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 Top 10 Issues You Need to Know to be Resume Ready
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Your resume is your ambassador to the work
world. It functions for you 24 hours a day, opening doors to opportunities you didn't even
know existed. But not all resumes are alike or are used alike today with all the
electronic means available to reach your potential employer. Here are the most important
issues to consider as you prepare your resume to represent you in the marketplace:
Write your resume in your own words. It
may be challenging - especially if writing ranks among your least favored activities - but
if you write your own resume and don't hand it off to someone else you'll be able to be
sharp in your interview. No embarrassment not knowing what the resume expert meant when he
wrote that smart phrase on your resume! If you do hire an expert to help you, work closely
with that person to be sure your resume realistically reflects your abilities and your
vocabulary.
Put your best foot forward. People
remember what they see first and last, so place your least important information in the
middle. Have an objective or a key word summary or both in the beginning of your resume
and end your document with strong content - such as your educational background.
Tell war stories. Make a list of all the
work or volunteer experiences you have had that support your candidacy for the job. Select
the best ones and write them so that they show what Problems you've solved, Actions you've
taken to do this, and the bottom line Results you've achieved.
For example:
Managed the design, equipment selection, installation, and start-up of a four-aisle,
man-aboard storage and order-picking system 35 feet high and 120 feet long, handling 6,000
items. Project was completed on time within the $400,000 budget.
Use resume etiquette. The word resume
does not belong any place on the document. Never use "I" to start out a
sentence. The language of your resume should be specific, clear, succinct, positive, and
exciting. Make it easy for someone to contact you. Of course references are available.
Don't use valuable resume real estate to say this.
Know what format to use. The two most
commonly used and accepted resume formats are the chronological and the functional. Often
elements of both are combined. A chronological resume is most widely used and preferred by
recruiters and interviewers. It is good for someone with a consistent work history. A
functional resume focuses attention on your accomplishments and is often used more
successfully if you are trying to change careers or industries or to downplay gaps in your
career.
Tell the truth. If you lie about your
education, job experience or any other element of your work history, you will probably
live to regret it. True stories abound of professionals receiving awards, only to have
their careers ruined when research revealed that portions of their resumes were
fabricated. On the other hand, if a job title you had does not adequately reflect the work
you really did, clarify it. "Clerical Assistant" does not tell the scope of
responsibilities as well as "Meeting Planning Coordinator."
Know your audience. Your resume and every
interaction in your job search should answer the question to the employer - "Why
should I hire you?" Communicate the information necessary to evaluate your ability to
do the job. Use language that is appropriate to the industry or field, but be aware that
extreme jargon may not speak to those who are intermediaries between you and the ultimate
hiring manager.
Get some objective feedback. Have others
who have not worked as closely with the resume as you have read it for accuracy and
typographical errors before you submit it. Ask questions about whether the resume
communicates what you intended. Does your resume support your claim of being qualified for
the job? Does it address the requirements of a specific job description you're after? Does
it need to be modified to fit the situation exactly?
Know your parts of speech. Action verbs
are the bedrock of good writing. Use them liberally throughout your resume to communicate
your accomplishments: Developed, streamlined, pioneered, implemented, produced - use your
word processor's thesaurus to identify alternatives so that you don't need to repeat
yourself. Key words are nouns demonstrating essential skills that are most effective for
electronic formats, scanned by computers who are the first line screeners: Operations
manager, project planning, data analysis. Use a KeyWord Summary at the top of your
resuming, choosing the top 20 or 30 words that represent your abilities.
Hit the highlights. Remember that your
resume is only one element of your job search strategy. It's important and needs to get
you in the door, yet cover letters, email and fax communications and telephone
interactions will extend the conversation and add further evidence of your ability to do
the job. Be prepared to give more detail later. Think of your resume as your personal
brochure.
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