If Your Resume Doesn’t Work, Neither Will You
By Michael Goldberg

Resumes have changed over the last several years. They used to reflect a biographical overview of all your work experience, as well as your education and personal interests. Remember the section on hobbies? Also, the resume was never to be more than one page. Today, resumes are typically 2 pages with the focus on the most recent 20 years of professional experience. Personal interests are rarely included. The following guidelines can help you keep the focus of your resume on your accomplishments, education, and related skills. This is what will get you interviewed and ultimately hired.

• Insure your contact information is on the top of both pages of your resume. If your e-mail address is unprofessional, change it. Many email programs allow you to create a host name.
  
• If you know precisely what you want to do specific to your profession and industry, start your resume with "Professional Objective." If you don’t know, leave it out.
• There should be a brief paragraph on the top of the resume called a Summary. It outlines your entire resume highlighting your profession, expertise, background, and skills. This insures prospective employers need not read the entire resume to capture what you have to offer. It also makes it easier for keyword searches to pick up important aspects of your background. The Summary may be the most important part of the resume upon first glance of a prospective employer or recruiter.
• Summarize all job titles with a Responsibility Statement. Responsibility Statements are micro job descriptions that outline in broad terms the nature of your role. These statements are followed by Accomplishment Statements, written in a bullet point format. Accomplishment Statements explain specific tasks and their results.
• Write all aspects of the resume in Active Voice. Good practices around writing in Active Voice include omitting pronouns such as I, you, us, them, we, they, and me. Better to begin sentences using action words such as managed, implemented, created, and designed. Also, limit the use of the words a, an, and the on the resume (it’s alright to use these words on your Cover Letter). These are words you almost never need in the copy of your resume. Exceptions include the formal name of a company like The Wall Street Journal, or a publication, process, or type of software or hardware.
• Avoid the use of abbreviations (except for states), industry related jargon, and acronyms when possible. If you need to use acronyms, write out the whole term and then display the acronym afterward in parenthesis (only when written the first time).
• Proofread, proofread, and then proofread. Correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar are vital to the impression your resume will make. Also, proofread for typographical errors and insure accuracy with all biographical and accomplishment based information. Then have someone else with an eye for detail proofread your resume.
• Realize that the first draft of your resume will need revisions. It normally takes 3 or 4 drafts before the perfect resume is complete.
• There is no need to include references with your resume or make mention of them. And there is no need to include the phrase references furnished upon request.
• Do not include personal information on your resume including age, marital status, number of children, or anything that may cause doubt or screen you out of the hiring process.
• Numbers one through nine can be written out. Numbers 10 and up can be written numerically.
• Avoid leaving gaps between employment dates. Best to list jobs by year rather than by month.
• Use key words reflecting the industry and profession you are targeting rather than from previous experience.

Remember, your resume is the first impression a future employer may have of you. It serves as your sales kit, business card, and as a friendly reminder of how you present yourself and go about your work. Always keep your resume updated and within reach. You never know where your next opportunity may come from!

Michael Goldberg is a speaker, seminar leader, coach, and the President of Building Blocks Consulting. He helps organizations achieve measurable growth in sales, service, and leadership. Michael delivers keynote addresses, runs sales meetings, and conducts training programs on networking, leadership, public speaking, customer service, and job search. He can be reached at 732-446-2233 or via e-mail at megoldberg@building-blocks.net.