Write a GREAT resume the first time

The only purpose of a resume is to get you the interview. After that, how you present yourself in person determines if you make it to the next step.

When you submit a resume, it is essential to hit the main points that the prospective employer or Human Resources manager needs to know in order to quickly determine if you should be called in for an interview.

There are only 24 hours in a day, and time is the one resource that is not renewable. When an hour is gone, it is gone forever.

The point is this: these people are Very Busy. They need to use their time Very Effectively. Don't waste their time!

With that in mind, let's begin:

The first thing to do is to read the advertisement very carefully. Usually the employer or Human Resources department will first list the skills that are required, then second, those that are desirable. If you do not have ALL the required skills, but most of the desirable ones, do not apply for the job. The required skills state the core competencies without which you cannot get into the door. So don't irritate the HR manager by Wasting Her Time! You don't know when in the future you WILL have what it takes, and you don't want her to remember you in a negative way

Second, at the very top of the page put your name, address, and phone number. The idea is that you want to make it as easy as possible for the HR manager to find you. There is no point in writing a super resume if you are nowhere in sight! She is not going to Waste Her Time looking for you if there is another candidate who is nearly as qualified, but who rembered to state his contact information.

Third, the next line should contain the words "Position Objective: (The job title)." Often large companies, Boeing, for example, have dozens of jobs open at any one time. HR needs to know what it is you are applying for. There is a big difference between a computer engineer and an airplane assembler, for instance. Don't make her guess what it is that you are applying for.

Right underneath the Position Objective line put the name of the company and the city and state. People like to see their name in print!

OK, that's the introductory material. You've told them who you are and why you are contacting them.

Time to toot your own horn

Next, they want to know a little about you in general. This section should be called "Highlights of Qualifications." Have a bulleted list, and include your "soft skills" - stuff like Outstanding communication skills, Works well in a team environment, Respectful of cultural differences, anything that will make you seem like a good fit within the company culture. Do your homework and read the company's mission statement, and tailor this section to mirror how they see themselves.

Call the next section Relevant Skills. Again, use a bulleted list, and just go down the list of the job requirements as laid out in the ad or the job announcement. REMEMBER: you have to have ALL the required skills to effectively compete for this position. Start with the skill the company mentions first. It will be the most important one to do the job well. Put the number of years you have been practicing this skill. Example: You are applying for a legal secretarial position, and this law firm specializes in Litigation. For heavens sake, if you have been spending the last fifteen years working for a malpractice attorney, don't apply for this job! But if you do have litigation experience, state the following: Fifteen years experience working for a 4-person litigation firm. Next line, Three years experience as a junior secretary for a family practice attorney. And so on.

The next section should be called Employment History. List just the jobs that relate to your present search. List company, job title, number of years.

The next section should be called Relevant Education. Continuing with the legal secretary example, you don't need to talk about your education as a horticulture assistant. But you do want to say something about any certificates you have earned in the legal arena, or extra seminars you have taken to hone your skills in your area of expertise. Mention your college or university degree if you have one, even if it does not relate to the job. People tend to think that a college degree rounds a person out.

The last line should read "Professional and personal references upon request."

Don't include these references unless this is the kind of company that checks references before they interview. Otherwise you risk burning out the nice people who have said, Sure, I'll be glad to have hoardes of people bothering me to tell them what a wonderful person you are!

There are tons of books about resume writing on Amazon.com. I'm posting a few links so you can do some further reading.

Good luck! Watch for my next article which will tell you how to present yourself at your first interview. In the meantime, check out Amazon for their amazing selection of books about resume writing!