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FOUR SIMPLE STEPS
TO BETTER RESULTS WITH YOUR RESUME |
by:
Wesley
Atkins |
Is every job description you read the same? No.
Is every job you submit your resume to the same? Of course they
aren’t.
If all these job descriptions are different, why do you submit
the same resume?
Every day, people send the same generic resume out as though each
position was identical and each employer was attempting to hire
identical skills and attributes. Too often, the results they receive
are like the broken watch that is right twice a day—hit or miss
success.
They list their name, address, phone numbers and email address,
list an objective, education, and chronology of experience with
dates of employment. The resume includes some successes or accomplishments.
This is their resume.
In the days prior to computers when changing a resume required
you to re-type different versions, this made sense. Today, when
computers allow you to customize, spell and grammar check documents
so easily, you are missing out on opportunities and costing yourself
money by being lazy and not tailoring your resume for each opportunity
you are interested in.
Here are several steps that you can do to improve your resume
and get better results.
1. Each employer will be interested in different attributes of
your experience. They often indicate it by the items they describe
in their job ad. Emphasize the experiences that you have that
relate to the skills being sought and the functions you will perform
in the job they will ask you to perform. If you are applying for
a staff position, emphasize your staff experience and minimize
your management experience. If you are being hired to be a leader,
write about your recent leadership.
2. Employers are more interested in recent work, rather than work
you did many years ago. Use more space in your resume to highlight
recent experience, rather than things you did before George W.
Bush became President.
3. Like setting a goal where you make them specific, measurable,
achievable within a specific period of time, describe your successes
or achievements concretely. Reducing costs is a nice start but
it is more powerful to describe something as reducing operational
costs globally by 2%. Increased departmental sales by 27% resulting
in . . . You get the idea. Use action verbs wherever possible
(For more on this, read my article, Preparing an Effective Resume”
on www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com).
4. Ask someone you trust to critique what you’ve written. Too
often, people believe that they can do everything by themselves
without asking for help. Ask a friend in your industry to critique
what you’ve written to insure you’re on target and aren’t missing
the mark.
When you go to a restaurant and order a meal, you have the expectation
that it will be prepared in a way that will please you and be
presented on the plate beautifully. Writing a great resume requires
that you be the chef and prepare a meal that is both visually
appealing and tastes great too!
Jeff Altman
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com
© 2005 all rights reserved.
About the author:
Jeff Altman, Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New
York search firm, has successfully assisted many corporations
identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting,
finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He
is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit
organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing
psychotherapist. For additional job hunting or hiring tips, go
to http://www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com
If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring
staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change,
send an email to him at jeffaltman@cisny.com (If you’re looking
for a new position, include your resume).
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