By Brent Ryan
A resume is your sales tool for getting a job. It may be the only contact you have with a company. Therefore, it must draw intention and interest to your background; and, ultimately, get your an interview. A good resume should also include a cover letter, which updates the employer on your current situation. There are several other key elements that make for a good resume.
Length and Format
Try to keep your resume limited to two pages if possible. This may be impossible if you have 20 or more years of experience. However, the key is to pare it down so the employer can scan it. This may entail cutting some of the wording for earlier jobs. The best resumes usually summarize key aspects of each job in a couple sentences. Bullets points are then included for specific duties, which are easier to read. Also, keep your margins limited to about 1-inch all around, according to QuintCareers.com. And use 10- or- 11-pt. print. Print names of companies, job titles and dates in bold. And use high quality paper if you are mailing your resumes.
Use the Right Structure
This may be a judgement call, but structure is highly important. There are two types of structures: Chronological and functional. A chronological resume lists jobs starting with the most recent one. Use a chronological resume if you have 0 to 10 years of experience. If you have significantly more experience, a functional resume may work best. The functional resumes lists various important functions you performed, including managing employees, writing budgets, doing sales forecasts. Functional resumes enable you to expound on specifics related to key duties. You can then list the jobs where you performed these functions. You can also briefly mention the length of your career in a summary, which is discussed in the next couple sections.
Interesting Career Objective
Avoid using a bland job objective such as, “Seeking a marketing job with a progressive company.” Instead, lead with some brief details about your background and education. For example, say something like, “Copywriter with 10 years agency and supply side experience is seeking position with large established consumer products company.”
Summary of Qualifications and Skills
Include a summary of your key qualifications and skills at the top of your resume–beneath your career objective–if you aren’t using a functional resume. Tailor your qualifications and skills to the specific job for which you are applying. This information is usually included in the newspaper or online ad. A list of skills and qualifications up front allows you more space to discuss key accomplishments for each job. You should include a least one key accomplishment for each position in your resume. Use metrics when possible, such as, “Increased sales by 10 percent the past quarter.”
Use Action Words
Fill your resume my with action words, particularly verbs: Managed, executive, processed, wrote and examined, for example. Like novels, action words stand out more. They enliven details about your background. Do not include words like “I” or “my” in your resume, however. Start each sentence with an action verb.
Avoid Personal Information
You should never include personal information on a resume. Most personal information is voluntary. Types of personal information include race, weight, height, age, names of past supervisors and present salary. Some of this information will be revealed at the interview. However, discuss it up front and you may not get the interview at all. Employers do discriminate no matter what they say. Be cautious with sensitive information.
About Brent Ryan
Brent is the Chief Editor at Mypetinsuranceplans.com a site specializing in pet insurance reviews and info.
