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Today's job market is difficult. With fewer available
jobs, getting the job you want can be a real challenge,
even if you're qualified. One way to stand out from
the crowd is with a well written resume that makes the
selection process easy for hiring managers. Make sure
your resume answers who you are, what you can do for
the hiring managers company, and how you can be contacted.
Who Are You?
This topic includes your name and any professional
designations you have obtained, such as an MBA, Ph.D.,
RN, MD, or any of a number of professional distinctions.
By including these designations with your name in the
header of your resume, you are providing the hiring
manager with immediate and valuable data regarding your
candidacy and career level.
The manner in which you present your name is also important.
Including familial designations such Joe Jones, III
may very well be seen as pretentious by a hiring manager.
Using a "Jr." after your name may be applauded
by your family, but it could give a hiring manager the
wrong first impression - that you are young and inexperienced.
Caution is always advised in these instances.
A quick word about the use of nicknames. Nicknames
can work for you or against you given the circumstances.
If you were named "Kendrick," but go by "Ken,"
use of your nickname would be appropriate as Ken is
more modern and sounds more youthful than Kendrick.
However, if you were christened "Barbara,"
but are known as "Babs" - even at work - it
would be best to err on the conservative side during
your job search, especially if the targeted industry
is a traditional one such as banking, accounting, or
education. Once hired, you can then decide whether using
your nickname is appropriate.
What can you do for my company?
The purpose of reading a resume is largely to determine
what you can do for a particular hiring manager and
the company he works for. What makes you unique? How
can the company be sure that you would provide significant
value?
When forming your resume, put yourself in the shoes
of a hiring manager who has to look at dozens of resumes.
Be sure to highlight your skills, industry expertise,
or knowledge that sets you apart from all other applicants.
Place this information at the very top of document.
Don't make hiring managers search for this all important
information.
How You Can Be Contacted?
This data should be instantly obvious to a hiring manager.
Your phone number and email address are your most important
contact data. For easy access by hiring managers, phone
numbers and emails should be bolded and in a larger
type than the physical address, as hiring managers rarely,
if ever, contact a successful candidate by "snail"
mail.
A quick word about phone numbers. Although you may
be tempted to list numerous phone numbers, including
fax numbers, don't.
Never include a work number even if your boss knows
you're searching for another position as this sends
the wrong message to a potential employer. He or she
will wonder about your loyalty and whether you'll be
using company time at your new job to speak to prospective
employers.
Never include cell phone numbers because you may just
be contacted while you're in traffic which brings intrusive
background noise, or where the phone signal is weak
which could irritate a busy hiring manager.
Stand out from other candidates by answering the simple
questions of who you are, what you can do for the company
you are applying for, and basic contact information.
Make this information easy to discern and you'll have
the edge you so desperately need in a challenging labor
market.
About the Author:
Michael Fleischner is the Managing Director of Resumeedge.com
which provides Resume
Writing, Sample Resumes, and <a href="http://www.resumeedge.com">Cover
Letter Services</a>. Learn to <a href="http://www.webmastersbookofsecrets.com">improve
search engine rankings, click here.</a>.
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