What is a resume after all? It's an advertisement for the best product you own - yourself. It is a well-thought out marketing piece that convinces people that you have what it takes to succeed in the job they're offering. And it is so easy to read and looks so good, that interviewers can't help but ask you in for the interview. You have to do all the work once you get to the interview - but your resume opens the door to that meeting. In essence, a resume is an up-to-date record of your accomplishments, and it can establish you as a professional person with high standards and excellent writing skills.
The wonderful part about creating a new resume or simply rewriting one is that it allows you to create your future. You can choose the skills to highlight and leave out the ones you don't want to - even if you happen to do them well. And you can focus on your accomplishments and where you want to go, instead of looking for a repeat of what you've already done.
TAKING THE STEPS TO WRITE A POWERFUL RESUME
* Choose the kind of job/field that you think you want to go in.
* Find out what skills, knowledge, and experience needed to be successful in that target job.
* Make a list of your 2, 3, or 4 strongest skills or abilities that would make you a good candidate for the target job.
* For each key skill, think of several accomplishments from your past work history that illustrate that skill.
* Describe each accomplishment in a simple, powerful, action statement that emphasizes the results that benefited your employer.
* Make a list of the primary jobs you've held, in chronological order. Include any unpaid work that fills a gap or that shows you have the skills for the job.
* Make a list of your training and education that's related to the new job you want.
* Choose a resume format that fits your situation-either chronological or functional. [Functional works best if you're changing fields; chronological works well if you're moving up in the same field.] Though, most interviewers are accustomed to reading chronological resumes.
TYPES OF RESUMES
Since each individual possesses a unique set of talents, skills, abilities, experience, and training, there is no one format best for everyone. There are many, many formats, but they are all variations of three basic categories:
1. Chronological
The chronological format - with a summary of qualifications - highlights relevant skills to the reader, thus enhancing your first impression and making relevant skills less likely to be missed in a quick screening.
The chronological format works well if your past employment meets several criteria, including:
* Your work history is directly related to the type of job for which you are now applying, and ideally shows progressive responsibility in a specific career direction.
* The years of experience you have falls into an appropriately marketable range.
* You are presently employed and/or a student.
* The industry or type of organization where you worked in the past is similar to that for which you are now applying.
* Your length of employment at each position falls into an acceptable range.
Reverse Chronological Resume Format
This is the traditional style resume that lists your professional experience chronologically, starting with your most recent position. The majority of resumes are written in this format, and this is also the format most employers are accustomed to seeing. This style is particularly effective in the following cases:
* You have professional experience in the field of interest.
* You can demonstrate measurable results from their work activities-for example, "Marketed department events, resulting in 50% increase in attendance."
* You've held impressive job titles, and/or have worked for big-name employers.
2. Functional
The functional format presents qualifications that support your current employment objective by focusing on your skills and experiences without showing your work history. A functional format may also show a brief work history at the end of the resume, but without job descriptions and accomplishments.
The functional format gives you greater control than a chronological format over the way in which skills, experience, and training are presented. That is why this format is appropriate for those whose current employment objectives are completely unrelated to their work history.
This format is often used in the following instances:
* Recent graduates who don't have a lot of professional experience in their field, but DO have relevant coursework or training.
* You want to emphasize skills you have that haven't been used in recent work experiences.
3. Combination
The combination format combines the features of the chronological and functional formats. It allows you to focus more thoroughly on your marketable skills and qualifications first and foremost before presenting your employment history. In almost all instances, the combination format is a better choice than a straight functional format.
The combination format is also a better choice than the chronological format with a summary of qualifications if your most recent work history is not directly related to your current employment objectives. Here you can focus more completely on your relevant functional skills, training, and accomplishments before presenting your employment history.
Remember....you decide which will work best for you and your particular needs. If your school has a certain format that you have to use, you may not have much choice in the matter, but you can certainly have more than one version of your resume, especially if you are applying for very different kinds of jobs.
RESOURCES
- Learning Point – http://www.learningpt.org/ Learning Point Associates applies research and evaluation, direct professional services, and policy knowledge to create change at every level of the education system—classroom, school, district, state and national.
- Professional Development Institute – http://www.webteaching.com/ The Professional Development Institute offers quality online courses for K-12 educators. For every PDI course, teachers have the option of earning graduate-level extension credit from the prestigious University of San Diego (USD) or continuing education units from the world-renowned University of Southern California (USC).
- Resume’s That Win – www.resumesthatwin.net Resumes That Win is a minority owned boutique resume writing firm that provides comprehensive resume and career services to those who desire extraordinary, specialized attention.
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