Your resume may be the only chance you have at introducing how special you are and you will only have about 30 seconds of an employer’s time to make your case for being interview-worthy. Now, how are you going to do that?
You have two options for developing an all-star resume:
- You can utilize our Merraine® Resume Writing Services for a nominal fee, freeing you up to prepare your interview wardrobe and prepare a post-interview thank-you note. Click here to find out more.
- You can do it yourself with the help of our resume writing tips.
Resume Tips to Win You the Job
- So, you have a career objective? That’s nice. But honestly, what you want should not be the focus of your resume.
- It’s all about your prospective employer. Save the objective for interview conversation.
- Your resume is all about accomplishments with measured results.
- You’ve managed, developed, sold, organized, created and leapt tall buildings in a single bound?
- Very impressive. But what kind of results did all your work yield? Be sure to include numbers to back your achievements and really stand out.
Blabs
No, that’s NOT a cue to list your marital status, religious affiliation, volunteering experience and favorite pizza toppings. BLABS is an acronym for what makes up a top-notch resume layout:
- Brevity – Cover letters, Publications/speeches and references are better if put on a separate document.
- Layout – One inch margins, portrait orientation and consistency in date and titles. Most employers prefer education in the top half of your resume rather than the bottom.
- Accessibility– The best practice format is Word.doc (and not PDF!) since it is currently the most used for databases and files.
- Bullet/Bold – use simple bullets for each sentence or phrase. Sparingly use bold to highlight your name, titles and degrees.
- Simplicity – Do not use headers, footers, tables and graphics! They are distracting to both recruiters and employers. Fonts are best when professional and businesslike.
Below is a simple and quick 30-second Resume Checklist:
- Formatting is standard and easily readable.
- Contact information is up front, updated, and easy to spot.
- Clearly highlights your most marketable skills in top third of the resume.
- Your job titles, dates and places of work are clearly visible.
- Contains measurable results, accomplishments and achievements using metrics, numbers and percentages.
- Answers the question: “Why should someone hire you?”
- Does NOT include a list of your professional references.
- Avoids personal details that have no connection to your professional profile.
- Contains no typos, spelling or grammatical errors.
Now, would YOU hire you?