In this economy, you want to stand out when looking for a job, and that begins with having a great resume. How do you build a great resume?
The fist thing to keep in mind is to be concise. Nothing irritates employers like long-winded resumes – they do not have the time to slog through any wordy documents.
Before you get down to writing, you first want to analyze your own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to getting the job. Analyzing what your skills are in relation to the job might even give you an indication whether you should be applying for the job in the first place, if there is a big gap between the two skill sets.
In analyzing strengths, ask “What am I good at and what do I want to do?” When looking at your weaknesses, think about what you are not good at and what you do not like to do – or what you no longer like to do. Where do you need more training?
When evaluating opportunities, you want to look at the careers that are available in your profession. And finally, think about the threats preventing you from getting the job you want.
When you write your resume, you generally have two formatting choices: you can do it chronologically or by function.
In a chronologically arranged resume, your employment history is listed in reverse chronological order, with job titles, dates, worked, and accomplishments. This format works best if you’ve been employed in one field, have no big employment gaps, and plan to stay in the field.
On the other hand, if you don’t have much of a job history, or if there are gaps in your employment, or you are looking to change careers, the functional format works better. In this format, your resume is organized by skills and function categories. The specific job history information is saved for a summary at the end.
The professional summary should be one paragraph that highlights your experience and the results you have achieved with your educational and work background
Using the analysis you made of your strengths, make a list of them and the responsibilities in the jobs you have had. Add a separate category listing your core competencies. These are specialized skills you have that are part of your strengths list. They should show what makes you unique.
When describing your professional experience, you want to list the challenges you faced, what you did to solve the challenge, and the results. If you can quantify the results, all the better – it will make it easier for the hiring manager to see what you achieved.
Bring your resume to Pinnacle Recruiting and Human Capital Solutions. As one of Manitoba’s premier staffing services, we know the decision makers at many of the area’s best companies and we can help you secure a great position with one of them. Contact us today.
Share this Post