Returning Members   Need a hint?

Designing your resume     Resumes are the traditional ‘tools’ used for many years by job-seekers, to market their interests to prospective employers. All the important information about how special you are is communicated in a way that is very brief and quite impersonal. It still remains, however, a key part of the hiring process at most companies: they want to know what you’ve done and where you’re coming from.       The FIRST STAGE is gathering information about yourself. This is often called the most difficult of all the steps because it requires being honest with yourself. What do you like to do? What kind of environment do you work best in? These questions come before thinking about what relevant experiences you’ve had, or what skills you’ve learned over the years.       The SECOND STAGE of writing your resume is to truly understand what it is the employer is looking for. careerXact helps you understand your personal traits and how they relate to those of top performers in different jobs in different companies and industries, but you’ll also have to follow the more traditional route of researching the position. You can do this through the Internet (Web pages are very rich sources of corporate information), over the phone with someone’s assistant, or even better, talking to someone you know on the inside of the organization. Keep an eye on the newspapers for articles, look through trade journals, or anything that will keep you up-to date with what their company is doing or thinking today, and even more importantly, for the future.       The THIRD STAGE involves combining the first two stages together and adding structure to the resume: First, based on what you think the employer is looking for, decide on your resume’s headings. ‘Education’ and ‘Work Experience’ are two of the most common ones, but you might also want to highlight certain skills that the employer will be looking for, like ‘Experience in the Health Care Sector’ or ‘Communication Skills’. Then start thinking of the reader. Don’t discuss items which are irrelevant to the role for which you are applying. Remember, you’ve only got ‘twenty seconds’. And remember, when you are sending resumes via email, employers usually prefer plain text, with no bullets or fancy fonts – and they usually prefer the resume in the body of the email, not as an attachment. They are far more interested in the content than the presentation. Proof-reading the resume is also an important step.       The cover letter The cover letter puts it all into perspective. It is your personal introduction that explains why you are applying, and why they should look at your resume. It answers the questions: ‘what position are you going for?’ and ‘why are you qualified for it?’ Put very simply, include all the stuff that shows how good you are, and leave out anything that might hurt you. Remember to be to the point.     Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about resumes   How long should my resume be? If a one-pager works for you, then great –- but you may need more than one page to explain your strengths and the relevance of some of your work history. True, careerXact gets your resume to the top of the pile, but you still need to properly explain your skills and past experiences to employers. This means that you might need two pages, in order to explain the relevance of each item. Investment firms, for instance, typically like shorter resumes.       Where should I put references on my resume? These should be located at the end of the resume but many employers prefer a note detailing that references are available by request. Past employers are good to use as references, as are professors – but make sure you ask them first. It is best if they are prepared for a phone call from your interviewer rather than caught off-guard. The latter could make you look bad. Make sure you include your references’ phone numbers.       What should I say in my cover letter? Try to use the particular language that the firm uses. You can find this out if you know someone who works at the company, or investigate their Web site for certain words and concepts that keep reappearing. When wording your Career Objective, you have to walk the fine line between being too exact (eliminatory) and too vague (they might think you are unsure of what you want). You can eliminate the Career Objective section altogether if you cover it in your cover letter. Describe what it is that you actually accomplished and provide evidence. Numbers are good for this reason. If you raised a lot of money, say how much. If you had good grades, say what they were.       How far back into my history should I go? Once again, the question of relevance becomes important. The further back you go, the more relevant the item should be if included. It is also important to explain any time gaps in your work history.       What formatting should I use for my resume & cover letter? Many employers use electronic scanning devices to help sort through the many resumes they receive daily, so your resume should be set up in an easy-to-scan format. Scanning programs have trouble processing graphics, so it’s best to simplify your resume. Most employers prefer that submitted resumes contain no graphics, bullets (use dashes instead), italics, bolded type, nor type smaller than 10 points. The preferred font styles are 11- or 12-point Arial, Times Roman and Helvetica. Capitalize your headings such as EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION, and try to leave lots of white space between sections. Boring is best. If you have any doubts, it’s always very easy to call the company and ask what format they would prefer.