Finding a Functional Resume Format

Finding a Functional Resume FormatWhen you start to write your first functional resume format, it can be a little overwhelming. There are so many topics that you need to cover on this resume that you may not be sure where to start. Here are some tips for getting the job you want and not worrying about the resume format you use.The first thing you need to do is to define your functional resume format. Since this is the first time you will use this format, it may be hard to determine how your resume will appear on paper. In this case, you may need to hire someone to create the format for you.Another thing to remember is that you do not have to use this functional resume format if you don't want to. In fact, there are many ways you can do it yourself. If you have computer skills, you may want to create a word document or an HTML template that you can save on your computer. Once you have these types of templates, you can go through them and write a resume in each of them.Then, you should keep your resume format as simple as possible. Your resume should only have one paragraph per page. This will make it easier for the human editor to read and even easier for you to write with it.To make your resume look good on paper, you should stick to the physical format you have used in the past. If you have used one of the previous formats, then stick to it. However, if you do not know how to do that, you may want to use an online template that lets you customize your resume.The best thing you can do to make your resume format more professional is to get someone else to create the format for you. This is going to save you time and effort, and will ensure that your resume looks professional on paper. If you find this too much to handle, hire a professional person to help you.These are some ideas on how to prepare for your first functional resume format. It is a great way to get your resume ready to go.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Freelancers

7 Habits of Highly Effective Freelancers When I started freelancing more than a decade ago, I was determined not to become one of “those” freelancers. I woke up early, showered and dressed, and sat dutifully at my desk. When I wasn’t working on an assignment, I forced myself to pitch new ideas and contact new editors. Today, I’m reaping the benefits of that early diligence and, thankfully, letting myself enjoy the perks of being a free agent. I get some of my best work done in the early hours, in pajamas. I carve out time for long runs in the middle of the day, even if it means working later at night or on the weekend. When I have a lull, I relish the down time. Delve into the “business models” of successful freelancers and they seem to have the best of both worldsâ€"autonomy, flexibility and a steady paycheck. The secret: They run their freelance careers like a business, even if that business happens to be headquartered at the kitchen table. Here are seven habits I’ve adopted or picked up from my growing network of freelancer friends. 1) Perfect your elevator pitch: Entrepreneurs know how to succinctly describe what they do and where they add value. As a freelancer, you need to take a similar approach, if only for your own sanity. Years ago, I realized that simply saying I was a freelancer connoted that I spent my days passing time in coffee shops or dabbled in writing between spin classes. “Well, some of us have to go to work” was a common response. Now when people ask what I do, I say I’m a financial writer. Specificity adds credibilityâ€"and makes it easier for would-be clients to identify you on LinkedIn. Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 2) Have a pricing strategy: For early freelancers this can be tricky. On the one hand, you want to build your book of business, and that may require working for less than fair market value. Consider it your start-up costs. Once you have enough work in your pipeline, however, you need to set parameters, both on an hourly and project basis. 3) Make calculated exceptions: That said, there are times when you should be willing to negotiate, whether it’s under the banner of employee morale (your own) or business development. If a project opens doors, takes you in a new direction that interests you, or benefits a cause you care aboutâ€"think of it as your personal social giving campaignâ€"there is additional value, beyond the fee. 4) Write a mission statement: OK, so maybe you left your j-o-b precisely because of mission statements and TPS reports. Still, there is something to be said for understanding why you go to work, so to speak, and do what you do. In a corporate setting, your managers help you think about career development. In the freelance world, it’s up to you to set goals and chart your path. 5) Pay yourself a salary: Managing cash flow is probably the biggest challenge for freelancers. For me, the solution came when a freelance friend, a video producer, mentioned her maternity leave. “How did you swing that as a freelancer?” I asked. Her strategy is to treat herself as an employee of her sole proprietorship. She pays herself the same salary every two weeks, rain or shine. In good months, she builds up reserves so she can still earn a steady salary when things are slow. A regular paycheck not only makes it easier to pay bills and plan, it makes it harder to treat big checks as a license to splurge. 6) Create a virtual water cooler: Unless your work regularly takes you outside the home office, isolation is a risk. Even the most self-sufficient members of the gig economy need confidantes to brainstorm ideas or talk through dilemmas. What about your spouse or partner? Unless he or she knows your industry and can offer truly unbiased adviceâ€"easier said than doneâ€"it’s no substitute for a network of peers. My network includes colleagues in my field, many of whom are in full-time jobs, as well as an eclectic mix of freelancers. 7) Don’t try to do it all: Founders of start-up companies often talk about how, in the early days, they do everything from develop the product to take out the trash. In time, though, they staff up and focus on the areas where they add the most value. Freelancers can also benefit from this evolution. “Focus on what you’re good at,” says my friend Martin, a freelance photographer who has assembled a small team of experts to help him with everything from bookkeeping to production. He’s also learned to pass on jobs that aren’t a good fit. “Have a network of other freelancers close at hand for the things that seem to be your road blocks or time sucks,” he says. “It makes it a lot easier to say no.”

4 Horrible Resume Writing Tips To Avoid - Work It Daily

4 Horrible Resume Writing Tips To Avoid - Work It Daily There are many self-proclaimed experts claiming to know what’s best when it comes to preparing an effective resume. Let’s face it, anyone who has basic Internet skills can figure out how to type up an article just like this. We are living in the 21st century and technology is advancing quickly. This allows college-aged kids and people in their early twenties to make a small side income by giving uneducated and misguided career advice to job seekers on various blog sites. The problem with this is you never know who’s actually behind the keyboard. So, let me ask you a question. As an accomplished professional or executive, are you willing to put your career in the hands of a young, self-proclaimed expert who has little or no experience as a hiring manager or resume writer? I didn’t think so. To help you identify these incompetent resume experts, I have provided a list of the four most slipshod bits of advice you will find online that these amateurs provide. Horrible Resume Writing Tips To Avoid Here are four resume writing tips to avoid: 1. Only Going Back 10 Years In Work History This is the one I hear the most and the one that frustrates me the most when I get a client who asks me if they should only go back 10 years in work history. I am going to be blunt here, so please don’t take offense. People, this is common sense! Why would you sacrifice an additional five to ten years of good rock-solid work experience with accomplishments and relevant skills just to meet the shoddy advice of some random article on a website? As a hiring manager myself, I always look for who has the “most” relevant experience to perform the job as required. A candidate who is 5 years younger than the next has absolutely no advantage over an older candidate with more experience and skills. Can you grasp the logic here? Only going back 10 years in work history is the most ridiculous bit of advice I have every run across online. 2. Limiting Your Resume To One Page Keeping your resume to only one page pretty much goes hand-in-hand with the one above. Why would you limit the amount of information the reader can grasp about your background just because you are worried about them thinking you are “too old” or “overqualified” by having a resume that is longer than one page? First of all, when an employer tells you that you are “overqualified” for a job, it means they just don’t like you. Stop blaming your resume for being two pages or more. Nobody can be overqualified for a job. Why would an employer not hire a candidate who possesses more skills than the job entails? That would just be outright stupid. Some might say it’s because they are afraid the candidate will only stick around long enough to find a better opportunity at another company, or that they will get bored and underperform. These are concerns every employer has about every single employee, but that does not mean a hiring manager should choose the candidate who turns in a one page resume vs. a candidate who turns in a two-page impressive portfolio of achievements. Do you catch my drift? Employers simply don’t care about whether your resume is one page or three pages as long as you have what they are looking for. I will agree that a resume should be as concise and straight to the point as possible. However, don’t exclude important information just to achieve a one page theory that was conjured up by a college kid in a dorm room. 3. Use Fancy Styles And Fonts Some websites and lousy resume writers will advise people to use fancy styles and fonts to make their resume “POP” and help them “stand-out” from other candidates. Proper formatting and unique organization are very important factors that will help the reader to better understand your background. However, if you really think a hiring manager will do back flips to the phone just because your resume has a cool looking design, you are severely mistaken. In fact, using certain styles and fonts can ruin your resume’s response rate. The main reason is that applicant tracking system databases cannot correctly parse the information on resumes that use certain design schemes. Another is that employers simply don’t care if you use a superscript letter for your first name or if your resume has industry-related images all over the page. All that does is take attention away from the important information on the page. This is called over doing it. Avoid, avoid, avoid! 4. Lie On Your Resume I think this one is pretty obvious and anyone with half a brain should know better. However, I do hear this one from time-to-time. A client will obsess over their resume after weeks or months with no response. Instead of being more persistent and aggressive in their job search, they focus on what they feel they can control, which is the resume. This is basic human psychology, and when this happens, people tend to resort to lying on their resumes to cover up job gaps or hide their age to mask their fears. Look, it’s just not worth the effort to hide little facts from your resume in an attempt to deceive the reader. They will always find out where you worked when they run a background check using your Social Security Number. Keep in mind, the IRS stores your SSN in their database from the previous jobs you’ve held, and all employers have access to this information when they decide to hire you and process your job application. If you leave off a job just because you only worked there for a year and felt the employer might not like it, they will find this and think you lied to them before you even began your first day on the new job. Also, you must provide your date-of-birth on your job application. Why would you hide your age from your resume just to waste everyone’s time if you’re really that afraid of being discriminated against? Save yourself the time and headache of lying on your resume. Instead, try focusing on more important things like adding more skills or following up with submissions more frequently. I really hope this information helps you identify the bad apples that claim to be experts. If you are still hitting a brick wall, seek the help of a reputable resume writing service that can guide you in the right direction and provide the most effective best practices. It's simply not worth the risk of jeopardizing your entire career by accepting horrible tips from a part-time amateur who lacks the necessary knowledge required to develop an effective resume. Article written by Careers Plus Resumes Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!