Resume

[Michie]

My son is wanting some help on a resume. He is applying for a summertime job and needs one. I did a search and it is mindboggleing. Are there any free online resume websites? What kind of format should you use if you email it?

 

[IloveDMB]

I'm working on my resume right now. I have a headache from it, because there are so many things that go into it.

I got all of my information from the Career Services at the college I just graduated from. I am basing my resume on the info that I get from them. I have also let others read my resume as I go.

I don't know about online resources. As far as e-mailing, the advice that I was given was that if it was at all possible, it is better to fax than e-mail. I don't know if this is possible in your son's situation.

Tell your son good luck.

 

[Michie]

I was wondering if would be better to fax than email. I am glad that I am not the only one getting a headache from this. He called me this morning stressed out over, had no idea why, until I started doing searches on it.

 

[minmate]

ILOVEDMB -- me too! (I love dmb! Haven't seen them in awhile and I miss them!)... I actually put resumes together for people... I have found it is one of my talents. I agree that faxing or even mailing is best...

but if you email, then you should attach the resume document to the email, preferable mentioning that it is a Microsoft Word (or Works, or whatever you used), document. I usually have just used the regular body of the email for my cover letter but you could include that as an attachment too... though I think two attachments take too much time for people... they might not open them.... The very best advice I can give is to call and ask for the name of the person doing the hiring... you don't have to talk to that person directly, but if you can email or fax to that person's attention... then you will have a better chance of your resume being seen.

Good luck!

 

[IloveDMB]

Yeah, it's a delightful process. Right now I am getting together people's names because I have applied online for many jobs. But I am going to fax my cover letter and resume to the human resources person at each job as well.

Tell him not to use the auto formats on Word or Works. It is better to format your own to your liking.

And read it over and over again. Have other people read it too. You want it to be as perfect as possible.

 

[pfishgirl]

I agree Fax not email if possible...

also it depends what type of job and the experience he has for that type of job...and does he have any volunteer work that always looks good on a resume..

my ds (14) used is Karate (Black Belt) and all his many many years of cubscouts and boyscouts on a resume he needed for a school project. the teacher told him that stuff even looks good on college applications.. he just recently started volunteering at a youth shelter for abused, neglected and runaway kids...

I bought a $5 cd called (the right resume) from staples

hope this helps a little

Good Luck!!!

 

[disneychrista]

Deffiently attach an email in a word file. As the HR dept for the company I work for I get several (unsoliceted) resumes a week and the ones that come as in line text generally get distoreted in transit.

As to fax vs email. I perfer email. Faxes don't always come over clear.

 

[dash]

I have been applying to jobs lately both through the mail and on-line. I have found (and read) that if you are applying through e-mail, it is best to turn your resume into a PDF file. This is optimal because 1) your formatting will be preserved and 2) anyone can download acrobat reader for free and can open the file. You can download programs from the internet for free that will turn documents into pdf files by "printing" them as pdf. I use pdf995 (you just get a little advertisement everytime you print, but it seems to work well; if you "google" it, you will get the link). As for on-line applications, if you are required to cut and paste your resume into a box, it is best to remove all fancy formatting (e.g. italics, underline, bold fonts etc.). You can use * as bullet points which can help to accent certain points. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions. I hope this helps! Good luck with your job search!

 

[SoonerKate]

Also, if he attaches the e-mail in a word file, DON'T name it anything like resume.doc. Hiring managers get hundreds of them; make it easy for them to pick yours straight out of the pile. I usually go with a format like mynamemydegree.doc or something similar.

If he can convert his resume into a scannable PDF format (run Adobe Acrobat, then Distiller to make it scannable), that's a great way to make sure that anyone can read it and it looks exactly like he wants to. Sometimes different versions of word don't play well together. However, always send a word version, just in case.

Use a common font -- serif is generally preferable to sans-serif for anything that will be printed. I like Garamond or Georgia. (My .doc format is in Garamond, my PDF resume is in a serif font called Sanford)

If he is putting computer program knowledge in a skills section, remember that your resume can be a perfect way to show that you know how to use those programs. If you say you know MS Word, show it! Make sure it's formatted well -- I know more than one person who reads resume with "view formatting" on to see if people do it correctly or fudge it.

Remember -- use active verbs, echo any buzzwords in the advertisement, and quantify anything you can. Don't just say "Excellent oral and written communication skills, " tell them that you've given presentations in front of audiences ranging from 20 to 150 people or written and presented a paper at a conference. Watch to make sure everything is in parallel structure, always from most important information to least important information.

 

[disneychrista]

Also, if he attaches the e-mail in a word file, DON'T name it anything like resume.doc. Hiring managers get hundreds of them; make it easy for them to pick yours straight out of the pile. I usually go with a format like mynamemydegree.doc or something similar.

Deffiently. Name and position would be a good idea.

Example:
DisneyChristaHumanResouceManager.doc

 

[Michie]

Well you guys are way over my head

Is it possible, or would this be tacky, just to send an email and somewhat copy and past your resume?

I know I am always getting documents that I cannot open.

Will be glad when my secretary gets back from vacation.

 

[SoonerKate]

It's possible, but generally not a good idea. It's likely that the formatting will get screwed up and things won't be organized correctly. Also, resumes that are not attached separately can get skipped over very easily. Sending it as an attachment is pretty standard.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

HotJobs.com has a free resume writer with several layouts. When your son completes his information it can be emailed or printed.

 

[disneychrista]

Do not copy and paste into an email. The format will get messed up when it is sent. Have your son write it out in a word document and attach to an email. Personally I hate PDF files my computer just doesn't process them well and it takes forever to print them.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I put my cover letter in the body of the e-mail itself, then attach the resume from Word.

I worked for a temp agency putting all the resumes they received for jobs via e-mail into their database. I can tell you that getting the attached resumes over was much neater and formatted correctly as opposed to the resume builders!! Those things stink!! Some people's info vanished in the process. It was the weirdest thing. Well, the only stranger thing I saw were the scanned resumes. First time for that.

There was one federal job I was reviewing. They said you could either e-mail your resume as an attachment or fax it. They then said that if their fax machine was low on ink, etc. and it didn't come through clearly, you would NOT be notified of that!

 

[Dana49]

As a Human Resources professional, I can give you a few ideas that I personally prefer. I would rather receive a cover letter and resume via snail mail. In the past, I have had problems with both e-mail copies and fax copies. I have never had a problem with snail mail copies.

I prefer a well written cover letter that relates strongly to your background and the position that you desire. Please don't ramble, stick to the subject, and sell yourself to me. I have read thousands of cover letters and I usually can tell who is trying to sell me a story and who isn't. Please be truthful.

Your resume should begin with your name, current address, and phone number. An e-mail address may be listed but it isn't imperative that it appears. Preferably, this should be centered at the top of the document.

The body of the resume:
Objective: Several applicants send a resume, but never state the purpose of the resume. This information should be a brief line or two that states your employment goal.
Employment History: Start with the most recent dates of employment and regress to your oldest. If possible, list months and years of employment. If you only can remember the years, that's fine. State the company that you worked for and the position that you held. List a couple of your main responsibilities. Be brief!
Educational Background: List the educational institutions, whether you graduated or attended, and your program of study.
Hobbies and Interests: Tell the employer what you enjoy doing in your personal time.
State that "references will be provided upon request."
Keep the resume to one or two pages. Anything longer may be ignored.