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In today's tight job market, resumes are more important than ever. Here are six TIPS to help you prepare the most effective resume possible.
A caveat: There are some specialized resumes for which some of these tips might not be appropriate, such as an academic resume (c.v.) or an executive resume.
1. Begin by preparing a Master Resume which lists ALL your skills and talents, all the jobs you've ever held, all of your academic credentials, professional affiliations, volunteer experience, travel, languages spoken, relevant hobbies, etc. However, this resume will probably run at least 2-3 pages and should NOT be posted or used in application for a job. It is your starting point, not your finished product.
2. Customize, customize, customize! The days of the one-size-fits-all resume are over! Match your resume to the specific job you are applying for. An easy way to do this is to make a copy of your Master Resume and then remove everything that does not apply to this job.
3. Keep your resume to one page. If you must spill over to two pages, make the resume double-sided. But understand this: the most important information must be in the top half of the first page. If you haven't caught the reader's attention by then, your resume will probably be tossed.
4. As was mentioned in Part One of the series on Resumes, the language used on your resume needs to match the language used in the job posting (to the extent that you can while being truthful). Many resumes are now scanned by a machine that is programmed to look for certain keywords. This is especially true of resumes going to recruiters, agencies, and large companies. If too many of those keywords are missing, the resume will be sorted into the "No" pile. Even human resume readers scan quickly in that way. If a resume doesn't catch the attention of a human reader in the first 5 seconds, it will probably be set aside or tossed immediately.
5. Begin your resume with an Ojective. The Objective should be specific to the job you are applaying for. For example, if you were applying for an Office Manager position that you found on CraigsList, your Objective would read as follows:
OBJECTIVE: Office Manager, CraigList posting # 1354276.
6: After the Objective, put a Summary. Here, in no more than 3-5 lines, you will list the skills and experience that you have that match the job description you are applying for. Be sure to use the same words and phrases used in the ad or job posting. [Caveat: Match what you can, but never lie!]
The information contained in the Objective and the Summary need to be specific to the job you are applying for. This section of the resume is the most important and it acts as a gatekeeper for the rest. The Yes-No-Maybe decision is made using the information in the top half of the first page of your resume. [Again, avoid having a second page, if possible. The information there will not be given much importance anyway, and may not even be read.]
Next subject: What is the difference between a functional and a chronological resume? Look for this topic in Part Three of this series on Resumes - coming soon.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
Job Search Series: Resumes - Part One
What IS the purpose of a resume?
And what will get you the interview? A match between what they are looking for and what you have to offer.
And guess what: the reader of your resume may not even be a live human being!
If you are applying to a large company or to a recruiter or to an agency, your reader might be an electronic scanner. And what that scanner is looking for is certain key words that it has been programmed to look for. If it finds enough of the key words, your resume goes into the "maybe" pile. If it doesn't, your resume may go into the circular file.
And even if your resume is being scanned - or read carefully - by a human scanner, it has to contain enough of those key words in order to get into the "maybe" category.
And what are those magic key words? Read on. [If you think I'm going to provide a list here, you will be disappointed.]
So, what's the key to writing a good resume? Two things: paying attention and customization.
Paying attention: Carefully read the description of the job you are applying for. Compare that job description with your skills, experience, and job requirements. If there is at least an 80% match between the two, go ahead and send your resume and cover letter. If there is not, don't waste their time or yours.
And watch out for their "must haves". If they "must" have someone who can work weekends, and you cannot or don't want to, then don't bother applying. If they "must" have someone who is an expert at QuickBooks Pro, and you are not, don't bother applying. And don't bother trying to convince someone that you are "flexible" or a "quick learner" in these situations. Match, or move on. [This is rather like the 7-minute speed dating process that has become popular lately, only in this case - and probably in speed dating too - you only really have about 30 seconds.]
Customization: Before you send that resume and cover letter, tailor them to the job you are applying for. This might seem like a "no-brainer", but you would be amazed at how many people send out, or post, standard, non-customized, resumes in application for jobs they (a) don't understand, (b) don't really want, or (c) aren't even remotely qualified for.
Make sure that everything that the company is looking for is reflected in your resume somewhere (and emphasized, and perhaps expanded, in your cover letter too). And make sure that the language matches. If your potential employer is looking for someone who is "mature and dependable", and you are, then say so using those exact words. "Grown up and reliable" will not do. Why? Because if a machine is scanning your resume, and it has not been programmed to recognize that "mature" and "grown up" or "dependable" and "reliable" are synonyms, your resume will not pass muster.
Unless you are applying for a highly creative job, such as Graphic Designer, creativity is not the key to preparing a resume. But customization is.
The days of using a one-size-fits-all resume are over!
But - never, ever, lie on a resume! If you don't have what the company is looking for, don't say that you do! If it's a minor thing, then perhaps don't mention it at all. If it's a major thing, express your willingness to learn or accommodate (but don't be disappointed if they don't invite you in for an interview).
A successful resume (and remember, "successful" means that it gets you an interview or at least a second look) will quickly show the reader that you have the skills, qualities, experience, job requirements, and enthusiasm to qualify for the position they are trying to fill. Particularly in this job market, where there is more supply than demand, an employer is usually looking for a person who already knows how to do the job they are advertising for. They will have their pick, and, in most cases, will not be interested in training someone to do the posted job.
Unfortunately, this is not the best job market for career changers. Most employers will be looking for people who are already qualified and experienced at doing the job they are hiring for. If you must change fields, get some coaching or counseling to get you going in the right direction, and then plan on getting the training and skills you will need to work in that field.
In Part Two of this series on resumes, I will provide some more detailed tips for preparing a customized resume. Stay tuned!
Click here to read more on cover letters.
- Is it to get you a job? No.
- Is it to give a potential employer a complete picture of everything you've done or could do? No.
- Is it to impress the reader with your creativity, your fancy format, or your multiple and diverse talents? No.
And what will get you the interview? A match between what they are looking for and what you have to offer.
And guess what: the reader of your resume may not even be a live human being!
If you are applying to a large company or to a recruiter or to an agency, your reader might be an electronic scanner. And what that scanner is looking for is certain key words that it has been programmed to look for. If it finds enough of the key words, your resume goes into the "maybe" pile. If it doesn't, your resume may go into the circular file.
And even if your resume is being scanned - or read carefully - by a human scanner, it has to contain enough of those key words in order to get into the "maybe" category.
And what are those magic key words? Read on. [If you think I'm going to provide a list here, you will be disappointed.]
So, what's the key to writing a good resume? Two things: paying attention and customization.
Paying attention: Carefully read the description of the job you are applying for. Compare that job description with your skills, experience, and job requirements. If there is at least an 80% match between the two, go ahead and send your resume and cover letter. If there is not, don't waste their time or yours.
And watch out for their "must haves". If they "must" have someone who can work weekends, and you cannot or don't want to, then don't bother applying. If they "must" have someone who is an expert at QuickBooks Pro, and you are not, don't bother applying. And don't bother trying to convince someone that you are "flexible" or a "quick learner" in these situations. Match, or move on. [This is rather like the 7-minute speed dating process that has become popular lately, only in this case - and probably in speed dating too - you only really have about 30 seconds.]
Customization: Before you send that resume and cover letter, tailor them to the job you are applying for. This might seem like a "no-brainer", but you would be amazed at how many people send out, or post, standard, non-customized, resumes in application for jobs they (a) don't understand, (b) don't really want, or (c) aren't even remotely qualified for.
Make sure that everything that the company is looking for is reflected in your resume somewhere (and emphasized, and perhaps expanded, in your cover letter too). And make sure that the language matches. If your potential employer is looking for someone who is "mature and dependable", and you are, then say so using those exact words. "Grown up and reliable" will not do. Why? Because if a machine is scanning your resume, and it has not been programmed to recognize that "mature" and "grown up" or "dependable" and "reliable" are synonyms, your resume will not pass muster.
Unless you are applying for a highly creative job, such as Graphic Designer, creativity is not the key to preparing a resume. But customization is.
The days of using a one-size-fits-all resume are over!
But - never, ever, lie on a resume! If you don't have what the company is looking for, don't say that you do! If it's a minor thing, then perhaps don't mention it at all. If it's a major thing, express your willingness to learn or accommodate (but don't be disappointed if they don't invite you in for an interview).
A successful resume (and remember, "successful" means that it gets you an interview or at least a second look) will quickly show the reader that you have the skills, qualities, experience, job requirements, and enthusiasm to qualify for the position they are trying to fill. Particularly in this job market, where there is more supply than demand, an employer is usually looking for a person who already knows how to do the job they are advertising for. They will have their pick, and, in most cases, will not be interested in training someone to do the posted job.
Unfortunately, this is not the best job market for career changers. Most employers will be looking for people who are already qualified and experienced at doing the job they are hiring for. If you must change fields, get some coaching or counseling to get you going in the right direction, and then plan on getting the training and skills you will need to work in that field.
In Part Two of this series on resumes, I will provide some more detailed tips for preparing a customized resume. Stay tuned!
Click here to read more on cover letters.
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