Resume tips that work to find you the job you want

So you have decided it’s time to find a new job and you need to develop a resume. Where do you start?

Firstly, it’s important to have a career goal or position in mind when you develop your resume. A generic resume is a great start but not likely to get you much notice when you are competing with others.

You need to target your resume to the job you want, and then make sure you detail all of the skills you have that are appropriate for that industry. Most job ads list the skills they are looking for along with the qualifications. Make sure your resume is targeted to these specific qualifications for maximum effect. Online research can also get you the information you need.

So you now know what employers are looking for but how do you start to detail the experience you have? Pull out your current (or former) job description if you have one. It’s a good starting point and can give you some key words to use.

As much as possible detail your accomplishments rather than just listing the duties. For example you might say “communicated with customers” but “produced a monthly newsletter for business clients detailing current products and services” might get more attention. Or “worked as team player” could also be stated as “worked with a committee of co-workers to organize the annual company picnic including food vendors, and games for the children.”

Once you have all of your information together you will need to decide on a resume style or format.  Keep in mind that your resume should be limited to just two pages. Opinions on resumes vary. Seek out help from an Employment Counselling agency, such as VCCS. Their services are free but their advice is based on experience and knowledge of the local labour market.