Three Steps To a Better Resume
Your resume is your advertising tool to market yourself and the services you are willing to exchange for employment. It is your ticket to land interviews and make it to recruiter's shot-lists of applicants. It's important to take your time with your resume; some consider it the most important document in your career journey.
Make your resume attractive and attention grabbing with these sure-fire tips:
1) Sell Yourself Professionally:
As much as possible, try not to use generic phrases like "administrative duties" when describing prior work experience. Instead, briefly describe the tasks you performed. For example, use 'Compensation and Benefits Assignment' or 'Personnel Coordination' - but do not go over the edge by inventing assignments just to sound fancy. You can also use keywords from the job description of the open position as phrases in your resume. You will usually see keywords at the 'Qualifications' section of the advertisement.
Quantified descriptions also do wonder for a resume. Include important literature on your accomplishments - "Improved T-Shirt Sales by 87% from the First to Second Quarter of 2007." Paint them a picture of how important you were to your former company - recruiters will believe that your skills and attributes are transferable to their company's operation.
Make sure the image you project to the employer matches the salary you request. Do not apply for an entry-level position and ask for an executive paycheck. No one will hire you.
2) Design Your Resume Strategically
Not with shimmering pink scented paper, silly.
Most employers and recruiters do not have time to read your entire resume. Make it easy to read and strategically position your qualifying characteristics and skills in an intuitive manner.
Use bullet-points opposed to long paragraphs, keep your lists organized and concise. Every word should have a point and be direct and to the point. Long winding sentences are always a turn-off. This is a resume, not a Victorian novel.
Organize your resume. Prioritize statements which are impressive and significant towards the position you are applying - your fast-food skills are not important when applying as an Accountant.
3) Be Honest
You may score an interview with your impressive resume, but it will only be a matter of time until your resume fibs are exposed. Don't do it. Lying on your resume will only hurt your career and the productivity of the company from which you are seeking employment.
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