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Writing a good resume is a dream of every student who is facing interview. You do not want to miss any chance for any single job. Online job searching is not a rocket science, making a professional resume is.

Now if you want to make a good resume you must follow a good resume format. Of course, you will find tons of useful resources that will help you make resume online.

But there are certain details in your resume you want to double-check before sending mail to any Hiring Manager. Freshers even company professionals making these mistakes would fail to land their dream job.

These are the most common mistakes on resume and if you avoid these you will save yourself a career. So read on.

1. Do I look nice?

Yes. You do.

But you do not have to tell your interviewer. And if you are not applying for any Model or Artistic Industry, I am sure they do not even care about your looks.

Many students who are applying for a job for the first time, think they must stick a photograph, like it will bewitch the employers.

The truth is that the photograph has to leave, until it is asked for. Your skills and qualifications are more important.

2. My house is 2 blocks from Community Park.

Lucky for you.

Now, employers are very unlikely to visit your house or even the park. They are not interested to send you offer letter by post.

Emails are the vessels of our destiny. We live in digital era and we use Emails for our official communications. It is not wise to include exact details of your residence. Just the name of city will do the job.

After all we DO give our contact number. That does the part.

3. Too Flashy and Trashy

Your creative side may distract many. In the last post I told how important it is to include text based information in the resume. If you add all the flashy graphics, your resume may not go to the next round.

Keeping minimal design shows professionalism and dedication.

4. "I cannot read, it’s all elvish."

This is what the employers feel when they find a resume with the different fonts. Using two fonts in a single resume or using crazy font formatting will make you less appealing to the employers.

Keep Times, Cambria or Arial. You may Bold, Italicized, or underline to highlight some point, as you wish. But don’t use all the different formats in same sentence.

 5. Spell check once again, and again.

Every resume should pass through grammar check and spell check. Any deviation from these two checks is big red flags to your employers about your application.

Your resume forecasts your work.

 6.  Essay no more.

You will not gain any advantage writing long, elaborate, and detailed resumes. Resumes are short, but not too short, summary of your academic and professional profile.

7. Cooking, dancing, singing, gardening, ......and leaving.

This was five years ago. No one is going to make you cook, dance, or sing in the Company you are applying for. There is no need to write what interests you.

Instead write relevant experience related to the job you are applying for.

Tip: Mention what you can 'solve' for them.

8. 50+ courses in 5 months

No need to include all those certificate courses you have done since the dawn.

Some graduates who are fond of online course certification include everything they have learnt, even though it does not match with the job profile.

I once saw a graduate candidate adding "Online English Grammar Course" Certificate from Udemy. This is one such redundant bullet that needs to leave resume.

I mean. C'mon. A graduate does not need to show that he knows basic English grammar.

Solution is to add top 5-7 course certificates which you have Mastered and applied to solve real life problems.

9. Find me on Facebook and Instagram - NOT!

No employer, at least real ones, will ever ask for your personal details or links to your personal social sites.

Be professional. Linkden, Github, Quora, or any website you have worked on is always welcomed on your resume.

10. Jack of all trades

Jack wanted to master all the Fortune500 Company. So he made a resume, applied all the correct fonts, used spell checker, and did everything fine.

He made his resume for an Automobile sector, then took that same resume to the Medical Center, then to Academic Institute, then Public Service, then a Rehabilitation Center...and so on.

At the end, he could not be a master of any one of the Companies.

Lesson learnt! Do not use same resume to different companies, positions or places you are applying for.  Make relevant changes accordingly.

Tip: Keep a resume template, and make changes according to the field you are applying for.

Conclusion:

Use Resume Template from an authentic source. Keep up with the latest LinkedIn posts related to the resume format. Use this 10 check list and avoid them. And rock that interview!

I am sure there is more to this list. Comment below if you think so.

Job searching is indeed a hard task. Let's get real.

You have great CGPA in college, you did your graduation with flying colors, you made cool projects, and also earned online course certificates. And with huge expectations you are applying to that online job opening in your favorite Company, for days, weeks, and months…., and what you get is stone-cold rejection!  

You must remember that you are applying for a job along with millions of job seekers aka your competitors, for the same position, for the same Company, and with same qualifications as yours. This is the part of job seeking phase where we start questioning our abilities and toss your certificates out of the window. With no success in view, you have two options: lose all hopes in humanity or change your job hunting strategy.

And the best time to change your strategy is now!

The Initial phase of job rejection: RESUME.

Have you ever received any friend request from an unknown person, and you immediately hit 'reject'? Yes you have. We choose not to waste our time knowing anything more about an unknown person, just because we don't like his 'Profile'. Your resume is your academic profile. The recruiters are out of time for most of the time, they have meetings, deadlines, interviews, and what not. And your resume just has 5 to 7 seconds to make you visible to them. All the rest will be discarded without a second thought.

The pandemic has captured businesses into your mobile. The unemployment has been the reason for exodus of resources in search of better career. Loads of resume get flooded in the single company for a single job opening. Imagine analyzing thousands of resumes in a day.

The recruiters of giant techs do not have all day to screen your well-designed resume. They just toss your resume away.....not in trash......... but in ATS. 

ATS, What’s that?

Applicant tracking system or ATS is document screening software that analyze your resume in 2-3 seconds. This eliminates the load of applications that the recruiters are looking for and give opportunity to the best. ATS converts your well-designed resume into a text file then looks for the keywords, sections, and skills that your recruiters are looking for. To crack this phase you would have to make your resume ATS friendly.

ATS optimized resumes go to the final decision phase, the HR. Saying that you would get selected or rejected because you have ATS resume is half-truth. ATS is just filter that picks out candidates with selective skills with non-relevant ones.

Public Sectors could use the ATS that would be efficient to choose the right candidates, rather than accepting hundreds of applications from PhD holders to fill a peon’s position. Like seriously.   

Not all recruiters use ATS

There are chances that your regional recruiter expects well-structured resume that used best tools out there, including tables, graphics, fonts and all.

You do not need to strictly comply with ATS template. Your resume must fit the job requirement as much as your recruiter’s scope. Every resume must be optimized with the area you want to work. You would not require taking a minimally designed resume to the graphic design position. Moreover, local companies do not really mind reading your resume, as they do not have enough application to screen.

But bigger companies that use ATS do not require these. ATS, a software, is really not interested in the creativity. It reads text and might have problem reading fancy texts and graphics. So before applying for any position do read the requirements if the company needs ATS resume or not.

Writing a proper resume increases your chance of getting hired. ATS or not, it all depends on the position and company you are applying for. After all, your resume must reflect your merit, excellence, capability, and the true YOU. 

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              “Communication works for those who work at it”

                            -John Powell

Children are great at learning languages, they learn a language quickly and gain fluency in a matter of years but at what age should they start learning English? 
 

There is no age bar for learning but the children need to start learning English as early as possible. Over 840 million people speak English as a first or second language, which makes it the second most-spoken language. It is considered to be the language of success. To be very honest, if someone wants a decent job anywhere in the world, he/she needs to be proficient in this language.
Children have a higher grasping power as compared to an adult. Developing a habit of speaking, writing, listening, and reading should be inculcated in a child from the very beginning.

Let’s look at the advantages of being a young learner and how parents can help their children to learn, grow and succeed.

Being able to communicate in English is one of the most important life skills. Communication skills take a lifetime to master, if not mastered at an early age. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employees, communication skills are ranked first among ‘must have’ skills. The most important aim should be to ignite young minds and unleash the dormant energy by providing an opportunity for children to learn to communicate effectively in English. It is the duty of the parents and teachers to help broaden a child's perspective, think critically, speak fluently, participate in public speaking and tap their leadership potential.

Invest time in learning  

Poor Communication has been considered as one of the greatest barriers to confidence. If a child has not developed the skill of speaking, he might lose the confidence to take his place among others.

Communicating daily will help to sharpen their skill.

 How is the current situation beneficial for students?

 In current situations, schools are closed and students are not able to participate in co-curricular activities, thus considering the situation it is the best time to grab the opportunity and master the skill of communicating in English. Every child deserves to learn and we as an older generation should give them the right opportunity and platform.

In today's world, let’s make sure that our younger generation does not have to face any hesitation. 

We must ensure that children develop skills that classrooms can’t teach. A personalized curriculum should be developed which caters to the need of the students. Thus, making them learn in a more conceptualized way.

Let them learn and lead the world

Beneficial for higher studies 

                                                                           

Like job applications, one of the best benefits of learning English is an educational opportunity. If you wish your child should access the best colleges like Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, or any college, knowing English provides them an incredible edge. Writing SOP’s (Statement of Purpose) is not an easy task; therefore, writing English is very important for the students. Thus, it will ensure them to get the best education in the future. If your child wishes to study abroad or within India itself, learning English is one of the most important factors which should be kept in mind.

Learn, grow and communicate.

Develop the habit of writing 

 

One of the best ways to understand a language is to write. The more your child writes the more exposure he receives. This eventually increases their creativity.

Schools must provide the students with exposure to writing and make them understand the essence of writing. Students should start learning with simple words that later on turn into more complex and afterward the students must learn descriptive words needed to become creative writers. Much like becoming a musician, one might not understand his/her instrument until they try it out. The same goes for English. It requires consistent practice.

Start learning today, see the benefits soon.

Improve focus

To correctly become a well-rounded English speaker requires focus and determination. A child must develop such a thought process that helps her to remain focused and dedicated. Educators should give personal attention to students. During the course, students need to focus on the four core pillars of learning -:

       SPEAKING 

         

    READING

        

 WRITING

 LISTENING

 Thus, this will provide them amazing exposure and some invaluable experience of learning.

Children are the terra firma upon which the future is built. The impact of learning will bring out their individuality. They deserve to know the world, let’s not keep them confined.

Let’s nurture their leadership qualities because we can foresee a nation run by them.  

                                               Students today are leaders tomorrow

The first impression is extremely important because it creates the granite foundation base for the way in which people perceive us.   The famous saying : first impression is the last  exist. Attire/ dress code provides people with the glasses through which they see us. This is precisely the reason why people should make every effort to create a good first impression. 

What to wear to a dollar tree interview ?

Generally, most of  jobs interview calls  you to wear professional, or business attire but it should be the righteous one to reflect your personality. This might mean a suit jacket and slacks with a shirt and tie or a sweater and button-down. A blouse with skirt , dresses or shirt pants  is appropriate with clean tidy comfortable shoes.

The colour of the dresses matters . Basic neutral nude  minimal colours suits well and appropriate for any interview. Avoid wearing bright dark  rainbow colours. It seeks attention  and are eye catching.

Here’s what you  must wear!

For men:-

·       A good to go clean white  ironed shirt , long sleeves , button up with  black pants  and formal shoes.

·       White shirt button up with black or brown khaki pants .

·       Black shirt with khaki pants and  clean shoes.

·       A five piece  solid coloured suit  is also accepted .

For women:-

·       A basic blouse with black pencil skirt   and nude colour  heels/flats.

·       A vintage style silk white shirt  with black/green/brown pants .  

·        Neutral button up shirts/tops with  chinos or corduroys .

Always Remember!

·      Choose neutrals over   patterns or bright eye catchy colours.

·      Wear  clean comfortable shoes.

·      Button up your shirt .

·      Prefer leather belts.

·      Avoid  wearing  jewellery or accessories.

·      Make  your hair  neatly .

·      Clean or trim your beard and  moustaches.

·      Avoid blue  jeans, t-shirts, sneakers .

·      Wear light makeup.