Want to make your resume stronger?

Want to make your resume stronger? Take a look at your professional experience/work history section. Does it read like a job description? Be truthful now -- did you, in fact, cut and past your job description into your resume?

Here's a tip: your resume will be more effective if you focus on accomplishments and achievements and results of what you did, rather than job duties. How do you do that? Think of what you did really well -- what you brought to your position that someone else wouldn't have. Did you create something new? Did you reduce something negative? It may help to look at each of your work history statements and ask yourself "so what?"

Example: "Helped create fliers and posters.". Let's look at this statement and what it really means. This person worked as part of a team with two other people. Employers really really value teamwork, so let's change "helped" to "Worked in team of three". Now we have "Worked in team of three to create fliers and posters". So what? The fliers and posters marketed new products. Stronger yet: "Worked in team of three to create marketing pieces advertising new products".

One more important point. . .business increased 25% the next quarter. We have a lot of good information, probably too much for one point. So, we break it down into two accomplishment statements.

First statement:"Created marketing pieces advertising new products, working in team of three." Second statement: "Contributed to 25% increase in business for first quarter of FY 09". Compared to "Helped create fliers and posters", we came up with two dynamite accomplishment statements, pointing out teamwork, creativity and results.

Important to remember: don't exaggerate! You may be asked to speak to anything in your resume and it's very important to be honest. Bottom line -- give yourself credit for your accomplishments and achievements, remembering to be truthful.

~ jan