Aggressively Written Resumes
hen writing resumes, it banking, engineering, information
is important to remember systems, legal, are all known as
whom it is you're trying "desks" and each recruiter (or
to please - (is it you, or the team of recruiters) specialized
hiring authority?) In this in placing upper managers and
article I will present my ideas executives in a chosen field.
of what makes up really
aggressive documents, based on my I no longer place candidates, and
many years in the industry, and devote all my energies to resumes
my career in owning and managing and the career marketing industry
a successful resume writing and as a whole, and my own firm in
career marketing firm. particular. However, I still have
many connections with recruiters,
Who Is Reading Your Resume? and have respect for the really
great ones, and distaste for the
Make no mistake about it, all-too-often bad ones!
aggressive documents are
necessary to be successful in I think it's important to
today's competitive job search. remember that these days, people
But first, some history. Let's in career transition are driven
examine some of the "hiring to explore many methods in their
authorities." Before my career in job search. In the past, it was
the resume writing industry, I much easier to look for a job -
spent several years as an individuals simply read the
executive recruiter, placing mid- classified ads, called the
and senior-level executives in telephone number listed and
top corporations. Eventually, I chatted with the person over the
managed that firm, which employed phone, setting up an in-person
24 recruiters working 10 "desks." interview for the next day. What
A "desk" is a specialty: finance, a snap!
I routinely speak with
These days, however, the job professional recruiters, H.R.
search is much more complex. professionals and hiring managers
Competition for employment has to get their reactions and
never been greater. The entire opinions to resume styles,
process is often drawn-out, formats, contents and verbiage.
depersonalized and hard, hard, Remembering that resumes are
hard! Resumes are no longer just actually marketing pieces
asked for, they are DEMANDED. In designed to sell you to potential
reality, they are a prerequisite employers, aggressive resumes are
for a job search. NOT simply a listing of your work
experience or your biography
My point is, you have to remember (life on paper).
what the resume's purpose
actually is and write What Makes A "Winning" Resume?
accordingly. The dynamics in this
field are very exciting but also Here are some of my methods and
very volatile. The buzz words are suggestions for writing
forever changing. Companies, for aggressive resumes, based on my
example, were at one time own experience as a recruiter, my
laying-off, then downsizing... interaction with hiring
rightsizing... reorganizing, and professionals and employment
now reengineering. Whew! specialists and my clients'
success rate in obtaining
Recruiters, company hiring interviews within 30 days.
managers and human resources
professionals are all components Successful resumes need to SELL
in your job search, and it is the you over and above your peers and
resume's job to land interviews. they create a sense of urgency
for the reader to pick up the
phone and call (or email) you to incorporate the concept into a
arrange an interview. Otherwise, resume...for a very targeted
the alternative is the reader client who knows exactly what
scans the resume, thinks, "Yeah, she/he wants:
this person has a good
background," and then moves on to BUYER...PURCHASING
scan the next resume, pitching MANAGER...PROCUREMENT AGENT
your resume in the old "circular
file." or, for someone seeking to remain
in their career pattern:
So let's examine some ways to EXPERIENCED COST ACCOUNTANT seeks
write aggressive, a position with a progressive
up-to-the-minute resumes that organization that will utilize a
really SELL you. successful career to meet/exceed
company goals.
OBJECTIVES
or, for a client who has several
There are lots of opinions about fields she/he want to pursue:
whether or not to use an Results-oriented manager seeks a
objective, or just how to do so, position with advancement
if one IS used. The only "given" opportunities; areas of interest
about the use of an objective, is include retail, electronics and
definitely NOT to use one on communications technology.
senior level resumes. A CEO, CFO,
COO or other executive's resume or, if someone wants to change
actually looks/reads silly when careers: AGGRESSIVE individual
an objective is used. But for the seeks a career in sales utilizing
mid-level or entry-level strong interpersonal skills to
candidate, an objective can be penetrate untapped markets and
useful. Here are a few ways to build a loyal client base.
REFERENCES PROVIDED UPON REQUEST
What you'll notice in the above
cases, is what's stressed in the Using this phrase at the end of
objective: the BENEFIT the the resume is archaic. It's a
COMPANY will receive if they hire given (talk about a clich !), and
the candidate. What is not stated contemporary resumes omit this.
is what YOU want. Companies don't The better approach is to
care what you want - they want to generate a prepared Professional
know what you can do for THEM. Reference sheet which you can
bring with you on interviews and
A flaw in writing objectives, is leave with the interviewer when
that they sometimes just say the references are requested.
same thing that 78+ other resumes
sitting on the hiring authority's RESPONSIBLE
desk state: Seeking a challenging
position that will utilize my This word is often so over-used
skills in editing, proofreading in a resume, that at
and copy writing. GetInterviews.com, we never use
it. Recruiters employed at
Oh, that's exciting...makes you retainer-only search firms have
just want to jump to the phone told me that the word
and give that person a call, "responsible" signifies
doesn't it? Stating that the mid-management and below, not
person is seeking a challenging executive-level candidates.
position is ridiculous. Would you Personally, I believe the word
ever state that you were seeking "responsible" is actually useless
a boring position? Of course not in a resume. Instead of writing,
- so don't state the obvious - "Responsible for all departmental
it's a clich . functions including accounts
payable/receivable, payroll and
invoicing..." I would suggest to In descriptions, the word "a"
use an action word that best could be substituted for the word
depicts what that person actually "this," as in: "Promoted to a $30
does - for example, "Perform all million division of an
departmental functions, international widget manufacturer
including..." or "Oversee all to expand sales into untapped
departmental functions, markets" as opposed to "Promoted
including..." or "Review all to this $30 million division...."
departmental functions,
including..." See what I mean?
"Responsible" doesn't really SAY ALSO
anything, it doesn't give a clear
indication of what you actually I have seen this word used when
do. Do you perform the functions describing daily functions:
or direct them? "Responsible" is "Control and administer annual
too vague to say which. budgets totaling $12 million.
Also, interface with vendors to
MY, MINE, THIS, I negotiate more favorable terms
and gain higher profits." Again,
Using words like this in the the "also" is a dialogue word,
resume indicates you are writing and quite unnecessary. In writing
in a narrative voice, as if you resumes, it is best to do what my
are having an actual Creative Writing professor called
conversation, a dialogue with the "tight writing." That is, to
reader. This is not the case: you eliminate as many "an's, the's,
are presenting your achievements, also's, a's," etc., as possible.
skills and credentials to a They typically aren't necessary
potential employer. My suggestion and can be cut from the resume
would be to keep the resume more without loss of meaning.
business-like, more professional.
NUMBERS these types of resumes. I would
never recommend, however, that
Contrary to the rules of grammar, the words "percentage" or
EXCEPT for academic resumes, it "dollar" be used ("30 percent" or
is best to use numerals in a "12 million dollars") - instead,
resume rather than spell out the use the symbol, as in 30% or $12
number, even when that number is million.
10 or under. I know that
grammatically, we are taught to EDUCATION VS. EXPERIENCE
spell out numbers like three,
five, seven, etc., and write 12, Knowing when to highlight
14, 16, etc. The numerical someone's education vs.
version, however, jumps off a experience is important. With
page, whereas the spelled out certain fields (teaching, for
version often gets lost. Because example), the general preference
resumes are often only scanned by is to lead off the resume with
the reader 15-20 seconds, the the client's credentials and
actual use of numbers helps to educational background, even if
capture the readers' attention - they have considerable
they are drawn to the numbers, experience. Recent college grads
which means they are spending should also have their education
more time looking at and reading first, as it is typically their
your resume - and that's a GOOD greatest achievement. However,
thing! I made the reference above someone who returned to college
to academic resumes, because (part time nights, for example),
teachers, principals and while concurrently employed full
superintendents are very time for the past 9 years as a
sensitive to grammatical rules, travel agent, should have their
even in resumes. It's best to resume lead off with their
spell out any number under 10 for experience, and NOT emphasize
they just obtained their discriminatory cases and the
Bachelors degree. They are not like, that at best, they will
entry-level candidates - their immediately throw out the
experience is more vital to a picture, or at worst, possibly
company than their education. throw away the entire resume,
Remember that all resumes do NOT especially if the picture is
have to lead off with the printed into the resume. I can
client's education. guarantee you recruiting firms
are highly sensitive to this, as
PAST / PRESENT TENSE well.
Writing in the present tense is GRAPHICS
always more aggressive than
writing in the past tense. Verbs Be careful not to make your
in past tense are in a passive resumes "too cute." Remember,
voice, so whenever feasible, companies see you as an
write in the present tense. INVESTMENT - they are spending x
Obviously, if you are still amount of dollars to obtain you
employed, your current job (salary), and want to see a
listing is written in the present return on their investment. It is
tense (manage, direct, supervise, a business negotiation. If the
control, etc). resume appears too "decorative"
or distracting because of cute
PICTURES clip art images or overly
decorative paper, you may be
Unless you are an actor or model, dismissed and the resume tossed.
do not include a picture of
yourself under any circumstances. PERSONAL INFO
Companies these days are so
concerned about EEO lawsuits, Marital status, date of birth,
health, hobbies, etc., are not that decision-maker's desk?
relevant on a resume these days. Answer that question in the
resume, and you will have written
Remember, you aren't writing your a tight, solid, results-oriented
biography, you are marketing resume...in short, a winning,
yourself on paper: why does the aggressive resume, and the sort
employer want to hire YOU above of resume that is vital for
all others, especially when there today's job search - and that of
are 91+ resumes from equally the next millennium.
qualified candidates sitting on
Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com
Published in 25 career books, Alesia has been cited by Jist Publications as one of the "best resume writers in North America" and quoted as a Career Expert in the Wall Street Journal. Serving as the Resume Expert for over 50+ organizations, she has numerous media appearances to her credit and is a frequent keynote speaker. getinterviews.com
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