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Resume

5 Tips To Make Your Resume Stand Out

Your resume is one of the most important factors in getting the right interviews and offers. But what should your resume look like? What should it include? Just as importantly, what should it not include? How can you make the most impact with it? To help you answer these questions for yourself, here are five easy tips for a resume that gets the job done.  1. Keep it Short and Simple In an effort to make their resumes stand out, some applicants go to extra lengths to include every accomplishment, every job, or every skill. They may use flowery words or an eye-catching design on paper or in fonts. In general, though, simplicity and directness will reach the hiring manager’s eye more than fluff. Keep your resume as short as is feasible. Use bullet points rather than long paragraphs. And use simple fonts.  2. Pick the Right Order What order should you use to list your jobs, experience, accomplishments, and more? Chronological order is best for most resumes. Your most recent skills and training are usually the most relevant to today’s workplace. However, there are exceptions if you are an older worker, new to employment, or have gaps in your resume. These applicants may want to highlight their skills rather than the order of their jobs.  3. Know What to Customize Once you craft a resume, your work is not done. Make yourself stand out by customizing some of that resume to each job you apply for. This takes extra time and energy but helps you stand out better. Make this customization work easier by identifying and limiting where you make changes each time. This turns your original resume into a template with specific areas you adjust as needed. For example, you might only need to personalize the beginning summary and a few bullet points in your most recent job to tailor it to a specific skill set. Keep a list of bullet points you can interchange as needed.  4. Make It Tangible Employers want tangible, identifiable accomplishments rather than just a list of job functions. Begin with a short summary of what makes you the best candidate. This is just a sentence or two at the top of the resume, which highlights your experience and skills. Consider this a short sales pitch that whets the appetite for details to come below.  When describing your skills and experience, use action

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How Many Years Back Should Your Resume Go?

Your resume is your primary tool for showcasing your talents and experience to potential employers. As such, you want the resume to offer a detailed overview of the skills you’ve developed throughout your professional career and any certifications or qualifications demonstrating your commitment. However, as much as you want your potential employer to be aware of all your impressive accomplishments, there has to be a limit on how far back you should go with your resume. So, how many years of experience should you include on your resume to make it effective? Read on for insights into how to organize the content of your resume. Why Should You Limit How Far Back You Go On Your Resume? Employers often look at hundreds of resumes, so they only have time to review the most critical points you want to make. Therefore, the longer your resume gets, the less likely that recruiters will have time to read through it all and get a complete understanding of who you are and what you can do. When you limit the years you go back on your resume; you can only provide the most relevant and impactful information about what makes you a great candidate. Also, you create room for the most exciting and impressive qualifications so recruiters can get a full sense of who you are. Think of age discrimination when you organize your resume. For example, many employers are looking for candidates who are up-to-date on current technology and trends. Conversely, employers may be hesitant to hire someone with a lot of experience in an outdated field. You can avoid age discrimination issues by omitting old positions and certifications that don’t reflect where you currently stand. How Far Exactly Should You Go Back On Your Resume? The best answer is 10-15 years at

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5 Ways to Boost Your Confidence Before Interviews

Most Americans find interviews challenging. If you haven’t interviewed in a while or you haven’t done many interviews, this challenge only becomes harder. One thing that can help you find success in your upcoming interviews is to develop the right amount of confidence in yourself, in what you have to offer, and in being the best candidate. How can you develop this confidence before interviews? Here are five steps anyone can take. 1. Research Common Questions One of the biggest worries for many interviewees is knowing how to answer the interviewer’s questions. The good news for today’s workers is that you can find lists of common interview questions online and through staffing agency personnel. Write down some of these questions and make a plan to answer them. Avoid making complete scripts, though, and instead write down and review main ideas or bullet points. 2. Have Practice Sessions Recruit a family member or friend to help you with some role-playing. This may at first seem uncomfortable or unnecessary, but you’ll get a lot out of having to verbalize your thoughts out loud. Give your mock interviewer a list of common interview questions and have them pick and choose from these — and add some of their own follow-up questions. If possible, do more than one mock interview with different interviewers, or even with more than one interviewer. The more you go over your own thoughts in advance, the more confident you’ll feel during the actual interview. 3. Learn About the Company Can you research the company you’re going to interview with? If you haven’t done so already, look for information about them online, through the staffing service, or through your network of contacts. Learn what they do or make, what the company culture is like, what their mottos are, how large

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6 Tips for Finding a New Job

Finding a new job can be daunting and overwhelming in the increasingly competitive labor market. However, preparing adequately for a job search can make the process less challenging and strenuous. Whether you are hunting for a new job, looking for a side hustle, or changing your career to get a better fit, these six tips will make the job search more effortless and fun.

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Remember These 5 Things on Your Job Search

Unemployment can be stressful and uncertain. If you have bills to pay and people to provide for, you’ll need to get back into the workforce as soon as possible so life can get back to normal. On your search for new employment, remember these tips to find a job that will not only pay your bills but give you work in which you can take pride. 1. Know What You Want You won’t find a better time than your period of unemployment to evaluate what you know how to do, what you enjoy doing, and what you’re capable of pursuing in the future. Being jobless allows you to reset and determine the kind of job you want to do for the foreseeable future. You will find it much easier to narrow down where to apply and what companies to work for if you have a grasp of the kind of job you want. 2. Research and Specify Once you know the kind of work you’d like to do, find the companies that want to hire in that area. If your resume and interview seem tailor-made for the spot they need to fill, you’ll make a good impression on the recruiters and people in charge of hiring. Your task is to make sure that’s what they see. Look into the company before you send in your application, and reword your resume as necessary to present yourself as the perfect fit. If you make it to the interview stage, you’ll need to do more research before you go in. The more you know about the company and the position you want to take, the more you’ll show your interviewer that you’re ready and able to fill it. Prepare yourself for the questions they may ask, and have a few of your own

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Long Gap in Your Employment? Resume and Job Hunting Tips

If you haven’t held down a traditional job for some time, reentering the workforce can be daunting. Even skilled, experienced workers may wonder if they will be able to secure good positions if they have large gaps in their employment or aging skill sets. What can you do to avoid these problems? Here are a few tips you can use right away.

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Interview Attire: Tips for Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Job interviews are nerve-racking for many people, especially when they really need or want the position they are interviewing for. Confidence in how you look can go a long way in calming pre-interview jitters. Here are some tips to help you dress for success so you can make a lasting first impression as you apply for your dream job.

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Does Your Resume Need an Update? Here’s Why It’s Smart

Your resume is your foothold into the business world. A good resume helps potential employers know who you are, what your work experience is, and what your skills are. In fact, most white-collar jobs require you to submit a resume along with an application. And while blue-collar, retail, and trade jobs might not expect you to provide a resume, it can increase your chances of getting the job you want. Whether you’re content working at your current place of employment, or you’re desperate for something new, you need to update your resume regularly. Learn exactly why you should adjust your professional biography.

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