Resume Sway

Creating a winning resume on your own is not simple. A resume writer must be able to think objectively when crafting the document, which is why many people today hire a professional resume writer. For those of you trying to decide whether to write your own resume or to hire a professional writer, here are 3 tips to consider whichever way you decide.

Tip #1: Create a Compelling Case

Call it whatever you like-Wow factor, differentiation, etc-a candidate needs to create a compelling case as to why they should be called in for an interview within the first 3 sentences. This does not need to be a really profound statement, but must clearly state how you have demonstrated through your work history that you can deliver positive impact to an employer quickly. This case should be presented in the top portion of the resume.

Tip #2: Know Your Audience

It is imperative that you consider who your audience is when writing a resume-or reviewing a resume prepared by a professional writer. Job seekers must recognize that most resumes are initially screened by folks in human resources. They look very briefly to see that your skills match those listed on the requirements document provided by the hiring department. They do so mostly through identifying keywords in your resume. Oblige them by placing them in a single section.

The other portion of your audience is the hiring manager. A candidate must be able to detach themselves from all the great things they have done and all of the mundane tasks they have performed. They must then consider what a hiring manager really wants to know. Mostly, they desire to see accomplishments-based activities. What did you do, for whom, and what was the result?

Keep in mind that hiring managers will only briefly review your resume before deciding whether to call you in for an interview or not. Make sure that your accomplishments stand out from regular job duties. You can achieve this by putting your job description in paragraph-style text and reserving your highlights for a bulleted list.

Tip #3: Don't Skimp on the Cover Letter

Although everyone has a different opinion on the importance of a cover letter, I would recommend against taking it lightly. Some hiring managers may not even read the cover letter. Others will read it after they have read the resume. Still others will only read the resume if the cover letter was well written. However, even for the hiring managers who never read the cover letter, for the most part, they still expect a quality cover letter to be included. They may even wait until just before the interview-in those five minutes you are sitting outside their office trying to relax while sweating like crazy-to peruse it and see if you can actually construct a decent sentence. Take some time to restate your value proposition-why a company should hire you-and to provide some information that supports your claims. It is fine if you repeat information from your resume, as long as the whole thing is not listed verbatim.

Good luck and happy hunting!

So who am I anyway? Why do I think my advice is so valuable?