1. Be your calling card.

2. Help you win an interview.

3. Set your agenda during the interview.

4. Continue to sell for you after you've left the interview.

But did you know that far too often your resume could be killing your chance to even get you a phone call. Worst of all, you may not even know it's happening. In the job search world of today, your resume will often work AGAINST you, knocking you out of the search process before you've even had a chance to begin.

Here's what's happening: resumes are being used as a screening-out tool. Used by lower level staff looking for a quick way to weed candidates out of consideration, your resume can work against you as much as for you.

You can minimize the chances of this happening with your resume by following these three simple rules:

1. Less is More: Don't tell too much. A good resume should leave the prospective employer with a whetted appetite, a desire to know more. They will be likely to call and phone screen you. So don't fill in all the details just yet. Save that for the interview. Do, however, paint a big picture of who you are and what you can offer. This way the document can stand on its own. So skip the hobbies and personal info. Avoid mind-numbing detail that will cause a reader's eyes to glaze over. One page is ideal, two pages only if you are a 15 to 20-year veteran with a significant growth and promotion history.

2. More Keywords: You want the computers to flag your resume for closer examination. Do this by including as many keywords as possible that are relevant to your job and your job skills. Also you might include major companies you worked with/for, as well as specific industry buzzwords that may be appropriate.

3. Be specific: Don't just tell them what you did. Move beyond that and tell the benefit of your accomplishment. A good way to do this is to include several specific ways you helped your employer make money or save money. Remember, the only benefit you can bring to the table is past performance. When you interview (either phone or in person) this is what will be discussed. But set the groundwork now in your resume. Think of all your jobs in the past and bring forth examples of some of your best work. How can an employer think of you as a problem solver? If at all possible, try to "monetize" your accomplishments (state them in terms of money). At the interview, you will be prepared to enlarge upon these successes.

Summary

By following these three simple rules, you will find your resume more likely to end up on the "to Call" stack than in the delete file.

Copyright (c) 2006 Joseph Turner

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