Depending on how your resume looks, hiring managers will either be turned off or want to meet you. A resume is usually their first contact with you. A great resume will give a strong first impression.
1. Having a three to five sentence summary at the top of your resume is much more effective than having an objective. You can use the career summary to sum up your skills and experiences. For example: “Supply chain manager with global experience in leadership, implementation, and project management. Skilled in…” Let them know up front who you are and what position you’re seeking.
2. Do you have several years of work experience? Move the Education section to the end (after the Experience section) so that you can showcase your work experience. (If you are preparing a resume for academia or research, then follow the resume formatting rules for your profession.)
3. Create a text version of your resume for posting online. That way if you post your MS Word resume and the formatting is lost, you won’t have to waste time reformatting your resume.
4. Check job ads for the types of jobs you’re applying for. See what keywords they use in their job descriptions and include those keywords in your resume. If the company uses software to scan resumes for keywords, you’ll ensure your resume won’t be screened out before it gets to a hiring manager. This is where the summary really comes in handy. You can add those keywords to the summary and increase your chances of having your resume selected.
5. When preparing your resume, use action words such as “leveraged,” “led,” “coordinated,” “managed,” etc. Words like, “participated” give the impression that you were on the sidelines, and not actively involved in the project. Don’t just say you were responsible, show the results. Were there any cost savings for the company? Mention them. Was your project completed ahead of schedule? Say so. Did your project lead to increased efficiency? Show the percentages.
6. When describing your current and past positions, only list the strongest accomplishments – the ones that will make a prospective employer contact you for an interview. Don’t include every function you performed on the job. Consider what accomplishments you would be looking for if you were the hiring manager, and what responsibilities show that you can handle the duties of the position you’re seeking.
7. Your resume should not include positions you held more than 10 years ago, unless they are relevant to the position you’re looking for now.
8. Keep it simple. Three pages maximum for management or executive resumes; two pages for all other resumes for corporate positions.
9. Don’t forget to check spelling and grammar. Saying you were the “lead” on a project is different than saying that you “led” the project. For grammar and word choices, do a search to find sites on the web that will answer your questions about grammar and punctuation.
10. Create different versions of your resume if you’re searching for more than one type of position. For example, you may want to apply for Business Analyst and Technical Writer positions. In one version of your resume you can include accomplishments and skills that relate more to being a B.A. In another version you can include accomplishments (and publications) relating to your experiences as a Technical Writer.
Copyright © 2007 Deborah A. Bailey, Writing Services Central, LLC
January 16, 2010
Ten Quick Steps To A Great Resume
January 11, 2010
How to Make Your Resume Stand Out
Whether or not you’re planning to look for a new job, it’s best to keep your resume updated. Get into the habit of updating your accomplishments and skills so that your resume is always ready.
Here are some tips:
- Group your top skill sets into a summary.
- Create a professional email address (using your name – no nicknames) to include with your contact information.
- Use past tense – even when describing your current job.
- If you’re posting your resume online, don’t encourage identity theft by including too much personal information.
- Gear you resume towards the job you want, not the one you have now.
- List your most recent job first.
- Check spelling and grammar – don’t depend on your spelling errors being caught by spell check.
Your resume should not include every task you’ve performed in every position; instead it should only include your strongest accomplishments. Though it’s tempting to all the details about every job you’ve had, your resume is only a starting point. Use it to get your foot in the door so that you can get an interview. Once you have an opportunity to speak with the hiring manager, then you can go into more detail.
Since you have to catch the attention of the reader right away, stay away from passive-sounding words when describing your accomplishments and responsibilities. Passive sentences are indirect and don’t make much of an impression.
Look at this example of a passive sentence: “Participated on product development team.” Compare that with this example of an active sentence: “Created scripts and tested new product.”
In addition to using active words and sentences in your descriptions, you also have to show results. Which description would appeal to you as a hiring manager?
“Arranged new product development meetings,” or “Facilitated meetings for new product development team which led to cost savings due to reduced miscommunication between departments.”
If you are a freelancer or temp worker, you’ll probably work for various companies and hold different positions. Even if you had different titles, the skills and accomplishments will show your versatility in different industries and company cultures.
Keep track of the projects you’ve worked on, articles and documentation you’ve written, etc. Set aside samples of your work so that you can include them with your resume, if requested.
When you’re changing careers playing up your skills is very important. You may not have direct experience in the area you’re changing to, but you can show how the skills you’ve acquired in the old career can be carried over to the new one. Pick accomplishments that show that you are versatile and can think out of the box. Play up training and learning experiences to show that you can adapt to new environments. The person reading your resume is focused on finding the right person for the job. They won’t have the time to think about how to fit your skills into their requirements.
Not sure how to show that your skills can be transferred to a new profession? For instance, if you’re a project manager and you want to become an event planner, you could play up your organization skills or your communications skills. You could also play up your ability to simultaneously manage different tasks. Look at the work you’ve done, then find ways to highlight your strongest accomplishments. The person reading your resume should see right away that you can perform the duties the position requires.
Of course if you know what type of job you want, it’ll be easier to create your resume. However, if you’re not sure what you want to do next -or how to update your resume to reflect your varied skills – consider hiring a professional to help. These days you can’t take a chance that your resume will be overlooked. If you present yourself to your best advantage, you’ll have a better chance of being hired for the job you want.
December 26, 2009
Six Steps to a Powerful Sales Resume
If you’re considering applying for a pharmaceutical sales job, or any job for that matter, then you certainly need a stellar resume. You see, competition is fierce and your really and truly need to stand out. After all, you only have 15 seconds to impress a potential employer so you’ve got to make every second count. Well, when you have a powerful resume in hand, you can impress and will get hired. A stellar resume causes a potential employer to stand up and take notice. In essence, it says, “Hey check me out—I’ve got what it takes to sell your pharmaceutical products.”
But, how do you create such a phenomenal resume? Well, it really isn’t that hard. Even if you’re no professional resume writer or have never created a resume in your entire life, you can still razzle and dazzle potential employers with your resume writing skills. In this article, we’ll tell you how to craft a great resume that gets you hired. So, put down the job ads and get ready to learn all about the persuasive art of writing great resumes.
1. First of all, you should know what a great resume looks like. To learn, visit your local library or book store and pick up some great resume books and peruse them. See what styles that really “tickle your fancy” and see which ones make you cringe with boredom. Figure out which ones work and which ones don’t. Buy and study them and do your best to emulate the resume writing style.
2. Second, know the difference between a functional and a chronological resume and then decide which one would serve you best. For instance, if you’re making a career change then you might craft up a functional resume that highlights your skills and qualifications. If however you’re staying in the same field, a chronological resume would work best.
3. Third, make sure that your resume reflects your accomplishments and unique personality. Not only will this help you stand out from the competition but will also create an image of professionalism in the hiring manager’s mind. Be careful to accentuate the positive and not the negative. For instance, if you’re currently a homemaker but are trying to get into the sales field, perhaps you can include your volunteer opportunities and how your girl scout troop exceeded sales goals by 100%.
4. Fourth, make sure that your resume is a true representation of you. Don’t embellish your strong points to simply make yourself sound good. Instead be honest but positive and make sure that you. It is never a good idea to misrepresent facts, exaggerate them, or lie on your resumes. Employers are like detectives and when they do background checks, they can find out about your untruths and this could be very bad indeed. Only use verifiable information.
5. Fifth, know that content and presentation is what counts the most. When you’re crafting your new resume, make sure that it looks professional and contains absolutely no typing errors whatsoever. Use quality resume writing paper and try out various styles and fonts to really make it come alive. You might even consider adding a professional photograph to the top for sales resumes.
6. Sixth, remember that grammatical errors are intolerable. They not only signal that you’re sloppy but also signify that you’ll likely do a crappy job as well. And trust me, no employer wants to hire a sloppy worker. To be on the safe side, ask someone else to proof your resume when you’re done proofing it to make sure that you don’t miss any errors.
In conclusion, you can create an outstanding resume that attracts an employer’s attention and helps you land that dream pharmaceutical job of your dreams. You simply have to put forth a little effort, some thought and let those qualifications shine through.
December 25, 2009
How To Write A Resume – Objective Vs. Summary Statements
It’s hard to write a resume. Most of us are not “born salespeople.” Just mentioning the word “sales” usually sends a shiver of fear up our spines. Add to this the fact that we are taught from childhood that it’s not polite to brag about ourselves it’s no wonder that when you’re asked to “sell yourself” on a resume you freeze up like a deer in the headlights.
So instead of panicking let’s take a resume apart piece by piece and explain how to write an effective resume. Hopefully this will eliminate some of the fear involved in “selling yourself” on paper.
RESUME BASICS (what every resume MUST have)
Your name, address and phone number (obviously). But also your email address.
Email addresses are where most people tend to go wrong. I have a friend with an email address called “1hottiger” (one hot tiger). While this might be cute among friends, to a prospective employer it shows poor taste, and a lack of maturity (since she’s in her late 40’s). If you don’t have a professional sounding email, create a new one just for your job search. You can get free email addresses on Google, Yahoo or Hotmail.
Example of a BAD email address:
ImAPartyGirl@email.com
JennysMom@email.com
2Hot2Handle@email.com
Example of a GOOD email address:
MaryMartin@email.com
M.Martin@email.com
Mary.A.Martin@email.com
STYLE
When you write a resume avoid using fancy fonts or colored ink. This just makes you look immature. Plus, statistics show that if someone has to struggle to read something they won’t. Which means you’re resume is guaranteed to hit the trash faster than most if you use a script font.
Try to make your resume look like a nice letterhead. One thing I do when I write a resume is condense lines. In the header I put my name to the left and my phone number all the way to the right. Then below that I put my full address (on one line) on the left and my email all the way to the right on the same line. Then I separate it all with a nice line to look like professional stationery.
When To Use An Objective Over A Summary
The Objective Statement
An objective statement is for people who are either just starting out or changing careers. Your resume should state your desired job and field (engineering for instance) and demonstrate that you have the skills or education (if not the job background) for the position.
When you write your resume make sure that you use “action words” in your objective statement. Just like they sound they convey that you are a person willing to get to work and do your best. It should state your skills, your desires and what you want to do FOR the employer.
The WRONG Way To State An Objective:
Looking for a position with a dynamic company that will recognize and use my talents. I am seeking a company that promotes from within and will recognize and reward hard work and talent.
This statement is all about YOU. It gives the prospective employer no information about yourself that makes you stand out from the crowd. When you write your resume try to think from their position. They want someone that’s gonna get in there and work hard to make THEM money. How will you do that?
The RIGHT Way to State An Objective:
To apply my knowledge acquired through my Masters degree in Graphic Design and internship at ABC Advertising Company to an entry level position in the art and marketing department of a major magazine.
The Summary Statement
A Summary statement is for people that have been working for a while. It “sums up” your skills and positions using strong “action words” and states your qualifications up-front. It’s a way for a prospective employer to “glance” at your resume and determine if it’s worth reading further. It should outline briefly your skills and background and anything you feel you did that was “above and beyond” the nature of the job you held.
BAD Summary
Department manager for 15 member department in large marketing firm. Managed schedules and oversaw daily department duties and workflow.
The reason this is BAD is that it’s generic. Lots of people have jobs like that. What set you apart? Let’s try again:
GOOD Summary
Accomplished department manager with 10 years experience. Created highly synergistic department of 15 creative marketing employees that generated over $5 million dollars in annual sales through applying teamwork and incentives/rewards.
This is just a sample but you should have 3 to 5 strong sentences like this. When you write a resume show the results your efforts made whenever possible, whether it was saving the company money and/or time, or bringing in sales.
Please keep in mind that these lessons are for the person just entering the job market or in entry-level or lower-level management. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while and are on the rise in your field then you definitely will want to consider hiring a professional resume writing service.
December 24, 2009
What is the best career change?
There are many careers out there, but it goes without a saying the best are the hardest to get. So having said that what describes the best career change, a career change that has a very high salary, a career that allows you to work what ever time that satisfies you, a career that allows you to make your own decisions, choose your own holiday seasons. Well all of those are found in many careers but I think that there is no career or job opportunity that gives you the dispensation of all in one. Unless you take your future into your own hands, when you do then the career change will be the furthest most important decision that you will make yet.
The number one career change that satisfies everyone.
The internet marketing and internet business industry. Changing from a normal average career to a career that has the potential to make your situations a whole lot different, positive, view. Making the biggest commitment of starting to work in the online industry is the biggest opportunity a person who has ambitions to being successful in life can have. This is what the online business industry can offer, work anytime anywhere, and work for as much or as little as you would want, choose your own salary and make all the decision for yourself. No more taking rubbish from your boss, no more worrying about being late, and no more paper work. This is the career change that is changing thousands of people’s lives. Even though you think that this is not the career for you, I believe after research is completed. That this will be your best career change, what possible job or career can you think of that satisfies all the qualities I mentioned very few right, and how hard is to get it in these times, impossible sparks some questions. How about if you can have it all, with only using the mouse and keyboard? This career is waiting to be found by many people, the best thing is there is space and roles for everyone.
December 19, 2009
Resume Tips For Career Shifters
As a job seeker, your resume is always your sales pitch, highlighting qualifications, experiences, skills and passion to your potential employer. Seizing the chance to stand out from the competition, especially in the midst of making a career change is an important decision and one that you should not take lightly. You have to have plans and goals while developing your resume to insure that you will be able to not only work in your dream job, but that you will excel.
Key areas of each resume can predict if your resume will make it into the hands of a hiring manager. It’s imperative to customize your resume for the job that you want by paying close attention to your resume style, career objective, and personal profile.
The layout and the style of your resume are as important as the information you include describing your experience and qualifications. As your probably know, the most common resume styles are chronological (listing your professional expertise in order) and functional(showcasing your experience by the type of qualifications you have.) The latter is typically used by those changing careers, and it’s important to create a powerful overview of your skills and how they will transfer to your new career.
Career Objectives in a Functional Resume
Career objective is very important to your resume. Your career objective should contain both a long term goal and a long term goal. (For example, a short-term goal would be to find a job as a junior copywriter – while the long-term goal would be to advance your skills and develop a comprehensive portfolio within a professional, high-profile marketing company.) Including a goal statement shows that you have given your professional growth some serious thought and your career objective aligns with your potential employer.
Your career objective goals and resume strategies to can lead your career towards employers who are in line with your skills and abilities. Employers are interested in people who are constantly looking to improve not only themselves, but their job skills as well. That’s why you will want to keep career development first and foremost in your mind at all times when writing your resume.
Professional Profile in a Functional Resume
A professional profile sells your expertise to a potential employer, explaining why you are the best, and only, candidate for the job. This section explicitly gives you the chance to differentiate yourself, and give your employer an insight into you as a job seeker and a professional. Don’t overlook the power of good writing – and don’t make the mistake of including personal information. Only include information on your qualifications and information on your affiliations as a business professional.
Your expertise, highlighted with both your educational background, work history, and your skills will give a good first impression to your employer. Make sure to proofread the whole resume, with emphasis to this section, as it appears at the start of your resume. An effective professional statement leaves potential employers with an impression that you are confident and credible, which also makes you up to the challenges ahead.
Remember that Changing Careers is a Process
Career changing is really career development – it is an ongoing process as it also includes educating yourself on job requirements, sometimes getting additional training, and always working at making yourself the best you can be in your new career path. Because industries change, and technologies change, you may want to add some new classes by taking continuing education credits or attending a few seminars in your new career field to show your interest and dedication to the changes you want to make. Gaining new skills will only work in your favor, and once you land an interview, you’ll still want to be enthusiastic about getting the right training for the career you’ve chosen, letting your new employer know you’ve set both long and short-term goals for your career.
December 14, 2009
December 5, 2009
How to Write an Effective Resume
Overview
Employers spend on average around 10 – 20 seconds on each resume. Sending an employer your resume is the only contact you will have with them unless they decide they want to speak with you. It could be a summer internship, a part-time job, a new career opportunity or a promotion. In any case that piece of paper is the only introduction you have and will determine how far you get in the process. You will want to make the best impression you can and improve your chances of getting those opportunities. It is pretty easy if you consider some basic and proven suggestions that will improve your chances.
1. Your resume should have a skills summary including an objective statement, years of experience and your key skills as it pertains to the job opportunity.
2. Focus on responsibilities, accomplishments, and not duties.
3. Emphasize with each employer section what skills were needed, how that improved the company and what was accomplished.
4. Organize your resume according to the specific job classification. Information technology employees should emphasize technical skills while marketing employees should emphasize employers.
5. Tailor your resume to the specific job - generic resumes are not informative.
6. Be creative when describing your work experience and dont repeat the same phrasing. Always include the top 5 – 10 responsibilities per employer.
7. Avoid using resume style templates.
8. Career change resumes should emphasize associated skills and not past job titles and experience.
9. Don’t list your work experience beyond 5 – 10 years and 2 – 3 pages. You could have age discrimination problems and lose the interest of the employer.
10. Use bulleted lines format with each specific employer responsibilities description.
11. Keep the formatting and design plain – use the same font, consistent style, some bold and no border.
12. Always include the month/year dates of employment with each employer.
13. The job position and name of each employer should be most prominent. Use bold to highlight these items.
14. Always select descriptive keywords for the skills and job responsibilities: managed, effective, top, designed, implemented, lead, documented, improved.
15. Proper sentence structure is a must. Have someone proof read your resume and use Microsoft Word or any word processor that tags grammar errors.
16. Don’t put references on your resume. Unnecessary calls will annoy your references. You want control over what references are called and when, making sure they are available.
17. Avoid long rambling sentences.
18. Get the sentence tense correct when describing past and present work experience.
19. Do not add a lot of personal information. Keep it to your interests and career related.
20. Don’t forget to spell check with your word processor.
21. Always provide two working contact numbers – home and cell phone.
22. Don’t use your personal email as a contact. Have an email account with your proper name. Hotmail and Google email work however the best solution is a paid email account where filtering wont occur at a company firewall.
23. Have a copy of your resume online at a job board where a recruiter can go online and download. The standard Microsoft Word 2003 and .PDF formats should work with most employers. Microsoft Word 2007 documents must be saved as a Word 2003 file. Older versions of Microsoft Word can not read the newer 2007 format.
24. Include a link to any web site that has published your career works.
Shaun Hummel is an author of various technical books and has a web site focused on information technology job search solutions and certifications.
http://www.networkjobsolutions.com
November 11, 2009
7 Outdated Myths That Will Kill Your Career Change Before You Start
If you’re a career-changing Baby Boomer, you may feel like you’ve gotten lost with Dorothy in Oz. You’ve achieved success in your career. You’ve built skills and a strong work ethic. And now you’re ready to move on…and it’s not working.
Many of my own clients tell me, “I haven’t had to look for a job for 20 years.”
Twenty years ago, you probably didn’t have a cell phone or an email account. A worm was something you put on a fish hook and a virus was something you caught from visiting friends. You could bring your whole set of kitchen knives onto an airplane and gas prices…well, we won’t go there.
And career counselors were handing out tests that promised to predict our aptitude and attitude.
Today as many as 90% of workers wish they could find a new career, but few actually succeed. Most are held back because they’re still guiding their progress by what they learned when they begin their careers, 20, 30 or 40 years ago.
Myth #1: Science supports the traditional linear career change model: test for interests, identify careers and go find a job.
Reality #1: You probably discovered this idea in a self-help book. Maybe you hired a career counselor. But it doesn’t work. Clients often call me because they’re stuck in the first stage: looking inward for guidance. They take tests and contemplate “what I really want.”
But researchers at Stanford and Harvard have found that career exploration proceeds in a zig-zag trial-and-error path. The word “serendipity” has been used in mainstream career research journals. Action, not introspection, is the key.
Myth #2: Starting a business is riskier than seeking a new job.
Reality #2: I would never tell anyone, “Stop job hunting and start your own entrepreneurial venture!” But these days, I recommend moving in parallel paths. Keep looking for a job but get serious about self-employment.
If you have a high profile in your industry or community, you may have trouble getting hired – but you might find yourself in demand as a self-employed business person. And if you’re above a certain age, you may meet resistance from the traditional job market.
Myth #3: Skills that brought you career success are the same skills you need for career change.
Reality #3: Career and business achievement calls for football skills: teamwork, planning and playing your position. You get rewarded for being in the right place at the right time.
But career change typically happens like playground basketball. Your biggest successes will be unplanned. The rules change and if you want a team, you will have to find them — or even hire them.
Myth #4: Ignore unexpected thoughts like, “Maybe it’s time to move.” They’ll soon go away.
Reality #4: These hints come from your intuition, which is not a woo-woo concept but a reliable source of insight that has been recognized by mainstream psychologists and scientists. When you ignore these whispers, you may find yourself sabotaging your own success.
Myth #5: Make tough career decisions like business decisions: run the numbers.
Reality #5: In my experience, career decisions follow their own logic. You develop scenarios and stories. You ask, “Can I live with my worst case scenario? If not, what can I do now to avoid having this scenario unfold?”
Myth #6: Fear is a signal to stay where you are, not challenge the status quo.
Reality #6: Contemporary psychologists recognize that fear can be your friend, especially when you’re moving outside your comfort zone into a new adventure. Fear means you’re taking care of yourself as you move into the unknown.
Sometimes you will work in and through the fear. And sometimes you experience fear for a good reason: time to gather more information before moving ahead.
Myth #7: Career change means feeling stressed and miserable.
Reality #7: Career change can become a source of meaning and growth. Most people look back with gratitude on this time in their lives.
As you progress, you begin to feel strong and powerful. You recognize more and more of what you want. The magic happens when you connect with a glimpse of, “This could be good.”