If you are using Word 2007, then you should be careful about what format you use to send out your resume.  Consider Mike’s story. Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of people I speak to think that they should have a 1-page resume.  While this is true in some cases, in general the notion of a 1-page resume is not appropriate in today’s market.

My writing philosophy has always been that a resume has to tell a compelling story and be easy to read.  To be effective, a resume has to have a compelling value proposition that answers the big “Why should I hire you?” question.  Having established a theme indicating the skills and experience you offer, the theme should be continued throughout the resume to establish a personal branding statement.  This means that you need to showcase skills and accomplishments, and for people with over 7-10 years of experience, this generally leads to a 2-page resume.

Now recruiters love 1-page resumes but they have a different motive.  They have open job orders to be filled and can call a client and say, “I have a great candidate for you”.  Their interest is to drive towards the interview so they only want to whet their appetite with a short synopsis of who you are.  This works because they can call decision makers, but it will not work the same for you.

In short, you should focus on the content of your resume and not be burdened by the notion that your resume needs to be 1 page.

When writing an executive resume in a competitive market, it is more important than ever that your resume stands out.  Here are some key points to consider and some tricks that professional executive resume writers use to give you the competitive edge.

You should always start an executive resume with a compelling opening.  Not an Objective, this is more of a Professional Profile and is considered your core value proposition, designed to answer the key question, “Why should I hire you”.  In this section, forget the fluffy statements that say “An able leader with good communication skills” as this is your personal branding statement that distinguishes you from every one else, so it has to have substance.

A good trick is to start by writing down the 3-5 things an employer wants for someone in the role you are seeking. Let’s take sales as an example.  The key metrics for sales are exceeding sales quotas, increasing the customer base, and building a high-powered sales team.  So start by telling them what they want to hear:  Start with “Over 15 years of success in setting new sales records, growing market share and turning mediocre performers into sales superstars” – Do you think that will get you noticed?  

More on this in the next post.

Having a great resume is the first critical step in a successful job search. Unfortunately, most people don’t know the best ways to get that resume noticed. In today’s job market, where you are competing with hundreds of other resumes, knowing the right way to distribute your resume can make all the difference. Read the rest of this entry »

So you’ve left your last job and you need another position. Preferably one that offers the opportunity to make a lot of money. The only problem is that you weren’t exactly a knockout success in your last job. Whether it was the company’s fault or yours, there are still ways to create a great resume that will get employers to call you. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are writing a resume for web developer, then there are certain technical and non-technical skill sets you should be stressing. Of course resumes for web developers should mention all the tools normally used in development, HTML, XML, Dreamweaver, ColdFusion, VB, Java and so on. But remember why companies want web developers in the first place, and that is to improve business results through better messaging and e-commerce on the Internet. So the great resume for a web developer will talk to all the skills required to make a site shine. Read the rest of this entry »

When writing a project manager resume, most do-it-yourselfers fall into common traps that make their resume less than effective. First, consider that you are competing against as many as 1,000 resumes, all of which indicate some level of experience with project management. Where most people fail in their project manager resumes is that they don’t consider the things an employer wants. Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine that an employer has over 800 resumes to weed through, each with a cover letter. They pick up the next letter and it says “I am writing in response to your advertisement #50541 regarding your Project Manager position”. Pretty boring… and you just missed your chance to grab their attention. Here are some tips on how to make your cover letter really stand out.

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Most people know that one of the measurements of a sales person’s effectiveness is whether they beat quota. I thought it would be useful to share the other key metrics employers look at when they are evaluating sales professionals.

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The very first thing someone sees on your resume is your name and the way you put it subtly positions you. For example, do you put Donald L. Goodman or Don Goodman at the top? Here’s some schools of thought on that question.

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