Resume Preparation
Whether you are looking for a job in project cost management or a similar field, you’re going to need a strong resume to help you land the job you want. That is true whether you are looking for a position locally or nationally.
There are several parts to creating a strong resume that will help you end up with the job you are seeking. In fact, you may want to consider hiring a professional resume-writing service to assist you, especially if you have little experience putting together a resume or if you don’t trust your writing skills.
In any case, you will need to take steps to be ready for the resume. You should start by purchasing some high-quality paper. Resume paper is available at many office stores and even from retail giants. The paper is made from a heavier cardstock than your standard printer or copier paper so it is less likely to bend or to smear. Plus, the paper comes in non-white colors that add a bit of sophistication to your resume. Gray or cream-colored papers work the best. Some even have a marbleized look that gives them an elegant sense of texture. Matching envelopes are available and desirable.
When it comes time to start writing the resume, make sure you emphasize your specific accomplishments. Don’t generalize. Future employers want to know what you can bring to the company and that means they need to know what you’ve accomplished in the past.
Besides having the printable version of your resume ready, you should also save a version for electronic distribution as well. Many of the jobs posted today are going to request that you submit your email over the Internet, either through email or through another online form. Either way, you want to maintain the formatting of your resume when it is opened on the other end. For that reason, consider saving it as a .pdf. Then no matter what type of software is used by the company, the file can be opened.
Locating Available Positions
You have three clear options when doing a search for project management jobs such as simple project management jobs or project cost management jobs. Using a combination of these options will provide you with the overall best results. First, you might want to try the job listings of your local newspaper. Many of the employers in your area may still list their help-wanted ads in the paper. Some may also include them on the newspapers’ online sites as well. Generally the ads are small and don’t provide much information but can at least give you a place to send your resume if everything that is included sounds good.
General job search sites are another option. Here you can find postings from all over the country in almost every field imaginable. You can post your resume on the site so that other employers can find you when they have a need to hire someone, or you can take the more proactive approach and look for positions that fit your needs and that are in the location in which you are currently living. The problem with these sites is they have been overwhelmed by postings from scams offers. That is unfortunate because these sites are one of your best leads for new employment.
Your third option is to locate job-specific Web sites. In this case, you want to look for job search sites that are dedicated to project management positions. There are some available, and they can be a good choice for several reasons. For one, you won’t have to weed through hundreds of unrelated positions to locate ones that are of interest to you. Plus, many of these sites do give you the option of keeping your search very localized, which might be appealing at the moment. Or, if you were interested in a wider area, you could do a more broad-based search. You can even search for project management jobs internationally through many of these sites.
When you do find positions you are interested in, your next step should be applying for them. Don’t delay in this. If you put off the application process, you may end up losing the chance altogether. Set aside time once a week or once every couple of days to actually find jobs and apply for them. This won’t be difficult because when you use these different sources of jobs you’ll find plenty of options available.
Keep track of the jobs for which you apply so you don’t duplicate the applications and so you can follow up after a reasonable amount of time has passed.
