Five Tips to Creating a Job-Winning Resume
Posted by ayeshawrites4u on July 22, 2009
Okay, I know I’m a little late with my post. Normally I write my posts very early in the morning, but I had the one problem that is the antithesis of writers block – too many ideas at once. I was looking at two sample resumes on a website (will not mention the name) and was shocked at how many resume writing rules had been broken.
So I decided now is the time to do a refresher on how to make your resume a success. Here are five little tricks you can try on your own resume:
- Be active. There is nothing worse than a list of job descriptions. The truth is that if you work in sales, teaching, or any other industry, your employer knows what you did. No one wants to hear what you’ve been responsible for or delegated to do. Instead explain what you managed, alleviated, or increased and how.
- Stay anonymous. Your name, phone number, email, and address is all that is needed. I’ve seen resumes where people have not only put their pictures, but also included their relationship status, number or kids, and charitable contributions. While this is all great information for your personal development, it actually counts as distractions to an employer. “Oh he has five children, that means that he probably won’t be as eager to do overtime as this other guy who has no kids.”
- Have an objective. An objective shows that you have focus and are not just sifting through the internet ads and applying to everything out there. However, an objective is also not a list of things you are looking for as an employee (See Catch an Employers Eye Immediately )
- Think simple. Graphics, overuse of borders and too many fonts are all reasons for an employer to skip past your resume. Yes, to you it seems catchy. But to an employer it screams gimmicky and makes the employer think that either you are not professional or are using this extra flash to hide flaws in your professional skills. Otherwise, why would someone who is a real asset need to resort to such tricks?
- Proofread. I always laugh whenever I type this one. I think about the clients who have put incorrect e-mail addresses or phone numbers and then complain that no one is calling them in for interviews. Let’s be honest, if you are not Kwame Jackson, no employer is going to go beyond one phone call to try to interview you. So if they call and your number is incorrect, you might as well have never sent your resume.
Above all else, be professional. There are dozens more tips that can be added – such as using the right type of paper, having a cover letter accompany your resume, or not including your picture. I’d love to hear if anyone has any other tips that they think have made their resume a success. Please share your comments below!
As always, good luck with your job search.
Ayesha Long
Step Up to a Better Career with Professional Resume Services
*** Also be sure to go to Ayesha Writes 4 You’s website and schedule your Free Resume Consultation. From now until August 15th, you can take advantage of our Summer Discount and get 15% off any resume package. So go to www.AyeshaWrites4u.com to get started now!
Michael Hearne said
These are great tips. I can hardly believe you’ve seen resumes with such personal information in them. It’s inappropriate and seems that it would beg the question of whether the person knows how to behave appropriately in a work setting. Nobody likes to work with an “over-sharer.”
I also think Ayesha is right on target with her comments on job descriptions. Action verbs telling what you did are always better than a laundry list of what you were supposed to be doing. And remember, those action verbs should always be in the past tense, as that gives the reader the sense that you completed them successfully.