Cover Letters & Resumes

Does Your Resume Pass This Five-Point Checklist?

As the economy has worsened and millions of job seekers are chasing after fewer and fewer jobs, what...

It's A Sales Letter, Not A Cover Letter

When college students are instructed to create a cover letter, they are receiving bad advice. Letters...

10 Things To Avoid In Your Cover Letter

Like it or not, your cover letter is the first document that creates an impression about you (good or...

15 Items for Your Resume "To Do" List

  Do you want to create a more “user friendly” resume to submit to recruiters and hiring...

21 Ways to Improve Your Resume

Your resume is critical to your job search success. It must be a highly effective resumé to capture...

5 Insider Tips You Must Know for Writing Your Executive Resume

If you’re an executive searching for your next opportunity in today’s hotly competitive market,...

5 Resume Tips: Do What Most Job Seekers Don't

When it comes to writing a great resume, there are no hard and fast rules or specific formats that you...

5 Ways Your Cover Letter Says, "I Don't Want This Job"

Cover letters can be a great way to get employers to notice you. Of course you always want to send one...

Alternate resume format may be the key to a successful job hunt

Dear Joan: I have worked contract assignments for the last seven years, which gave me the flexibility...

Avoid the Top Five Resume Mistakes

Over the years as a recruiter and career coach, I’ve seen the consequences of poorly written resumes. Unfortunately,...

Avoid The Top Ten Resume Mistakes

You're sitting at your desk, the coffee is cold, and you decide that your boss has annoyed you for the...

Avoid the Top Three Cover Letter Mistakes

As a career coach and professional resume writer, I'm often asked "How important are cover letters to...

Avoiding Resume Quick Sand

There’s probably nothing more frustrating than getting your resume all “prettied up”...

Baby Boomers, Beware! Don’t Let Your Resume Date You!

If you’re a job seeker of the Baby Boom generation, you may be feeling a little left out by the...

Back to Basics

  In this time of corporate upheaval, economic downturn, and general uneasiness, many job seekers...

Choosing the Right Resume Format

If you learned to write a resume more than 10 years ago, you may be thinking, “I didn’t know...

Components of a Winning Resume

WHAT IS A RESUME SUPPOSED TO DO? It’s NOT to get you a job. It’s to get you a phone call...

Conduct reference check on resume & career service companies

Dear Joan: I have two master's degrees, one in Psychology and the other a MBA. With strong encouragement...

Cover Letter Blunders

As you sit down to write your cover letter, do you ever stop and think, "Who the heck is going to read...

Cover Letter Help - Writing Errors To Avoid

To ensure you’re always using an effective cover letter, let’s review the letter’s...

Cover Letter Openings

Cover Letters are an important part of the job seeking process that, when used effectively, will give...

Cover Letter Writing - Tips for Writing Persuasive Cover Letters

There is so much talk about writing a perfect resume, but many job seekers don’t pay much attention...

Cover Letter... Don't Sweat It

Writing a cover letter to accompany a resume, for some, can conjure up bad memories from high school...

Crafting a Resume for a Non-Profit Organization

Non-profit agencies do a lot of good work—whether raising money for sick children or finding happy...

Creating a Passionate Cover Letter

Are you applying for a new job but are not thrilled about the work it might entail? You may be seeking...

Creating the Right Resume for the Right Job

So you’ve recently started searching for jobs in your field and have discovered an opening that...

Creating Your Cover Letter When Feeling Overqualified

Are you highly skilled in your profession, yet seeking a job that for which you are probably overqualified?...

Developing the Right Resume and Attitude for an Uncertain Economy

There is no doubt that our current economy is a little scary to say the least. Companies are laying off...

Displaced workers find there's more to job hunting than resume

There's still a lot of bitterness out there. I experienced some of it first hand last week, while I was...

Do You Need a New Resume?

Maybe you haven’t updated your resume since your first job out of college—10 years ago. Or...

Do You Need a Professionally Written Resume?

Do you cut your own hair? Perform your own dental work? Prepare your own taxes? Chances are that you...

Do You Really Need a Resume?

Let's get right to the point -- Yes, you really do need a resume and it better be a good one. A resume...

Easy to Implement Cover Letter Advice

You should put the same effort into your cover letter as you do your resume. By implementing the following...

Emailing Your Resume

When searching for a job, there is nothing more frustrating than emailing resumes and never receiving...

Five resume writing strategies from a career coach's secret toolkit

Ever wonder how career coaches transform ordinary resumes into wow documents. Career coaches and resume...

Five Sure-Fire Tips For Writing A Winning Resume

Resume writing can be a real task for anyone, even if you have several years of experience in your job....

Five Tips For Writing Attention-Grabbing Cover Letters

A cover letter is perhaps the trickiest letter you will ever have to write as a job seeker. It can't...

Five Tips To A Successful Interview Follow-Up Letter

The interview follow-up letter is the last of the essential tools in your job-hunting bag. This is for...

For Your Resume Success, Think Like a Professional Writer

It’s depressing, isn’t it? You sit there looking at your resume that isn’t getting...

Four Guerrilla-Style Resumes

Now. There's a lot more to landing your dream job than writing and sending a resume. But you know what?...

Graphics On My Resume?

Those who hire oftentimes don't care for graphics (pictures, clipart, drawings) within a resume, unless...

Great tips for smart video resumes!

Video Resumes are here to stay! Changing times, better technology and widespread internet access...

Handling Resume Problem: Gaps in Work History

Prospective employers like to see steady work history with advancement as you move from company to company....

Handling Resume Problem: Too Few Achievements

Fudging achievements is one of the top embellishments jobseekers do to enhance the wow of their resumes....

Handling Resume Problems: Too Many Jobs

You were laid off, quit for a better job, became downsized, and moved across country. Whatever the multiple...

Helping a friend with a resume

Dear Joan: I started working at a great job after graduate school two and a half years ago after doing...

How Long Should Your Resume Be?

To each job seeker who has struggled to cram his resume onto one page: I hereby give you permission to...

How Numbers Can Enhance Your Resume

Did you know that numbers can make a huge difference in your ability to create a quality resume? It’s...

How Should I Update My Resume?

Dear Julie, I am planning to begin looking for a new job in my field. I haven't updated my resume in...

How To Address Gaps In Employment History

Life would certainly be a lot easier if your career history could be perfectly presented on a resume....

How to Apply for Jobs Online

  There isn’t any room for guesswork in applying for jobs online. It’s really simple....

How to Avoid Exaggerating In Your Resume

When you’re drafting a resume, it is tempting to stretch the truth some so that you appear to be...

How to Avoid Laundry List Resumes

The process of writing a resume can be very tedious. There are often so many jobs and responsibilities...

How to Create Your Cover Letter When Switching Careers

You have recently made the decision to exit one career and enter a new one, which can be both exciting...

How to email it in

Q: It has been a while since I have done a job search. What suggestions do you have for me to be more...

How to Make the Leap from Entrepreneur to Executive on Your Resume

Skilled executive leaders have often heard the siren call of business ownership, with many walking away...

How to Start a Job Search

One of the hardest parts of beginning a job search is knowing where to start. The internet has more job...

How to Write a Great Cover Letter

Q. "Give me a choice between writing a cover letter and swimming with sharks, and I'll head for the beach!...

How To Write a Powerful and Successful Resume

When presenting a resume to a prospective employer, whether on paper or on-line, you have approximately...

How To Write The Perfect Resume

The purpose of a résumé is to relay your accomplishments and qualifications to an employer....

I Have A Warrant for Your Application

Hundreds of applications get dropped on human resources, so the last thing staff wants is a biography,...

Is "The Breakfast of Champions" in Your Resume?

Call it a slogan, a branding image, a tagline. When you hear it or see it, you know exactly what...

Is It Lying... Or Selective Truth?

Lying on resumes is a no-no. Everybody seems to agree on that, even if “everybody” isn’t...

Is It Time To Update Your Resume?

We are always making lists to keep on top of the daily/weekly schedules and deadlines that face us in...

Is It Time To Update Your Resume?

The motto “Be prepared,” isn’t just great advice for Boy Scouts; it’s also great...

Is This On Your Resume?

One of the most overlooked ways in using a resume to sell yourself is failing to identify the companies...

Is Your Cover Letter Fast Food or Five Star?

If you’ve been job hunting for some time now, you probably have come to the realization that it’s...

Is Your Resume Lost in the Great Internet Void?

With the advent of email and online job services, job hunting suddenly became much easier. Or did...

Is Your Resume Missing These 5 Must Haves?

Making sure your résumé is a powerful marketing document is a wise investment in your career....

Is Your Resume Recruiter Friendly?

If you are in the middle of a job search, recruiters can be either your friend—or your foe. They...

It's Time for the Holidays... and Writing Your Resume?

It’s already Holiday time and you’re sitting there wondering where the year went, right?...

Lying on your resume can get you fired

The case on MIT's dean of admissions resignation due to alleged "misrepresented" information on her résumé...

Match your skills with their needs

The number of resumés received by employers continues to be overwhelming as the job market...

Military-to-Civilian Resume Tips

When you’re separating from the military after years of service, it can be daunting to look for...

New Resume Gets Results For New Jersey Man

Think your job search is hopeless? Think again. Here’s a case study that shows how one man, after...

Poor Grammar, Poor Impression

  I've become increasingly concerned about the ignorance of Americans - not those who have learned...

Recession-Proof Resumes

Hard times are upon the world economy and it isn’t news anymore even to school children. What hasn’t...

Resume Critiques - Beware of the Uninformed!

You’re anticipating a career change, and it has been a while since your last job search. How...

Resume Do's and Don'ts

You know that a resume is the first step in searching for that fabulous new job, but how can you make...

Resume Misrepresentation - A Bad Idea

When I sit down with a job seeker to discuss what the best résumé should include, how it will...

Resume Mistakes Can Cost You The Job

Recently I was assisting an employer with the hiring process and reviewed many resumes that were sent...

Resume profiling: A better objective

Some people say I should have an objective at the top of my resume. Others have said "no." What do you...

Resumé tips

A resumé is not a journal. So cautions counselor Diana Churchill of Spokane, Washington. She...

Resume Tips for Special Situations

A strong, professional resume will help you on your way to the next level in your job search and career...

Resume Tips for Those Lacking Job Experience

Are you looking to acquire your first job in many years – or your first job ever – and have...

Resume Writing 101

A resume is your personal marketing tool-- a critical document required to get you called in for a job...

Resumes and Cover Letters - What's the Difference?

According to the dictionary, a resume is “a summary, as of one’s employment, education, etc.,...

Resumes and How They Came To Be

Resumes have evolved quite extensively since they first came into use. Allegedly the first resume was...

Resumes for people who aren't looking for a job

Corrine (not her real name) had worked in her family’s retail business for 25 years. She and her...

Resumes For Returning Workers

A resume is required for virtually every job opening in every field of endeavor. A professional resume...

Sales Cover Letters - Don't Sell Yourself Short

For one, sales cover letters are pretty much identical to business cover letters in their format or rules,...

Sending Your Resume and Cover Letters Via Email

When you apply via email, there are a couple of options. You can write your cover letter directly into...

Should I Include My Salary Requirements In My Cover Letter?

In most normal cases, you should not include your salary expectation in cover letters unless you have...

Signs Your Resume Has Gone Bad

If you’ve ever been in the position to review resumes and cover letters, then you know there are...

Stop Sending Cover Letters

You can learn a lot about how to write a powerful cover letter, not by reading books on cover letters...

Tell Employers What They Want to Hear

Finding a job can be a lot like running for public office … without the lying, pandering or attack...

Ten Things That Could Make Employers Like You - or Not

Job seekers are bombarded with daily advice from well meaning friends, relatives, and professionals covering...

Thank you Letters- An Attitude of Gratitude

Of all the written correspondence pieces of the job search, the thank-you letter is the least-used and...

The Class Everyone Thought You Took, But You Didn't

Listen  up. Most of the time, I hate the condescending tone of the career pundits. It’s always...

The Dynamic Duo - Every Resume Needs a Cover Letter

Sending a resume without a cover letter is like showing up at a party in your underwear -- you are sharing...

The Myth of the 10-Minute Resume

You can get your photos developed in 10 minutes. You can have the oil in your car changed in 10 minutes....

The Perfect Cover Letter... Yummy!

The cover letter is like the icing on a cake. You baked the cake when you prepared your resume,...

The Real Purpose of References

The purpose of providing references is to close the deal. It isn’t to find out if you are...

The Right Words To Get The Job You Want

Are you looking for the right words to show your credentials and enthusiasm on a job interview? A job...

The three dangers of resumes

Resumes, ah resumes! How they are ever with us, in any talk about the job-hunt, whether in magazines,...

The Write Way To Get The Job You Want

All job seekers ultimately ask one basic question - "Why do I need a good resume?" The answer is simple....

Three Common Resume Questions Answered

How many times have you found yourself in the midst of writing your resume when you realized that there...

Three Dangers of Resumes

Resumes, ah resumes! How they are ever with us, in any talk about the job-hunt, whether in magazines,...

Three Powerful Tips to Address Gaps in Your Career History

Given the dot-com meltdown, frequent corporate downsizing, family situations, and the never-ending parade...

Tips For Writing a Stellar Student Resume

If you’re still in college, chances are you haven’t had the opportunity to hold down many...

Too Much Career, Not Enough Paper

Those who find themselves mid-career are quick to learn that it all won't fit within a tight 1-2 page...

Top Resume Writing Tips

It’s been said that you only get one chance to make a good first impression. People meeting...

Top Secrets of Expert Resumes

It seems no matter how good we have it, we all want a better job. That means keeping track of job listings,...

Unexpected Termination

Dear Joan: I am at a loss how to handle an unexpected termination by an employer after only six weeks. ...

Unwritten Resume Rules

There are a number of unwritten rules you should follow when writing your resume, if you want to get...

Using Your Cover Letter to Turn Weaknesses into Strengths

When applying for a new job, it can sometimes be difficult to explain a huge gap in employment, or lack...

What Components Go Into Making A Winning Resume

WHAT IS A RESUME SUPPOSED TO DO? It's NOT to get you a job. It's to get you a phone call inviting you...

What Counts in a Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is a commonplace aspect of conducting any job search. When you apply for a job,...

What Do Employers Want To See In Your Cover Letter?

Don’t Forget the Basics of Cover Letter Writing What do employers want to see in your cover letter?That...

What does your stationery say about you?

The paper resume isn't dead yet. Several variations of paper, such as copy, construction, multipurpose,...

What Exactly Is a Resume?

In today’s job market, a resume is your ticket in to the big game -- a marketing tool designed...

What To Do When Your Resume Falls Flat

Are you sitting by the phone, twiddling your thumbs, just waiting to get a call about the job you just...

When providing references is a challenge

Dear Joan: I am updating my resume and need some advice regarding references, should a prospective employer...

When Providing References is a Challenge

Dear Joan: I am updating my resume and need some advice regarding references, should a prospective employer...

When Your Resume Falls Into The Big Black Hole

The Problem You've sent your resume in response to a careerjournal.com ad which matches your qualifications...

Why Do You Need a Resume?

You've been working your way up to positions of increased responsibility over the past 15 years, you...

Work Gaps on Your Resume?

Are your prospects dimming because you've been out of work for 3 months, 6 months, even longer?   I...

Write a Great Cover Letter

Hiring managers agree-good cover letters are very influential. Often forgotten about when applying online,...

Writing a Great Resume Objective

It's the first thing potential employers read, and it can set the tone for your entire resume. The objective...

Writing an Attention Getting Executive-Level Resume

You already know that having an effective resume is an important part of finding a job. What you...

Writing an Effective Entry-Level Resume

Whether you are just entering the workforce after graduation or you have decided to change careers, you...

Writing Resumes and Cover Letters - Words and Phrases to Avoid

Have you ever sat down at your computer with tons of information to include in both your cover letter...

Writing Your Cover Letter - You Really Can Do It

The dreaded cover letter. This is where you, the job candidate, have to convey all this important information...

You Aren't Single Dimensional - So Why Is Your Resume?

Choosing a resume style is as difficult or easy as choosing the most suitable dress or suit for that...

Your Resume and You

What you leave off your resume can be just as important as what you include. That's according to career...