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HOW TO WRITE A JOB WINNING RESUME THAT PUTS YOURS ON TOP
Many people would love to get a better job. And most of these same people have the
proper training and skills to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, so many job hunters
have very poor communication skills. They are unable to clearly tell potential
employers about their job qualifications. In short, they do not have good job
seeking skills. In many cases, this prevents them from getting a high paying job
that they could easily do. Often, the job will go to someone who is less skilled but
who has written a eye-catching resume.
Often, job seekers have a few mistaken opinions about potential employers. They
believe that employers are able to easily separate the qualified job applicants from the
less qualified applicants. But this is likely not true. Sometimes there are from 30
to 300 resumes for the same job. So the interviewer first does a fast screening of
all the resumes to eliminate as many as possible. The "good" resumes usually
make it through the screening process. Many times the best job candidate is screened out
due to a poor resume.
In today's business world there is often many qualified applicants applying for the same
job. What if, out of all of
those who apply, one job seeker turns in a skillful resume? Who do you think stands the
best chance of getting the job? It's the one with the "best" resume, of course.
This is so often true even though some of the other applicants may be better qualified for
the job.
In order to get a good job you must communicate to the employer that you are ready,
willing, and able to do the job. So if you are capable of producing a top notch job
resume, you definitely increase your chances of getting a better job.
Virtually every potential employer will want to see a resume from
you. The resume will determine who gets a job interview. Your resume is a mini-statement
about yourself. After reading your resume the employer should have a better
"feel" for you as a person and as a potential employer. It serves to get
acquainted with the employer so that they can decide if they want to know more about you.
The resume is the first step, your introduction to an employer. First impressions really
do count. If you make a poor first impression, you'll never get to step two -- the job
interview.
To the purpose of your resume is to make a good first impression. In effect, your
resume should tell the employer that you have good abilities and are truly interested in
working. This report will help you make that good first impression. And it could very well
help you to get the better job you're looking for.
RESUME BASICS
All good resumes follow the same general basic guidelines. While there is some flexibility
in these guidelines, you don't want to stray too far from them. You want a resume that is
bold, exciting, and enticing. But not too much so. You also want a resume that is somewhat
conservative. In other words, it must be bold. Not flashy. You must show that you have
confidence in your abilities, but not sound like a braggart. You must sound eager to
do the job, but not desperate. So there is a fine line that you must walk in order to
produce the best possible resume.
You want to use intelligent language. However, you don't want to try and impress the
employer with long, flowery, or uncommon words or phrases. Use everyday language whenever
possible. Of course, if you are applying for a highly technical position, it's acceptable
to use some of the special terms used in that particular profession. But as a rule you
should keep it simple and straight to the point.
The word resume comes from the French word "resume" which means to summarize. So
the exact purpose of a resume is to summarize your experience, knowledge, and
accomplishments. Therefore, you must avoid being too wordy. Say exactly what you
mean in the least number of words possible.
The length of your resume is important. Resumes should be from 1 to 3 pages long. Don't be
tempted to make your resume longer than 3 pages, even if you have a lot to tell. Remember,
a resume is supposed to be a summary. A resume that is too long simply will bore the
reader. There will be so much material that nothing will stand out and be remembered.
RESUME APPEARANCE
The overall appearance of your resume is also important. A sloppy looking resume will
greatly lessen your chance of getting a job interview. The first thing that an employer,
or personnel manager, evaluating your resume will notice is it's appearance. There are
several different things that can be easily done to
increase the overall appearance of your resume.
The first of these appearance factors is the paper that your resume is printed on. There
are many different kinds of paper other than regular typing paper. You could make an
improvement by using a colored paper. I suggest a subdued color like brown, off-white, or
gray.
Next, you could use a better grade of paper. Go to a local office supply store and examine
the different types of writing paper. You'll notice some big differences. Pick out a nice
looking, more expensive grade of paper for your resume.
The next thing to consider is the quality of the material that is typed onto the resume.
Never use a low quality typewriter to type your resume. If necessary, rent a good quality
typewriter. Then make certain that it has a fresh ribbon in it. It's very important that
you make sure the writing on your resume looks good. This means clean, crisp, and sharp
looking letters.
Another good way to produce a top looking resume is by having it typeset. If your resume
was produced using a computer and saved on a disk, you can hire a commercial typesetter
who can use this file. Or, you can locate another computer user who owns a laser printer.
Laser printers can produce a good grade of typeset documents. The other alternative is to
find a local word processing service that can typeset your resume for you.
You can use the typeset master copy of your resume to make more copies. But be certain
that you use a top notch copying machine. Otherwise, you'll still end up with poor looking
resumes. Another alternative is to have the typesetter produce as many original copies as
you need to ensure that they all look good.
A third aspect of your résumé's appearance is more subjective. It takes into account
such things as the letter
spacing, how each section is arranged, and it's overall appearance. Some resumes simply
look better because of the way they have been designed. At the end of this report, you'll
see an example of a properly prepared resume.
Never overcrowd the resume. Leave some "white space" so that important points
can appear to pop out. Never submit a resume with handwritten corrections. You can
highlight sections of a resume by using a different typeface or size or by using
"bullets." If possible, use larger letters for the headings used in the separate
sections of the resume.
Never try to be too fancy by using wild colors, cute graphics, and so forth. Don't be
overly creative. A simple,
straightforward, factual resume will do nicely. Make it stand out, but stay conservative.
Another phase of your resumes appearance is it's accuracy. Make sure there are no
misspelled words! Mistakes will create the wrong image.
Make sure that the punctuation is correct. And make sure that all of your columns line up.
See that all of your facts are correct. Don't say you attended 3 years of college, but
only show two years worth of grades. Potential employers will note all inaccuracies and
wonder why they appear in your resume.
OPTIONAL DATA
There is a variety of personal data that may be somewhat controversial if included in your
resume. In the past it was acceptable to include all kinds of personal data, but times and
laws have changed. Affirmative Action laws have made it illegal to discriminate based on
such things as age, sex, marital status, race, religion, and so forth. Therefore, most
experts recommend against placing this kind of personal data into your resume.
Your salary requirements should not be listed in the resume, if you can avoid it. The
reason is that if you put too low of a salary, you might be paid less than the real value
of the job. If you put down a figure that's too high, you may not get considered for the
job. If an employer likes you, it may be possible to negotiate a higher salary during the
interview stage.
Another thing that your resume doesn't need is your photograph. Potential employers can
decide if they are interested in you after reading your resume. They can see what you look
like during the interview.
RESUME STYLES
There are several styles of resumes along with numerous variations. Your experience and
the kind of job you are applying for will help to determine the style of resume you use.
The two basic styles are: Chronological Resumes and Functional Skills Resumes. Some of the
variations include the main themes of business, academic, general, student, standard,
professional, or engineering.
A Chronological Resume lists work experience in reverse chronological order (the most
recent experience first). It includes some descriptive text about each position, usually
described in about one paragraph.
This type of resume offers several advantages: it is widely accepted, they are easy to
read, and they show a clear pattern of your development. The disadvantages include: it
does not highlight your major accomplishment(s), nor do they effectively show your other
skills.
Functional Skills Resumes highlight your skills and accomplishments rather than providing
a chronological record of your job history. Your accomplishments and skills are listed at
the beginning. Your job history is listed at the end of the resume.
This type of resume allows you to call attention to your achievements. The major
disadvantage is that employers may find it difficult to follow your work experience.
Many people discover that a combination of these two kinds of resumes is the best way to
go. You may want to try several different types of combinations before settling upon a
final design.
WRITING YOUR RESUME
Some specific topics that your resume should cover are:
(1) Job Objective -- lets the employer know that you are interested in a specific type of
work. This can be done in 2 or 3 sentences.
Example: work in an analytical chemistry laboratory that focuses on environmental samples.
Oversee and coordinate the activities of other lab technicians.
(2) Summary of Qualifications -- is a short paragraph that summarizes your experience and
skills. Example: I have 8 years experience working on all p samples for metals C. Used
CLIP and SW846 methods phases of analytical chemistry. Including work with a wide variety
of instruments and computers. Was second-in-command of a lab with 8 technicians.
(3) Professional Skills -- is the section where you give specific details about your
qualifications. Example:
INSTRUMENTS OPERATED
A. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer
B. Microwave Digestion System
C. Polarograph
D. Laser Fluorimeter
E. IBM Computers
ADMINISTRATION
A. Supervised 8 technicians when the Department head
was absent.
ANALYSIS
A. Waste oils for metals
B. Water and soil
(4) Work Experience -- in this section you give a one paragraph summary for each of your
previous jobs. This should include starting and ending date, reason for leaving, job title
and duties, and any special accomplishments for each of the jobs.
(5) Education -- gives a summary of all schools attended, degrees earned, and special
seminars or training courses that you have attended.
(6) Honors and Awards -- it's a good idea to list any special awards you have received.
(7) Personal -- information about your hobbies and activities should be included.
(8) Others -- professional organizations that you belong to, computer or programming
skills, articles or books published.
(9) References -- you can state something like, "references available upon
request," or list at least 3 on your resume.
It's important to include all of the basic information on your resume. But, what is also
important, is the way you say it. Don't use dull, lifeless statements. Instead use
action words. Here are some typical action words:
Accelerated, achieved, advised, approved, assisted, built,
calculated, completed, conceived, controlled, coordinated,
created, decreased, defined, designed, developed, directed,
earned, edited, engineered, evaluated, found, generated,
implemented, improved, invented, managed, operated, organized,
planned, proved, revised, scheduled, tested, trained, verified,
wrote.
These words give the correct impression that you have been responsible for do different
kinds of jobs tasks. In other words,you weren't just a follower. Of course, you should
always be truthful. Don't try to oversell yourself by claiming you did things that you
didn't do.
As you can see, a resume is really a very simple document. It is not that difficult
to produce a good resume, if you follow the simple steps outlined in this report. By
dividing it into sections it becomes a much easier job. These different sections also help
you to stay organized. If you have worked on a special project or had a lofty
responsibility on a previous job, you may want to include that in a section all by itself.
Example: "I organized a training department for AMCO Scientific and was responsible
for overseeing the production of training lessons."
Another good way to get familiar with proper resume writing techniques is to review a good
resume. There's an example included in this report. You can use it as a model. Then
produce several different resumes for yourself until you find the best possible
combinations for your specific skills. You may also want to have a friend to read your
resume and point out any problems.
UNCOVERING JOBS
Many people do not have good job hunting skills. They are not experts at locating job
openings for which they may be qualified. Here are some ideas to help you uncover those
jobs.
NEWSPAPER ADS -- usually draw the greatest number of applicants, so you'll end up
with a lot of competition. If you have no geographic restrictions, you may want to check
out of state newspapers.
Find a way to make your resume stand out so that it isn't lost among the many applicants.
Here are a couple of ideas:
(1) Send a customized cover letter with your resume.
(2) Call before you send the resume in. If possible, talk to the person who will be doing
the interview or who you'll be working for. If this isn't possible, talk to the personnel
director about the job and let them know that your resume is coming. This will help them
to remember your name and may help you get through the resume screening process.
PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES -- these are agencies that try to match employees and
employers. These agencies vary in the way they work. Some can be very helpful. Others are
somewhat unscrupulous.
Your best chance is to go with an agency that specializes in your field. Beware of
agencies that continually run the same ad because, often, they are just trying to build a
list of candidates. I recommend that you only use agencies that don't require you to pay a
fee.
TRADE JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS -- Are often the best places to look. This is one
of the primary means of job advertisement for some types of professions. Example: The
magazine Environmental Science continually carries ads for environmental professionals.
Other good places to look include: trade shows and professional conventions, personnel
offices, college placement offices, friends you have who are in the same profession as
you.
Another method is to simply go through the yellow pages and look for companies which may
need a person with your skills. Then contact these companies by phone and follow-up by
sending in your resume.
Job seeking is a skill that requires persistence. You must not become discouraged. Keep
making plenty of contacts. Sooner or later, you'll find the job that's right for you.
THE JOB INTERVIEW
Most people are nervous when they go to a job interview. However, by preparing
beforehand you won't have anything to worry about. Believe it or not, occasionally the
person conducting the interview is nervous, too!
Most interviewers will make a decision within the first 5 to 10 minutes of the interview.
There are a number of steps that you can take that will greatly improve your chances of
getting the job.
The first (and perhaps the most obvious) thing to consider is your appearance. No matter
what type of job you apply for, you should dress appropriately. A nice suit is your best
bet. Dark blue or a gray pinstripe are the best colors. Don't wear a loud tie. Make sure
all of your clothes are wrinkle free and that your shoes are polished.
Women should wear a conservative suit dress. Avoid excessive jewelry, make-up, perfume and
bright nail polish.
Interview do's and don'ts:
(1) Arrive early. If you arrive late, you'll be rushed and the interviewer may consider
you unreliable.
(2) Walk briskly, with purpose, and stand up straight.
(3) Don't smoke, chew gum, slouch, read a novel, or other similar activities while you are
waiting in the lobby. If some of the company's literature is available, read that instead.
(4) Give the interviewer a firm handshake, and don't be afraid to look him or her in the
eye.
(5) Be prepared. Carry an extra copy of your resume and academic record.
(6) Don't talk too much ... or too little.
(7) Above all, try to be natural and relaxed. Be yourself.
Questions that the interviewer may ask you include: what are your career goals? How many
sick days have you taken in the past two years? What are your strong points? Do you have
any hobbies? Why do you want this job? Tell me about yourself. What did you like most or
like least about your last job? Do you have any questions? She or he may also ask you some
specific questions that relate to equipment or procedures you'll need to use on the job.
This is a way of determining your overall knowledge and skills.
Before and during the interview ...
(1) Be positive and enthusiastic.
(2) Try to focus upon your accomplishments and achievements in past jobs.
(3) Find out as much as possible about the job duties and requirements of the position you
are applying for. This will help you to be able to ask further questions.
(4) Find out as much as possible about the company.
(5) If you are really interested in the job, let the interviewer
know about it.
(6) Questions you need to ask include: when will the job start? To whom do I report? What
would a typical day be like?
(7) Don't be too concerned about salary and benefits at first. If you are selected, they
will make you a salary offer. Toward the end of the interview you can ask about
benefits.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
There are a number of things that you can do after the interview that will make you an
even more attractive job
candidate. Here are a few tips:
(1) Write a thank you letter. If you really want the job, say so in the letter.
(2) If you have not heard anything within 8 to 10 days, you may want to call. Assure them
that you are not trying to be pushy, but that you are just interested.
If you aren't hired, you can still send a thank you letter to the company and ask them to
keep you in mind for any other similar job openings. Also, you may want to ask the
interviewer for a specific reason as to why you weren't hired. This information will help
you as you search for other jobs.
CONCLUSION
Getting a good job that you want is not always easy. There are many qualified people after
every top paying position that is available. But if you use the strategies described in
this report, you'll stand a much better chance of success. Be persistent and don't sell
yourself short. You could end up with a much better job in a very short period of time.
SAMPLE RESUME
Jerry Jobseeker
12345 Main St.
Anytown, U.S.A.
555-5555
SKILLS
Professional Skills: Experienced in operating a wide variety of analytical instruments
including, Flame and
Furnace AA, Microwave digestion, Laser flourimeter, and more.
Familiar with the full range of EPA and CLIPmethods and protocols for inorganic analysis
Expert with IBM-PC computers and have over ten years of computer experience.
BUSINESS
EXPERIENCE
1971 to 1977 Austin Powder Company, McAuthur, Ohio
Chemistry
Chemist:
Performed a wide range of chemical analysis on raw materials, finished products and
competitor's samples. Used classical wet chemistry methods.
1977 to 1982 Mead Paper Company, Chillicothe, Ohio
Mead Research
Paper Technologist:
Worked to improve paper formulations, solve problems, and improve quality using pilot
plant and mill studies. Performed a wide range of paper tests, wrote reports, and
evaluated results.
1982 to Present Martin Marietta, Piketon, Ohio
Senior Chemist:
Performed a full range of analytical methods for metals on all types of samples (soil,
water, air, waste samples). Responsible for quality control and in charge of department
supervising 14 technicians when supervisor was absent.
EDUCATION
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
BS in Chemistry, 1971
Minor: History, Math
GPA: 2.4 Concentrated in inorganic chemistry
PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETIES
1975 to Present American Chemical Society
PERSONAL DATA I am very active with a number of hobbies including: golf, gardening,
baseball, computers, and writing. I have authored a number of books about computers and
various chemical related subjects.
REFERENCES Available upon request.
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