| Ultimate
Resumes eNews
MARCH 2005
Focus
Spring is in the air which brings to mind all
things fresh and new. If your resume isn’t current, now is
a great time to think about updating it in anticipation of new opportunities
that may present themselves in 2005.
ven if you aren’t actively looking for a new
job it is always good to have an updated resume on hand. You just
never know what opportunities may be just around the corner. If
the perfect job comes your way, it’s a relief to have a fresh
resume ready to go.
The key to writing a good resume is to focus on your
accomplishments rather your basic job responsibilities. This seems
so simple, but it can be difficult to write about your career in
terms of achievements. Many people tend to transcribe their job
descriptions onto their resumes. This is any easy trap to fall into
because when you start to draft a resume you have to think about
how you spend your time at work. Your job description can be a helpful
tool in explaining what you do, but if you start with that document
make sure you don’t stop there. Think about results you have
achieved. Big or small, results are what count and are what will
catapult you to the next level in your career.
A resume that just lists things like, “responsible
for accounts payable, accounts receivable, and month-end reporting,”
is less impressive than one that describes the results you obtained.
A list of responsibilities is simply a job description. What you
want to describe is how you stepped into a job and achieved great
results. Potential employers will be wowed by results, not by task
lists.
Did you save your company $10,000 by streamlining
a process? Have you implemented an accounting system that saved
your department time and money? Has the new performance management
system been implemented because of your efforts? Those are the kinds
of results that recruiters and potential employers look for in a
resume. So, if you want to improve your chances of getting an interview
with a great company, focus your resume on accomplishments and quantifiable
results. That kind of focus will help you to land the job of your
dreams!
Another thing to remember is that not everyone who
reads your resume will be familiar with your current employer. So,
when you describe the results you have achieved, it may be necessary
to describe the context in which you achieved them. Job candidates
with a military background often fall into this category. Don’t
assume that the person who reviews your resume will understand the
relative importance of the jobs you performed unless they also have
a military background. I recently worked with a client who had served
as a marine guard at several US Embassies around the world. We worked
together to describe the selection process for the job as well as
the enormous responsibilities that come with the job in a way that
anyone can comprehend.
Focusing your resume on results will help potential
employers to focus their energies on recruiting you!
- Liz Handlin, CEO, Ultimate Resumes
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