Are you looking to craft a resume that will help you stand out from the competition? Adhere to the instructions outlined in this article.
Having served as a senior corporate leader for many years and later as a small business owner and management consultant, I have both reviewed countless resumes and submitted my own as a job seeker. When writing a winning resume, I have learned that there are certain principles that must be incorporated.
As you will see, the free "cookie cutter" templates and samples available on the internet are only partially useful when writing a great resume. They will not differentiate you adequately. Constructing the resume as a strong sales and marketing piece is the real key.
Everyone, regardless of whether they are a senior manager, a college graduate, own their own business, are looking to change careers, or are using a resume within their own organization, will benefit from having a current, well written resume. Although all resumes should follow similar principles, there are many different types of resumes which each require a slightly different format.
A resume's purpose can be a great question to begin with. If you responded with something similar to "capturing all my accomplishments in my career so an employer will recognize my potential and give me a high salary," you would be incorrect! You would be correct if you answered, "the purpose of a resume is to get an interview"! Employers will be eager to call you in for an interview after seeing your resume, which is a strategic marketing document.
are the two most important elements of success
Success is heavily reliant upon having the right mindset and proper preparation.
In order to compose an effective resume, you must mentally prepare yourself before you even pick up a pen to write a single word. To ensure we have captured all important information, we use a 21 point questionnaire; this is because many times people take important things for granted and we need to be thorough about it.
Make a list of all the relevant information that needs to be organized.
should be taken as a learning experience
Any problems that you have solved should be viewed as an opportunity to learn.
can be learned
You can learn character traits that make you different and effective.
is an important factor to consider when making a job offer
When making a job offer, work history is an important factor to consider.
I am proud of my accomplishments.
If you were an employer, you would understand the difficulty in sorting through hundreds of applications for a single advertised job. How do you think they will make their choices of which person to interview? You would be right again if you answered that the first lines of a resume, usually the objective, must catch the reader's eye very quickly! You want your resume to leave a lasting impression. Highlight the ways in which you make a great fit for the job.
Keep a clear and precise goal in mind. Your resume should be tailored for the particular job you are applying for. Writing a resume that includes keywords tailored to the job description, and that makes you look like the perfect candidate for the job, will help you succeed. No matter what, always remember to be truthful in your words.
When excluding or de-emphasizing job experiences that are not relevant or useful, be mindful not to leave a large gap in your employment history. After graduation, a part time job at McDonald's may not be beneficial in obtaining a job as a statistician, for example.
If you are aged 50 or above, it may be beneficial to leave out earlier jobs that are not as relevant. By utilizing this strategy, you can make your resume look more up-to-date, reduce any potential barriers, and boost your chances of getting an interview. In lieu of including excluded jobs on your resume, extract the skills learned and incorporate them into a qualification statement. When deciding what to include, be selective but remain honest.
Include a "Power Cover Letter" addressed to a specific person in the company, and use it to emphasize the most impressive parts of your resume that are important to your employer. By doing a cover letter, your resume can stand out from the crowd, and explain why you are unique, thus increasing their interest in it.
Keeping these principles in mind, you should also craft a resume with style.
Since some job boards force applicants to squeeze their information into a specific, impersonal electronic format, certain style points for electronic resumes may not apply. Formatting your resume especially for electronic submission, while keeping the above principles in mind, is especially important.
Online submissions of resumes typically undergo parsing and scanning by computers designed to detect specific information. Those that do not meet certain criteria are rejected by them scoring these resumes. Before any human reads the resume, all of this is done.
Hard copy resumes often have creative formatting and subheadings which can be an advantage, however, Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) systems ignore these elements. For optimal computer scoring, it is important to format these accordingly.
Before submitting it, we use the Preptel System to test our version of the electronic resume for computer compatibility.
If possible, I suggest that you steer clear of these electronic formats. Send a hard copy of your resume, printed on quality paper and placed in a matching envelope, directly to the individual in the department where you are seeking a job, after conducting some research. Having someone employed at the desired organization who is willing to provide a positive reference for you in your cover letter can be a great help.
Should they receive it, they will forward your resume on to the appropriate individuals. Do so if the company insists that you follow their electronic submission guidelines; however, you may have already succeeded in creating an image of yourself as a person who takes initiative - a nice boost to your character. Paper Version: Submit both a paper and an electronic version if possible.
Electronic Version: Submit both a paper and an electronic version if possible.
"Hard-copy style points"
A resume typically consists of the following components:
My job objective is to accomplish my goals and contribute to the success of the organization.
is essential for success
Having relevant experience (including where and when you worked and what jobs you held) is essential for success.
I achieved numerous accomplishments.
What are your capabilities?
is essential for success
Having a quality education, such as graduating from quality schools, majoring in relevant fields, and completing a thesis, is essential for success.
As a college graduate with little experience, I should highlight my education first in order to showcase my qualifications. If there is uninterrupted employment, generally a chronological format of job experience works best. To highlight your accomplishments and capabilities first, and then an experience summary, you may want to change the format if there are interruptions.
I increased my company's sales by 10%
I increased my company's sales by 10%, from a baseline of $1 million to a total of $1.1 million, in a six-month period.
use "write" instead of "is written".
Rewrite: The report is written by the student
The student writes the report. By hiring trained sales people, my department was able to increase revenue.
By using white space, you can focus the reader's attention.
Select Fonts that are easy to read.
Spell and grammar check your document.
She has been a successful businesswoman for over 20 years
• Over 20 years of success as a businesswoman
A guideline for writing is to use small blocks of text; no more than two lines in a bullet or four lines in a paragraph.
neglect to give the dog food
Make sure not to neglect giving the dog food.
Do not do or include any of this:
Bright colored paper (excluding white, off white, and light gray)
Paper bags that are cheap are not very strong.
The body of the text should be written in small fonts (less than 12 pt.).
A logo can be designed using multiple fonts.
Your photograph is very attractive.
The salary for this position ranges from $50,000 to $65,000.
Personal data must not be utilized without authorization.
What were the reasons for leaving your last job?
A behavioral style assessment, which will highlight your characteristic traits, should be considered as a final step; these can be mentioned in both the resume and the interview. A DISC assessment provides insight into your leadership abilities, collaboration skills, dependability, and compliance with regulations. They offer great insight into your own behavioral style at an affordable cost.
An exercise in personal marketing, learning how to write a resume can give you an edge over your competition - and who knows - you could get that job you've always wanted, the one that earns you more money to do the things in life that you want to do.
Have you picked up a few ideas for how to write a resume, I hope? Should you require additional assistance with writing your resume, you can always enlist the help of a professional resume writer to create your resume or bio.
