How to Fine-Tune Your Resume and Cover Letter
20 December 2010
Read by 1831 persons
Title: How to Fine-Tune Your Resume and Cover Letter During this period of high mobility, you need to be well-equipped to land a good job
December is coming soon, the month that marks the start of the mobility wave. Indeed, many executives wait for this period to change jobs, if the working conditions do not suit them or if they are not satisfied with their current salaries. With the job market open and the search for qualified profiles with good expertise at its peak, executives will have no trouble finding a position that meets their expectations, whether financial or otherwise.
Also, to put all the odds in favor of those who want to change jobs, there is no harm in reminding them, during this crucial period, to be better armed to face recruiters or headhunters. Thus, the first thing to do, once the decision is made, is to update your resume and create a good cover letter. And for good reason, these are important documents that will make the recruiter want to meet their author or not. For Mohammed Benouarrek, HR Director and HR Expert: "a resume remains a communication document. As such, the resume must convey information in a clear, precise and above all engaging manner."
He strongly advises against producing long resumes spanning several pages to capture the attention and interest of the recipient of this document. "It is strongly recommended to think about how to present the information as well as the content. Too much information kills the information. In this regard, you will have to communicate about the most important things by grabbing the reader's attention to discover the rest during the interview. The recruitment process will then begin at this moment. The resume remains the key to opening this door...", estimates the consultant.
As for the cover letter, it must complement the information mentioned in the resume. Not exceeding one page, it should also give the interlocutor, whether an HR director or a manager in a recruitment firm, the desire to meet the job seeker. HR experts always advise that you must choose the vocabulary used carefully because a good cover letter will tip the scales towards one candidate or another, with equal skills. In this document, the candidate can even push their interlocutor to want to meet them by questioning them on some aspects related to the company's activity or the development of a particular position.
Ultimately, for those who want to change employers, vigilance is essential. It is necessary to detect good intentions from bad intentions and to choose a company where it is good to live and which conducts a good HR policy offering career development opportunities, in addition to a good salary.
"The discrepancy between what is declared and what is real will become known sooner or later"
Expert Opinion • Mohammed Benouarrek, HR Director and HR Expert
Is the resume important to increase your chances of getting a job?
The resume is the mirror that reflects your image or rather the impression you give to potential recruiters. There are several models to follow to write your resume. The most important thing is to remain simple and sober. You must include a presentable and formal photo (don't forget to smile), a correct email address (avoid informal and funny emails), start with the professional experience section if the latter is convincing, separate academic training from professional training acquired during professional experiences, mention technical skills, languages, mastery of computer tools, etc. That said, the section dedicated to hobbies and other activities should not be neglected.
Why do we tend to notice that this part is not often very developed in resumes?
It is important to know that a resume must reflect knowledge (through academic background), know-how (through professional background), know-how to do (through experience in team management and related training), and also one's interpersonal skills. This last type of knowledge is essentially conveyed through the section on hobbies and other interests. Elements related to the nature of sports practiced, reading, or other activities are supposed to reflect traits of your personality. You should make sure that you have enough knowledge about the activities listed in your resume because some interviewers will not hesitate to zoom in to get more details and ensure the accuracy of the information provided.
How do you professionals and HR experts read a resume?
Resumes are read in various ways, depending on the schools of thought and sometimes the personal convictions of the interviewer. However, a resume can be read horizontally like any other text, but also vertically by analyzing the dates and years mentioned, making the connection between years and activities (intensity, blank spaces, overlap, etc.). A line of "time" logic must flow from beginning to end, which can also reflect the seriousness and dynamism of the person by having a good time/occupations and achievements ratio.
What is the relationship between the resume and the cover letter?
They are two sides of the same coin. These two documents must complement each other and contain coherent information. The cover letter generally presents in a funnel-like manner the motivation for the sector of activity, the company, and then the position. It must trace a line of logic between the different stages of your background (academic and professional) and ideally demonstrate that everything you have accomplished is in line with the position for which you are applying. The resume complements the cover letter by attractively showcasing, because it is a matter of selling yourself during the interview, your skills (aptitudes and especially attitudes) that qualify you for the position sought.
Should you go so far as to lie to embellish your resume to increase your attractiveness?
You have to be yourself. The discrepancy between what is declared and what is real will become known sooner or later. If all the interviewers fail to detect it, time will take care of it. Moreover, trial periods are partly used to evaluate new recruits in the long term. Selling yourself essentially means communicating about your strengths and skills (relevant to the position in question) rather than disguising your weaknesses or pretending to be something you are not.
Published November 28, 2010
Posted online December 21, 2010
lematin.ma
December is coming soon, the month that marks the start of the mobility wave. Indeed, many executives wait for this period to change jobs, if the working conditions do not suit them or if they are not satisfied with their current salaries. With the job market open and the search for qualified profiles with good expertise at its peak, executives will have no trouble finding a position that meets their expectations, whether financial or otherwise.
Also, to put all the odds in favor of those who want to change jobs, there is no harm in reminding them, during this crucial period, to be better armed to face recruiters or headhunters. Thus, the first thing to do, once the decision is made, is to update your resume and create a good cover letter. And for good reason, these are important documents that will make the recruiter want to meet their author or not. For Mohammed Benouarrek, HR Director and HR Expert: "a resume remains a communication document. As such, the resume must convey information in a clear, precise and above all engaging manner."
He strongly advises against producing long resumes spanning several pages to capture the attention and interest of the recipient of this document. "It is strongly recommended to think about how to present the information as well as the content. Too much information kills the information. In this regard, you will have to communicate about the most important things by grabbing the reader's attention to discover the rest during the interview. The recruitment process will then begin at this moment. The resume remains the key to opening this door...", estimates the consultant.
As for the cover letter, it must complement the information mentioned in the resume. Not exceeding one page, it should also give the interlocutor, whether an HR director or a manager in a recruitment firm, the desire to meet the job seeker. HR experts always advise that you must choose the vocabulary used carefully because a good cover letter will tip the scales towards one candidate or another, with equal skills. In this document, the candidate can even push their interlocutor to want to meet them by questioning them on some aspects related to the company's activity or the development of a particular position.
Ultimately, for those who want to change employers, vigilance is essential. It is necessary to detect good intentions from bad intentions and to choose a company where it is good to live and which conducts a good HR policy offering career development opportunities, in addition to a good salary.
"The discrepancy between what is declared and what is real will become known sooner or later"
Expert Opinion • Mohammed Benouarrek, HR Director and HR Expert
Is the resume important to increase your chances of getting a job?
The resume is the mirror that reflects your image or rather the impression you give to potential recruiters. There are several models to follow to write your resume. The most important thing is to remain simple and sober. You must include a presentable and formal photo (don't forget to smile), a correct email address (avoid informal and funny emails), start with the professional experience section if the latter is convincing, separate academic training from professional training acquired during professional experiences, mention technical skills, languages, mastery of computer tools, etc. That said, the section dedicated to hobbies and other activities should not be neglected.
Why do we tend to notice that this part is not often very developed in resumes?
It is important to know that a resume must reflect knowledge (through academic background), know-how (through professional background), know-how to do (through experience in team management and related training), and also one's interpersonal skills. This last type of knowledge is essentially conveyed through the section on hobbies and other interests. Elements related to the nature of sports practiced, reading, or other activities are supposed to reflect traits of your personality. You should make sure that you have enough knowledge about the activities listed in your resume because some interviewers will not hesitate to zoom in to get more details and ensure the accuracy of the information provided.
How do you professionals and HR experts read a resume?
Resumes are read in various ways, depending on the schools of thought and sometimes the personal convictions of the interviewer. However, a resume can be read horizontally like any other text, but also vertically by analyzing the dates and years mentioned, making the connection between years and activities (intensity, blank spaces, overlap, etc.). A line of "time" logic must flow from beginning to end, which can also reflect the seriousness and dynamism of the person by having a good time/occupations and achievements ratio.
What is the relationship between the resume and the cover letter?
They are two sides of the same coin. These two documents must complement each other and contain coherent information. The cover letter generally presents in a funnel-like manner the motivation for the sector of activity, the company, and then the position. It must trace a line of logic between the different stages of your background (academic and professional) and ideally demonstrate that everything you have accomplished is in line with the position for which you are applying. The resume complements the cover letter by attractively showcasing, because it is a matter of selling yourself during the interview, your skills (aptitudes and especially attitudes) that qualify you for the position sought.
Should you go so far as to lie to embellish your resume to increase your attractiveness?
You have to be yourself. The discrepancy between what is declared and what is real will become known sooner or later. If all the interviewers fail to detect it, time will take care of it. Moreover, trial periods are partly used to evaluate new recruits in the long term. Selling yourself essentially means communicating about your strengths and skills (relevant to the position in question) rather than disguising your weaknesses or pretending to be something you are not.
Published November 28, 2010
Posted online December 21, 2010
lematin.ma
