| What is considered an effective resume? | | | | solid evidence and prove your leadership ability in |
| An effective resume is a hard copy or an electronic | | | | providing planned project strategies and guiding their |
| document whose primary purpose is to win the | | | | implementation to reach positive results. |
| approval of a potential hiring manager who has | | | | 4. Always be honest and truthful. Avoid lies, |
| considered you a job candidate qualified to compete | | | | half-truths, and exaggerations on your resume and |
| for a position opening. Your resume must be planned | | | | cover letter. You can often reverse or "soften" a |
| and presented in a way to clearly persuade a job | | | | known or obvious career related weakness if |
| recruiter to further investigate your stated and | | | | challenged in an interview by admitting that you |
| strongly implied potential strengths, related industry | | | | learned much from this experience which has taught |
| experience, proven value, training, education, abilities, | | | | you a good lesson. If you have wide gaps in your |
| potential growth, and best return on investment for | | | | employment chronology, write your resume in a |
| the company. This credential should immediately | | | | functional or in a hybrid format. Accentuate the |
| indicate what you can offer an employer through | | | | positive; eliminate the negative! |
| highlighted qualitative and quantitative performance | | | | 5. Present a powerful, impressive resume. Recruiters |
| evidence, rather than promises that lack solid and | | | | prefer well crafted resumes, for they are impressed |
| convincing substantiation. | | | | by candidates' show of diligence and a high level |
| Your honesty in creating this personal document is | | | | work ethic in introducing themselves with care. Use |
| highly important for, if selected for interviewing, you | | | | only clear, easy-to-read fonts, and avoid overuse of |
| will likely be judged by total strangers as to the | | | | italics, underscores, and bold lettering. Paper resumes |
| content of your resume against your actual interview | | | | must be printed on top quality 24 to 28 lb. white, |
| performance and appearance. Therefore, your | | | | off-white, ivory, or light gray resume stock, with |
| resume must bear a close "resemblance" to you | | | | matching cover letters and envelopes. Use a variety |
| when you are interviewed in person. | | | | of appropriate action verbs written in the active |
| To be effective, your resume must be written in the | | | | voice and interweave powerful modifiers. Avoid |
| most appropriate format for your total experiences, | | | | repetition, and be consistent and brief throughout. |
| especially your work history. Choosing the best | | | | 6. Target your resume. Your employment objective |
| format is crucial and should be carefully designed by a | | | | may be stated atop the page or, for more |
| certified professional resume writer to produce a | | | | impressive attraction, simply bolded without a |
| powerful credential. The three most prominent | | | | heading. Examples: "IT manager / Business Process |
| resume formats are chronological, functional, and the | | | | Manager" or "Motivated, highly experienced |
| combination, or hybrid, the chronological format being | | | | professional seeks a position as company |
| the most used and liked by human resources people | | | | representative in Pharmaceutical Sales." Your cover |
| for the ease of following applicants' work history and | | | | letter will indicate a specific job title in reference to |
| professional focus and development. This format also | | | | your job application. Follow this with a powerful |
| highlights any breaks, or gaps, in the chronology of | | | | "Profile" of your professional highlights and related |
| employment, sometimes raising a "red flag." | | | | skills. |
| When gaps in employment occur - especially for | | | | 7. Examine other resumes in guiding the assembly of |
| explainable and legitimate reasons - use the functional | | | | your own document. Locate top level examples in |
| format which emphasizes accomplishments in | | | | nationally published resume compilations found in book |
| employment rather than indicating when you worked. | | | | stores, libraries, and the Internet. Software |
| If you are changing your career or are returning to | | | | applications can be helpful, but beware of resume |
| civilian employment from government work, use the | | | | templates, for they tend to be generic, pre-spaced, |
| functional or the hybrid format to emphasize your | | | | sparse, and unrelated to one's particular needs. Ask a |
| ability to transfer learned skills, accomplishments, | | | | trusted person to react in honest judgment to your |
| leadership, and rigorous training to move into the | | | | completed resume, for your resume is your |
| employment of the profit or non-profit arena. In | | | | "occupational fingerprint," a personal credential that |
| addition, retired, injured, downsized, and older | | | | should distinguish your unique qualifications from |
| workers returning to employment may elect to | | | | competing candidates. |
| choose the functional or hybrid model. | | | | 8. Proofread carefully throughout. Avoid errors in |
| "Ten Commandments" on Preparing Your Resume | | | | spelling, grammar, English usage, and mechanics. Be |
| 1. Individualize yourself. Since many hiring managers | | | | consistent in your application of spacing, punctuation, |
| review more than a hundred paper or electronic | | | | bulleting, and other physical aspects. Be aware that |
| resumes a day, your resume will have to fit the | | | | the level of precision and perfection of your resume |
| required, or ideal, position's profile to stand out from | | | | will likely be a determining factor in a hiring manager's |
| most others under review. Does your resume stress | | | | selection of interview finalists for a position. Have |
| unique qualities in your overall value, leadership, and | | | | another "pair of eyes" read it over and offer |
| achievements? Challenge the reader to invite you for | | | | objective criticism. |
| a face-to-face meeting by aggressively marketing | | | | 9. See yourself through the reviewer's eyes. Since |
| your individual resolve and potential value to the firm | | | | hiring managers retain ideal candidate profiles for |
| while verbally bidding for personal recognition as a | | | | positions to be filled, job candidates ought to |
| standout applicant among the competition. | | | | "reverse roles," placing themselves in the reviewer's |
| 2. Focus on and quantify your specific | | | | position. Determine what key skills, experiences, |
| accomplishments. Show (do not just tell) what you | | | | achievements, and other criteria that a hiring manager |
| have achieved in your past employments to increase | | | | will seek in the ideal candidate. Research as much as |
| revenues or improve an organization's effectiveness. | | | | you can to locate those company needs to fill the |
| For example, "Led innovative research in XYZ project | | | | position you seek. Discover the cultural climate, |
| development that resulted in generating $250,000 in | | | | average employee experience, and company working |
| new billings in the first six months," or "Spearheaded | | | | conditions. This vital "breaking and entering" technique |
| a manufacturing cost reduction project that saved | | | | may give you an advantage as the hirer cuts through |
| the division 15% in overall production costs." Use key | | | | the clutter of hopeful job candidates' resumes in |
| words to emphasize your specific individual | | | | search of suitable employees. |
| accomplishments in numerical terms to indicate your | | | | 10. Perceive your resume as an opening tool to gain |
| value, or return on investment. Hirers may scan your | | | | personal contact in an interview. Soon after mailing |
| resume for industry-related key words. Key word | | | | your resume or submitting one electronically, send a |
| lists for each occupation / job are located in many | | | | brief follow-up letter or note to the hirer to |
| publications in libraries, stores, and online. | | | | punctuate and reestablish your keen interest and |
| 3. Use positive, proactive language. Confidently and | | | | proactive nature in gaining an interview and ultimately |
| credibly promote your attributes. For example, "Ably | | | | winning the open position of employment. Your |
| assisted in saving ABC Company $55,000 during the | | | | resume should deploy confident, high energy language |
| first 12 months through improved sales training | | | | to convince a hirer that you are determined to |
| techniques." Rather than just a dull employment | | | | succeed in a career with this company or |
| history, your resume should reflect a positive show | | | | organization. Remember, submitting a standout |
| of ambition and pride in your achievements with | | | | resume can open doors of opportunity along a lighted |
| detailed proof of personal and job related | | | | path of career success. Don't be locked out in the |
| accomplishments. Quantify your contributions with | | | | dark! |