Resume Writing Techniques
Imagine that you are applying for a job. An employer gets hundreds of resumes for that position (this is not uncommon for today’s job market). Your potential employer is not going to carefully read each resume. Instead the employer is going to skim through the pile of resumes and take the ones that looks most promising. Does your resume have what it takes to make the cut?
It is your job to decipher what is important to an employer. Use key words in your cover letter and resume from the job description. It is your job to prove to the employer that you are there to meet their needs. Avoid including phrases like, “This job will allow me to improve my data entry skills,” which focuses on your needs. Rather, include phrases that focus on how you meet the needs of the company, such as “My meticulous data entry skills will benefit this company’s administration.” Another technique for resume writing is to actually tailor your resume to use the specific words that the employer uses in their job description of what the ideal candidate should have as a skill set.
Employers want specific examples of what you have achieved. Rather than saying “Improved corporate sales,” explain, “Drove sales from $10,000 to $100,000 over a sixth month period.”
Employers want to know that you are an organized and meticulous person. Your resume should reflect your organizational skills, and should look good on the page. The physical resume itself should be crisp and neat: not folded or crumpled. Keep your resumes in a folder to achieve this professionalism.
Employers want proof that you know the market. Include jargon from the field whenever possible. Include key words from the position advertisement to prove that you are exactly the person the employer wants to hire.