How To Sell Yourself: Resume Writing Tips |
By Alexander Carl on September 9, 2010
.jpg.aspx?width=75&height=75) When you learned how to write a resume, perhaps you were taught to list every position ever held (with precise dates), and chronicle minutiae like being the treasurer of the church choir (six years ago).
The result of this is a document two pages long (at least), resembling the supervillain’s dossier from a James Bond movie.
That is not how to write a resume.
A resume is a sales pitch—you are selling your ability to function as an employee. Car salesmen don’t boggle you down with engine statistics right off the bat; they know that showing off the vehicle as a whole gets the buyer interested.
So, your resume must present the “whole” of you:
Emphasize skills. No one cares what your job title was (or where) if you give no indication of your abilities. Transferable skills are like a common currency, especially if you’re trying to break into a new field. And once you tell what you did…
How did you do it? Say you were the “executive sales manager”. Did you actually make sales? Did profit improve while you were employed? Did you get good ratings? No one knows if you don’t tell them.
Research the position. Nothing is sillier than applying for a job you know nothing about. Yet HR personnel receive hundreds of resumes that aren’t even remotely geared for their position. Know what you’re applying for, and emphasize your resume accordingly.
Make it easy to read. White space is a good thing. While a one-page resume is preferable, don’t try to cram everything in. Arrange the information on the page for comfortable scanning. Finally…
Don’t lie. Obvious, right? I’ve heard of excited employers interviewing prospects and discovering midway that their resume was as fictional as The Wizard of Oz. Nothing says “unprofessional” like invalidated claims—they show that you’re not just unqualified, but also a liar.
Resumes have it tough: large HR departments subject them to computerized scans for before they ever meet human eyes. To float above the food, you must focus on the big picture: What does the employer want? How do I prove that I can fulfill that?
It’s that complex and that simple.
Note: Having a top resume is only half the battle. The best positions are filled with applicants who successfully network for a job through contacts they have met. |
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