I am a professional resume writer. Nevertheless, I do believe
that you can write your own resume. It would be false to assert
otherwise. Not even a professional resume writer should deny you
the challenge, if you are up to it.
I
also offer resume help of another form. I teach people how to
write resumes. I teach career coaches who sometimes lack the expertise
required to craft a compelling resume.
I
believe - in fact, I am certain - that a resume is one of the
most important documents of your professional life. It impacts
the jobs you get, your career path and your salary. And that is
just the beginning.
When
considering whether to seek out professional resume writing assistance,
keep in mind some basic key facts regarding a resume. Then you
can make an informed decision. The question shouldn't be whether
to hire a professional resume writer. Instead ask yourself: How
can I get the best resume possible?
It's
essentially a marketing device. It's a biography too, but a very
special one: brief and almost all highlights.
Think
of it as an argument. Your thesis is: I am the person to hire.
I'll give you the best payoff. The entire nature of the resume
flows from that.
Here
are basic guidelines:
Tailor
the resume to the audience. One size won't fit all, here or with
any marketing device. To persuade-in fact, to communicate effectively
at all-you must shape the message to the recipient. So adapt your
resume to the position and company. Go back through past jobs,
highlight accomplishments that are relevant to the employer, and
prune back those that aren't. For instance, while you would normally
omit the person you reported to, include it if you know it will
interest the company. Whatever you do, don't create a archeological
resume, by simply layering new jobs and achievements atop the
old ones. Be flexible.
Focus
on your benefits to the company, not yourself per se. See yourself
from the company's perspective. Ask yourself what you'd look for
if you were hiring. Sell the scent, not the rose.
Highlight
your accomplishments, not your titles and duties. Why? Anyone
can warm a chair. And many people carry out their duties in a
perfectly respectable way. But you are competing and you must
stand above others.
Suppose
you can say one of the two below:
1.
Was responsible for managing supply chain and allocating store
space.
2.
Increased operating profit by 38.4%. Improved the return on invested
capital 42.5% by streamlining supply chain and exiting unprofitable
product areas.
As
an employer, whom would you prefer?
The
first approach describes the baseline of the job: the obligations.
It indicates the minimum to keep the job. But it says nothing
about how much you exceeded that minimum, or whether you even
met it.
The
second highlights performance. It reveals how well you did the
job. And that's what matters.
There
are other key differences between the two. The second describes
benefits to the company. It is active, and its tone suggests that
you will be a dynamic executive. It is also more specific and
informative.
Your
most important accomplishments can have greater meaning and even
dramatic interest if phrased as: problem, action, resolution.
It's one thing simply to say you increased operating profit 35%.
It's another to say that the company was facing a crisis, revenues
weren't increasing, and you solved the problem. You underscore
the impact-and engage the reader.
As
much as possible try to provide a result at the bottom line. Some
results are simply milestones on the way, and you want to focus
on the end benefits.
Don't
overdo it. If you describe your accomplishments in excess detail,
the resume can become tiresome. You can also appear to be laboring
too hard to prove yourself and the resume can suggest poor communication
skills. Ironically, it can imply that you are not effective.
When
you sit down to write your resume, or when you place a call for
some professional assistance, keep in mind that it's the end result
- the best possible resume - that matters most. Then you will
be ready to make the right decision.
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