1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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:
a. Managed the design,
equipment selection, installation, and start-up of a four-aisle, man-aboard
storage and order-picking system 10 meters high and 12 meters long, handling
6,000 items. Project was completed on time within the $400,000 budget.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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."
7. 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.
8. 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?
9. 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.
10. 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.
