22 Dec 09 Handling The Hobby Section Of Your Resume

The hobbies section of your resume can be a tricky one. Because the main importance and the way you are being judged is resume wording and style, hobbies should be handled carefully. While most people will be scared off adding a hobby section to their resume, you really shouldn’t be. As long as you know what to write, the hobby section can be another way to sell yourself. Another great little window into why you’d be a better employee than the other applicants as it were.

You should absolutely use your hobbies to illustrate skills that you have that can come in handy on the job. So only use hobbies that apply to your career, so to speak. If you play videogames a lot, you’re going to have trouble making that one come through, so an employer gains more interest in you. So stay away from hobbies like that, and stick to outgoing proactive hobbies. Anything that gets you out, as a positive force, and that likely showcases your leadership or problem solving abilities.

Remember to keep your hobbies job related, otherwise you’re just wasting space and an employer’s time, with content that doesn’t matter to them. The idea of this section is to help them learn about you, and why you would be a fantastic employee. So limit your hobbies to 2-3, so that you have a short but informative section. This is just a little place to sell yourself, don’t drone on for too long.

That can’t be stressed enough, you absolutely don’t want a large hobby section. Otherwise the rest of your resume will look worse off because of your hobbies. Also, never let your hobbies section be the reason your resume spills over to a second page. You want to keep your resume at page length, and if you can’t do that with a hobbies section, it’s better to go without.

Tags: Career, Drone, Handy, Hobbies, Hobby Section, Informative Section, Job Related, Leadership, Reason, Resume, Showcases

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04 Dec 09 Avoiding Resume Mistakes When Job Hunting

Hunting for work means writing, or updating your resume numerous times. Especially if you want to apply for a broad range of jobs, and increase the likelihood that you’ll be chosen for one. The importance of personalizing your resume cannot be understated, especially if you want to stand out from the crowd. But in addition to avoiding writing mundane formatted resumes, here are a few more pitfalls you’ll want to side step.

Make sure your resume is properly up to date. The last thing anybody wants to see is an old resume that you’ve been using for a few years. That shows no initiative, a lack of effort, and will reflect poorly on your work ethic. You definitely don’t want a potential boss counting strikes against you before you even have a chance to interview.

Keep your resume professional. While I always stress making your resume unique and tailored to each job that you apply for, don’t step out of the professional mold. Keep your font generic and readable, and stick to the standard resume format. Just tailor the information to each job that you apply for. That’s the best way to make a great impression.

Don’t send your resume without a cover letter. The cover letter is the standard starting point of any application, and a resume sent without one is incomplete. The resume only serves as a list of professional accomplishments and goals, the cover letter is where you put these into perspective with your personality. The cover letter sells you, and shows that you are the best employee for the job. Take advantage of the opportunity.

Finally, make your objective statement absolutely clear. You have to have a clear cut idea of what you intend to give, and get from the job you are applying to get. This is extremely important to a potential employer, so you want the statement to be as clear and understandable as possible. You wouldn’t want someone tripping over the first, and most vital part of your resume.

Tags: Boss, Cover Letter, Crowd, Initiative, Job Hunting, Likelihood, Mold, Objective Statement, Personality, Perspective, Pitfalls, Professional Accomplishments, Resume Format, Resume Job, Resume Mistakes, Resumes, Send Resume, Side Step, Strikes, Work Ethic

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20 Nov 09 Practice Before An Interview

If you have an interview coming up, it definitely couldn’t hurt to practice. In fact, practice before every interview is a good idea, no matter the circumstance. Through practice you better prepare yourself, increasing your likelihood of getting the job. Of course you can’t know what questions you’ll be asked beforehand, but you can be ready for anything with a good warm up.

Remember to do your research. That should be a part of preparation for any interview. Know the company, what you want from them, and why you want to work there. Find out about the services they provide, how they apply to your skills and goals. Those are all very necessary parts of any interview. Being prepared to talk about them beforehand will keep you calm when the subjects come up in the actual interview.

Study yourself. You’d be pretty embarrassed if you were asked a question about your resume, and you were unable to answer. Study that resume, and know it by heart. Consider why you put the credentials you chose on the resume. Knowing this beforehand prepares you for any questions you’ll receive regarding your resume during the interview.

Finally, on the day of the actual interview, take time to unwind and calm down beforehand. You want to be relaxed and confident. So take out a little time for yourself. That way you can collect your thoughts, relax, and keep a positive attitude for your road to securing that job. Stay courteous and professional, and remember your research. That way, no question will stump you, and you’ll answer all of them to the best of your ability.

By preparing you give yourself the best chance to make a good impression. During the interview process, a good impression is invaluable. The best impression you can make will help good credentials stand out, and any shortcomings disappear.

Tags: Circumstance, Credentials, Heart, Interview Process, Interview Study, Job, Likelihood, Little Time, Positive Attitude, Resume, Shortcomings

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04 Dec 09 Avoiding Resume Mistakes When Job Hunting

20 Nov 09 Practice Before An Interview

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