The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume, 5th Edition

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume, 5th Edition

by Susan Ireland
Released January 2010
Publisher(s): Alpha
ISBN: 9781101195505

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

Resumé: revamped for the times, technology, and the recession...

The recession has made finding a job harder than ever. Everything now takes place online, and a resumé's preparation is different than even a few years ago. This new edition has changed with the times, focusing on what's most important in an electronic resumé full of successful resumé samples and cover letters, the books also focuses on the key words and phrases that will bring readers' resumés to the top of the HR pile.

- More than 100 samples of real-life resumés and cover letters, many of them new

- Founded in real-life experience without the rigid resumé-writing rules of other guides

- Ideal for all job seekers, from new grads to the laid off worker, new mothers to senior citizens

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Dedication
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Foreword
  5. Introduction
  6. Part 1 - Resumes That Work in Today’s Job Market
    1. Chapter 1 - Tough Times Call for Seriously Great Resumes
      1. A Resume for All Reasons
      2. Going Green
      3. You Got a Degree in What?
      4. Techie Heads for Medical Field
      5. Selling the Case for Healthcare<
      6. Stepping into the Classroom
      7. Going Digital
      8. It’s Your Move
    2. Chapter 2 - Keywords That Get You Noticed
      1. What Are Keywords?
      2. The Job Title
      3. Trolling for Your Ideal Job
    3. Chapter 3 - Insider Tips for a Great Resume
      1. The Commandments
      2. Thou Shalt Not Write About Your Past
      3. Thou Shalt Not Confess
      4. Thou Shalt Not Write Job Descriptions
      5. Thou Shalt Not Write About Stuff You Don’t Want to Do
      6. Thou Shalt Say Less Rather Than More
      7. Thou Shalt Not Write in Paragraphs
      8. Thou Shalt Not Lie
  7. Part 2 - Putting Together a Resume That Wins
    1. Chapter 4 - Step One: Choose the Right Resume Format
      1. Highlighting Your Chronology
      2. Get Functional
      3. The Best of Both: The Combination Format
      4. When You Really Area Brain Surgeon: The Curriculum Vitae
      5. Forget Anything?
    2. Chapter 5 - Step Two: Start Off Strong
      1. The Heading Section: Heading the Right Way
      2. The Job Objective Section: It’s All About Marketing
    3. Chapter 6 - Step Three: Knock ’Em Off Their Feet
      1. Right from the Start
      2. Exceptions to the No-Paragraph Commandment
      3. Say It with Style
      4. Keeping Up with the Fast Trackers
      5. On the Lines of a Career Changer
      6. Go Figure
    4. Chapter 7 - Step Four: Make History
      1. Location, Location, Location
      2. Writing History
      3. Fight Age Discrimination
      4. Unsightly Unemployment Blemishes
      5. Promoting Your Promotions
      6. The Happy Job-Hopper
      7. Formatting Tricks
    5. Chapter 8 - Step Five: Show ’Em You’re an Achiever
      1. Chronologically Clear
      2. Functionally Sound
      3. Functional Help
      4. Dynamite Achievements
      5. Who’s Your Audience?
      6. Lights, Camera, Action Verbs!
      7. How’d the Other Guys Say It?
      8. Brainstorming
      9. Warning! Functional Resume Ahead
    6. Chapter 9 - Step Six: Give Yourself Credit for Education and More
      1. Finish Lines
      2. Education 101
      3. What If?
      4. The Last Word
      5. What’s Better Left Unsaid
  8. Part 3 - The Correspondence Connection
    1. Chapter 10 - Job Search Correspondence
      1. E-Mail or Hardcopy Letters?
      2. 10 Tips for E-Mail Etiquette
      3. A Cover E-Mail with Your Resume
      4. Mighty Cover Note on a Resume Website
      5. Follow-Up E-Mail to Recruiter
      6. Getting Back to a Hiring Manager
      7. Salary Small Talk
    2. Chapter 11 - Thank You Notes
      1. Hardcopy or E-Mail?
      2. Four Times to Say “Thank You”
      3. The Thank You Formula
      4. The Good News Letter
  9. Part 4 - Your Job Search on the Web
    1. Chapter 12 - E-Mail Express
      1. Easy E-Mail Resumes
      2. Pasting Your Resume into the Body of the E-Mail
      3. Bite the Bullet
      4. Using Your Notepad
      5. Staying Above the Fold
      6. Sending Your Resume as an Attachment
      7. Document Success with Old Versions of Word
      8. 3-2-1, Take-Off!
    2. Chapter 13 - Posting Your Resume Online
      1. Picking a Bank
      2. Company Websites Pay Off
      3. The Downside of Uploading
      4. Go to the Bank and Fill Out the Forms
      5. Keeping Up-to-Date
    3. Chapter 14 - Your Social Network Profile as Your Resume
      1. The Good Ol’ Network
      2. The Buzz About Social Networking
      3. Get LinkedIn
      4. Seeing Is Believing
      5. Tweeting on Twitter
      6. Staying Connected on Facebook
    4. Chapter 15 - Blogging Your Way to a New Job
      1. It’s a Website, It’s a Blog, It’s Your Online Billboard!
      2. Blog Nuts and Bolts
      3. Look at Me, I’m Blogging!
      4. Feature Your Resume
      5. Load ’er Up
      6. Adding Links
      7. Learning the Ropes
      8. Making the Best of a Good Thing
      9. Special Effects
      10. Topic Thunder
      11. Driving Traffic to Your Blog
      12. Sample Blog Resume
  10. Portfolio of Sample Resumes
  11. Index
  12. More Help from Susan Ireland

Product information

  • Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume, 5th Edition
  • Author(s): Susan Ireland
  • Release date: January 2010
  • Publisher(s): Alpha
  • ISBN: 9781101195505