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  Career Essentials

  The Résumé

  by

  Dale Mayer

  Books in This Series:

  Career Essentials: The Résumé

  Career Essentials: The Cover Letter

  Career Essentials: The Interview

  Career Essentials: 3 in 1

  Career Essentials: The Résumé

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Copyright © 2011 Dale Mayer

  ISBN-13: 978-1927461181

  Kindle Edition

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Praise for Dale Mayer

  I love to read Dale Mayer’s books… keeps me guessing…. I am getting good though trying to figure out who did it…. I am on my fourth book….

  …Review left on Vampire in Deceit, book 4 of Family Blood Ties

  Dale Mayer’s work is always outstanding and Haunted by Death is no exception.

  …Review from Haunted by Death, book 2 of the By Death Series

  This is a GREAT series that you don’t want to miss out on!

  …Review from Broken Protocols Series

  This is my favorite author I enjoy all her books and I can’t wait for more… her books are easy to get into and I love the storyline

  …Review from Dangerous Designs, book 1 of the Design Series

  Dale Mayer is a gifted writer who now has me hooked as a new fan. She characters are complex and she shares her knowledge of energy work clearly and simply. Makes for fascinating reading…

  …Review from Rare Find, book 6 of Psychic Visions Series

  Don’t underestimated Dale Mayer. Combination of JD Robb and Heather Graham. Paranormal suspense………

  …Review left on Maddy’s Floor, book 3 of the Psychic Visions Series

  Wow! I read a lot, and I can honestly say that there a few books that I have read that I will remember for years. This is one of those books. Thank you Dale for giving me the gift of this magnificent story. It was both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.

  …Review left on Skin, book 1 of Broken and yet…Healing Series

  Touched by Death is an outstanding novel by Dale Mayer. Unlike her usual novels that contain paranormal activity, this novel is sheer malevolent actions from ordinary humans.

  …Review left on Touched by Death, book 1 of By Death Series

  Dale’s books are spellbinding in more ways than one. She has a unique way with words. Her characters are fun and funny and loving. I love the way the story flows. Her characters all have personality. She takes you from suspense to love, then fear love and eternal love.

  …Review left on Second Chances, book 1 of Second Chances… at Love Series

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to Christoph, Jason, Nick and Kara, with thanks. Hopefully, the information found between these covers will serve you well.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Praise for Dale Mayer

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  1. What is a Résumé?

  How to use this book

  Why do you need a résumé?

  Top reasons to update your résumé

  A résumé follows basic rules

  The length of your résumé

  Avoid these top mistakes

  2. The Résumé style

  Chronological format

  Sample chronological format

  Sample chronological résumé

  Functional format

  Functional résumé (short)

  Functional résumé (long)

  Functional résumé

  Combination / hybrid format

  Sample combination format

  Completed combination résumé

  Other résumé formats

  Targeted

  Creative

  And more

  Résumé vs CV

  Curriculum Vitae

  Sample curriculum vitae format

  3. Building Blocks

  Contact information

  Career goal or objective

  Professional summary

  Action words

  Action word statements

  Employment history

  Dates

  Skills

  Education

  Publication & presentations

  Professional associations

  Volunteer / community involvement

  Personal information

  Minor building blocks

  Certifications

  Course work

  Work authorization

  Security clearance

  Endorsements

  References

  4. Problem Areas

  Employment issues

  Recently laid off

  Inconsistent work history

  Job-hopping

  Having had only one job

  Criminal record

  Overqualified

  Underqualified

  Only local applications

  5. Electronic Résumé

  Scannable

  Electronic – for job banks

  Electronic – in an email

  Portable document format (PDF)

  Electronic forms

  6. Word Choices

  Words to avoid

  Transferable skills

  Writing great copy

  7. The Final Check

  General

  Identification

  Career goal

  Summary

  Experience

  Education

  Other headings

  8. Warning

  9. Conclusion

  Bibliography

  Author’s Note

  Excerpt from Career Essentials: The Series

  About the Author

  Also by Dale Mayer

  Acknowledgments

  The Essential Series books wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my friends and family. Many hands helped with proofreading, editing and beta reading to make this book happen. I had a vision and without all these special people, I couldn’t have made it come to pass.

  I thank you all.

  Introduction

  Writing a good novel takes time. It’s a personal journey that requires research, dedication, and a little blood to turn your thoughts into something you can be proud of. Like an aged wine, any writing improves when given a chance to breathe and expand over time. In the process, more ideas develop, better ways to say things come to you, half-fleshed-out ideas show up, and some of the lines you absolutely love, need to be cut. Writing a good résumé deserves the same effort. You need time to consider who you are, the experiences you’ve gained, accomplishments you’ve achieved, and the skills you have to offer your next employer. That’s not done in an hour or even two. Give yourself the required time to create a masterpiece that you can be proud of.

  Résumé writing isn’t new for me. I’ve written on the subject and it’s many associated topics for years. It is an impo
rtant field. In our current economic situation, it is even more important to have a good résumé. You might be able to go out and get a job with only your current documentation, but then, you might not. Some people might rewrite their résumé and cover letters based on my books and still not get a job. There are no guarantees in life.

  My book can help you. Are you ready to reassess your skills and your experiences in such a way that you can present them as achievements – as something you’ve accomplished once and therefore can do again – so as to benefit a new employer?

  So many people, being caught up in the panic of needing a new job and overwhelmed at the various elements that go into this process, forget that although the job hunt is about them, the end result is about what they can bring to the new employer.

  It’s often said that the résumé is about you and the cover letter is about the potential employer. That is too simplistic. The résumé is about you only as far as it demonstrates how you can benefit the potential employer. The employer needs to find a solution to a problem. They need someone who can do something specific to keep their company functioning in a specific way. The closer you can demonstrate that you are ‘that’ person, the closer you are to landing the job.

  Does this sound too easy? In a way it is. With the Internet giving easy access to jobs and the economic situation being as difficult as it is, people are applying for jobs for which they are not qualified – ever hopeful that somehow they will magically get picked for an interview.

  Just because you think you can do a job, doesn’t mean you can. As the recruiters and employers become buried under the onslaught, they’ve had to develop ways of searching through the thousands and thousands (no I’m not kidding!) of applications for their jobs.

  Somehow, your résumé has to float to the top of that sea.

  There’s no point in complaining how impossible it is to get a job as a massage therapist if you don’t have the required education or equivalent experience. If this is the field you want to work in – great! Really, it is. However, you need to start by getting the education and certification that the industry requires BEFORE applying for these jobs.

  The answer is to find jobs in your field, providing that’s where you want to stay. You should build the best résumé you can to show this employer that you have done this type of work before and that you can do it again!

  Desperate times breed rash acts and it’s hard to blame people who are just trying to find a job. However, companies are desperate to find the right person to join their team and solve the problem they are facing. They’re frustrated at the sheer volume of applicants they have to sort through.

  What’s the answer?

  Make it easy for them to see YOU amongst all those faces.

  Let me show you how! Grab a pen, a pad of paper, and let’s get started!

  1.

  What is a Résumé?

  It’s interesting that in our modern world there is still some confusion over what a résumé really is.

  Your résumé is a marketing tool. It showcases your talents and your experience in such a way as to ‘sell’ you to a potential employer.

  It’s not a litany of your past. It’s not a personal statement of who you are in the business world. It’s a sales tool. Too many people look at a résumé as being all about them. True enough, it is all about ‘you’ but in such a way as to the direct benefit that you can offer an employer.

  Consider any sales ad, TV or otherwise. In each and every case, the message is about how buying that item benefits you, the consumer.

  Your résumé is no different. It needs to show how hiring you helps the employer.

  A résumé is a communication sales tool that clearly lays out for an employer what you can bring to the negotiating table and in such a way that they can see how hiring you is the answer to their problems. What can you offer? What problems can you solve? What sales increases have you made in the past that show that you can do it again with the new company?

  How to use this book

  There are several ways to go about writing your résumé. There isn’t one ‘right’ way. It’s not going to be something you complete in an hour or two. Give yourself the time to do this correctly. It would be a good idea to read this book over to get an idea of where the important information that you need to know is located.

  Start by considering the three basic formats as described in Chapter 2, and determine which format is the best for you. Understand the different building blocks you will need to write up and how to lay them out. Samples help to show you what works and what doesn’t work. However, they also are a danger in that you might copy information from them to your own. Please don’t. Your résumé needs to be unique to you and your situation.

  After you understand what goes into the format you’ve chosen, go to Chapter 3: Building blocks. This chapter is an in-depth view of what each of these sections means and how to write them for maximum effectiveness.

  Then for the rewrite of your rough draft make sure you read Chapter two on overall considerations.

  Why do you need a résumé?

  Everyone should have a current résumé. The reason for most people is because they are job hunting and the purpose behind a résumé is to win an interview.

  If it’s a good résumé, it took you that one step forward to the coveted interview of the job you applied for. If it didn’t, then it needs to be redone. Your résumé needs to market you properly and grab the employer’s attention. Most résumés get only a glance, 30 seconds at the most, to do this or you’ve lost your opportunity.

  It’s not only job seekers that should have an up-to-date résumé. Why?

  • If you already have a job and are being considered for a promotion, award, or a special project, a résumé is a standard screening tool. It allows the person to see that you have the requisite education level or the experience required for what they have in mind.

  • It’s often company policy to keep a current résumé for all staff on hand. If the company is looking for investors, they may need to pull out the résumés to prove the company has the intellect – brains if you will – on staff for the project they are developing.

  • If you are doing up a grant proposal or contract proposal, using your résumé as extra proof that you are the right person for the job is a big help.

  • Your résumé is also a good cover piece for a graduate school application. It can show the school that you’ve been involved in your field seriously for several years and a higher degree is the next step in your career path.

  • If you’re looking for publication and need academic support, attaching a copy of your résumé helps to add professional backup as it shows you are well-versed in your field and may include a list of your publications.

  • Many people use a résumé as a personal blueprint of their own career path. It’s easier to look at a good résumé and see what’s been accomplished in order to determine what should come next. It can be a confidence booster because looking at your résumé helps you to realize your accomplishments in life. It’s also a stepping stone to help you understand where you want to go in life.

  Top reasons to update your résumé

  Even if you have a solid steady job, preparation is a good idea. Most industry professionals consider the following reasons to consider updating your résumé:

  • You’ve been promoted – odd you say, surely that means my job is even more secure? Not really. It could be less secure because more is going to be asked of you. It could also be that the company is looking for investors and your new position means you’ve joined the brain pool they are using to prove to investors they have the know-how to do the job.

  • Economic fluctuations – given the current economic climate, everyone should update their résumé immediately – before your company downsizes or folds.

  • Your contact information has changed – people rarely remember to update their résumé unless they are job hunting, but in truth you should have a cur
rent one on hand at a moment’s notice. Updating your contact information whenever it changes is a good practice to follow.

  • This same point applies to a change in your education status. If you’ve been attending school, night courses or picking up additional licenses, then you’ll want to update your résumé immediately.

  • You never know when someone will try to recruit you. You want to be ready when opportunity knocks.

  • Your career objective has changed. If you are looking to move up or laterally, your objective needs to reflect that, particularly if you are looking to move within the same corporation. Your résumé is on file. You don’t want to be assessed based on that objective, so update, and have the new one placed in your file.

  • You’re potentially up for an award or some kind of membership. Your résumé is often required to back up your education and work experience.

  A résumé follows basic rules

  A résumé should be short and simple, using language that is easily accessible to the employer. Only put down facts and figures that you can back up. Don’t lie and don’t change dates. Often your information goes through verification. Don’t do anything that will cost you the job. Be sure to understand the needs of the company and only put down information that is relevant to the job.

  The length of your résumé

  A one-page résumé is not too short if that’s all you have to put down. Don’t add irrelevant information to make it two pages. If you are at two pages, don’t go over. Better to rewrite and make the information tighter and more concise.

  One to two pages is ideal. The best advice for the correct length of your résumé is to make it the length it needs to be to get the pertinent information down. Write it so that everything important is there – and nothing else.