IKONO.

ME

How to write
a job winning resume
Free resume writing guide
to help you land your dream job

JOB SECTION

RESUME

www.ikono.me

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How to write a job winning resume

Contents

Introduction 3
20 steps to resume success

10 common resume mistakes

13

5 final resume checks

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Resume templates

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How to write
a job winning resume
Recruiting managers and employers often receive
hundreds of resumes for a single job position.
As a result, recruiters will spend less than 10 seconds
on average evaluating each candidates resume.
With ruthless efficiency, hundreds of candidates are cut down
to just a handful, who make it through to the interview stage.
So if you want that job of your dreams, your resume needs to
work hard in those first few seconds to reach out and grab that
recruiting managers attention.
On the following pages our step-by-step guide will help you
create your own effective, attention-grabbing resume. While we
cant guarantee you that perfect job, these tips will definitely
improve your chances of being called in for an interview.

RESUME

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How to write a job winning resume

20 steps to resume success

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20

RESUME

20
STEPS
TO
RESUME
SUCCESS

Your resume is one of most important documents youll

write in your professional career. It can help, or hinder,
your future prospects and be the difference between
success and failure. These 20 professional tips will help
position your resume on the path to success.
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Targeted Resume
Your resume is the first contact with the recruiting manager or
employer, and since that person will probably only spend only
a few seconds looking at it, its vitally important that your resume
immediately reaches out and grabs their attention, and, at the
same time, answers the question that is always on his/her mind;
What will you do for us?
To that end, your resume must be strategically targeted to
each individual position for which you apply, and that targeting
should begin at the top of the document. Your resume should
accentuate the attributes that qualify you for each position for
which you apply.

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Design
When it comes to your resume, content is king. However, if that
content is badly presented it may never get a second glance.
Remember, your resume has less than 10 seconds to create
that all-important first impression of you. It should add confidence
and credibility to the information it presents. This is the approach
we put into practice when designing resume templates. See our
resume templates at www.ikono.me
An effective resume must be re-designed for each job application,
consider using more than one design to test which works best in
your marketplace.

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How to write a job winning resume

Remember the basics

When creating a resume, we sometimes concentrate on areas
like education and experience and forget the smaller, yet equally
important, details. Always ensure that your name, address,
contact email, and personal phone number are clearly shown
on your resume. Avoid using your company email or company
phone number.

How many pages?

The length of your resume depends upon a number of factors.
Naturally, the resume of a 23-year-old recent college graduate
will be shorter than the resume of a 45-year-old with decades of
experience. Due to time constraints, some recruiters insist upon
single-page resumes, but they rarely object to the attachments.
Submit a one-page, job-targeted summary resume then attach a
more in-depth detailed resume. For creative positions, you might
also add a portfolio of your work.

Make a professional statement

Introduce your resume with a brief summary of your professional
career to date. Make your statement correspond well with the
focus of the target job, and make sure it underscores your interest
in the type of work for which you are applying.

Be Bold
Dont be bashful, be bold. Your future depends upon how
well your sell yourself with your resume. Your resume is an
advertisement for you, so use it to market your relevant skills to
your future employer.

Email address
You want every detail of your resume to present you as a
professional. Email is free, so consider creating a new account
just for your job applications. This will help you keep track of all
your applications and responses. Avoid using email addresses
with nicknames. Use modern email services such as Gmail,
instead of older or less popular services. Instead of using
addresses such as Johnboy91@hotmail.com, present yourself
more professionally as JohnSmith@gmail.com

Start with work experience

List all of your employment; begin with the most recent and work
backward. Edit your experience to concentrate on those positions
particularly relevant to the job for which you are applying.
Remember that your resume is a means advertise yourself, and
not a call to justify your life.
Keep it short. You may remove early experience that is not
relevant to the job you are applying for. Focus on recent and
relevant positions or experience. Remember to accentuate your
good points and minimise any weaknesses.
As you record your work experience, dont be too modest about
your successes. Be brief but thorough. If you supervised others,
say so. If you increased profitability for your employer, let that be
known as well. Be truthful and sell yourself.

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How to write a job winning resume

Start with educational experience

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If you are a recent college or university graduate, begin your

resume with your education section, because obtaining a college
degree signals the recruiter that you are beginning a new career
path. Once you have obtained some relevant work experience,
however, your resume should begin with your work experience.
Employers are most interested in your work experience and your
accomplishments, but you always lead with your best shot.

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Be Specific

Recruiters are not impressed by big words and fancy phrases,

nor are they willing to take the time to read an epic novel entitled,
Resume. Use bullet points and short sentences to describe
your experiences, educational background, and professional
objectives. Doing so helps the reader focus on the key points and
helps keep your resume short.

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Use keywords
Some recruiters use software to scan resumes for keywords.
These programs automatically sort through resumes and
applicants can be rejected without a human ever seeing the
application. Make sure you carefully study the job description of
the position for which you are applying to determine the keywords
the recruiter used; use those keywords frequently in your resume.
Use the exact keywords and place them prominently in your
introductory statement.

Use action verbs

Verbs are words of action. Action inspires reaction. Using action
words within your resume inspires reaction from the recruiter, and
emphasises your accomplishments. The word was, for example,
is worthless. It simply implies that you did something in the past.
So, instead of stating, Was the head of a team that consider
using, Managed a team of 10 that The word managed is
an action word, and the number of team members quantifies
that action. Effective action words help highlight your abilities
and achievements. Include words of substance, power, result
improved, upgraded, or reconciled.

Recruiters want to know what specific tasks you have performed.

Vaguely worded job descriptions dont gain attention, and they fail
to enlighten the recruiter about your real talents and experiences.
Dont simply list your job title and the everyday tasks involved in
it. Include your accomplishments in that position. If you worked
in a supervisory position, include the number of employees you
supervised, including their positions. Again, a recruiter wants your
resume to quickly answer the question, What can you do for
us? So, use specifics to answer that question, be honest and
make sure it shines through on your resume.

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Use bullet points

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Show results
Help prospective employers understand not only your past
job responsibilities but also how well you carried out those
responsibilities, why it mattered, and how you can transform
your past achievements into this companys success.
Remember every recruiter or prospective employer is looking
for an answer to the same question: What can you do for us?.
Instead of stating, Managed a team of 10 that studied and
revised the production flow-chart, consider using, Managed
team of 10 studying and revising production flow-chart, resulting
in company savings of $230,000 annually, while increasing
product quality by 26%. (Also notice the removal of articles
words such as a and the, which add nothing but unwanted
length to your presentation).

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How to write a job winning resume

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Additional information

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If you havent already done so, create a www.linkedin.com

profile, and make sure it is up-to-date, yet different from your
resume. Prospective employers often search there to learn more
about you and potentially contact common connections to
increase that knowledge. If the information they find is precisely
what they see on your resume, you may appear to be lazy
or disinterested.

Take your resume to the next level with additional information.

Your awards, volunteer work, publications, affiliations, and
hobbies provide opportunities for you to add additional weight
to your resume. Not only do these activities help define your
character, they may also assist in creating a personal bond with
the recruiter or prospective employer.

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Cover letter
Take the time to create a unique cover letter for each job
application. To make the cover letter effective, always envision
yourself as the recipient of your letter and its attached resume.
Think carefully about what would create a positive response
from you. Remember that your cover letter and resume are
advertisements for you.
Dont use Dear Sir/Madam. A recruiter is far more likely
to continue reading your cover letter when it begins with
his/her name.

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PDF
This is the age of digital media and with few exceptions, your
cover letter and resume will be submitted electronically either
via email or uploaded on to a website, so it is essential that they
are saved and submitted in a format that will allow easy access
by the addressee. Saving your resume in Adobe Acrobat (pdf)
format, will ensure your resume looks the same to the prospective
employer, or recruiter, as it does to you. PDF files can be opened
on any device with the freely available Adobe Acrobat reader,
which is often installed on business systems.

Research the company. Understand its current issues,

and attempt to address those issues in your letter, along
with any potential solutions or your relevant experience.

Make your cover letter cement a bond between you and the
addressee, while answering that individuals inevitable question,
What can you do for us?

Online presence
Build an online business presence for yourself. Prospective
employers will do an online search to learn more about you,
and having your own active website/blog and business related
social media accounts with relevant professional information
improves your chances of earning an interview.

Do your homework. Learn the name of the individual to

whom you are addressing your letter. A quick search online
or phone call to the company or organisation can often
provide the name of the person to whom you are applying.

Show personal enthusiasm for your work,

and remember to keep the letter short and sweet.

Linked in

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Always up to date
If you want to make yourself appear obsolete and out-of-touch,
just dont update your resume. A tired or non-current resume
will never get you that job of your dreams or even the one you
are qualified to do. Your resume should be contemporary in
both content and design. Make sure the skills and work history
sections of your resume is updated at all times, and check to
make sure your software and other technical skills are always
up-to-date.
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How to write a job winning resume

10 common resume mistakes

Following are 10 common resume mistakes to avoid,
thereby improving your chances of graduating to
the next step in the hiring process the interview.

10 COMMON
RESUME
MISSTAKES

Dont mass mail your resume

Every job for which you apply is somewhat different, and your
resume should take those differences into careful consideration.
Dont let your resume get thrown into the trash because you
failed to adjust your resume to the specific position for which
you are applying.

Dont lie
Lying on your resume is stupid. Even if it is not picked up
straight away, you will eventually get found out and this often
leads to dismissal or other serious consequences. Fact-checking
resume information is easy with online search tools and phone
calls, so just stick to the facts.

Dont add everything

The story of your life may be the basis for an epic novel,
and we are certain its enthralling, but a prospective employer
wont be interested at this point. The word resume means
to summarise, so make your resume do exactly that. Limit
the information you provide by keeping a laser focus on the
most relevant experience and minimise or leave out completely
experiences of lesser importance.

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How to write a job winning resume

Dont use Sir/Madam

Recruiters and employers will most likely have an online
presence, so there is just no excuse for not finding the name
of the person to whom you are sending your resume. Making
that effort will help get you noticed, and help to prevent the
immediate destruction of your resume.

Dont use jargon or slang

Dont discount yourself by using slang words, business jargon,
and clichs in your resume or cover letter. Lazy language never
resonates with recruiters, so to use it can result in immediate
rejection of your resume. Use proper words to create the
sentences that introduce you.

Dont add irrelevant

Avoid adding irrelevant work experiences and hobbies to your
resume. They only serve to defeat the purpose of being your
resume being effective.

Dont use quirky pictures

Sometimes, adding a small picture within your resume is helpful.
Choose a photograph that makes you appear professional,
and one that is relevant to your specific industry. No selfies
with friends, while on holiday.

Dont copy paste from online

Sample cover letters and resume texts can easily be found online,
and you may find it tempting to simply copy-and-paste them into
your own letter or resume. Recruiters are looking for your history
not someone elses, so use your own words to tell that story.

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Dont undersell yourself

Modesty on a resume is neither expected nor desired.
Employers want to see the best you have to offer, and they
expect you to try to sell yourself to them. Within your resume,
share any awards or recognitions you have received, but try
to do it in a matter-of-fact manner.

Dont forget your social media footprint

It is almost certain that a prospective employer will conduct
an online search to learn more about you. To that end, it is
a good idea to ensure that any social media accounts you
have are free of any information that might be potentially
damaging to your job application.

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How to write a job winning resume

JOB SECTION

5 final resume checks

Youre almost there. You have a great looking resume,
you have done all the hard word. Before you submit your
resume, use this checklist of the final five items you must
always check before sending.
1

55 FINAL
FINAL
RESUME
RESUME
CHECKS
CHECKS

Check spelling
Spelling errors are a common reason for application rejection.
Your computer software includes a spelling checker. Use it.

Check your own contact details are correct

If you provide an incorrect phone number or email address for
yourself, a prospective employer will likely be unable to reach
you for that important interview.

Check addressee information

Nobody likes to have his/her name misspelled. Show your
prospective employer the courtesy of making sure that his name
is spelled correctly, and that the address is recorded correctly
on your email and cover letter.

Proof read your resume (at least twice)

Just to be sure everything is correct, proof-read your resume, and
then read it aloud to catch any unnoticed typographical errors.

Get someone else to read it

Enlist the assistance of a professional person, instead of a
relative or partner, to read your resume in order to gain unbiased
feedback and point out possible improvements to your cover
letter and resume.

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Resume Templates

Our resume templates win jobs

Comments from some of the awesome people
who have created their resumes with our templates.

Stunning layout, flexible design

and easy to edit.

Love it. Flexible and awesome.

Thanks

This resume helped me land the

perfect job (really). Thank you!
This design is amazing.

I got a new job a few months back

and the interviewer told me the header
with the personalized logo definitely
made a difference and was what
immediately made him want to meet
me. I recommend this template,
it is really easy to personalize and
was very well designed

Very well organized! Looks great.

Thanks!
Love this resume, I got the job
of my dreams using this template!!!

Thanks so much for making

my life easier. :)

Fantastic work! Very well put together

and commented. Excellent support
documentation. Love it!

IKONO.ME create professional design resources to make you look awesome.

Our premium resume templates are not only good-looking they are also easy to edit
and customize to your own style. We help take away some of the hard work of creating
a resume, so you can focus on the content of your job winning resume.
Find out more at www.ikono.me

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A small selection of our resume templates, see them all at www.ikono.me

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Find great resume design templates at www.ikono.me