How to Write an Effective Resume
The presentation of an effective resume is a crucial factor in impressing
employers of today. In many cases, having a poor resume can mean no job
interview. There's tremendous competition in today's job market, only the best
resume will land you the job.
Your resume should present your job
qualifications in a detailed and truthful manner. Your resume should be uniquely
focused on qualities that highlight your individual strengths. An organized
resume allows the employer to quickly scope the applicant's potential for
contribution to the company. Time is associated with efficiency. A resume that
seems the slightest bit confusing, will likely not be read.
There are
three types of professional resumes most often used today: work history,
focused, and competency cluster. Each resume should be considered. Then the job
applicant should choose the resume type that most aligns itself with his or her
profession. For instance, the college graduate fresh out of school with no work
experience would not choose the work history type resume to make the best
impression on an employer or interviewer. Rather, the focused or competency
cluster resume should be used to turn attention to qualities that the new
college graduate can bring as assets to the company.
Work History
Resume
The work history resume essentially chronicles jobs and
experience. These are often most effective when applying for jobs where it is
posted that experience is a must to be considered for the position. This resume
is more traditional in format. Name, address, telephone number, and email
address constitute the beginning. Sections should follow that are labeled as
Overview, Employment, Education, and Professional Organizations, if there are
any.
Heading Suggestions
Information that best promotes the
person's qualifications for the job should be listed relative to each section on
this resume. Suggestions and explanations for the various headings
follow:
- Overview - A brief sentence stating the main goal of the
applicant, perhaps as it relates to the person's qualifications. An overview
statement is optional.
- Competencies - A listing of skills such as the
ability to run certain computer programs, do desktop publishing, teach a class
on a given subject, conduct research in certain areas, etc.
- Abilities -
Short bulleted statements listing past training, experience (doing certain
skills, not a listing of employers), committees served on, leadership positions,
etc.
- Achievements - Short statements listing certifications, honors,
specialized training (honors classes,) awards, staffing positions of merit,
etc.
- Work History - List of jobs beginning with the most recent. Dates
should be given. It is acceptable to list the years only without the exact
months and days.
- Education - List of degrees, beginning with most
recent one attained.
- Professional Organizations - List of
profession-related affiliations and organizations in which membership is
held.
The Focused Resume
The focused resume targets
capabilities and achievements in such as way as to aim at a particular job or
employment field. The purpose is to bring attention to specialized training,
education, and/or experience that are related to the job to which one is
applying. Sections of the resume should be arranged with name, address,
telephone, and email address at the top, followed by headings that are labeled
as Abilities, Achievements, Work History, and Education. Another section can be
added near the end of the resume where professional organizations may be listed.
If there is little work history, membership in professional organizations can
show a positive commitment to the field.
The Competency Cluster
Resume
The competency cluster resume is similar to the focused resume in
highlighting abilities, but it differs in that its purpose is more general. The
competency cluster resume centers around general talents and qualities that show
the ability to function in a variety of areas, thus making the crossover to
several jobs that utilize those skills a possibility. This resume should also
start with name, address, telephone, and email. Content sections should have
headings of Overview, Competencies, Work History, and Education. As with the
focused resume, Professional Affiliations may be listed at the
end.
Qualities and attributes listed on a resume should be viewed as
products to be sold to the employer. Your talents are assets and must be
presented in the light of how they will contribute to the good of the
company.
Your resume should consist of standard formatting, including the
use of sections separated by spaces created by use of one or two returns on the
keyboard, is advisable. Pages should not be cluttered with
writing.
Resumes that are easy to read, clear, concise, and to the point,
are welcomed by employers. Elaborate explanations that are time-consuming to
read should be avoided, as well as unnecessarily long words, sentences, and
paragraphs.
Negative subjects that might not present qualifications and
assets in the best light should not be brought into focus on a
resume.
The acceptable length of the average resume today is one or two
pages. An exception to this rule is made for professions associated with
publication. Examples are authors who list books, musicians who list published
song titles, and scientists who list published research.
Your personal
goals and objectives on a resume can be tailored to fit the job under
consideration.
Your achievements listed on your resume will speak for
themselves, you don't have to sugar coat.
Your references should be
prepared for the employer if he or she requests them, but many resumes do not
list references today. Your references should be made aware that they may be
contacted by an employer ahead of time.
Above all, it is important that
the resume be professional. The resume is the first sample of the applicant's
work that a potential employer will likely see.
