Your resume has a critically important job. To help you get a good job – especially in a tight job market – your resume has to shine above all other resumes from all other applicants, with each resume proclaiming to be from the very best candidate with the very best skills. And with each resume trying to squeeze YOU out.
Now I’m sure most job applicants think their resumes are good enough exactly as they are. But good enough just isn’t good enough for a resume any more. I can tell you first-hand… employers get a lot of so-so resumes. A great stand-out resume – especially one that matches the needs of the specific job – can make a huge difference to your interview chances.
And conversely, with competition as fierce it is now, if you don’t take the time to create the strongest resume possible – making sure a screener can quickly see why you are precisely what the company needs (and not the reverse) – in many cases you might just as well send a blank page!
Your resume has to say “HIRE ME! I’m special.You need me.” Does it?
A great resume and cover letter has to get you through the first hurdle – the dreaded resume screener. And that’s why a really special resume matters. Well-organized, visually appealing resumes that clearly highlight your strengths are able to stand out from the crowd. And without question they can get you into a lot more job interviews.
Take a good look at your current resume. Do you think it’s as good as it could be or is it just limping along at “good enough”? Please be honest with yourself and don’t settle for less than great. You don’t have to. And luckily, there is more than one way to help make your resume sizzle.
WANT TO REDO YOUR RESUME YOURSELF?
Great! Roll your sleeves up and go to it.
For some resume tips to help you create a better resume and cover letter, check out the links to Work Coach Cafe articles below. The one article How a New Resume Got Her the Job Interview! is a real story about a truly talented woman who didn’t realize just how much her fairly ok resume was under-serving her. But when she redid her resume and cover letter, she got lots of interviews…and the job!
For excellent free resume samples and cover letter samples to help guide you, check out Susan Ireland’s resume website. She offers good examples of different types of resumes as well as sample formatting within each type. Hint: Sample resumes and cover letters are best as general guides and NOT to be copied if you want to stand out from the crowd.
NEED HELP WRITING YOUR RESUME OR COVER LETTER?
If you don’t want to do it all yourself, there are online services like Pongo (a sponsor) as well as many others. I can’t tell you which ones are best or even if they are the right choice for you. Many have a free trial option and you might want to try that to see if it gives you what you need.
If you prefer an old-fashioned resume service that can hold your hand through the process (and hopefully get you a great resume YOU can customize yourself to each job you apply for), here’s a list of resume writers and coaches plus some tips for how to hire a good one. Please feel free to add to the list and/or provide feedback:
Career Services & Job Search Help – Resume Writers & Career Coaches
But please shop around (one size does not fit all). Also please check the legitimacy of a company before you pay them anything. You want one that is good, gets results and is not going to cost you $2000. On the other hand, not sure I’d go for a $25 service either. (Check my articles below – and others – to arm yourself with knowledge, since you don’t want to trust something this important to anyone without having some idea of what a good resume is. It’s not just about the font!)
The main thing is to give yourself the very best calling card you can create – a resume that shines, focuses the reader’s eyes on your strengths, and clearly meets the employer’s needs. Please don’t let an average resume be the reason you didn’t get the interview.—-
Good luck!
Resume & cover letter articles:
7 Resume Landmines That Can Blow Up AFTER an Interview
How to Handle Annoying Red Flags in Your Resume
How a New Resume Got Her the Job Interview!
10 Things I Look for When I Screen Resumes & Cover Letters
My Number 1 Cover Letter Tip
Are You Getting Screwed By Your Professional Resume Writer?
Who the Heck is Screening Your Resume?
I have a resume that need tons of help! I recently graduated with a BA in Psychology and I used to temp on vacations. I have almost four years of experience with several companies, but I don’t know how to attractly convey that on my resume. Do you know how I can incorporate my temp experience without seeming totally disjointed?
attractively*
Hi Chrysa!
Good question. Many of us, including me, have temped at some point in our careers. And having an attractive, targeted and well-constructed resume can make all the difference in getting a great job.
So how do you handle it? One of my greatest skills is knowing when others know more than I do.
Please take a look at some of the resume resources I mention in my post.
Basically, I think you would lead with your education at this early stage of your career. Then the temp jobs are just handled as jobs, with clear dates for all so anyone can discern that you temped while going to school. Totally normal.
If you worked for the temp agency, you can make that the main company (just as you would with any other) and then use bullets to talk about the companies you temped for and/or roles you held. If the companies were separate engagements, list them that way. They’re simply jobs.
More importantly…really show where you took initiative and mention any problems you solved or projects you managed, even small ones. Emphasize those skills that match skills needed for the job you’re looking for now, either exactly or by drawing on similar, transferable skills. And remember to match your transferable skills as best as possible to those required by each job you apply for. It’s worth the time and effort.
But first…please look at those samples or get some professional help. In a tight market, a resume that not only looks great but knows how to sell YOU can get you past the dreaded screening stage – and into the dreaded interview stage.
Oh…and don’t forget the all-important cover letter while you’re at it. That can make or break you. The post mentioned above can help with resume and cover letter tips:
How a New Resume and Cover Letter Got Her the Job Interview!
Good luck, Chrysa! Would love to hear how it goes.
Ronnie Ann
Eeeeeeeeh! I just noticed my comments were turned off. So sorry. C0mments very welcome!
Ronnie Ann
Hi,
Quick question: I had one job for 11 years; repositioned after layoff into sales (which I did not like) for 6 years; then back to a similar position as the first for 10 1/2 yrs. Can I omit the sales period on my resume to shorten it and leave out irrelevant info for the position I seek?’
Thx
Mark
Hi Mark!
Although I don’t have enough info to give you solid resume advice, in general you never leave off that many years of experience. First…a gap like that is a HUGE red flag. And anyway, some places do background checks, so they’d find it, making you look sneaky.
Better to have a good story explaining how it all fits together. And, for the time in sales, make sure you include accomplishments that speak to your transferable skills – those that would serve you well now.
Also, look at sample resumes to see ones where you lead off with your strongest skills rather than just the jobs you’ve had. This helps frame it nicely for your potential employer.
Best of luck!
~ Ronnie Ann