Beverley East, Contributor
OK, here we go. I have been writing this column for five years now. But my most asked questions is: "Dear Ms East, please can you look at my r?sum??" I can honestly say I cannot answer that question without having additional information. Critiquing r?sum?s is not as straightforward as one may think. I need to know what kind of job you are seeking, what additional attributes you may have, a list of questions have to be asked and answered before the process can begin.
It's already March and since the beginning of the year I have had 437 emails to date on this one burning question. So I think it's about time I address r?sum? writing once again. I write with tension in my spine becaus I plead and beg not to send me your r?sum?s to critique somehow you all seem to ignore the request and send it anyway. I'm begging, really pleading. Please read this article, cut it out, send it to a friend or two. Post it on your notice board. Put it somewhere safe, but whatever you do don't email your r?sum? to me. Am I making myself clear? I'm sounding harsh and maybe a tad bit rude, but every time I mention the 'R' word the system crashes from the influx of questions re your r?sum?s.
So here are 10 golden rules
1. One size doesn't fit all. You must tailor make your r?sum? to market yourself for the position you are applying for. If you are applying for various positions, that is, training manager, marketing manager, sales manager, etc. You have to have three different r?sum?s to show your ability in each of the positions you are applying for.
2. Self-assessment: Before you begin to revamp your r?sum? ask yourself what type of position you are looking for? What have I achieved that will help me to nail that position? Write down what you have achieved and what you can contribute to any new job that you want. Write down your top personal selling points. As your r?sum? is a marketing tool, and not your career history do not feel trapped that you have to acknowledge every aspect of your job. The biggest mistake made is, candidates copy exactly what is on their job description and put it right onto the r?sum?. You should add what you have achieved rather than what you are responsible for, even if you are part of a team and a the big picture. Also concentrate on aspects of the job that you loved rather than the areas you hated.
3. One-page r?sum?s get results. The biggest mistake is r?sum?s that are too long. It is a marketing tool to sell yourself and not your autobiography. Only put what applies on it. Every certificate achieved and earned may not be relevant to the position you are applying. One-page r?sum?s are the best. When you are writing your r?sum? look at the page as a gold sheet that cost thousands of dollars. You can only afford to use one sheet. Two- and three-page r?sum?s don't get read and often get misplaced in the process.
4. Show vs. telling - Show on your r?sum? what you have achieved. Potential employees are looking for results-oriented people, so rather than list your job description choose various projects that you have worked on and show what you have achieved. Don't use the word responsible for it is already assumed that you have been responsible for something.
5. Quantify everything where possible. If you are in charge of money, put the amount you have worked with. Budgets, stock, products, promotions, publications. If you are in charge of people say how many. If you are responsible for any product give figures and brand name every time.
6. Kiss - Keep It Simple and Straightforward. Do not use fancy fonts that are difficult to read. Forget all the bells and whistles. Columns, boxes that take up valuable space. Just write down the facts.
7. Where to begin - It is your personal preference where you start. Some people like to start with their work experience, others like to start with their education. I recommend you start with your strengths. If your work experience is stronger than your education start with it. College graduates or people returning from an absence at work may start with education.
8. No mistakes - Be sure that your r?sum? has been checked and re-checked by someone else. The biggest turn-off to a potential employee is to find errors in r?sum?.
9. Delete the objective or personal summary I have noticed in Jamaica. There are many r?sum?s starting with objectives. I recommend you skip it unless you have something dynamic to say. It is a waste of valuable space. It is usually just a string of buzz words that mean absolutely nothing and don't read differently from another persons objectives. Many people write the same thing. Go straight into what you can offer and what you can contribute. Show how you communicate and how diverse your background is.
10. For mature candidates: Highlight experiences related to your personal goals. If you've been with a company or organisation for many years, chances are that you boast a long list of achievements. However, your r?sum? should only present the experience, skills and training that relate to your current goal or position you are applying for.
Next week, I will look at tricks of the trade if the r?sum? won't fit on one sheet and a format for the winning resume.
Happy r?sum?-writing.
