Components of a GREAT Resume

Understanding the components  of an effective resume is an important part of this MAHER Associates Process. The first two keys (of three) of effective career transition are the basis of an effective resume.

1)  Plan and act "outside of the box" created by traditional thinking.  Think of your resume as the written reflection of your communication strategy.  This is the most valuable time that you will invest during your career: becoming aware of and dynamically assessing your strengths, in order to be prepared for two of the most asked questions in the world of work: 

• "Tell me about yourself" and...

• "What brings you to me and why do I need your services?"

2) Always communicate yourself in a positive, future-oriented manner.  Instead of a historical epitaph of your past, this chart encourages you to communicate what you are capable of and motivated to do in the future, using your past as supportive evidence.  

Put your best foot forward !!!  Remember, you will be screened for experience, but hired for your potential.  

Its easy to make a resume look and read well... but does YOUR resume truly "FIT" your career objectives?   A "GREAT" Resume is a dynamic documentation of your communication strategy, the vital epicenter of your Personal Market Plan.  It is the most used of your written collaterals.  It can be kept current throughout your career with annual (or more frequent) Career "FITness Tests.

An effective resume should always contain the following components:

• Contact information

• A SUMMARY

• Your PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Evidence of your PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CONTACT INFORMATION

YOUR NAME... Use the name you would like in your employment records, usually your full, given name.

ADDRESS... Use the address that you would like to direct correspondence to, usually your home address.

PHONE NUMBER... Use the numbers to which you'd like to direct calls: During working hours (O), usually your home number or voice mail... or at night (H), usually  your home number (please note the implied decision, here).

ALTERNATE CONTACT... In today's world of work, fax, email and cell phones have increasingly become our best way to stay available and "in touch".  Being available 24 X 7 can be an important dimension of your positioning.  After all, you want potential employers and network contacts to be able to reach you, right?

SUMMARY

The traditional approach is to clearly state your objective... "Thinking outside the box" allows you to give them the information they need, but in a manner that favors your candidacy: CLEARLY Position yourself to create the category that you may "fit" for their consideration, then define that positioning with a well-thought out background summary of key words and strengths that will "fit" their needs.  Key word selection is the critical step in this chart!

With "no time to read" your entire resume,  the hiring-side process is set up to screen unwanted resumes based on key words and strengths, typically referred to as "buzz words".  Its imperative that you select attractive buzz words to facilitate your making it through the maze called the screening process (human or electronic).  

Think of your qualification summary, no matter which format you may select, to be the "table of contents" for the rest of your resume content, selecting your work experience examples (accomplishment statements) to make your resume content "fit" your career objective... with no excess baggage!

No single format could possibly "fit" everyone's unique positioning, so select a format which is favorable to your career objectives.  Remember, put your best foot forward !  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

The traditional approach is to provide a look at what you can do based on what you have done, the historical epitaph.  In a GREAT RESUME, however, you'll be presenting your qualifications based on actual job history--selectively presenting your accomplishments to support your unique positioning. 

This component usually represents the bulk of your resume's content, so you'll want to keep it "reader-friendly" while allowing yourself adequate space to "tell your story", with no excess baggage!  If you are starting from scratch or simply updating an existing resume, be sure to cover your entire career in your resume's rough draft. You can always edit for length later.  Each "job history block" should carry the following information:

1. Company Name

2. Brief description of the job:  Could be as simple as a job title -or- a sentence or two describing the size and scope of a management position.

3. Dates of employment (could be several employment blocks under any one company name)

4. Bulleted accomplishment statements, giving examples of performance (that "fit" your career objective story).

GO TO MORE on effective accomplishment statements

Choose either a reverse-chronological, functional or combination approach to present your material.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The traditional approach is to use "EDUCATION" as the heading for this component.  However, how you have learned what you do (your profession), been recognized for it and have chosen related affiliations within your profession, all are a part of how your career has developed. Consider:

1. Accredited degrees with the most significant in the first position (showing major if related to your profession).

2. Professional Schools, including related military training.

3. Company and vendor training events related to your profession.

4. Licenses, certifications and other "credentials" related to your career objectives.

5. Affiliations... be careful, here, with organizations that expose your ethnic, religious or political views.

Note:  If you are well qualified and experienced in a body of knowledge that supports your work, ie computers and the Internet, you may want to consider a separate "SKILLS INVENTORY" in this component, or as a part of your Qualification Summary. Again, remember to put your best foot forward.  

Most "career transition workshop" manuals have excellent chapters that accelerate your preparation for drafting an effective resume.  It is important that you access and/ or are aware of your career objectives, profession, positioning and the supportive key words and strengths.  So if you are starting from scratch, or updating an old resume, start with the preparation section of this site before proceeding with your resume drafting.  Your preparation will also help you decide what you want to do next in your career.

Many of you already have a reasonably well worded, and formatted, current resume.  However, if you are uncertain how well your resume "fits" your objectives, you may want to revisit the preparation issues before proceeding with resume drafting. Remember... FIT HAPPENS ! An effective resume will help you assure a good fit with your next employment.

Waypoints...

Understanding Career FIT 2) Components of an effective resume  3) Preparation: awareness and assessment  

4) Resume Drafting

  For MORE INFO e-mail your thoughts and questions to the careerpilot.