What the Experts Won’t Say About Resume Preparation

Documenting your job history is probably the most important part of resume preparation. It is where you get to show off all of the strengths and skills you have gathered across all of the jobs you have had. But there are some secret things that the experts seem to leave off when giving tips on how to write your resume. Today, I will reveal all the resume preparation secrets you need to know.

You Have 20 Seconds to Impress.

Resume preparation is not for the weak at heart. It takes hours, days, even weeks to get the right things on paper. But even with that amount of work put in. The recruiting or hiring manager will decide to bring you in based on a 20-second scan. What you write should “get a foot in the door” but leave them wanting more. If you are writing an autobiography, the door will be closed and locked.

They Don’t Care About Your Daily Duties.

Keep it simple by emphasizing your accomplishments and specific experiences that make you most proud. You want to give the reader enough to keep them interested but not so much that it overshadows the job they are offering. Also, do not post more than five jobs (or past ten years) in detail. They don’t care that you were part of the ‘fun committee ‘and made coffee on Tuesdays.

Action Action, We Want Action!

The exciting part of a resume is what you have created, saved, and developed. As part of your resume preparation, write down illustrative examples of the things you have done at work that you are most proud of but start each accomplishment with an action verb followed by evidence. For example:

Increased year over year sales by 30% by calling a minimum of 200 Human Resource executives per day.

Use the Job Descriptions to Find the Key Keywords.

Most companies today use automation to help them narrow down the influx of resumes they are receiving. To put you on the top of the stack, part of your resume preparation should include figure out the best keywords to use in your summaries. As you read the job description, pay special attention to the most important words used. For example, if the job description says, “Must have the ability to cold call” or “Experience in utilizing Javascript,” use those words and phrases on your job history.

When you are looking for a job, it is hard to feel accomplished. But you have done some great things over the years. Now is not the time to be humble. Detail what makes you great. Be proud of how far you have come to prepare you for your future!

Read on for more ways to make your job search a success: Using Job Descriptions to Help With Resume Preparation