What’s included in your resume? Do you have the right information that will grab the reader and make him want to read on? It’s no secret that hiring managers take only a few seconds to do an initial look at your resume, so you want to ensure that during those brief seconds, he will read something that makes him want to read on. So what should you put at the beginning of your resume?
Personal Information
The first section of you resume will include your personal and contact information. Clearly show your full name and include any designations that are applicable to the position. Include your full address and one phone number, but make sure it is reliable number and you check it regularly. Include an email address, but ensure it is professional, i.e. not “wanttoparty.com” You can add any social media links in this section as well, i.e. LinkedIn, Google+, etc, but ensure that you have updated it and that the information mirrors what’s in your resume. Again, make sure the information is professional. If you have a number of pictures of you at parties, it might not give the right first impression to a potential hiring manager.
Professional Summary
This section will include a brief summary of your skills, experience, accomplishments, and value-added qualities to make you a good candidate for hiring managers to consider. Some call this your brand, others call it your elevator pitch. Whatever you call it, it still has to accomplish the same thing. It has to make the hiring manager want to learn more about you. Remember, the purpose of the resume isn’t to get you hired. It’s to get you the interview. So you need to make sure that the hiring manager learns what you have to offer and makes him want to learn more.
As I have said in other posts, all of the information in your resume has to be targeted to the position for which you are applying. Make sure you clearly articulate your personal branding statement in line with the specifics required for the new position. If they are looking for someone who can take initiative to get things done, then make sure you state that you have initiative. But back it up with accomplishments. You have to be honest when stating your skills and expertise. If you get the interview, you may be asked to provide examples. If you weren’t honest in the resume, then you will get flustered and be at a loss during the interview.
There are a number of action and descriptive words that you can use, but again keep it in line with the job advertisement and the information that you learned by researching the company. If you’re not sure how to approach this section of your resume, seek the assistance of someone who has experience writing or reviewing resumes, or engage a Certified Professional Coach to help you with this all important step of the job search process.
Do you know someone who is faced with this challenge? Feel free to share this post by using the share links at the top of this page. Also, if you’d like more resume and cover letter tips, feel free to check out the resume resource page.
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