Get unstuck with these

26 resume writing tips

The ABC’s of Powerful Resumes

A publication byMatch Resumes and Careerswww.matchresumesandcareers.com

Your talents and expertise are valuable!

As you begin your job search and discover the increasingly competitive job market, think about your past accomplishments and contributions. The key to creating a powerful resume is differentiation. Communicating the value you bring to employers will make your resume stand out.

An effective resume creates a picture of relevant knowledge, action, and results. Carefully read the job announcement and determine specific qualifications to highlight. Think of your resume as a marketing document designed to sell YOU. Keep in mind, the number one purpose of the resume is to get the interview.

INTRO

A Resume’s Attention Grabbing Characteristics

FIRST IMPRESSION5 … F

• Organized• Professional• Clarity• Easy to Scan• Writing quality• Spelling, grammar

QUALIFICATIONS… F• Experience• Education• Professional skills• Technical skills• Transferrable skills • Job spec matches

PROBLEM SOLVING… F• Proof of abilities• Success stories• Progression• Rewards• Goal oriented• Teamwork

1 2 3

Here we go

I am going to walk you through an A-Z list of best practices for creating your masterpiece resume.

Increase your interview opportunities Put you ahead of competing candidates Entice recruiters to want to know more about you

26 essential elements that’ll make your resume attract attention.

Resume writing ABC’s

Accomplishment statements—Incorporate success stories that demonstrate your expertise and prove your value at work.

A

Resume writing ABC’s

Bullets with metrics—Use three to five high impact concise statements for current and previous jobs to showcase qualifications and achievements.

B

Resume writing ABC’s

Clarity – A well-organized resume that is prioritized to the particular job application will be interesting to the reader compared with a generic format.

C

Resume writing ABC’s

Differentiation—Beat the competition with details and success stories that set you apart from other candidates who have similar basic qualifications.

D

Resume writing ABC’s

Expertise—Employers are looking for specific problem solving capabilities. ‘Advertise’ your expertise and provide proof in your achievement examples.

E

Resume writing ABC’s

Focused—A resume that is focused on the position, the company’s issues, and the company culture communicates the candidate’s genuine interest and motivation.

F

Resume writing ABC’s

Gaps in employment history—Employers prefer consistent work history, so use an appropriate strategy to address periods of time off from working.

G

Resume writing ABC’s

Headline—Create a visually appealing headline with a large font for your name. Below it include your phone, email, LinkedIn url, city and state. Next list the job title instead of an objective.

H

Resume writing ABC’s

Interviewable—an effective resume will present talking points for your interviews. Inspire readers to want to know more about your past successes.

I

Resume writing ABC’s

Job history with context—Incorporate numbers and metrics such as dollars, percentages, and improvement measures to provide context to accomplishment statements.

J

Resume writing ABC’s

Keywords—Sprinkle career documents with specific industry buzzwords, qualifications, skills, software and technology competencies, and relevant credentials.

K

Resume writing ABC’s

LinkedIn—Utilize this *FREE professional resource to serve as your online profile and networking platform. Include your LinkedIn customized URL on your resume.*Note: premium LinkedIn subscriptions may be beneficial to certain job seekers.

L

Resume writing ABC’s

Marketing oriented—A resume’s main purpose is to capture the interest of an employer and get you an interview. It is your professional expertise advertisement.

M

Resume writing ABC’s

Needs based—Answer the needs of the employer by customizing the resume for each application. Generic resumes rarely work. Recruiters screen resumes for specific qualifications.

N

Resume writing ABC’s

One or two pages? A good rule to thumb is one page for less than five years’ work experience and up to two pages for higher career levels and more experience.

O

Resume writing ABC’s

Position title—Reference the specific job title for the target position in the resume and/or cover letter to grab the reader’s attention and provide clarity.

P

Resume writing ABC’s

Qualifications—Meticulously incorporate the specific qualifications language from the job announcement to ensure any reader can determine your resume is a good match for the position.

Q

Resume writing ABC’s

Results oriented—Prove your value with examples of past achievements supported by value impacts to current and past employers.

R

Resume writing ABC’s

Skills/Expertise—Clearly state you have the capabilities to solve the specific problems of the employer. Readers typically scan the first 3rd of the document to confirm qualifications.

S

Resume writing ABC’s

Technical competency—Most jobs require technical experience and knowledge in specific areas. An expertise section on the resume makes it easy for the reader to verify these requirements.

T

Resume writing ABC’s

Uncrowded—Resumes are usually scanned in less than 10 seconds. Avoid filling the pages with dense text and small margins. Make it easy for the reader to quickly capture your relevant qualifications.

U

Resume writing ABC’s

Visually appealing—Impress the reader with a well organized document. Remember, your resume is your first impression, make it a good one.

V

Resume writing ABC’s

White space—Clean and wide margins, and spacing between sections improves the readability of your document. It is better to use two pages than to cram every detail onto one page.

W

Resume writing ABC’s

X-ray vision—Proof read your document as if you could see through it! Spelling and grammar mistakes are widely referred to by recruiters as reasons for resume rejection.

X

Resume writing ABC’s

Years of Experience—Referencing work experience from twenty years ago may not be necessary if it doesn’t add relevant value to the resume.

Y

Resume writing ABC’s

Zeal—Paint a picture of passion and zeal for professional success. Referencing your accomplishments, awards, and contributions to your employers shows the reader you are enthusiastic about your work.

Z

Resume writing ABC’sThe ABC’s of resume writing are incorporated in custom career documents produced by Match Resumes and Careers. Serving clients who prefer collaborating with a certified professional resume writer, we accelerate the job search, and win targeted opportunities and better compensation.

For a free consultation please contact Deborah Olson,CPRW; owner and certified resume writer at Match Resumes and Careers.

www.matchresumesandcareers.com206.310.7357

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