of two of the most experienced Human Resource professionals. In afew moments, you will learn the real keys to standing out and rising above thenorm.

National Resume Writers' Association Seeks 2008 Conference Speaker Proposal Submissions
Unique opportunity for professional speakers to present resume writing, business, and career-related topics to more than 100 attendees and gain exposure to 400+ members. Deadline for submissions is June 30, 2007.

Resume Writing
Resume writing can be a daunting task to those unfamiliar with the process, and even to those who are familiar with it. It is important to do your research and make sure your resume writing skills are up to par, but never fear, for there are several ways to accomplish this.

VisualCV, Inc. Offers Seven Award-Winning Digital Resume Ideas
New tool, ideas and examples for showcasing your professional brand online. Get creative to gain a competitive career edge in today's tough economy.

Creating a Winning Resume
Preparing your resume can often seem like a daunting task. You've done your research, but there is so much information, and how do you pick from the countless formats?!Writing your resume doesn't have to be so scary, in fact, if you keep a few simple tips in mind, you'll keep yourself ahead of the competition.

CollegeRecruiter.com First Major Job Board to Kill Resume Searching
CollegeRecruiter.com, the leading job board for college students searching for internships and recent graduates hunting for entry level jobs and other career opportunities, today announced that it will no longer offer resume searching to its clients because of the identity theft and other security concerns affecting the job board industry.

VisualCV and Association of Executive Search Consultants Partner in Application of new Resume Technology
Web 2.0 company VisualCV partners with Association of Executive Search Consultants.