Details like age, ethnic background, religious beliefs, political inclinations, and marital status are not critical in performing a job. There is no need to include these details in your resumes as well as those details that disclose such information.

There have been instances too, when job seekers include a photo of themselves when submitting a resume. Unless you are particularly attractive, this will be more detrimental than having none. Don’t let yourself be judged by looks. Sell yourself with your professional skills and competencies. Photos are not for job resumes, unless required. Modelling agencies often require photos but for the corporate world, photos in resumes are inappropriate.

What about your hobbies and interests? Should you include these in your resume? There have been a lot of contradicting ideas whether to include hobbies and interests or not. If you browse resume samples and resume templates from the internet, there will be some with hobbies and interests as a section while others will not have any.

The decision to include hobbies and interests in your resume should be based on whether it supports your resume objective and whether it will provide more information to help an employer decide your suitability for a role. Information included in your resume should all be geared on showing the employer that you are the best candidate for the job. You are only allowed a few pages to sell yourself. Do it by presenting relevant information.

If you are applying for an entry-level role as a technician in an electronics firm and one of your hobbies is fishing, do you think the employer will be interested in you if you list it in your resume? Certainly not. But if one of your hobbies and interests is assembling and testing electronic circuits or gadgets and you enjoy doing electronic repairs, then it would be worthwhile to mention this relevant information aside from your employment experiences.

Hobbies and interests are best listed in a functional section of your resume. This is particularly applicable in a functional resume format. Taking the example above when applying as a technician, you might have a functional section about “Soldering Ability” or “Soldering Skills”. Under it, you can then provide information on how you mastered this skill through electronics assembly as one of your hobbies.

In closing, hobbies and interests do have a place in your resume. Ensure, however, that these hobbies and interests support your resume objective and help with the performance of the role.

About  The Author

What is a resume?

Generally speaking, a resume bridges the divide between the needs of an employer, and the skills of a job applicant. Think about these two concepts as circles – ideally, a resume can show where those two areas overlap, as in a venn diagram. This is the larger concept of a resume, and hopefully it will help resume authors think in terms of an employer’s need – this skill transfers as well to the job interview. A job applicant cannot sell anything until s/he understands the employer’s need. A job applicant has to listen and be ready.

Read the job posting!

I was originally going to put this section last, but information hierarchy dictates that most people won’t get that far, and even if they did would consider this paragraph unimportant, since it’s at the bottom of the article.Read the whole job posting! Take notes.

Employer need in a resume

What used to be known as the ‘objective’ is now known as the ‘summary’. In periods of job abundance, job seekers could dedicate a section of their resume to what skills they wanted to learn from their employer, what intangible benefits they hoped to gain from employment, etc. Those days are long gone. The summary has replaced the objective. A summary is a paragraph summarizing the job applicant’s skills using the terminology and tone of the job posting. Think about the summary as the place where the job posting shows up strongly in the resume. The summary should be near the top of the resume (just below the name/contact info) and should be two-three sentences long at most.

Employee skill in a resume

The job history, skill and education sections of the resume should show the specific, detailed overlap of employee skill and employer need. These sections are proving the generalities laid out in the summary, using the terminology and tone of the job listing sparingly.

How to write for emotional impact

A resume should sell a story, and should create a vivid picture in a hiring manager’s mind. This happens by writing resumes in a specific way, call Situation, Action, Result, and comes in handy particularly for describing previous employment. The situation is what situation the employee found themselves in. Usually this is implied. Action is what action was taken, and result is the positive benefit of the employee’s action. Result is extremely important, and a well-written result allows a potential employer to see a vivid picture of the employee working successfully in a new job.

Example of Situation, Action, Result

“Created and implemented online marketing program, increasing device sales by 20% in 03Q2010″

“Redesigned process flow of manufacturing line. Detailed analysis showed electricity savings of $300/day in addition to shaving 2 minutes off the production time per item, saving company over $6,000 per day of operation.”

The idea is to not use “I” and instead go right into the verb action to start the sentence. Be sure to use details. Notice how the “Redesigned process flow” never stated explicitly that the process flow needed to be redesigned, yet implied that it did. That is the situation.

Keep employer’s need in mind – always

An employer doesn’t need to know that ‘references available upon request’ – of course they are. Employers don’t need to know about unrelated hobbies, personal idiosyncrasies or anything unrelated to the job at hand. Hiring managers are busy people, and they will give any one resume 8-10 seconds at first glance. So be brief, and to-the-point.

To his credit, Jason didn’t spend a lot of time feeling sorry for himself. Nor did he talk disparagingly about his former employer or manager. Jason’s focus and energy were where they needed to be, on finding his next job.

Today, when I was talking with Jason on the phone, I asked him: “What has been the toughest part of becoming unemployed and starting to look for a job?”

He replied: “It’s first knowing what to do. Do I start networking and calling people to let them know I’m unemployed? Or do I start to prepare my résumé? Or do I take some time off and just relax? Knowing what to do first is the most challenging part for me.”

I told him the reason I asked the question was so that I would be able to offer suggestions to other people who had recently lost their jobs. “I know it has been just one week since you were let go, but what do you think should be your No. 1 priority?” I asked. There was silence for a few seconds and then he answered: “Taking the time to put together your résumé.”

I asked him to explain why. He answered: “Because it’s a confidence builder. When you are let go by a company, it’s easy to forget your strengths and what value you can bring to another employer. But when you write your résumé, you are reminded of your strengths and successes. Updating my résumé reminded me of my achievements. I started feeling good about myself, what I had accomplished and what I had to offer.”

Jason is right. Your résumé is where you need to focus your initial energy. Obviously, you are going to need a resume before you start interviewing. But there also is intrinsic value in how it helps you feel about yourself.

Managers look for job candidates who convey confidence and have a strong likability factor. People who have those two qualities typically feel very good about themselves and what they have accomplished.

A résumé reminds you of your achievements. By reviewing your résumé, writing and rewriting it, you are reminded of the hard work that it took to accomplish them. The more you review your accomplishments, the stronger your confidence grows. The more your confidence increases, the better you feel about yourself. The better you feel about yourself, the more your likability factor increases.

There are plenty of articles and books that have been written on how to compose a good résumé. You can even spend hundreds of dollars and have a company prepare your résumé for you.

But a résumé is more than how it looks. It’s more than facts and figures. It’s more than a written chronology of your career. It’s about how it makes you feel. The more time you personally take to internalize your résumé, the more confident and likable you will be in an interview.

This is not to understate the impact your résumé will have on the hiring manager. Your résumé will tell the hiring manager a lot about your personality. Sending a résumé with typos shows a lack of attention to detail. Sending a résumé with a format that was used 20 years ago shows a lack of interest in staying current. Sending a résumé that is not specific to the job description shows a lack of preparation and interest. The interviewing manager will know a lot about you even before he/she talks with you over the phone or meets with you in person.

But most important is the impact your résumé will have on you. How your résumé makes you feel will have great impact on your confidence level and your likability factor. It’s the first and most critical step in the entire job search process.

There is an old Chinese proverb that says: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Sometimes going through a job search will seem like a journey of a thousand miles. Chances are it’s a journey during which you will experience peaks and valleys.

Every journey has a beginning. The journey for an effective job search first begins with a résumé – a résumé that reminds you of the outstanding qualities and strengths you will bring to your next employer.

By Randy Place

Job Hunting Resources:

Job Interview Guides

Amazing  Cover Letters

The Diy Guide to Writing a Killer Resume

We all want a better job and when it is time for a job change, a professional looking resume could make the difference between a sideways move, or a big promotion and salary hike.

That means keeping track of job listings, networking, tracking down leads, analyzing potential employers and scheduling interviews. But these depend on other people, word of mouth, and the quality and quantity of job postings available at any given time.

Only your resume gives you total control over how you’re perceived by potential employers. It doesn’t have to be a passive job listing with subjective information on why you think you’re a great and wonderful person (which of course you are).

You need a high-impact career marketing piece that takes full advantage of the paltry 10-60 seconds of attention most resumes receive.

Perhaps you don’t think of you’re a very good writer, and just don’t like “writing about yourself.” You’re not alone: even published authors and top-flight executives who visit my office tell me they have trouble writing a decent resume. They also tell me, “My resume isn’t perfect, but I’ll explain myself in the interview.”

However, you may be the perfect candidate for a position and still not get the interview, for no other reason than your resume. Resumes are typically used to exclude people from positions more often then include them; whomever is left in the ‘potential’ stack gets called for an interview.

The bottom line? What employers want to know from each person “sitting” on their desk is: What can you do for me? How can you fill this job effectively? Why should I talk to you?

Use a Profile to Focus on Keywords –

Pre-digest your information; boil it down to keywords related to essential skills and abilities. These can be as basic as sales, marketing, client relations, target marketing, project management, budget planning or forecasting.

Once you have these items, group similar words together and list your level of proficiency, for example:

* Skilled in sales, marketing and new business development, including full responsibility for account acquisition and management.

* Proficient in total project management, from technical staff training to product design, development and rollout in major national markets.

* Comprehensive experience in finance, accounting and C-level audits, including strategic planning, team training, quality control and client relations.

This gives you total control over how you’re perceived by employers. Without this section, you’re basically a victim of your work experience and education, and what if your most recent experience isn’t related to your current career goals?

Consistently Market Your Skills and Abilities –

Steer clear of fluff words such as “Self-motivated, hands-on professional with an excellent track record of…” Let’s face it. The first two items in this sentence could be said about almost anyone. As for your track record, let the employer decide if it’s excellent by reading about your abilities (on top) and your duties and accomplishments (under the Employment section).

This can be the most difficult task on any resume, and it has to be written just right. If it’s subjective or contains ideas that can’t be verified through education or experience, then don’t include it, or you’ll lose your credibility. Consider getting advice from a Certified Professional Resume Writer who typically won’t charge for a review.

A Title or Objective?

Think of a basic Title or Objective for the top of your resume. This is typically very brief, just one or two words: SALES / MARKETING or ACCOUNTING / FINANCE, or something as simple as EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP. Give the reader some idea of where you’re coming from, and generally where you want to go, without blocking yourself from consideration for other positions.

Employment and Education Sections –

Now your writing must consistently verify, support and quantify what you’ve stated in your Profile section. Help the reader actually see you at your last position by spelling out daily duties most relevant to your career goals. Quantify how many people you supervised or trained, explain types of clients you work(ed) with, computers utilized, and most important, results.

What are/were your achievements? Give facts and figures like budget amounts, how much you’ve saved the company over how long, awards, recognitions, etc.

Avoid the ubiquitous “References Available upon Request” at the bottom of your resume. If employers really want references, they’ll ask you. Consider “CONFIDENTIAL RESUME” at the top of your resume, and/or stating this in your cover letter. Always respect the reader’s intelligence!

Research the company’s brochure, annual report and job advertisement, if any, and tailor your resume as much as possible to the position.

Final Thoughts

Although personal networking is the best way to get a job, an excellent resume can open doors all by itself, and is still required in many networking situations. Of course, a brief cover letter should be targeted to the hiring authority whenever possible.

Tell employers what you know about their operation, and why you want to work specifically for his/her company. Make them feel like they’re the only person getting your resume. Consider this: a resume that’s only slightly more effective than the one you have now could help you get a job weeks, or even months faster than your old resume.

Resume writing is an art form in itself, and there are few hard and fast rules. You need a complete, professional job search strategy, and your resume must be a key part of that strategy. When you implement these ideas in the next update of your resume, you’ll almost certainly get more interviews.

Copyright 2008, Steven Provezano

Is there indeed a rule that says resumes should not exceed 1 page? The idea seems to have passed into the job seeker’s folklore, but the source remains obscure. In fact, there are no totally fixed rules about resumes. Of course, it’s recommended that spelling should be correct, the grammar should be acceptable and information provided should be true. But that’s about it.

As far as the 1 page rule goes, there are proponents vehemently for it and opponents just as strongly against. Let me therefore tell you my own story.

I was once out of work for 3 months and money was getting rather tight to say the least. My resume was OK and I had carefully targeted the job market but had zero response. So one day, in total desperation, I produced a 1 page resume and sent it to everyone I could think of.

A few agencies told me it was useless because all employers wanted a full resume and not my 1 page document. But I held out, and said I would gladly show them my full resume… when they invited me for an interview. Within 2 weeks I had 3 interviews lined-up and eventually took one of the jobs. Just brilliant!

So what conclusion should you draw from this experience?

Well, you would be taking a risk just as I did, but my view was nothing ventured nothing gained. There are pros and cons as in all things in life. And ‘it depends’ is probably the best answer I can offer here.

The pros are:

• If you are printing your resume, a 1 page version is very convenient. If you are uploading your document electronically to a database, then the number of pages is not even counted, so it cannot matter.
• The fact that it is so short will, no doubt, leave the reader wanting more. This idea works well entertainers, so maybe it does for hirers too.
• If you are a recent college graduate or have little work experience, a single page may ample.
• With thousands of resumes to look through, a basic strategy used by hirers is to find a reason to consign as many resumes as possible to the waste bin. So a 1 page resume may leave you still in the running because there are fewer reasons to exclude you.
• A 1 page resume is bold, assertive and intriguing… but may be risky too. Only you can assess this.
• A single page  requires you to focus fiercely on the message you are giving. I have heard it said that resumes should do more than ‘tell it’, but instead they should ‘sell it’. I believe this is easier to do in a shorter version.

The cons are:

• According to surveys many employers say that they prefer resumes to be at least 2 pages long, and that 1 page is too little. However, there is no evidence that I have seen that says that people with longer resumes get the jobs.
• My general rule is that if employers don’t like it, then don’t do it.
• You will more than likely need a longer and more detailed resume to satisfy the HR department at some stage in the hiring process, so better to be prepared at the start. I believe a 1 page resume needs a multiple page document to support it.

One place where a 1 page  makes a lot of sense is in networking situations. The statistics seem to suggest that only around 50% of people recruited into jobs do so without prior referrals or personal introductions or the like. In other words, if you want to get a job it will pay big dividends to network aggressively first. These are definitely the times when you want that 1 pager to slide across the lunch table to leave as a reminder of your skills, credentials and experience with your networking contact.

In conclusion then, a 1 pager can be a useful addition to your normal resume because it helps you identify yourself almost as a brand. It shows who you are and what you stand for. But you should always have a full resume in reserve.

About The Author

There are many tips for writing a resume that will help someone get past the first level in the job application process. A good resume can help that person get to the interview process, if all the steps are taken properly. But the list of tips for writing a resume will fill a book, literally. Several books have been written on this subject, most of them containing excellent advice.

But it may be more productive to concentrate on a few of the basic tips for writing a resume, leaving some of the finer points to the experts who work face to face with an individual. So, where do we begin?

o Perhaps the first decision to make is this: Should they try a full resume of several pages or stick with what has become known as a qualifications brief? Committing to one or the other will help eliminate doubts and allow the applicant to put together an organized and focused document.

o After deciding which type of resume or brief to commit to, the next step is usually the gathering of information. While this may seem simple, it is a critical step in the resume process. Many experts and job application advisers put significant emphasis on advance preparation. Just because you have a good memory and think you can put all of your education, experience and activities on paper does not mean you will do that when the time comes. Take plenty of time to make notes, gather certificates and other documents. Put together a well-organized file of all the information you need to build a good resume.

o Open any guidebook on tips for writing a resume and you will find some version of the two ideas above, as well as this tip: Try to focus on what the company needs, not just on showing the personnel manager or company supervisor how great your background is. One of the keys to a successful resume process (and one of the most difficult) is to blend personal experience and education with the needs of the company or person doing the hiring. Sometimes these needs are plainly stated in an advertisement or other information provided to the applicant. Sometimes this is only available when the applicant does some research or asks a few specific questions.

o Another key item on the list of tips for writing a resume: Do not start the resume process thinking that you have no work experience. This will only make for a weak resume or qualifications brief. In fact, every individual has something to offer. The key is to find out what you alone can do well and find the position in which to use those skills.

Here are some Great Resources for Creating Your Own Dynamite Resume:

350 Professional Resumes & Cover Letters

The Diy Guide to Writing a Killer Resume

Guerrilla Resumes

What I did was, learn as much about the company as I could. I was working on an unsolicited resume cover letter, after all, and sending my resume with no sort of introduction wasn’t an option. I wanted to come across genuinely interested in becoming part of the company. The best way I could figure was by finding out all I could and planting a picture of myself being part of the very fabric of the company.

I put together a resume cover letter that accentuated my skills and recent achievements. I also, placed much emphasis on my desire to become part of a company that was at the front of my chosen career. In an effort to stand out, I directed if to the company President and made sure HR received a copy also. I didn’t want to step on any ones toes. You know how that can go.

I also made sure to point out the position I wanted and how I would be diligent at accomplishing my goal of becoming an asset to the company. While at the same time I understood that I had to work my way up and would be willing to start in a different area of the company where my talents could also be utilized. I know how to be an asset to a company and working my way up wouldn’t be a problem. I just need an opportunity.

I did land a few interviews from doing this and though I haven’t been hired on the spot. I have been called back on second interviews. The detail, I think was in the way I put together my unsolicited resume cover letter. I don’t think I would have accomplished anything if I wouldn’t have made a custom letter with details about the company. As a matter of fact, the interviewers were surprised by the knowledge I had of their companies. I do expect to be hired. Maybe I’ll do the Napoleon Hill thing and send them a certified letter every hour for a couple of days. I’ll have to try it and write an article.

1. Attractiveness – The Paper
Most employers like conventional looks and styles. Paper should be white, off-white, eggshell or a very pale shade of gray. When hand delivering resumes for professional, managerial, or executive positions, the resume should be printed on a high quality paper that contains a rag content of 25 % and has a watermark (a faint image ingrained in the paper). For lower level positions, any decent paper will do, but the heavier 24 pound paper makes a better impression than the thinner 20 pound paper. Themed paper (musical notes, small illustrations) is a good option only for those in creative fields.

2. Attractiveness – The Print
Ideally your resume should be laser printed, and it goes almost without saying that it will be done on a computer. If you are an older job seeker, do not emphasize it with a typewritten resume.
On your resume use no more than two typefaces. The best typefaces to use are: Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, or Helvetica. Using Helvetica for Headings and Times New Roman for text and lesser headings is an attractive combination. Boldfacing headings is also an excellent way to give them prominence especially if you are using one typeface.
Font refers to the size of the typeface. Text should be in 10 -12 point font; headings in 14 or 16 point.

3. Consistency – Decide on a Style and Stick to It
Font: Be consistent in your use of typeface, font size, bold, capitalization, and italics. Pick a style for major headings, minor headings, text, and dates, and stick to it.
Line Spacing, Tabs, and Indentations: Again be consistent and use these to give your resume some white space.
Bullets: Using one style of bullet throughout the resume looks best, but in some resumes bullets and check marks work well together.

4. Open Spaces – Graphic Attention Grabber
The contrast between dark print and white space attracts attention and makes the resume readable. The one page resume advocated by some resume gurus too often gets done in small print, is right justified, and covers the entire page. It is dark and difficult to read. Too many words jammed together are tough on middle-aged eyes and younger readers who did not grow up reading small print will not carefully read a densely packed page. For resumes that will be hand delivered or travel by U.S. mail, go for the white space.

5. Length – One Page, Two Pages, or More
Under most circumstances your resume should not be longer than two pages. Academics, researchers, authors, and musicians may need longer resumes if books, publications, presentations, performances, etc. need to be cited. Use consistent, tabs, indentations, and line spacing to create white space. Two attractive pages with white space are preferable to a difficult-to-read one page resume. On a two page resume,the most important information: Summary, Skills, Experience/Accomplishments should be on page one.

6. Format – Organizes and Emphasizes Information
There are four basic resume formats: Reverse Chronological Format, Functional Format, Hybrid Format, and Curriculum Vitae (CV). There are many books, e-books, on-line sites, and templates to help you prepare your resume in any of these formats.
The format you choose should catch the reader’s eye and maximize your qualifications.

7. Groupings – Threes and Fives, Twos and Fours
Certain groupings are more attractive than others. Copywriters almost always group their text or bullets in groups of three. It is brief and powerful. People will read three lines of print or three statements. Five short statements are also attractive. Three or five skill groups, accomplishments, or sentences make an eye-catching arrangement. An arrangement of two and two can also be an eye catcher. There is no hard and fast rule for groupings, but do group accomplishments, skills, etc., so they are pleasing to the eye and catch the reader’s attention.

8. Words to Avoid – Some Words Are Lethal and Some Words Waste Space
Do not reveal that you have been fired and do not state your past salaries. Avoid mentioning salary in your cover letter as well. If they ask, tell them it is negotiable.
Do not put your Social Security Number on your resume; it’s too dangerous in this age of identity theft. It is assumed that your references are available. Save the space for more valuable information. Omit the phrase, responsibilities included. Hiring managers are looking for accomplishments. Job descriptions may tell what you did but they don’t sell you.
The articles, the, a, and an waste space, crowd sentences, and do not clarify meaning. Eliminate them as much as possible.

9. Read It Aloud – Double Check Your Communication Skills
Read your resume out loud to see how it sounds. If it does not sound right to you, it will not sound right to the person that you are sending it to. If you stated in your resume or cover letter that you had strong communication skills, do not give them a resume that does not back this up!

10. Proof read – Check your spelling and your grammar
Spelling errors or typos reflect poorly on your image. They suggest that you are careless, and give a hiring manager an easy way to disqualify you. Proofread your resume and then to make sure you have no spelling or grammar mistakes get another person to proofread it. Finally try reading it backwards to look for punctuation mistakes.

Do you know what that number represents?

Why yes, it is the amount of time a professional bull rider must stay on his bull in a rodeo.

But that’s not exactly related to writing effective resume (unless you’re a professional cowboy).

Eight seconds. That’s the short time span your resume has to catch the attention of a potential employer. Fifteen seconds max. Even speed dating gives you at least five minutes with each potential date!

Your resume will either be chosen as a keeper – or relegated to a pile of that will “be kept on file if a job should match your qualifications.” (How often have your either heard or read those words before?)

Would you really trust that short time to a “professional” resume writer who really doesn’t know you or your experiences?

Oh, many employment experts argue that a “professionally written resume” is an absolutely necessity in the competitive job market. But that just isn’t so. No one understands your past accomplishments, the details of the jobs you’ve held, or how well you interacted with co-workers and supervisors as well as you do.

And let’s face it. Not every resume writer is necessarily talented to provide you with The Resume that’s going to knock the socks off your potentially new employer.

Writing your own resume is really no mystery.

But you not only know what it took to perform your tasks at your previous jobs, you also know your particular industry better than a resume writer whose industry is . . . well, resume writing.

Perhaps you already know all this – and that’s exactly why you’re reading this article. You’ve already had a person write your resume for you – and you weren’t in the least bit pleased with the result. So you’ve decided to do it yourself.

Or perhaps you’re straight out of school and this is your first experience with resumes. You’re wondering if you even could write your own resume.

Then again, maybe you’ve been thrown back into the job market unexpectedly. Your firm is downsizing or closing altogether. And it’s left you unemployed.

Whatever your reason, you’re in need of a resume. And a darned good one. And you have the sense that you can write one for yourself that elicits the best of your skills. (Okay, you know you got what it takes in writing effective resume that will knock the socks right off of any potential employer!)

Well, I’m here to tell you you’re absolutely right!

Come on over to my site and I’ll take you step by step on how to create a highly effective resume and get the jobs of your dreams. It’s so much easier than you think!