A great résumé tells not just what you do, but it gives the assertion of a good ad. It serves one purpose: to get the interview. It stimulates employers to want to hear the direct benefits they can receive based on what you have delivered in your last position.
We often fail to keep track of what we have successfully accomplished at work. As a result, résumé writing is one of those things which we all put on our to-do list and keep putting off either because we do not know where to start or feel self-conscious about self-promotion. The writing process feels tedious as it requires serious reflection on this question, “How have I made a difference to the companies I worked for?”
You may spend hours or days thinking about the projects you have worked on, the problems you have solved, KPIs you have achieved over a set time period or even the budgets you have managed and operational efficiencies you have implemented; just to name a few. When you have jotted this down, think about, “Who really did the work?”
Take the time to reflect on each task you did and the activities where you made a significant contribution. Key words such as “Researched and Developed”, “Project Managed”, “Devised”, “Supported”, “Implemented”, “Lead” and “Managed” help convey that entrepreneurial spirit and showcase those key skills to your prospective employer in a concise manner.
The real challenge is to combine the findings of these two questions to convince the employer that you have what it takes and that they should call you for an interview. Get straight to the point and be specific. For example, Supported Operations Director to in efficientlythe opening of three store branches in Trincity, San Fernando and Port-of-Spain.
This one point shows your role in the project, stakeholder relationship and the depth of the project. Depending on the number of job experiences you have under your belt, it is recommended not to have too many bullet points and to stick to two single- sided pages. Once you have all these points under each position, your layout then becomes your focus. If you have just finished school with limited work experience, then your education should appear at the top. If you are a professional with a few companies under your belt, your work experience should appear as the first category.
Résumé writing is truly a self-reflection exercise. The time invested to jot down your achievements in a concise manner to date, enables you to reflect on your career path thus far. It is a sales tool that effectively maps a vision of the potential opportunities for yourself and showcases the assets you bring to the a prospective employer’s business. Whether you are looking for a job or not, your résumé can help you clarify your direction, assess your qualifications, bring out your strengths, boost your confidence and of course, start the process of committing to a job or career change.
Eve Anderson Recruitment Limited is a trusted partner in recruitment and HR advisory. For more info, www.eaastaff.com
By Christina Bahadoor-Hosein
Candidate Manager, Eve Anderson Recruitment Limited