I have been asked for advice on resumes a number of times recently. Recyling an article I wrote a few years ago (with updates) in hopes it will help those who want to tackle their own resumes.
An organized, effective resume will get you
interviews. The job of the resume is to
act as the ‘brochure’ of your skills; designed to ‘peak interest’ in potential
employers - not a biography or complete work history. Your job in the interview is to sell the
skills your ‘brochure’ promised.
not
My Team did
really well last year and sold more than ever.
Resume Writing – Your Skills Brochure
Top 5 Rules
1.
The structure of the
resume should include your contact details,
objective, key qualifications, recent work history and highest/most recent
education.
2.
Spelling and grammar must be PERFECT – this is critical!!
3.
Always cater your
objective to the specific role you are applying
for. It is one sentence that is simple
to customize for each opportunity.
4.
Maximum 2 pages, plus cover letter (putting cover letter content in an email is
acceptable if you are delivering your resume electronically).
5. Use numbers to quantify your accomplishments, wherever possible.
Qualifications
Most of us have
trouble writing nice things about ourselves.
Get over it, when it comes to resume writing. No one looking to hire a programmer is going to
call for an interview if you say, “my C++ skills are ok”.
Results
Driven Role
Include your
results! If you led a department that
exceeded budget by 40%, the line under qualifications should read something
like:
Managed
Team to 40% revenue growth in one year.
Supportive
Role
Don’t
underestimate your skills. If you are
proficient in 3 or more Microsoft tools, qualifications should read:
Proficient
at Microsoft Office.
not
Worked with
Outlook, Excel and Word.
Writing Style
Many of us think
we know how to write. There are
different categories of writing that each require a unique set of writing skills. Resume writing should be professional,
short, concise, and results oriented.
It is likely
you are applying for a position that is available because the interviewer is overworked and needs
help. Accordingly, the interviewer
doesn’t have time to read a ‘biography’ for each candidate. A qualified resume with key words and results
that jump off the page is likely to result in an interview.
Happy job hunting!! For those who need resume help, contact www.justmomsense.com.
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