Having a clean, direct, and professional resume can take some time to perfect.
The best advice is to not rush the process – take your time! Here are some great tips to follow when creating your resume:
- There is no problem with using a template to help create a clean format. With Microsoft Word, look at the resume templates they have on file.
- Make sure to include phone number and email (tip: set up an email for job hunting – this way only important emails show up and no spam mail)
- Put jobs in chronological order from newest (at the top) to oldest (at the bottom)
- Use the same tense regardless of timing. If starting in present tense, stay in present tense throughout the resume
- Include all forms of education/certifications
- Include at least 2 professional references. The references should either be bosses, supervisors, or co-workers.
Goodbye Cutiepie1101@hotmail.com.
Everyone has had embarrassing emails, from cutiepie101 to pokemon4vr… but now is the time to change the email address to something more work appropriate. When thinking about what email to use, stick to the simplest form. A great example is using initials or full name. By choosing a professional email, it shows the employer that the candidate has taken the time to be polished and ready.
Once the email is created, set up a signature to show up at the bottom of the email. This way, signing off appropriately is never forgotten.
Full Voicemail Boxes: Don’t Do it!
Before looking for a job, clear out your voicemail box. There is nothing worse than trying to get a hold of someone in a timely manner and being unable to leave a message. By keeping messages instead of taking care of the tasks, the candidate looks disorganized. Make sure the set-up voicemail message is professional. We always advise a candidate to have an automated message with their phone number as their message machine. This creates ease for the caller.
LinkedIn is a Great Tool for Candidates and Recruiters.
LinkedIn allows both parties to show off their resume and skill set without being confined to one page. The beauty of LinkedIn is that the candidate can either state their talents/experience in paragraph or bullet form. We suggest their old colleagues or supervisors endorse the information. When someone endorses the skills it makes it paints a better picture for the individual who is researching.
(Hint: Any recruiter or headhunter can look at your LinkedIn profile. Currently, we now can access millions of resumes using this platform. Imagine… a recruiter across the country or even around the world has access to your resume – make it great!)
Social Media is a Great Tool…But Also Can Be A Slippery Slope.
Our rule of thumb is to keep all social media private. Having an account on public opens private life to professional life. We promote work life balance and the same should be taken with social media. Social media includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Turn all to private!
Everyone here at Emerald Staffing wishes you great success on your future endeavors! Please feel free to call our office if you need any assistance in finding your next careers – 503.212.0000.
