12 Step Resume Writing Cont'd
Step Six: Duties
Under each job, make a list of your duties, incorporating phrases from the job descriptions wherever they apply. You don't have to worry about making great sentences yet or narrowing down your list.
Step Seven: Accomplishments
When you are finished, go back to each job and think about what you might have done above and beyond the call of duty. What did you contribute to each of your jobs?
Did you exceed sales quotas by 150 percent each month?
Did you save the company $100,000 by developing a new procedure?
Did you generate new product publicity in trade press?
Did you control expenses or make work easier?
Did you expand business or attract/retain customers?
Did you improve the company's image or build new relationships?
Did you improve the quality of a product?
Did you solve a problem?
Did you do something that made the company more competitive?
Write down any accomplishments that show potential employers what you have done in the past, which translates into what you might be able to do for them. Quantify whenever possible. Numbers are always impressive. Remember, you are trying to motivate the potential employer to buy . . . you! Convince your reader that you will be able to generate a significant return on their investment in you.
Step Eight: Delete
Now that you have the words on paper, go back to each list and think about which items are relevant to your target job. Cross out those things that don't relate, including entire jobs (like flipping hamburgers back in high school if you are now an electrical engineer with ten years of experience). Remember, your resume is just an enticer, a way to get your foot in the door. It isn't intended to be all-inclusive. You can choose to go back only as far as your jobs relate to your present objective. Be careful not to delete sentences that contain the keywords you identified in step four.
Step Nine: Sentences
Make sentences of the duties you have listed under each job, combining related items to avoid short, choppy phrases. Never use personal pronouns in your resume (I, my, me). Instead of saying, "I planned, organized, and directed the timely and accurate production of code products with estimated annual revenues of $1 million," say, "Planned, organized, and directed. . . ." Writing in the third person makes your sentences more powerful and attention grabbing.
Make your sentences positive, brief, and accurate. Since your ultimate goal is to get a human being to read your resume, remember to structure the sentences so they are interesting to read. Use verbs at the beginning of each sentence (designed, supervised, managed, developed, formulated, and so on) to make them more powerful (see the power verb list in the Resume Center).
Make certain each word means something and contributes to the quality of the sentence. If you find it difficult to write clear, concise sentences, send your resume to ResumeEdge.com to put a team of Harvard-educated editors and professional resume writers to work for you.
