Job Search Diary

A short book created by specialists of Resume Writing Lab with tips for
job seekers and freebies that will help to keep everything under control
Table of Contents
Setting Aims
Planning
Resume Writing Tips
Cover Letter Writing Tips
Effective LinkedIn Profile
+ Free Sheets for Job Seekers
Job Application Record
Job Interview Tracker

Nothing can stop the man with the right
mental attitude from achieving his goal;
nothing on earth can help the man with the
wrong mental attitude.
Thomas Jefferson
You have already understood that job search should be started
with the right attitude, because there are no techniques or tips
that can help you, if you are depressed or pessimistic during
seeking for a new job. Probably, it will be difficult to change the
mood and attitude just like you switch TV channel, but nobody
can do it instead of you, though this diary can be really helpful.
So, let’s forget about regrets and start thinking about aims you
want to gain and life you want to have. Spend several minutes
to visualize your dream job, think about every detail, place,
people, salary, how you start your day and why you really
enjoy this job. Now write all your thoughts here

Now, when you know what you want to get, you have to make
the plan how to achieve this aim. Check this instruction and
add your own steps.

Create/Improve Your
Resume and Cover Letter
As the first step is creating resume,
we offer to follow these tops
and avoid mistakes…
12 Rules to Create A Successful Resume
A good resume is a job candidate's first opportunity to make
a strong impression on
future employers. A resume
that is not up to par will not
convince hiring managers
to invite you for an interview.
Thus, it is critical that you put
your best foot forward and
sometimes applying to resume writers online is a good
decision. The following tips will help you understand how
to create a successful resume.
1. Be Honest
The golden rule of all resume tips is to be honest about your
job experience, education, and the assessment of your skills.
In the computer age, it is easy for any hiring manager to verify
the information you present. If something seems fishy, it will
immediately eliminate you from the hiring process. Don't

waste your time, or that of the human resources department,
by submitting questionable information.
2. Drop the Objective
Most resume templates include an objective section at
the beginning which briefly describes the position the
candidate is seeking. This practice is unnecessary. In the
modern world of internet based job applications, uploading
a resume for a particular position already notifies hiring
managers that you want a certain job. Therefore, it is
unnecessary to waste valuable resume space to restate
the obvious.
3. Be Succinct
Most HR departments are flooded with applications every time
they post a new position. Aside from reviewing resumes, they
are also busy handling daily workforce management duties for
the company. Thus, the typical hiring manager doesn't have
a lot of time to sift through a long resume. Keep yours short
and to the point to make it more likely that it will get reviewed.
Learn also how to deal with references on resume.
4. Choose E-mail Service Wisely
Every job candidate should have a professional looking e-mail
address. Do not use an address that describes your hobbies or
other personal preferences. Try to create an address with your

name and combine it with a few numbers if necessary. Also,
use a modern e-mail provider, such as Gmail, to show that you
are in touch with technology.
5. Combine Files
If you are one of the few
people who need a two-page
resume, or you will be sending
other documents with your
resume (i.e. references), put
everything in one document.
You can do this by creating
everything in the same word processing file, or by converting
multiple pages into one PDF file. This will allow the HR team
to quickly view your information without having to open
various files.
6. Be Accomplished
A good resume does not merely list your previous jobs and
duties. It should thoroughly explain what you accomplished for
past employers, and how you contributed to the success of
the company. You can list awards you received, major projects
you completed, and how you helped increase sales
or productivity numbers.

7. Be Careful With Margins
Readability is the main factor in attracting the eyes of hiring
managers. Sufficient margin space increases readability and
makes the resume appear to be well-organized. Do not go
beyond quarter inch margins to keep your resume readable.
8. Sans Serif Is Your Friend
When choosing a font for your resume, keep it simple. Sans
Serif fonts look clean and are the easiest to read. Creativity in
formatting is abhorred by most hiring managers, so stick
to the basics.
9. Take The Time To Convert
Word processing documents are notoriously difficult
to translate from one program to another. Sending your
resume in word processing format means you run
a substantial risk that your organization and proper resume
formatting will be lost when the company opens the file. Avoid
sending a garbled mess by converting the file to a PDF
document. The PDF will look exactly like the document on your
end, and cannot be altered by the opening process.
10. Don't Overdo Bullet Points
A good resume isn't overladen with bullet points. Use of bullet
points or arrows should be limited to things that deserve
highlighting, such as impressive accomplishments or computer

language skills. Aim for a maximum of 4 bullet points after you
describe your previous positions.
11. Leave Out The Personal Touch
Effective resumes focus
o n t h e c a n d i d a t e ' s
professional persona.
Talk of hobbies or other
personal interests
that are irrelevant and
space consuming. Keep
you resume focused on
things that directly relate to the job you are seeking.
Ask Resume Writing Lab for help, in case you don't know how
to do it.
12. Use A Second Pair Of Eyes
No one can create a good resume on their own. What you
think is understandable may not be so for another person.
Therefore, it is important to have your resume reviewed by
other people to make sure it conveys the information you
desire.

Top 5 Glaring Mistakes In Your Cover
Letter
During job search process,
when messing with our
resumes, we kind of forget
about the other documents.
Your perfectly polished CV is
wonderful, but it wouldn’t
guarantee you a job if your
cover letter is a total mess.
In fact, cover letter
writing can be as important
as your resume. What if you
unconsciously make several
serious blunders without
even knowing it?
Hence, if you’re wondering how to write a great cover letter,
you must know about some mistakes. ResumeWritingLab experts
figured out which glaring mistakes are inexcusable and must
be avoided in a cover letter.
Being Too Exacting
Remember once and for all: your employer has no interest in
knowing how you could benefit from his company. So, there is
no need to write a whole paragraph about it. Instead, he wants

to know how you, as a potential employee, can contribute to
the company’s growth and development. In this case, the
employer has the upper hand and you, as a job seeker, have to
deal with it.
You should demonstrate why you would be more useful to the
company, than any other applicant. And, if you manage to
prove it, your chances to get hired would rise significantly.
Keep in mind that if you have a hard time putting yourself in a
favorable light you can always attract attention with a resume
headline and make your application stand out.
Getting Desperate
If you want to put pressure on the pity, do it, but not in any of
your application documents, including a cover letter. Writing
your cover letter with an I-am-ready-for-any-job manner, won’t
be a great decision: remember that you won’t get a job just
because you desperately need it.
Why do employers avoid hiring people, who are totally
desperate? Any employer wants his workers to work for his
company, not because of a good salary, but rather because he
wants to start his career particularly at this place, not
anywhere else.
Writing Odd Information
Of course, everyone likes to talk about his hobbies, interests
and the way he spends his free time with family or friends. If

you’re an active community activist, all-around person, it’s
great, but all the things above have nothing to do with your
professional qualifications. The thing is, your cover letter’s
goal is bearing an interest to read your actual resume. And
the only things the employer is interested in are your
professional skills, knowledge and personal qualities, but only
if they’re somehow related to the job.
Making Mistakes
If you haven’t thoroughly proofread and spellchecked your
document, then be ready for a refusal once your HR manager
notices a couple of those while he’s reading it. Why so strict?
Well, what employer would like the fact that his employee
skipped rereading a cover letter? It would only show that you
don’t care whether you get a position or not.
Too Short or Too Long
R e c r u i t e r s f a c e
hundreds of resumes
and cover letters each
day, but some of those
application documents
tend to catch their
attention easily. No, it’s
not about elaborate
and flawless resumes, but rather about too long or too short

letters. And it’s seriously crazy: some of those are only 1
sentence long, meanwhile, others get over 1,000 words.
Keep in mind: going over 700 words makes no sense, you
would only fill your cover letter with superfluous info.
Furthermore, which HR manager would want to read a lengthy
novella, trying to figure out if he really wants to see
the applicant’s resume after this?
If you are unsure how to shorten your application pay
attention to things to leave off a resume. The optimal length
would be no more than 3 or 4 paragraphs of proper
information. Save the part about your broad life history
for the interview.

Create/Update Your
LinkedIn Profile
The second step is improving LinkedIn profile,
though creating account is not enough…
Why Creating LinkedIn Profile Is Not
Enough
LinkedIn is a must have
for today’s job seekers
but is joining it enough?
Unfortunately, no. This
i r r e p l a c e a b l e t o o l
accomplishes a set of
i m p o r t a n t t a s k s
and will definitely
e n h a n c e y o u r j o b
hunt but only if you know how to use it.
Simply joining LinkedIn and observing others won’t bring you
a promising position. Having a LinkedIn profile is about
presenting your personality and standing out from the
crowd. Professional LinkedIn profile writers provided us with
several priceless tips on how to use this job hunting tool 100%.

Make a Substantial Presentation of Yourself
Finding empty and abandoned LinkedIn profiles is weird. But
finding empty and active profiles is stupid. Most of
the recruiters can’t get the reason job seekers join LinkedIn,
use it but don’t provide any information (or provide unclear
data). Two reasons: they have nothing to write or truly don’t
understand the purpose and the aim of this service.
The solution of the first problem is simple – keep on gaining
experience. The solution of the second problem is even
simpler – keep on reading this article.
In fact, the goal of such services as LinkedIn is to help job
seekers find jobs and recruiters - find suitable employers. How
could they notice your page, if it has nothing catchy, exciting,
suitable for their position? You can check unusual ways to get
a job if attracting attention is not your strongest point.
Therefore, provide exact information about your
professional and personal skills, employment history, and
abilities. Use keywords that can draw the attention of your
potential recruiters.
Accept and Create Invitations
Building connections is another goal of LinkedIn. What’s the
benefit? Any RIGHT connections will make you closer to the
company and surroundings you would like to join. You won’t
be judged for creating different events or misunderstood for
inviting people you, actually, don’t know.

Make sure that expansion of your network is your number
one goal and it’s the goal of other LinkedIn users as well.
Creating different events is your key to success – you meet
the right people, get closer to your dream position, gain
popularity, become reputable, of course, if you manage
to choose the right approach.
Be Sociable – Join Groups
Each user has an opportunity
to join up to 50 groups but,
in fact, it doesn’t exceed 7.
Being a member of the
RIGHT groups is essential as,
firstly, it helps to build
priceless connections that
can change your career! If you are active and make a good
impression, you gain credibility and respect.
Furthermore, you are aware of the latest news in your
professional field, events, changes, new job ads. It’s
an irreplaceable resource of information! Groups that are
targeted to your location, occupation or wishes will help you
to find a job or, at least, expand your network much faster.
Therefore, join those groups that are the most relevant
to your goals and directions. Though, before becoming visible,
make sure that you've managed to choose good LinkedIn
profile photo.

Give a Feedback
Creating a flawless profile
isn’t enough for a promising
job seeker and we have just
proved that. Thus, always give
a f e e d b a c k . H a v e g o t
an invitation to a particular
event? Accept it. Even if it isn’t
really connected with your occupation or preferences, you are
a job seeker and you probably have enough spare time. Thus,
accept the invitation just to meet new people. The Earth is
round – you will definitely find someone working in your
dream company (or someone, who has his best friend
working in your dream company). Carefully ask about
recommending you to the CEO, for instance, and it's a cinch!
Again, remember that observing the activity of others is
observing your life passing by. Therefore, be resourceful and
active. Stand out of the crowd! If you are out if ideas, look
through easy ways to refresh your LinkedIn page.
As you can see, using LinkedIn isn’t about chilling at home with
your laptop. It’s about creating an image, building your own
network and reminding about yourself. Selling your skills and
abilities is a difficult thing, especially nowadays when
the proposal is lower than demand.
Thus, use this amazing tool right and get an impressing
outcome!

Sending Application
Documents
The third and the fourth steps are posting
or sending application documents.
This stage is rather monotonous but rather rewarding. You
have to treat job search like a job. It takes time to gain success
and it demands proper organization. Applying to hundreds
companies and websites is useless if you don’t track your
efforts.
That’s why we offer this
Job Application Record

Interviews
and Networking
Hopefully you will have lots of interviews and here is
Job Interview Tracker that will help you to be organized
and send post-interview letters and emails timely