Writing a resume can be stressful for a number of reasons. It takes a lot of time and energy and you often have to rewrite and edit portions of it depending on the job you're applying to.
In the final part of our two-part series, we look at a few more concerns people have when putting together a resume. We also suggest how you can alleviate these stressors:
1. Do I really need to list accomplishments?
If you're applying for a position as a chef, should you only list previous job functions or also note accomplishments and awards?
If your achievements are related to the job you're applying to, include them. They can help support your past job functions. For example, if you once served executives at a prestigious firm and you earned an employee of the year award, put this on the resume. This shows the recruiter that other employers liked your work and therefore recognized you for it.
2. How will mistakes affect my application?
Do not make a mistake on your resume. It'll be thrown in the trash, and quickly cost you the chance to move along in the application process.
A grammatical mistake could, for example, make recruiters hesitant about hiring you as a personal assistant. In seeing the error, they may fear that you'd also be careless while handling an executive's work, such as reports, billing information or client emails.
To avoid resume gaffes, always have someone read over your resume before you submit it. Ask him or her to check the document for grammar and formatting errors and have him or her provide ways you can improve sentence flow and style.
3. How do I use keywords in my resume?
Using keywords is very important considering many agencies use scanning machines to weed out non-qualified candidates. According to Business Insider, about 90 percent of big companies use these machines, and we wouldn't be shocked if that number stood true for most medium to smaller size businesses.
If you want the machine to recognize you, include keywords. To figure out what keywords to use, look at the job description and tailor your resume to it.
As an example, if you're applying for a housekeeper position at a home with kids and pets, you might include keywords relating to how you clean and the types of materials you've used. If you've worked with all-natural, and people and pet-friendly cleaning agents before, you could include this on your resume.
Are you searching for domestic jobs or do you want to work with a domestic staffing agency? Contact Colonial Domestic Agency today!