It's Monday morning in a typical office.
A human resources assistant assembles the resumes of prospective job applicants.
Some applications have come by mail, some by email, and even a few by fax.
The assistant assembles the applications in a big stack and dumps the collection on the desk of the human resources manager.
The manager has five positions to fill, and on this Monday morning she has sixty resumes to process.
More will come tomorrow and every day thereafter.
Yours is one of the sixty.
The manager will look at each cover letter and resume for fifteen seconds--even less time if they look unprofessional.
She may scan some of them for keywords.
She will immediately throw away forty of the applications: they contain misspelled words, fancy formatting, are scented, are irrelevant to the jobs posted, or they just look amateurish.
These applications will not even be given an acknowledgment.
It's as if they were never received.
Will your resume be one of the few to receive serious consideration? That's up to you! Here are ten key steps to creating an effective, attention-getting resume.
1.
Keep it concise.
Remember, the goal is to get an interview.
Your resume does not have to list every accomplishment of your life.
It has to get you in the door.
For most jobs, your resume should be one page.
If you are at the executive level, two pages.
2.
Keep the content professional.
While it may be wonderful that you are a mountain bike competitor, it may not be relevant to the job.
Include personal information only if it enhances your job performance or your value to the company.
Membership in the local Chamber of Commerce is probably a good thing; membership in your local sheep dog society may be too much information.
3.
Use action verbs.
You've heard this before--instead of saying "I was a member of the national sales team," say "I spearheaded the sales campaign in New Jersey.
" 4.
Cite specific accomplishments.
Instead of saying "I was part of the new products team," say "Our new products team developed the first successful digital drive unit in the company's history.
" 5.
Be truthful.
Don't exaggerate.
If you increased revenue by one percent, don't inflate the figure to fifty percent.
If you get hired, down the road you may get fired or prosecuted if you have padded your resume.
Never, ever invent academic degrees.
6.
Don't volunteer negative information.
If your division was eliminated, just give the dates of your service.
If asked, you can explain to the interviewer why you got downsized.
7.
Provide specific skills.
If you are an expert in AIX and Red Hat Linux Servers, make sure you say so.
Give information on technical training you've received.
Many companies electronically scan resumes and cover letters for keywords; whenever possible, edit your application materials to fit the exact language used in the job description.
8.
Emphasize the bottom line.
The goal of every business is to make money.
Make sure that you present your accomplishments in the context of how you helped move the organization forward.
If you created a new marketing campaign, tell how it helped increase market share.
9.
Create a clear, readable document.
You don't get points for creativity.
Avoid convoluted formats.
Use a standard Times New Roman or Arial font.
Make the layout logical and intuitive.
If an HR professional cannot read your resume easily, it will get tossed.
10.
Choose the appropriate format.
If your career path is a straight line from the mail room to management within one industry, you'll want to create a progressive resume that lists your positions in chronological order.
If you have employment gaps or have switched careers, you may be better off with a functional resume that showcases your abilities and accomplishments.
Your cover letter and resume are the first things a prospective employer sees.
Make a good impression and you'll be on the short list of candidates an employer wants to interview.
© 2008 Thomas Hauck Communications Services
A human resources assistant assembles the resumes of prospective job applicants.
Some applications have come by mail, some by email, and even a few by fax.
The assistant assembles the applications in a big stack and dumps the collection on the desk of the human resources manager.
The manager has five positions to fill, and on this Monday morning she has sixty resumes to process.
More will come tomorrow and every day thereafter.
Yours is one of the sixty.
The manager will look at each cover letter and resume for fifteen seconds--even less time if they look unprofessional.
She may scan some of them for keywords.
She will immediately throw away forty of the applications: they contain misspelled words, fancy formatting, are scented, are irrelevant to the jobs posted, or they just look amateurish.
These applications will not even be given an acknowledgment.
It's as if they were never received.
Will your resume be one of the few to receive serious consideration? That's up to you! Here are ten key steps to creating an effective, attention-getting resume.
1.
Keep it concise.
Remember, the goal is to get an interview.
Your resume does not have to list every accomplishment of your life.
It has to get you in the door.
For most jobs, your resume should be one page.
If you are at the executive level, two pages.
2.
Keep the content professional.
While it may be wonderful that you are a mountain bike competitor, it may not be relevant to the job.
Include personal information only if it enhances your job performance or your value to the company.
Membership in the local Chamber of Commerce is probably a good thing; membership in your local sheep dog society may be too much information.
3.
Use action verbs.
You've heard this before--instead of saying "I was a member of the national sales team," say "I spearheaded the sales campaign in New Jersey.
" 4.
Cite specific accomplishments.
Instead of saying "I was part of the new products team," say "Our new products team developed the first successful digital drive unit in the company's history.
" 5.
Be truthful.
Don't exaggerate.
If you increased revenue by one percent, don't inflate the figure to fifty percent.
If you get hired, down the road you may get fired or prosecuted if you have padded your resume.
Never, ever invent academic degrees.
6.
Don't volunteer negative information.
If your division was eliminated, just give the dates of your service.
If asked, you can explain to the interviewer why you got downsized.
7.
Provide specific skills.
If you are an expert in AIX and Red Hat Linux Servers, make sure you say so.
Give information on technical training you've received.
Many companies electronically scan resumes and cover letters for keywords; whenever possible, edit your application materials to fit the exact language used in the job description.
8.
Emphasize the bottom line.
The goal of every business is to make money.
Make sure that you present your accomplishments in the context of how you helped move the organization forward.
If you created a new marketing campaign, tell how it helped increase market share.
9.
Create a clear, readable document.
You don't get points for creativity.
Avoid convoluted formats.
Use a standard Times New Roman or Arial font.
Make the layout logical and intuitive.
If an HR professional cannot read your resume easily, it will get tossed.
10.
Choose the appropriate format.
If your career path is a straight line from the mail room to management within one industry, you'll want to create a progressive resume that lists your positions in chronological order.
If you have employment gaps or have switched careers, you may be better off with a functional resume that showcases your abilities and accomplishments.
Your cover letter and resume are the first things a prospective employer sees.
Make a good impression and you'll be on the short list of candidates an employer wants to interview.
© 2008 Thomas Hauck Communications Services
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