Page 122 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume

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Part 2 ➤ Six Steps to a Perfect Resume

Go Figure

Now it’s time to write your Summary of Qualifications statements. To help you come up
with three or four strong statements, answer the following questions. If one doesn’t apply
to your situation, skip it and move on to the next.

Summary of Qualifications Worksheet
1. How much experience do you have in this profession, in this field, or using the
required skills? __________________________________________________________________

Example: Someone staying in the field of financial management might write, “I’ve
worked as a financial manager for a mid-sized company for the last 14 years.”
Summary statement: Fourteen years as the financial manager of a company with cur-
rent sales of $75 million.
Example: A job seeker making the transition from teaching to corporate training
might write, “I spent the last seven years teaching things to all kinds of kids.”
Summary statement: Seven years of professional experience using strong communica-
tion skills to enhance learning of children from diverse backgrounds.

2. Imagine that your best friend is talking to the hiring person about the job you want.
What would your best friend say about you that would make the employer want to
call you for an interview? ________________________________________________________
Example: The best friend of a job hunter desiring an editorial position with a newspa-
per might say, “She even won the Pulitzer prize! I don’t think anyone from the
Examiner had ever done that before.”
Summary statement: First syndicated journalist from the Examiner to receive the
Pulitzer prize.
Example: The colleague of a CEO seeking a membership on the Board of Directors of
a crisis-prevention nonprofit organization might say, “He led a group that helped the
community recover from the 1989 earthquake.”
Summary statement: Known for leading a committee that took the first step toward
community rehabilitation after the 1989 earthquake.
3. How is success measured in the position mentioned in your Job Objective? How do
you measure up? ________________________________________________________________

Example: A salesperson reaching for a sales management job might write, “I have
always sold more than my quota and tried to motivate other salespeople so my team
could meet group goals.”
Summary statement: Consistently exceeded personal quotas and inspired sales team
members to meet group goals.
Example: A software developer wishing to make a move into technical writing might
write, “Many different users have told me that my explanations are easy to under-
stand.”
Summary statement: Reputation for writing clear and concise explanations for tech-
nical and nontechnical users.

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