 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| The two most important first steps to a successful job search are defining your objective and designing a objective-tailored résumé. We’re here to help you do just that! |
A résumé has one primary purpose. That is, to convince an employer to invite you
for an interview.
A résumé presents you to prospective employers who – based on their response to
your résumé – may or may not grant you an interview. Along with the application
form, the résumé is the tool employers use most to screen job seekers. So, if your
résumé does not stand out and grab attention, you WILL be screened out!
Many people think of a résumé as a summary of a person’s entire life and career.
When people write their own résumé, they often stick in everything they have ever
done and every bit of information about themselves, as if to say, “Hey, I have done a
lot, I’m nice, and I have had an interesting life. Why not help me out by giving me a
job?
Unfortunately, employers are not in the business of helping nice, interesting, or busy
people by handing out jobs. When it comes to hiring staff, an employer has only one
thought in mind: how to make their business more profitable. Employers hire people
because they believe those people will help them enhance their bottomline.
Helping an employer enhance their bottomline comes in many forms. For people in
most occupations it’s
opportunities for the company.
most occupations it’s
- being dependable with very little lost work time;
- being easy to get along with, creating a positive work environment;
- being a good worker to maximize productivity;
- having the experience and training to do the job without a great deal of
further training and supervision, and - being likely to stay on the job for a reasonable period to time to minimize
turnover.
opportunities for the company.
A résumé must demonstrate clearly and concisely that you will help a potential
employer’s business be successful. It must contain all the best evidence supporting
that claim. And it must not contain any excess or irrelevant information that
distracts from that claim.
The more you look like someone who can achieve results for your employer, the more
interviews you will get.
Keep in mind that employers are not the only persons who will see your résumé.
Keep copies of your résumé with you always, and give them out to friends, relatives,
neighbors, or anyone else you meet.
The more people who see your résumé, the more employers will contact you for an
interview. And that includes many employers you never thought of approaching.
It’s the same with any type of advertising. The more people who see an ad, the more
products will be sold. Sending a résumé directly to employers is one way to make
sure they hear about you, but it’s not the only way.
employer’s business be successful. It must contain all the best evidence supporting
that claim. And it must not contain any excess or irrelevant information that
distracts from that claim.
The more you look like someone who can achieve results for your employer, the more
interviews you will get.
Keep in mind that employers are not the only persons who will see your résumé.
Keep copies of your résumé with you always, and give them out to friends, relatives,
neighbors, or anyone else you meet.
The more people who see your résumé, the more employers will contact you for an
interview. And that includes many employers you never thought of approaching.
It’s the same with any type of advertising. The more people who see an ad, the more
products will be sold. Sending a résumé directly to employers is one way to make
sure they hear about you, but it’s not the only way.
| The 3 Master Secrets to Writing Interview-Getting Résumés |
Master Secret #1: Use an Attention-Getting Statement
or anything else you choose, the first important secret to writing a superior résumé
is a succinct, specific introductory attention-getting statement that tells the
employer who you are and what key skills you have to offer them. This statement
tells the employer quickly whether the résumé is worth reading.
You see, employers usually get stacks of résumés. And they simply don’t have time to
read each résumé from beginning to end. So they need a way to weed out 90% of the
applications quickly. First they toss out all the résumés that don’t look professional –
the ugly colors and gimmicky formats, the ones with obvious typos, the cheap looking
paper, etc.
Then, they toss out all the résumés that don’t immediately grab their attention.
They may spend less than a second glancing at each résumé before it goes into the
“worth reading” or the “toss out” pile.
So, how do you grab their attention in that split second? With a short, precise
attention-getting introductory statement. This makes the employer’s task easy. For
instance, if they’re looking for a computer support specialist, all they have to do is go
through the pile and pull out all the résumés that say “Computer support specialist
skilled at answering telephone calls, analyzing problems using automated diagnostic
programs, and resolving recurrent difficulties encountered by users.” at the top of
the first page.
This allows the employer to spend their valuable time only on those résumés from
people who really want the job, and whose training and experience are most relevant.
If you don’t include an attention-getting introductory statement that relates
specifically to the position you want or one they have open, the résumé may never
be read at all.
Similarly, if you make the statement long and rambling, the résumé may get tossed.
Remember: the employer must be able to read it in a split second.
One more thing. This is the 21st century, and if you have posted your résumé
Online, it will be subject to key word searches. If you have not included the right
key words for specific opportunities, your résumé will literally disappear under the
radar.
If what you’re telling yourself right now is “I’m not sure exactly what I want to do.
I’m open to a lot of different jobs, and I’m afraid that if I pin down a position, I
won’t be considered for others. Won’t that hurt my job search?”
or anything else you choose, the first important secret to writing a superior résumé
is a succinct, specific introductory attention-getting statement that tells the
employer who you are and what key skills you have to offer them. This statement
tells the employer quickly whether the résumé is worth reading.
You see, employers usually get stacks of résumés. And they simply don’t have time to
read each résumé from beginning to end. So they need a way to weed out 90% of the
applications quickly. First they toss out all the résumés that don’t look professional –
the ugly colors and gimmicky formats, the ones with obvious typos, the cheap looking
paper, etc.
Then, they toss out all the résumés that don’t immediately grab their attention.
They may spend less than a second glancing at each résumé before it goes into the
“worth reading” or the “toss out” pile.
So, how do you grab their attention in that split second? With a short, precise
attention-getting introductory statement. This makes the employer’s task easy. For
instance, if they’re looking for a computer support specialist, all they have to do is go
through the pile and pull out all the résumés that say “Computer support specialist
skilled at answering telephone calls, analyzing problems using automated diagnostic
programs, and resolving recurrent difficulties encountered by users.” at the top of
the first page.
This allows the employer to spend their valuable time only on those résumés from
people who really want the job, and whose training and experience are most relevant.
If you don’t include an attention-getting introductory statement that relates
specifically to the position you want or one they have open, the résumé may never
be read at all.
Similarly, if you make the statement long and rambling, the résumé may get tossed.
Remember: the employer must be able to read it in a split second.
One more thing. This is the 21st century, and if you have posted your résumé
Online, it will be subject to key word searches. If you have not included the right
key words for specific opportunities, your résumé will literally disappear under the
radar.
If what you’re telling yourself right now is “I’m not sure exactly what I want to do.
I’m open to a lot of different jobs, and I’m afraid that if I pin down a position, I
won’t be considered for others. Won’t that hurt my job search?”
Keep in mind; companies are not in business to help you figure out your career
path. It’s not enough to present yourself to a company and expect the employer
to determine where (or if) you fit in. Businesses have specific hiring needs. If
your résumé shows skills and attributes that fit those needs, you’re likely to get an
interview. But if your résumé is vague and unfocused, the employer won’t make
the connection (and does not have time to try). Instead of being an attractive
candidate for many opportunities, chances are you’ll be attractive for none.
path. It’s not enough to present yourself to a company and expect the employer
to determine where (or if) you fit in. Businesses have specific hiring needs. If
your résumé shows skills and attributes that fit those needs, you’re likely to get an
interview. But if your résumé is vague and unfocused, the employer won’t make
the connection (and does not have time to try). Instead of being an attractive
candidate for many opportunities, chances are you’ll be attractive for none.
This is such an important step in the job search process, that if you don’t know
what kind of job you want or don’t know for what jobs you qualify, stop now and
click on this link for help!
what kind of job you want or don’t know for what jobs you qualify, stop now and
click on this link for help!
Master Secret #2: Build an Objective-Tailored Résumé for Every
Opportunity
Your job is to tailor your entire résumé to support your objective to getting the job
you really want and are skilled to carry out. There is absolutely no reason to include
information that does not do this. Remember: The résumé is a strategic marketing
piece, not a tell-all autobiography. And if you have more than one job objective for
which you qualify, you need to build more than one résumé! That’s right; one size
does NOT fit all in the 21st century unless you have only one job target that
requires a specific set of skills and abilities.
As you approach companies and hiring managers who have the jobs you want, your
goal is to convince them that you’re the person for whom they have been looking.
The most effective way to do that is to present a résumé that incorporates all the
things they’re looking for in a candidate; and leaves out anything they don’t need.
As a result, you may need to prepare a different résumé each set of job
requirements. In many cases the changes will be minor. In others, the differences
might be significant. Actually, this is not that challenging if you have built a solid
master resume!
Master Secret #3: Use Power-Packed Action Words
Here’s where you get to use the power of language; not to exaggerate, but to
position your qualifications in the best possible way to get that interview. You need
to help a prospective employer visualize you meeting their needs, and you can only
do this on paper by using vivid, action-oriented words to describe your
accomplishments.
Opportunity
Your job is to tailor your entire résumé to support your objective to getting the job
you really want and are skilled to carry out. There is absolutely no reason to include
information that does not do this. Remember: The résumé is a strategic marketing
piece, not a tell-all autobiography. And if you have more than one job objective for
which you qualify, you need to build more than one résumé! That’s right; one size
does NOT fit all in the 21st century unless you have only one job target that
requires a specific set of skills and abilities.
As you approach companies and hiring managers who have the jobs you want, your
goal is to convince them that you’re the person for whom they have been looking.
The most effective way to do that is to present a résumé that incorporates all the
things they’re looking for in a candidate; and leaves out anything they don’t need.
As a result, you may need to prepare a different résumé each set of job
requirements. In many cases the changes will be minor. In others, the differences
might be significant. Actually, this is not that challenging if you have built a solid
master resume!
Master Secret #3: Use Power-Packed Action Words
Here’s where you get to use the power of language; not to exaggerate, but to
position your qualifications in the best possible way to get that interview. You need
to help a prospective employer visualize you meeting their needs, and you can only
do this on paper by using vivid, action-oriented words to describe your
accomplishments.
Who should write your resume?
Unless you're willing to put in the time, energy and resources to learn how to build
a strength-centered, objective-tailored, attention-getting résumé that outlines
your overall background, skills and training using powerful language, and one of the
5 most popular résumé formats...don't write it yourself!
A résumé is a strategic marketing tool! Why take the chance of under-marketing
yourself? It could cost you that next great job in the short run and possibly
hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a career — no other document
may be more essential. Let a professional write it under your supervision to
maximize your opportunities.
Unless you're willing to put in the time, energy and resources to learn how to build
a strength-centered, objective-tailored, attention-getting résumé that outlines
your overall background, skills and training using powerful language, and one of the
5 most popular résumé formats...don't write it yourself!
A résumé is a strategic marketing tool! Why take the chance of under-marketing
yourself? It could cost you that next great job in the short run and possibly
hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a career — no other document
may be more essential. Let a professional write it under your supervision to
maximize your opportunities.
| FindJobsQuickly 21st century resources to help entry-level and mid-career job seekers Get The Job They Really Want Quickly |
a service of LADD Educational Services
| 2300 Howes Street, Merrick, New York 11566 (516) 672-6773 • info@LADDEducationalServices.org |