a:10:{s:2:"id";s:2:"61";s:12:"cms_headline";s:32:"Tips to writing a winning resume";s:7:"content";s:4051:"<h2>
	Tips to writing a winning resume</h2>
<p>
	Like it or not, books do get judged by their covers. And when you job search, you will be judged by your cover letter and resume. Brion Energy&rsquo;s Senior Recruiter, Kalyna Bilinski has read countless number of resumes in her career&mdash;her best guess is close to 500,000 when you do the math&mdash;and has hired some top talent. Over her career she has also received resumes that were memorable for all the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>
	Two of the more interesting resume submissions include one that arrived as a message in a bottle, complete with sand in the bottom and cork in tact&mdash;while they did get points for creativity, they did not get the job. The second arrived hand-written, in pencil, on a piece of lined foolscap paper with torn edges from the coil binder&mdash;a lasting impression, but not the right one to get an interview.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Kalyna&rsquo;s vast experience makes her well qualified to comment on what makes a great resume. Here are her eight recommendations on how to write one that will get you noticed, possibly an interview, and if all goes well, the job.</p>
<p>
	1. There is no single right way to write a great resume<br />
	While there are a number of great formats to use&mdash;some more appropriate or specific to a field like academics, technical or projects&mdash;the format is not the only important factor. Focus your efforts on being clear in your language and making your resume easy to read (use white space and bullet points versus paragraphs, and send in a common format like PDF). Chronological order is best, with your most recent experience first and lots of supporting points. These resumes are easiest to scan and inevitably get read in their entirety.</p>
<p>
	2. Be concise<br />
	It is recommended that you give enough detail to fully describe your experience, but don&rsquo;t try and put too much on the page. Ample white space makes it much more pleasant to read. Also, use a standard font, never a scripted or fancy font, these are distracting and hard to read.</p>
<p>
	3. The first third of your resume is the most important<br />
	Put the information that is most relevant to the job you are applying for first. If the key selling features are buried in bullet points they get missed.</p>
<p>
	4. Highlight accomplishments, not responsibilities<br />
	Recruiters want to know how you have added valued to other organizations, so be sure include measured results where you can. Think about how you increased sales, improved efficiencies or decreased spending. By using numbers over spelling numbers (100 versus one hundred), the information jumps off the page and commands attention.</p>
<p>
	5. Don&rsquo;t worry about the length<br />
	A one-page resume is not going to accurately reflect 20 years of experience, so use the appropriate number of pages to tell your story.</p>
<p>
	6. Write a cover letter<br />
	It&rsquo;s important to share why you&rsquo;re interested in a particular role, how it fits with your experience and what makes you the best candidate. Don&rsquo;t forget to be mindful of spelling and grammar&mdash;cover letters show your attention to detail.</p>
<p>
	7. Keep your resume up to date<br />
	It&rsquo;s a good idea to update your resume each time you leave a position. It&rsquo;s easy to forget exact dates and what you accomplished&mdash;starting from scratch is a lot of work!</p>
<p>
	8. Avoid too much personal information<br />
	Marital status, age, health and a headshot are not relevant in Canada and may create an unintentional bias. If there is a gap in professional experience because of personal reasons like family or health, you can mention it in the cover letter if you wish, but chances are the recruiter will ask you in an interview as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	To learn more about current job opportunities with Brion Energy and how to submit your winning resume, visit: <a href="http://www.buildingsomethingbig.com">www.buildingsomethingbig.com</a>.</p>
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