The Basics of Resume Writing

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Resume Articles : The Basics of Resume Writing by Surranna Sandy

Your résumé as a marketing tool, tips to effective résumé writing Surranna Sandy, CPRW, CEIP, President, RésuméSolutions.ca

What is a résumé?

A résumé is a marketing document that outlines your unique core competencies, achievements and work experiences presented in a way that encourages potential employers to call you for an interview.

As part of your overall career marketing toolkit, your résumé serves as your personal marketing brochure. The goal of a well-written résumé is to get the attention of the hiring manager to secure a job interview. The skill in preparing an effective résumé lies in the art of marketing yourself on paper concisely, yet with imagination and originality. Your résumé should be a summary of specific skills, educational background, paid and unpaid work experiences related to the role (s) you are targeting - not a list of everything you have ever done. Be selective, be succinct and keep the target market in mind when writing your résumé.

Why write a résumé? In the Canadian job market, résumés are written for many reasons: • To generate job interviews for the opportunity to work. • To give focus to your job search, to clarify and identify the skills you have to offer an employer, and to understand the diverse job opportunities available to you. • For executives, it is used for board appointments and corporate websites. • For application to graduate school. Keep in mind that your résumé is not static, and is subject to change as you grow within your career. Another key factor when writing your résumé is to ensure that your résumé is targeted to meet the requirements of potential employers. In this competitive Canadian job market, having a good résumé is essential for full-time jobs, part-time, internal, external, promotions, new jobs, career changes, internships and work experience placements - wherever an employer or decision-maker is short-listing or interviewing or selecting applicants. When writing your résumé, start with the basic principles of marketing: • Know the product - which is you • Know the buyer or the market - the potential employer • Know how to research the market - gather employer and industry information • Know how to package the product for the target market - an effective strategy and format

Résumé writing guidelines: • Write your résumé in the third person • Keep your résumé to a maximum of 2 pages • Write a career summary to position your skills • Incorporate achievements in your résumé writing

Make sure the outcomes of your achievements and the benefits to the organization are clearly outlined and quantified when writing your resume. A résumé that is not well written wanders aimlessly without giving direction to your skills and abilities. Think about it. Where do résumé go? They go to potential employers, so write your resume with their needs in mind. The most effective résumé makes the link between your skills and experience and how they could contribute directly to the employers' needs. So clearly articulate how you fit the employer's requirements. It is also a great idea for you to have your résumé appraised by someone else to ensure that it is easily understood and appeals to Canadian employers. Résumé Solutions offers résumé writing and assistance with job search skills. Visit www.résumésolutions.ca for further information.

About the Author

Surranna Sandy is the President of Resume Solutions, http://www.resumesolutions.ca, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Certified Employment Interview Coach and former Human Resources Management Professional with fortune 500 companies. Resume Solutions offers advanced resume writing, career coaching and interview coaching services from entry level, mid-career through to executive clientele in the global marketplace.

Source: Resume Samples, Resume Templates, Resume Writing, Cover Letter articles at goarticles.com