Creating compelling resumes was the subject of an online chat Wednesday on TBO.com. Natasha Goodley of Barry University's adult and continuing education department fielded questions to help job seekers make a great first impression with their resumes. Here are five of the best tips discussed:
Create different resumes - Jobs in different industries require different resumes. Make your work experience relevant to the industry in which you are applying. Be specific.
Include an objective statement - You should create and include a job objective in your resume that is tailored to the job. Read the job posting carefully and try to use similar language or industry buzzwords in your statement.
Don't include salary - It's best not to bring up salary in your resume or cover letter. Better to say in your cover letter that it is negotiable. That tells prospective employer you're willing to discuss it later.
Explain employment gaps - If you have short employment gaps, you might try to address it in the cover letter. Include long gaps in employment in your resume by describing volunteer work you might have done or an obstacle you overcame. An example is showing that you cared for an ailing parent and overcame the difficulties.
Highlight or downplay some resume items - If you're applying for a job for which you are overqualified, for example, you might downplay your education by putting it at the bottom of the page. Or if you're overqualified in work experience, use only the relevant experience for the job for which you are applying.
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