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What makes a good resume?

With any resume, there is no set rules or guidelines to follow. Each resume needs to be uniquely written for that particular person. A student resume will be structured and written totally different when compared to a senior resume. The number one mistake I see on a resume is a lack of achievements. With competition for jobs so fierce, it has never been more important to stand out in a crowd, and there is no better way of doing this than by emphasizing your achievements and the values you can bring to your next job.

Is there a certain way to write a resume?

Traditionally speaking, there are three alternate resume formats. The chronological resume is the most commonly used resume format, and it is straightforward, and easily traces a candidate's career path and progression in a given field. There is also the functional resume, which highlights an applicant's specific experience and skills rather than a chronological listing of work history experience. A functional resume is often used to emphasize or de-emphasize specific experience. A combined resume emphasizes a little bit of both. As is always the case, the most important aspect of any resume is to ensure that it grabs the reader's attention immediately. Statistically, a hiring manager will spend less than 10 seconds reading a resume before deciding whether to keep reading or delete, so make sure your most important information is on the first page in immediate eye view of the reader!

What about cover letters - How important are they?

Without a doubt, a cover letter is as important as your resume - if not more important! The presence of a cover letter shows a genuine interest in a job position because you actually took the time to write it. More importantly, the cover letter is the first thing a hiring manager will read. Once you pass the cover letter stage the hiring manager moves onto the resume. Pass this stage and you get the interview. Remember - your cover letter lets you explain certain things that your resume cannot. If you are looking to change industries or roles, the cover letter is the perfect opportunity for you to let the reader know what you are looking for.

How important is using a professional resume writer?

This is obviously an easy question for me to answer! But here is something to think about ... how many times have you picked up a magazine while waiting for an appointment and flipped through the hundreds of pages of articles? How long did it take you to decide whether or not to turn the page?

This is the exact same scenario with your resume—it can be discarded within a matter of seconds. When applying for jobs, you can be assured that 50% of all the other applicants have similar skills and knowledge. So how do you make your resume stand out from the others? How do you ensure that you’re at least given the chance to present yourself in person?

Your resume is a marketing document, a convincing reason to want to meet with you for an interview. Without an appealing and marketable resume that contains information employers require, you will not get the job you want. While you may feel that you are a perfect fit for a job, it means absolutely nothing if you don’t have a convincing resume that is written, structured and formatted correctly.

A well written, formatted, structured resume you will get more calls, more interviews and find a new job faster… guaranteed!

Just like you would call upon a professional builder to help construct your house or a professional mechanic to repair your car, you need a professional resume writer to help you get a job and also aid you in adding money on to your annual salary.

Gavin's photo

Gavin is the founder of RedStarResume, the number 1 online resume business helping students, graduates and professionals with their resume and cover letter writing.
With direct experience in recruitment, a vast knowledge of “buzz words” and “keywords”, and a genuine passion for helping clients, the team at RedStarResume will help you gain an advantage over the competition to greatly improve the chances of getting hired. Guaranteed!

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