Well now take a good look at how to build the heading, job objectives, summary of qualifications, and work history sections of a rsum. It really goes without saying that its vital to build a rsum heading that gives all the necessary contact information: Legal name Address Including Street number and name Apartment designation, if thats appropriate City, state and zip code include zip + 4 if you are able, as it facilitates faster mail delivery, and also indicates to your reader that you are thorough and detail oriented Home phone Cell phone, if applicable Fax number, if you have one Office number, if you can reasonably expect a certain degree of privacy Email address Avoid personal email addresses that carry inside jokes or strange and unusual nicknames. Its easy to understand that someone would hesitate to email you about a substantial management position if your email address contains nicknames like daddys little girl or Alabama horny toad at domination lounge dot com. Take advantage of any of the many sources of free email addresses and establish one email account that you use for personal business communications. Keep the address simple, as in jsmith at geo dot com. On the subject of a Job Objectives section under the heading at the top of the rsum, the experts we polled were mixed in their reactions. Half the experts, lead by Peter Newfield at Career Rsums dot Com, advocated that, unless you are completely changing industries, or you have graduated from a degree program within the last couple of years, an Objective statement is inappropriate, and a waste of the readers time. The other half of the experts, lead by Susan Ireland of Susan Ireland dot com, firmly maintain that the Objective statement is in fact helpful to the reader, as it immediately informs several of a prospective employers expectations: What position you are looking for To whom this document should be directed, in the event it will be read first by a gatekeeper What level of responsibility you are seeking The perspective from which to interpret all the information on the resume What we believe is most effective is a virtual compromise between the two opinions: including a descriptive job title underneath your name in the heading, which will convey the same information
Geraldine Smith Senior Marketing Vice President Josiah Bartlett 8 Year Veteran, Presidency of the United States In order to inspire the interest necessary to generate an invitation for a job interview, all the experts urged jobseekers to create a summary of qualifications that makes the rsum stand out from the crowd. The Summary of Qualifications lists, Internet Keyword style, the features (such as skillsets, experience, outstanding achievements) you most want the hiring authority to see immediately. The Summary of Qualifications goes immediately below the heading of the rsum, or just following the statement of your objective, should you decide to include one. As to the Professional Experience section of the rsum, design a work history listing that shows off your experience: List the company name and location (city, state) List the dates of your employment, including month and year Prominently display your job title Instead of a description of your job duties, or at least in addition to them, include key accomplishments you achieved in that position The accomplishments you include need to be quantifiable and verifiable Include any relevant awards received while in the position in question Finish out your reverse chronology with and Education and Training section. When referencing your college and university studies, list the name of the school, city and state, the degree, and the field of study in which it was earned. Unless youve earned your degree recently, say in the last three years, it is considered superfluous to include your graduation date. Also list any certifications, specialized training, technical or industry training that youve completed in this section as well. Finally, in this digital age, most experts recommend a section entitled Computer Skills. Be sure to list the standard suites of office software with which you are proficient, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Netscape, etc. Also include any specialized software packages with which you are familiar, as they may well be in demand from industry to industry: Macromedia Dream Weaver Adobe Photoshop Quark Express Auto CAD That about does it for the necessary content on your rsum. According to the experts, do not list your references, do not include personal information (such as your social security number or marital status), dont even put a picture of yourself. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Good Luck With Your Job Search |