Your Need for a Resume
Whether you are happily employed, retired, or looking for your first job, chances are you’d benefit from having an updated resume on hand. In today’s world, it’s not just prospective employers who ask for resumes. Non-profit organizations that recruit volunteers and board recruiters will ask for resumes too.
Great Resumes
Below are ten steps for writing a great resume. Don’t be overly concerned about the order in which you complete the steps. But do keep in mind that great resumes tend to highlight experience then demonstrate how any results you created benefitted your employer.
Ten Steps to a Winning Resume
Step One
Define a job or career objective. Often resume writers create a leading statement that defines the position or career objective at the top of the resume, directly under the person’s name and contact information.
Step Two
Outline the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to meet your career objective.
Step Three
Choose a resume format, chronological, functional, or a hybrid or a combination of both is popular with employers and headhunters alike right now.
Step Four
Make a list of past jobs you’ve held in chronological order. You may edit and/or add content to this section upon review of your first draft of your resume.
Step Five
For each job you’ve held, list your skills and accomplishments that highlight your specific knowledge or expertise.
Step Six
Describe each accomplishment in a simple, powerful action statement and describe the results that benefited your employer.
Step Seven
Arrange your action statements according to the format you chose in Step 3.
Step Eight
List your education, training, and any professional development that is relevant to your dream job.
Step Nine
Summarize your key points at or near the top of the resume. You may want to call this section “Summary of Experience” or “Career Summary”.
Step Ten
Polish and proofread your first draft. Then set it aside and review later with a fresh pair of eyes.
Your New Resume
Once you’ve completed the first draft of your resume let it sit for a day (if you have time) then go back and reread it. Chances are you may identify a key point that you forgot that will add value to the overall document. If you are like most people, you’ll feel empowered having an up-to-date resume that is ready to go in the event a new opportunity presents itself.
Elaine Allan, BA, MBA
Technology & Business Blogger
Vancouver, Canada