CV To CEO

People put a lot of thought into changing careers. After all, it is one of the more important decisions one can make. We have to consider our families, our living and financial situations, our competitive advantage in the new field, etc. Making a career change typically means starting with a blank canvas; while you have the freedom to paint that canvas any which way you wish, you have to invest time, energy, make sacrifices and prove yourself as a credible professional in your new field. You have to be competitive, and motivated, and sustain the drive that is necessary to be successful. After you convince yourself that changing careers is the right thing to do, you will have to convince your potential employers to give you the job you are seeking.

To do so, you have to do your research. Demonstrate to your employer that you have an extensive knowledge of the industry, even if you don’t have the accompanying experience. Before you begin your new career, make sure that you understand what professional paths are available for you, and determine what your ultimate goal is. This will help you form the career objective for your resume. Additional, make sure to do your research on the company you are interested in, as well as their competition If invited for an interview, you will want to appear very knowledgeable not only about their company, but about the industry as a whole. You will have to convince your potential employer that you the best person for the job, better than the candidates with experience – to do that, you have to showcase not only your enthusiasm for the opportunity, but your eagerness to learn and your knowledge about the field.

Transferable skills, those skills that can be utilized in numerous fields, are also a key to a successful career change. Consider your qualifications to date. What experience have you acquired that can be transferred across industries? Transferable skills include verbal and written communication, people management, customer relations, organization and project management, development of new processes, generation of new ideas or concepts, etc. Such skills can be adapted to all organizations, and you should utilize them to showcase your qualifications for the job you are seeking. For example, if you would like to ditch the 9-to-5 desk job for a hectic, unpredictable life of a high school teacher, let your potential employer know that your previous experience in leading by motivation makes you a perfect candidate for the job. Making a list of all your professional experiences and the qualifications needed for the job you are seeking will help you in determining which skills are transferable to your new career. Once you define your transferable skills, use a functional resume to assure most of the qualifications needed for the new job are met in your resume.

In addition to your resume, use your cover letter or email to let your potential employer know why you are changing careers, and that your new interest is not a passing one. Make sure that your resume reflects your newfound interest in a genuine and professional manner, and you are sure to have a successful career change.

The most difficult and time consuming section of any resume is the listing of your work experience, no matter the level you have reached in your professional career. If you have just graduated college and don’t have any full-time professional experience, you are concerned if your part time job and summer internship are enough to get your foot in the door. If you are a seasoned professional with extensive work experience, you are worried how to fit all of your hard work on only one page. If you are changing careers, you are unsure which skills best showcase your qualifications. Listing work responsibilities on our resumes doesn’t get easier as our career progresses. The key is to consider your career objective and prioritize your work in accordance to your goals.
Once your list is completed, consider all of the responsibilities you have included. What are the three most important items on the list for each job? How do those items relate to your career objective? Are there any other responsibilities you have listed that better support your career objective than the three you picked as the most critical to your job? You have to consider all these questions in order to prioritize your job descriptions on your resume.
When people are asked about work responsibilities, they have a tendency to disclose the routine items first. This method can be a costly mistake for listing your professional experiences on your resume because it leaves all of the important and key qualifications at the bottom of the list. To avoid falling into this practice, first put together a list of your responsibilities on a sheet of paper. For your initial draft, don’t worry about how you are phrasing each statement – just make a list of everything that you do in your current or have done in your previous jobs.
Begin each description with a power word, such as managed, developed, communicated, etc. Make sure that the statements you list first quantify your achievements – don’t be afraid to list sales figured, customer acquisition rates, budget and timeline successes, or any other figures which help put your responsibilities in a context of the business/field you are working in. Also, these statements should be aligned with your career objective. If you want to get a job in project management, letting your employer know that you managed a team of 20 people will effectively highlight your qualifications. It is important to quantify your job description statements on your resume; however, as a word of caution, do not quantify all statements, just one or two that are most critical to your job and are goal driven. This shows your employer that you think in terms of exceeding your goals. All subsequent descriptions of your responsibilities should support the first one or two items on your list.
Prioritizing doesn’t only apply to your job descriptions, although it is the most commonly disregarded element in this particular area of the resume. Achievements and qualifications are often misrepresented because they are not ordered properly. Same rules apply – consider which of your achievements and your qualifications are most complimentary to your career objective, and list them first. For example, if you are applying for a job in customer service, list your communication skills before your computer skills. While both are important, your communication skills are more in line with your career objective, and therefore should take priority.
As a final test, put yourself in the shoes of your employer. Cross-check the job description and make sure that you address the qualifications required for the job with the information on your resume. Let your potential employer know you have what they are looking for, and you’ll be sure to make a great impression.

When you want to find a job you would need to write what you have been doing in your life and what qualifications do you posses to do the job you have applied for and what experience you have. To write all the things what can get you the job you are looking for is an art but it is difficult task. For the resume writing effectively which can attract the potential employer can be researched online or you can take the help of professional people to make your resume attractive.

The resume does not include just the qualification and the  experience but you need to add the cover letter for that extra effect and get yourself the job you would like to get. The following four books can provide you with a wealth of information on resume writing:

“The Elements of Resume Style” by S Bennett. This book gives good advice on writing resumes and cover letter. The book gives you advice on setting your career goals, giving out your qualifications in their manner which is attractive, how to deliver your resumes to the potential employers and making a great cover letter. The author informs about commonly made mistakes and the importance of knowing what to do in your career, the sentence structure and the salary requirement. This book makes for a great resource for both beginners and experienced resume writers.

“Competency-Based Resumes” by Kessler and Strasburg. It can be great for professionals that are confident and are aware of their career objective and are looking to be noticed in the specified industry. The book basically is about the techniques used by employers to san the resume to find out about the applicants experience based on their performance and skills. The book offers you a new and effective way to create resumes that makes your skills and your education the number one priority, and provides you guidelines of highlighting specific areas in order to create a winning resume.

“101 Best Resume” by Block and Betrus. Here the members of Professional Association of Resume Writers have come together to show what the winning resume is and help you in writing effective resume which can surely get the job. The book is all about personalizing your resume for positions you are looking for that can highlight your qualifications. They also give some advice on what to do once the resume is ready and how to go about in an interview.

‘Resumes That Knock’em Dead’ written by Yate is the fourth choice of book which is a bestseller and it teaches you how to get started writing resumes. For beginners it is a good book and for people who have not written their resumes for a long time. Here they discuss hot to get all the information, how to choose verbs, select the appropriate format and how to submit the resume either via email or regular post. They also teach you how to frame your cover letter. You can find all these books at the local library or at the bookstore. They can help you with the writing of resume and can be a starting point. The books can be kept in your own library as ongoing resources as you move forward in your career.

To search a job you would be looking at the job search sites and are most likely to post your profile and resume on sites like monster.com or hotjobs.com. The engines give you an opportunity to upload your resume in a Microsoft Word or text file or they have a form which you need to fill and send it.

Apart from the job search engines, emailing has become very common and even the employers prefer the candidates email their resumes for them to scan. But the different employers have different set of rules on the file they would want to accept via email. Most of the companies accept the attachment in the Microsoft Word format. Here you need to be careful about the Font, their size and margins while composing the resume. If a company is requesting a text file, you should follow these steps to convert your Microsoft Word document into a text resume:

- Select File, Save As- Name the file; as a best practice, use your name as the file name, and use underscores as
spaces

- Under Format, select Text Only

- Select Save.

Once you have converted the file into a text file, make sure to open it and check if the spaces and tabs are in the right place. Use the edit button to format the resume which will be able to fit the file type. Make note of the fact that the text file does not have options of bold, italics or underlining. Make sure that all your text is left justified and that the spacing is correct.

If the employer wants the resume in the body of your email you can take this as a text file while formatting. You can copy and past the whole resume into an email. Keep the basic font style and the size at 10 or 12 points. Try and adjust all the spacing and bullets as appropriate. Do not use the Bold or Italics.

If the resume is being sent as an attachment makes the body of the email as your cover letter. Include the Name and Address and the address of the employer you are sending the email to. However, since you will include your address at the top of the email, feel free to start your resume with a career objective instead of including the heading with your name and address.

Make sure that the resume you have made is looking good make sure by checking on the other computer and opening it. You can involve your family and friends and send them the copy of the resume and see how it shows on their computers. This will provide a great opportunity for you to assure that your resume is reaching your potential employers in the format that is clean and professional.

A health care professional resume is completely different from other corporate professional resumes. The professional experience and the education play a very important role in the health care industry and make a difference in attracting the employer.

Therefore to make a winning health care professional resume you need to consider and include the following information:

1) Patients – Indicate how many patients you have handled. If you are a nurse or a accountant in a small doctors practice indicate how many patients you handle on a daily basis. Also let the future employer know that if you have addressed the sensitive issue with the patient and how you have coped with it.

2) Training – Make a list of all the training you have gone through apart from your regular education. This should be related to the qualifications for a specified area in health care industry. If you have taken training in communication, management and ethics list them. This type of qualification is not required by the future employer but it will show the potential employer that you have skills which are transferable and you have the broad view of the health care industry.

3) Certification and Licenses – They are very important to the health care industry. Make sure you list all the licenses and dates in order. Consider the programs which the government regulations are to be complied with. You should include all the items as this will highlight your qualifications and also provide assurance to the potential employer that you are able to meet the requirements of the city, state, and federal agencies.

4) Professional Summary – It should be a list of clear professional goal. The knowledge of the health care industry should be highlighted in your resume and you have a career path in mind. In case you are new to the industry, use the summary to highlight your education and practical work you have been doing which will qualify you for the position you are looking for.

5) Industry Terminology – Wherever possible use the industry jargon but beware do not try to replace certain medical terms into common phrases. If you have knowledge of the industry feel free to use the terminology that is specific to health care. But in any case do not over do it.

6) Technical skills – These are necessary and list them on your resume. Let the potential employer know the skills you have in the software program and do list your computer literacy in your resume. The health care industry is fully reliant on technology and the future employers would like to have people with computer skills. Make sure that your resume clearly outlines your technical qualifications.

A resume well written is always a winner. What is the meaning of the same? How can your resume be well written that the person reading will respond to it in a positive manner. Creating and listing your educational achievements, your professional experience, and all the other qualifications in two pages for the entire and appreciate is a Herculean task. And for all this you will need action words or powerful words.

The action words are verbs or keywords that can add strength and positive inference to your qualifications and job responsibilities. When the resume is presented to the potential employer, there are two ways a resume will be read. One, your application will run through a computer software program, and they will search for the keywords and if it is found in your resume it will be kept aside for further review. The second one, will be the human resources person or a manager will just go through all the resumes, and based on key words will keep the resume for the review. This means that key words in any resume give them a chance for further review and possibly the job. So Key words are very important for job hunting.

The listing of employment history should be done in a bullet form with each statement starting with the action word. Using powerful verbs or phrases will compel the employer to have a look at the resume a second time. This will also make the employer feel that you are driven by the actions and results. This also highlights your communication skills.

Here is a small sample of action words:

- created
- developed and implemented
- managed
- delivered
- designed
- facilitated
- negotiated
- co-ordinated
- budgeted
- acted
- communicated
- consulted, etc.

The above list is only for so many words and there are many more which can be used. If you go online and check you will find many words which will suit your resume. And they will also fit the qualifications or job experience you would want to highlight.

The best way to get to know the action words would be to go through some resumes and use the words in you resume. Here it is important that you do not use the same from someone else’s resume. Give your resume a personal touch, while researching on the internet.

Do not use the same action words repeatedly. If multiple projects have been handled by you, try and be more specific about your role in the project. Begin the first one with communicated and the second one with managed. Be careful about the words in your resume do not just add the verbs and if they are not in the right place they can change your role or responsibility.

Alternatively, you can find the keywords in job descriptions. Review your resume and make sure that all the required qualifications are listed. This will help to classify the action words to personalize your resume and cover letter to the specific jobs.

Be consistent in making your resume and the listing of your responsibility and qualifications, and make sure the statements are positive and they focus on the actions and results. By paying attention to all this you can be sure to create a winning resume that will get you the job.

The resume is a collection of the professional life you lead. It lists everything from the education you have completed to the internship. It also includes the academic skill and professional skills. It is important that the resume should consist of anything that will help you get that job you are looking out for.

The professional certificate and licenses create a impact in your career and your job. It also shows your ability to do that job. The license applies to the professional who cannot work without them. Professionals like teachers, medical professionals, real estate agents etc.

The job you are looking for requires licensing or certifications. You will need to put those certificates under the head “Professional Licenses” or Professional Certifications”. The list should be reverse order.

If the professional certification and licensing is not required in your field of work it becomes difficult to add into a resume. You will need to decide what is useful and not as per your job. But always if any certification is acquired and shows on the resume then you stand out in a crowd of other job seekers.

Take the training or any courses you have taken during the previous jobs. Make the list and find out which is more relevant to the job you are applying for and then add to the resume.

The resume should not be cluttered with the professional certifications or licenses and you should only list the 5 best ones. The certificate or licenses, should be listed with the exact name and the issuing authority. No other information is required. Also highlight the certificate in the cover letter if it is going to give you and edge over the others in your chosen field.

If the list is big, include them in a separate sheet of paper. The latest and the most recent ones should be listed and the balance you can make the prospective employer that there is more and will be available on request. The resume itself or the cover letter can point out this information. And only highlight the points which will help you in catching the eye of the prospective employer and getting that job for you.

Writitng a resume is a daunting experience and you may feel that you will not be able to fill in the pages about yourself. You may be confused what to write or what to leave. You may wonder how to list your skills and experience in a single sheet of paper. First answer some questions abour your jobs and decide what are your career goals.

Before you start writing a resume find out why you want that particular job and the career you are going to make with that job. What is the future prosepects and what are your career goals this will make it easy for you to write a resume and list your professional goals and your past experience and achievements.

Once you have set your career goals and objectives find out about the resume formats which are commonly used and will apply to your kind of job you can adapt it and change accordinlgy. To search the resumes you can do so on the internet and find out the formats you would like to use. You can layout your resume in the same manner.
When you start your resume list your personal information on top and do not forget to include your home address, home telephone or mobile number and your email address. For email address be sure that your anme is included in the email address as it looks professional. For this you can create a fee hotmail or yahoo address. The email address can be a place of contact for your all the job search.

For past experience start on a fresh page and list the recent ones first and then go backwards. Make sure there are no gaps in years. For the education part also start with the most recent achievements. List all your skills which shows the employer that you are the best cadnidate.

For the reference you can either list it or you can give an indication to your prospective employer that the same can be given. Finally ask your friend and family members to check your resume and point any discrepencies which you can add and send it to the potential employers. The well written resume will take you places and will help you in reaching your career goals.

Any resume needs to be short and to the point but the main question to any resume writer is what to include and what to be left out. Basically, the resume should be short and concise and should include all your achievements in the most positive manner. If your resume is well written even if it extends to two pages it is perfectly fine. The length of the resume also increases if you have a long career graph.

1) Be Concise: While writing a resume bear in mind to keep the sentences short. Highlight your achievements. Do not think you are writing a short story but it is a resume you are penning.

2) Make the resume look presentable by formatting it properly and section wise listing all the achievements and you job functions.

3) The prospective employer has to see many resumes and he has no time for length, so longer is not better and will not catch an eye of the employer. If you are a fresher or looking for a change in career fit your resume in one page do not elongate it by adding irrelevant things into it.

4) If you are applying for a higher level of job it is okay to exceed two pages in a resume. The main aim of the resume is to sell yourself and your skills. But try not to oversell your skills. Do not add the experiences not required in the job you are looking for. Just add the relevant skills and add only the last four or five jobs to your resume. The resume if extends in more than one pages number them, as there are chances that they get separated and it will be an incomplete resume. Try to get all the relevant information on page one. So even if the other pages are misplaced the resume looks good.

5) As already mentioned unless you are applying for a senior level job it should not be more than one page. If the resume is longer the person reading it might get distracted in the middle if the irrelevant experiences or goals are mentioned. If you are planning to list all the certificates received, you can add up a separate page for the same but they should be useful for the job you are applying. The main part should be your career objective, your goals and profile which should be put in such a way that it catches the attention of the interviewer and if there are multiple pages make sure you number them and add your name and contact details in all the pages.

The resume is the mirror of you and your achievements. They reach places where you will have to follow. Now a day, employers rely on resumes to fill the gap into their organizations and therefore it has become extremely important to have a well-written resume. When making a resume for the first time it becomes very difficult to write it as it should not be very lengthy and should list all the achievements you have.

If you are a professional with years of experience and skills, still it becomes difficult
to write a resume if you are planning a complete change from your recent jobs. But if you are fresh out of college and want to apply for a job you do not have any experience to speak of then it becomes all the more difficult to write a resume.

If you are a first timer, do not get discouraged focus on educational qualification, your
skills, your goals etc. If you have won, any certificates or awards make sure to mention
that in your resume. Highlight all the educational achievements and any courses done during the college years and how it can help you in the current job you are applying. Also if you are affiliated to any programs or have done any community work or voluntary work highlight that and do not get discouraged just because you do have the right experience but highlight how you can become the right candidate for the job applied. Any summer jobs you have done can be mentioned and you can list the jobs done.

If you are planning for a change in career and your past experience is not going to help
you in this job you can highlight your professional skills, experiences and people skills, as in any business the professional skills are common even if the actual experience is not
the same. Here also highlight your community work or voluntary work. You can write a summary why you need a change in career highlighting your skills are your career objective.

Do not be disheartened if you do not have experience to mention in your resume you can
highlight many other things, which can catch the eye of the resume reader by highlight your professional, and people skills, which will give you a winning resume for your new job.