How to write a good resume? I need help!

Definitely don't include homemaker in the resume. Leave that for the cover letter.

The cover letter can take care of the sporadic work history and the homemaking in one fell swoop.

"In the past I have dedicated myself to raising a family and keeping up a good home. From time to time it became necessary for me to rejoin the work force in order to provide supplemental income for my family and every time I did, I feel that I excelled at the jobs at hand. I am an excellent multi-tasker and I try to bring that skill with me to work every day so that not only did I always get my work done, but I would often be found helping co-workers if I had some down time. I believe it is my home and work experiences that have honed this skill, and I look forward to applying it once again. In fact, now that my younger kids are a little bit older, I am seeking a job that will allow me to apply my skills in a longer term environment, making it a permanent part of my life going forward."

Obviously this isn't the whole letter, but a good start so that you cover your current life, the reasons for sporadic working, the fact that even part time and a homemaker you were serious about your job, and the fact that now you're looking into a career path/ full time job.
Even if the last sentence in my paragraph isn't strictly true, go with it. No employer wants to think that you're just hiring on for 6 months and then leaving.

Quote from The Llama : Definitely don't include homemaker in the resume. Leave that for the cover letter. The cover letter can take care of the sporadic work history and the homemaking in one fell swoop. "In the past I have dedicated myself to raising a family and keeping up a good home. From time to time it became necessary for me to rejoin the work force in order to provide supplemental income for my family and every time I did, I feel that I excelled at the jobs at hand. I am an excellent multi-tasker and I try to bring that skill with me to work every day so that not only did I always get my work done, but I would often be found helping co-workers if I had some down time. I believe it is my home and work experiences that have honed this skill, and I look forward to applying it once again. In fact, now that my younger kids are a little bit older, I am seeking a job that will allow me to apply my skills in a longer term environment, making it a permanent part of my life going forward." Obviously this isn't the whole letter, but a good start so that you cover your current life, the reasons for sporadic working, the fact that even part time and a homemaker you were serious about your job, and the fact that now you're looking into a career path/ full time job. Even if the last sentence in my paragraph isn't strictly true, go with it. No employer wants to think that you're just hiring on for 6 months and then leaving.

Thanks! that sounds a lot better. Wasn't sure about a cover letter, some employers don't require one. But, that's a good start!

Quote from tightwad0214 : Right on! in some parts of the US, seems to be a little harder to find a decent paying job w/o college. I'm not saying I'm too good to work in fast food, but, at the same time, I hold myself to a higher standard, because I know I have a lot to offer a company, if given the opportunity.

I think you have to put things into perspective. Everyone thinks that working at McD or Walmart are basically dead end jobs. Well, if that is the attitude, then yes, it is a dead end job.

In MBA classes, we often review the operations/finances of these very same companies. There are case reports written by Harvard folks of why these companies are so successful. Things that you and I think are mundane like making a burger is a very intricate process from the distribution channels down to the local franchises.

My point is that there is nothing wrong with holding yourself to a higher standard as long as you keep an open mind.

Quote from tightwad0214 : Obtained GED in 2009 Children's Museum Guest service associate/cashier (May 2012-present) -Assisting customers who want to obtain memberships, answering phones -Cashiering, answering customer inquiries in regards to memberships and museum policies Full time mom/ homemaker (August 2009-May2012) -Nurse, gourmet chef, laundry attendant -Chauffeur, maid service -Financial planner/advisor Realty Personal assistant/receptionist (February 2009-August 2009) -Answering phones, assisting tenants with maintenance issues -Taking rents, translating (Spanish) Full time mom/homemaker (April 2006-February 2009 Kmart Front end supervisor (November 2005-April 2006) -Over-see front end cashiers, obtain cash orders for sufficient drawer count -Customer service-intake of returns and exchanges of store merchandise, answering phones -Ensure customer satisfaction Skills- -Cash handling expertise -Bilingual (English & Spanish) -Exceptional customer service -Excellent communication skills -Goal oriented -Attention to detail & customer satisfaction This is what I have come up with, I have done some research, and honestly don't even know if this is how it should look..I am beginning to get discouraged. Honest opinions-please

1) The very first thing you want on your resume is your name, address, phone number, and email address on the top. You want your name to be in a slightly bigger font so that it catches the reviewer's eye and there's a better chance of them remembering it. You also want it to be very easy for them to find how to get in contact with you if they wish to do so, so putting those details right on top is a nice idea.

2) Organize your resume into clear sections with subheadings. Section 1: Education, Section 2: Work History, Section 3: Skills, etc. That way if they are looking back at your resume with a specific question (when did she work at Kmart again?) they can find the correct part of your resume to get that answer very easily.

3) Try to have as little white space on your resume as you can. You want your resume to be one page if at all humanly possible, but you want that one page to be densely packed with ink. If you have a lot of white space it makes it look like you don't have much to say. This means pull the page margins out from the default to like maybe 0.5" on each side, try to make each sentence end right at the end of a line instead of running over into another line for 1 or 2 words, etc. Wording things carefully can really help you with this.

4) I agree that having home maker on your resume will make it look unprofessional and will probably raise red flags. Leave those gaps in work history but use your cover letter to explain why those gaps are there.

5) Since your work history is a little sparse, use some non-work things to add more density. Have you ever volunteered for a church group? Been a den mother for a girl scout / boy scout troop? Been on your kids PTA board? Things like that show initiative and work ethic. Use that to your advantage!

That's all I have for now, but if I think of anything else I will let you know. Good luck!

Crap I'm sorry for being so late on this but know what you're going through as I've had my fair share of resume writing stumbles but absorbed a lot of information from a lot of sources and honestly the one thing I can say about a resume is getting that comfortable format that works for you then tailoring it for each and every application you give.

Everyone is right on the money. A few things I do with my resume (and I've never had an issue with getting an employer's attention):

1. As dalokgawd stated, name, address, main phone, alternate phone (if applicable), and email address should be your header. I prefer it centered. I'm sure you're leaving PII out of your post so no problems but keep that in mind.

2. I try to put my skills first. I'm in the tech industry and it's not so much about what you did 10-15 years ago but what you've done recently or are doing now. So I put all the applicable skills that pertain just to that job I'm applying for up front, broken into different sections (systems, software, etc). I'm thinking your skills that will work for your type of work can be in one section. Being billingual is a plus. If you know any software that relates to today, Excel, Powerpoint, Quickbooks, anything that is applicable to that job then state as such. You don't need to go into a great deal of detail as to what you know, that will be pinged from you in the interview.

3. Work experience next and honestly employer's like bullets so bullet and summarize each task you did with each job.

4. Lastly I put in education. Depending on the field this could go above or below the skills, but if it is a high school education/GED then the last thing they see is that you did indeed get the minimum education they require.

5. Proofread. So much as one typo could cost you a notice. Attention to detail at this point is critical.

6. Keep it concise and if at all possible keep it to about a page. HR has a short attention span having to go through anywhere from 60 to 400 resumes so they don't have a lot of time for the blah blah blah. They're looking for keywords so make sure you emphasize the keywords they are looking for and no not always will you know what the magic words are but if you think you qualify then I'm pretty sure it'll be scattered across your resume.

7. As others have said, use the cover letter to be your introduction to yourself and explain nuances about yourself that a resume cannot such as breaks in employment and what all you were doing to cause those breaks. Cover letters are more personable and allow an employer to read of your professionalism, how you fit in with them, and give more details than a resume could all before you have an interview.

Good luck to ya

Quote from tightwad0214 : Thanks! I appreciate your input. I have been on Careerlink & Careerbuilder and from what I have seen, they don't pay that well. I have applied at quite a few places, and realize that my job/work experience is limited..just wanting to get into a company where there's opportunity for advancement, I'm thinking .

No you want to get into a job you will enjoy and can stick with. If every morning you are like 'oh god why am i working here' Even if you are a good actress people will find out and know.

I would omit the dates - simply put the job you did , skills you learnt and wether you advanced in responsibilities and put how long you were at the job. Instead of putting i was in customer service for 6 months here and 1 year there and 8 month at this other place. Put that you have 2 years and 2 months of experience doing customer service. If they are interested they can ask the dates and where it was you worked.

Quote from menace33 : Crap I'm sorry for being so late on this but know what you're going through as I've had my fair share of resume writing stumbles but absorbed a lot of information from a lot of sources and honestly the one thing I can say about a resume is getting that comfortable format that works for you then tailoring it for each and every application you give. Everyone is right on the money. A few things I do with my resume (and I've never had an issue with getting an employer's attention): 1. As dalokgawd stated, name, address, main phone, alternate phone (if applicable), and email address should be your header. I prefer it centered. I'm sure you're leaving PII out of your post so no problems but keep that in mind. 2. I try to put my skills first. I'm in the tech industry and it's not so much about what you did 10-15 years ago but what you've done recently or are doing now. So I put all the applicable skills that pertain just to that job I'm applying for up front, broken into different sections (systems, software, etc). I'm thinking your skills that will work for your type of work can be in one section. Being billingual is a plus. If you know any software that relates to today, Excel, Powerpoint, Quickbooks, anything that is applicable to that job then state as such. You don't need to go into a great deal of detail as to what you know, that will be pinged from you in the interview. 3. Work experience next and honestly employer's like bullets so bullet and summarize each task you did with each job. 4. Lastly I put in education. Depending on the field this could go above or below the skills, but if it is a high school education/GED then the last thing they see is that you did indeed get the minimum education they require. 5. Proofread. So much as one typo could cost you a notice. Attention to detail at this point is critical. 6. Keep it concise and if at all possible keep it to about a page. HR has a short attention span having to go through anywhere from 60 to 400 resumes so they don't have a lot of time for the blah blah blah. They're looking for keywords so make sure you emphasize the keywords they are looking for and no not always will you know what the magic words are but if you think you qualify then I'm pretty sure it'll be scattered across your resume. 7. As others have said, use the cover letter to be your introduction to yourself and explain nuances about yourself that a resume cannot such as breaks in employment and what all you were doing to cause those breaks. Cover letters are more personable and allow an employer to read of your professionalism, how you fit in with them, and give more details than a resume could all before you have an interview. Good luck to ya

Thanks a lot! you have some very good points, I appreciate you taking time out to help! Have a great evening!

Couple of points (I admittedly haven't read the whole thread, but they're worth stating, if they've been brought up before):

1. Your name should be larger than the rest of your header. The eyes should be drawn here first and then channeled down the page. Make the HR person see the résumé the way you want it to be seen. Consider placing your name and contact info in the center, or even the left, of the paper. In a stack of résumés, if the HR rep is just flipping through, he might never see your name in the top left.

2. You need what's called a showcase (or a billboard). This should be in the top third of the page, and it should concisely summarize your greatest and most valuable skills. You need a header at the top of this showcase that even more concisely summarizes who you are professionally. It doesn't have to be flashy. Something like "Bi-lingual Customer Service Professional" should do the trick.

3. Make sure that the HR rep can tell whether you're a good candidate or not by the time he gets to the end of your showcase. Hold up a piece of paper with your right hand on the right side of the page. Look at where your thumb is. You need to tell your whole story, in summary format, in the space above your thumb (roughly the top 1/3 of the page). The average résumé gets about a 3 second look from HR. Make sure they know what they need to know in that time.

The rest, honestly, is just filling in details. If you can show that you know how to organize your thoughts and present them well in the top portion of your résumé, HR might call you without ever really looking at the rest.

Hope that helps!

Quote from tightwad0214 : Yes, let's meet up! I'm so excited now. I was beginning to get discouraged because nothing is coming through with the apps that I have submitted, and I honestly, don't want to compromise myself by "settling" for a job I know I'm not going to like, especially knowing that I can do better.

It was soooooo nice to meet you & your daughter! She is a cutie pa-tootie for sure!

I think we have a good start and I'll throw the information we discussed in a couple different templates to see what look you like the best. Like others said (and what we talked about) a showcase or header of who you are and what you can offer will be the best style to highlight your strengths and minimize the gaps. We'll all help to get your foot in the right door to start a solid career!

And yes, I needed a beer or two or three to counter the afternoon coffee.

Quote from Thrifteh : It was soooooo nice to meet you & your daughter! She is a cutie pa-tootie for sure! I think we have a good start and I'll throw the information we discussed in a couple different templates to see what look you like the best. Like others said (and what we talked about) a showcase or header of who you are and what you can offer will be the best style to highlight your strengths and minimize the gaps. We'll all help to get your foot in the right door to start a solid career! And yes, I needed a beer or two or three to counter the afternoon coffee.

Omgsh! you're awesome! I so appreciate you taking time out of your day to come and meet with me, the coffee was good too You have definitely given me new hope that I will find the right job, thanks for all of your help & encouragement!

And, girl- I need to be having a drink or 2 on a daily basis to counter all the craziness at my house! I hope we can meet up again soon!

Quote from tightwad0214 : Omgsh! you're awesome! I so appreciate you taking time out of your day to come and meet with me, the coffee was good too You have definitely given me new hope that I will find the right job, thanks for all of your help & encouragement! And, girl- I need to be having a drink or 2 on a daily basis to counter all the craziness at my house! I hope we can meet up again soon!

I tell you what, when we both land jobs we'll go out to celebrate with tequila for you & vodka for me!!!

Quote from Thrifteh : I tell you what, when we both land jobs we'll go out to celebrate with tequila for you & vodka for me!!!

Sounds like a plan! Thanks again- I cannot tell you how much I really appreciate it

I recommend getting résumé paper to use for both the résumé and cover letter. Ivory is apparently easier on the eyes. It's the little things that stand out when you're competing against others.

Try to use numbers where you can in your bullet points. i.e., "Trained 4 people in my department" instead of just generically stating you trained people.

Never use "I" and always start with a verb. Here's a great list: http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers...verbs.html

Try not to make your résumé or cover letter more than one page each.

I'm not sure if any of this has been said yet. It's just the stuff that stands out from my college recruiting experience.

Quote from damsel. : I recommend getting résumé paper to use for both the résumé and cover letter. Ivory is apparently easier on the eyes. It's the little things that stand out when you're competing against others. Try to use numbers where you can in your bullet points. i.e., "Trained 4 people in my department" instead of just generically stating you trained people. Never use "I" and always start with a verb. Here's a great list: http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers...verbs.html Try not to make your résumé or cover letter more than one page each. I'm not sure if any of this has been said yet. It's just the stuff that stands out from my college recruiting experience.

I had a bunch of extra resume paper and gave her some. It is a nice ivory linen!

Now I just wish there was an upcoming job fair!