5 Tips for Constructing That Winning Resume

Yonatan’s 5 Fundamental Principles for Constructing That Winning Resume

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As I professional writer, the "bread and butter" of my time spent working for others is in resume preparation. As such, I have put together my "top-five tips" for those who wish to prepare their resume on their own. The list could easily have been my "top-fifty tips" as resume preparation is a complex task. These are the five issues which I deem most important and which address the most common mistakes which I find out there.

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1) Size Matters! With resumes, one of the biggest problems which I see is "too much." In the world of resumes and CVs, less is often more. Think of when someone you know is telling a very long story which you don’t have time to hear in full. How do you respond? Typically by asking "What’s the bottom line?" or "What’s the point you’re trying to make?" That is what a resume is about! Making a point and getting to the crux of the matter, not bogging the reader down with unnecessary and irrelevant details. Words to remember when constructing your resume are concise, succinct, summarized and comprehensive. Relevant facts should be included, but in the name of space, only those which provide insight into your abilities, skills and experience. Leave out the extras.

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2) "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" It’s both a hit song by Janet Jackson and a golden rule for resume preparation. The logic is if you performed a job fifteen, twenty, or thirty years ago, the systems, technology and skill-sets have changed so much that today it is no longer considered to be very relevant. Your resume should not go back any more than 5-10 years unless you are an academic or medical practitioner. Many resumes which are turned over to me for fixing go back to the 1970s and 1980s. Many are 3-6 pages in length. This is a big "no-no!" Emphasis must be placed on the most recent positions. As you go further back in time, the work is less relevant and the details should diminish in scope.

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3) The Sixty-Second Rule. Think about the person in the human resources office who will be reviewing your resume. But don’t just think of your resume…envision the hundreds of others which are also in the inbox of the person in question. Yes, for almost every opening these days there are literally hundreds of applicants. For the purpose of this article, I spoke with three human resource heads and asked them the amount of time which they allot to each resume. The answer? You guessed it: sixty seconds. That is the amount of time you have to make an impression! It’s a further reason to keep things brief yet encompassing. For the sixty second scan your resume will initially receive, 1-2 pages is both optimal and more than enough. 

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4) Eye-Catching Catches Eyes! Developmental psychologists agree that people learn from a very young age to be attracted to the unusual, the eye-catching and the extraordinary. If you have any doubt, give your child two balls to choose from: one plain white and the other with colors and stripes. It is a foregone conclusion which one he or she will choose. This proclivity to choose the eye-catching travels right with us into adulthood and has definite implications on our resumes. WORD allows subtle background colors to be injected into documents as well as textures and watermarks. A myriad of subtle font changes are also available. Use them…make your resume stand out from the crowd!

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5) "You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression." Experts disagree who first uttered this gem of a quote; some say Will Rogers while others attribute it to Oscar Wilde. Regardless, it is a critical issue when putting together your resume. Upon finishing, check for errors, proper formatting and misspellings.

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Then ask yourself these crucial questions: Does it convey enthusiasm? Is it dynamic? Does it present you as a go-getter? Does it truly represent you, your abilities, skills and experience? Then ask yourself one final question…the most important question of all. If you were the person sitting in the H.R. office, would you hire you? If you have answered "No" to any of these questions, it’s either time to go back to the drawing board or consult a professional.

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One Final Tip:

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In order to produce a dynamic, descriptive resume you will need dynamic, descriptive words. The big kind which H.R. people the world over just love to see. Just Google the phrase "resume power words" or "resume action words" and you will find no shortage of sites which provide the words you need.

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As always, "Thank You" for visiting my blog and for taking the time to read what I have written! The blog, going strong for six months now, is updated twice weekly, so stop by again for regular posts on everything business! 

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  Having trouble preparing your resume? No time to do it? Feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead?

Hello. My name is Yonatan Maisel. I am a professional writer, published author and business-blogger.

If you are seeking an experienced, proficient, skilled writer for your writing needs, I believe that you have come to the right place! I specialize in giving my clients that "personal touch" and in injecting vibrancy, vitality, enthusiasm and creativity into all of my written work! From resumes to corporate bios, from research to speeches, from ghost-blogging to web-content and much more…I will deliver a quality product at a very reasonable price. By clicking the following link http://jobshuk.com/yoni67 you will be redirected to my profile where you will find a summary of the services which I provide as well as a link to my website where my portfolio, testimonials and pricing can be found. 

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Dear Reader, it is my hope that you found this article to be useful, informative and/or entertaining. If so, you are cordially invited to read my previous posting, "Almost Everything I know About Business I learned While Fishing" by clicking the following link: http://jobshuk.com/yoni67/blog/2010/02/08/almost-everything-i-know-about-business-i-learned-while-fishing/