I hear your pain, truly. Resumé development ranks right up there with root canals and tax day. Just like root canals and tax day, you have to get through it. Here's a snapshot of what’s needed to START your resumé. Getting started the right way can make the difference in the “tone” and impression to a recruiter you need to impress.
First Question: Is a resumé passé? No, for now. There are rumors in the recruitment world that resumés will be replaced with verification of duties reports and legal reference documents. We don’t see this happening for at least 6 years. So for now, resumés are still the fifth most important document in your lifetime.
The Five Most Important Documents of Your Life
Job Qualifications (there’s no going around it)
It is critical that you fully comprehend and understand the qualifications of each job you in which you apply. Skirting a job qualification with fancy words that describe a replacement of similar skills sets you possess never flies in the face of a recruiter. Transparency and full disclosure of your skill sets that MATCH exactly to the job qualifications is what a recruiter respects.
Where are you in your career field?
Resumé Categories Topics
- Use years (versus months and years) to help streamline and focus your history
- Do NOT remove the dates altogether since this can be a red flag to employers. Some recruiters use intense applicant tracking technology that literally throws a resume out if dates are removed from a resume.
- Leave out dates and experience that isn't current.
Highlighting way too many unrelated positions
Don’t clog your resume with useless info. Place a strong emphasis on the functional skills, training, and accomplishments—as they relate to a targeted job search.
Long gaps between positions
Nothing throws a resumé out faster than large gaps of work in a resume. Fill the career-related activities such as education and volunteer experience that RELATES to the job you want.
Write clear and concise sentences on your resume
From Amy Rossi, CoFounder of CASY-MSCCN and Director of Training, CASY-MSCCN:
There is no one best resource to write a perfect sentence. The emphasis should not be on "how" to write a perfect sentence, because a perfect sentence that has the wrong information will not deliver you a result. Make sure you're leaving out any typographical errors, misspellings, and inappropriate grammar.
The focus should be on the "WHY and WHAT" of the content in each area. Why is that section on the resume and what would a prospective employer want to know to qualify you for the position.
A sentence purpose SHOULD change slightly in each section.
For instance:
In your professional summary and objective statement should be sales focused
In your qualifications/skills summary it should be factual.
In your employment history it should be demonstrative
Link them to our resumé training
Erin Voirol, Executive Director for Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) provides the BEST tips to our military affiliated applicants when keeping yourself attractive to recruiters by way of your online resume. Here are the top three:
Honestly, if there was a fun and easy way to get started on your resume – we’d provide it for you at CASY-MSCCN. What we can do is try to formulate the best type of template and/or snapshot of categories to get you started and keep you motivated to create the best ‘you’ on a resumé.
Article by Deb Koeppel, President and founder CASY/MSCCN
First Question: Is a resumé passé? No, for now. There are rumors in the recruitment world that resumés will be replaced with verification of duties reports and legal reference documents. We don’t see this happening for at least 6 years. So for now, resumés are still the fifth most important document in your lifetime.
The Five Most Important Documents of Your Life
- Your birth certificate tells the world you’ve arrived
- Your Social Security card tells the world you're ready to work
- Your drivers license gets you to work
- Your passport allows you to work internationally
- Your resumé determines the type of work you’ll obtain
AND determines how balanced your work life will be.
- Chronological resumés present information in a timeline approach.
- Functional resumés group work experience and skills by skill area or job function.
- Combination resumés highlight your skills and experiences.
- Curricula vitae (CVs) provide a detailed statement of your qualifications. They are only used in certain positions and industries.
Job Qualifications (there’s no going around it)
It is critical that you fully comprehend and understand the qualifications of each job you in which you apply. Skirting a job qualification with fancy words that describe a replacement of similar skills sets you possess never flies in the face of a recruiter. Transparency and full disclosure of your skill sets that MATCH exactly to the job qualifications is what a recruiter respects.
Where are you in your career field?
- Student and Entry Level
- Professional and Mid-Career
- Executive
- Federal
Resumé Categories Topics
- Work Experience – be exact
- Skills and Abilities – be exact
- Education
- Volunteer and/or Intern Experience – be exact
- Additional Work Experience not listed in the body of the resume
- Honors and awards
- List the skills that have accomplished your success thus far in which you take pride in
- Make these accomplished skills relate to what a prospective employer might be seeking
- Which skill set makes me different or helps me stand out?
- What skill set shows the smart and balanced aspects of my personality or strengths?
- Which activities have been superseded by more recent experiences?
Check out this resource from Career Path to help you screen your resumé, and the tips below.
- Use years (versus months and years) to help streamline and focus your history
- Do NOT remove the dates altogether since this can be a red flag to employers. Some recruiters use intense applicant tracking technology that literally throws a resume out if dates are removed from a resume.
- Leave out dates and experience that isn't current.
Highlighting way too many unrelated positions
Don’t clog your resume with useless info. Place a strong emphasis on the functional skills, training, and accomplishments—as they relate to a targeted job search.
Long gaps between positions
Nothing throws a resumé out faster than large gaps of work in a resume. Fill the career-related activities such as education and volunteer experience that RELATES to the job you want.
Write clear and concise sentences on your resume
From Amy Rossi, CoFounder of CASY-MSCCN and Director of Training, CASY-MSCCN:
There is no one best resource to write a perfect sentence. The emphasis should not be on "how" to write a perfect sentence, because a perfect sentence that has the wrong information will not deliver you a result. Make sure you're leaving out any typographical errors, misspellings, and inappropriate grammar.
The focus should be on the "WHY and WHAT" of the content in each area. Why is that section on the resume and what would a prospective employer want to know to qualify you for the position.
A sentence purpose SHOULD change slightly in each section.
For instance:
In your professional summary and objective statement should be sales focused
In your qualifications/skills summary it should be factual.
In your employment history it should be demonstrative
Link them to our resumé training
Erin Voirol, Executive Director for Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) provides the BEST tips to our military affiliated applicants when keeping yourself attractive to recruiters by way of your online resume. Here are the top three:
- Target your resumé to the job description
- Use a strong and clear objective statement
- Treat your volunteer experience as a viable work experience
Honestly, if there was a fun and easy way to get started on your resume – we’d provide it for you at CASY-MSCCN. What we can do is try to formulate the best type of template and/or snapshot of categories to get you started and keep you motivated to create the best ‘you’ on a resumé.
Article by Deb Koeppel, President and founder CASY/MSCCN
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