THREE STEPS TO CREATING A RESUME YOURSELF
by Linda Matias
While many career professionals hire a professional resume writer, many more attempt
to draft their resume themselves. People who write a lot for business usually have
more success in putting together a sharp, focused presentation; however, anyone can
learn the basic steps to resume presentation.
There are three major differences between a "strong" resume and an "o.k."
resume:
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FORMAT AND PRESENTATION DETERMINE WHETHER THE RESUME IS READ
The average resume is scanned, not read, for only 8-15 seconds. It creates a strong
impression to the reader from the first glance. It is similar to the impression you
make in the interview when you first greet the interviewer. Make sure your resume
is wearing a "business suit" and not jeans and flip-flops!
Choose a format that suits your business goal. If you are seeking a job in your
field and have experience, use a chronological resume. This resume starts with your
most recent job and works backward. Conversely, if you are seeking a new type of work,
you may want to consider the functional/combination resume. This style groups your
skills from several jobs together and includes a short chronological work history
at the end.
Other ways to insure that your format and presentation get noticed:
- No errors: use spell check and also have someone review for missing or misused
words
- Consistent format and use of capitalization and punctuation throughout
- Lots of white space to accent strong parts of the resume
- No more than 2 fonts
- Include your name and address, a phone and email address
- Laser printed on quality white or cream resume paper
-
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TELL WHAT YOU'VE DONE; RESPONSBILITIES STATE WHAT YOU
WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE
Not all accomplishments have to be big, but they have to show that you got results
as you carried out your responsibilities. Often, they are something you are proud
of that you've done. Or, they can simply quantify what you have done on a daily basis.
Many of your routine activities can be quantified and written as an accomplishment
that shows your experience and knowledge and that you’ve HELPED the company!
Here are some things to consider when naming accomplishments. Quantify when possible.
Did you:
 …save the company any
money? How much and how?
…help improve sales? How
much?
…improve productivity
and efficiency?
…implement any new systems
or processes?
…help launch any new products
or services?
…achieve more with (same
or fewer) resources?
…resolve a major problem
with little investment?
…participate in any technical/operational
improvements?
…exceed accepted standards
for quality or quantity?
…identify the need for
a program, plan or service?
…prepare any original
reports, studies or documents?
…serve on any committees?
What was the outcome?
…get elected to any boards,
teams or task forces?
…get sent to any training
classes?
…resolve customer problems?
…get rated outstanding
in performance reviews?
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AVOID MANY COMMON ERRORS IN RESUME WRITING
Many job seekers either don't know or don't understand the many items which do
not belong in a resume. They include the following:
- Do not use "I", "me" or "my" statements; use the
telegraphic method and drop the pronoun to make it more active. Instead of "I
wrote the 40-page employee manual", say "Wrote the 40-page employee manual"
- Avoid the use of the words "responsible for" and "duties included"
- Do not include personal information, such as age, health, ethnicity, marriage
and family status. Employers will throw your resume out if it has such information
because they could someday be accused of hiring bias
- No photographs unless you are a model or actor
- Do not explain your reasons for leaving your previous jobs or why you have employment
gaps
- Don't send along extra papers such as letters of recommendation, certificates
or samples of your work. They clutter up your presentation and are too premature.
Use in the interview if appropriate
- Never include past or expected salary information
- Do not include a list of professional references
Recognized as a career expert, Linda Matias brings a wealth of experience to the
career services field. She has been sought out for her knowledge of the employment
market, outplacement, job search strategies, interview preparation, and resume writing,
quoted a number of times in The Wall Street Journal, New York Newsday, Newsweek, and
HR-esource.com. She is President of CareerStrides and the National Resume Writers’
Association. Visit her website at www.careerstrides.com
or email her at linda@careerstrides.com.
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