TIPS FOR WRITING WINNING RESUMES
DETERMINE YOUR JOB SEARCH OBJECTIVE PRIOR TO WRITING
THE RESUME
Once you have determined your objective, you can structure the content
of your resume around that objective. Think of your objective as the bull's-eye
to focus your resume on hitting. If you write your resume without having
a clear objective in mind, it will likely come across as unfocused to
those that read it. Take the time before you start your resume to form
a clear objective.
THINK OF YOUR RESUME AS A MARKETING TOOL
Think of yourself as a product, potential employers as your customers,
and your resume as a brochure about you. Market yourself through your
resume. What are your features and benefits? What makes you unique? Make
sure to convey this information in your resume.
USE YOUR RESUME TO OBTAIN AN INTERVIEW, NOT A JOB
You don't need to go into detail about every accomplishment. Strive to
be clear and concise. The purpose of your resume is to generate enough
interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Use
the interview to provide a more detailed explanation of your accomplishments
and to land a job offer.
USE BULLETED SENTENCES
In the body of your resume, use bullets with short sentences rather than
lengthy paragraphs. Resumes are read quickly. This bulleted sentence format
makes it easier for someone to quickly scan your resume and still absorb
it.
USE ACTION WORDS
Action words cause your resume to pop. To add life to your resume, use
bulleted sentences that begin with action words like prepared, developed,
monitored, and presented.
USE THE SMART APPROACH
Punctuate with #'S, RS. and %S, They stand out in the body of a resume.
Use them. Here are two examples:
Managed a department of 10 with a budget of Rs.1,000,000/-.
Increased sales by 25% in a 15-state territory.
LEAD WITH YOUR STRENGTHS
Since resumes are typically reviewed in 30 seconds, take the time to determine
which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put those
strong points first where they are more apt to be read.
PLAY MATCH GAME
Review want ads for positions that interest you. Use the key words listed
in these ads to match them to bullets in your resume. If you have missed
any key words, add them to your resume. Customize and tailor your resume
to suit the job offer.
USE BUZZWORDS
If there are terms that show your competence in a particular field, use
them in your resume. For marketing people, use "competitive analysis."
For accounting types, use "reconciled accounts." Avoid using unfamiliar
words and acronyms.
ACCENT THE POSITIVE
Leave off negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your date of graduation
will subject you to age discrimination, leave the date off your resume.
If you do some duties in your current job that don't support your job
search objective, leave them off your resume. Focus on the duties that
do support your objective. Leave off irrelevant personal information like
your height and weight. Hobbies and interests may be mentioned if relevant
to the job you're applying for.
THE
SMART APPROACH
Result need to be Specific Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic and
Time-based. Employers seek candidates who can boost profits, lower costs
and solve problems. Specific information, such as percentages and dollar
figures, make successes more tangible and impressive. Results are powerful
so if something positive and significant happened because of your accomplishment,
it belongs on your resume. When estimating results quantify by identifying
areas you hope to improve, then establish benchmarks.
SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW
Rather than going into depth in one area, use your resume to highlight
your breadth of knowledge. Use an interview to provide more detail. Present
your knowledge well.
SHOW WHO YOU KNOW
If you have reported to someone important such as a vice president or
department manager, say so in your resume. Having reported to someone
important causes the reader to infer that you are important.
CONSTRUCT A READER FRIENDLY RESUME
Leave white space. Use a font size no smaller than 10 point. Limit the
length of your resume to 1-2 pages. Remember that resumes are reviewed
quickly. Help the reader to scan your resume efficiently and effectively.
HONESTY IS A GOOD POLICY
Employers will feel more comfortable hiring you if they can verify your
accomplishments.
There is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating
or falsifying it . A falsified resume can cost you the job later.
DOUBLE-CHECK FOR MISTAKES
Check your resume for correct grammar and spelling - evidence of good
communication skills and attention to detail.
Nothing can ruin your chances of getting a job faster than submitting
a resume filled with preventable mistakes.
Make your resume easy on the eye. Use normal margins (1" on the top and
bottom, 1.25" on the sides) and don't cram your text on the page. Allow
for some space between the different sections.
Avoid unusual or exotic fonts. Preferred fonts: Arial and Times Roman
USE BOND PAPER
Use standard, non-textured, fine-grained paper in white and
ivory. Keep in mind that textured and dark-coloured paper may not copy
well when the employer makes copies to pass around to other participants
in the hiring process. If you need to copy your resume, make sure your
copies are clean and clear.
HAVE SOMEONE ELSE REVIEW YOUR RESUME
Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you
to hit all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments.
Have someone review your job search objective, your resume, and listings
of positions that interest you. Encourage them to ask questions. Their
questions can help you to discover items you inadvertently left off your
resume. Revise your resume to include these items. Their questions can
also point to items on your resume that are confusing to the reader. Clarify
your resume based on this input.
SUBMIT YOUR RESUME TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS
Have the courage to submit your resume. Think of it as a game where your
odds of winning increase with every resume you submit. You really do increase
your odds with every resume you submit. Use a three-tiered approach. Apply
for some jobs that appear to be beneath you. Perhaps they will turn out
to be more than they appeared to be once you interview for them. Or perhaps
once you have your foot in the door you can learn of other opportunities.
Apply for jobs that seem to be just at your level. You will get interviews
for some of those jobs. See how each job stacks up. Try for some jobs
that seem like a stretch. That's how you grow -- by taking risks. Don't
rule yourself out. Trust the process.
Good luck in your job search!
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