When it comes to writing a resume, don’t think that you have to include all the jobs you’ve had. There are times when you would be better off not having some of them on your resume. It’s recommended that you include only those that could showcase your work ethic and technical skills. But of course, you are likely to be asked about the gap in your resume, so you must be prepared to explain them.
2. those jobs that didn’t end so well. But if you were asked
if you had ever been fired, don’t hesitate to tell the
truth. Keep in mind that there are many ways a hiring
manager could possibly know what your employment
record is. You must be honest at all times, but know
when to downplay the facts that may not have a good
effect on your application.
When it comes to
writing a resume,
don’t think that you
have to include all
the jobs you’ve
had. There are
times when you
would be better off not having some of them on your
resume. It’s recommended that you include only those
that could showcase your work ethic and technical
skills. But of course, you are likely to be asked about the
gap in your resume, so you must be prepared to explain
them.
Unrelated Experience
If you think a particular work experience is far from
being relevant to the position you are applying for, then
it’s appropriate to leave it out. You may also choose not
to include those jobs you had 15 or more years ago.
Remember that employers are most interested in what
you did most recently.
Years instead of Months
Using years only to indicate the length of your
employment is better than including months. This way,
you wouldn’t even be required to explain contract
work, short term jobs, and even those periods when
you were unemployed. Many employers aren’t fond of
seeing numerous short term jobs on their applicants’
resume. If, for instance, you were employed in three
different companies in a span of one year, you had
better not include all of them. This doesn’t mean you
should lie on your resume. What we mean here is that
you need not include the information that could make
you undesirable for employers.
Getting Fired
If getting fired was the reason you lost a job, you
probably don’t want your potential employer to know
this. It will be for your best interest if you leave out
Resume Gaps
If you have large gaps in your resume, you must be
prepared to answer questions related to these gaps.
Remember that you don’t need to bring this topic up
unless you are directly asked about it. Have some
practiced statements and rehearse explaining them so
that you will not look nervous in case you get asked
about it during your job interview.
Having a job interview is one of the most challenging
parts of looking for a job. In fact, it could be nerve
wrecking, particularly if there are details in your resume
you must explain, such as frequent job change. But by
choosing what to include and exclude in your resume,
you will be able to customize your resume according to
the position you are applying for.
If you are
currently looking
for a job, one of
the questions you
may have in mind
is “what is the
ideal length of
resume?”. In the
past, job searchers were advised to make just a single
page resume. In fact, those who use longer resumes
were not expected to be successful in their job search.
But times have changed, and there have been several
changes in terms of the qualities of a well-written
resume.
If you are wondering about how long your resume
should be, well basically, it must be long enough to
3. impress hiring managers and convince them to call you
in for a job interview. This isn’t quite a clear rule, as you
would notice, because there is actually no specific rule
on resume length that will apply to all job seekers.
There are several factors that need to be considered,
such as your years of experience, your career objective,
the industry you belong to, and even the level of
education or training you’ve attained.
These are the facts you should keep in mind when
writing a resume:
- Your resume is not a form of autobiography. It
is your tool to market yourself to potential
employers. With that said, it must be accurate
and targeted only on your qualities that
employers will buy. Don’t pay much attention
to your experiences that are not in any way
related to your current career goal. It is
important that every single word in your
resume reflect your credentials and must show
how valuable you will be to your future
organization.
- Acknowledge the fact that there are hundreds
of other resumes that hiring managers have to
go through to fill in a particular position. This is
why they just don’t have the time to take a
closer look at each of these resumes. What they
do is glance at each resume and choose which
ones deserve to be considered for an interview.
And so, you have to make sure that your best
qualifications and qualities are easily visible in
your resume.
All in all, a once-page resume is advisable if your work
experience is not over 10 years. If you are in the process
of changing careers and you feel your past experience
isn’t relevant to the job you’re applying for, better go
for a shorter resume. On the other hand, a two-page
resume is applicable if you have been in the industry for
more than 10 years. Especially if your field of expertise
involves engineering or technical skills, you will
definitely need enough space to list all of them to show
off your technical knowledge. Don’t forget to put all the
relevant and attractive points at the beginning of the
first page. This way, you will have a better chance of
being called for a job interview.
If you want to
increase your
chances of being
successful in your
job interview,
thorough
preparation is a
must. There isn’t really a certain formula that you can
use as employers also differ in terms of how they
approach their job applicants. Nevertheless, you should
know the basic requirements and structure of a job
interview.
Whether it is your first job or you had a job change, you
still need to know what your prospective employer is
expecting from you. Thus, it is recommended that you
do enough research about the company you are
applying for, and if possible, you can practice your lines
with someone who has had an experience in having an
interview.
Must Haves for an Interview
You should not expect your prospective employers to
ask you to bring these things, but still, make sure that
you have them with you during the interview.
Invite to the interview- your invite should also contain
the directions to the venue of the interview, as well as
the names of the personnel you are going to meet.
Job description- most companies send a copy of the job
description to their applicants before the scheduled
interview. Be sure to have this copy with you so that
you can use it as a reference in case you forget the
details of the job you are applying for.
4. CV- although you will have provided the hiring manager
with a copy of your CV, you shouldn’t take chances.
There is always a possibility of them losing the copy you
sent. Thus, by bringing an extra copy, you will never
have to worry.
Bottled Water- it is possible that you will be offered a
drink, but just in case you are not, it is good that you
have your own water with you.
Notepad- ideally, you would want to make a list of
questions you are going to ask your interviewer. This is
a good strategy because it could mean that you are
enthusiastic about becoming part of the organization.
Taking Too Much Isn’t a Good Idea
If it is your first interview, it is natural for you to feel
excited and nervous at the same time. Feeling this way
could lead you to thinking that you should show the
interviewer everything you have that could impress
them. This is a mistake because if you do this, they may
lose interest in knowing YOU more.
Whether you are changing jobs or looking for your first
job, think of your interview as a chance for you to
converse with a potential employer. Thus, the most
important preparation you should make is within you.
Be physically, emotionally, and mentally prepared to
show the interviewer that you are the person they are
looking for.