Resume Format
Many formats and templates are available on the internet and from Microsoft Word. However, these should only be used as models, not as formats set in concrete. Search teams have seen thousands of examples of these resumes, and may not be impressed with yet another. Instead, fashion your resume to showcase the skills and qualities you possess that are being sought by the employer.
Efficient resume writing is an essential job search skill. A unique resume should be used that targets the particular job for which you are applying. Fortunately, if you organize your work and research what the employer wants, this is not as difficult as it sounds.
Some parts of the resume are standard. These are the contact information, work history, and education. The same information can be plugged into any resume you produce.
The unique information that must be tailored to the specific job is the statement of qualifications. This is not just one statement, but a bulleted series of statements that demonstrate what the applicant can do for the employer.
Organization is the key to efficient resume writing and good format. Study the formats and examples, but then create your own that will stand out from the pack.
Organizing files
Begin by getting all of the certification and information about current or previous employment together. Also gather information about your education and any awards or distinctions.
For each position you have held, create a separate folder. In that folder, store the job title, supervisor’s name and contact information, company name and address, and start and end dates. Keep evaluations and citations for outstanding work in this file.
The information pertinent to degrees or certifications you hold should be kept in their own folder.
Computerize resume components
Each component of the resume can be stored on your computer and copied and pasted when needed. Keep separate documents for contact information, statement of qualifications, work history, and education.
In a separate document, keep the names and contact information of four personal and four professional references.
Keep finished resumes in their own folder.
Computerize
Write a separate document for each component of the resume: contact information, statement of qualifications, work history and education.
Contact information includes name, address, telephone and cell phone numbers, and email. Format these following the template you have chosen.
Statement of qualifications is the most difficult part of the resume to write, and the most vital. For each achievement, write a separate statement that shows how you used your skills to benefit the employer. Quantify when possible. Examples:
“Conducted 2008 employee survey that revealed support strategies and resulted in 10 percent reduction in absenteeism in 2009” is a far more powerful statement than “works well with all levels of staff.”
Some achievements cannot be quantified but deserve mention because they demonstrate skills desired on the job. Instead of saying “Excellent oral and written communication skills,” demonstrate those skills with a statement like “Interviewed staff to determine best practices and wrote employee manual that is currently used statewide.”
Work history should be written under the bold heading, Work History. For each position, list the job title, followed by the name and location of the employer, and the start and end dates.
Education also appears under a bolded heading. List degree or certificate first, followed by the name and location of the institution. Mention date of granting only if it is less than ten years ago.
Research the company
Spending the time to learn as much as possible about the company will guide your creation of your resume. Go to the company’s web site for accurate and current information presented from the company’s point of view. Next go to the library. Ask the research librarian to help you locate documents and articles with information about the target company. Finally, speak to people who work there. They can tell you about company policy and benefits that they appreciate. They can also comment on the business style, whether strict or more casual, and how much employees are allowed to have input into the operations.
Carefully read the job announcement. This will specify the skills and qualities sought by the employer. Also read for keywords.
The importance of keywords cannot be stressed too much. Eighty percent of resumes are scanned for keywords. Those that lack these words are discarded without being read. For that reason, you need to incorporate them into your qualification statements.
Write your resume
Place contact information at the top, where the employer will find it easily. This is standard format in all resumes.
Next will come your statement of qualifications. Some people use a bold heading for this, but it is not always necessary. A company that is very businesslike may prefer a heading. Otherwise, simply provide a bulleted list of accomplishments that will demonstrate to the employer what you can do for the company. You will provide a bulleted statement for each skill requested in the job announcement.
Work keywords into the qualification statements as appropriate. The more keywords you can work in, the more likely a scanner is to sort your resume to the top. Do not simply throw the words in here and there. They have to make sense to the person reading the resume once it has been selected.
Add your Work History and Education sections.
Print your resume on good but not heavy white paper, in black ink. Use a standard, clean and easily read font.
Always accompany a resume with a cover letter. These should be sent together in a business size envelope.
Electronic submission
Many companies prefer to receive resumes this way. This will usually be stated in the job announcement, but may also be put on the company’s website. Follow directions for this exactly.
Before sending the resume electronically, make sure the formatting will survive transfer from your computer to another. First, save it in Rich Text format, which is usually reliable. Send the resume and your cover letter to several friends so they can check the formatting. This step is vital in presenting a professional appearance.
