Years ago no one needed a resume. All anyone had to do was fill out an application. The system worked. Right? Wrong. Employers started asking for one-page resumes to find out more about the prospective employee. That was enough. Right? Wrong.
Why didn't the system work? Employers were not getting enough information with applications and, in many cases, with one-page resumes. Without enough of the right kind of information employers were not calling the right people to interview. They were hiring the wrong people. Hiring the right person for a job is costly to a company. There is much down time when a company has to advertise, interview, hire, and train a new employee. It takes some time for a new hire to get up to speed in the job. Then, if a company hires the wrong person the down time is compounded.
Today employers are looking for a lot of information in a resume. Of course, they want to know who you have worked for and for how long. But what else are they looking for?
Summary of Qualifications…why are you qualified to do a particular job? What makes you unique? Why should you be hired over someone else? What skills do you have for the position?
Job Description….Don't tell them what they already know. If you are a forklift driver they know that you can drive a forklift. Did you train others? How well did you drive that forklift? Did you contribute positively to the company safety standards? Were you able to keep up with the production or packing lines? Were you able to store the product in the right places? The list of possible information is endless.
Education…Did you graduate from high school, college? Do you have an advanced degree or certification? Do you have any additional training or continuing education? Are you computer literate? Can you speak or read a foreign language? There are lots of things that can go under education.
Do you belong to any professional associations or are you involved in your community? Do you hold any positions in those organizations? Do you coach Little League? Do you volunteer at the Women's Crisis Center? This is the write stuff to include in your resume. A prospective employer is much more likely to interview the person he knows the most about. With this type of information in your resume, you are most likely the one will be contacted for an interview.
I have the expertise to prepare scannable and e-mail resumes as well as those for Internet database use. I can give you an effective resume to assist you in gaining the success you deserve. It takes two to write a resume - one with the expertise and the other with the information that needs to be effectively presented.
