My Recruiting Blog

The economic downturn caused many people to return to school, whether to gain more education for their current job or to pursue a new career path altogether. Once you complete your second round of schooling, using a resume builder can help you market both your educational and employment experience.

A good resume builder will allow you to either upload an existing resume and tailor it to your needs or start from scratch. Either option provides a great way for you to create the perfect marketing tool for your job search.

Here are five tips to keep in mind when using a resume builder, as compiled by FastWeb:

1. Highlight important dates - Many job seekers are afraid to include graduation or employment dates in their resume for fear that employers will automatically reject older candidates or those with significant time gaps. It's more likely that employers will be suspicious if you eliminate important dates. It's better to be honest up front than to leave employers thinking you have something to hide.
2. Use your resume as a marketing document - Instead of listing your entire career history, research the company you're applying to and feature what you can do for them in the future, instead of what you've done in the past.
3. Show employers how your past career experience will benefit them - Researching the company also can help you understand where it's going and what it's looking for, allowing you to highlight your experience in those areas. Keep in mind that the average person spends only seven seconds scanning a resume, so make sure what you have to offer stands out.
4. Consider using a functional resume - This type of resume, which often has a profile section at the top, offers you the chance to showcase your skills instead of your experience. Even more importantly, you can show how your style will fit in with the culture of the organization.
5. Have an "experience" section instead of an "employment" section - This is especially helpful if you think your previous work experience is irrelevant to the job you're seeking. An experience section also can include internships, class projects and independent study.

Labels: Resume builder