The Focused Resume'

The current recession defines nearly everything we do today. It makes getting the job for which a person is well qualified more difficult to obtain. The competition for jobs has always been strong but the current recession makes it more competitive. That is because more people are looking for work than ever before and employers have an unusual advantage. They can choose from a vast pool of well qualified candidates. And they could pretty much pay people what they want to pay for their skills and abilities. What's a person to do?

How can you make your resume' be one of the resumes a potential job interviewer selects for an interview? Its really easy to present a resume' that will earn you an interview. Focus on the whole resume' process and make sure you've done all you can to make it the perfect resume'. The rest is out of your hands.

Job candidates focus so much on the job application that they sometimes forget to observe the basic requirements of a  well prepared resume'. What are the basics? The basics include no spelling errors. Is the resume' presented on clean crisp paper, preferably high quality paper and sharp typing fonts? Does the resume' pass the eye test? Does it look well organized. And does it have white space throughout the paper? That means your work is not crowed together. Make sure you provide reliable and current contact information. Are your education and qualifications clearly stated? Is your resume' prepared with action words that describe what you did? Action words usually end with the "ed" at the end of a action verb. For example you supervised; you trained; you reviewed or you advised...

Internet Job Resume'

The trend is to apply on-line for the job. This can be a sticky situation. You want to use your most creative skills when applying on-line. This is often the only contact the employer and potential employee will have. The same basic resume' techniques apply on-line.

I suggest, sending the application as directed by the employer. Follow up with a paper copy and a cover letter stating you applied on-line but wish to make sure they received you application. If you send the hard paper copy to the employer, you encourage them to look for you application on-line and place it at the top of their stack.

The Cover Letter

A one page cover letter does wonders. Include in the cover letter, a brief statement that says you are interested in the position. That you found out about the position through...; That you would like to meet with them and explain in detail the reason you are ideal for the position.  Don't forget to add a couple of the application key words in your cover letter. End the letter with a "thank you" for considering you for the position. Sign the letter and place  the cover letter  on top of the resume'.

People send in their resume' to the potential employer and fail to follow-up a few days later to confirm they received your resume'.  By contacting the employer,a couple of things could happen. You could move your resume from the bottom of the stack to the top of the stack. You also pique  the interest of the resume' reviewer.

Okay, the basic information is covered. Now we will talk about those special touches that make your resume' stand out. You could call them focused resumes. or customed resumes'. The key is to make a difference. You want your resume' to be more than a lot of words on a piece of paper. You will have about 20 seconds to catch the attention of the person reviewing the resume'. That individual has the responsibility to read hundreds and possibly a thousand individual resumes for a single job opening. How will you show in 20 seconds that your resume' qualifies you for and interview?

Think of the resume' as a a piece of fly paper. Fly paper is sticky and you can't put it down without effort. You want to have the same affect on the resume' reader. This is how you do it.
Think of your resume' as a story you wish to tell someone you do not know. You do not want to just give a chronological list of your work experiences and your education. You want to create a story that makes the person want to learn more about you. You're marketing yourself to the reviewer. You want the individual to want to learn more about you. That is the sticky paper affect.

First make sure you know what your objective is for the job you are seeking. Do you wish to change careers? Do you want work that compliments your skills? Do you want the job to match your personality? Are you willing to compromise your values for the job you're seeking? If any of these answers is negative, don't waste your time or the potential employer's time. Soon after you're hired the conflict will surface?

Your resume' wants to deliver to the reviewer the fact that you have something they are in need of. You are the answer to the need they are trying to fulfill. Without blatantly saying it, you want to say here I am. I am the answer to your problems.

Your resume' must be prepared in a manner that says this is what I can do to solve your problem. You may present the fact that you are the solution to their problem by writing a "summary of qualifications." The summary of qualifications is placed at the top half of your resume'. It is then supported by jobs and skills you've had. They confirm your  summary of qualifications. You may also show yourself as the answer to their needs with the "career highlights." It may also be written at the top half of the resume'.

Go through the resume' and pull out the skills and education that mirror the job description. Include that information in the body of the summary of qualifications or career highlights section. Your 20 seconds is in the summary of qualifications or the career highlights section.

Custom Resume'

The custom resume' is written as a mirror of the job description. It takes a little extra time but you have a greater chance of receiving an invitation to an interview. The custom interview is very similar to the summary of quaifications. You will take the job description and compare it with the education and work experiences you have. Write your summary statement to reflect the job description. The rest of the resume' will include some of the key works the employer uses to describe the position.