Laura DeCarlo
Resumes For Dummies®
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John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015940354
ISBN 978-1-118-98260-0 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-98262-4 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-98261-7 (ebk)
Introduction
In our think-fast, technology-driven world of 24/7 communication, everything is changing virtually overnight – the same goes for resume writing. The seventh edition of Resumes For Dummies includes extensive updated information on the newest trends and changes. Get ready for an innovative ride as I take you through fresh digital ideas – from social networking profiles to resume-capable mobile devices – and new techniques. I’ve presented a fresh but still user-friendly approach to making sure your resume stands up out of a virtual stack of applicants and screams, “Read me!”
Much of what worked before in resume writing still applies. But what you found in the sixth edition is no longer enough. Just as you have to keep up with the changes in your professional field, you have to keep up with changes in presenting yourself in writing, and this book helps you do exactly that.
Ready to win that interview for your dream job? Okay, let’s go! Update your resume, catch up with a wave of new stuff, and find the job you want.
About This Book
Resumes For Dummies, 7th Edition, is a playbook showing you how to write powerful and targeted resumes and how to use them with important new ideas and strategies in your search for a good job. The first five chapters spotlight the latest resume technology and innovations; the remainder of the book covers timeless resume success factors and includes samples of winning resumes.
I hope you spend some time studying the sample resumes in the book, and maybe even model your own resume on one of the dozens I’ve included. Please note that I’ve substituted a reminder to add the relevant dates in your resume with the word dates instead of actual years to keep your attention focused on key resume concepts.
You may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy – just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
Foolish Assumptions
I assume you picked up this book for one of the following reasons:
✔ You’ve never written a resume and want an expert, yet friendly, hand on your shoulder.
✔ You have written a resume – it got you where you are today – and you want to do better next time.
✔ You like where you are today but want more from life than blooming where you’re planted. To move to the next level, your experience tells you that it’s time for a resume makeover.
✔ You need a new resume for that great job you heard about but worry that too many competitors will submit virtually the same cookie-cutter document pirated from somewhere. To stop looking like a human photocopy machine, you want to understand resume writing from the ground up.
✔ You’ve heard about sweeping technology-based changes in the way people and jobs find each other. A realist, you know that technology can’t be uninvented. You want to be sure your resume is in sync with the latest updates.
I further assume that you are someone who likes information that cuts to the chase, sometimes with a smile. You find all that and more in the following pages.
Icons Used in This Book
For Dummies signature icons are the little round pictures you see in the margins of the book. I use them to guide your attention to key bits of information. Here’s a list of the icons and what they mean.
Beyond the Book
In addition to all the great info you can find in the book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. Check out the Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/resumes for details on how to make your resume the best it can be, how to protect your personal information, and what to leave off of your resume.
You can also go online for more information about resume-related aspects of your job search. At