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The
thought of writing a resume intimidates almost anyone.
It's difficult to know where to start or what to
include. It can seem like an insurmountable task. Here
are 15 tips to help you not only tackle the task, but also
write a winning resume.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Use #'s, Rs. and %'s. Numbers,
dollars, and percentages 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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."
10. 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.
b 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.
12. 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.
13. Construct your resume to read easily. Leave
white space. Use a font size no smaller than 10 point. Limit
the length of your resume to 1-2 pages. Remember, resumes are
reviewed quickly. Help the reader to scan your resume
efficiently and effectively.
14. 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.
15. 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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