September 2, 2010 ( PowerHomeBiz.com )
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September marks the 10th annual celebration of "International Update Your
Resume Month." The observance, originated by Career Directors International
in Melbourne, Florida, provides job seekers with a proactive approach toward
obtaining the next step in career growth.
(news continued below)
Ford R. Myers, career coach, speaker and author of "Get The Job You Want,
Even When No One's Hiring," (John Wiley & Sons, http://www.getthejobbook.com)
suggests the following five tips for developing resumes that stand out from
the crowd:
1. BE BRIEF: Less is Always More Myers specifically points out that of
the main sections of a resume -- Career Summary, Professional Experience,
Education, etc. -- the Summary section is where brevity counts the most.
"The 'Summary' is a brief statement of who you are, where you're 'coming
from,' and what skills and expertise you have to contribute to an
organization. To grab the reader's attention, you'll need five or six
targeted lines oriented toward the benefits and contributions you offer as a
professional," states Myers.
2. BE SPECIFIC Although individuals should be as specific as possible
throughout the entire resume, this tip should be exercised most in the
"Professional Experience" section.
"The 'Professional Experience' section is where your past jobs, roles,
responsibilities, and accomplishments are listed. It's also where most
employers and recruiters focus 90% of their attention. The information you
present here, and how you present it, can decide the fate of your candidacy
within about 10 seconds of scanning time. Resumes that get noticed focus on
specific results. Whenever possible, quantify your results, including
retention rates, sales, profit, performance and effectiveness by using
percentages, dollars and hard numbers," explains Myers.
3. BE ACTIVE. Myers urges resume writers to use strong action words at
the beginning of every sentence. "Words such as 'direct,' 'launch,'
'initiate,' 'devise' and 'lead' have a lot more meaning than a vague phrase
like was responsible for," states Myers.
4. BE SELECTIVE Focus on information that is truly relevant to your
career goal and edit out the rest. "There is no need to focus on your
after-school job or high school accomplishments if they are not relevant to
the career you're looking for, or if they're in your distant past," says
Myers.
5. BE HONEST Myers warns job seekers to never lie on a resume. "If you
lie you will always lose in the long run," he says.
"If you find that your resume isn't getting the results you want, change
it! Your resume is a 'living document' that will be edited and updated
through the course of your job search and your entire career," adds Myers.
For more information and other useful tips for achieving career success,
visit http://www.getthejobbook.com
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Copyright (R) 2010, Career Potential, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Ford R. Myers is President of Career Potential, LLC. His
firm helps clients take charge of their careers, create the work they love,
and earn what they deserve! Ford has held senior consulting positions at
three of the nation's largest career service firms. His articles and
interviews have appeared in many national magazines and newspapers, and he
has conducted presentations at numerous companies, associations and
universities. In addition, Ford has been a frequent guest on television and
radio programs across the country. He is author of Get the Job You Want,
Even When No One's Hiring. More information is available at:
http://www.getthejobbook.comm
and http://www.careerpotential.com.
CONTACT: Ilyse Shapiro, Ilyse.Shapiro@verizon.net, (610) 642-7427 (PA);
or Ford R. Myers, contact@careerpotential.com; 610-649-1778 (PA), or
http://www.careerpotential.com.
