Western Expresso - Page 64

Winnipegger · #**1261** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

http://pointdouglas.com/PDFs/adrian%...%202013-v2.pdf any better?

Just a few quick tips on this resume. First, unless someone has a significant level of education and experience, the average Resume should be limited to one page, not three, like I see here, and at the very very least, if you feel you cannot trim it down, limit it to two pages. People don't like going through a 3 page resume unless it's a Curriculum vitae for academic purposes.
Second thing that I think needs to be changed is that you need to eliminate the "mass layoff' next to some of the employers you have listed on your resume. There is no need to indicate why you were let go from a previous job when applying for a new job unless they specifically ask. It should not be advertised on a resume.

Third tip is that I would suggest you change the font to Times New Roman. It's not really a requirement thing and you don't really have to do it, but I find it gives a resume a little more of a professional feel.

Fourth tip is to create a new email that composes of your real time. It could look something like "adrian.stoness@gmail.com" or "a.stonees@gmail.com" or "stoness.adrian@gmail.com" or something like that, because your current email looks unprofessional and like you are still using the one you made in high-school. You want to look as professional as possible because a quick look over a Resume is often the primary way in which employers determine whether or not they want to bring you in for the second step in the hiring process.

I hope some of those tips help, but again, if I were to emphasize one thing to change, that would be to try as hard as you can to trim down your resume to one page! Eliminate irrelevant experience, go down one size in font if you have to, condense multiple lines of simple experience into one, etc. Also, as others have said, check your spelling! Most employers would probably just toss a resume away at the first sign of a spelling mistake.

If you are applying for jobs at entry level employers such as Starbucks and Tim Hortens, you will most likely be competing with immigrants and high school students, both of which generally lack real experience here in Canada, so you shouldn't have a problem getting an entry level job given the experience on your resume if you can market yourself properly. I hope some of this helps, but I by no means know everything!

DonaldSmith · #**1262** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 2:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonaldSmith

Here is "Operation Let's make Adrian a Résumé." I don;t have much time today, so let's crowd source it. I have a link to an open Google doc that we can all edit. So either leave a comment on what should be improved or make some changes to improve it.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

Opps. I made it so anyone can edit it now.

drew · #**1263** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 4:26 PM**

^ awesome idea. I made some changes, highlighted in yellow.

1ajs · #**1264** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 5:43 PM**

marked anything i add in green

thanks guys

chrisallard5454 · #**1265** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 6:47 PM**

It is still too long and needs to be condensed down to one page. Most HR's I know don't even look at resumes that are two pages.

tedtim · #**1266** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 8:07 PM**

Too much work experience to fit everything on 1 page. Cleaning up the formatting and condensing everything, it will still probably need at least 1.5 pages.

chrisallard5454 · #**1267** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 8:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedtim

Too much work experience to fit everything on 1 page. Cleaning up the formatting and condensing everything, it will still probably need at least 1.5 pages.

Resumés should only contain experience that is relevant to the positions being applied for. Too much experience also doesn't look good on a resume as it begs the question as to why this person has worked at so many different places.

Riverman · #**1268** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 8:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisallard5454

Resumés should only contain experience that is relevant to the positions being applied for.

IMO a unique resume is needed for every position applied for, along with a unique cover letter.

1ajs · #**1269** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 9:19 PM**

cover letter everytime custom resume everytime head begins to spin

vid · #**1270** Posted **Feb 26, 2013, 10:54 PM**

Yeah, my "full form" resume is 3 or 4 pages long (and I have only had two jobs and no post-secondary education; I've padded that fucker like a transvestite's bra), but depending on where I would be applying to, I can shorten it to one.

It's good to keep a backup copy of your entire work and education history as a reference, and then just copy and past what you need for each employer. It isn't like you don't have time.

If you're still having trouble, talk to March of Dimes. They might help you out if you explain your language difficulties and the affects of your concussion.

The cover letter is basically a template, you really only have to change a couple things for everyone one. Check on-line for templates, there's tonnes of them. If you were looking at a really professional job you'd want to write one from scratch but for places like Starbucks I don't think that would be such a big issue.

Winnipegger · #**1271** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 1:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

The cover letter is basically a template, you really only have to change a couple things for everyone one. Check on-line for templates, there's tonnes of them. If you were looking at a really professional job you'd want to write one from scratch but for places like Starbucks I don't think that would be such a big issue.

I would have to disagree with you on that one. I've realized that a well thought-out cover letter can make quite the difference between getting your resume tossed out (or put into the computer's recycle bin) and having someone actually read it over, regardless of if you are applying for a middle management job at a large corporation or a barrista job at Starbucks. If you job copy and paste a template every time, and only bother to change the name of the company you are addressing and the position you are applying for, companies WILL notice that and there is a good chance that they will take someone else over you who did take the time to put effort into their cover letter.

A cover letter should be a place to discuss the direct relevance of your skills and experience to the specific job you are applying for, and you simply can't do that just by copying the same template every time. Even if you are a Miner and are applying for a job at a coffee shop, the cover letter is a great place to take your experience and tell the employer how something that might otherwise seem irrelevant is actually relevant. Whereas an employer might see Mining experience on a resume and go "hmmm, how is that relevant to preparing and serving coffee?", the cover letter gives you a chance to say something like "Although my experience in the Mining industry may be quite different from that in the food services industry, I believe that my ability to work effectively with others and pay attention to detail in hazardous and demanding environments make me an excellent candidate for a position with your company" or something to that effect.

If you are just using the same cover letter every time and changing the company name, you are missing out on an important opportunity to market yourself in a way that a standard resume can not. I know it sounds tedious, but whether you are unemployed and desperately need a job, or you are trying to upgrade to your dream job, you are going to need every opportunity you can get to do exactly that.

DonaldSmith · #**1272** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 1:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

cover letter everytime custom resume everytime head begins to spin

Getting a job is hard work.

vid · #**1273** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 2:06 AM**

"Although my experience in the X industry may be quite different from that in the Y industry, I believe that my ability to *applicable skill here* and *applicable skill here* make me an excellent candidate for a position with your company" is precisely what I meant by template!

A fill in the blanks, not just a whole generic letter and you only change the "Dear ____" part.

tedtim · #**1274** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 12:49 PM**

Also, you should probably remove the stuff regarding why you don't work there anymore (ie. mass layoff, laid off, etc.) They don't need to know that. If you were ever fired from a job because of gross negligence or some other bad reason, you wouldn't want to put that job on your resume anyways. I know a lot of companies that don't even give specifics about your employee when other companies call. I know that when Convergys was still in town, all they did was confirm your employment and position. If you were fired, they wouldn't mention it or say if asked.

wags_in_the_peg · #**1275** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 2:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

cover letter everytime custom resume everytime head begins to spin

if you are not willing to put in the effort to customize, then I shouldn't put in the effort to hire you. sorry, but them the facts

h0twired · #**1276** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 2:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

marked anything i add in green

thanks guys

Added some changes/comments/questions.

vid · #**1277** Posted **Feb 27, 2013, 10:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

if you are not willing to put in the effort to customize, then I shouldn't put in the effort to hire you. sorry, but them the facts

Which completely ignores that many people are able to do the work itself, but might have difficulty with the resume process or job interviews.

A lot of people who are able and willing to work, can't get work because they come across as unable to work. And those who are unable to work often face insults because they appear normal, but aren't.