15 Tips For Writing A Winning Resume By Ann Hackett
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
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, $'s 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 $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.
11. 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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