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Resumes |
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Your resume has one purpose: to get you a job interview. The resume allows an employer to quickly assess your qualifications. Most resumes are initially read for only 20 seconds. You have that much time to help the employer form a mental picture of who you are and of how you might fit in the organization. Your resume should be an engaging summary of what you can do. |
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Tips: |
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- Make Yourself Look Good: Show not only what you did, but also how well you did it. Quantify it with numbers when appropriate. Show, clearly and succinctly, how you are smart, skilled, diligent, and mature.
- Make It Look Good: Create a visually appealing resume. If it is cluttered, difficult to read, or just plain ugly, it will be thrown away as fast as it was picked up.
- Make It Interesting: It must capture the reader's interest: show them what they want to see. General resumes can get lost in the crowd. Tailor the resume to each position you pursue. Highlight specific industry experience or training when it is relevant.
- Use Active Language: Begin each sentence with an action verb and remember to use the proper tense -- present tense for your current job, past tense for past jobs.
- Be Concise: Best results are achieved with a one or two page resume. You want to get noticed, but you want to do that quickly.
- Be Bold: The resume is not the place to be humble. Brag about yourself. Don't be shy, but of course don't lie.
- Don't Get Personal: It is not necessary to include personal information such as age, health, or marital status. It is also often illegal for employers to ask for such information.
- Don't Expect a Job: Expect an interview. That is the goal, the purpose of writing the resume. Show how you are different from the other applicants: get noticed and get in the door for that interview.
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Blunders: |
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- One Misspelled Word: All it takes is one, and your resume is thrown in the garbage can. So, take two steps to make sure this does not happen: First, use the spell-checking feature of your word processing program. Second, read your resume backwards, word by word.
- To Specify or not to Specify: There are times to include a Job Objective and there are times not to do so. The problem is, there is no trustable consensus among people who give advice about resumes. In general, if you are young and new to the job market, a Job Objective can help. If you do include a Job Objective, do not waste space on the resume with a bland statement, such as: "A position with a progressive organization that will fully utilize my talents and skills." Instead, describe what you want clearly, yet be concise. It will show that you are focused. Also, don't quote a job description back to an employer. Personalize your document to help them distinguish you from all other applicants.
- My measurements are: Employers have no legal right to request personal information such as age, sex, race, religion, marital status, health, physical appearance, or personal habits. Don't include such information in your resume, including your social security number, past salary, or a photograph. An exception to these rules about privacy is often made for industries such as theater, law enforcement, and the military.
- Am I Inconsequential, or am I a God: You are neither; you are unique, skilled, and valuable. Write a resume that shows this. Don't be shy, but don't lie. And don't exaggerate your experience. The misrepresentation will come back to haunt you in the interview or on the job.
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