Resume Writing Secrets

Federal Resume - Part 2

Our website recently ran an article on how to write a header for a federal resume. Today, we continue our discussion by covering the actual content that one should provide on a federal resume.

As we said last time, although a federal resume requires more specific information than a resume for the private sector, knowing how to write a resume in general is still helpful. The federal resume is, after all, basically a more detailed variant of the standard resume.

Now, in addition to standard resume advice, here are tips that are more specific to the federal resume:

1. Aim for about 3 […]

Federal Resume - Part 1

Knowing how to write a federal resume is an important first step for anyone who wants a government job.

Now, we’re not going to tiptoe around it: finding a government job is hard right now. Government jobs have been disappearing since the start of the Great Recession.

At the local level alone, government employment has declined by 535,000 since September of 2008, according to the Department of Labor’s latest Employment Situation report. Just in September, our economy lost 34,000 government positions overall.

In this difficult environment, you need to make sure your federal resume looks flawless whenever you apply for a government position.

First, […]

Resume Writing

Resume writing is an art. Like other forms of art, resume writing is subjective. However, you can make your resume as pleasing as possible to the average hiring manager by following some commonly accepted guidelines. This article will give you 7 resume writing hints to make your resume more attractive.

1. Begin your resume with a clear focus.
You want the hiring manager to quickly understand your profession and capabilities. One way to do this is to center the name of your profession under your name and street address, then follow up with a skills summary. You could also write an executive […]

Personal SWOT Analysis for Resume Writing

As a businessperson, you may have heard of a SWOT Analysis. It’s a planning method used to evaluate a project or business venture’s related Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The strengths and weaknesses are internal to the project or business venture and can be controlled, to some extent. Opportunities and threats are external to the project or venture and can’t be significantly controlled.

In this article, I’m going to tell you my personal experience with a different kind of SWOT analysis I was asked to do as an undergraduate business student. One of my professors invited each student in her marketing […]

Resume and Cover Letter Tips for Gaps in Employment

You’ve been out of work for a long time. Months, years, or even decades. Maybe the recession hit your industry particularly hard. Perhaps you took time off to raise children or care for a sick family member. Or, maybe you became discouraged at some point and threw in the towel. Whatever your situation, you can break back into the job market. It just takes planning and flexibility. This article offers strategies for making a long gap in employment look better on your resume and cover letter.

1. Focus on what you have been doing.
Unless you’ve been in a coma, you’ve been doing something […]

Writing a Resume to Refresh Your Professional Image

Tip #5: Is Your Resume Writing Reflective of your Career Objective

Refresh your resume. If your job search appears stalled, take this time to review your resume and your overall professional image. This includes your cover letter, professional social media sites such as Linked-In, and your professional references.

If employers have already seen your resume and you have not received any responses back, then this might be your cue to give your resume a second look. Check your resume for spelling mistakes, typos, and poor grammar. Those are a definite turn-off to any potential employer.

Do you think your online resume would pass […]