Resumes - How to Write a Resume, Formats and Templates

[Marc]

I don't have any templates off hand, but I bet some of you folks do...

I started this thread because it was brought up that a recruiter who is posting positions also offers resume help for a fee. I thought it might be a good idea to ask you folks to donate your thoughts, ideas and any templates you might have to help people out who are in need of resume advice.

I did do a Google Search and found free resume templates in many places, including:

http://www.collegegrad.com/resumes/quickstart.shtml

I also found companies which will 'broadcast' your resume. There are all kinds of services. I found resume 'programs' - enter the data and it 'does th rest' (if you can believe that...).

I think even MS Word has resume templates built in.

My own personal opinion is - Considering computer capabilities one should be able to produce a number of different resumes and tailor each to each position applied for.

Broadcasting resumes - Not my idea of the way to go, but I think today Monster.com and related job sites serve the same function in today's world.

Just some thoughts...

[CINDY]

I agree with Mark. I have always tailored my resume to fit the company it was being applied to highlighting the talents that company is interested in. I never lie but change data around. Same applies when a cover letter is used. I also would suggest good paper stock that copies well for mailed or delivered resumes. My husband has always had a service create his resume and it has not seemed to make much difference when we have compared our responses.

[Marc]

As an FYI, my version of WORD has 4 resume templates built in.

[Bob_M]

Originally Posted by CINDY

I also would suggest good paper stock that copies well for mailed or delivered resumes. My husband has always had a service create his resume and it has not seemed to make much difference when we have compared our responses.

Does anyone but a HR person is a LARGE firm really care what stock paper you use? (Or how expensive your clothes are etc...). Its a piece of paper with words on it. Maybe I'm just to nieve, but if its clean and legible, thats all that should truely matter. *shrug*

[Mike S.]

Fancy paper did not mean a great deal to me -- but it did say a little something to me -- that the person was trying another way to impress me. It was a minor plus. Much more important to me was the content. You would not believe (or maybe you would) the misspellings, poor grammar, etc. I got in some resume's, and THAT was a major issue to me.

BTW -- FWIW I think MS Works has better resume templates than WORD -- at least in the versions I have.

[CINDY]

Good stock meaning higher quality than copy paper and the stock should look clean when copied. I used paper once that was very shaded when copied and difficult to read. I had noticed that when during an interview the President of the company had a copy of my resume not the original.

Mike you are correct about the spelling and grammar. Your written resume is your first appearance and can make the difference between receiving the call for an interview or not.

Personally, I never use a standard format for my resumes, I make my own format. I want my resume to stand out and not look like everyone else.

Cindy

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Marc

My own personal opinion is - Considering computer capabilities one should be able to produce a number of different resumes and tailor each to each position applied for.

When I wrote the above I must have been dreaming. At the time I may have had 'database' with different layouts for the fields floating in my mind.

I spoke with a recruiter recently about an unusual position in a small company. The issue of a resume came up and I sent a copy of my 'standard' resume. The response was that the company would never even look at it because it wasn't in a format they like. The recruiter sent me a copy of a resume the client company 'bit' on before. My mind wandered back quite a few years. I remember all the different 'kinds (formats) of resumes and I remember reading years ago that it was a toss up - What one company (HR person or whoever) liked another would not.

I decided that if resume format was that important right off that I probably wouldn't want to work there. On the other hand, if I was hungry and really needed a job I'm sure I would have looked at this differently.

Have any of you run into this? What did you do and why? Do you tailor each resume you submit?

How many different 'formats' do you have your resume in?

[Mike S.]

I only ever used one resume format for each time I was job-hunting, but I would tweek the cover letter for each employer -- and sometimes the resume got minor tweeks as well. My major concentration was on highlighting my skills and experience and making sure it was flawless as far as accuracy, spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.

I kinda aagree -- if they are that picky about what kind of resumes they will look at, they might not be somewhere I'd want to work. Will they also be specifying what color shoelaces are allowed for employees? I guess if the resumes are gonna be computer-scanned there are some tricks you can use to optimize your chances, though.