The Celerity Resume 

Many people find themselves frustrated when writing a resume.  It is sometime difficult to know where to start, what style is best for you and most importantly, just what information does or does not need to be included.  Following are some tips to assist you in creating a resume to meet your needs.

Resume Style

There are a variety of styles that have been developed to highlight and maximize your qualifications for the position.  Two of the more common styles are the 'Chronological' format- which emphasizes previous work experience and achievements and the 'Skill-based' format-which highlights aptitudes, transferable skills and core competencies. 

The 'Chronological' format is the better choice if you have a strong previous record of success and are seeking to further your existing career progression.  By illustrating and elaborating upon your performance record, you have the opportunity to show a prospective employer what a valuable asset you could be.

On the other hand, if you are new to the job-market, making a career change or returning to the work force, you may want to consider a "Skill-based" format.  This will allow you to focus on your strengths- the skills and knowledge that you can bring to a new position.  When creating a skill-based resume it is important to highlight the positive aspects you can bring in lieu of experience.

Targeted Resumes

Once you've decided upon a format that will best represent what you have to offer the real work starts.  Don't make the mistake of laboring for hours putting together a single resume that will represent you in all situations, under all conditions.  Too many job hunters try to 'keep their bases covered' by packing every possible detail into their resumes- so they can be considered for every position.  Unfortunately, this approach often backfires. The individual reading the resume can get bogged down in details that do not apply to a certain position, or may come away with the feeling that the candidate doesn't have a strong sense of just what type of job they are seeking.

Instead, draft a 'core' resume that will contain a fairly comprehensive list of your achievements, skills and experience.  Don't concern yourself with format or length, just create a document with as much information as possible.  This 'core' resume will serve as the starting point for every resume you submit to a potential employer.

When listing your past achievements, be honest.  This is your chance to take pride and stick up for what you have accomplished.  Never lie or misrepresent your background or qualifications, but do take this opportunity to communicate to your employer what successes and activities you were instrumental in completing.  This is your resume.  If you don't mention your successes, no one else can for you.

As you make a record of your past experience and success, try and include as may powerful 'action' verbs and 'active' statements as possible.  You want to build energy into your resume.  Also try to include specific details and figures in your resume whenever possible.  If you initiated cost savings procedures in your last position, communicate how much you were able to save- use a dollar figure or percentages.  These specific concrete details are not only honest, they add impact and power to your resume.

Whenever you learn of a job opportunity, collect as much information as possible regarding the nature of the position, the responsibilities of the role and the experience sought by the employer.  This information can be gathered from newspaper ads, company web pages, online job boards or even directly from the employer themselves.  

Once you have collected that information, begin to sift through the information in your core document.  Focus on those items that seem to be the strongest match for what the prospective employer is seeking and include only those details.  This will allow you to create a tight, powerful resume that will read as though it were tailor-made for the position at hand and increase the likelihood that you will be granted and interview.

"How long should a resume be? One Page? Two?

This is one of the most common questions asked by resume writers.  A one page resume is great, and two is acceptable.  Remember, your resume is a marketing piece- it needs to be fast, efficient and effective.  It should read more like an outline than a novel.  Potential interviewers are often inundated by resumes and rarely have time to wade through page after page of unimportant details looking for a potential fit.  

"What do I put in a cover letter? Do I really need one?"

Standard business etiquette is to include a cover letter with each resume you submit.  Even beyond that though, a well written cover letter gives you the opportunity to convey information not contained in your resume.  The cover letter gives you a chance to communicate your interest in a specific position while at the same time allowing you to convey more of your personality than a resume alone.

Just as with your resume, don't use a standard 'cloned' cover letter for every opening.  Instead, make your cover letter stand out, tailor it specifically to the company you're contacting.  The cover letter is more than a formality, it is an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and market your abilities.  The resume and cover letter together should be more than just standard procedure.  They should work as complementary marketing pieces.