Many job seekers, particularly those fresh out of edge, go to print shops where they have their resumes peset. That gives the look and feeling of having come it of the sort of resume mill I've referred to.
Creating and producing resumes is a time-consuming task. It's worth it, however, and I recommend going beyond simply creating one perfect resume. As I said before, I don't believe in stating a job objective on a resume unless that resume is intended only for that purpose. That doesn't mean there won't be two or three positions that your background and education might qualify you for. Each of those potential areas of employment demands a separate resume, and if you're serious about finding a better job, you'll take the extra time and effort to do this.
Let's say, for example, that your background has put you in touch with marketing, selling, and advertising. Obviously, many of those areas might provide a better job for you, but one resume that attempts to cover all those areas lacks the necessary focus.
For such an individual, three specialized resumes should be created. One will emphasize the marketing aspects of the person's experience. The second will focus n sales background and accomplishments in selling. The third will have at the forefront the individual's advertising experience. When a marketing job opens up, the version of the resume that highlights that aspect of the person's background will be sent. The same holds for potential jobs in sales and advertising. We can't be all things to all people, and shouldn't try to be on our resumes.
At the same time, a "general" resume should be prepared in which the disparate major focuses of your experience are given equal weight. I suggest this because companies trim staff, the role of a generalist is becoming increasingly important to many of them. If you sense that a job opening requires a jack-of-all-trades in the general area of your experience, use the all-encompassing resume to go after it.
If you know of a very good job at a very good company, prepare a custom-made resume for that job. It won't take too much time, because you'll be able to e tract and adapt sections from your other resumes to you in this customized one.
I advocated earlier doing what you can to separate yourself from the pack of people applying for the sail job. I suggested sending your resume by Federal Express or by messenger in order for it to stand out.
That does not mean, however, that taking a dramatically different approach with your resume itself is advised. I've seen resumes accompanied by photographs the applicant lounging on a beach, driving a tank, and standing in front of a wall full of plaques that can't be read, and probably shouldn't be. I've seen resumes printed on paper six feet long. Some people choose to have their resumes prepared on garish green paper with white type, virtually impossible to read. Others include line drawings to illustrate various highlights of their career, or create banner headlines in large type.
These are not ways to gain the right kind of attention.
A resume should be printed in clear black type or white or off-white rag paper. Yes, better-quality paper does make a difference. It should be of standard letter size, and should not include photographs or drawings. I also recommend spending the few extra cents on postage to send the resume in a large envelope so that it remains flat, not folded. Not only does this give the employer resume that looks better and, by extension, is slightly easy to read, it stands out in the pile because most people will send their resumes in the smaller, number 10 envelope.
There are, of course, certain creative fields in which a creative approach can be effective. The problem here is at if your creativity isn't especially creative, you're certain to fail in your quest for that job. It's very much like someone who applies for a job that involves heavy writing and submits a resume rife with grammatical and punctuation errors. For the resume itself, I recommend sticking to the basics, and letting your accomplishments speak louder for you than any gimmicks you might come with.
Every resume should be accompanied by a letter. Unfortunately, some people see this as an opportunity to write six-, eight-, and even ten-page letters in which they tell a prospective employer more about themselves than the employer or, for that matter, anyone else would wish to know.
A cover letter should be brief and to the point. It should indicate interest in the position that is open, with not going overboard. It should highlight some aspect of our background that has particular applicability to the position, and should, if appropriate, mention mutual lends or professional colleagues who might have encouraged you to apply for the job.
Resumes and cover letters represent you to a potential employer. If they aren't well written, correct in grammar and punctuation, and don't make sense, chances are you'll never even reach the second phase of your job search-an interview.
Everyone who prepares a resume and cover letter, and who is unsure of his or her skills in basic writing, should seek the help of a friend or relative who has some background in this area. A resume should be read by many eyes as possible in search of typos, misspell words, and awkward phrases. To simply dash off a resume and cover letter and send it to an employer who offering what appears to be a better job doesn't save time; it wastes time-yours! Every good writer will use knowledge needing a good editor, and that certainly holds true for the writers of resumes.
Reminders on Resume
- A good resume won't get you a job; a bad one will lose you plenty of them.
- Prepare your resume yourself. Avoid resume mills, from which every job candidate too pretty much alike on paper.
- Include only pertinent information on your resume. Generally skip "Job Objective"; always skip irrelevant personal items and silly demand. Keep it simple.
- Have other astute people read your resume before sending it, especially someone with knowledge of clear, basic writing and the use of the English language.
- Use a chronological resume, unless you've been out of the workplace for a long time.
- Don't indicate why you left previous jobs.
- Create your resume from the personal personnel file you've been keeping.
- Don't include references on your resume.
- Create a separate resume for each area of strength in your background. Also, create one general resume. And don't hesitate to create custom ones for special situations.
- Don't use colored paper or outlandish type styles. Stick to 8'/2-by-1, good-quality paper.
- Use your resume to put yourself in the best possible light, but be honest.
