My Blog

If your résumé isn’t winning interviews for your dream job, it might be time for a rewrite.

Before you even sit down in front of the computer, consider the type of job you want. Think about the skills you want to use daily, and then determine two or three job titles that encompass them. Also, determine the type of company you want to work for–small or large, private or public–and the preferred industry.

“If you don’t have that in mind, you can’t focus and present the information that will get you there,” says Louise Kursmark, an executive résumé writer and author of several book on résumés. “Everything should be filtered through that lens.” Leave items out that don’t pertain to your desired position.

1. Know your objective.

Before even sitting at your computer, think about the type of job you want and what type of company you’d like to work for. Also consider the type of skills you want to use regularly. Once you’ve got that vision clear, note your experiences and accomplishments that best fit that objective. Don’t include items that take you from meeting that goal.

2. Start with a summary.

Start with an “objective” if you don’t have much job experience and it isn’t clear from past history the type of position you’re looking for. Otherwise, open your résumé with a summary that describes the type of work you want to do and who you are in terms of experience. This summary should just be a few sentences long–three to four at most.

3. Focus on your accomplishments.

When describing past work history, don’t list every single thing you do at work. Instead give a two or three line description of your job and then focus on your accomplishments. This is what sets you apart from other applicants who have the same job title. Things to mention include securing additional clients, surpassing sales goals, coming up with a winning pitch or winning an award.

4. Length And Format

It doesn’t matter if your résumé runs longer than a page. But if it is, make sure it’s interesting. As for layout, make sure it’s clear and readable in 10 seconds. Keep paragraphs and bullet points short–about two to three sentences. Also, only highlight words that you want to get noticed. Impressive job title: Highlight that. If your company was more impressive, highlight that instead.

5. Use keywords.

This is especially true in this age of e-mailed résumés. Examine five to 10 job ads in your field and look for adjectives that are repeated when describing the successful candidate. Sprinkle those words throughout your résumé.

6. Recent Graduates

If you’ve just graduated, list relevant coursework near the top in an education section. Also, if you’re going into a professional services industry and you have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, include it. If you worked to put yourself through school clerking at the mall or at a restaurant, mention that. It shows initiative.

7. Actively Search

Your résumé won’t get you the job alone. Talk to people in the field about opportunities and the type of job you want. With the holiday season quickly approaching, this is an ideal time for networking since there are lots of parties to attend. Use every invite as an opening into the world of networking. Collect business cards and stay in touch with folks who are in the know about jobs.

The next step is easy: contact info. This might seem obvious, but recruiters report that an alarming number of job applicants don’t put their contact information in a prominent location. Many recommend putting it at the top of the résumé. Include your address, e-mail and phone number. “I find some in the bottom of the résumé or not in the cover letter,” says Diane Borhani, head of U.S. campus recruiting at Deloitte & Touche. “It’s too much work to search, so we go on to the next résumé.”

If you’re just starting your career and don’t have much job experience, include an objective section at the top. For example: “A position as an account executive with a consumer products firm.” For those with more than a year in the workforce, a summary is more appropriate. It’s broader than an objective–it states what you are looking for and who you are. It might say, “Account executive with a track record of improving business and proven skills in sales.” In other words, it’s a snapshot of your professional accomplishments.

Speaking of accomplishments, they are what you should focus on in the job history section. It’s fine to include a few lines about what you did at work, but the bulk of material should include the things you did that made you stand out. Did you secure several new accounts? Did you have work published? Try to make yourself stand out from other applicants.

“Recruiters know what you do because of your job title,” says Kursmark. “Instead of listing your daily tasks, talk about what you did that made your company better or your department more successful. Talk about the unique things you did, so your résumé will not be the same as someone who has the same job title.”

The résumé’s length is a source of conflict. One thing holds true: If the résumé exceeds two pages it better be worth it. Don’t ramble on–the idea is to keep the résumé clear and concise. If your job title is impressive put it in bold. If it’s not, but the company you worked for is, put that in bold. The rule of thumb: Only use bold for things you want to stand out. Under the title and company name, use bullet points to explain what you accomplished.

Use keywords–buzzwords–to describe your accomplishments and roles. Not all keywords are the same for all jobs. Therefore, examine five to 10 of the job listings you’re applying for and highlight repeated words. Some common words include “leadership,” “team player” and “self-starter.” Then sprinkle those words throughout your résumé.

For those just starting out in the work world, Deloitte’s Borhani recommends putting your education section first. List related coursework to the type of job you’re seeking, and include your GPA if it’s a 3.0 or higher. (Explain if it’s cumulative or not.) Also, if you worked to put yourself through school mention that–it shows initiative. Don’t mention every waitressing or store clerk position you had from high school and beyond. Only include it if you progressively gained more responsibility.

Borhani’s bottom line résumé advice: “Keep it short and sweet.”

Article from Forbes.com posted on AOL.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 11th, 2008 at 9:09 am and is filed under Career Building. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.