A resume is a snapshot of
your employment and educational experiences. Its purpose is to get you an
interview (while the interview’s objective is to get you the job). Your resume
functions much like a personal sales brochure, advertising what you can offer to a
potential employer.
Should I target my resume for the position?
Targeting your resume for
the position is proven to be effective. Analyze job postings to
determine what type of candidate the employer is looking for. Then tailor your resume
so it relate as closely as possible to the position and its job description.
General Resume Guidelines
- Include your name, mailing
address, email addresses and tel/fax numbers at the top of the first page of your resume.
- Make sure your resume is
attractive, clean and pleasing to the eye with sufficient white space surround the text.
- Use high-quality paper.
Your Resume Should Not
Include...
- Age/Height/Weight/Personal
Photos (there are exceptions for those in the dramatic arts)
- Gender/Race/Ethnicity/Religion
- References
- Social Insurance Number
- Reasons for Leaving Previous
Employers
Resume Formats
- Chronological
- Functional
- Combination
Chronological Resume
A chronological resume
focuses on your work history listed it in reverse chronological order,
starting with your current or most recent employment. This resume type works
best if:
- The job you are applying for
is a natural progression in your career
- You have a stable work
history
- You want to highlight your
current or most recent job
Most employers prefer chronological
resumes as they can easily see where you worked and what you did.
Functional Resume
- This resume format highlights responsibilities, skills and achievements rather
than work history. It is often used by those changing
careers.
Combination Resume
- Combines
features from both the functional and chronological formats.
- Functional elements include
highlighting and grouping relevant skills and accomplishments at the beginning
of the resume to grab reader attention.
- This format is a good
alternative to the functional format.
Typical Resume Headings:
While
resumes can have many sections, the following are usually included:
- OBJECTIVE
or SUMMARY
- HIGHLIGHTS
(or HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS)
- EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (also can be described as EMPLOYMENT HISTORY , WORK
EXPERIENCE or PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE)
- EDUCATION
More
information on each of these resume sections follows below:
OBJECTIVE (or SUMMARY)
While
the Objective statement is used quite extensively, the SUMMARY statement
is gaining favour for its ability to convey relevant information more quickly
to an employer. If you have extensive
experience or relevant skills, you may wish to use a SUMMARY statement:
Examples:
Objective:“To utilize my extensive skills and
experience as a computer programmer for ABC Data Services.”
Summary:
“Computer Programmer with over 25 years
experience operating and maintaining legacy computer systems. Able to read
schematic diagrams. Strong information systems aptitude and attention to
detail.”
HIGHLIGHTS (or HIGHLIGHTS of QUALIFICATIONS)
- Provides a snapshot of
important information
- Refers to select information
in your work experience (shown later in your resume)
- Bulleted points are useful here (maximum
of 6)
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (also
can be described as WORK HISTORY, WORK EXPERIENCE or PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE)
- Remember
to transform duties / responsibilities into Accomplishment Statements using Action - Benefit statements.
- Example:
“Responsible for delivery and
pickups for the office.” Transform to:
“Performed deliveries
and pickups for the office resulting in timely business transactions.”
WORK EXPERIENCE
- When describing your work experience
on your resume, keep in mind that employers are looking for their needs to be met.
- Using numbers helps employers understand in concrete terms how you benefited your last employer.
- Example: Note these two statements:
"Created a scheduling program that increased productivity."
"Created and implemented a scheduling program thatincreased productivity by 55% in less than 4 months."
Note how the second statement
has greater impact.
Quantifying as many
aspects of your previous jobs as possible is a good approach as it lets the
employer know how you can benefit them.
EDUCATION
This section can include:
- Degrees, diploma and
certifications
- Internships
- Special Projects
- Professional development coursework
Contact us now at info@resumeperformance.com with any questions you might have and we will respond to you shortly.
