Writing resumes right

005

Dear Joan:
How do I put together a resume so that an employer will take notice? I'm thinking of having my resume done by a professional who knows the correct format and approach. I haven't ever had to write a resume because I've worked at the same company in various positions for nine years.

What do you think of resume-writing firms? How can you tell the good from the bad? What do you consider a reasonable fee?

Answer:
Your resume is one of the aspects of your job search over which you have complete control. If yours gets passed over - because of lack of careful attention to the basics - it's your own fault.

No matter how long you spent sweating over it, rewriting it or asking others to critique it, chances are your resume won't get more than a minutes or two of consideration by an employer. And if you haven't taken great care to create a professional, well organized and easy-to-understand image of yourself, those are the last few minutes the employer will spend on you.

So how can you capitalize on that flash in time when the interviewer is scanning your resume?

Let me ask you this: How do you respond to poorly written advertisements you read in newspapers or magazines? Will you read beyond several spelling errors or poor grammar? Will you struggle to read through long-winded sentences, exaggerated claims, crowded space or endless detail?

Of course not. There are too many well-written ads for comparable products that are easy to read and understand, that appeal to the eye and intellect, and that sell directly to your needs.

The following suggestions provide some guidelines on how to write a resume that will appeal to the eye and the needs of the employer.

People who have poor writing skills can profit from outside help on a resume. But a good resume demands that you put a lot of time and serious thought into deciding what should be said about your goals and accomplishments. Otherwise, you may be throwing your money away on a slickly prepared resume that most experienced interviewers will spot and pass over in an instant.

Employers want to know who you are, how you think and what you can offer. The way you organize your thoughts and lay them out in resume form is actually a sample of the kind of work you can do. Don't be tempted by the "easy" way out. Chances are it won't work.

Besides, by writing your own resume you will be forced to analyze yourself. This will be invaluable in interviews and throughout the job search.

The "correct format and approach" you mention is largely a matter of personal opinion. For each situation there may be a slight variation in approach, but by and large some basic rules apply.

Use a quality bond paper for both your resume and cover letters in white, cream or ivory. Standard 8-1/2-by-11 paper is appropriate. However, if you are in the top executive bracket, the "monarch" size (slightly smaller than standard) can be used for your cover letters.

Hire a typist with a quality typewriter. I recommend a secretary you know who would like to make some extra money. Professional typists can be expensive, and you may want to have many letters and several versions of your resume typed. (Someone with access to a word processor is ideal, since he or she will be able to make variations in each piece of correspondence to your specifications without starting from scratch each time.)

A crisp, clean, business-like type is absolutely essential. Under no condition should you mimeograph or photocopy your cover letters or resume -- if you do, you may as well sign your name in crayon.

Keep it to one page -- two if you absolutely must. You can conserve space by staying brief and to the point. Cut out all unnecessary words. Include only relevant information that is directly tied to your ability to work for the company to which you're applying.

Personal Data
Usually name, address and phone number will do, across the top of the page. Omit your grammar school, birthdate, height, weight, spouse's name and number and names of children. They are all unnecessary, and may even work against you.

Objective
This is optional. Be careful here. Unless you know exactly what you want to do, this may be either too general and meaningless or too limiting. If you are targeting for a specific job for a specific company, by all means state it as your objective.

Summary
This can be a good approach if your past experience appears to build progressively with each successive promotion and you are ready to move to the next logical level. For instance, "Offering nine years of results-oriented, progressive responsibility in..."

Work Experience
In your case, I would use a chronological format. That is, list your most recent work experience first, with dates clearly indicated. Give this section about two-thirds of the space in your resume. Spend the most time on this part because it is where the employer will spend the first two minutes.

Underneath the underlined company name and address, treat each position you had as if it were for a separate company. Underline the title and indicate the dates during which you held the position. Under that give a brief description of your responsibilities and two to four accomplishments under each position. Avoid the pronoun "I". Instead, try to start as many sentences as possible with an action word. For example:

"Acme Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio
Assistant Controller, 1980-1983: Responsible for entire accounting function, including cost, budgets, statements and systems. Established system of job cost analysis that changed product pricing and improved profits by an average of 7%. Investigated potential acquisitions and recommended two which were subsequently purchased."

(Notice that the above had sentences starting with action words which briefly outlined the responsibilities and included two accomplishments).

Education
Because you have been out of school for a while -- and I'm assuming your education is not as important to the position as your job experience -- I suggest you list it after the Work Experience section. Only mention your higher education background, and start with the highest level. Include the subject in which you majored and date of graduation (omit date if you didn't graduate). Also briefly mention any honors attained or any business-related training or special licenses. Leave out any brief seminars. They can be worked in during the interview.

References
"Business and personal references provided upon request," is all you need to say here. Never list them or say anything about salary.

To give your resume eye appeal and encourage the employer to read more, I recommend the wise use of empty space. Cluster several short, related points together and use "*," a bullet point, or dashes to indicate subpoints (the same techniques advertisers use to draw your eye down the page).

After you have thoroughly checked your resume for errors, take it to a copy center and have it run off offset. You may need to bring your own heavy bond paper.

You may want more than one resume if you are applying for several different jobs. In each case highlight the aspect of your work experience that relates best to each position.

Robert Half suggests in his book, "The Robert Half Way to Get Hired in Today's Market": "A resume that is doing what it's supposed to do will (1) show that you contribute to whatever job you take; (2) show, implicitly, that you are organized, ambitious and goal-directed; and (3) convey an overall image of you that says to the person reading the resume that you deserve a closer look."

If you illustrate your experience by using accomplishments, use a readable and organized format, and have it professionally typed and printed, your resume will do what it's supposed to.

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions?  Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd?  Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You’re Worth on a New Job (Detailed, special report)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, special report)
The Resume that Gets Results and the Interview that Gets the Job (37 page, detailed instructions)