Your resume (or curriculum vitae), combined with
the cover letter, are the master keys to opening the prospective
employer's mind and door so that you can proceed to the next step in the
process - the big interview!
RESUME WRITING TIPS AND STRATEGIES
Here are 10 valuable tips for anyone writing
their own resume, or who is having someone else write one for them.
These tips and strategies are an abridged version of what is contained
in my new eBook, "Instant Home Writing Kit".
1. Keep It Focused and Businesslike
A resume should be specific and all business.
Don't try to be too smart or too cute. After all, you are asking an
employer to invest significant time and money by choosing you over many
other similarly qualified people. Employers mainly want to know whether
you are appropriately qualified and experienced, and if you have the
ability to "deliver the goods."
2. More Than Two Pages Is Too Much
For students, recent graduates, or people with
just a few years of experience, try to keep your resume to one page, two
as an absolute maximum. Even a resume for someone with 20 years or more
of extensive working experience, should not exceed three pages. In some
cases, one or two "optional" pages can be referred to as "available upon
request." These would be such optional annexes as a list of references
or an inventory of recent projects and/or publications.
3. Get The Words and Punctuation Right
Make sure the grammar, spelling, and punctuation
in your resume are perfect. Any obvious mistakes will hurt your
credibility. Also, be sure to keep the language clear and simple. If you
draft it yourself, have someone with excellent writing skills do an
editorial review and a careful proofread of it. If a professional
prepares it for you, such reviews are the responsibility of the resume
preparation firm. Use an accepted English language "style guide" if you
want to be sure of the finer points of word usage, punctuation,
capitalization, abbreviations, etc.
4. Read Between The Lines
Customize the resume to match the stated
requirements of the job that you are applying for, without being
misleading. Review and analyze the job advertisement carefully. Look for
and itemize the key qualifications, skills, and abilities the employer
is seeking. Then identify certain key words that are usually repeated in
such ads. Make sure that the wording and sequence of points in your
resume reflect and address these "corporate terminologies" and "code
words" as much as possible. When possible, study the company's annual
report and Web site, and weave the themes and terms found there into
your resume and cover letter.
5. Make Sure It Looks Good
Use a crisp, clean, simple presentation format
for a professional looking resume. Just a bit of simple line work and/or
shading, done with standard word processing software will do the trick.
If you don't have the aptitude for this, there is most likely someone
among your friends or in your office who can help you achieve a
professional presentation. If not, seek professional advice. It won't
cost much for a good simple layout, but it will make a world of
difference to the product.
6. Show What You Can Do Today
Focus, first and foremost, on your recent
experience that is most relevant to the position at hand. Less relevant
and/or dated experience should be either eliminated or summarized in
brief point form near the end of your resume. When reviewing your resume
information, a prospective employer wants to know what you are doing
now, what you have done recently, and how that relates to the job
requirements of the post they are trying to fill.
7. Be A Straight-Shooter
Be completely honest. When people lie or
"creatively exaggerate" on their resume, they are almost invariably
exposed, sooner or later. Think about it - who really wants to get a job
based on a lie(s) and then have to live in fear of eventually being
found out? We often read in the newspaper about high-profile folks who
get caught in a resume falsehood or exaggeration, and it isn't very
pretty.
8. Follow The Instructions
Submit your resume in exactly the form that the
prospective employer requests. If they say e-mail or fax is okay, do it
that way. However, if they ask for it by regular mail, send it the way
they ask. They must have reasons for requesting it in such a form and
they are geared up to process it that way. If your resume is to be sent
by snail mail, use the complete address that they specify, or it could
go to the wrong office, especially in a large organization.
9. Don't Get Lost In The Mail
Be careful to respect certain conventions that
the potential employer may require in your resume. For example, make
sure that the cover letter mentions the exact name of the specific
position you are applying for, and the competition number, if
applicable. Sometimes an employer will request that the job title and/or
number be printed on the outside of the envelope. You would not want to
miss out on a job because you didn't follow minor administrative
requirements.
10. Keep The Cover Short and Focused
In the cover letter, don't repeat what is
already detailed in the body of the attached resume. It is a "cover"
letter. It should be short and to the point. Introduce yourself first,
and then briefly summarize why you believe that you have the
qualifications and experience to fulfill the duties of the position
better than anyone else. Express enthusiasm about the job and the
company. Close by stating how you are looking forward to hearing more
from them soon, and that you will follow-up if necessary.
The above list can be used as a "checklist" both
during the preparation phase, and when reviewing your resume just before
submission.
To see a fully-formatted "real-life template" of
a resume, click
on the following link:
