_A resume is one of the most important job-search tools you can have, helping you get your name and experience in front of people who make the decision to hire you. A bad resume can slam the door in your face, leaving you to wonder why you’re not getting any response._
Even if you have all the education and experience an employer could want, a poorly organized resume can lead to your future ending up in the “do not contact”? pile. These tips will help you develop a resume that stands out from the crowd.
h3. Grab the reader
Experts say a reader makes a decision about a resume in 20 seconds or less. People take more time to order coffee than that. Your resume has to break through the clutter and sell a product: you. A resume is essentially a selling tool, an advertisement for you and what you can offer a company. Focus on what you bring to the organization, your specific accomplishments and capabilities that will benefit your new company. These days, employers care more about what you can do than your previous titles.
h3. Use the right format
For years, standard resumes were written in the chronological format, with the most recent job on top. That’s changing. Employers care more about what you can do for them in the future than what you did in the past. A functional or skills-based format outlines your capabilities with less emphasis on your history. This style usually starts with a career objective or skills summary. Then list skills you have, with supporting examples from your career. If you have 10 years or more experience, a two-page resume is fine, and some people will even go to three pages. But keep it as brief as possible.
h3. Tailor it
Take the time to customize your resume for each job. It seems like a lot of work, but it shows that you understand the job and the company. Use words that appear in the position advertisement to make the connection with your skills and background. This preparation will also be useful for the interview.
h3. Use a skills summary
Start with a paragraph outlining your skills. This is different than the old-style career objective. In four to six sentences present an overview of your accomplishments, talents and skills. Fresh out of school or out of the workforce a while? Everything can be turned into a set of skills. Babysitting is customer service. Volunteering at a summer camp shows you can handle responsibility. Using e-mail and surfing the Web demonstrates basic computer skills.
h3. Use key words
Many large companies scan resumes electronically, even ones submitted by mail, for key words. Make sure your resume includes words used in the ad and ones that are common to the profession. The scanner will look for matches based on the job description. That’s one way that tailoring the resume for each position will make it stand out.
h3. Use action words
Action words and active voice show that you are a leader. Say “managed 27 customer accounts and increased revenue 10 percent each year.” Don’t say, “27 customer accounts were managed and revenue was increased 10 percent each year.” It’s a subtle difference, but active voice adds punch. You want to come across on the page as an achiever, not a corporate drone. Use action words such as generated, managed, lead, developed, initiated. Show that you know how to take charge.
h3. Be a problem solver
Show that you can overcome challenges, whether it’s increasing sales or finding a more efficient way to move boxes in a warehouse. Employers want to know how you will help them achieve their goals, and looking at the job in news ways is a highly valued trait. Use a problem-action-solution format to describe how you made a difference.
h3. Use numbers to grab the eye
Be as specific as possible: “Managed 3 people,”? “Generated revenues of $250,000,”? “Found a new vendor for lumber and saved 15 percent.”? It gives employers a concrete way to gauge your experience and your accomplishments. This can be challenging for some jobs, so count up the number of beds made in a hotel housekeeping job, or the number of customers served in a shift at a coffee shop. Think about the routine things in a job that add up to impressive skills.
h3. Don’t overshare
Skip personal information. Leave out your marital status, religious affiliation, hobbies, favorite books and TV shows. The hiring manager doesn’t need to know that you love warm macadamia nut cookies and are the president of the local “American Idol” fan club.
h3. Be honest
Don’t inflate your previous jobs. Don’t say you have a degree from a university if you only attended but didn’t graduate. If you’ve been out of the workforce a while for personal reasons, just say so. Lots of people drop out to tend to children or parents. If you volunteered or did other activities, include those skills. After all, an accomplished den mother has all the right stuff for an efficient office manager.
h3. Give it to the right people
It’s better to send out a small number of resumes to targeted companies than to scatter it to anyone who will take it. Choose a small number of companies and do research on them, on the Internet or by talking to people who may work there or have contact with the company.
h3. Prepare different resumes for online posting and mailing
A resume posted in an online job board or sent in the body of an email should be formatted very simply to avoid any problems. No bold, italics or lines. Capitalize section headings or other important items to draw the reader’s eye.
Have a plain text resume prepared to copy and paste into online applications and job boards. It saves time and reduces the chance for mistakes from retyping it over and over.
On a printed resume, use bold-face type for heading and important items. Use high-quality white or off-white paper and print with black ink. Brightly colored papers do make your resume stand out, but not in a good way.