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Posts Tagged ‘resume’

Most Importance & Types of Resumes

In CAREER ARTICLES on August 15, 2008 at 4:36 pm

Resume importance:

                             The resume outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, how you can contribute to the employer’s workplace.  Resume is the first meeting between you and employer so the resume must be clear, simple and interesting. The purpose of the resume is to get the interview. After reading it, employers should want to get to know you better.

          Your resume has been successful in gaining an interview. Therefore you have demonstrated your skills, knowledge and experience are of value to the organization. The most effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer’s stated requirements for the position.

Types of resumes:

          Some of the types of resumes are

·   Chronological resume
·   Functional resume
·   Combinational resume

*             Chronological resume: Best suited for entry-level job seekers or those who have stayed in the same field.
Functional resume: Career changers and those job seekers with varied work experiences and accomplishments may want to utilize a functional resume style.

*             Combinational resume: This form combines features from the chronological and functional formats. It is similar to a functional resume in format, but lists specific employment dates and positions as well. How do you decide whether to use a Chronological resume or a Functional one? The Chronological format is widely preferred by employers, and works well if you’re staying in the same field.

*              Only use a Functional format if you’re changing fields, and you’re sure a skills-oriented format would show off your transferable skills to better advantage; and be sure to include a clear chronological work history!

 

Prove your resume as a unique one in the interview

 

Prove your resume as a unique one in the interview

Preparing a resume
                                       
                                            Resume is a one or two page summary of your skills, accomplishments, experiences, and education designed to capture a prospective employer’s interest. The purpose of a resume is to secure an interview. It is the primary tool of your job search and may take several drafts to prepare effectively

·   Before you can write an effective resume, you must first be able to identify your skills and abilities as well as your special needs relating to the work environment, salary, geographic location, and people environment. This step will help you to develop a career objective.

·   List at least 10 skills, which you have developed in each area. Make a list of what you consider to be 5 great accomplishments in your life. What personal qualities helped you reach each goal?

·   As you organize your resume, keep in mind the needs of the employer who will be reading it.

·   Consider what the employer is looking for in a candidate and make it easy for the reader to pick out those skills by selecting appropriate categories, using underlining, boldfacing or capitalizing and presenting relevant experience and skill.

·   Use active language. Create An Image That Matches The Salary You    Want. A good resume predicts how you might perform in that desired future job.

·   Keep the overall length of your resume short. Depending upon your experience, one or two pages are ideal. A three-page resume should be considered only if it is absolutely necessary to do justice to your career experience.
 
·   If you’re considering enclosing a photograph of yourself, don’t! It’s not necessary Avoid odd-size paper or loud colors
 
·   Don’t include on your resume your height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, sex, ethnicity/race, health, reasons for leaving previous job, names of former supervisors, specific street addresses or phone numbers of former employers, salary information, the title “Resume,”

 

4 Resume Tips- Four A’s for Success

In CAREER ARTICLES on August 15, 2008 at 4:33 pm

First Tip – Abilities

We all have skills and talents that separate us from our competitors. Demonstrate to the prospective employer what you are capable of doing, but do so in a way that expresses your enthusiasm and dedication to the job. Show the employer what you can do and how well you can do it. Are you proficient at a particular skill? Let the employer know. This is not just a boring list of what you have done before. It is a marketing piece directed at exciting the prospective employer about hiring you to be a part of the organization.

Second Tip – Achievements

What have you accomplished thus far in life and how will it enhance your ability to do a great job for your next employer? Don’t just list what you have achieved, but go the next step and be bold about what you have undertaken in the past. Give examples. If possible, use numbers to quantify the work that you have done. For instance, “Utilized new workflow procedure to increase the efficiency of the plant by 20%.” Be realistic, but don’t be afraid to sell yourself.

Third Tip – Action

Use strong action keywords (verbs) within your resume to convey your ability to take action. Showing problem solving skills and initiative are essential in today’s job market. Think of the responsibilities of your former employment and how you were challenged to excel. Focus on the challenges and how you overcame them. Define the opportunities where you used your resourcefulness and innovative thinking to do something in a different way and how it benefited the company you worked for.

Fourth Tip – Arrangement

Look at the overall layout of your resume. Demonstrating your amazing abilities and quantifying your accomplishments with bold action words are meaningless if they are convoluted in a format that is unreadable. Use a format that is recognized and that suits your background as well as your goals.

The Four A’s of Resumes are important resume tips to keep in mind as they will guide you to prepare resume materials that are of the highest quality.

                                            

What new Experience you have in your life – Improve Yourself

In CAREER ARTICLES on August 15, 2008 at 4:25 pm

What Are You Doing That’s Different to Last Year?

What did you do yesterday or last week or last month that you had never done before? What new experiences are you having this year that you have never had in any other year of your life? What are you doing to make sure that your life is an exciting adventure rather than a boring routine?

When a baby comes into the world it is born into an exciting place full of new and interesting experiences. For the first few years of life that baby is on an adventure of discovery. He or she learns to walk and to talk. She learns to feed herself. She discovers new sensations each and everyday. If you watch a baby exploring his world you will see what an amazingly interesting place this world can be.

As we grow into children we learn new things, find new games to play and have new, interesting experiences. Life is still exciting. But somewhere along the way to adulthood most people fall out of “life the exciting adventure” and land in “life the dull routine”. What happened?

Adults replace their childhood sense of adventure with a sense of fear. They are afraid to try something new in case it doesn’t work out. They are afraid of doing something different in case they look stupid. They are afraid to go somewhere that they’ve never been in case they don’t like it. They are living each day in fear and allowing fear to steal the excitement out of their life.

Why not throw fear out of your life and rediscover the enthusiasm for living that you had as a child? If you want to discover the possibilities for your life you need to become an explorer, you need to try new things and find rewards that you didn’t even know existed.

Here are a few possibilities you could try. As you read them watch your reactions and see if you are being ruled by fear or by the enthusiasm of possibility.

– You could learn something new just for the fun of it.
– You could go somewhere where you have never been before.
– You could move to another country and live there for a few years.
– You could give your old friends a break and find new friends.
– You could take up a new hobby.
– You could stop watching television.
– You could learn a new language.
– You could change careers
– You could do something you’ve always wanted to but haven’t yet done.

What Employers Look in You during the Interview

In CAREER ARTICLES on August 15, 2008 at 4:23 pm

What Employers Are Looking For

When an employer decides to conduct an interview with you, there are certain things that they are looking for from you. Naturally, you are likely to focus on these things during an interview, but you should remember all of the tips in this manual because following those tips is what is going to make the employers see all of those things in you.

Since everybody wants to have a leg up when it comes to an interview, it naturally seemed to be appropriate to let you in on what the employers are evaluating you on during an interview. So here is that list.

• Your Enthusiasm: Employers want to know that you are willing and eager to be a part of their company. Being fully stocked with knowledge about the company is a sure fire way to show your enthusiasm.

• Your ability to speak clearly: If you approach an interview mumbling and speaking slang, a prospective employer will not see you as a professional.

• Showing your teamwork skills: You should show an example of your ability to work as a team during your interview.

• Leadership skills: You should show your leadership abilities by approaching your interview with an offensive train of thought.

Problem solving ability: Employers needs to know that you can handle yourself when a problem arrives.

Work related experience: You definitely want to show that you have some experience in the field already, so that the employer knows that you will not be overwhelmed.

Community involvement: Employers love to see that you have done volunteer work. It shows that you take pride in your community, and a willingness to be a team player.

• Company knowledge: Again, this stipulates that employers like to see that you have done your research about their company. It shows that your interest in working for them is sincere.

• Flexibility: Employers want to know that you are able to go with the flow. It proves that they can depend on you later.

• Ambition and Motivation: Ambitious people are generally motivated enough to make great improvements in the company as they are working their way up the ladder. Ambition usually means more money for the company.

• People skills: Your ability to get along with others is very important to an employer. They need to know that you won’t ruffle any feathers when you are hired.

• Professional appearance: Nobody wants a slob working in their office. Be certain to dress appropriately for the job that you are applying for.

• Ability to Multitask: This is getting to be a very necessary skill in the workplace. Most days, you will be required to multitask. Even if you are not, employers need to know that you can do it without freaking out on them.

• Computer ease: These days, just about every company in the world is running on computers. The ability to work a computer with at least minimal amount of ease is important. It is best to keep a leg up on the most common software like MS Office, Quark Express, and Linux.

• Reliability: Employers want dependable and reliable people to work for them. Your ability to arrive on time is a good place to start when trying to prove that you possess this quality.

Best of luck to you!

Increase your Self Control in 5 Ways

 

Increase Your Self-Control in 5 Steps

   
It takes self-control in order to reach your goals. You increase it the same way you beef up your self-confidence, by mastering smaller steps one at a time, and building up trust in yourself.

Step One: Making the Commitment

You’ll find your goals are easier to reach once you can focus on them in your mind. What exactly do you want to do? What – exactly – are the steps needed to take you there?

It’s easy to say you want to live a healthier life, but you won’t accomplish anything by trying to cover everything at once. Look at your current abilities, and what you’re able to tackle right now. Using your strengths, how can reach your overall goal? Eating more Vegetables? Cutting down on smoking? Exercising with friends?

Pin down your goal and focus your efforts on taking manageable steps in that direction.

Step Two: Put it in Writing

Making a commitment is a lot like making a map. It’s easier to follow your decisions when you’ve laid them down on paper.

When you can see your plan, when you have a chance to check items off one by one, you feel powerful and in control of your situation. Writing things down strengthens you focus, and gives you a reminder of what you have to work on.

Step Three: Kick into Action

Start once you make your commitment. If you wait for the next day, or the next week, or after the holidays, etc you will keep coming up with reasons to avoid starting at all. Worse, you’ll find reasons to stop midstream.

If you find yourself tempted, it may be a sign that your baby steps aren’t small enough. “Never drinking soda pop ever again” may work for someone who drinks a very small amount, but for someone who lives on carbonation, it’s not realistic.

Remember, self-confident people honor their abilities and know their limitations. They don’t set themselves up for fairly. Be good to your spirit by setting goals that won’t drag you off-course.

Step Four: Let the Daydreams Begin

Motivation fuels your efforts. Daydreams fuel your motivation.

Take some time today to imagine your success. See yourself drinking bottled water, or chewing on gum instead of taking a drag. Envision your thinner thighs or sparkling white teeth. Most importantly, see yourself smiling.

While visualizing the life you want to lead is a powerful tool in creating the self-confidence, you can also use visualization techniques to fight off negative thinking.

The next time stresses come to call, close your eyes for a moment and breathe deeply. Imagine yourself walking into a blooming garden. Stop in front of a rose bush, littered with vibrant blooms and wilting ones. Put on your garden gloves, and pick up your shears, then stop to smell the roses. With every sniff of a vibrant bloom, here the whispering positive messages in your mind. “You can do this.” “You will reach your goals.” “You deserve your success.”

The wilted blooms have an acrid smell, and whisper negative comments. Snip them off the bush before they have their whole say, but them in your basket and once back in your office, throw them away.

Step Five: Celebrate Your Success

However little they may be, make a display when your plans reach fruition. It takes focus, commitment, and effort to make even the smallest baby step turn out. Take a moment to feel proud of yourself and realize that improving your life isn’t so tough.

You may even want to reward yourself when you reach certain milestones, but be careful. You want to make progress for yourself, not for the latest CD or a new watch.

Sticking to your goals isn’t so much about willpower as it is making your choices realistic, and aligning your actions with your overall purpose. Be forgiving, hopefully, and celebrate your successes. Soon you’ll be living the life that you want, and you’ll have the trust that you need to meet future obstacles head on.

Best of luck to you!

Top 11 Principles to SUCCESSFUL life

In CAREER ARTICLES on August 15, 2008 at 4:21 pm

Top 11 Principles to SUCCESSFUL life

Success is not just reserved for a chosen few. Everyone, yes everyone, has the capacity to be successful in every area of his or her life. Success results from cultivating certain habits and sticking to them.

Consistency is a must. Successful people have a certain type of personality. Successful people think in a particular way, talk in a particular way and act in a particular way.

Do you want to be successful too? Here are 11 principles of success that are bound to help you if you follow them.

1. Develop a clear vision of what exactly you want to achieve in your life. Carry this vision in your mind at all times. This is the starting point to success.

2. Believe without any doubt that you will achieve your dreams.

3. Stay away from negative influences such as negative people, books, articles, etc. Surround yourself with things that boost your belief in yourself and your future success.

4. Take responsibility for your future. Do not depend on anybody. Take responsibility for your life and don’t doubt success.

5. Make a habit of repeating positive affirmations. Speak out your affirmations in present tense as opposed to future tense. Writing down affirmations is even more effective. This helps your mind stay fixed and focused on your goals. This is also a good way to build your self-confidence and deepen your beliefs.

6. Make a firm commitment to action. Once you decide to take action, stay committed and never give up! Once you deter from commitment, your belief becomes shaky and unstable. If this happens, your efforts will collapse like a deck of cards. You will have wasted all the time and energy you invested in your efforts. So stay committed.

7. Set a specific goal. If you know what you really want to achieve, you need to define it by making it a goal. Set specific goals. Your goals should be precise, measurable, realistic and timed.

8. Work out a plan of action. Break down your plan into smaller tasks or units. Do your task in smaller steps. Take one step or two each day while reminding yourself that each step is taking you closer to your goal. Your actions should be filled with faith, determination and purpose. Consistency is vital to reach your goal. 

9. Never give up until you have achieved what you desire. Persistence is the key to success. Treat every failure as a learning opportunity. But push yourself towards your goal with stronger faith.

10. Maintain an attitude of gratitude, realizing that your dream is becoming a reality. Look around you and be grateful for things that you already have such as a home, loving family, etc.  Just stay grateful.

11. Be a giver – give your time, money and service to others. Be kind and generous to all.

Now you know the principles of success.  Act on it with faith and persistence – and never give up!

How Infosys turns staff in to LEADERS

In CAREER ARTICLES on August 15, 2008 at 4:16 pm

NEW DELHI: The spirit of professional growth keeps Infosys at the forefront of the fast-changing IT industry. This is quite evident in the fact that the company lays emphasis on its leadership development programmes designed to create leaders of tomorrow.1.What is the vision behind Infosys leadership programme?

One of the areas for improvement was the need to have a structured way of developing leaders. So, the vision behind the leadership institute is to create leaders of tomorrow.

Our programmes focus on nurturing leaders with a global perspective. We groom leaders and provide them the opportunity to shape the future of Infosys. Every year, we groom about 700-800 employees.

2.How do you identify the leaders in your organisation?

There is no specific mechanism by which we identify leaders. We invite application from employees at middle and senior level management to undergo the leadership programmes.

We also have a leadership competency department which evaluates these applications on the basis of these nine leadership competencies and selects employees for different set of programmes.

3.Can you throw light on your grooming process and the stages that the participants go through after being selected?

Leadership is a continuous process. This is because leadership is all about mastering yourself at some level.

Infosys leadership modules cover all sorts of programmes where employees are taught how to manage teams, negotiating, handling conflicts and cultural diversity.

We have ‘Leaders Teach’ series where leaders actually share their experiences in particular area. Also, we invite speakers to discuss team strategies, share their experiences and involve teams in group activities.

4.How do you measure the success of these programmes?

For every leader we develop a leadership index which is the ranking or the rating that he has been given on a five point scale against each competency. We measure each leader’s score at the year end and draw analysis.

5.How is your leadership programme different from  other IT majors Wipro and Satyam?

Our aim is to ensure the proper execution of such programmes to groom potential leaders.

We have a leadership index which measures how you have achieved and what you have achieved. So our programmes rate each competency. Also, our leadership development is not time-bound. It runs parallel in our day to day functioning.

That is where Infosys makes a difference. We also emphasise that to develop a good leader, no one else can develop him, but himself. Only you as a person can develop yourself.

We provide the frameworks and the support mechanisms, but the responsibility for development needs to taken by each leader. The definition of leadership that we have is that a leader must go above and beyond expectations.

6.What are the typical challenges that you have faced?

The challenge is to get everyone spend an adequate time on development.

To keep telling people to further develop is quite a challenge. This is where rating competencies help and we discuss with employees about the skills they have developed and areas of improvement.

7.What do you think should be the role of a leader in tough time ?

In any situation, a leader should be able to bring in a lot of positive energy. A leader is someone who raises the confidence of employees and makes them believe that working in this team is a great experience.

Employees get motivated when they feel they are adding value to themselves and the organisation. Also, one of the most important qualities of a leader is to listen.