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To
begin with, as you would for any journey, decide where you
want to go. The more specific you can make this decision,
the better. If you've been a teacher all your life and you
want to stay in teaching profession, the decision is simple;
if you want to switch to making computers, you'll need to
dig a little deeper and do some in-depth personal assessments.
Once
you've decided upon a goal, you have a resume target. This
will guide you in selecting details to highlight your skills
that match, as closely as possible, the requirements of the
type of position you want.
Next,
you need to decide what your greatest strengths and accomplishments
are — those that are relevant to the position you want
to obtain. Many people, surprisingly enough, have difficulty
recognizing their strengths and completely overlook some of
the best ones. The key to this is looking at what you do and/or
have done from the employer's point of view: How have your
actions benefited him/her?
Identifying
accomplishments is not as difficult as it sounds. Everyone
has them, and often we're unaware of them. If you've done
something in your work of which you're proud, it's probably
an accomplishment. Often, it helps to think in terms of situation
/ action / result: What situation occurred? How did you resolve
it? What was the result?
If
you can quantify the results — by using percentages,
amounts, or time frames, for instance — you'll give
your resume more authority and "punch" when an employer
reviews it.
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The
15-second rule
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When
preparing to start writing your resume, remember that an employer
is likely to spend only 15-20 seconds on an initial pass.
Your job is to capture his/her attention while encouraging
a more in-depth reading. This can be a valuable guide when
deciding what to include in the summary and what to delete:
Will it have enough impact to pass the 15-second rule? If
not, leave it out.
The
basic parts of an effective resume are:
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A strong, clean, visually appealing appearance that invites
tired eyes to read.
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A dynamic, powerful initial summary of skills that targets
the job goal.
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A strong, well written work history that highlights the
last 1-10 years; earlier positions can be included in
condensed fashion unless these skills are needed for your
current goals.
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A section detailing formal education, professional development
(workshops, seminars, or other training that relates to
your job goal), and any relevant certifications you have.
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Depending on your level or field, a table or list of specific
technical or managerial skills may be useful for a quick
scan.
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Visual
appearance |
If
you generally submit a resume that's in 8-point type, with
one-quarter-inch margins all around (a mistake often made
by proponents of the one-page myth), sit back and take an
objective look at it. Would you want to read it? Will it stand
out in a stack of resumes? Does it invite the reader to dive
in, promising well-designed, well-laid-out information in
an easy-to-read format? If not, you need to redesign it.
Use
margins of roughly 1" all around, or as near to that
as your information will allow. If you're at a mid-career
level, use a two-page goal as a rule of thumb; at executive
or highly experienced levels, you might consider a three-page
resume depending upon your history and goals.
Remember
the one-page myth: If you have a strong work history, it's
self-defeating to condense it into one page to fit an arbitrary,
outdated "standard" that doesn't present your strengths
effectively.
When
you're finished, you should have a clean, attractive, inviting
piece that will be a relief and a pleasure to read. |
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