How To Survive a Depression

There is no perfect way to write a resume, every resume should be uniquely written to suit the individual. There are two main considerations when deciding how to write your resume: what is your history, and where would you like to work?

There are 2 major resume formats: chronological and functional. If you have a lot of gaps in your work history, or are just starting out, it's best to go with a functional format. This format emphasizes your skills, and experiences rather than your work history. The chronological format lists your work history with exact start and finish dates starting from your most recent employment and working backwards. It usually doesn't go back more than 10 years unless it is relevant to the work being applied for. There are some resume styles that use a hybrid of these two forms, and others that don't fall into either category, but I won't be covering them here.

All resumes should have your name and contact information at the top. Many resumes also have an objective in which you state what type of work it is you are interested in and your goals. This should be very specific and you can change it for each job you apply for. You can also use a section called qualifications or summary instead of an objective. A lot of employers want to see an objective, since it should highlight your capabilities and what you would like to contribute to the employer.

In your work history, you should use action verbs when listing your accomplishments, such as "improved", "attained", "facilitated", etc. If you are applying for a job in where numbers are important and can demonstrate your accomplishments using numbers, then you should do this. Depending on what type of work you are applying for, the style should vary. If you are applying for a job in the arts or entertainment field, then being playful with words and having an entertaining resume might be a good idea. You may even want to use fancy graphics or images in this case. If on the other hand, you are applying for a bank, then you want the tone to be very serious and business like.

Nowadays, some employers use computer programs to scan resumes for keywords that are relevant to the job. So if you are applying for a job that was advertised, then it's a good idea to include the keywords in the ad that you think are important or any others that you think might be scanned for. Because employers don't have a lot of time to look at all the resumes, you should keep it to a maximum of 2 pages in length. If it's an entry level job and you don't have a lot of experience, try to get it down to 1 page.

You want your resume to highlight your strengths, but try to keep it relevant to the job being applied for. Put yourself in the employer's shoes and imagine what you would look for in a candidate for the position being applied for. If the most important aspect of the job is creativity, then highlight your creative side. If the most important thing is attention to detail or people skills then highlight those. You should highlight all your previous work experience, volunteer experience and education that is relevant to the job being applied for.

It's important not to lie on a resume, since even if you do get hired, the truth could be discovered at a later date and it could be grounds for dismissal. As long as you are qualified for the job and you do a good job demonstrating that in your resume, there is no reason to lie. Remember that an employer's stated requirements for the job candidate are sometimes flexible. For example if the job ad says a minimum 5 years of experience is required, they may settle for 3 years if you can demonstrate a strong skill set.

Remember, it's also important to include a cover letter, which you can think of as the icing on the cake. Happy job hunting!