Before embarking on your quest to find that first job, it is important to do some prehunting preparation. Although you are understandably eager to begin an IT job, a little patience and planning can prevent a lot of job hunting frustration and disappointment. In some cases, prospective employers will ask you for your resume, so having one already prepared reinforces your professionalism and organization. In other situations, particularly when dealing with employment agencies or online career sites, a resume is a prerequisite to registration.
Job search preparation includes activities such as writing resumes and cover letters and selecting references. Effectively, it is about creating the basis of a personal marketing strategy, so that when you are ready to actually start looking for work, you will have all of the tools and information you need ready and waiting.
ASCII Resumes
Nowadays, resumes are often distributed to employers over the Internet. To prevent issues with formatting on various word processors, it has become common practice to use the ASCII format to publish resumes to the Web. ASCII is a very basic text format that can be used across all computing platforms. ASCII files are often referred to as "plain text" or "text only" files.
Preparing an ASCII resume is not difficult to do. Simply save your document as a text only file, which even the most basic of word processors has the ability to do. However, be aware that when saving your resume as a text only document, some of the formatting you have used will be removed. Therefore, when saving your resume as an ASCII document, it is best to first remove any formatting, such as bold, italics, underlining, text alignment, unusual fonts, and word wrap.The ASCII format simply does not support these features.This file format may make the resume seem a little plain, but as discussed earlier, fancy formatting is not needed on a resume, and the person to whom you are sending the resume will be expect-ing the ASCII document to look plain. Once the ASCII resume is created, open it in a utility such as Windows Notepad to see how it looks prior to sending it.
The plain text ASCII format is necessary because a common method is needed for sending text over the Internet. ASCII is compatible with every word processor available as well as every version. By avoiding formatting issues, an ASCII resume becomes the easiest way to apply for jobs online. When applying for a job by email, many employers will specify an ASCII format and will not accept resumes by attachment because attachments can carry viruses, and they may also present compatibility issues. Furthermore, if you want to put your resume online and post it in one of the many Internet job databases, an ASCII format is usually required. Keep in mind that when your resume is added to a database, there is a good chance it will be read by a computer, so it should be written using the keyword format for scanning.
Producing a document in a variety of formats may make it seem like designing a resume is a complicated task, but the reality is that if you have a good idea of what your resume should include in the first place, creating a suitable resume in any format should not be too difficult.
Paying for Your Resume
Of course, you may decide that instead of producing your resume yourself, you would rather it be prepared by a professional resume writing service. It is an approach that many people take, although whether a professionally written resume is any more effective than generating it yourself remains questionable.
Many resume writing services simply take your existing resume and process it into a professional format. Others, particularly those that are more expensive, often take the time to meet with you in order to be able to incorporate some of your positive personality traits into the resume. Whichever way is chosen, if you are using a reputable service, you are likely to get a professional looking resume with very little hassle.
If you do decide to use the services of professional resume writers, there are a few things to consider. Always be clear about exactly what it is you are getting for your money, and if you are unhappy with the work they have done, make sure that you have the option to have it redone. Also, be sure to find out what the resume writing service will charge for any changes that may be needed to your resume after it is completed. As with other services, if you get the chance, ask other people about their experiences with a certain resume company, and go with their recommendations. Remember, resumes are formulaic in nature. People use resume writing services because they believe that the resume will be better than one they could produce themselves or because they do not want the hassle of writing one. There is no reason at all why you, with sufficient effort and research, would not be able to produce a resume of comparable quality without the assistance of a professional resume writer.
Creating a professional looking resume and cover letter are just two of the steps necessary to prepare for your job hunt, but their importance cannot be overstated. Investing the thought and preparation they require allows you to approach opportunities with the right tools. The following points highlight the most important things to keep in mind:
Cover letters should be personalized, short, and easy to read. A good cover letter will motivate a potential employer to read your resume.
Resumes provide the chance to tell a potential employer about you and your skills. Be accurate, succinct, and clear.
Although references are usually provided after an interview, selecting and preparing a list of your references before you start looking for work can make things easier in the long run.
Think of your cover letter, resume, and list of references as representations of yourself. They are the first impression you make on a potential employer, as well as the tangible reminder of who you are and what you are capable of long after the interview is over.
