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The latest advice and best practices in hiring and careers.

Resume Writing Tips for Today’s Market

It might seem hard to believe, but hiring managers scan a resume for just 6 seconds before deciding whether or not the candidate will make the cut and be considered for the position.

So what are managers looking at in those few precious seconds? According to a recent video from Business Insider, the main areas of focus are:

        ~ Name

        ~ Current company, position, and start/end dates

        ~ Previous position and start/end dates

        ~ Education

A.R. Mazzotta’s recruiting specialists agree – these key areas of your resume will get the most attention in the initial seconds of review, so it’s really important to have a clean, well-organized, readable resume.

As 2014 comes to a close and you start to think about your 2015 employment goals, how can you improve your resume writing skills and increase your chances of getting that big job interview? Here are a few tips from the A.R. Mazzotta team:

1.  Have a one-page resume.

Focus on just a few of the most important job details for each position you have listed on your resume. You might also want to consider removing any irrelevant job history. In some situations, it might be beneficial to show that you have a wide range of job experience – but listing TOO much history can lead to a long resume that looks cluttered and uninviting.

2.  Focus on your achievements.

Hiring managers care more about your job achievements and less about your job duties. So include examples of how your actions directly contributed to the success of the departments or organizations where you previously worked.

3.  Skip the buzzwords.

It’s simple – buzzwords are a buzzkill! Lots of candidates use buzzwords throughout their resume, and it can be a big turnoff for hiring managers. Avoid words like – best of the breed, dynamic, guru, synergy, and team player. Instead, use words that show action and achievement, like – managed, planned, trained, and increased.

4.  Make your resume reader-friendly.

These days, most resumes are submitted electronically via email or a website. And if a hiring manager can’t open your resume because of a technical issue, your chance of being considered for the job is not good. Be sure to save your resume in a reader-friendly, common file format such as Word (.DOC) or Text (.TXT). If the hiring manager asks for a different file format, follow the instructions. Doing so can ultimately give you an advantage over other candidates.

Do you have a resume writing tip you’d like to share? Comment below.

And when you’re ready to apply for the best jobs in CT, visit the new A.R. Mazzotta website to browse our current job opportunities and to submit your resume.

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