According to a number of surveys,
poorly executed resumés are stifling the career
opportunities of many employment seekers.
One survey of 200 Florida students
and assorted job seekers found that 90% didn't think their
resumés represented them as well as they could. One major
employer in the area suggested that 85% of the resumes they
viewed did not measure up to their quality standards for an
interview. These types of statistics are repeated all over
North America.
Here are Five Helpful Hints for
Creating a Winning Resumé.
1. Always have a job objective.
The first line of your resumé should
state the position you are seeking. Your objective shows an
employer that you are focused in your career goals and know
exactly what you want.
2. Use powerful action words.
One of the most effective ways to
impress an employer is by describing the work you've done
with strong action words. For example, instead of saying you
were "responsible for" a department (passive), say you
"managed" that department (active). Some of the strongest
words to use on a resumé are: managed, developed, authored,
negotiated and conceptualized.
3. Use bullets generously.
This is how you catch an employer's
eye instantly. When you use bullets to highlight your
qualifications, achievements and capabilities, you force
him/her to read them. Bullets also break up bodies of text,
creating more white space and making your resumé more
visually appealing.
4. Be focused and selective.
Apply for only one job at a time in
your area of interest and make sure your resumé includes all
the information that supports your job objective.
"Shot-gunning" (sending out multiple résumés to multiple
employers) wastes your time and theirs.
5. Call an expert.
When you don't have the inclination
or time to write your own resumé, call a professional. What
they can see in your experience and education will typically
be broader than your subjective perceptions, and will more
accurately represent your total profile than your limited
view. This can translate into a Powerful, Winning Resumé for
you.
Maurice Turmel PhD has an
established background in Resume Preparation, Cover Letter
writing and Interview Coaching. Knowing what Hiring Managers
want comes from 25 years experience as a therapist/counselor
overseeing dozens of corporate and government Employee
Assistance Programs and dealing directly with their Human
Resources Departments. Curriculum Vitaes, Professional and
Executive Resumes are specialty areas.
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