Resume Writing Tips
Always look at your resume from the eyes of the hiring manager. Make sure his time is not wasted because you have not been clear about your skills and responsibilities. Your resume format may differ from others based on specific experiences and qualifications. The most qualified applicant is not usually the first person selected to interview. The applicant with the best resume is usually the person first selected. Because of our close working relationships with many hiring managers, we have been able to record and assimilate a number of key principles, which if followed will lead to creating a successful resume. Some key points to remember are:
- Use only a few fonts - a resume with constant changes in font, size and shade can be difficult to read and may be distracting from the content.
- Do not use first person to describe your experience. When you use the phrase "I did this" or "I did that" - it sounds unprofessional and may come across as if you do not share in the team work or you are very self consumed. It is much better to use phrases like "Responsibilities for" or "Duties Included" to describe your experience.
- Proofread your resume and then have a friend or colleague proofread your resume. A simple typographical error will reflect on you poorly.
Parts of a Resume
SUMMARY: The summary is a full paragraph or two at
the top of your resume used to summarize your skills and experience.
You need to mention how many years of experience, your key strengths
and accomplishments and areas of expertise.
TECHNICAL SKILLS: Most people will come to focus
just above the center of a page when first given a quick glance. For
this reason we have found that it is good to distinguish your key
technical and managerial skills in this area. To capture the attention
of the person reading your resume it is best to set this section apart
from the rest of the page by creating a small table or distinct skills
list. Most managers appreciate seeing your skills listed in order
of strength along with indicating the years of experience.
Make sure you are specific on your experience in technologies by clearly stating: Hardware, Operating Systems, Languages, Tools, Architecture, Applications, ERP. It is always advisable to put your skills in the matrix form so it is clear to the hiring manager.
At the end of each project description, make sure you clearly state the technical environment of the project.
EXPERIENCE: This is the body of your resume. In this
section you want to describe in detail the places you have worked,
the dates of various places of employment, team size and a description
of your responsibilities and experiences during this time frame. Your
most recent experience should be listed first. Do not worry about
keeping your resume to one page. Incorporate a description of how
you have used your technical skills, equipment and work environment
into these paragraphs.
State your accomplishments clearly. Accurately describe all of your responsibilities. If you have management experience some questions you may want to address are as follows. Did you have PNL responsibilities? Did you make hiring and firing recommendations? How many people did you manage? Were you the one performing annual reviews? How much of a budget were you responsible for - 50K - 1 million or several million dollars? You can also write an addendum to your resume in order to give a more complete overview of your qualifications in particular area.
Sample:
Oracle Corporation, USA
Sr. Technical Consultant
January 2001- February 2002
Team Size: 5 (1 Functional, 4 Technical)
Company Profile: (Now state brief 2 line description
on the company and project)
Role and Responsibilities: (Then state
clearly your role and responsibilities on the project, your accomplishments
etc. Do not just say was responsible for design development and testing.
This is considered very vague and evasive. Do not say was responsible
for writing forms and reports. Instead state how many new or customized
forms you wrote, what types of forms, what types of reports, which
technologies were used to write the forms and reports. If you have
done interfaces, be clear on which interfaces you wrote, what data
conversion was done by you etc
Environment: Here state the Hardware,
Software, tools, languages used along with version numbers and modules.
EDUCATION: Your education may be important to a hiring manager but
is usually dwarfed by any real world experience that you may have.
CERTIFICATIONS: Professional Certification is very important to most companies and hiring managers. It is best that you distinguish your certification by mentioning them early in the resume. You may also want to mention any security.
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For a successful interview- always remember PEA - to have a Positive, Enthusiastic Attitude!
The most qualified candidate, based on academic background, skills
and accomplishments, doesn't always win the job. How you handle your
rapport building and presentation in the interview is equally important
to, if not more important than, building the interviewer's confidence
that you are the best fit for the position. First identify
Opportunities. Then convert these opportunities into Needs, Wants,
or Desires.
In an interview, you have three primary objectives:
- Receive a Job Offer
- Gain Knowledge -each interview should be much better than the previous interview because of knowledge gained in the process.
- End-With-A-Friend - develop relationships with everyone you meet - especially those who interview you.
To achieve these objectives, you need to establish rapport, establish credibility, set the tone, and identify a direction.
Always Be Prepared. You should never go into an interview without advance preparation. Learn pertinent facts about the company, the project.
Below are some questions typically asked during an interview. Your responses should come naturally.
- Tell me about yourself, your background, your strengths, weaknesses and accomplishments.
- On your Team Building skills- can others count on you when in need of assistance? How flexible are you? Are you team oriented, goal oriented? Do you sound/appear confident and friendly?
- Why should we hire you for this position? What skills will you bring to this company?
Here are some questions you might ask.
- What would I be expected to accomplish in this assignment? How do you think I fit the assignment?
- What are the greatest challenges in this position?
Some important "Do's" and "Don'ts" of successful interviewing:
DO's:
- Arrive early. Greet the interviewer by name.
- Smile and shake hands firmly. Look alert, confident and interested at all times.
- Look the interviewer in the eye while speaking. Structure your comments in a positive manner. Speak clearly
DON'T:
- Appear excessively nervous or exhibit overbearing, overaggressive or egotistical behavior.
- Overemphasize your compensation.
- Make excuses for unfavorable factors in your work history or disparage past employers, managers or projects
- Answer only "yes" or "no" to questions
Telephone Interviews- Remember PEA- Positive Enthusiastic Attitude.
Most Important- Stand up and talk. Always smile when you talk, it makes your voice sound much more friendly and enthusiastic. Remember, that they are focusing on your experience and technical skills as they relate to their project. Assist the interviewer understand your competencies and accomplishments. They will be judging you by your Overall responses, communication, tone, enthusiasm in addition to team building abilities and/or management skills and organizational fit.
Never answer a question with a simple "yes" or "no". Elaborate with specific information on what you did, how you did it, and how much experience you have with it. If the answer is "no", try to relate something you have done or used that is similar, and express a willingness to learn. Be clear and concise. Allow them to do the questioning for the most part. Do not interrupt their thought process. Be specific and remember, you have 60 seconds to make your point, or you will lose your listener. Use professional language no matter what. Never use slang, sarcastic humor. Be professional at all times.
Ending the Interview:
- Establish immediacy - The need to take action NOW! If you are interested in the position, let them know.
- Ask the interviewer, "Are there any concerns you have about my background?" This is your opportunity to readdress any objections before you leave. Otherwise you probably won't get another chance.
- Always send a Thank You note to the interviewer summarizing your interview, indicating how you could be the best fit for the job. Demonstrate clearly how your skills can be applied to support their stated needs, wants, or desires.
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