Resumes For Dummies, 8th Edition

Resumes For Dummies, 8th Edition

by Laura DeCarlo
Released March 2019
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119539285

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Book description

Polish up that old resume—and land your dream job

We've all been there: it's time to apply for a job or internship and you have to create or revise your resume. Many questions pop in your head. What do employers want? What skills should I highlight? How do I format this? How do I get noticed? But resume writing doesn't have to be a daunting task.

The latest edition of Resumes For Dummies answers all of these questions and more—whether you're a resume rookie, looking for new tips, or want to create that eye-catching winning resume. In this trusted guide, Laura DeCarlo decodes the modern culture of resume writing and offers you insider tips on all the best practices that’ll make your skills shine and your resume pop. Let's start writing!

  • Write effective resumes that will stand out in a crowd          
  • Understand Applicant Tracking Systems and how to adapt your resume
  • Keep your resume up with the current culture
  • Position a layoff or other career change and challenge with a positive spin
  • Leverage tips and tricks that give your resume visual power

In order to put your best foot forward and stand out in a pile of papers, it’s important to have an excellent and effective resume—and now you can.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Foolish Assumptions
    3. Icons Used in This Book
    4. Beyond the Book
    5. Where to Go from Here
  3. Part 1: Getting Started with Resumes
    1. Chapter 1: Getting a Job in the Digital Age
      1. Resumes Are Here to Stay
      2. Keeping Up with Resume Times
      3. Technologies Facilitate Job Searching
    2. Chapter 2: Enlisting Social Media
      1. The Sweeping Reach of Social Networking
      2. Eyeing the Big Three of Social Networking Job Searches
      3. Making Sure Online Profiles Capture Your Best Side
      4. Writing Your Social Profile
      5. Putting Your Best Face Forward
    3. Chapter 3: Going Mobile
      1. Earning New Rewards with Mobile Search
      2. Knowing When and Where to Stick to Home Computer Searches
      3. Powering a Mobile Search
      4. Avoiding Mobile Job Search Mistakes
    4. Chapter 4: Leveraging Familiar Search Tools
      1. Plain-Text Resumes Are Still on the Scene
      2. Creating an ATS-Friendly Resume
      3. E-Forms: Fill in the Blankety-Blanks
      4. Online Screening Guards the Employment Door
      5. Blogs Give a Global Brand
      6. RSS Delivers Job Alerts on Your Time
      7. Resume Blasting: A Really Bad Idea
    5. Chapter 5: Checking Your Online Image
      1. Your Online Life Is an Open Book
      2. Cleaning Up Your Act
      3. Restoring Your Online Reputation
      4. Keeping Watch on Your Online Reputation
      5. Look Who’s Talking … about You
  4. Part 2: Pulling Together a Winning Resume
    1. Chapter 6: Selecting the Best Resume Format
      1. Resume Formats Make a Difference
      2. Reverse-Chronological Format
      3. Chrono-Functional Format
      4. Hybrid Format
      5. Other Resume Presentations
    2. Chapter 7: Understanding the Parts of a Resume
      1. Breaking Down the Parts of Your Resume
      2. Leading with Contact Information
      3. Placing Your Job Target in the Objective Header
      4. Grabbing the Reader with the Summary Section
      5. Matching the Job Target with Key Skills
      6. The Proof Is in the Experience
      7. Education Makes the Grade
      8. Gaining Extra Points
      9. Shaping Your Content on Application Forms
      10. Notable Content to Leave Off Your Resume
    3. Chapter 8: Making the Details Shine
      1. Getting Started by Gathering Data
      2. Compiling the Content for the Basis of Your Resume
      3. Taking the Next Steps
      4. Your Core Resume: Turning Your Data into Dynamite
      5. Polishing Your Core Resume to Hand Out in Person
    4. Chapter 9: Using the OnTarget Approach
      1. Is Targeting Your Resume Really Necessary?
      2. Why One-Size-Fits-All Never Works
      3. Taking a Custom Approach
  5. Part 3: Resume Strategies to Wow Them
    1. Chapter 10: Working Wonders with Wow Words
      1. Bringing Good News with Wow Words
      2. Helping Recruiters Find You
      3. Finding Keywords
      4. Using Keywords
      5. Getting a Grip on Grammar
      6. Focusing on Spelling
    2. Chapter 11: Refining Your Design
      1. Leaving Space
      2. Employing Basic Design Elements for a Readable Resume
      3. Tips for Printed Resumes
    3. Chapter 12: Opting for a Creative Resume
      1. Understanding Why Creative Resumes Are Game Changers
      2. Using Design Strategies That Pop
    4. Chapter 13: Dealing with a Major Life Change
      1. Scoring Big with Your First Gig
      2. Moving Beyond “Too Old” to “In Demand”
      3. Moving from Military Work to Civilian Employment
    5. Chapter 14: Overcoming Career Roadblocks
      1. Navigating Job Gaps
      2. Returning to the Workforce after Being a Caregiver
      3. Seeking a Job When You Have a Disability
      4. Seeking a Job When You're an Ex-Offender
      5. Addressing Experience Dilemmas
      6. Addressing Situations Not in Your Control
      7. Handling Red-Flag Circumstances
  6. Part 4: Bringing It All Together with Sample Resumes
    1. Chapter 15: OnTarget Resumes by Industry and Career Field
    2. Chapter 16: OnTarget Resumes by Experience and Age
    3. Chapter 17: OnTarget Resumes for Special Circumstances
    4. Chapter 18: Award-Winning Creative Marketing Resumes
  7. Part 5: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Improve Your Resume
      1. Match Your Resume to the Job
      2. Use Bulleted Style for Easy Reading
      3. Discover Art of Lost Articles
      4. Sell, Don’t Tell
      5. Show Off Your Assets
      6. Make Sure Your Words Play Well Together
      7. Reach Out with Strength
      8. Trash a Wimpy Objective
      9. Deliver the Right Document
      10. Erase the Leave-Outs
    2. Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Increase the Odds of Landing a Job
      1. Send Your Resume in the Right Tech Form
      2. Don't Chase Every Job
      3. Hit the Bull’s-Eye with Your Resume
      4. Move Fast, Follow Guidelines
      5. Neutralize Chilling Information
      6. Go Directly to the Hiring Manager
      7. Find an Inside Advocate
      8. Keep on Keepin’ On
      9. Find It on Company Websites
      10. Use Job Boards with Caution
    3. Chapter 21: Ten Tips for Choosing Professional Resume Help
      1. Choose a Resume Writing Service, Not a Clerical Service
      2. Zero in on Certified Professionals
      3. Request a Free Initial Consultation
      4. Evaluate the Writer’s Resume Samples
      5. Ask for References
      6. Watch Out for an Overuse of Forms
      7. Identify Generalists and Specialists
      8. Look for a Fair Price
      9. Take Aim
      10. Know That a Cheap Resume Is No Bargain
    4. Chapter 22: Your Ten-Point Resume Checklist
      1. Qualifications
      2. Image and Focus
      3. Format and Style
      4. Accomplishments and Skills
      5. Language and Expressions
      6. Content and Omissions
      7. Length and Common Sense
      8. Social Media and Other New Things
      9. Sticky Points and Sugarcoating
      10. Proofreading and More Proofreading
  8. Appendix: Directory of Resume Writers
  9. Index
  10. About the Author
  11. Connect with Dummies
  12. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Resumes For Dummies, 8th Edition
  • Author(s): Laura DeCarlo
  • Release date: March 2019
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119539285