When dealing with any business or individual providing goods or services a transparent image is critical to securing your loyalty and trust as a customer. The notion that they have Nothing to Hide relates to being reputable and honest.

When submitting your resume to an HR Professional or Recruiter this same principle applies and yet over 60% of resumes are purposely submitted with missing dates or career gaps. This sends an immediate red flag! Leaving a blank space is equivalent to saying, ”I’m trying to hide something from you!” Most people will assume the worst when missing information is discovered. The omitted graduation date of 1985 will more likely be presumed to be 1975! Your lack of honesty has tarnished your credibility and the futile attempt to hide your age just added on 10 years!

Many of us learn from an early age that, “honesty is the best policy” and when a professional resume is sent out, nothing is more critical than honesty. Yes, you could argue it was not meant to be dishonest when you intentionally left out the dates or work history on your resume but it is much easier to establish credibility from the start than to take a chance on missing out on the opportunity to defend your reputation after the fact.

The goal for any professional sifting through mountains of resumes is that of elimination in order to establish a reasonable number of potential candiates to interview. Any reason to discard your resume will do. You may believe you are the most qualified of candidates but all studies show a simple typo could result in a missed opportunity! Intentionally leaving out details on your resume will also result in a missed opportunity. Employers are searching for honest, loyal and reputable employees as we are when we make a decision to pay for products or services. Is the potential candidate/product/ service recognized? Is it easy to search and gain valuable information? Are there postitive testimonials available?

There is nothing to hide on your resume. The risk of being eliminated as a potential candidate due to missing information or the risk of discovery at a later date could be devastating to your career.

Email your resume for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.                  

In our complex and ever changing society we sometimes need to be reminded to keep it simple!  When writing a professional resume, the ultimate goal is to entice an employer to read it and inspire them to call you for a job interview. To achieve this you must create a positive impression with an easy to read document consisting of clear and concise information.

HR professionals and recruiters will not allocate extra time to decipher a complex five page document. Your professional resume should be one to two pages and no more than three if experience warrants it. Less is better. It is designed to generate interest to get you the interview, not the job. Concentrate on real skills and accomplishments and avoid irrelevant information, “fluff” or “canned” resume language. If in doubt, leave it out. Keep it factual and quantify your achievements. Where words have the potential to add confusion, numbers offer clarification.

Simple, bold and clear!  The most impressive resume is one that resonates with clarity and confidence. Avoid fancy fonts, artwork borders and underlining. Keep bullets and fonts consistent in size and type. Plain and simple is professional!

In addition to keeping it simple, keep in mind that your resume, although all about you, needs to impress upon the reader that it is all about them, as your resume will be the proof they need to believe that you have the ability to resolve all of their problems.

Take advantage of a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

The top 10 professional resume writing tips offered as we move into 2010 are different from those from ten years ago, five years ago, one year ago and even as little as a few months ago. And for this reason the number 1 resume writing tip is to keep your resume current. Please check the complete list as follows:

1. Keep your professional resume current
2. Include your email address and Linkedin address with your contact details
3. List quantifiable accomplishments, not responsibilities and duties
4. Use your proper name as the file name for your resume when submitting online
5. Do not underline or use unusual graphics, symbols or fonts that could be lost on another system 
6. Be sure to include the significant keywords related to your industry for computer scanning
7. References need to be available online, not on your resume
8. Details on your resume must be consistent with those found on Linkedin, Visual CV, Naymz, Zoominfo, etc.
9. Content should be relevant, concise and list all dates without gaps on one to three pages depending on experience
10. Ensure your file name for your cover letter also includes your proper name and submit it with your resume according to instructions which may require submitting one document rather than two separate documents

Contact Elite Resumes for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

How much consideration have you given to the ROI in hiring a Certified Professional Resume Writer? Any good investment will clearly provide a benefit or a measurable return. Renovations to your house may increase the value of your home or simply provide you with a more comforting atmosphere. Investing in an early childhood educational fund will put your child through university and investing your time to volunteer for a charity event or fundraiser will enhance your self-worth and boost your self-esteem.

Obtaining the services of a Certified Professional Resume Writer, one who’s right for you, can result in a significant return on your investment by increasing your self confidence, reducing your time in a job search and generating several job offers for your consideration. You may have difficulty recalling all of the many accomplishments and successes you have achieved in your career but a professional resume writer will be sure to bring them to the surface to sell you in your resume increasing your self confidence and emphasizing your ROI to a potential employer. An executive job search that is likely to take 12 months could be reduced substantially by investing in a professional resume. Your old resume generated little response but a professional resume will be recognized by Hiring Professionals and Recruiters getting you the attention you deserve. How does that translate to your ROI?

Getting noticed in this highly competitive job market is imperative. A professional resume that makes you stand out could result in multiple job offers and position you to negotiate a higher salary and benefits. What will the value be to you? If a professional resume results in a higher salary and reduces your job search by as little as one month, what is the value to you? The potential for a significant monetary return on your investment in a professional resume is evident but it is also an investment in you, your career and your future and your personal and professional success is priceless!  

Call today for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

Professional Resume Writing - Contact Information

Many critical points are taken into consideration during the creation of a professionally written resume, which are in addition to the compilation of a positive, accomplishment-based history. One of these critical components is a client’s contact information.

It is necessary to include all of your contact data, leaving no secrets. First and foremost is your name, which should be highlighted by using a larger font size than the contact information that follows. Your complete physical home address, including your postal code or zip code should follow. A phone number that will be answered in a professional manner should be noted as either a mobile number or a home number. If you are confident that both your home and cell numbers are equally viable include both numbers. Always remember a missed call could result in a missed opportunity. 

Equally as important as your phone number is your email address. In today’s highly competitive job market, it is critical to provide as many options as possible for an HR Professional to connect with you and make it as easy as possible. No one will take the time to try and find you if you choose to hide pertinent contact information. 

The omission of an email address is sure to result in a lost opportunity but there are other reasons an HR professional or recruiter may discard your resume even if you do include one. These are examples of email addresses that should not be included in your resume: sexyone@aol.com drunk@hotmail.com. A professional resume must have a professional email address so if your current email represents your hobby, dartqueen@sympatico.ca, or hockeyslasher@hotmail.com change it to represent your given name!  

It is not always possible to obtain a new email address if you have a common name without slightly altering it. When doing so keep it simple and clear to those who will be reading it. Consider adding your middle initial or using your first initial with your second name in full. Use your given name, as Jonathon will not be as common as John. Letters are more easily decipherable than dots or dashes, .  -  _  or 11’s and ii’s. Carefully review the email address you are considering by writing it down and keying it in to ensure it will not be easily misinterpreted. If it is incorrectly entered into a data base it is unlikely anyone will initiate the task to pursue a correction.  

Employers are interested in candidates that keep up to date on the latest in technology, media trends and innovation. If you are still using your ten year old email address @hotmail or @AOL, you may want to consider   changing it to @rogers or @gmail. Finally, do you have a Linkedin address? If not, you need one. A Linkedin url is the final and necessary component of your contact information required on a professional resume.

Contact Elite Resumes for further information on establishing your online profile or to acquire a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer!

Professional Resume Writing - What not to do

Your resume is a very subjective document and cannot be perfect in every one’s eyes because not all recruiters and HR professionals share the same opinion. However, there are some points that are shared by the majority of these professionals when it comes to “what not to do” so it is obviously in your best interest to take heed. After all, they are the decision makers. Will you give them a reason to discard your resume or inspire them to call you for an interview?

Michael Stern, an Executive Search Professional, writes,  ”Avoid these deadly job search sins” for JobSeeker Weekly. One of the 8 mistakes listed that are often seen by recruiters is  to submit a 10 page resume and he had this to say, “No one has the time or the interest to read so much about you, so not only is your effort wasted but may count against you. Stick to the salient points. When appealing to busy employers, less is more.” Included in this valuable list of  “deadly job search sins” is submitting documents that others can’t open and babbling on in a job interview.

It is due to the prevalence of critical resume mistakes that there is such a wealth of information available on “what not to do“. By avoiding these mistakes you can create a professional resume and optimize your oportunity to advance in your career.  

To ensure you are not making the mistakes that could cost you a valuable opportunity contact Elite Resumes for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer!

Professional Resume Writing – Hiring a Professional

The number of job interviews you receive, the salary you are offered, the quality of the company and the position will all be influenced by one very critical document, your resume.

Aaron Brooks article, Top Ten Reasons Why Everyone Should have a Professionally Written Resume, as posted by Jeff Bosco at jobsearchsecrets.net offers some valuable information.

Further to understanding the impact of a professionally written resume on your career, is the task of retaining the services of a professional resume writer. One who understands that this document is not simply a comprehensive career history but your most critical marketing tool.  The following points should help you in making this very important career decision:

• Is the individual accredited as a Master Resume Writer or a Certified Professional Resume Writer?
• Will the person you speak with be the one responsible for writing you resume?
• Are you comfortable in making a commitment to enter into a partnership with this person?
• Have you checked their references and personal testimonials?
• Do you feel confident in the individuals knowledge of current trends in the industry?
• Have they offered to provide job search strategies, career advice and networking opportunities?

If you are able to answer yes to each of these questions you have very likely succeeded in finding a qualified professional resume writer and the one who is right for you.

Contact Elite Resumes for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

Professional Resume Writing – Resume Pet Peeves

The importance of a professional resume is easily realized by the number of books that have been written on the subject. Top Notch Executive Resumes, Creating Flawless Resumes for Managers, Executives, and CEOs, written by Katherine Hansen, Creative Director of Quintessential Careers is one of many available providing valuable advice. Katherine Hansen has also written an interesting article, Top 30 Executive Resume Pet Peeves of Hiring Decision-Makers found at Quintessential Careers, which is based on the results of the research she did for her book on executive resumes.  

The following list is the top 10 from the Top 30 Executive Resume Pet Peeves of Hiring Decision-Makers: 

1. Resume has spelling errors, typos and grammatical flaws.
2. Resume is too long.
3. Resume is too wordy, contains too much information.
4. Resume is written in third-person.
5. Resume does not list phone number, only an e-mail address, or has inappropriate e-mail address.
6. Resume contains the personal pronoun “I.”
7. Resume contains a weak objective statement.
8. Resume content lacks results.
9. On the other hand, resume is so full of quantitative data that it’s hard to read.
10. Resume is too general.

In order to impress Hiring Professionals and Recruiters with your resume, be sure to avoid their pet peeves!

For a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer contact Elite Resumes.

Professional Resume Writing – Basic Rules 

Creating the perfect resume is not possible as there are so many decision makers all with varying opinions. Each will have their own personal preferences and perspectives when it comes to reviewing your resume and extracting the information they need to determine if you are a viable candidate to them. A Certified Professional Resume Writer has one goal, and that is to sell you on your resume in a way that will entice the majority of decision makers.  

Personal opinions and perspectives aside, here are some basic resume rules that everyone should follow:

Age, sex, martial status:
In North America, these details should be left out – they have no impact on how you perform your job and can be used for discrimination.

Political or religious affiliations:
I shouldn’t have to say this but we live in a diverse world where people do discriminate. Don’t provide an opportunity to eliminate you from contention purely because of your political or religious persuasions. Do not refer to any religious or political affiliations on your resume.

Volunteer work:
This can be an integral component of a resume, as long as it’s non-political and non-religious. It shows the reader a number of critical attributes about yourself: you are sharing, caring, willing to learn and most of all you give your time for free. What a good message to send to a potential employer!

Hobbies and leisure activities:
Many years ago human resource professionals and recruiters may have been looking to see what you did outside your business life. NO MORE. A resume is a professional, business presentation. Unless your hobbies have a bearing on the position you are applying for, it’s wasted space.

Employer information:
Keep it brief, just provide the company name and location. It’s not acceptable to include the name of your supervisor or manager, their telephone number or address.

Keywords:
It is necessary to include some of your industry’s jargon or buzzwords. It shows that you are up on current trends and technology and can interact well among your peers in their language. More importantly, it is likely your resume will be scanned for specific keywords. A missing keyword could result in a lost opportuntiy  

Compensation:
Leave it out; including this information will damage your chances and possibly eliminate you from an interview. And even at the interview stage, do not initiate any dollar figures. It could easily undersell you or over price you.

Reasons for leaving previous employment:
Your future employer doesn’t need to read on a resume anything about why you are no longer employed with a particular company. Once you obtain an interview, you will be confronted about the reasons for leaving a previous employer so remember, never criticise them.

References:
Not on your resume and do not include, “references available upon request”. This is a given and would be just as redundant as putting the heading, “Resume” at the top of your resume. Take your list of references on a separate sheet of paper with the same heading as the resume and cover letter with you to the interview.

Employment Gaps:
Sometimes this is a controversial subject but your resume is a truthful document and people will take time off for personal, care giving, health reasons or they have simply have been unemployed. Whatever the reason, any employment gap will be seen as  a red flag and without an explanation an employer could come to the wrong conclusion, so account for any gaps in your employment if possible.

These are only a few basic resume rules. Find out if your resume will enitice the majority of decision makers when you send it for a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

Professional Resume Writing – Career Path

Jim Donald, past President and CEO, Starbucks Coffee Company said, “The right career path will bring passion to your job and your life. Look inside yourself and discover the best fit for your unique personality type”.

Knowing the career path that is right for you will also bring passion to your resume! Your focus on specific positions along a clearly defined career path will be enticing to a reader, who is also looking at filling a specific position. The clarity and confidence you exude will have a positive impact on a hiring professional. Your resume is your personal marketing tool and if you are confused or unclear about the career path you would like to follow, it will be difficult to create a resume that will optimize your opportunity to be interviewed.

It  is possible that your passion or expertise will inspire you to pursue more than one direction in your career. If you are equally passionate about two varying positions, it will be necessary to prepare a separate function specific projective for each resume. Although your history in both resumes will be constant, it may still be possible to focus on specific accomplishments that will directly relate to each projective. This will help to present a professional resume that reflects a clearly defined career path.  

Before you start writing your resume or employ the services of a professional resume writer, choose the career path that will bring passion to your job, your life and your resume!

Contact Elite Resumes for your free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.