subject: How To Captivate Employers With Your Resume [print this page] How To Captivate Employers With Your Resume
Developing a resume is not a task that most people look forward to. Developing a resume that gets results and gets your phone ringing with interview offers is even more daunting . Professional resume writers make a living developing winning resumes that generate attention and induce potential employers to pick up the phone and call their clients, even when the competition is stiff . You can learn a lot from professional resume writing techniques that will help you develop your own resume. One of the most important abilities that professional resume writers bring to your project is objectivity -- the ability to look at your professional experiences objectively , recognize what it is that sets you apart you in the job market, and then present those things that distinguish you in a believable and successful manner.If you are trying to create your own resume, rather than hiring a professional to help you with it, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to present yourself in your own eyes rather than with the eyes of a professional resume writer. It's not that difficult to come up with a factual resume that includes a chronological listing of your education and professional experiences. However, many of us omit the most captivating information, and in truth the information that is most likely to elicit that job interview and potential hire. You might need to rethink your whole approach here. Research everything there is to know about your prospective employer and make sure that your resume focuses on the areas where you can bring something very beneficial to their table. Do not underrate your abilities . It's easy to do so and many of us unfortunately fall into this trap. The truth is that we all have accomplishments that we often neglect . Particularly with a job market that is more aggressive than ever, it's vital that you recognize these accomplishments and merge them into your resume in a manner that truly tells your employer what you have to offer in a way that differentiates you from from your competition.Ask yourself some of these questions: What have past bosses had to say about you, particularly in written performance appraisals? Does your resume make the most of the strengths that your appraisers have admired?Does your resume showcase the special awards that you have been given, or even the informal recognition you have received for certain contributions ? Have you mentioned the fact that you beat a lot of competitors to the finish line when you were selected for a previous position ? If strategically mentioned in your resume, this can leave the hiring authority with the impression of a winner who stands out among peers. Were you hired for a particular task or challenge in a previous job? Think about your accomplishments here; how did you - hopefully - surpass those expectations? In the face of adversity , did you surmount a problem in a previous position? Focus on these challenges and focus on the benefits for your prospects. Ideally, you will want to present the results and benefits with numbers . These can be whole numbers, percentages, or dollar figures. Numbers get attention and bring credibility to your resume.Think about the meetings and brainstorming sessions that you might have attended for previous companies. Some of the suggestions that you made might well have been very valuable and you should remember these and merge them into your resume. How did you help your employer to increase revenue, decrease expences, develop new efficiencies, or solve a tough challenge?Your employer will certainly want to know that you are motivated and a self-starter. Did you seize the initiative at a previous position by thinking outside of the box? Did this result in a significant accomplishment ? Recall this and include it into your resume. Stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself all these questions. The chances are that you had forgotten, dismissed, or overlooked many of the answers. This kind of soul-searching will bring out some of your best qualities and can help to make the difference between a resume that successfully makes the cut and one that doesn't. In short, anything that demonstrates that you are willing to go above and beyond is important . Anything that distinguishes you and shows how you have added value to past companies, and by extrapolation, will deliver similar results to future companies, is critical . Following these professional resume writing tips will help to set you apart from the majority of job hunters, wowing employers and generating you interviews ahead of the competition.
