The Basics of Writing a Resume

Contents

Introduction

Guidelines

Format
Length
Summary Statement
Dates
Job Titles
Accomplishments
Additional Points

Closing Remarks

Introduction

Every resume should be unique. Its major purpose is to market you to a potential employer. It is a tool to generate enough interest to get you an interview. Resumes don't get jobs--they get interviews.

Every resume has a pitch. It creates an impression of you. It communicates what makes you valuable. In developing a resume, your job target must be kept in mind. Only those things supporting your target should be kept in the resume. To do this, highlight certain areas of your background relating to your target. For example, if your target is sales, focus your resume on your sales experience and achievements.

A resume can also guide your job interview by talking about some aspects of your background and not others. The interviewer will inquire about the areas you include. That is why some people have two resumes supporting different job targets.

With respect to content, it is important to keep in mind that it focuses on achievements. It should not read like a job description where you simply list your work experiences. In addition to details, it should focus on specific accomplishments. Listing relevant details in this manner make it stronger and more interesting. This will be discussed in more detail later on.

Guidelines

Format

The chronological format is one that is most commonly used. It is organized by date and position, starting with the most recent position. The emphasis is on positions held and companies worked for.

The functional format focuses on skills and achievements, without highlighting your employment history. It is used by people who may want to change careers, have frequent job or field changes, extensive periods of unemployment, or other tricky situations. It is also used in cases where you want to highlight skills used earlier in your career and/or downplay your most recent position.

There are also formats which are combinations of the two outlined above. Keep in mind that the format must be tailored to each individual situation.

Length

A resume should be one or two pages. You have to create a balance between being succinct and to the point selling yourself.

Many people try to get everything on one page. This generally works for an inexperienced person but not for most people with significant work histories. It's better to have a longer resume than to try to cram everything on one page. It won't be readable and you're probably leaving out pertinent information.

Keep in mind that people are changing jobs more often than in the past. Years ago, many worked for the same company and often the same position, for many years. Today, however, the average person changes jobs every four years. An individual graduating college today can expect to hold 8-10 jobs in his/her lifetime! In addition, the job market is much more sophisticated, specialized, and tremendously competitive in virtually all job sectors. Your resume must show what makes you unique and different from your competitors. This will probably take more than one page.

Summary Statement

The summary statement goes at the top of your resume. It replaces the traditional "objective" statement which tends to limit your options. The summary statement may also be called a profile, professional profile or something similar. It describes what makes you qualified and unique from others. It contains the most important points you want your target market to know about - your most significant qualifications and, perhaps, a notable achievement.

Paragraphs are most commonly used in writing this statement. However, it can also have bullets or a combination of these. They generally range from three to four short sentences. Their form and size vary from individual to individual.

Many begin with a title - what you want to call yourself. For example: Sales professional, marketing manager, graphic designer, and senior tax consultant. This is followed by several descriptive statements about you, your strengths and/or areas of expertise. And, as mentioned above, you may want to end with a notable achievement.

Dates

Dates are placed on the right side and rounded off to years (no months). You do not want the reader to focus on dates.

Job Titles

It is important that your job title conveys an accurate impression of what you actually did. Sometimes companies, particularly governmental agencies, create titles that serve their own internal needs without reflecting what the position really involves. For example, a Grade 2 Supervisor may actually be a Director of a particular department. A Marketing Manager may actually be a Sales Manager. It may be better to call yourself by a title that reflects what you actually did.

Accomplishments

Do not write a job description for each position you have held. You can state your overall responsibilities and/or scope of the job and to be competitive, you want to create a resume going beyond your basic job function. For each position, state your accomplishments, keeping in mind what will appeal to the reader in your targeted area. It is better to use bullets over paragraphs because paragraphs are difficult to read. It is also important to speak to a potential employer using the language of their specific industry function. Begin each accomplishment with an action verb. The saying: "Don't just tell it, Sell It!" is key to remember. Present your qualifications and achievements in an aggressive style. You can communicate success and achievement by showing cost reductions, profit and revenue increases, major client successes, start up and emerging growth ventures.

Additional Points

Do not use abbreviations or personal pronouns in the body of the resume. Education is always included in your resume. Additional headings may include licenses, certifications, publications, awards, and memberships. This obviously varies from individual to individual. An individual's computer skills comprise another heading. This, of course, is a larger part of your resume if you are in the technology field. Finally, personal information is not included. Salary is not mentioned and neither are references.

Closing Remarks

Remember that no two people are ever exactly alike. This applies to resume writing. No two resumes will ever be exactly alike because people have unique experiences, qualifications and capabilities. There is always room for variation within the suggested guideline outlined above. However, by keeping within the suggested accomplishment format, you will best be able to convey your own uniqueness.