About the Site
Robbie Kaplan
Resume Tune-Ups
Books

Career Tips
Tip of the Month
Electronic/Scannable
Prior Tips

Links to Other Sites
Resumes
Careers
Writing Tools

Contact and Services
Sign the Guestbook
Resume TuneUps
Sponsoring the Site
RMK Services
Contact Robbie

Ten Tips for Creating Employment Packages

by  Robbie Miller Kaplan

Have you ever found a job announcement that seemed like a perfect match only to despair when your resume generated a rejection letter or, even worse, you got no response? What's a job seeker to do?

Your resume is among the millions in circulation and employers, recruiters, and resume scanning systems are evaluating these resumes for just one thing; does the applicant have the qualifications to meet their job requirements.

If you are mailing, faxing, and e-mailing resumes and getting nowhere fast, it's time to evaluate not only your resume but the presentation of your credentials - we'll call it your employment package. Here are ten tips to make your resume and letters command attention:

1. When you locate a job that interests you, find out as much as you can about the position, required and preferred qualifications, and the organization.

2. Review the organization's Web site and print out pages that describe the organization's application requirements, mission, goals, products, services, employment profiles, or any information that describe the desired qualities and characteristics they seek in employees.

3. Assemble all the information you've located for each job. Review the position description and use a marker to highlight key responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Evaluate all the other located documents and highlight key phrases and goals that describe the organization. 

4. Use your documents to compile a list of key words for the position.

5. Prepare or update your resume (and any other required/requested employment documents) to ensure that you clearly demonstrate how your experience, education, training, and credentials match the job requirements. Draw from your list of key words to showcase your qualifications.

6. Write letters that concisely address the specific requirements and clearly illustrate how your experience, education, training, and career objective match.

7. Select paper that you’ll use for every document in your employment package. Choose a quality bond paper in white, off-white, beige, cream, or buff with no special effects such as parchment, marbling, or textures.

8. Follow carefully organizational guidelines for sending your document electronically or preparing documents for scanning. Review all the documents to ensure that you have addressed every required credential.

9. Proofread carefully for any typos, misspelled words, or grammatical errors. It is crucial that documents be error free.

10. When sending via facsimile, use the fine mode setting for your facsimile machine or fax board.

If you like this tip then check out my books!