It is a mistake to think of your resumé as a history of your past, as a
personal statement or as some sort of self expression. Most people write a
resumé because everyone knows that you have to have one to get a job. If
you realize that a great resumé can be your ticket to getting exactly the
job you want, you may be able to muster some genuine enthusiasm for
creating a real masterpiece. When you write a resumé from the intention to
create interest, to persuade the employer to call you, the final product
will be very different than if you write to inform or catalog your job
history.
Here are 15 tips to help you not only tackle the task, but also write a
winning resumé.
- Determine your
job search objective prior to writing the resumé. Once you have
determined your objective, you can structure the content of your resumé
around that objective. If you write your resumé without having a clear
objective in mind, it will likely come across as unfocused to those that
read it. Take the time before you start your resumé to form a clear
objective.
- Think of your
resumé as a marketing tool. Think of yourself as a product,
potential employers as your customers, and your resumé as a brochure
about you but do not use coloured (pink) paper to be noticed faster.
Market yourself through your resumé. What are your features and
benefits? What makes you unique? Make sure to convey this information in
your resumé.
- Use your resumé
to obtain an interview, not a job. No one cares if you are
single, married, play the trombone, or enjoy cricket league. Focus on
the duties that do support your objective. Strive to be clear and
concise. The purpose of your resumé is to generate enough interest in
you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Use the interview
to provide a more detailed explanation of your accomplishments and to
land a job offer.
- Use bulleted
sentences. In the body of your resumé, use bullets with short
sentences rather than lengthy paragraphs. Resumés are read quickly. This
bulleted sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan
your resumé and still absorb it.
- Use action words. Action
words cause your resumé to pop. To add life to your resumé, use
bulleted sentences that begin with action
words.
- Use #’s, $’s and
%’s. Numbers, dollars, and percentages stand out in the body of
a resumé. Use them. Here are two examples:
- Managed a department of 10 with a budget of $1,000,000.
- Increased sales by 52% in four (4) months.
Don't be afraid to brag a little -- just be honest.
- Lead with your
strengths. Since resumés are typically reviewed in 30 seconds,
take the time to determine which bullets most strongly support your job
search objective. Put those strong points first where they are more apt
to be read.
- Play Match Game.
Review posted vacancies for positions that interest you. Use the key
words listed in these vacancies to match them to bullets in your resumé.
If you have missed any key words, add them to your resumé.
- Use buzzwords.
If there are terms that show your competence in a particular field, use
them in your resumé. For marketing people, use "competitive analysis."
For accounting types, use "reconciled accounts."
- Accent the
positive. Leave off negatives and irrelevant points. Leave off
your resumé date that will subject age discrimination and list job held
in reverse chronological order. Leave off irrelevant personal
information.
- Show what you
know. Only your relatives have the patience to read through
every job you've held and rather than going into depth in one area, use
your resumé to highlight your breadth of knowledge. Very effective is a
3- to 5-lines overview of your unique professional strengths and
consolidate the past into several lines. Use an interview to provide
more detail.
- Show who you
know. If you have reported to someone important such as a vice
president or department manager, say so in your resumé. Having reported
to someone important causes the reader to infer that you are important.
- Construct your
resumé to read easily. Leave white space. Use a font size no
smaller than 10 point. Limit the length of your resumé to 1-2 pages.
Remember, resumés are reviewed quickly. Help the reader to scan your
resumé efficiently and effectively.
- Have someone
else review your resumé. Since you are so close to your
situation, it can be difficult for you to hit all your high points and
clearly convey all your accomplishments. Have someone review your job
search objective, your resumé, and listings of positions that interest
you. Encourage them to ask questions. Their questions can help you to
discover items you inadvertently left off your resumé. Revise your
resumé to include these items. Their questions can also point to items
on your resumé that are confusing to the reader. Clarify your resumé
based on this input.
- Submit your
resumé to potential employers. Have the courage to submit your
resumé. You really do increase your odds of winning with every resumé
you submit. Use a three-tiered approach. Apply for some jobs that appear
to be beneath you. Perhaps they will turn out to be more than they
appeared to be once you interview for them. Or perhaps once you have
your foot in the door you can learn of other opportunities. Apply for
jobs that seem to be just at your level. You will get interviews for
some of those jobs. See how each job stacks up. Try for some jobs that
seem like a stretch. That’s how you grow -- by taking risks. Trust the
process. Don’t rule yourself out and don't forget one of the most
important adjuncts to a good resumé -- THE
COVER LETTER. Good luck in your job search!
Others Resumé Writing Tips
- Experience.
Don't go into detail on the jobs early in your career; focus on the most
recent and/or relevant jobs. Decide which is, overall, more impressive -
your job titles or the names of the firms you worked for - then
consistently begin with the more impressive of the two, perhaps using
boldface type.
You may want to describe the firm in a phrase in parentheses if this
will impress the reader. Put dates in italics at the end of the job, to
de-emphasize them; don't include months, unless the job was held less
than a year.
- Other headings:
"Professional History," "Professional Experience"--not "Employment" or
"Work History," both of which sound more lower-level.
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