July 5, 2007 22:52
Category: How To Write
[]
[To Blog Main]
Resume writing is the art of telling your story. It's the craft of selling your ability to prospective hirers through carefully chosen words and sentences that sound the music to their ears they like to hear. In spite of what experts may have you believe, writing a great resume is usually not all that formatted text that you get to see at many places.
If you're to put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter, will you be able to pick the right choice by only looking at resume format? Perhaps no. That is not to suggest resume format is not important. It is but only as far as making it look pretty and presentable.
It's the meat of the resume however that's going to fetch results. Call it the style of resume writing, or the skill of putting it in a way others don't, but the bottom line is your resume has to have things different from other jobseekers', and it's not the magic of resume format.
That said, let's look at main features of resume writing. But before that let's consider an imaginary scenario. Suppose you've put in good labor to your resume that resides with a few hundred ones on the table of recruiting manager for a dream job you feel can only be yours.
You've reasons to believe why you are best suited for the job, and so do all others. The recruiting manager meanwhile is only half interested to go through the pile from start to finish with the same zeal. So the papers he sees simply make no impact to his mind, till he comes across yours.
Your resume impresses the recruiting manager and he reads it through. It then joins the small pile of resumes that similarly made good 'first impression'.
More often, it's not the story of qualification and experience that matters, but the way it is told that makes the cut. Resume writing is therefore more of artfully speaking about yourself to see you through.
Sample resume format [image source]
Here are some important features of good resume writing:
The First Line
This is what needs to capture the attention of recruiter. It's the objective of your resume in bold letters that is seen first. Many people do not consider an objective in their resume writing. But if you want yours to be noticed among the crowd, the first line or the objective is a must.
The first line will necessarily be a powerful statement of your ability vis-a-vis the job need. Tell in few words how your service will be an asset for the company and how you meet the qualifications needed for the job.
It pays remembering that a well-said objective not only jumps out at recruiters when they screen the applications it also sets the tone for the direction of your resume. So spending a while on wording the objective is necessary for effective resume writing.
The Headings
In US personal marketing is not a bad idea in resume writing, and in fact it is not only welcome but expected too. In other countries, the practice is more to follow the so-called prescribed resume format.
Yet perhaps it is possible to intelligently make use of powerful headings within the resume. Experts suggest using action words in headings that speak aloud at the recruiter making your resume a compelling read.
Wherever feasible, use headings to draw attention to your qualifications and why you think you fit the position to company's advantage.
Sell Yourself
This is the number one purpose of resume writing - marketing your abilities to prospective recruiter. A great resume doesn't just inform what you've done thus far, it goes on to stress how and what the recruiting company is going to gain if it employs you.
The resume will present you in the best light and it will carry an inspiring tone of conviction such that the employer is enticed to pick it up at once and almost by default reach for the phone to call you for interview.
Effective resume writing is therefore an advertisement of yours, nothing more, nothing less.
Keep It Short
Well, a lengthy briefing just doesn't help. A resume is only to invoke recruiter's interest in you, not to pour out all about you. That is for later when you're called for interview. For the present if you indulge in resume writing that goes on for pages, you may as well kiss your chance goodbye.
The point is resumes are rarely read with equal interest. It is within that brief spell of recruiter's attention that your resume has to make a mark. Reason enough to refrain from making your resume unnecessarily long.
Your Past Or Company's Future?
True, you've been a great performer in the past. There are many laurels to speak about that - medals, certificates, appreciations, and so on. But all these are your past deeds. Will that help your present recruiter? Not really, unless you can clearly tell them how hiring you will be a good step for company's future.
Seen in that perspective, resume writing is not really merely a statement of your past history. The objective is to write it in such a way that the employer is persuaded to call you for interview. A resume that causes employer to sit up and take notice is actually a ticket to earn interview for the job.
Applying Mind In Resume Writing
If you fill income tax returns you'd have felt the disdain of doing something you perhaps detest. Resume writing is only marginally better than filling income tax form, because to many people it is sort of mandatory obligation to be met in order to be considered for the job.
Move yourself away from above feeling, and apply your mind when you're writing resume. Stir up your imagination, enthusiasm, and above all hope for the job you so dearly want. When you do that, your resume may turn out a real masterpiece offering you a good chance at the job.
Okay, let me now reveal a valuable resource that I've found of great help. It's the bestselling by Nicholas Lore titled, The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success.
There is an excellent 'resume writing' guide in this book by Lore. Even otherwise Lore's book is highly inspiring on the path to build a satisfying career.
Readers who are at the crossroads of career or thinking of switching to another would find the book a compelling reading, notwithstanding any immediate need for resume writing.
