Here are some do's and don'ts on what makes a great resume for graduates seeking entry-level positions in industry.

OBJECTIVE
One of the most frequently heard complaints made by recruiters about entry-level resumes is that they lack a specific objective. Resumes of fresh graduates have fuzzy, general objectives or no objective at all. Mentioning a specific objective is by far the most important feature of an entry- level resume. Without goal clarity you are bound to drown in the sea of mediocrity.

The only thing worse than the absence of an objective is a vague objective. Something like "My objective is to work with a dynamic company which will fully utilise my talents…" is a complete no-no! This objective is worthless because it gives the potential employer no idea about your goals or your direction.

Your objective should be clear, well-defined and short-not more than 10-12 words.. It should be aimed towards getting a particular position in a specific industry. Thus your objective should talk about the following:
1. Position wanted
2. Functional area
3. Industry wanted

Examples of good objectives:
Example 1: "Junior management position wanted in PROGRAMMING/ engineering field in IT industry.'
Example 2: GET in position in the manufacturing field.
Example 3: Entry level programmer in a software development company.
Example 4: Marketing position in the FMCG segment of a Multinational Company.
Example 5: Multimedia software development position. Open to Relocation.
Example 6: "A position as a Production supervisor with a petro-chemical company."

SUMMARY
Summary is the second most important factor that is conspicuous by its absence in resumes of entry-level graduates. It is a good idea to include a summary of your resume after having mentioned your objective. This sums up your resume in a nutshell and gives you an opportunity to highlight your strengths. It invites the recruiter to read your detailed resume. The summary should consist of 4-5 specific points-either bulleted or in one paragraph.

Sample Summary 1:
B.E (Computer Science) from IIT-Delhi, in 2000.
Course in Computers Database programmes Oracle 8I & VB6 from PENTASOFT in 2005.
Consistently good academic record.
Good analytical and communication skills.
Have worked on a curriculum project "XXX XXXXX XXXX"

Sample Summary 2:
"Masters in Computer Application with specialisation in J2EE/Web Technologies. Great operational, communication and computer skills. Good academic record throughout. Among the top three students out of a batch of 120 students. Undergone Industrial training in a top petrochemical Company.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Most fresher resume doesn't suffer from space constraint . However it is a good idea to include only those educational and professionals qualifications which are relevant. Put your qualifications in a reverse chronological order. i.e. the recent ones first followed by earlier ones. Entry level resume should also mention the names of their school and college, years in which they passed their board examinations. However, include your marks only you have shown a good academic performance.

WORK EXPERIENCE
An entry- level resume cannot compete with resumes of experienced workers in the area of work experience. But don't forget to list internships, voluntary work and summer training that you have undertaken. How you present these is very important. Make sure you clearly define your duty and responsibilities during this training.
E.g.: "Worked as a summer trainee in India's largest Oil Refinery. I was working for the system control department. Wrote quality reports as well as ISO features for the company." Any projects done for your school or your college should also be mentioned.

DESIGN
Follow a simple design, which gives maximum information in the minimum number of pages. Use an easy to read and commonly used font like 'Times New Roman' or 'Verdana.' Limit your font size to 10-11. Do not underline heavily.

WORD USAGE
Simple language, lucid expression with good grammar is the thumb rule. Watch your tenses carefully. Use short and simple sentences. And never-ever make the mistake of using long words just to impress the recruiter. Flowery words are for speeches, keep them away from your resume.

THE TRUTH HURTS
There are many things we would rather not write in our resumes. And while writing a resume the strong temptation to stretch the truth (or simply lie through our teeth) can be quite overpowering. But just stomp on the temptation. Most companies opt for a reference check during recruitment. Your resume is considered a legal document and fudging up small details may cause you great embarrassment in your career.
All right! so you've made yor resume. But this is not the time to sit back and relax. There are some important post-resume do's left.

CHECK, AND RE-CHECK!
The most important post resume step: Read and re-read your resume for any mistakes. Check the facts, the grammar, the spellings. After you have checked it, get you parents, friends, teachers to check it for you. One small mistake may cost you your job.

And finally...mom is right you know! Do not procrastinate over anything, specially making your resume. Most fresh graduates prefer to leave the unappealing task of resume making till the last minute i.e the day before their first interview. However, remember that making great resumes take time and effort. And the rewards will last you a lifetime

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3 ways to customize your resume to get the job that you want

While most resumes appear to look the same on the surface, there are key areas that differentiate well-written winning resumes from those that never make it into the hands of the hiring managers. To customize your resume for the job that you want, pay attention to the following three elements: resume style, career objective, and personal profile.

The layout and the style of your resume are as important as the information you are including about your experience and qualifications. The two most commonly used resume styles are chronological and functional. Chronological resume calls for listing your professional expertise in order, much like the name implies, and is used those with some to extensive professional experience. Functional resume showcases your experience by the type of qualifications you have, and is typically used by those lacking professional experience or those changing careers. While there are no set rules on determining the best resume style to use, it is important to keep in mind that the resume format can help or hurt your chances to put your best foot forward.

You will want to pick the format that will best highlight your qualifications and your experience. Thus, it is important to understand the difference between the two, as well as research which format is more preferred in the field of your choice.

Career objective is very important to your resume. While there is an ongoing debate about the need for listing your objective on your resume, choosing to include this goal statement shows that you have given your professional growth some serious thought.

Consider your career objective as the first impression you make on your potential employer. Make sure that your goals are specific and directional in terms of industry, position title, and future professional achievements. Most people make a mistake of including generic statements under their career objective. To be effective, your statement must tell a potential employer that you know what kind of job you want, what experience you have in order to get the position, and what you are willing do to become a successful professional with the company.

While your career objective tells your potential employer why you are applying for the job at their organization, your professional profile sells your expertise and convinces the employer that you are the best candidate for the job. Your professional summary/profile gives you the opportunity to differentiate yourself, and give your employer an insight into you.

Two commonly made mistakes for this section of the resume are poor writing and inclusion of personal information. Note that your age, ethnicity, gender, religious affiliations, etc. do not make a difference on how you handle yourself as a business professional. Such information should never be included in a resume, or any job application materials (even when asked on a job application, such information is optional and is for demographics study only). Make sure this section is well written and error-free. Strong positive statements about your expertise will give a good first impression to your employer.

Make sure to proofread the whole resume, with emphasis to this section, as it appears at the start of your resume. An effective personal statement must leave your employer with an impression that you are confident, credible, and professional.

Keep in mind - your resume is your sales pitch, demonstrating your qualifications and experience to your potential employer. Seize the opportunity to put your best foot forward and you will reap the rewards.

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Top 5 common resume mistakes and how to avoid them

If you have ever tried to write a resume, for yourself or for someone you know, you are already familiar with the fact that this is not an easy task to take on. So much information goes into a resume; from your career objective to the list of your qualifications, your resume should be personal, convey confidence and set your best foot forward in order to impress a potential employer. However, creating a winning resume is not easy. The following are the most commonly made mistakes in resume composition:

1)Including references to personal web sites.

You may wonder why referencing a personal web site may be a mistake. What if you have a sample of your graphic design work on your site that you want your potential employer to see? It sounds like a great idea, if the site you are referencing only has work-related information available. Many people make a mistake of including their personal web sites that may contain information potential employers may find irrelevant (and now you are wasting their time) or inappropriate.

As a rule, do not include your personal web site if it contains your photo or other photos that may be viewed as inappropriate, if it contains jokes (even if they are clean jokes), or your blog. In other words, if the site you have is entirely for personal purposes, you are best leaving it off your resume.

Include a link to your web site if the pages are set up to showcase your professional portfolio, a copy of your resume, reference letters, presentations, photos taken for professional use, or your web development skills.

2)Using very small fonts in order to get everything to fit on one page.

One of the most common challenges is creating a resume that formats well on a single page. As a rule, a resume should not exceed two pages. However, in recent years, it has become commonplace for professionals to change jobs frequently, and listing all the experiences, in addition to your career objective, education, qualifications and references, can certainly take up a lot of space.

Do not use a small font in order to fit everything into your resume. There is not a single area in your resume that should have a font size of less than 10 points. Keep in mind the font type you are using - stick to the basics, Arial and Times New Roman are your best bet. Instead of changing the font size, review and revise your resume to make your statements more concise.

3)Incorrect company/school listings.

The biggest mistake people make, without realizing that they are making it, is not referring to the past employers and/or the school(s) they attended by their full names. Do not use variations of company and school names. Dont use abbreviations unless they are in fact part of the name. If you have attended New York University, list the complete name, not just NYU (even though its commonly known and your employer will likely recognize it). You dont want to appear sloppy or as if you dont pay attention to details.

4)Lengthy paragraphs describing your experiences.

To list the responsibilities youve had in your past professional experience, you are best off using bullet points that begin with action verbs, such as managed, developed, etc. You do not need to use full sentences, and you certainly do not need to use the paragraph format. This makes the information in your resume overwhelming and difficult to review quickly. Make your statements brief and clear; dont add words to fill in space.

5) Typos.

The most important factor in achieving a winning resume is proof reading. You want to put your best foot forward. If your resume contains grammar and spelling problems, your potential employer will get an impression that you are not detail-oriented. It is hard to proof a document you have been working on so closely - use spell check (but be ware, it will not catch everything), ask your friends for help, meet with a career counselor. Do your best to present the most polished resume to your potential employers.

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Once you are invited into the interview room, the first impressions you make will be hard to shift. As already mentioned, studies have shown that interviewers can make up their minds within the first four minutes of the interview (that is not to say that they do not change their opinions, but you will have to work harder in order to make them do so).

Take a deep breath, calm yourself and enter the interview room slowly and serenely. Dont poke your head around the door timidly to see if they are ready, as this shows your lack of confidence. You do not want to give the impression that you are apologizing for disturbing the interviewer. Walk over to the chair, shake hands if the interviewer offers his/her hand and sit down. (The candidate should not normally initiate the handshake but should be ready to respond.)

Your handshake should be firm, but not gripping or domineering. It is supposed to be a gesture of friendliness. It should make contact with the interviewer, without being limp of seeming as if you are trying to keep your hand in his for as little time as possible. Dont hold on to the interviewers hand for too long or you will appear over familiar. Smile at the interviewer and look him/her in the eyes as you shake hands. Dont give the interviewer a toothy grin. Dont shake hands looking downwards. You should seem self-assured rather than push..

Remember to make yourself comfortable, particularly if your are nervous. Keep you actions deliberate. Look around the office if that makes you feel more relaxed. Take a deep breath, pause and be ready to listen to the interviewer, who will talk first. Usually the interviewer will introduce him/herself. In a panel situation, the chair will introduce the other members of the panel..

Dont chatter instantly just because you are nervous. The interviewer will set the pace and style of your discussion, and at least at first, you should take your lead from him/her. When the interviewer begins the small talk to help you to relax, dont give long descriptions of your travel or what ever he asks you about. This kind of question is only to help you settle in - dont take it too seriously..

Posture:

Sit comfortably but upright without slouching or leaning on the interviewers desk. Sit attentively, leaning slightly forward. Put your arms slightly in front of you. Dont adopt an over-relaxed posture. Try to stay still, without fiddling with your fingers, your hair, or with rings, earring etc..

If you have established good eye contact with the interviewer, the interviewer will feel friendly. Eye contact reflects your confidence. Dont avoid their eyes altogether or stare. Look at the interviewer as he/she talks and glance at him/her as you speak. If you are addressing a panel, address the questioner for most of the time but glance at other members of the panel too..

Recapturing The interviewers Attention :

Watch the interviewer for evidence that he/she is listening. If not, vary the pace of your speech, or stop for a moment. Generally all that is needed is a slight pause. Signs that the interviewers attention is wandering may be due to your rambling or verbal diarrhea. Curtail whatever you were saying and ask if they require any further information. Look at the interviewer and smile. A sure sign that the interviewers attention is wandering is if you just get an 'I see' or 'indeed' response as you are speaking, with those familiar glazed eyes! Work immediately to regain the interviewers attention..

Arguments, Arrogance And Anger:

At all costs, avoid having an argument with the interviewer - you wont win. If you give up once the argument has begun you will be seen as a wimp. If you dont you will be seen as argumentative and probably unable to accept authority..

Avoid sarcasm even if you think your interviewer has said something particularly stupid or obvious. Dont correct him or accurse him/her of getting it wrong or of twisting your answers. Say firmly, without being drawn into aggression yourself, that it was not quite what you meant, and explain again. Watch your voice and body language. If you get angry, the pitch of your voice is likely to go up and your expression to harden. This will in turn provoke a more aggressive response from the interviewer..

If you become angry at something that has been said to you, count ten! Try to analyze why the offensive question has been asked before you respond. Take a deep breath and respond slowly and calmly. Dont apologize or be forced into a defensive attitude. Awkward questions do arise at times, the interviewer may have no intention of making you angry or upset. If you ask the interviewer to rephrase the question, the emphasis may be entirely different..

Overstating your claims to fame will not go down well. It is seen by interviewers as arrogance, as is over-informality. This is a classic error in people who are scared to admit their faults or are over-anxious to impress..

Leaving the interview:

Once the interview has drawn to a close, get up, shake hands, thank the interviewer and look him/her in the eye with a smile. Pick up any belongings, walk briskly to the door and leave.

Your clothes should be clean and neat, tidy and conservative. If you have studied the organizational culture, you should feel that you fit in with the others in the company and that you do not stand out unduly. Men should be formal in their appearance preferably wearing dark colored trousers and light colored full sleeved shirt. You may wear a tie if you are comfortable with it. Your shoes should be clean. Woman may wear a light colored cotton sari or salwar kameez. Do not wear the western outfits if your are not comfortable in them. Do not put too much of makeup or jewelry as we are attending an interview and not any function. If you have several interviews for the same post, dont wear the same clothes each time.

You should be freshly washed and have clean fingernails, use deodorant (particularly if you suffer from interview nerves) and a mouthwash. If you know that you perspire in interviews, try not to wear clothing that is tight under the arms and that will mark. Do not go into the interview room smelling alcohol, tobacco or garlic. If you use perfume of after-shave, make sure this is not overpowering or intrusive.

Your hair and beard or moustache should also be neat. No matter how neat your clothes, you can ruin the whole appearance with unkempt, untidy locks..

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