Resumes for Dummies [Paperback]

Joyce Lain Kennedy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0764551132 | ISBN-13: 978-0764551130 | Edition: 2nd

Create a "KickButt" resume that gets your foot in the door!

Show employers what you've got and why you're the one for the job! Careers expert Joyce Lain Kennedy provides step-by-step guidelines for creating a resume that powerfully presents your skills, experience, and personality -- to get you the interview you're after! Whether you're a recent graduate after your first big job or a seasoned professional looking to expand your career horizons, Resumes for Dummies, 2nd Edition, will help you create a resume that won't take "no" for an answer.

Make a lasting first impression:

• Find your most marketable self with easy worksheets
• Choose a format that plays up your best features
• Draft cool summary statements that sizzle and sell
• Goof-proof your resume for picky computer scanners
• Go digital with your resume -- online strategies that really work!
• Use effective key words and avoid rookie rhetoric
• Put a positive spin on tough issues like demotion and gaps in employment

Editorial Reviews

Review

A must for any job seeker. -- Doug Elliot, Career Counselor/One-Stop Career Center Manager

If college graduates had a Joyce Lain Kennedy to guide them ... there would certainly be fewer unfocused, frazzled, jobless people. -- Dr. Drema K. Howard, Director, Career Resource Center, University of South Florida

Joyce Lain Kennedy is at the top of her field. -- Richard K. Knowdell, CEO, Career Planning and Adult Development Network

Solid, cutting-edge resume advice with today's Internet technology -- the best of the resume books." -- Michael R. Forrest, CEO, JobOptions; founding CEO, CareerPath.com and JobWeb --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Get your career in gear and write a winning resume to land that job interview

Is your job search stalling out after you submit a resume but before you're offered an interview? Whether you're entering the job market for the first time, looking for a new job after a layoff, or changing careers, Resumes For Dummies shows you the ropes and rules for a new era in recruiting and job searching, and gives you expert tips on writing a resume that shines.

• Resumes 101 — uncover the resume basics that'll wow 'em every time, and find out how to get yours into the right hands to land that job interview

• Put your best self forward — discover how to write a resume that highlights your good points and downplays the not-so-good ones, like work-history gaps or job-hopping

• Make your resume shine online — get the latest innovations in Internet-based tools and mobile services on the recruiting scene — social media, smartphones, job-search apps, and e-readers

• Customize yourself — find out how to quickly (and effectively) customize a resume for a specific job target

• Enjoy a sample — take a gander at dozens of sample resumes for every consideration — perfect for modeling your own winning resume

Open the book and find:

• The parts of a resume (and how to best format and design it)

• Ways to hook the reader with a summary or objective

• How to make education, experience, skills, and competencies work for you

• An innovative system for writing targeted resumes

• What you should research about a job before writing a resume

• Tips for recent graduates

• How to handle changing careers, transitioning as a military veteran, or grabbing a job as a Baby Boomer

Learn to:

• Skyrocket interviews with the new instant customizing method

• Use right resume forms with different digital docks

• Control privacy and reputation issues in online social job search

• Avoid resume-killer mistakes you never knew about

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2nd edition (May 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764551132
• ISBN-13: 978-0764551130
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,319,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joyce Lain Kennedy is a nationally syndicated careers columnist appearing in newspapers and on Web sites across the country. The author of seven career management books, she has more than 30 years of experience in the career field.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Reference for Rusty Job Seekers, January 30, 2001

By 

Jill Clardy "So many books, so little time...." (Redwood City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Resumes for Dummies (Paperback)

After many years at the same company, I'm on the job market and although I've been fairly conscientious about keeping my resume up to date, I haven't really had to test it in the marketplace. A review of the "Resumes for Dummies" book helped me to refine my job descriptions, incorporate more action oriented words and focus on the skills and jobs that are relevant to the type of position that I want to hold in the future.

Like all "Dummies" books, this one is presented in a simple easy-to-read, well-organized format with large bulleted headlines and plenty of graphics and examples. Whether you read the whole book, or just refer to specific sections, this book has it all, including resume formats; how to present education, experience, skills, activities, organizations, etc.; good attention-grabbing words; getting rid of deadweight in the resume; going digital and distributing the resume; spin control against potential problems, such as too much or too little experience, gaps in employment, demotions, age, etc.

The book is packed with resume tips, and should be one of the first you refer to if you're starting a new job search or just not sure that your resume is representing you fairly.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth its weight in future paystubs, January 31, 2001

By 

E. Johnson (El Cajon, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Resumes for Dummies (Paperback)

If nothing else, this book is beneficial because it gives the reader lots of ideas to borrow (Ok, steal, but that's why this book was written). I'm not very creative when it comes to laying the resume out, but the different possibilities gives me some options. It's important to not be too wordy in the resume, and Kennedy shows us what to emphasize. Her snappy writing style makes a mundane topic actually interesting. It's nice to know that I have this on my shelf in case I decide to go job-hunting in the future.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Re-vamping the Resume, December 13, 1999

By 

"christine28" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Resumes for Dummies (Paperback)

I had never heard of this book until I borrowed it from a friend. I found this book so useful that I intend to buy my own copy! I especially liked the sample resumes. I wish there were more information on CVs instead of just a reference to other books. I would also recommend Cover Letters for Dummies. These books are simple to follow, the tips are relatively easy to find, and great if you want to get that dusty old resume of yours polished up into a snappy, updated version in short order!