Resume Writing
Here are some essential tips for
resume
writing.
Things to remember when compiling a resume:
- Resumes screen OUT
more
people than they help.
- Resumes should
outline
experiences and skills, not opinions.
- More information is
better
than less - do not assume that people know anything about you, your
company
or the positions that you hold. Too many people write a resume as if
they
are giving it to their current employer and thus they use company slang
and
terminology and fail to describe the company and the position.
- Your resumes won't
get
you a job - it will only help to get you the interview. After you get
to
the interview, it's up to you. A resume will not replace networking,
interview
skills, phone skills, or an aggressive approach to your job search.
Suggested Resume Outline
Length -
if
you have more than 5 years experience you should have at least a 1-1/2
page
resume. DO NOT follow the one-page rule of resume writing that so many
people
seem to follow. However, a resume should be no more than 3 pages.
Content - you should have an outline that has the
following
information:
- Printing a
resume
- Most companies prefer resumes emailed to them
and look upon mailed resumes as "old school". We suggest emailing
the
resume either within your email message or as an attached document
file.
Avoid fancy over-flaps, folding pages, and duplexed pages (copy on both
sides).
- Top of resume
- Your name, address, phone number (work and home), and e-mail (a
must!).
- Summary of
Experience
- summarize your experience, key qualities and abilities, and companies
in
a short 2-3 sentence summary at the top of your resume. For example,
"Sales
and Marketing executive with 13 years sales and marketing experience in
the
consumer packaged goods industry with companies like Procter &
Gamble,
Frito-Lay, and Coca-Cola. Strong skills and experience in customer team
leadership,
category management strategy development, and account management."
- Work Experience
- list experience by chronological order (most recent first). List
company
and location, position title and location, a description of the
company,
description of the position (responsibilities), and bullet point a list
of
major results and how you achieved the results. Example:
|
COMPANY NAME
Director of Sales and Marketing, Chicago, Illinois |
(1988-present) |
Reporting to
the Vice
President of Sales of this $7 billion consumer products marketer of
<list major brands> products, lead a
$300
million, 200 person organization. Responsible for the customer team
leadership,
deploying category management, training and development of the
organization,
and running a full profit center.
- Built shipments and share average 22%
in the
last 3 years.
- Led category management programs with
major
retailers like Walmart, Target, and Kroger.
- (List 4-5 key results with how you
achieved
the results)
|
|
- Education
- list all degrees achieved. If you are in an MBA program, list the
targeted
graduation date. If you have an MBA from a top 25 school, you may want
to
consider putting the Education information after the Summary of
Experience.
- Personal
Information
- you want to list community activities, organizations that you lead,
hobbies,
etc. For example, if companies look for an energetic person, listing
your
hobbies as running and skiing may show that you have high energy.
|
