10 steps to an effective paper resume |
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Resume and cover letter strategies that help you land the perfect job
Use the best quality matching paper - envelopes - business cards
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1. Focus your search on 10 to 20 companies where you would like to work and where you realistically expect to have the required skills. Do some research. Personalize your resume to each of these prospective employers. Always be truthful, and try to find places to align your interests with that of the company. Your Personal Interests or Hobby section is a good place to drop in these tidbits. Tailor your Objectives and Skills or Experience sections of your resume to each of these companies you contact. |
2. Pepper your cover letter and resume with the key words used by the company in their employment notice. If they say they are seeking a “motivated self-starter,” as an example, tailor your resume to mention those words where appropriate. Don't overdo it. Be observant. Read carefully and understand what the company is saying in its ad. Try to answer the ad.
Here's some standard formatting advise; its boring but important.
3. Select an appropriate resume template
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Use standard fonts; Arial, Helvetica or Times Roman are best because they are easy to read and familiar to most people. Don't get cutesy or dramatic with fonts.
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Use paragraph fonts in size 11 pt. and heading fonts in 14 pt. These will be easy to read and scan.
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Use a good quality resume paper. Don't skimp and use whatever paper is available. Give this choice some thought, and it will represent the quality and thoughtfulness you will bring to the job.
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Use one-color black printing. Again, this will be easy to read and scan.
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Do not get decorative or whimsical with design. Unless of course the ad you're answering states "Looking for a decorative and whimsical person to..." When prospective employers are reading resumes, almost nothing is worse than seeing cute designs, balloons, etc. Present a serious and professional resume that says you will be a serious and professional employee.
Make your resume an easy and logical read
4. List your job history in order of relevance, your most recent experience on top. Be brief yet descriptive. Be prepared to support your statements. When you say, "I created X program, or I worked on X project," be prepared to be specific on what you did exactly and with whom. Don't overstate your role; prospective employers can see through this tactic. As you write your resume, imagine you are in front of a potential employer discussing your resume and that you're comfortable with what you're saying.
5. Always include a cover letter. Your cover letter should be well constructed to match the needs of the company. Tell the prospective employer why you are applying for the job. HINT: Because you have the skills they need, you will help enthusiastically fill the position, and they will enjoy working with you because of your strong work ethic and skill set. Remember that while you are trying to land the job, this conversation is about the company and what it needs rather than about you and what you need.
6. Make sure your cover letter and resume are on matching, good quality resume paper.
Use white or off-white colored paper as these colors look professional and scan well if needed.
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Use paper with a nice touch and feel; cotton or linen textured resume papers provide this. Use premium watermarked paper when possible as this paper gives your resume and cover letter a more formal and professional look. House your resume in a good quality presentation folder to show your skills in presentation and organization. It's hard to throw out a nicely presented resume package.
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Be sure the production quality of your resume and cover letter are top-notch. Print your resume using a laser printer or high quality inkjet, (always use the top quality print settings) and make sure the print is crisp and aligned squarely on the page.
7. Proofread. Have a second or third person proof your resume and cover letter. Do not submit anything to a prospective employer with grammatical or spelling errors. Grammatical and spelling errors will leap off the page when read by prospective employers and will reflect poorly on you.
8. Send both an email and paper resume, with a cover letter, with every job application. In your email submission, state that you will follow up with a hard copy. A resume and cover letter of two to three pages (24 lb. to 28 lb. writing weights) can be folded and mailed in a No. 10 business stationery envelope. Do not staple these pages together. Greater numbers of pages should be mailed unfolded in a 9 x 12 envelope, ideally housed in a presentation folder.
9. If you do not get a response in three to four days, send another paper resume and cover letter. Attach a note (handwritten if you have reasonable handwriting) by paper clip (not staple) to the cover letter. Briefly state that this is your second submission of your resume and that you are very interested to learn more about this position and how you can help the company achieve its goals. Be brief and never ask why they haven't contacted you.
Last important tip. Follow-up your interview with a brief thank you note, highlighting an aspect of the job where you think you can be effective and help the company or highlighting some aspect of the position or the company you found interesting. Keep your comments on a professional level. Be sure to get business cards from those you meet, or at a minimum, make sure you have the proper spelling of their names and titles. During the interview, be prepared to take notes. Have a pen and paper ready.
Good luck and happy hunting.
Please let me know, Brian Cowie, if you find this helpful and share your job hunting stories. |
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