Employers can search resume banks looking for criteria which meets that which they are looking for and can lead them straight to you, making your quest for work a lot easier. The quality of resume banks differs, with some offering only a very basic service free of charge when posting, while others offer a more complete service but charge.

The biggest challenge when trying to decide whether or not to go with a resume bank is choosing the right one for your needs and also one which is successful and has a good track record in matching prospective employers with candidates, in the type of work you are looking for. To help you on your quest find listed below some helpful hints and advice in what to look for when choosing the right resume bank.

* Does the resume bank specialise in certain areas or do they have a broader scope? – there are some resume banks which specialise in certain fields more than others, make sure the resume bank has a wide and varied scope when it comes to attracting employers.

* How big is the talent pool for the resume bank? – does the resume bank have a large or small pool of resumes, resume banks with larger pools will attract more employers than will smaller ones, also employers are much more likely to check larger pools on a regular basis than they are the smaller pools.

* What is the estimated number of employers in your field of work who have searched the bank? – obviously the larger the amount of employers who regularly use the resume bank looking for candidates in your field of work, the better the chance of you finding a position.

* Are the employers allowed direct access to the resume bank? – some resume banks use third party recruiters to search the resume bank on behalf of the employer, if you can you should choose to go with a resume bank that allows employers to do a direct search for potential employers.

* What kind of feedback does the resume bank offer? – resume banks that offer feedback which tell you how many times your resume has been viewed are preferable to those who don’t give you feedback. By giving you feedback you know that employers are looking even if you haven’t got a position yet.

* How successful has the resume bank been in the past? – of course there is no guarantee that any references the site puts on show to give you an indication of how successful they are, are true but look for one that gives recent facts and figures giving you guidelines.

* What kind of support does the resume bank offer – look for customer services with telephone numbers and e-mail addresses where you can contact them with any queries you might have. Preferably choose a resume bank which offers a good service and includes giving you feedback by way of e-mail reports on a monthly basis.

While the chronological resume is the one which is more widely used than other forms, your particular situation might warrant another type. Once you have decided which resume is the right type for your situation then comes the hard part writing your resume and getting it onto employer’s desks. Here are the five different formats which are used.

The targeted resume

This type of resume is suited for those of a particular industry or a specific career objective, the contents of this type of resume should focus on your skills, qualifications and any experience you have which relates to a particular field or career objective.

The inventory resume

This type of resume is a more general resume in that it doesn’t need to target a specific industry or career objective; it should highlight your achievements, skills and qualifications in a more general way and can be reused by re-printing several copies for distributing to more than one company.

The chronological resume

This is the most frequently used type of resume and should be easy to read and should list your achievements, skills and qualifications in order from most recent to older, it is one which most employers prefer as all the newest information should be at the top of the resume and this is what employers usually look for first. If you are unsure of which format to go with then this resume usually suits most needs.

The functional resume

This type of resume will have your achievements, skills and qualifications listed at the very top of the resume regardless of whether they were in the past or present and are used to highlight your achievements and show what you are capable of; it is one format which isn’t highly regarded by employers.

The combination resume

This type of resume takes the best from all the above listed formats and combines them. You should list your skills, achievements and qualifications in chronological order at the top of the resume and then follow up this information with your employment history and any other statements or information which you think are relevant to the position on offer.

Resume writing software

If you can afford it then choose a good resume writing software package, the more costly packages are a full job-hunting tool. The software will allow you to write you resume, distribute to online banks, keep track of where you posted it and when, write cover and thank you notes, an address book and have virtual reality built in which allows you to practice for interviews.

Use a resume writing service

For a more professional resume then you could choose a resume writing service, a full service will write your resume for you while some will go over a resume you have written and correct any mistakes or point out areas in which you could do better.

Remember which banks you submit too

If you are submitting your resume to several resume banks then write down or bookmark where you have submitted too, by keeping track you wont be submitting to them again which will save time and effort and you will be able to go back to the sites and check, modify or remove your resume if and when needed.

Remember to update your resume on a regular basis

If your resume is continually being overlooked then the reason it may be overlooked is because it is older, regularly check sites you have submitted your resume and update it. If you haven’t got any new information to put on the resume then just alter the wording around a little. Most sites should have an edit option and this will then flag the resume as being updated or new which could attract an employer’s eye more than one which has been sitting around for a while.

Never use abbreviations

Never be tempted to use emoticons, shorthand or abbreviations in your resume, always make sure the resume looks clean and professional looking, never highlight words by using italics, bold or capitol letters and leave spacing between paragraphs.

Choose one of the more well known sites

There are a lot of websites offering to post your resume online for you but some are more successful than others, always choose the more well known and popular sites which advertise their services widely. Employers are more likely to visit those sites which advertise on radio broadcasts, newspapers and TV than the smaller ones.

If you have done a good job with your resume and have impressed the interviewer enough to secure an interview, then you can include another weapon in your arsenal to back up any claims you made in your resume, a portfolio.

What is a portfolio?

Your portfolio can be as extensive as you want and it can include all your achievements in past work you have done, this could be work in the classroom, volunteer and internships, all neatly combined together and presented in a neat package.

You can then take your portfolio with you when attending the interview and present it to highlight and back up any claims you have made in your resume, or if the interviewer asks you questions relating to your achievements. A portfolio will also help to draw the attention directly from you as you can present it while answering questions which can greatly ease stress during the interview.

What should I include in my portfolio?

You can include any papers, certificates or presentations and DVD material which you have done relating to the type of work in your portfolio, a well-presented portfolio will highlight your organisational skills as well as your written communication skills.

Any brochures or advertising material you have worked on can also be included because your portfolio is only limited by your imagination and it is the perfect way to get a point across as you can include a lot more information in than you could in your resume.

Think of your portfolio as an extension of your resume and the same care and attention should be paid when designing and putting it together as you did with your resume.

While a portfolio is not essential, by taking the time and preparing one it will show that you are willing to go that one step further and put in the time and effort, which the interviewer will favour and it could mean the difference between getting the position and not.

The employer won’t want to go reading through a couple of pages or more for each resume they receive, they simply haven’t got the time. Keep your resume short, preferably no longer than one page and keep it organised and to the point.

Essential tips for the perfect resume

* Include your full name.

* Include your landline and mobile phone numbers for contact.

* Include any previous work experience.

* Include any qualifications you have received in order by latest date.

* Include short references from previous employers.

* Include any language skills or technical skills you think are relevant or that make you stand out from the rest.

These are the essentials that go towards making a clear and concise resume, you should always make it easy on the eye and clear to read or leaf through while highlighting your best qualities and achievements. Other tips for a good resume are:

* Keep it short and simple – a lot of employers might not even bother to read your resume if they have to leaf through several pages.

* Always start with your most recent history – this is what most employers will be interested in, they wont be concerned how long you worked in MacDonald’s for when you first left school, the most recent history should come first.

* Consistency – consistency is essential, keep the style and fonts the same throughout with no fancy fonts and keep an eye on points such as dates, for example if you start out writing them in the form 07.12.62 then don’t suddenly switch to 7th December 1962 half way through.

* Take care with the layout – you should leave some space and good margins at the sides, top and bottom.

* Good presentation – when you print your resume out check to make sure there are no mistakes and that the fonts are clear and easily readable only use the highest quality paper and ink.

* Listing previous experience – When listing previous experience mention what you gained from the job, what you enjoyed about it and how you contributed towards it.

* Special skills – If you have any special skills in computing, using software or any other skill you think is relevant to the position or might impress then mention them.

* Don’t over inflate your achievements – while you want to show yourself in the best possible light you also don’t want to come over as bigheaded, state what you are capable of but don’t overdo things.

1) Don’t share everything – you always want to show yourself in the best possible light you so you should always avoid any mistakes you have made in the past, particularly those when you first started work so you shouldn’t include these on your resume. These shouldn’t be mentioned unless of course the interviewer asks you a direct question relating to them which you cannot avoid. If this is the case then try to turn it into a more positive thing by showing what you learned from your mistake.

2) Don’t reveal your age outright – a sad fact is that age does sometimes count against you; this could be because the employer is looking for a younger person or they want an older person with more experience. Unless the position specifically states that the position is more suited to a person with experience or a younger person then don’t give any indication of your age on your resume.

3) Don’t include a huge list of hobbies and interests – while you can include some interests and hobbies particularly those which might help your situation, for example if you are a computer buff and the position relates to IT but you shouldn’t get carried away and list everything you are interested in.

4) Tailor objectives to meet the company – you should make your resume personal, don’t just use one single resume if you are looking for work in any field, tailor your resume to match the requirements to those the company is looking for.

5) Only list your most recent positions – if when you first started work you flitted from job to job then don’t list them all, the employer could see this as a sign that you lack commitment to stay with a company.

6) Don’t include any information that could be seen as controversial – an example of this is sexual preference, religious beliefs or your political beliefs.

7) Don’t go into great detail regarding your high school achievements – listing everything you did in school is pointless, particularly if you went on to higher education, most potential employers wont be interested in what you did when you were in school.

8 ) Don’t brag – while you should show yourself in the best possible light you don’t want to come across as being big headed, by all means you should include and skills, awards, achievements and certificates you have gained but state them factually and don’t brag about them.

Make clear headings

Once you have got all the relevant information together then its time to practice putting it all together, many people find it takes several attempts to get their resume perfect so don’t be discouraged. Choose headings such as achievements, skills, honours and activities, once you have this then start listing your information clearly under each heading.

Match what the employer needs with what you’ve got

Make sure that you list all the experience, skills and achievements you have made than relate them to the position you are going for. If you have had any special training and have attended courses then list these too, examples of this could be any language skills you have, computer software training in office software or programming.

Place emphasis on your skills

Pay special attention to any details that emphasise your capabilities and skills which relate to the position on offer, if you have done your homework you will know the company and what they expect to achieve in the future, so work this to your advantage with skills you have previously earned.

Choose your words carefully

Make sure that you make good use of active verbs which describe your achievements and yourself in a positive way, great positive words which you could use are resourceful, capable and analytical.

Double check the presentation

Once you have completed your resume, make sure you go over it with a fine toothcomb and check the spelling, punctuation and also the overall presentation of it. Make sure all fonts are clear and easily readable with good spacing and margins on the sides, top and bottom. When you are ready to print, use only the best quality paper, preferably pure white and good quality ink. When you have printed your resume, re read it to make sure fonts show clearly and check again for spelling mistakes.

Give your resume a trial run

Make good use of reliable and honest family members and friends, once you have written the first draft of your resume ask them their honest opinion about your resume and be prepared for their honest advice and if necessary to make changes. Once you have corrected then ask them to re read again, you could also ask them for their input as you might have missed something which they think could improve the overall appearance or quality of your resume.
Getting started with your resume
Home
8 mistakes NOT to make on your resume
5 mistakes commonly made during interviews
A guide to writing a successful resume
Key strategies for a successful job interview
Overcoming nervousness during job interviews
Planning a strategy for job hunting
Putting together a portfolio
Recovering from a disastrous job interview
Selling yourself through your resume & at interviews
Submitting your online resume
The different types of resumes
The top 10 qualities that employers look for
Tips for students & third party recruiters
Tips for successful job hunting
Tips when attending behavioural interviews
Understanding the interview process
What are the benefits of using a resume bank
What is the difference between a resume and a CV
Writing a successful cover letter

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