One of the keys to resume writing is to remember that the format of a resume is nearly as important as its content. Employers may receive dozens of resumes for open positions and usually give them a quick scan to determine if they’re interested in the candidate. The first impression the employer will have of your resume is its format, even before noticing keywords. Whether your resume is on paper or in digital format, the first thing that will be noticed is the format.

Resume Writing Format Rule #1 – Avoid resume templates

There are several rules which will help you create a winning format for
your resume. The first rule is to begin with an empty page. This means
stay away from templates which are available for Microsoft Word and
other word processing packages. These templates are widely used and can
make your resume look common and out-of-date. Your resume won’t stand
out when you use a template.

Another problem with using templates for your resume writing is that it
may not convert well for email and job website uploads. Instead of
using a template, search online for contemporary resume samples. You
will be able to find samples which are tailored for your particular
industry. Take your empty page and craft a resume that has all the best
features of the resume samples you find online.

Resume Writing Format Rule #2 – Keep it simple

A longstanding rule of resume writing says to keep it to one page.
However, if your educational background and experience are extensive,
it’s acceptable to add a second page. Don’t go beyond two pages! Before
adding that second page, see if you can leave out experience and skills
which aren’t relevant to the job you’re seeking.

Avoid adding images or pictures to your resume, even if you’re
seeking a position in a creative field. Save the creativity for a
portfolio of your work.

Resume Writing Format Rule #3 -  Keep the style consistent

One
inch margins at the top and bottom and sides of the page are standard.
Left justification of text is more modern looking than centered text.
Use a single font throughout the resume. A good font size to use is 12
point. Use a larger font size, such as 14 point, for your name and any
headings and make them bold and all caps. Avoid underlining text in
your resume, since this resembles a hyperlink.

Resume Writing Format Rule #4 -  Keep the layout neat

Watch your use of tabs and spaces. Use tabs instead of spaces for
alignment to help ensure consistency in the layout of your resume. As
you lay out the various parts of your resume, keep in mind that if it’s
being viewed electronically with a different version of software, some
aspects of the formatting may change. Margins may shrink or grow,
paragraph styles may differ, bullets may have an alternate appearance,
etc. By keeping your layout as simple and consistent as possible, you
can avoid some of these unexpected changes.

Creating a PDF version of your resume will allow you to avoid the
problems of layout shifting. Many PDF creation programs are available
online, such as the one found at www.cutepdf.com

When you’ve finished your resume writing, get the help of family and
friends. Ask them to review your resume and give you feedback on the
formatting. Email the resume and see how it looks in electronic form.
Also verify that a print version of the resume looks good, with correct
margins and well laid out content.

The most important thing to remember about formatting your resume is to
aim for a clean and simple presentation. Once you have that in place,
focus on the writing and content, and you’ll get the job you’re
seeking.

Choosing the best resume writing service company requires a little bit of homework.
That actually sounds a little more painful than it really is. All you need to do is access the Internet and search under “resume writing services.”

It is important to keep the 3 “Cs” in mind: Capacity, consideration and compensation.

The resume writing services firm preparing your resume should have the capacity to write a variety of strong, captivating resumes.

They should have consideration of the ultimate goal of your resume. Are you looking for a new job or to advance at your current employer?

Compensation is also very important. You want to be sure you are
getting the best value for your dollar. The cost of a resume is small
considering the money already invested in one’s job preparation (e.g.
$100,000 for four years of college). Just make sure to shop around a
few a resume writing services firms before making a decision. This will
help give you an idea of what you should be paying.

It is also important to ask to see samples of their previous work.
Ideally, they will have samples similar to the field you work in. Find
out if you will be able to communicate directly with the writer
preparing the resume. This communication can be vital in getting the
best resume′ possible.

How to get the most out of a resume writing services firm

A resume writing services firm will give your resume a polished and professional look
that most people cannot achieve on their own due to time or other
reasons. A good resume writing services firm has a staff of writers
with strong writing skills and experience in recruiting or human
resources. Resume writers with a background in recruiting or human
resources can help you create a resume that will get noticed and will
elicit a phone call from the hiring manager. These writers also know
the fine line between not including enough and adding too much
information on a resume.

A knowledgeable resume writing services firm will also recommend the
right format based on your experience and career goals. This extra
service by a resume writing services firm can make a significant
difference in highlighting your strengths on a resume. This is
especially important if you are transitioning in careers or have just
left the armed forces. It will also save you time, so you can actively
look for a new job or apply for advancement at your current employer.

Other helpful tools a resume writing services firm will provide:

• Interactive worksheets for submitting your resume information
• Toll free number for direct communication for technical assistance
• Cover letters and personal statements samples to enhance your resume

Many resume writing services firms guarantee your satisfaction or at
least offer an additional re-write at no charge. Once in a while
resumes need to be tweaked. This is an especially helpful service in
case you are not getting the results anticipated from your resume. But
beware of services that offer unusually inexpensive costs or make
promises that sound too good to be true. Remember that no resume
writing service firm can guarantee you a job from the resume they
prepare, but they can greatly improve your chances of getting that
interview.

Your first inclination may be to ask how you did, and whether you will be hired. However, it probably isn’t advisable to ask these questions directly during the interview. Instead, consider this phase of the interview as a chance to display your presentation skill by asking intelligent questions that show your interest in the position.

Here are some questioning techniques that will help you indirectly glean some information on your performance during the interview, as well as give you a chance to show off your presentation skill while learning information to help you determine if the company is a good fit.

Do Your Homework First

Prior to your interview, be sure to do your research. Being prepared is
of vital importance in displaying your presentation skill to your
potential employer when the time comes.

Look for as much information as you can find about the company from
their website and any articles you may find by performing a Google
search on the company name. Look for information such as company
direction and expansion, and begin to think about how this information
might affect you and the position you are interviewing for.

Write Your Questions Down

Interviewers usually have a written list of questions for you, so
why not do this same? Consider this opportunity as your chance to
interview the company.  The key to developing and displaying your
presentation skill to your potential employer is in letting them know
how much thought you’ve put into preparing for this interview.

Ask the Questions

When the interviewer gives you the floor, actually pull out your
prepared list of questions. This tells the interviewer how serious you
are about obtaining the position, and helps bolster your presentation
skill by showing the interviewer your ability to think ahead and
prepare for situations.
As the interviewer answers the questions, take notes to show that
you’re listening and are interested in remembering the answers. Ask
follow-up questions as appropriate.

“How Did I Do?”

While it’s generally unacceptable to ask how you did in an
interview, I do encourage asking what the next steps are and the
timeline for them.  The answer may help you figure out their reaction
to you.  If the interviewer takes the time to explain how many people
are left to interview and the remaining steps in the hiring process,
they are probably interested.  However, if he or she simply tells you
that you will hear from them, the outcome may not be as promising.

As for the “how did I do” question: if you are not awarded the job,
it is acceptable to directly but respectfully ask for feedback on how
the interview went. Consider sending a note similar to this:

Thanks again for the opportunity to interview for XX position in
your company. Since I was not arded the position, I would greatly
appreciate your feedback and any suggestions for improvement you might
have for me. This information will be of great value to me as I
continue my job search.

Who knows? Maybe this extra step will help keep you in contact with
(and in the mind of) the interviewer for future positions within the
company.

There are quite a few internet resources at your disposal for finding a good job in Europe. The top five career websites for European jobs include Monster.com, JobcentrePlus.uk, Stepstone.com, Careersineurope.com, and Jobnut.co.uk. These sites focus on many different types of jobs, including technical support jobs and related IT computer categories.

Each site is unique, and each can help you find a rewarding job in the European Union. Here is a little more information about each site:  

http://www.Monster.com: It’s little wonder why Monster.com is so highly rated. With an estimated 6 million visitors weekly, Monster.com provides career seekers with an extensive job database highlighted by an “International Jobs” link, which will help you find a rewarding technical support job or other career in the IT industry in any country in the European Union! Not only that, Monster.com offers great advice on building your resume, attending job fairs, and even paying your taxes abroad.

http://www.JobCentrePlus.gov.uk: This is one of the UK’s largest and most popular career websites, and can boast nearly 2.5 million hits per week! This site offers a wide range of jobs, including technical support jobs and IT career fields, and also provides sound advice on living and working in Europe, worker’s benefits, and more.

http://www.stepstone.com: with nearly 2 million visitors weekly, Stepstone.com taps into some of the most popular careers in 13 countries. This comprehensive site offers online job boards and career advice for job seekers and also human resource organizations. Particularly emphasized are the IT career field and technical support jobs.

http://www.careersineurope.com: This site offers “virtual attendance” to live job fairs to many of the highest salaried careers in Europe, and at the same time offers a comprehensive database that is broken down by company or category.

http://www.jobnut.co.uk: This one is an easy-to-understand career website that breaks down listings into 32 different categories — including technical support jobs — which in turn link to countries throughout the European Union. Updated “daily vacancies” make this job site one not to miss.

Careers in the European Union can’t really be pigeon-holed into one specific category, as each country has its own demands. For example, in Italy there remains a great need to fill skilled positions such as electricians and pipe-fitters, while at the other end of the spectrum sales opportunities abound. In Germany, IT jobs such as software engineer, IT trainer, computer technician, and network developer are in high demand, while other countries such has Austria have a great demand for technical writers and web developers.

The best advice: narrow your search for a specific job in a specific European country and start submitting a resume that is crafted to the career of your choice.

The top 5 sites are: 

http://ph.jobcentralasia.com for Philippines Jobs
 
Here you will find everything broken down by career type. They have everything from BPO/Customer Service to Pharmaceutical, and from Human Resources to highly technical opportunties where you would look to find computer technology jobs.
 
http://jobsdb.com for all Asia Jobs
 
You can search this site by category, country, position, and qualifications. There is a list of career headings such as Accountants, Public Relations, Engineering, and IT that makes it easy to find the job you are looking for. If you are looking for Computer Technology careers, their IT listing further breaks down career options in that category.
 

http://ecentral.jp for International Jobs for Japan  (For English version, visit http://www.ecentral.jp/index.php?l=e )
 
A major advantage of this site is that they list job postings in both English and Japanese. You can use a basic search or a more advanced search to find more specific top salary jobs. This site lists position, company, location, and salary. You can look for specific jobs such as radiology technician jobs or banking jobs.
 
http://zdnetasia.com/techjobs/  for Tech jobs in Asia
 
This is the only web-based site "where technology means business". They list jobs by company, city, and posting date. Examples of job types include lists for Administration, Help Desk/Tech Support, and Programming, Software Engineering. If you are looking for a career in Computer Technology, you’ll want to look here.
 
http://recruit.net for all Asia Jobs
 
You can browse this site by company, jobs, date posted, or recent job searches. With this site you can elect to receive e-mail alerts. You can search using keywords such as radiology technician jobs.
 
This list represents the best job websites for the Asian job market. They are all user friendly and can be searched in multiple ways. If you are looking for specific jobs, such as medical technician jobs (e.g. radiology technician jobs), then these are the sites that you want to visit.

In addition to relying on online recruitment sites, there is another way to look for jobs – using your social network.  Refer to this article for the techniques for using some free online tools for social networking.

It does not matter what type of job opportunities you are looking for. If you have this question in mind, read on.

Studies show that the majority of hiring involves candidates referred by internal staff – that is, candidates coming from the connections of an organization’s existing staff.

There are many reasons for this phenomenon. First of all, hiring from internal referrals saves a lot of administrative and advertising cost. It also eliminates money spent on head hunters and employment agencies for their search support.

Also, it may be a proven way to reduce the chance of recruiting inappropriate people because internal staff should understand more about a company’s requirements, and are more likely to recommend suitable people for a company’s job openings.

Some have commented that this practice is especially popular for finding suitable candidates of management job opportunities. However, I would say the practice applies to all kinds of job opportunities, no matter whether they are management job opportunities, or other popular job offers such as accounting job opportunities. I even see people securing openings for overseas job opportunities in this way.

Okay, then, how can we increase our chances of getting job opportunities in this way?

The number one thing you should do is become engaged in widening your personal networks. There are two online resources that can help you to do this immediately.

The first one is Linkedin.com . This is a social network facility. Unlike other social network facilities that focus more on promoting your personal network for non-work related activities, this network very much focuses on promoting your professional background. I have personally seen many head hunters and hiring managers using their personal Linkedin network to look for suitable people for their own company or clients’ hiring needs.

The second resource is Plaxo.com . It was originally a contact address database used to build your contact list online, but has grown to be successfully used as a network tool. With this tool, you can easily update your close contacts with your present working information, including your phone and email contacts. Keeping your connections updated about the ways to contact you ensures that when any new hiring opportunities suitable for you come up, you can be reached immediately. When I was a head hunter, I experienced many occasions when one of my contacts would like to refer suitable people to me, but the connection failed because they did not have updated contact information for those people.

There is one more beautiful feature of this service: it constantly reminds you of the birthdays of your close contacts days before they come. You can then send emails to greet them, and at the same time mention your present working condition. People will be impressed by your good “memory” and more likely to keep you informed of any good job opportunities suitable for you.

Remember, it is always to your own advantage to be contacted by someone for job opportunities rather than actively looking for them yourself. Do you agree?