DRAFTING A RESUME

Career development consultants agree that accomplishment oriented is the touchstone of an effective resume.  Whether a chronological lists of duties and responsibilities or functionally organized list of skill areas, use accomplishments to show your unique talents. A resume is an advertisement, a product brochure to sell you.  This is not an application form--you have a great deal of freedom over form and content. 

Together we will choose a style that is both flattering and impressive.  Your resume may combine the traditional data and facts of the standard reverse chronological resume along with a display of your more impressive achievements.  This might be organized by functional categories or within the position listing. My personal feeling is, do a chronological resume if you can, and  do a functional style when there is a good reason.  For example you want to emphasize an accomplishment that was not very recent.  You may want to minimize your most recent employment.  Career changers will often use a functional format to emphasize their adaptability and the true transferability of their skills. Here are some guidelines for drafting each section listed in the most typical order.

The OBJECTIVE section of your resume can be one word, a short phrase or clause; for example:  "A position in Operations requiring skills in production management and purchasing."  You may use a job title with an industry:  "Executive Director of Non-Profit Agency."  The advantage of simply using a title such as "Sales Management" or "Controller" allows the reader to quickly and comfortably move onto the substance.  Avoid excess verbiage about using all your skills and disqualifying organizations that are not "progressive," etc.  Sales brochures don't discourage their readers.

The QUALIFICATIONS section of your resume is optional and might consist of from 6 to 10 clauses or short sentences that stress why you are qualified to seek your objective.  The following is an example of an appropriate QUALIFIED BY section:                                                                       

QUALIFICATIONS OR PROFILE

You may want to generalize your employment history that is more than 10 or 15 years old if not relevant with some summary statement.  Avoid overcrowding ... leave enough white space so that the resume can breathe. B.S. Accounting.  9 years of successful experience in diverse areas within accounting.  Experience managing and supervising Accounting and Data Processing Departments.  Strong analytical, communications, and interpersonal skills.  Strong working knowledge of data processing and computer operations.  Extensive familiarity with both hardware and software.  In almost every form of effective communication designed to inform or persuade it is essential to be simple, direct, concise, and complete.

The AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE

This section is a listing of between 6 or 10, up to 15 areas in which you have expertise and/or experience.  Feel free to use "buzz-words" in order to catch the eye of resume "screeners" as they scan resumes.  Avoid duplication in these areas; strive for diversification.  The following is an example of an appropriately constructed section:

AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE

The resume "bullets" or accomplishments can be developed from your existing SODAR stories.  One or two bullets often can be extracted from SODARS.  "Bullets" are NOT SODARs; they are usually your conduct or solutions and conclusion or results.  You may also use achievements and accomplishments.  QUANTIFY your "Bullets" wherever possible.  Use past tense unless the action is current.  Put vigor into your writing by using ACTION WORDS, such as:

IMPLEMENTED                  ANALYZED                            DESIGNED                       ORGANIZED MONITORED                     DEVELOPED                        REDESIGNED                   NEGOTIATED RESEARCHED                   REDEVELOPED                       PLANNED                         CREATED INITIATED                        TRAINED                                 CONTROLLED                   ADMINISTERED DIRECTED                        MANAGED                              INVESTIGATED                 COORDINATED

N.B.  Avoid the use of "responsible for ...".  This phrase creates passive sentences that report “x was done”  You want to precisely describe your performance with strong active verbs. "Bullets" may be grouped under headings that reflect skill areas which are appropriate to your objective.  The "bullet" headings should appear on the resume prioritized by the order of their importance or impressiveness under each individual "bullet" heading or category.  However the last item should not be the weakest.  Try to end each section with a good impression.

The EMPLOYMENT HISTORY or PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT section should list company name, dates of employment in years (not months), and positions held.  It is optional to list responsibilities.  Often the accomplishments are sufficient.  If not, then a brief synopsis of the purpose of the job is enough. You don't need to use exact job titles if they are a poor fit, instead use descriptive titles.  Do not be concerned that you must prove or justify statements made in a resume.  Do be honest but don't sell yourself short.  It's okay to use your best guess in stating accomplish­ment results.  This is a advertising, a little puffery is acceptable.You may want to generalize your employment history that is more than 10 or 15 years old if not relevant with some summary statement.  Avoid overcrowding ... leave enough white space so that the resume can breathe.

The PERSONAL and INTERESTS section is optional but do try to include it.  While some readers do not care about it others specifically look for personal information about you.  A common interest here has won many an interview.  Career counselors often disparage this section.  But staffing people like it for the ice-breaking banter material it provides while walking back to the office.

A CLOSING THOUGHT:  Remember ... there is no such thing as a perfect resume.  And each person from whom you seek advice may have a suggestion for change.  Appreciate the intention!  Thank the individuals!  But make no changes in the haze of emotion.  Put the "paper" resume in its proper perspective:  the resume is a necessary tool ... it is a means to an end ... not the end itself.  Your resume must be a paper you are proud of both in content and in appearance.  Any well constructed resume will open doors that a mediocre resume will be powerless to help you enter. 

Give this draft resume your finest effort.  Then meet we will meet to edit, refine and polish.  Additionally, bear in mind that the value of a resume is directly proportional to your ability to internalize its contents.  The resume is often used as a "crutch" by an interviewer to guide the discussion with you.  Consequently, you must be totally conversant regarding all of its contents.  Edit very carefully.  Finally see my article on Proofreading:  Meaning-Mechanics-Minutia.

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