Resumes continue to be an important tool in a successful job search and in every job field. The purpose as any other marketing material is to get an interview with a potential employer. Of course, a resume alone won’t get you the job, but it can help get you that all-important interview. While in the past resume is probably a summary of work history, today’s it is a sales tool! Employers are interested in your skills not just your previous work experience. In fact, they want to know what you can do for them now and in the future. Take it in mind!
The basic and most important:
1) What you have done (achievements and experiences)
2) What you can do (skills and abilities)
3) What is a resume: not your life story, but yes and for sure, your toll for better self-promotion.
For the right template:
1) Make it clear and easy to read.
2) Keep in a single page and choose a font that’s easy to read (Times New Roman). Pay attention in special for the letter L (sometimes it is confused with the number 1).
3) Stick to cream, gray or white paper; keep it simple. The point here is to marketing yourself.
4) Be smart and remember that each job needs one specific resume (show for each employer what they expect most from you). It’s like your own “sells tool”.
5) Omit salary requirements
6) Proofread your resume before you send it out, and make sure your contacts as email and phone number is correct.
7) Follow instructions precisely. If the Ad says to email it, not try to call. If it says to send in the body/text of the email, not include an attachment. If there is option, prefer email instead Fax. You can send it by mail, but avoid bring it in person.
However, all formats must to include:
Name/Contact Information – At the top of your resume, clearly state your name and last name, bellow, current address, telephone number with area code and if available other alternative phone, e-mail address and website address. Suggestion: if your email address is to funk or inappropriate, is better open another email account that sounds more professional. Summary – A good summary statement encourages the reader to continue reading your resume. Highlight your strengths, skills, knowledge and achievements related to your job objective. A summary statement is important for experienced workers because it displays your major strengths. You can also add a brief statement of the kind of work you are seeking.
Industry Experience – Include relevant volunteer activities such as community service work or other achievement. In listing your accomplishments, state what you did, briefly and clearly, by using action verbs. Show the results or the impact of your achievements. Use numbers when possible. Write statements that show how you have solved problems. Include the valuable skills you acquired while raising a family, volunteering, or managing a household. List your accomplishments by area of expertise or under the jobs you’ve held.
Education and Training – List your relevant education and training in a reverse chronological order. Dates of your degree is not much necessary, but make sure to list special seminars, workshops or training that relate to your job objective. List these before your degree or formal education if they are more relevant. Additional Info Include other kinds of information, if it is relevant to your job objective. You can include information such as professional memberships, publications, community activities, military service, foreign languages, honors and awards.
Serious so, a must test
Hold your resume out in front of you about 3 feet. When you glance over it, what do you notice first, or the most? Is this what you want an employer to notice? Revise as needed!
Additional Resources
www.acinet.org/acinet/resume/resume_intro.asp# – Resume Tutorial, from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Career InfoNet.
| Type | When to use | Tips for writing |
| Chronological |
You have a steady record of employment. You've worked mostly in one field or industry. You want to stay in the same line of work. |
Include only those jobs that most closely relate to your current work goal. Don't include a very long list of jobs. List your relevant work experience in reverse chronological order. Begin with your most recent job. |
| Functional |
You're thinking of returning to a field you used to work in. You want to change careers. You have large gaps in your work history. You have extensive achievements in your volunteer work or hobbies. |
Emphasize your work objective, skills, and accomplishments. Highlight your transferable skills, the skills you can use in different settings. Leave out anything that doesn't relate to your job goal. |
| Combination |
You want to emphasize your skills and accomplishments. You want less emphasis on other parts of your employment history. |
Divide your experience into several areas of expertise. Show what you've accomplished. In this case, list your employers, job titles, and work years - briefly. |
| Modified letter or broadcast |
You're making a career change. You are reentering the job market after an absence. You want your lack of direct experience to be less visible than in a traditional resume. |
Write a one-page letter to the employer. Emphasize details about your accomplishments and skills that will help the employer meet their needs. Persuade the employer to give you an interview. Then, you can speak about how your experience really does qualify you. |
| Electronic |
You want a version of your resume that can be read by database or email technology. |
Prepare a simple, text-based version of your resume. Use no special formatting or graphics. Include 10-20 keywords from the job field Send this version when you apply for a job through a jobs bank database, or when the employer requests it. |