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| RESAMAZING! Crystal-Clear Résumés |
lighten up...
| "Get out the hip boots. Here comes another muddy résumé." That's what a lot of résumés are — word sludge. No potential employer wants to wade through a swamp of verbiage, trying to find something to hold on to. How can you create a distinctive résumé — one that stands out without being quirky or just plain weird? Maybe you've read about résumés submitted in Sanskrit or on toilet paper or grocery bags or helium balloons. There might be times when you want a highly peculiar résumé for a highly peculiar job. Usually, though, there are more ingenious ways to be creative and conventional at the same time. So don't set your résumé to music or print it on orange paper unless the job you're applying for is as bizarre as your résumé. I know what I'm talking about. I once received a résumé on a T-shirt. It was amusing but tough to photocopy. I might still have it somewhere. As an administrator and a manager, I have reviewed hundreds of résumés. As a résumé preparer, I have created hundreds more — since 1985, when I founded Zero Gravity. Résumé Myth 1: Don't include 'personal' information Certain types of personal information are essential on résumés — not REALLY personal, like, "My wife and I don't get along and are veering toward divorce." And you don't want to include activities and commitments that might be perceived as draining time and energy needed for the job. But if you rebuild computers and donate them to nuns in your spare time -- YES. Other words and phrases to avoid: divorce, sky-diving, motorcycle racing, Right to Life, Irish Republican Army, and penitentiary. It's fine to be a free spirit and to have controversial views. Such issues are very personal to some people and might better be discussed — if it's absolutely necessary to discuss them — in a personal setting, face to face. Of course, you're under no obligation to tell anyone what organizations you belong to, what magazines you read, what church you go to, or where you get your hair cut. Trust your instincts. Résumé Myth 2: Begin your résumé with a summary or 'objectives' paragraph "Summaries" do NOT belong on résumés. That's what cover letters are for. On your cover letter, you show that you have done some homework on the employer, you highlight whatever you have found in your homework that clicks with your background and expertise, you demonstrate the connection (pointing to relevant entries on your résumé), and you suggest how that "fit" will benefit the employer. And you do it all concisely, in a few paragraphs. In any case, your résumé itself is a summary — easily scanned, not blobs of tedious puffery. A good résumé should be a sharp snapshot of you -- preferably an active, well-focused you. As for "objectives" — your prospective employers are much more concerned about what they want than about what you want. And you might, by defining your objectives, eliminate yourself from consideration for a great job. If you say your objective is to be a defensive lineman, they might not consider you for quarterback or head coach. Résumé Myth 3: Don't include references when you submit your résumé Why put prospective employers through the charade of asking for references? Why force them to take the extra step? On the other hand, there are two good reasons for withholding references until your prospective employer asks for them. Résumé Myth 4: If your employment history is spotty, use a 'functional' résumé The "functional" or "topical résumé" is sometimes recommended for people with conspicuous periods of unemployment, such as women returning to the work force. There are better, cleaner ways to smooth the rough edges. A topical résumé, where you describe your accomplishments and skills by "subject" rather than in chronological order, is like Mystery Meat. "Are there turnips in here?" the employer (metaphorically) asks, holding up a lump of something whitish.... Employers know what they're looking for in a résumé, and they want to be able to find it easily. Most are accustomed to the reverse chronological résumé, working backward from your most recent job. A functional résumé is a red flag for an unusual or undesirable work history. These aren't just my off-the-wall opinions. They come from dozens of interviews with employers and many, many years of screening résumés and writing crisp, credible résumés and cover letters that do the job.
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How else will your prospective employer know that you
spend your vacations bicycling in the Andes? It might violate
employment law for employers to ask whether you have
stamina. It's not against the law for you to tell them. Any-
thing you can do, with dignity, on a résumé, to be multi-
dimensional (and in motion) is GOOD. I do discourage clients
from including dangerous pursuits such as hang-gliding or
controversial affiliations such as membership in the NRA.
spend your vacations bicycling in the Andes? It might violate
employment law for employers to ask whether you have
stamina. It's not against the law for you to tell them. Any-
thing you can do, with dignity, on a résumé, to be multi-
dimensional (and in motion) is GOOD. I do discourage clients
from including dangerous pursuits such as hang-gliding or
controversial affiliations such as membership in the NRA.
 | It gives you a good reason to contact the employer. | |
| It shields your references from a barrage of phone calls and e-mails. If | |
| you're sending out dozens of résumés every day, or if your résumé is publicly displayed online, omit references. If you're distributing your résumé selectively, however, then you can include references or testimonials, especially if the prospective employer is in a hurry to hire. You can even enclose a couple of STRONG, relevant letters of reference with your résumé. |
All this assumes that you have asked your references for permission to use their names, have
verified their titles and the contact information they prefer to use, and have let them know
when and how you intend to use their names, testimonials, or letters of reference
verified their titles and the contact information they prefer to use, and have let them know
when and how you intend to use their names, testimonials, or letters of reference
| NOW — $10 instant rebate via PayPal (at right are before-rebate prices) |
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| Résumé Q & A 'Construct a portrait that shows the best side of the real you' 1. If I have a two-page résume, is it okay to print both pages on the same sheet of paper? YES! In this era of environmental responsibility, it is perfectly fine to use one sheet of paper for two pages. An additional advantage is that it prevents the second page from becoming separated from the first page. 2. Do I have to use fancy-schmancy résumé paper for my résumé and cover letter? Eight or ten years ago, I would have said, "Yes, absolutely; use a creamy matte stock with high cotton content to add elegance and reduce glare." (Bright white paper can be hard to look at.) Today, your résumé might be discovered online or transmitted via CD or e-mail attachment. If you are sending out a paper copy, it will most likely be photocopied and circulated. I now recommend using fairly heavy (28-pound) white coated (for smoothness) matte (nonglare) stock. The heavier paper will ensure that if the résumé is printed on both sides there will be no bleed-through. Many so-called résumé papers are textured and thus don't photocopy as well as smoother papers. 3. Do I need different résumés for different types of jobs? It's best to have a single, all-purpose résumé, not several customized for various purposes. A good cover letter will direct the reader's attention to specifics about your background and experience. 4. I'm posting my résumé online; there's no provision for a cover letter. What should I do? Make sure your résumé is "keyword-friendly." If a potential employer is looking for someone like you, what search terms would he or she use? You might consider including, as the first section of your résumé, the category "professional profile" that simply lists generic job titles applicable to your background and your job search. |
lighten up...
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Premiere Vendor in the Omaha, Nebraska Copywriter, Copywriting Service Directory at Marketingtool.com.
| A friend (Debbie) with exemplary skills and experience found herself out of work in the chill of this early- 21st-century economic slowdown. She asked me for advice on her résumé as she searched for suitable employment. I turned, without hesitation, to my personal "Best in the Business" award-winner, Resamazing's Mary Campbell, and passed Mary's suggestions along to Debbie. Within a few weeks, Debbie was gainfully (and gratefully) employed at a dynamic company that suits her values and goals perfectly. Thanks, Mary! —Jane Kenyon, Omaha |
| CONTACT ZERO GRAVITY info@LifeIsPoetry.net 3538 Dewey Ave., Omaha, NE 68105 Phone: 402-341-9014 Fax: 402-346-0714 |
| Mary revamped my résumé in a way that helped me truly shine. I was thrilled with the way she worked with me to better present myself on paper. And, the best part of all, I got the job I wanted teaching at a local college! —Chris Steffen, Omaha |
IT'S SO EASY!
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| © Luc Viatour GFDL/CC |
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