5 Resume Mistakes Telecommuters Often Make

F inding a legit telecommute       Leave this to personal use; it     job can be difficult.           does not belong on business        Telecommute jobs are in         correspondence. Also, check your   high demand and hundreds if not       e-mail signatures. You don't want  thousands of other people are         to send your résumé out and      competing for the same position.      then sign your name "Mommy to                                            Sean and Sissy" with little angel  So how do you stand apart from        graphics around their names.       everyone else? Your résumé.                                                                                  2. Résumé templates.             Your telecommute résumé the                                            first and often the only document     "I know for a fact that            a potential employer has to make      recruiters hate templates and      a hiring decision with. Here are      would rather rip their hair out    some tips specifically for your       than read templates", Jennifer     telecommute résumé to keep it       Anthony                            on the employer's desk and out of                                        "file number 13".                     Recruiters and hiring managers                                           spend their day (often overtime)   I have consulted with telecommute     sorting through hundreds of        résumé expert Jennifer Anthony      résumés. Templates are hard to   of RésuméASAP to get a list of      read, and the design elements      the top five telecommute résumé     often don't show up correctly on   mistakes. Here they are!              a monitor other than that your                                           own. Hiring managers need to be    1. Wild designs or frilly fonts.      able to scan your document                                               quickly to see if you are          If you want to be taken seriously     qualified before moving on. If     for consideration, avoid using        they can't find out in 6-8         cursive fonts or cutesy clip art.     seconds, your résumé is trash.   It is better to start with a          showing them what you have to      blank document and look at other      offer them.                        résumé examples for                                                    inspiration.                          Here is an example of what you                                           can use as your headline:          3. The selfish objective                                                 statement.                            "Talented and experienced virtual                                        assistant, skilled in all aspects  If you are using the same old         of office management within        objective statement as everyone       nonprofit environments."           else, your résumé may be thrown                                        in the trash because you did not      (More headline examples can be     put forth the effort to create a      found at RésuméASAP).            personalized résumé.                                                                                         This is targeted and to the        Here is an example objective you      point. The reader knows this       should avoid:                         person is an experienced virtual                                         assistant who is especially        "A telecommute position allowing      skilled in a nonprofit role. No    me to utilize my knowledge and        wasted time.                       expertise working from home."                                                                                  4. Irrelevant Experience.          Why? This statement opens up many                                        questions. What kind of               Don't list irrelevant work         telecommute position? What is         experience just to fill in space.  your knowledge and expertise?         If you are applying for a          Also take note that using the         transcription position, your       words "me" and "my" sound very        customer service experience at     selfish. Instead of telling them      the local fast food restaurant     what you want, you should be          does not apply. What matters is    how much transcribing experience      out for them with the              you have, how fast you type, how      responsibilities. How often will   good your spelling and grammar        this person miss work because      skills are, and how accurate your     his/her kids are sick? Is his/her  work is. Any work experience that     spouse supportive of the           deals with these skills can be        telecommuting role? Can he/she     listed.                               work efficiently if the children                                         are home? Employers are not        5. Personal Information.              allowed to ask, so why put this                                          on your résumé. Personal         Leave off information like how        information should be left off.    many children you have, how long                                         you have been married, or that        If you write that you love scuba   you happen to love scuba diving       diving, you may think this makes                                         you look like a well-rounded       Let's look at children and            person. However, it could give     spouses for instance. Some people     someone the idea that you love     may see this as stability, but        scuba diving more than work. It    many others look at it as a           is best to just leave this kind    liability. They may have              of info off.                       questions about how you will work      About the Author: Nell Taliercio is the owner of a leading work at home mom resource website packed full of unique information for the telecommuter, business owner and virtual assistant. Visit http://www.mommysplace.net today! For more resume resources please visit http://www.mommysplace.net/resumecenter.html Source: www.isnare.com