How to Create a Winning Resume!

Helpful tips on writing and presenting your resume.

The average hiring manager spends less than a minute reviewing your resume, so it has to be perfect.

Remember that a 1% response rate to your resume is considered good!

There are three types of resumes:

1. Chronological Resume: Most popular and recognized format, it lists employment and education experience in reverse chronological order, with employment dates mentioned first, followed by job title and name of organization.
2. Functional or Skills Resume: Is organized to highlight skills and qualifications of the applicant, and puts little emphasis on time or place of employment. Best used for candidates with a varied amount of experience or those looking for a career change.
3. Combination Resume: Is a combination of the skills and chronological formats putting equal emphasis on both elements. The purpose is to integrate both styles. An effective method would be to describe qualifications and skills included with the traditional list of company name, job title, and employment dates.

Tips to follow:

• Your resume is not the place to sell yourself!  Always include a personalized cover letter. Call the company directly or research the position online and gather any specific information needed to address the letter to the right person. Never send a generic cover letter. If you are responding to a blind ad, be as specific as you can with the information available (such as job description, location, date of ad, etc.) Never send a resume without a cover letter. Enough said.
  
  
• Keep it brief. One page for most resumes. Two page resumes are only considered acceptable for seasoned executives. All additional information can be included in your cover letter, professional or creative portfolio or in person once you’re in the interview.
  
  
• Keep it simple. Refrain from using fancy fonts, graphics, pictures, colors, or anything that can be distracting. Your resume should stand out because of your qualifications, not for any other reason.
  
  
• Use action words to describe your skills and accomplishments. Use short, clear phrases using verbs in the same tense. Words such as "implemented" or "facilitated" sound better that "did" or worked."
  
  
• Use a readable style. Use separate headings and categories of information (education, work dates, etc.) and present them in a clear manner. Example: bold headings, capital letters, indented text, etc. Don’t make the reader search too hard for information.
  
  
• Be specific about qualifications and accomplishments. When describing your background include more than just job responsibilities, also list specific skills and accomplishments. Use actual examples when describing your background and whenever possible list quantifiable results such as dollar amounts, percentage increases, etc.
  
  
• Keep in mind who will be reading your resume. Technical and specific terminology is appropriate when dealing with someone directly in the field, but would not always be appropriate for a general human resource manager or recruiter. Use simple words and language in order to make your resume readable at all levels.
  
  
• Don’t lie about your qualifications, salary, education, etc. This needs no explanation.
  
  
• Continually proofread and edit. Try to have your resume on disk where you can make changes as needed. When working on a final draft, make sure to use spell and grammar check. Practice reading your resume and cover letter slowly, out loud, as this will often catch mistakes that the computer misses. Always have someone else read over the final draft before sending it out to potential employers.
  
  
• Use a specific "career objective" or none at all. Listing a "career objective" at the top of your resume is not always needed. If you want to list one, make sure that it is specific to the position you are seeking. Keep in mind that this can also hurt you if you want to be considered for more than one position or are not sure what type of job is best suited for you. It is better to list a "professional profile" or something similar to this in order to prevent being unnecessarily categorized. If you are looking to be a financial advisor, list financial advisor as your career objective; if you are looking for a variety of opportunities, don’t list any career objective.
  
  
• Never include salary or references unless in person. Reference information should only be offered once interest on both sides is determined. Have them typed up on a separate page to be included with your resume. Hand both to the interviewer at the beginning of the meeting. Remember to remove the "references available upon request" from the bottom of your resume, as it is now redundant. Salary should also be dealt with in person and never on the first interview. However, if you are approached with the issue, initially try to discuss a range instead of a specific number. Specifics can and will be discussed when negotiating the offer.
  
  
• Follow up with a phone call. Always and whenever you can. State your full name (first and last) and your intentions in a confident manner. If you were referred, mention your connection. Ask for an interview or at the very least a chance to follow up with another call at a later date. Respect their time but also be persistent. One call a week until they have made a decision is sufficient. THIS SHOULD GO UNDER INTERVIEWING TIPS

SOURCE: Tips supplied courtesy of All About Careers.

The information contained above is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion.

• SAMPLE FUNCTIONAL RESUME
• SAMPLE SR. CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME 

There are three types of resumes - chronological, functional, and combination. This month we are going to feature a functional resume. Following is a description of each type of resume.

Chronological Resume:Most popular and recognized format, it lists employment and education experience in reverse chronological order, with employment dates mentioned first, followed by job title and name of organization.

Functional Resume:Is organized to highlight skills and qualifications of the applicant, and puts little emphasis on time or place of employment. Best used for candidates with a varied amount of experience or those looking for a career change.

Combination Resume:Is a combination of the skills and chronological formats putting equal emphasis on both elements. The purpose is to integrate both styles. An effective method would be to describe qualifications and skills included with the traditional list of company name, job title, and employment dates.

SOURCE: Tips supplied courtesy of All About Careers.

The information contained above is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion.