There is no universal résumé format. There are only guidelines.
The résumé writing example below is intended for that purpose.
Actively sell your qualifications by focusing on accomplishments
and results rather than routine job descriptions.
Final hiring decisions are rarely based on résumés alone; however,
the résumé should be a concise, factual and positive listing of
your education, experience and accomplishments.
Make sure the information you provide (throughout the résumé)
is relevant to prospective employers, supports your candidacy and
focuses on skills and experience needed to do the job.
Be conscious of the continuity of your history. The reader will
be looking for reasons to eliminate as many résumés as possible.
Writing résumés with gaps of unaccountable time often reach the
circular file.
Weigh your choice of words. Select strong action verbs, concrete
nouns and positive modifiers for emphasis. See our list of high-impact
words below. Use concise phrases and clauses rather than complete
sentences.
Try your résumé out on someone who knows you and who will be
objective in his or her opinion.
Keep a separate list of references and make them available only
on request.
Always send a cover letter on matching paper with specific references
to the company's needs and your qualifications for the job. A personal
letter is always best, so make an effort to get the name and title
of the individual making the hiring decision.
Remember, your résumé is only a door opener to get a personal
interview. You should carefully frame your résumé as a platform
for your interview, setting the stage for the discussion. Your
résumé should help you control the interview agenda, and your résumé
is also your final word that others may see after your interview
is over.
RÉSUMÉ WRITING REQUIREMENTS
Submit your résumé on high quality paper the reader will remember;
paper that looks and feels valuable just like you, the candidate!
A research study conducted among business decision-makers recently
concluded that the use of Southworth's fine business paper used for
résumés led to more positive impressions and more positive business
decision outcomes than documents printed on ordinary copy/ multifunction
paper.
Make your résumé stand out! Look for our exceptional résumé
folders and 9" x 12" mailing envelopes.
Your reader will ask four questions of your résumé...Make sure
you have the answers!
Answering the following four questions in a fully persuasive way
will greatly increase your odds of developing a winning résumé. The
questions are the crucial elements of the résumé writing formula.
Answering them will not only give you the material you need for building
a strong résumé but will also prepare you for networking and interviewing.
Use the résumé writing examples below as a point of reference.
What do you want?
What is your job target? The résumé should be built around your job
target (whether you include an objective or not) so that prospective
employers can immediately see what position you are aiming for.
Why are you qualified to do it?
That's the summary or "professional profile" section. This
is where you outline the skills and credentials that qualify you
for the job. You can break your skills into functional sections or
use bullet points to highlight key points. If this section is done
properly, it will convince prospective employers that the rest of
your résumé is worth reading, bringing them to the next question.
Where have you done it?
That's the "experience" section. The reader needs to know
whom you worked for, the city and state where they are located and
what you did. Ideally, your job descriptions should include lots
of active verbs and focus on keywords and functional skills that
are most relevant to your job target. See our list of words below.
How well have you done it?
Listing accomplishments and special projects shows by example that
you have contributed to previous employers' bottom lines. The best
accomplishments are those that demonstrate quantifiable results
or your willingness to go "the extra mile." Did you come
up with an idea that saved the company money? Were you promoted
because of your team building skills? Were you selected for a key
program because of your positive attitude? Whenever possible, describe
how you improved previous employers' bottom lines - i.e., doubled
sales, cut costs, reduced errors, streamlined processing or improved
efficiency.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE BOOKS
On Résumé Writing, Career Management and Job Seeking
Change Your Job Change Your
Life 7th Ed., By Ronald L. Krannich,
Impact Publications, 1999
What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles, Ten Speed Press,
Berkely, CA, 2001
Do What You Are - Discover the Perfect
Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger,
published by Little, Brown and Company, 1995
RÉSUMÉ WRITING EXAMPLES
GREGORY SMITHERS
435 Miranda #62
Bend, Oregon 97231
(555) 555-9087
Professional Profile
M.B.A. graduate
with record of success in sales management and marketing at
the local, regional and national levels. Creative problem solver
with ability to drive revenue growth, resolve conflict, improve
morale and consistently exceed profit goals. Computer literate.
Management - Solid background in planning and executing
sales and marketing plans. Hands-on manager with highly developed
negotiation skills and experience cultivating strategic business
partenerships. Equally strong in budgeting and financial
management.
Marketing - Proven ability to recognize and capitalize
on market trends and assume bottom-line responsibility for
strategic planning, pricing, market research and forecasting.
Broad knowledge of marketing disciplines, including research,
telemarketing, promotional planning, pricing, merchandising,
event planning and advertising.
Team Building - Decisive team leader with extensive
experience recruiting and hiring sales teams, developing
talent and creating effective training programs.
Communication - Persuasive
communicator with well-developed presentation and negotiation
skills. Able to develp productive relationships with colleagues,
customers and staff at all levels.
Branch Sales ManagerOversee branch sales operations
for the world's largest national/international commercial
collections firm. Direct a sales force of 35 and coordinate
telemarketing functions. Conduct biweekly sales meetings
and provide ongoing (2-3) hour sales mentoring sessions for
individual team members. Recruited and developed sales force.
Reduced
staff turnover by approximately 24%
Tripled sales and client
base; increased book of accounts (from $90,000 to $322,000)
and fees (from $7,200 to $38,000)
ADVO
COMPUTER SERVICES - Bellevue, Washington
1995 - 2000
Owner/Western Region Manager
Directed Western Region
sales operations and oversaw six satellite offices. Recruited
and trained 15-person sales force. Achieved record sales increases
and successfully marketed new product lines. Redesigned product
demos and increased "close" ratio
by 37%.
Increased sales to existing clients by 122% within two
years
Executed slaes strategies that expanded sales from $105,000
to $2.4 million in five years
Set up distribution and delivery
systems that increased market penetration by 18%
NECRO & CO. - Seattle, Washington
1990 - 1995
Sales Manager
Coordinated startup and developed marketing,
sales and telemarketing strategies. Hired, trained and motivated
a sales team of eight.
Increased Sales from 0 to $720,000 in
just two years
The résumé sample above was provided by the National Résumé Writers'
Association. For more professional résumé samples download a free
résumé template.
