Resumes

There are many great resume writing websites and software packages. This section will not give you all the specifics on how to write a great resume but rather will hit on some of the major design considerations you should keep in mind.

The single objective of a Resume is:  To secure an interview.

As such, it is primarily an advertisement of you to the employer. What you are advertising is that you embody all of the skills and capabilities the employer is looking for. Recall from a previous page, that means you have what it takes to 1. Make the company money, 2. Act responsibly, 3. Minimize risk. In order to do this you must know what specific skills and capabilities the company values most for the position you are applying for. Leverage your networking and a careful reading of the application and job description for clues to this. When in doubt ask the hiring manager directly - before the interview!

The following are the most important elements of a great resume.

1. It must be concise, easy to read and eye catching. Trust me, if this is not the case, it WILL NOT be read.  The average scan time for a resume is less than 30 seconds. Write and rewrite it, sharing it with others for feedback until you are sure this is the case.
2. It should clearly state your career objective up front which must match the job you are interviewing for. For example, "To work as a market research manager for a major apparel company", or "to work as a manufacturing operations manager for a major automobile company"
3. It should focus most of the page on your relevant skills and experience and link those to what the company is looking for. Be specific on the skills and capabilities you have acquired and the accomplishments you've delivered. With each example, state the experience, what you gained from it and what you accomplished. Accomplishments are business and organizational results such as: sales goals, team development, accounts secured, products launched, etc. Think in terms of money you made for the company. Civic leadership roles/postions should only be included if they specifically support the career objective.
4. Job experiences and education are secondary to skills and capabilities. List the chronology last.
5. Personal interests are only releveant if they present skills or capabilities that support the career interest. If not, leave them off.
6. References should be listed as "on request". But, have some ready if requested!

Interviewing