Resume Preparation

Companies have brochures…you have a resume. That is your marketing tool with which to get noticed and considered. A good resume is unlikely to get you a job all by itself; but a good one will help get you an interview in a properly targeted job search campaign – the rest is up to you in person, by phone, via email.  By the way, Webster’s College Dictionary defines the word campaign as: “a systematic course of aggressive activities for some specific purpose”. If you want the right position at the right time without the need of a miracle, you will need to make a campaign out of your “job search”.

What should I include in my resume?

• Contact Information
  Place it at the top: Name, address, phone number, and email address Centered is the preferred format but left justified is also acceptable.
• Objective
  This is a good idea if you are set on a particular position, otherwise you may be narrowing your choices.
  
• Competencies or Professional Highlights
  Using a bullet outline format highlight your strongest skills, attributes, and accomplishments for the particular position for which you are applying.  Remember that business are interested in “the bottom line”. If you made or saved your company money, show it on your resume.
  
• Professional Experience
  In a chronological sequence with your most current employer first. List, in bold, Company Name, City and State, then on the far right list your start and end dates. You should include a brief statement about what the company did or does. Be sure to give a detailed but condensed  list of your accomplishments. Keep in mind that in today’s world of search engines and keyword searches you have to think differently to be noticed more.
• Education
  Include degree(s) or certification(s) earned and the name of the institution; include country, city and state if you prefer.
• Foreign languages
  Always include your proficiency in reading, writing and speaking languages.
• References
  While you should not list them on your resume, go ahead and state that they are available upon request; these should be people in a position to speak about your skills and work habits; typically supervisors or managers.
  

Resume Tips:

• Federal law prohibits employers from asking about age, race, religion, gender, marital status, and political persuasion. An employer may be reluctant to interview a candidate who has included such information on his or her resume. Also, be careful giving other personal information such as hobbies and activities, you never know other people’s views on them.
• With today’s technology, there is no excuse for spelling and grammatical errors. In addition to relying on your computer, however, ask someone to proofread for errors. Computers are not yet capable of catching all errors. CLICK HERE to see funny resume mistakes
  
• Use action verbs and industry-specific words to convey your skills and value that you bring; for example: “Made #1 Sales Rep of the year” is best worded as “Achieved or Earned #1 Sales Rep of the year award in 2004″.
• Be honest and realistic in preparing your resume; a good interviewer (and a good recruiter) will catch inconsistencies, etc.