How to Write a Razor-Edge Resume

Neoli Marcos

Hmmm.. Razor-edge and résumé in the same sentence. Sounds promising eh?

But really, not too many people who apply for a job write résumés that really has the edge over the others. A résumé, after all, is your marketing device for yourself. It is your billboard in the busy highway of the online job market, lost in a flurry of many other rival-billboards hoping to catch the attention of hiring managers gone discriminating and choosy.

So it makes sense if your job résumé really hits them in the eye, makes them stop in their tracks, and forces them to declare to themselves, hmmm, this person is worth the try. Edgy is good, it stands out from the rest, and goes a stride closer to that golden job opportunity. Blunt and dull, well, they're bad. You do the math.

Ockham's Razor. No, we're not going to ask you to decorate your résumé with glitters or attach a musical greeting card in the interest of being edgy. We're talking Ockham's Razor-edgy here.

In science and philosophy, Ockham's Razor is a rule that can be summed up as "no multiplicity if not necessary." This means that when there are two competing theories to a phenomenon, we should choose the simplest of the two, since the simplest solution is often the best one. No multiplicity if not necessary.

Okay, okay, before you cry bloody razor and yell what in edge's name has this got to do with a job résumé and job application, we are getting there. In writing that résumé, nothing beats simple. Short and simple is edgy. Razor-sharp, if you will. After all, if you're a hiring manager who has to sift through dozens and dozens of babbling job résumés declaring this and that skills and achievements, you will want something refreshing for a change. You want edgy.

Let's cut to the chase, shall we?

Use standard fonts. Like Arial, Times New Roman. No fancy fonts please. Don't worry about looking like everybody else's résumé. You can express your creativity through some other venue. Like your answers during the job interview. But that's for later.

Use keywords. Such as technologies you are fluent in like C++, Correl, Java, XML, Adobe, Flash, DreamWeaver. Hiring managers are on the lookout for keywords, so highlight and capitalise if you must--whatever makes your résumé easier to read in a glimpse.

List jobs in reverse chronological order. Starting from the most recent.

Use a formal-sounding email address. Preferably with your name in it. It's not reassuring for hiring managers to receive online job applications from emails like icybabylicious@yahoo.com , or imsuchahottie@gmail.com.

Try sending out your résumé to yourself first. Of course, you'll need another email address for this. Go send that job application to yourself. This is so that you'll have an idea of how your résumé will arrive at the hiring manager's inbox. This way, you can edit it again.

Don't send your résumé as an attachment. Instead, paste it on the email's body. You want the hiring manager to immediately see your résumé and give you that job opportunity. Spare them the trouble of downloading attachments.

Name-drop References. Of course, choose relevant people, like past co-employees or former bosses, who can vouch for you and your work attitudes. Sadly, this rules out people like neighbors, bowling buddies, cousins, your kid's friend's parent, etc, even if you're very good friends with them.

Lastly, whatever you do, don't send a résumé that you've created from one of those just-fill-in-the-blanks résumé template. Not only is it cheesy, but it sends a message to the company that you just don't care or have the time at all.

Of course, let's not get carried away with just the résumé. So what if you've got a razor-edge online job résumé. Sure, it's the first step, but certainly not the last in securing that online job opportunity. Your résumé is your ticket, so use it well later in the interview.

______________________________________________________ Don't just get a job in Australia; get a career opportunity! OzFreeOnline is your user-friendly free job classifieds where it's absolutely free to sign-up and post your resume. Browse all the great job opportunities in Australia and jumpstart your career! At http://jobs.OzFreeOnline.com , you're in demand!

Neoli Marcos is an article contributor for http://jobs.ozfreeonline.com

Posted by World Best Articles.com :: 11:38 AM :: ---------------oOo---------------