Resumes: Attract Attention; 'Don't get Knocked-out'
By: Cynthia A Stokvis
Resume writing is not to be taken lightly. I have seen resumes that look like a sixth grader wrote them with blatant spelling errors, incomplete information and poor grammar. Why? Most of us do not
Resume writing is not to be taken lightly. I have seen resumes that look like a sixth grader wrote them with blatant spelling errors, incomplete information and poor grammar. Why? Most of us do not write resumes on a frequent basis yet this most important piece of paper markets you!! Nothing else substitutes for the first impression that a resume makes. This is your self-designed marketing piece that advertises (truthfully!!) what you have actually done, for whom and what credentials you have-- NEVER, EVER lie. It catches up to you like lightning and no one will touch someone that has misrepresented themselves, their degrees or experiences!! Yet lying seems to be more prevalent in resumes today according to hiring managers and recruiters.
Your resume needs to start with a professional image on high quality paper, although initially your resume is often reviewed via email; hence all the more emphasis on how it looks and what it says about you.Forget "MY OBJECTIVE"--it knocks you out more often than not because a hiring manager may look at your resume, think of another opening but decide not to pursue you because your objective indicates that you are only interested in "marketing"---The objective is just one more thing to change with every company, interview etc. I have seem resumes forwarded to me with an old objective that states this individual is "excited about a career in Operations Management with X Company" while I have asked them for a resume to present to ABC Industries for a Finance Director's role. SKIP THE OBJECTIVE! Format: Your resume should utilize a business font (Times New Roman is good), in a readable point size (11 or 12 pt) There really isn't a 'right format style' to use--just ensure it looks professional from a business perspective. Too many times a resume suffers from the need to stand out which becomes a negative. Your name is usually larger, in bold type followed by your address and all contact information. You can center or split your name on the left margin and contact information at right. There are numerous appropriate business styles here; the operative word being "business" styles. Be sure to include mobile phone and personal email address----never use your employer's email for numerous reasons. List in order: Your title(s) with dates of employment in chronological order, most recent/present position is listed first. Next is Company name, (a sentence describing what the company does/provides), and a detailed but not wordy description of your job responsibilities and specific accomplishments. If you work for a Division of General Electric for example, list the Division's name first, then "Division of General Electric Corporation. Indicate the location where you worked: city/state. Success, Accomplishments---focus on that which makes you stand out among other candidates. Quantify; what numbers did you achieve? Out of how many? Did you manage a budget, revenues, P&L? Supervise? How many? To whom did you report?--(use your manager's title.) How was your position strategic? Tactical? Too many resumes state what the job entailed but do not quantify how/what was accomplished! Honors, Awards and significant outside leadership: List all honors and awards after your work history--List any volunteer leadership roles you hold; e.g. President of Springfield's American Heart Asssociation, 2004. Don't trivialize this section; use it to show your leadership, management ability, as well as your ability to effectively manage multiple priorities. Degrees should be listed at the very bottom of the resume: Bachelor's of Science, Management; University of XXXX, New York, New York. 1997. List degrees in chronological order so a Masters would be first, then Bachelors degree etc. Length: 1-2 pages depending on level of experience. A Vice President would be expected to have a two page resume but not a candidate with five years of work experience out of college. ***Have someone proof your resume for spelling and grammatical errors after you use spell-check.
There is alot of BAD advice floating around. You do not need to hire a professional to write your resume; with some thought and today's Microsoft Word you can do this; ----if you can't write your own resume, you probably are not ready for the interview questions! Keep your resume up to date since you never know when you will need it. Finally, employers and hiring managers prefer this type of chronological resume to all other styles by a HUGE MARGIN. Forget the essays describing your skill set; keep it concise and to the point. Cynthia A Stokvis http://secrets4wealth.blogspot.com
About the author:
Ms. Stokvis has over a decade of experience in retained executive search with one of the world's leading global firms as well as small, boutique firms. The diversity of her experience from several perspectives as a recruiter across functional lines has given her a wealth of insight for the job seeker today. http://secrets4wealth.blogspot.com
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