My Perfect Resume is Not Hard at All

My Perfect Resume is Not Hard at AllMy perfect resume is the first step to landing the job you want. The best resume you have ever seen will not only direct a potential employer's attention to your resume, but it will also get them to read it in your own words. But how do you write a resume that is both effective and unique?First, sit down with a pad of paper and write your resume on top of the page. After it's done, take a minute to find out what your options are. If you have a graphic designer friend, she or he may be able to help you put together your own design. If you're not a graphic designer, don't worry. You can still put together a really great resume.Next, write a cover letter. Be sure to keep it short and sweet. Don't ruin it by going on too long.Once you've got your resume and cover letter done, you need to focus on your resume. You want to get as much information on your resume as possible. It should be straight forward and concise, but you also need to include a few det ails here and there.One detail that you should not overlook is your employment history. It's important that your resume include all the jobs you've had and how many you've had each year. It may sound obvious, but if your resume doesn't include this, your employer will just assume that you haven't worked since high school. Plus, you never know, you may not be the only one with a history like that.Speaking of employment history, you also need to include a summary of your experiences. No one wants to hire someone who's been out of the workforce for a while, so this is an important detail to include. Also, don't forget to mention any awards or honors you might have won while in the workplace.My perfect resume is not so hard to make, but it does take time. Your resume is the first impression that you make on an employer. Make sure you spend a little time on it, then you'll make the first impression that you want.

Heres How Much the Highest-Paid Women in Every U.S. State Make Compared to Men The Difference in Their Salaries is Stunning

Here's How Much the Highest-Paid Women in Every U.S. State Make Compared to Men â€" The Difference in Their Salaries is Stunning Across the US, the average income for the top 2% of all earners is $206,000. But among women in the top 2%, the average salary is $145,000, compared to $371,000 for men, according to an analysis of the 2015 American Community Survey by labor economics research firm Job Search Intelligence (JSI). That means the average woman in the top 2% makes just 39 cents for every dollar a man makes. Overall, women earn an average of 79 cents for every dollar a man makes in the US, according to a 2016 report published by the Joint Economic Committee Democratic Staff. While striking, the pay gap at the top isn’t likely a matter of women being paid significantly less than their male counterparts, but rather that women are underrepresented at the highest levels of management. In fact, in some states, so few women make it into the top 1% â€" which requires an average annual salary of $389,436 or more, based on calculations by the Economic Policy Institute â€" that, to protect anonymity, salary data is not reported by gender, according to JSI. That’s why we’re comparing earnings among the top 2%, instead of the more standard top 1% of earners. Below, see the average income for the top earners in every US state â€" listed from the smallest gender wage gap to the largest â€" as well as the average income for women and men in the top 2% of all earners. Alaska: Women earn $50,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $185,000 A man in the top 2%: $200,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 North Dakota: Women earn $70,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $150,000 A man in the top 2%: $170,000 A woman in the top 2%: $100,000 Indiana: Women earn $80,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $170,000 A man in the top 2%: $200,000 A woman in the top 2%: $120,000 Wisconsin: Women earn $81,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $180,000 A man in the top 2%: $211,000 A woman in the top 2%: $130,000 Iowa: Women earn $83,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $150,000 A man in the top 2%: $193,000 A woman in the top 2%: $110,000 Kansas: Women earn $85,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $175,000 A man in the top 2%: $215,000 A woman in the top 2%: $130,000 South Dakota: Women earn $85,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $150,000 A man in the top 2%: $186,000 A woman in the top 2%: $101,000 Vermont: Women earn $88,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $176,000 A man in the top 2%: $215,000 A woman in the top 2%: $127,000 Minnesota: Women earn $100,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $250,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 Colorado: Women earn $104,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $225,000 A man in the top 2%: $264,000 A woman in the top 2%: $160,000 West Virginia: Women earn $163,000 less Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $160,000 A man in the top 2%: $283,000 A woman in the top 2%: $120,000 New Mexico: Women earn $179,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $158,000 A man in the top 2%: $304,000 A woman in the top 2%: $125,000 Mississippi: Women earn $183,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $150,000 A man in the top 2%: $290,000 A woman in the top 2%: $107,000 Maine: Women earn $199,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $180,000 A man in the top 2%: $324,000 A woman in the top 2%: $125,000 Alabama: Women earn $209,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $175,000 A man in the top 2%: $333,000 A woman in the top 2%: $124,000 Idaho: Women earn $210,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $150,000 A man in the top 2%: $316,000 A woman in the top 2%: $106,000 Hawaii: Women earn $211,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $180,000 A man in the top 2%: $351,000 A woman in the top 2%: $140,000 Arkansas: Women earn $216,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $180,000 A man in the top 2%: $336,000 A woman in the top 2%: $120,000 South Carolina: Women earn $217,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $185,000 A man in the top 2%: $347,000 A woman in the top 2%: $130,000 Louisiana: Women earn $221,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $346,000 A woman in the top 2%: $125,000 Arizona: Women earn $227,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $367,000 A woman in the top 2%: $140,000 Nevada: Women earn $227,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $180,000 A man in the top 2%: $357,000 A woman in the top 2%: $130,000 Oregon: Women earn $228,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $198,000 A man in the top 2%: $378,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 Utah: Women earn $228,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $362,000 A woman in the top 2%: $134,000 Montana: Women earn $229,000 less Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $185,000 A man in the top 2%: $354,000 A woman in the top 2%: $125,000 Kentucky: Women earn $231,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $190,000 A man in the top 2%: $358,000 A woman in the top 2%: $127,000 Rhode Island: Women earn $233,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $225,000 A man in the top 2%: $383,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 Michigan: Women earn $242,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $194,000 A man in the top 2%: $382,000 A woman in the top 2%: $140,000 New Hampshire: Women earn $244,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $220,000 A man in the top 2%: $404,000 A woman in the top 2%: $160,000 Delaware: Women earn $253,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $403,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 Oklahoma: Women earn $255,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $180,000 A man in the top 2%: $375,000 A woman in the top 2%: $120,000 Tennessee: Women earn $255,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $390,000 A woman in the top 2%: $135,000 Missouri: Women earn $257,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $190,000 A man in the top 2%: $387,000 A woman in the top 2%: $130,000 Ohio: Women earn $257,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $196,000 A man in the top 2%: $392,000 A woman in the top 2%: $135,000 Pennsylvania: Women earn $260,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $408,000 A woman in the top 2%: $148,000 Nebraska: Women earn $264,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $175,000 A man in the top 2%: $384,000 A woman in the top 2%: $120,000 North Carolina: Women earn $266,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $200,000 A man in the top 2%: $416,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 Washington: Women earn $268,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $240,000 A man in the top 2%: $440,000 A woman in the top 2%: $172,000 Georgia: Women earn $269,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $217,000 A man in the top 2%: $419,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 Florida: Women earn $279,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $220,000 A man in the top 2%: $429,000 A woman in the top 2%: $150,000 California: Women earn $283,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $250,000 A man in the top 2%: $483,000 A woman in the top 2%: $200,000 Virginia: Women earn $288,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $233,000 A man in the top 2%: $460,000 A woman in the top 2%: $172,000 Texas: Women earn $295,000 less Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $250,000 A man in the top 2%: $451,000 A woman in the top 2%: $156,000 Maryland: Women earn $296,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $250,000 A man in the top 2%: $482,000 A woman in the top 2%: $186,000 Wyoming: Women earn $305,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $170,000 A man in the top 2%: $425,000 A woman in the top 2%: $120,000 Illinois: Women earn $335,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $245,000 A man in the top 2%: $505,000 A woman in the top 2%: $170,000 Massachusetts: Women earn $351,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $300,000 A man in the top 2%: $551,000 A woman in the top 2%: $200,000 New Jersey: Women earn $355,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $300,000 A man in the top 2%: $555,000 A woman in the top 2%: $200,00 Washington, D.C.: Women earn $357,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $379,000 A man in the top 2%: $637,000 A woman in the top 2%: $280,000 New York: Women earn $413,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $280,000 A man in the top 2%: $613,000 A woman in the top 2%: $200,000 Connecticut: Women earn $444,000 less. Average income for: Top 2% of earners: $360,000 A man in the top 2%: $658,000 A woman in the top 2%: $214,000 This story originally appeared on Business Insider.

3 Good Reasons To Spend More Time On Your Cover Letter - Work It Daily

3 Good Reasons To Spend More Time On Your Cover Letter - Work It Daily Tip #1: Show, Don't Tell We’ve all, in some way, made the mistake of not giving our cover letters the attention they deserve. Some of us tend to regurgitate the information in our resume onto the cover letter. While it's okay - and sometimes even necessary - to include some of the things listed on your resume in your cover letter, creating a carbon copy of your resume with some added fluff words won’t get you anywhere. Related: #1 Thing You MUST Say In Your Cover Letter Here are some reasons why you need to spend more time on your cover letter: Writing A Generic Cover Letter Will Label You As A Generic Employee Not spending enough time on your cover letter can lead to a very generic one - and the last thing you want to come off as is generic. According to career writer and blogger, Alison Green, it's important to proofread your cover letter, even if you think it is “perfectly crafted.” Chances are your cover letter might have some common phrases like: “I’m hard working and a great communicator,” “Dear sir or madam,” or even “I meet the requirements for the position.” Tip #1: Show, Don't Tell One of the biggest lessons I took from my creative writing courses at my undergraduate college is to show, not tell. An employer would be a lot more interested if you show them how you’re a hard worker instead of simply telling them. Maybe you’ve juggled several jobs and school work in the past. You meet the requirements for the position? How so? Listing the relevant skills you possess might be a better way to communicate your qualifications. Still directing your letter to a sir or a madam? Show the employer you care by going out of your way to find the name of the hiring manager at the company. Whatever generic phrases you seem to be struggling with, an employer won’t know these things about you if you don’t show them in your cover letter. Customizing Your Cover Letter Is A Way Of Customizing Yourself One of the reasons job seekers tend to write unsuccessful cover letters is because they don’t take the time to customize them. If you’re not going to take the extra time to craft a carefully written cover letter, what makes you think an employer is going to take the time to read your generic letter? Tip #2: Find The Right Keywords Morris Associates, Inc, a career and employment website, suggests printing out the job description and highlighting keywords, spending extra time on the highlighted words and thinking about how you can relate them to your skills, and crafting the first sentence “around the essence of what they want.” Doing this will set you apart from other applicants and increase the chances an employer will call you in for an interview. You’re Not The Only Job Applicant Out There According to career and personal branding strategist and author, Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, “on a weekly basis, any hiring manager probably receives... hundreds of resumes and cover letters.” So, it's important to catch the reader’s attention from the very beginning. Tip #3: Have Them At Hello Using introductory sentences like: “Please accept my resume for consideration of the (XYZ) position within your organization,” isn't a good way to get any hiring manager’s attention, Hernandez writes. It’s important to note that your cover letter is the employer’s first impression of you, “and nothing is more important than the initial first impression.” Spend more time on your cover letter and make sure you don’t sound like everyone else. It’s not a waste of time if it has the potential to get you that interview. This post was originally published at an earlier date. Related Posts 5 Parts Of A Cover Letter (A.K.A. How To Write A Good One!) 5 Cover Letter Techniques = Spellbound Hiring Managers 5 Key Steps To A Cover Letter That Opens Doors   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!