Resume Rescue

Need help writing your resume? If you consider yourself a "do-it-yourself-er" there are a lot of great books on the market that can help you craft a compelling and visually distinct document. Here are a few of my favorites. 1. Resume Magic Filled with "before and after" resume examples that not only teach...

Many of the questions from our AOL Jobs readers focus on resume writing. Here's a roundup of some of the most commonly asked. 1. What's the best style: chronological or functional? Most recruiters and hiring managers prefer a chronological format. Omitting your work history and just showcasing functional...

The list of personal attributes that job seekers place on their resume to convey their value proposition is endless. Almost every resume I read is full of words that suggest the person is someone worthy of a spot on the team, yet few of them explain what they have actually done in their place of work to prove...

I constantly come across the same five outdated resume-writing methods, which keep getting passed down from generation to generation of job seekers. It's time to break the cycle and dispel some common resume-writing myths once and for all.

I read a lot of resumes that start off with applicants describing themselves as passionate, visionary, out-of-the-box thinkers, dedicated, "roll up their sleeves" professionals, and big-picture thinkers. Perhaps they believe these phrases elevate the professionalism of their resume or make them sound more...

For many, spring is a time of career renewal. Maybe it's the weather; maybe it's the fact that many people have just received their payout for last year's bonus and they are now ready to make a move. Whatever the reason, many people decide to spring clean their resume this time of year and embark on a job...

Hiring managers may have to sift through hundreds of resumes before they find the person they want to call in for the interview. So many resumes I see would get passed over quickly by a hiring manager simply because they are too difficult to read. Here are five resume formatting mistakes to avoid.

Resumes are frequently used to make a first impression on hiring managers. Yet many job seekers are making mistakes on their resumes that are leading to a flat first impression. Here are some examples of resume content that falls flat, confuses, or amuses the reader -- all at the expense of the candidate.

I frequently advocate using design strategies in a resume to make key information stand out. This may mean using bold typeface, shading, or adding a chart that illustrates the business impact you've achieved in past positions. And certainly professionals in creative fields such as graphic design, culinary...

Frequently, AOL readers ask me to review their resumes. Nine times out of 10, their resume suffers from the same problem. The No. 1 mistake made on resumes is writing only about job tasks and never writing about what was achieved in each position. When your resume lands on a hiring manager's desk, he may...

Several AOL readers have written in to ask what to leave off of a resume. While every job seeker is unique, here are some general items I recommend leaving off of your resume to achieve optimal results. 1. Objectives Most hiring managers I talk to are not interested in reading resume objectives....

Poor formatting on a resume can make the document difficult to read. Since most hiring authorities only spend about 15-30 seconds reviewing a resume, it is important to make the document as "user friendly" as possible to improve the chances of piquing the hiring manager's interest. Below are three common...

In the AOL Jobs Resume Rescue series we help readers tackle their toughest resume issues. The resumes selected are representative of some of the mistakes I see job seekers make when writing a resume. Here are some suggestions for improving the quality of your resume.

Hundreds of readers have sent AOL Jobs their resumes asking to be rescued. Combing through the resumes, I see job seekers making similar mistakes when crafting their documents. Here are three representative resumes with common errors in writing strategy and design. Are you making any of these mistakes?

An AOL reader asks, "I am currently a stay-at-home mom, but I want to start back at work as soon as possible. I'm intimidated when it comes to submitting a resume, because I don't have much work experience. I have been home for two years with my son. What do I put on my resume to explain this gap in work?"

Would you go to see a movie if the movie trailer was boring or buy a book if the information on the book jacket was dull? Probably not. Yet when people craft their resumes, they generally introduce their candidacy with a summary statement that is so unmemorable and generic that it looks like hundreds of others...

When it comes to resumes, longer is rarely better. In today's fast-paced world, hiring managers generally spend less than 15 seconds looking at a resume. They want to be able to see your key differentiators quickly, and they will rarely look past page two to find the information they need. So how do you keep...

The cornerstone of a quality resume is having a targeted, consistent message that conveys your ability to use your skills and leverage your accomplishments to add value to an organization. But in addition to that, there are a number of subtleties that can impact how your resume is viewed by your audience. You...

I review a lot of resumes. And most of them have at least one of four major problems related to content, style, and form. Does your resume fall into one or more of these categories? If so, it may be time to perform a checkup on your resume to improve the overall health of your job-search campaign.