Q: My depth of experience is so broad and deep that my resume does not reflect my skills accurately. Having the opportunity to talk with someone about their needs tends to be the best way for me to sell myself but getting to the right people to talk to is the big hurdle in that effort. How can I get past that?

A: While it is difficult to get a company hiring manager to tell you what their needs are, it is possible for you to find out by doing research on the Internet and even in the library. Read their white papers and any other details you can find on a company you think you would really enjoy working for. Then check out their competitors - are they doing something that this company isn't? In your cover letter you can mention a challenge they may be experiencing and offer your solution for how to surmount it and get ahead of their competition.

I realize that seems like you would be "giving away" your knowledge before they even expressed an interest in you, but it is definitely a way for you to stand out from the thousands of other resumes they have received.

Q: Should I use a one page or two page resume?

A: While most job seekers can use one page resumes, about 25% of them may need two page resumes because they have extensive work experience. Also, those with extensive technical skills, education, presentations, publications or association affiliations often need a two page resume. Generally, job seekers in the $24,000 range and below, do well with a one page resume - however - that’s not a hard and fast rule.

The important thing to remember when creating a two page resume is to make sure that your top selling points are highlighted on the first page of your resume. If the front page doesn’t hook employers--they may never turn to the second page of your resume.

If you create a one page resume you need to make sure that you don’t omit important data just because you are trying to squeeze everything onto one page.

Q: What type of resume is best for me - Skills or Chronological?

A: If you have had many jobs and job titles that don't really match with the job title you are applying for, you may create a more powerful impression by using a Skills formatted resume. This is also a good format to use when you have had several jobs and did not stay long on each job.

Highlight a title as a heading and list powerful sentences describing your responsibilities for that title. Use the titles from past jobs that are closest to the title you are applying for. At the bottom of your resume, put the company name, your title, year of employment (ie: 1995-1997) - list each one on a separate line. This focuses on the skills you have and not on the time you were on each job.

If you have held just two or three jobs all your working life, a Chronological format is fine for you. Just use active sentences to describe your responsibilities. (ie: Increased sales by 35% in first 3 months - from $___ to $___)

Q: Why are applications important?

A: Employers or human resource departments that do extensive, ongoing hiring use applications because each application is the same and interviewers know just where to look on the application to obtain a particular piece of information about a candidate. That’s why completing applications thoroughly and accurately is very important.

If you must complete an application by hand do it in printing unless your cursive handwriting is very clear and legible. Do not hand in an application that is torn or soiled. This presents an image of someone who doesn’t care about the image they present and can be interpreted by interviewers to mean that you also won’t care about the job you do for the employer.

Do you have a question about your resume? E-mail Terri

terri-robinson@recruit2hire.com

Terri Robinson, President
Phone: (602) 233-8410