Presented by Konnect 4 Manpower Resume Writing Joke never introduce yourself Presented by Konnect 4 Manpower

Overview Understand the purpose of the resume. Learn the different parts of a resume and how to build an effective resume. Recognize your transferable skills and how use to them to overcome common obstacles. Use Web 2.0 to enhance your resume. Learn how resumes are viewed by employers, and how you can get yours in front of the right people. Avoid costly mistakes and red flags.

Past, Present, and Future of the Resume Standard resume is 1-2 page document showcasing professional, employment, and academic history. Past: 1-2 page word processor document mailed or faxed to prospective employers. Present: Pervasiveness of Internet brought online job boards and other Web 2.0 tools. Future: Capabilities of the Internet will continue to change the way resumes are created, displayed, and transmitted. Joke: No monster or .com when he was younger. Up until the introduction of the Internet and emergence of online job boards such as monster.com, resumes typically were created in a standard word processor and faxed or mailed to prospective employers. A lot has changed over the past 10 years with the Internet (Web1.0), and even more in the past two years with the innovations of the Web 2.0 tool. At the end of this module, we go into detail about the future of the resume, and some exciting ways you can leverage technology to do more with your resume than ever thought before.

The Resume of the Past 1-2 page black and white document Emailed, mailed or faxed to employers Emphasized job duties Written from perspective of what benefits the employee

The Resume of the Future Web 2.0 document Features: presentations, videos, photos, and audio Created, updated, and distributed online URL distribution: visualcv.com/ajankans Links to blog, social networks, and company sites

Create a Successful Resume Be targeted. Create separate resumes for different positions. Be specific and unique when describing your personal brand and experience. Double check for errors and omissions. Always write from perspective of the employer: What’s in it for them? Cover letters aren’t always necessary, but are good for interviews and hiring managers. If you include one, be specific about how your qualifications are good match for that position. What’s in it for the employer? Keep target market in mind when writing your resume. What can you do for them? How can you add value? How can you contribute to the company? Including cover letter isn’t always necessary, but if you do be specific about your qualifications. A generic cover letter is just as bad as a generic resume. The advantages of writing a cover letter are that you can include some specific information about your qualifications that match up to the opportunity. For example, if a company is looking for someone who is bilingual, you can state on your cover letter that you were an interpreter in Spanish, and spent four years overseas. Employers look at resume first, then at cover letter. The best cover letters are very short, to the point, and personalized.

Anatomy of a Resume

Anatomy of a Resume Contact Information Title Objective Statement or Summary Professional Experience Education Additional Optional Categories Keywords Accomplishments

Contact Information Name should stand out. Ideal: In capital letters and larger font than rest of document. Address Format: Street address, city, state, zip code. Home or Mobile Phone 10 digits with area code: 800.363.0307 Email Address must be professional. Heading and Contact Information. Name should be centered at the top, in bold, all capital letters, and a larger font size. Address in this format: city, state, zip code. You can keep street address confidential if you are posting your resume online or publicly. If you are applying for positions in another area, consider using a local address so that you avoid being overlooked by employers. Home and/or Cell phone needs to be 10 digits with area code: 800.363.0307. Make sure your voicemail is professional. Email address should be professional. Use personal email address: name@email.com. URL to Web 2.0 resume: some job seekers include a URL to their Web 2.0 resume underneath their address. This is appropriate as long as the information on your Web 2.0 resume supports and adds to your traditional resume.

Title Targeted title goes below contact information. Example: If you’re applying for a position as a forklift operator, your title should say Forklift Operator. Add an industry-related keyword to your title. Example: If applying for engineering position at solar panel manufacturing company, “Design Engineer, Solar Technology.” Title Since you are customizing every resume submission, the first update you should make to each resume is the inclusion of a targeted title directly below your contact information. Add targeted title below contact info, example: Fork Lift Operator. Tip: Add industry-related keyword to title. Example: Design Engineer, Solar Technology. © 2009 LaunchPad Careers, Inc.

Objective Statement Traditionally used to keep job seekers focused on their job search. Trend is moving away from objective statements towards title statements and summary paragraphs. If you include an objective statement, omit the title, and focus your objective on a specific position. Objective Traditionally used to keep job seekers focused on their job search. Trend: Objective statements are being replaced by summary paragraphs. Don’ts Phrase objective in terms of what job seeker is looking for List very short objectives

Summary Summary is a concise statement that summarizes your experience, areas of expertise, professional and technical skills, and special distinctions. Tips for writing winning summary statements: Emphasize personal brand by summarizing value added skills, experience, and accomplishments. List 2-3 specific skills that relate to the position. Be specific about your strengths and accomplishments. Show how you saved money, reduced costs, or increased sales. Summary Summary is concise narrative statement summarizing your experience, areas of expertise, professional and technical skills, and special distinctions. Highlight key information detailed in body of resume. Emphasize value added skills, experience, and accomplishments. Be specific. Here are some tips for writing winning summaries: Emphasize your personal brand by summarizing value added skills, experience, and accomplishments. List 2-3 specific skills and competencies that relate to the positions. Present your qualifications in terms of what is in it for the employer versus what is in it for you. Be specific about what you can do: your strengths and accomplishments. Make a powerful value statement by showing how you saved money, reduced costs, and increased sales or in some way made a contribution to the bottom line. Don’ts Use flowery or ornate language List information unrelated to position applying for Omit summary altogether

Professional Experience List employers, job titles, and dates of employment in reverse chronological order. Format: Company, Job Title, Responsibilities and Accomplishments, and Dates. Include brief description of responsibilities and scope of job. Keep it within 1-3 sentences. Use bulleted format to list job responsibilities. Begin each point with a strong action verb. After glancing at your summary statement and scanning it for keywords, employers, hiring managers, and recruiters move on to your work experience. Most important elements that they look for in your work experience are titles, companies, dates, and duties. Professional Experience Summary of your work experience and accomplishments that go back 10-12 years. Most common format is chronological. Begin with most recent job and work backwards. Company, Job Title, Job Function, and Dates. Include brief company description: size of company, what it does, who it caters to. Dates: most hiring managers prefer year to year rather than month/year. Limit your experience to 10 years, unless you are applying for a senior-level position. Minimize noticeable employment gaps as much as possible. Include brief narrative outlining scope and responsibilities of job: 1-3 sentences. Use bullet points to list job responsibilities. Should focus on results, responsibilities, and achievements, not activities. Begin each point with strong action verb: developed, directed, supervised. Action Words Action words are verbs that enhance your accomplishments by emphasizing the work you did in compelling terms. Try replacing words like “helped” with “advised,” “managed” with “led.” Accomplishments should show challenges, action, and result.

Education Education section covers academic credentials and any education that would apply to job you seek. Typically placed below relevant work experience. Format: Name of institution, city and state; degree awarded with major and minor; date degree was awarded. List degrees in reverse chronological order, with highest degree first. Do not include incomplete degree unless you include an expected graduation date. Education Education section of your resume covers your academic credentials and any education that would apply to the job you seek be it continuing education or on-the-job training. Includes ongoing studies, high school, college, or post-graduate degrees depending on your individual situation. Typically, the education section is placed toward the end of the resume, below relevant work experience and above activities or professional development. If you are a recent graduate, your academic degree would likely be your biggest asset, so it should appear toward the beginning of your resume. In this case, you need to draw the reader’s attention to your degree or credentials, and the knowledge and skills you gained that would meet the requirements of the job you seek. Another reason to place the education section at the top of your resume is to highlight a particularly impressive academic background. If you graduated from a prestigious school, placing it at the top of the resume will draw attention to it immediately. Covers academic background in reverse chronological order with highest degree relevant to job objective. Format: Name of institution, city and state, degree awarded (major and minor), date. Date may be optional depending on how long ago you graduated. You may not want to draw attention to your age. If still working towards college degree, list expected graduation date and anticipated degree. Do not include incomplete degree that you have no intention of completing. (If you have taken courses toward a higher degree but did not finish college, list the degree program you were in, the degree you were working towards, and the dates you attended.) Note your high school diploma only if you have not attended or completed post-secondary education.

Optional Categories List additional information at bottom of your resume. Only include items relevant to specific position. Awards and Honors Format: Award title, date, awarding organization. Professional Development Certifications, licenses, and memberships. Volunteer Experience Emphasizes key skills not shown in work experience. Work Samples and Publications Can help you build portfolio and enhance your personal brand. Additional optional categories that support objective Awards and Honors if it relates to position: award title, date, awarding organization. Awards are generally regarded as a positive, especially if it relates to the position you are applying for. Professional Affiliations, Certifications, Licenses, and Memberships Apply same standard as education. Volunteer Experience if it supports overall job objective and emphasizes key skills not touched on in professional experience. Include this information only if it relates to the position, makes your stand out, or is a well-known organization. Describe your affiliations with political, religious, ethnic, or sexual preference organizations carefully and with sensitivity. Employers may have varying opinions about the work of a particular organization. Work Samples and Publications can build portfolio and enhance personal brand not covered in body of resume. Choose wisely. Don’ts Include controversial associations or awards Unrelated information Keep it brief

Keywords and Tags Keywords are search terms recruiters and hiring managers use to filter resumes. Using the right keywords increases the chances of your resume getting seen. Information employers look for in resume database search: keywords, titles, companies, education, location, compensation. Keywords often originate from job description. Identify critical keywords. Use them prominently and frequently. Keywords are similar to search terms when you look up something on the Internet. Many employers have subscriptions to large resume databases, where they look for resumes that have been posted. Most employers search for resumes posted recently, usually within the last 90 days. However will search further back, depending on the position. The first thing they will enter in their search is keywords. With modern day recruiting dominated by impersonal job boards and applicant tracking systems, and with recruiters and hiring managers busier than ever, having the right keywords on you resume will determine if your resume gets in front of any decision makers. We discussed earlier the importance of keywords or “tags” on your resume, but here is why. Keywords will help match your resume with search terms criteria. 16

Solar Project Construction Manager Tag, You’re It! Solar Project Construction Manager Solar Project Construction Manager responsible for management of multi-disciplined construction projects including Electrical, Roofing, Civil and Mechanical trades.​ Responsibilities: Solar construction projects from Pre-Construction Phase to Construction Phase to Project Close-Out Phase.​ Tasks include managing multiple contractors, time schedules, and budget.​ Assists in the development of cost estimates.​ Tasked with maintaining communications with customers and contractors.​ Requirements:  The right candidate will have at least 6+ yrs exp. as project manager working on solar energy projects.​ Bachelors in Construction Management or Engineering or 6 yrs. direct project management experience required.​ Experience managing new construction and major modifications on commercial/​industrial facilities.​ Work on commercial solar panel installations is a plus. Must be knowledgeable in state and city codes and regulations required by local building departments and safety OSHA requirements associated with construction.​ Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with superb time management and project scheduling skills using MS Project or other scheduling software. 17

Resume Formats Chronological Functional Technical

Chronological Resume Chronological resume format provides your work history dating back from the present. Briefly describes accomplishments and successes that support your summary statement. Stresses responsibilities, skills, and accomplishments. The format calls attention to your recent job history and relevant experience. Chronological Resume format More accurately reverse chronological format, starting with your most recent position and working backwards. Depending on the job you seek, you typically go back no more than 10-12 years. For the majority of job seekers, the targeted chronological resume will be the best format because it focuses your skills and experience around a specific job type or job description, highlighting the experience that is most applicable. Why should you use the chronological format? Most employers, hiring managers, and recruiters are accustomed to format.

Who Should Use Chronological? Most job seekers will be using the chronological format. You are staying within specific occupation or industry. You have steady work history with few gaps. Your career shows steady growth and development. You have relevant work experience to the position you are applying for. You are applying to a traditional field (accounting, law, finance) or organization. Why should you use the chronological format? Most employers, hiring managers, and recruiters are accustomed to format. You are staying within specific occupation or industry. You have steady work history with few gaps. Your career shows steady growth and development. Applying to a traditional field (accounting, law, finance) or organization.

Functional Resume Functional resume format stresses qualifications over specific employers and dates. Organizes information around specific skill sets and supports skills with accomplishments and experience. Directs attention to functional skills, strengths, and qualifications. Allows you to customize content to match job position. Not confined by chronological format. Functional Resume format A functional resume applies the same strategy of targeting your experience for each position, but formats the information differently. Instead of organizing the information chronologically, it groups the information based on specific skill sets. This format is ideal for those with a weak employment record, such as college students with minimal experience, job seekers changing careers to a field with very different previous work experience, people with gaps in their work history, or job seekers whose work experience has been unpaid. Basically, individuals with untraditional career experience. Targeted and Functional Although you may need to write a functional resume, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply a targeted approach to the content. With a functional resume, you actually have the ability to customize the content to match a job description or position because you aren’t confined by a chronological format. Why should you use functional format? You have weak employment record, such as recent college grad. You are making significant career or job change. You want to emphasize skills and abilities not used in recent experience. Your job objective is different from your professional experience. You have unexplainable gaps in your employment history. You have been employed by same company for a long time. You have multiple short-term assignments. You are re-entering the job market after absence from workforce. Disadvantages of using functional format If you have a more traditional career path, I would not recommend using the functional resume format because some recruiters and hiring managers are not accustomed to the format. Furthermore, this format isn’t as acceptable in fields such as accounting, banking, finance, and law.

Who Should Use Functional? Contract or 1099 workers. You have a weak employment history. You have unexplainable gaps in your employment history. You are making significant career or job change. You want to emphasize skills and abilities not used in recent experience. You have held numerous positions in a short time frame. You have been employed in highly technical positions. Why should you use functional format? You have weak employment record, such as recent college grad. You are making significant career or job change. You want to emphasize skills and abilities not used in recent experience. Your job objective is different from your professional experience. You have unexplainable gaps in your employment history. You have been employed by same company for a long time. You have multiple short-term assignments. You are re-entering the job market after absence from workforce. Disadvantages of using functional format If you have a more traditional career path, I would not recommend using the functional resume format because some recruiters and hiring managers are not accustomed to the format. Furthermore, this format isn’t as acceptable in fields such as accounting, banking, finance, and law.

Technical Resume Technical resume format is designed to emphasize your technical skills and strengths. Lists computer, software, or specialized machinery knowledge early on. Emphasizes hard skills over soft skills. Focuses on Skills and Professional Experience sections. Technical/Chronological vs. Technical/Functional Most technical resumes follow chronological format but include summary of skills at beginning of resume. Use functional format if you’re a technical worker who’s mainly been hired for project-based or contract work. Technical Resume For those working in technical fields that require a high level of proficiency in technology such as information technology and bioscience, you will want to write a technical resume. The technical resume is designed to emphasize the job seeker’s technical skills and strengths. The main difference between a technical resume and a chronological or functional resume is that it highlights your skills and lists your computer, software, or specialized machinery knowledge early in your resume. Another significant difference is the technical resume’s emphasis on hard skills over soft skills, where your technical knowledge will be integral to your success in that particular position. Technical and Chronological vs. Technical and Functional Most technical resumes follow the chronological resume format but include a summary of skills at the beginning of the resume. Technical resumes should focus on two critical sections: the Skills section and the Professional Experience section. However, if you are a technical worker who has primarily been hired for project-based work or contracted out to companies, a functional format may serve you better.

3 Steps to Building a Better Resume Start with resume hub: an all-inclusive resume. List all experience. Never send out this resume. Create spoke resumes: offshoots of your resume hub. Target resume to match specific job categories. Do your research. Customize and tailor your spoke resumes to job positions using keywords. Build a Resume Hub (All-Inclusive Resume) A Resume Hub is like an all-inclusive resume that contains all of your experience, skills, accomplishments, education, etc. As you proceed through your career and job search you should maintain an inventory of everything you have done. It will be a living document, so you can add to it over time. Consider it a “Resume Menu” you can select specific items from to include on future “targeted” resumes.   The Spoke Resume The “spoke resume” is a spin-off of your resume hub. With a spoke-resume you can pick the experience most relevant to a career, while excluding or minimizing non-relevant experience. For example: Let’s say when you graduated from college your first positions was as a bank teller for a community bank, and then you were promoted to a bank manager. You stayed in that position for five years but got bored and decided to go back to school to be an accountant. You graduated and went to work for a public accounting firm, where you worked your way up for 10 years. Unfortunately, the economy went south and your position was downsized. You decide that you want to go back to banking, as that industry is picking up, so you need to create a resume that highlights those skills from your banking career. Do Your Research Now that you have your “Hub” and “Spoke” resume strategy in place, you can begin to research opportunities and develop “target-resumes” for each position. Remember that all recruiters and hiring managers are looking for candidates that appear to be a perfect match to their written job descriptions, and that most job boards allow employers to do keyword searches based on their job descriptions, returning resumes ranked by how closely they match. Read the job description carefully. Thoroughly research the company before you apply for specific position. Always customize resume for position and company. Customize Your Spoke Resume Take your time to understand the position and the company, and then customize your resume to match the position as best as possible before you apply. Quality over quantity certainly applies here!

Writing Your Resume Page length and design Final resume document formats: Word .doc or .pdf Free word processors Google Docs: docs.google.com OpenOffice.org Free resume templates Create online Web 2.0 resumes Recommended sites: VisualCV.com and Gigtide.com Page length Should be no more than 2 pages, unless you are submitting curriculum vitae. Plan accordingly and leave plenty of white space. Design For both paper and email forms of resume, use simple and clear format. Do not use a fancy font or colored paper. Use a resume template: www.microsoftoffice.com. Create a Web 2.0 resume to enhance presentation with relevant blogs, photos, and videos. Final resume document formats should be in Word .doc or .pdf Warning: Microsoft 2007 saves files in .docx, which is not readable in 2003 or older versions of the program. OpenOffice.org is a free program that lets you to save documents in .doc or .pdf format. Google Docs allow you to export documents in .doc or .pdf format. Free resume templates There are hundreds of free templates available on the Internet, and the best part about using a template is you can quickly browse by category and style to make a selection. One of the best free resume template sites is: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/FX103076501033.aspx Why create an online Web 2.0 resume? Includes multimedia components such as video, audio, spreadsheet, and presentation. Easy to distribute via email, social networks, and blogs. Recommended Web 2.0 Resume sites: VisualCV.com and Gigtide.com Start with resume that isn’t overrun with graphics and audio files. Build portfolio that demonstrates your skills and past accomplishments.

Recent Graduates College or High School Grads without Work Experience Overcoming Objections “Recent graduates feel entitled in the work place.” “Recent graduates lack professionalism and strong work ethic.” Advantages Bring new ideas: Business thrives on innovation, so highlight your ability to apply new information and ideas to your work. Hard working: Younger employees take spirited approach toward work, staying up late or working on weekends to complete tasks. Affordable: Show value you offer the employer, and what they stand to gain by hiring you over someone more established. Recent College or High School Graduates Recent college or high school graduates have a unique challenge in that many of them lack applicable work experience, thereby appearing to have very little to offer employers by way of immediate benefits. Start What You Finish  Because our workforce has evolved into a project-based world, employers are looking for employees who can complete tasks. If your resume shows that you have started but not finished school, assignments, or stayed with a job for less than a year, the perception could be that you don’t know how to complete what you start. Make sure your resume screams, “I am a finisher.” List all the projects you have completed. Employers are also looking to see how you approached your education, so if you are actively in school, you can list that, but don’t list BA degree as, “In Progress” if you are not attending school, as it only reinforces the stereotype. Disadvantages (Overcoming Objections) “Recent college graduates feel entitled in the work place.” Overcome this objection by stating on your resume how you look to make contributions to your employer, and how you are seeking to gain valuable experience. “Recent college graduates lack professionalism and a strong work ethic.” Perception can be reality, but you can overcome this objection by first having an outstanding resume devoid of errors and typos, and by utilizing professional language that is articulate and focused. You can address the work ethic stereotype by stating specific examples or quoting references that demonstrate your work ethic. Advantages New Ideas: Business thrives on creativity and innovation, so you should highlight your ability to apply new information and ideas to your work. “As an intern for ABC Company, I contributed to a focus group that developed cost savings through new technology and process improvements.” For example: “Researched and wrote paper on impact of eCommerce and Social Networking on business.” Hard Working: Younger employees have a spirited and impassioned approach toward their work, staying up late, and working on weekends to complete tasks. Stating something like, “Able to work long hours or on weekends to complete assignments” will go a long way with an employer. For example: ““Able to put in long hours on project to do necessary research and design.” Affordable: Employers know that they can hire younger workers for less, so you don’t need to say on your resume that you come cheap. What you do want to do is demonstrate all the value you offer an employer, and that by hiring you, they will gain more potential human capital than by hiring some one more established.   Tips: Create a functional resume that is rich with accomplishments, references, and keywords of new technologies and industry knowledge. Emphasize your ability to complete tasks and list extracurricular work you have done to show your values and enthusiasm.

Career Changers Job Seekers Who Are Changing Careers Overcoming objections “Has no experience.” Know and articulate transferable skills. “Why does this person want to leave their current field?” Advantages Bring new and fresh perspective to the position. Value added by bringing skills from other profession. Other helpful tips Do your research and change your resume accordingly. Emphasize accomplishments in your previous career and stress your transferable skills. Industry or Career Changers It is realistic to expect that throughout your career you may have to change careers several times. This is when it can be most difficult to create a resume, especially in an economy that stresses experience over education and soft-skills.   The biggest mistake I see from job seekers who are changing careers, is they don’t take the time to do the research about the field which they want to transition to. All too often, recruiters get resume from candidates for positions, where the candidate sent the same old resume they have been using for their current career. This is a big mistake! Take your time to research the position, the terminology, the job descriptions from multiple companies, and prepare your resume accordingly. Disadvantages (Overcoming Objections) “Has no experience”: This is the biggest challenge for career transitioning candidates. Understanding your transferable skills and highlighting them prominently is essential. Example: If you worked for retail clothing your whole career, you have tremendous customer service, sales and people skills. Let say you want to apply for an administrative assistant position in an office, than you could say, “Demonstrated excellence in working with diverse personalities, ensuring all business needs were met in a timely fashion.” “Received numerous accolades from clients for my professionalism and friendliness”, “Increased sales by 250% by increasing repeat customers and advising them on upcoming new products.” “Why does this person want to leave their current field?” A well-written resume minimizes this objection by focusing the reader’s eyes on transferable skills. To address this objection, you want to stress your need to be challenged and for growth. Here is where a targeted title and summary can come in, “Administrative Assistant,” “Client focused Administrative Assistant with 5 years of exceptional client and managerial support. Contributed to 250% growth in department sales through quick response to internal and external customer needs.” Advantages Like recent graduates or younger workers, career changers bring a new perspective and fresh experience to their position. Proven ability to complete tasks or projects. If you had a lengthy career in another field, your track record of accomplishments will demonstrate your ability to complete assignments. Tips Do the research. Sending out your old resume will get you nowhere. Emphasize accomplishments in your previous career, and stress transferable skills.

How Hiring Managers and Recruiters View Resumes Location: If address indicates you live too far away—SKIPPED. Stability: Depending on position, if you appear to be a job hopper—SKIPPED. Education: If the job requires a degree, and you don’t have one—SKIPPED. Companies: Previous employers with recognizable names or brands stand out. Make sure company names and subsidiaries are listed prominently. Hopefully by now, we have driven the message home: keywords play a critical role in getting your resume seen by the right people. In addition to keywords, your resume will have to meet the prerequisite criteria:   Location: If your address indicates you live too far away. SKIPPED. Stability: Depending on the position, if you appear to be a job hopper. SKIPPED. Consider using the functional resume format in this case, and list the dates of employment at the end of your resume. Education: If the job requires a degree, and you don’t have one. SKIPPED. That is, unless this is a false requirement. Often, hiring managers will list a degree as a prerequisite, but will overlook it if the right candidate comes along. Of course, that’s only if HR shows them your resume. Companies: If you worked for a direct competitor or a reputable company in your industry or field, this will stand out on your resume. Make sure company names and subsidiaries are listed prominently.

Submitting a Resume Emailing your resume Electronic screeners Most effective and common means of submitting resume to employers and contacts. Use standard file formats: Word .doc and .pdf Be direct and clear in your subject line. Include title of position, word “resume,” and keywords in email. Electronic screeners Crack the code by using keywords highlighted in job description. Use keywords throughout your resume. Prioritize keywords so that those most relevant to position are at the top. Emailing Probably the most effective and most common means of submitting your resume to employers and contacts is by email. The problem with email these days is that it has become our primary form of communication in business, and most people’s email boxes are overwhelmed. Here are a couple of tricks you can use to increase the chances of getting your resume seen: Use standard file formats, i.e. Word.doc and PDF Be direct in your subject line. Subject: “John, interested in Management position. 10 yrs. exp. Please read resume.” If you have hiring manager’s or recruiter’s name, putting it in the subject will attract attention. Include the title of the position, the word “resume” and several job description keywords in the body of the email. Electronic Screeners Most recruiters today utilize web-based or enterprise software to screen out resumes, by typing in a few keywords in their search criteria, and letting the software algorithms do the searching. This minimizes the time recruiters have to look at unqualified resumes. To ensure your resume is seen, you need to write a “Search-Friendly Resume.”   Crack the code - Recruiters typically use the same keywords they wrote in the job description. Identify the most important keywords and include them prominently and frequently in your resume. I emphasize “frequently” because when they do a search, the result usually come back with the keywords highlighted, so if your resume shows lots of highlights on the page, the recruiter will assume you have a lot of experience in that area. More Keywords. The modern day resume is driven by keywords. Consider creating a section below your summary for only keywords. Don’t call it keywords, rather “Skills” or don’t even give it a title. 15-20 keywords should be sufficient. Prioritize - Depending on which keywords are most relevant to the position you are applying for, rearrange them and put the most applicable toward the top.

Posting Your Resume Online Job boards Keep resume current and updated. Avoid posting confidential resume. Social networks Make sure information on resume and public profiles are consistent and professional. Consider creating a Web 2.0 resume that can be linked to your profile or sent out with a URL link. Blogs and Websites Control your professional presence online and be conscious of the image you are presenting to potential employers. Job Boards There are literally thousands of job boards and websites covering every type of job and applicant imaginable. Here are some keys to posting your resume on job boards:   Keep your resume current and updated. If you are an active job seeker, try to update your resume weekly. Avoid posting a confidential resume, as some recruiters don’t have the time to wait to hear back from you and want to get in touch with you immediately. However, there are ways to guard your privacy: I would advise removing your address and phone number from a public resume, and replacing it with an email address created for your job search. Use niche job boards with your targeted resumes. Social Networks If you choose to make your resume accessible through your social network profile, then you should consider creating a Web 2.0 resume that can be linked to your profile or sent out with a URL link. (For example: http://www.visualcv.com/ajankans.) Start with a basic profile or resume that isn’t overrun with graphics and audio files, and build a portfolio that demonstrates your skills and past accomplishments. Here are some keys to navigating the job boards: Make sure the information in your resume and public profiles is consistent. Be careful that the information you post on your profile is professional, so you don’t turn off prospective employers. Social networks are for networking with friends and colleagues, so don’t go hitting up all your friends for a job. Ask a select group of contacts to review your resume and give you suggestions. Blogs and Websites Blogs and personal websites have emerged as Web 2.0 vehicles that allow you to promote your personal brand, and your resume can play a role in that if applied wisely. One caveat is that you need to be conscious of the image you are presenting to potential employers before you are brought in for an interview, and controlling your professional presence online is a very important part of that. Also, before you decide to post your resume on a blog be sure you are contributing to the blog in a constructive way.

Social Networks Great forums to promote your personal brand. Join LinkedIn, add, and update work experience. Keep profile information and resume consistent across multiple sites. Provide link to Web 2.0 resume. © 2009 LaunchPad Careers, Inc.

Online Profile Development Apply same rules as posting resume online. Use targeted approach emphasizing your personal brand. List job titles. Use keywords frequently and prominently. © 2009 LaunchPad Careers, Inc.

Blogs and Websites On your blog or website, have a section about your personal brand. Increase exposure by linking your Web 2.0 resume. Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to drive traffic to your profile and resume.

Guidelines for a Well-Written Resume Use strong and concise language to communicate your skills and accomplishments. Do not use personal pronouns: “I,” “me,” “my,” “our.” Use professional language. Remove slang or localized terminology. Shorten long and complex sentences. Leave out extraneous information. Check grammar and spelling. Beware of red flags. Avoid other common mistakes. Guidelines for a Well-Written Resume Objective is to strong and concise language to communicate your skills and accomplishments. Do not use personal pronouns: “I,” “me,” “my,” “mine,” “our.” Use professional language. Remove slang or localized terminology. Shorten long and complex sentences. Remove extraneous information. Check your grammar and spelling. Verb tenses should be consistent. Rule: If you have already done something, verb should end in “ed.” If you are currently working on something, verb should be in present tense. Avoid use of helping verbs (have, had, may, might). Beware of red flags Grammatical and spelling errors Too wordy or too much information Irrelevant experience False claims and over-embellishment Inconsistent work history or unexplained career gaps Email address is too provocative Other common mistakes Do not put social security number on resume. Do not include photo on standard resume. (Only appropriate for Web 2.0 resumes.) Do not use file formats other than Word.doc or PDF. Do not list salary history. (Unless specifically requested.) Do not include “References Available Upon Request” at bottom of resume. Do not mention being fired from a position.

Resume Checklist Do you have a “hub” resume cataloging all of your marketable skills and experience? Is your resume targeted to a specific job position? Do you address the needs of the employer over your needs? Does your resume sell your personal brand? Do you demonstrate where you can add value? Does your resume include sufficient contact information including full name, address, phone number (cell phone number is ideal), and email?

Checklist Continued Does the experience you listed support the claims you made in your summary and objective? Does your resume include 10-20 keyword “tags” and strong action words? Does your resume focus on results, tasks, and accomplishments? Are your strengths highlighted early, prominently, and frequently? Is the language professional, concise, and specific?

Beware of Red Flags Grammatical and spelling errors. Too wordy or too much information. Irrelevant experience. False claims and over-embellishment. Inconsistent work history or unexplained career gaps. Email address is too provocative. Other common mistakes Do not put social security number on resume. Do not include photo on standard resume. (Only appropriate for Web 2.0 resumes.) Do not use file formats other than Word.doc or PDF. Do not list salary history. (Unless specifically requested.) Do not include “References Available Upon Request” at bottom of resume. Do not mention being fired from a position.