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
© 2005 all rights reserved.
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).
Effective follow-up after a job interview is often a key... Read More
I was rushing through the white-tented terminal building at Denver... Read More
Most jobs on farms in the UK involve picking strawberries... Read More
Psychological Testing has become rampant across industries, more so in... Read More
The AIDA formula is as old as dirt. It was... Read More
Building and expanding a business is a difficult task, when... Read More
For decades, women have chaffed at the invisible glass ceiling... Read More
If you still picture a steady progression up the ladder... Read More
(excerpted from The Weekend Seminar - Skills for the 21st... Read More
Years after Disneyland was built, after the completion of Walt... Read More
These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The... Read More
Families, mothers, employers, and medical practices all interact in one... Read More
There are several ways to work from home. Some of... Read More
For many people, interviewing is not a natural act any... Read More
Q. For my second career, I'd like to know "What... Read More
Are you looking for new writing work? It can be... Read More
We naturally hesitate to tell our boss when we can't... Read More
OK. You've posted your resume online. You've sent out a... Read More
According to the National Gardening Association, suckers are rapidly growing... Read More
Sometimes a hiring process will include having lunch with the... Read More
Every day millions of people let their inner fears stop... Read More
For the person crafting their first résumé the task can... Read More
Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days.... Read More
In today's competitive job market you can't afford a résumé... Read More
What's wrong with an objective on a resume? The problem... Read More
Like all new innovations, technology in the work environment can... Read More
You've thought a lot about the kind of work you... Read More
It has been over twenty five years since I started... Read More
You are looking for a job and you are out... Read More
Whether you are networking to find a new job opportunity,... Read More
Qualifications" or "Personal Profile") uses bullets and succinct wording to... Read More
No matter how much time and energy you invest in... Read More
"What is my calling?" Do any of us really have... Read More
Career change is tough but rewardingThere are a number of... Read More
Electronic Resume Writing Tips That Boost Your Interview Appointment SuccessBefore... Read More
As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is... Read More
The increasing globalization of business has created a demand for... Read More
You've seen the commercials and web sites about starting medical... Read More
It can happen to anyone. there's a change in the... Read More
As the old saying goes, "you never get a second... Read More
A recent report, titled "The War for Talent" stated that... Read More
Legging Up Your CompetitionLet's face it. When you graduate from... Read More
Have any of these situations happened to you? Forgetting your... Read More
Many people in the last decade have experienced for themselves... Read More
So that you can decide just how critical your job... Read More
1. Start with an attractive layout. Use bold and italics... Read More
Let me ask you a question: are you tired of... Read More
Seeing your job as an honorable job, adds more meaning... Read More
Momentum as defined by Webster's is: strength or force gained... Read More
What's It All About? The field of patent law is... Read More
You're at a job interview. You're doing great, answering questions... Read More
Jobs in speech writing are amongst the most difficult to... Read More
Just about every month, there's a new research report detailing... Read More
Are you in denial about the lifelessness of your resume?... Read More
As a former human resources professional it has always intrigued... Read More
Just like the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, the "humble" cover... Read More
Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent... Read More
It seems like a good idea, harmless in fact. Your... Read More
Starting a new job can feel like moving to a... Read More
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, March 2004 had... Read More
For some job opening, employers receive hundreds and even thousands... Read More
Many people can easily write a resume in just a... Read More
Do you feel like one in a million at work... Read More
Finding a legit telecommute job can be difficult. Telecommute jobs... Read More
Creating a strong resume is a very important part of... Read More
Mystery shoppers. For some it conjures up images of private... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |