Resume Tips
Your resume is the most important calling card in your job search. It should include the following information:
- Contact Information. Include phone, mail and e-mail contact information. Your voicemail message should be professional. A message that is too casual can create a negative impression.
- Career Objective. You may choose to list or not list your career objective. If your objective doesn't match the recruiter's needs, you may miss out on a golden opportunity. However, a clearly stated career objective can help your recruiter find an ideal career match.
- Summary Statement. Your summary should be brief. First, include your title and years of experience. Second, list pertinent skills. Third, discuss your character traits or work style.
Example: "Financial Accountant with over 10 years' experience with two Fortune 500 companies. Technical skills include P&L, budgeting, forecasting and variance reporting. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Self-starter who approaches every project in a detailed, analytical manner."
- Professional Experience. List each position held in reverse chronological order, dating back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions within the same company, list them all to show advancement and growth. The body of each position description should describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.
- Other Components. Include education, professional training, affiliations/appointments, licenses, technical skills and languages.
Personal information. Do not include personal information such as marital status, photos or compensation.
15 Accomplishments Employers Want To See:
- Increased revenues
- Improved profit
- Increased efficiencies
- Cut overhead
- Increased sales
- Improved workplace safety
- Purchasing accomplishments
- New products/new lines
- Improved record keeping process
- Increased productivity
- Successful advertising campaign
- Effective budgeting
- Reduced turnover
- Increased market share
- Developed new markets