by Dale Mayer
When you’re done, have a friend read over the résumé and see what impression they get from it. Do they understand what you can do? Do they see you as a qualified person for the particular job?
Remember to always keep the needs of the employer in mind.
Avoid these top mistakes
There are some common mistakes that people make when writing their résumés. Avoid:
• Lying – many people lie outright on their résumé and many others inflate their capabilities and skills. Skill inflation is also lying. Don’t do it. The employer is likely to check and you will discredit yourself with the company forever. Only put down facts and figures that you can back up with proof.
• Not checking for errors – it’s sad that a lack of proofreading is still one of the most common problems with résumés that are presented to employers. Always proofread your résumé. If you know you have problems with your English skills, have someone who doesn’t read it over. Never rely on the spell check. It can tell you if ‘was’ and ‘saw’ were spelled correctly but it can’t tell you which one belongs where. This is a common mistake as the two words have the same letters but in a different order. ‘From’ and ‘form’ are another example to watch for.
• Forgetting to include your contact information – another common mistake. Be sure to have phone numbers, address, and email address down.
• Clarity of focus – the résumé needs to show you as a solution to a problem. That means it needs to focus on the skills and achievements that you can bring to solve the problem the company needs solved.
• Highlights not shining through – you need to make the things that the employer wants to see obvious. They can’t afford to dig through your skills to see if you have what they need.
• Accomplishments not listed – too often people write a résumé listing their previous job duties. Anyone can do that. You need to list the accomplishments you achieved so that the potential employer can see what you might do for his company. It may not seem like much of a difference but it’s huge.
• Wrong email address – not wrong in the sense that they can’t reach you, but that you are still using an email more appropriate for your girlfriend or high school.
Make sure you don’t have an email address such as [email protected]. It is NOT professional. Nor is an email address along the lines of [email protected]. Make a generic email with your first and last name before you send out your résumé. Not only will you garner more respect, but you avoid having your application caught up in the employer’s spam filter if you are applying by email.
• Too long – it’s rare for a résumé to deserve more than two pages. Often one page will be sufficient.
• Too much of the wrong information – don’t let your résumé ramble on about things that don’t pertain to the position.
• Doesn’t fit the position – too often people send out résumés for jobs they aren’t qualified for with some faint hope that the recruiter must have been looking for them and not for the person they need.
2.
The Résumé style
There are several different résumé formats to use but three are the most common. As there are several different sections or building blocks that make up a résumé, the order in which you place them can make a difference.
There are a couple of basic styles that will suit almost everyone. Simplicity is always the key. If you try to add in too many design elements, you run the risk of detracting from the message you are trying to convey. If you are an artist, applying for a job in your field, then a more creative element won’t hurt you. However, a little goes a long way.
Each of these basic formats shines in their respective circumstances. Each can highlight and minimize different aspects of your experience or skills. The choice of which to use depends on each individual’s circumstances.
Remember, the goal is to win a job interview and that’s only going to happen if you take advantage of that 30 seconds of time when the recruiter reviews your résumé.
Don’t waste that opportunity.
Each type of basic résumé is discussed here as to what information to use and in what format. There are several sample layouts also included. However, the Internet is a vast resource of sample résumés. Some places to look for more samples include:
• www.resumeworld.ca
• www.hooverwebdesign.com – bottom left side has free résumé templates
• www.susanireland.com
• www.bestsampleresume.com
• www.resume-resource.com
Chronological format
The chronological résumé has become a standard amongst job seekers. It is the most preferred method for most industry professionals. Why? It’s easy to read. It gives them a fast, accurate look at your work progress, showing any and all career advancement. Remember that 30 seconds you have to catch their attention? They will not search your résumé looking for the most important information. They don’t have time. So make it easy on them and if your work record is a strong point for you, use this format as your most recent job is the first one they will see.
This is the right format if:
• Your work experience has been in the same industry showing career growth
• There are no gaps in your work history
• You have stayed in the same type of job for most of your work experience
• You are looking to stay in the same field
• You are applying for a senior position in the same type of industry
• Your last job will impress the recruiter
It’s a recommended résumé for business-type careers such as bankers, and accountants.
Example:
2002 – Present
IT Manager, Armored Enterprises
• Implemented new software system for 120 employees
• Supervised 14 employees
• Designed and maintained hardware
2000 – 2002
IT Support, Contra Corp.
• Assisted in rollout of new software for company serving 78 employees
• Handled training for new software
This format is NOT recommended if your last job is unrelated to the job you are applying for.
One of the biggest advantages of this format is that it is the most widely accepted version.
There are disadvantages to this type of format, such as:
• Emphasizes gaps in your work history
• Could give the impression of an unstable work history depending on what you put down
• Highlights work history instead of skills
The building blocks of a chronological résumé include:
1. Contact information
2. Career goal – this is optional but helpful if you have one
3. Professional Profile (also called Career Summary, Summary of Qualifications, Key Skills, etc.) – This is a summary of your accomplishments. This section is critical. List accomplishments according to the jobs you’ve held. Be sure to show any innovative changes you implemented that showed an improvement for the company – even if you did this as part of a team. If you increased sales by 22% over the previous year’s sales, then state it here. Always use figures to give your statements more impact.
4. Education – can come next or it can go after the work section. List all education, beginning with the highest degree.
5. Work history – also called Employment or Experience. If you are a student, use the latter because it is broader and covers more than paid work. If you are short on work experience, paid or unpaid, that relates to this career, then make the heading something like Transferable Skills. Be sure to list your experiences with the most recent one first and do use a list format.
6. Affiliations – list any professional memberships that pertain to the job and ones that won’t cause controversy. Don’t put down anything that might offend the recruiter.
7. Interests – list any outside hobbies or activities and interests
you have.
Headings are generally standard but subheadings can be anything you need them to be. If the regular headings aren’t appropriate then change them to fit as well.
Sample chronological format
Name
Street Address
City, State, ZIP
Phone Number / Cell Phone
Email Address
OBJECTIVE (optional)
• Use one or two sentences only
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY (optional)
• List years of experience showing relevant accomplishments
• Related special knowledge, training or certification
• Three to five sentences long
EXPERIENCE
Job Title, City (Date)
• Brief overview of accomplishments in bullet form
• Focus on the actions or end result; the solutions you found to problems
• Do not just list responsibilities or duties
• Include industry terms and keywords
• List facts and figures
• Start with action words and do not reuse the same words if possible
Previous Job, City (Dates)
The information on the second job is shorter
• Keep information relevant to the position
• Use keywords and keep it short
• Focus on the results that you created
Earlier Job Title, City (Dates)
• Put down fewer points for this job
• Keep to the most important
EDUCATION
Degree, University, City, State
• GPA (only if higher than 3.0)
• List any awards
• List any pertinent information
Next Degree
• List the second degree, if any, as per above
• Keep the information pertinent to the job
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS (optional)
• Name of association, the position held, and your accomplishments.
Sample chronological résumé
Jane Doe
No Name Street,
Wonderland, California, 33333
Cell: (333) 333-0123
OBJECTIVE
• To utilize my seven years of administrative experience to help a company reach the next step.
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
• Four years of professional experience in administration sales management.
• Computer skills in spreadsheets, word processing, and PowerPoint presentation creation.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work well with others and achieve team goals.
EXPERIENCE
1.2002 – Present China Exports, San Diego, CA
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant for two managers and three sales associates. Ensured smooth operations for team to complete sales and generate new clients. Managed expansion from two person operation to staff of ten. Collaborated to establish new routines to accommodate expansion, including clerical, database creation and updating.
4.1996 – 12. 2001 – Woodward’s, Portland, OR
Personal Assistant to Sales Manager
Assisted manager during operations with scheduling of training seminars, coordinating sales conferences. Booked events and assisted with all brochures and flyers as required.
2.1992 – 3.1996 – Ford Motor Company, San Diego, CA
Clerical staff to Sales Department
Supported sales staff as the office expanded from two sales staff to ten. Solved customer service issues, contacted and developed client lists and helped to establish database for future growth.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, 1989 – Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
Functional format
This type of résumé shifts from looking at your work history to looking at your skills and experience.
In this way it highlights your talents and accomplishments instead of your last job. It also minimizes the points that show up glaringly with the chronological format. This format is the best choice if:
• You have a spotty job history
• Your last job was in a different career than the job you are applying for or
• You have a limited job history
This is the right format if:
• You are looking to change careers
• You are attempting to return to a type of job you had previously
• You have gaps in your work history
• You have accomplishments that are not from your regular day job
• You are a recent graduate with limited work experience
• You are returning to the job market after a long absence
Example:
Computer Design
• Designed and implemented new software systems customized to large companies
• Evaluated current software systems
IT Technical Support
• Evaluated software systems and rolled out new software solutions
• Sorted and solved software incompatibilities 2000 – Present, Design Manager, Computer Solutions Inc. 1995 – 1998, – Computer Software Sales Representative, Rion Corp.
The building blocks of a functional résumé are:
1. Contact information
2. Career goal – again this is optional but helpful if you have one
3. Professional Profile (also called Career Summary, Summary of Qualifications, Key Skills, etc.) – consider this a summary of your accomplishments. This section is critical. List accomplishments according to the jobs you held. Be sure to mention any innovative changes you implemented that showed an improvement for the company – even if you did this as part of a team. If you increased sales by 22% over the previous year’s sales, then state it here. Always use figures to give your statements more impact.
4. Professional Accomplishments – this is where you will state your accomplishments. List at least three though five is better, achievements in whatever area your experience is in.
5. Education – can come next or it can go after the work section. List all of your education beginning with the highest degree.
6. Work history – also called Employment, or Experience. If you are a student, use the latter because it is a broader term and covers more than paid work. If you are short on unpaid work, or experience that relates to this career, then make the heading something like Transferable Skills List your experiences, with the most recent one first. List your accomplishments instead of writing this section out in a paragraph form.
7. Affiliations – list any professional memberships that pertain to the job and ones that won’t cause controversy. Don’t put down anything that might offend the recruiter.
8. Interests – list any outside hobbies or activities and interests you enjoy.
Like any format there are advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of this format include:
• It highlights your accomplishments.
• Focuses on skills you have learned in one industry that can be transferred to another.
• Minimizes a lack of ‘job’ experience.
For all its benefits, this format does come with a few serious drawbacks. It’s not the preferred industry format and not all recruiters will be familiar with it.
Other disadvantages of this format include:
• It doesn’t show any growth in your career.
• Recruiters don’t always see what you actually did in your jobs and may become confused.
• This résumé shows accomplishments but not when or where they took place.
Functional résumé (short)
NAME
Street Address
City, State, ZIP
Phone Number / Cell Number
Email Address
Objective (optional)
• Ideally, you want to keep this short and direct. Hold to two sentences or less and keep them directed to your career goa
ls.
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY (recommended)
• Highlight how long you’ve been doing this kind of relevant work
• Emphasize achievements
• State relevant accomplishment/skill/attributes using facts and figures
• Note any special knowledge, training, or certification
EDUCATION
• Degree, Specialization, City the institute is located, Date started – present (or year of graduation)
List 3-6 courses relevant to your objective
• Relevant projects
• Thesis
Awards
• Other education, including certificates. Only list high school if you are in your first year of post-secondary studies.
Experience or Skill
• List in this section any accomplishments that are either relevant to your job objective or taken from either paid or volunteer work that is key to the job. Try to highlight unique actions or benefits of your contribution.
Functional résumé (long)
NAME
Address
City, State, ZIP
Phone Number/ Cell Number
Email Address
OBJECTIVE (optional)
AREAS OF EXPERTISE – this is where you list experience and achievements
• Expertise and then list accomplishment
• Expertise and list accomplishment
• Expertise and list accomplishment
EMPLOYMENT
• Company Name, City, State, Start and end date
• Job Title – Accomplishments
• Company Name, City, State, Start and end date
• Job Title – Accomplishments
• Company Name, City, State, Start and end date
• Job Title – Accomplishments
EDUCATION
• Institution name, City, State, Start and end date, Degree, Diploma, Certificate
• Institution name, City, State, Start and end date, Degree, Diploma, Certificate