RESUME/COVER LETTERS: Qualified Candidates - Poorly Written Resumes

Are You Jeopardizing Your Career Potential?

You’ve sent your resume to dozens of potential employers yet you haven’t heard back from any of them.  You were certain that your detailed work history would attract many bites – what went wrong?

The most likely cause of your predicament is a poorly constructed resume that reads more like a dull obituary than an attention-grabbing advertisement selling your skills and talent.  It’s important to communicate your talents in the beginning, so the Employer can easily identify what sets you apart from others.

10 Steps to a Compelling Resume

Resurrecting your resume is not a lost cause; you can create an attention-grabbing resume that advertises your unique skills and experience in a professional manner.

As a qualified job seeker, you owe it to your career success to give serious attention to the first impression you make.

1. Create a career objective that is relevant to the position to which you are applying.  You may have to create several versions of your resume if you are applying for different positions.

2. Summarize – don’t provide a word-by-word description – of your work experience.  Make sure it includes any achievements and accomplishments you obtained.

3. Don’t leave out relevant education or projects.  Many job seekers overlook these details, but they can add diversity and spice. 

4. Similar to step #3 – include relevant school, occupational, and professional associations.

5. Use action words such as – accomplished, coordinated, and formulated – to describe your experience and skills.  This type of wording keeps your resume interesting and compelling.

6. Try to keep the resume short.  Employers receive many resumes and most do not want to look through lengthy ones.

7. Exclude any reference to religious or political activities or affiliations because they are usually not relevant or helpful in getting that interview.

8. Make sure you have distinctive breaks between sections.  This is visually pleasing and it makes the content easier to read by the prospective employer.

9. Highlight, highlight, and highlight your distinct talents throughout the resume.  Don’t fall into the trap of regurgitating your old job descriptions.  Make the resume your personal calling card.

Stimulating Resumes Matter

Using the steps above will enable you to create a resume that stands out from the competition in a spirited job market.  It is important that you also evaluate your unique needs and select a resume format that best represents your talents – be it a chronological, functional, or combination format.  A resume is your first, or last, contact with a potential employer – make it your best.