|
Click Here
for more Articles
|
|
|
|
FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER RESULTS WITH YOUR RESUME
|
|
by:
Jeff Altman
|
Is every job description you read the same? No.
Is every job you submit your resume to the same? Of course they aren’t.
If all these job descriptions are different, why do you submit the same
resume?
Every day, people send the same generic resume out as though each
position was identical and each employer was attempting to hire
identical skills and attributes. Too often, the results they receive
are like the broken watch that is right twice a day—hit or miss success.
They list their name, address, phone numbers and email address, list an
objective, education, and chronology of experience with dates of
employment. The resume includes some successes or accomplishments. This
is their resume.
In the days prior to computers when changing a resume required you to
re-type different versions, this made sense. Today, when computers
allow you to customize, spell and grammar check documents so easily,
you are missing out on opportunities and costing yourself money by
being lazy and not tailoring your resume for each opportunity you are
interested in.
Here are several steps that you can do to improve your resume and get
better results.
1. Each employer will be interested in different attributes of your
experience. They often indicate it by the items they describe in their
job ad. Emphasize the experiences that you have that relate to the
skills being sought and the functions you will perform in the job they
will ask you to perform. If you are applying for a staff position,
emphasize your staff experience and minimize your management
experience. If you are being hired to be a leader, write about your
recent leadership.
2. Employers are more interested in recent work, rather than work you
did many years ago. Use more space in your resume to highlight recent
experience, rather than things you did before George W. Bush became
President.
3. Like setting a goal where you make them specific, measurable,
achievable within a specific period of time, describe your successes or
achievements concretely. Reducing costs is a nice start but it is more
powerful to describe something as reducing operational costs globally
by 2%. Increased departmental sales by 27% resulting in . . . You get
the idea. Use action verbs wherever possible (For more on this, read my
article, Preparing an Effective Resume” on
www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com).
4. Ask someone you trust to critique what you’ve written. Too often,
people believe that they can do everything by themselves without asking
for help. Ask a friend in your industry to critique what you’ve written
to insure you’re on target and aren’t missing the mark.
When you go to a restaurant and order a meal, you have the expectation
that it will be prepared in a way that will please you and be presented
on the plate beautifully. Writing a great resume requires that you be
the chef and prepare a meal that is both visually appealing and tastes
great too!
Jeff Altman
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com
© 2005 all rights reserved.
About the author:
Jeff Altman, Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York
search firm, has successfully assisted many corporations identify
management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales,
marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of
the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men
with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist. For additional job
hunting or hiring tips, go to http://www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com
If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or
if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to
him at jeffaltman@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position,
include your resume).
Circulated by Article Emporium
|
|
