It is important to keep your resume as current as your accomplishments, as it is the single most important and valuable document in your job searching arsenal. Your resume conveys your qualifications, suitability, ability to communicate on paper, strengths and so much more!
The important thing to keep in mind is who the resume is intended for: your potential employer. Your goal is to stand out among the many resumes that employer sees daily, and spark an interest that makes them want to schedule an interview with you to find out more. However, if you do not invest the proper time into your resume to make it shine, it will not serve its intended purposes. Dull resumes and resumes with spelling errors are simply unacceptable, and will be immediately overlooked by potential employers. Take the time to make your resume a reflection of you, and watch it go to work for you! Your dream job is on the line.
For that reason it is important to make every effort to ensure that your resume is flawless, impressing those in the position to hire. Your resume is your opportunity to communicate to potential employers how valuable you would be as an asset, and your only chance to land an interview.
Generally, employers are looking to hire qualified, skilled people; and the more clearly your resume states how your skills, experience and qualifications are assets, the better.
- You want to write a great "objective" or "looking for" statement
- And then back it up with your experience and qualifications.
Often your first impression to the potential employer is your "objective” statement, and it is where you personalize each resume for each potential position. For example, if you are applying to work in a busy office as an administrative assistant, your subject line could read:
“Experienced and professional multi-tasker seeking challenging and rewarding position as administrative assistant”.
This line communicates directly to the hiring boss that you are professional, experienced, and able to multi-task-all very key points for that position, all in one brief sentence. This also showcases your ability to communicate clearly, and concisely, both valued assets in the business world.
Once you have captured their attention of the person in hiring position, it is time to step-it-up and demonstrate your credibility. Anyone can make claims; this is your opportunity to distinguish yourself from the other candidates lobbying for the same position, by listing your professional experience in a measurable and provable manner.
- It is crucial to be concise, as an overly lengthy resume is likely to be overlooked in the interest of saving time.
- Make your points quickly, by communicating in a concise manner that directly and clearly outlines your strengths, without demanding too much time to read.
- A guideline to follow is to keep your resume at one page in length, never exceeding two pages.
- Remember, this is your sales pitch to sell yourself as the best candidate, not your autobiography.
- Using an active voice with action words is another way to set your resume apart from the masses. This is the final polish, and should be done in the final editing process, replacing keywords with action words, laced throughout.
This will give the reader of your resume the overall feel that they are having a conversation with you, and you should always avoid a passive voice. Active words show how you contributed to previous organizations and helped the company grow:
- Supervised
- Performed
- Directed
- Developed
- Improved
- Coordinated
- Invented
- Executed
- Initiated
- Created
For more information to help you on your career path, follow links to Types of Degrees, How to Choose a Career and Benefits of Online Learning.
