Page 154 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume
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Part 2 ➤ Six Steps to a Perfect Resume
Dynamite Achievements
Nab the employer’s interest right away with an achievement-oriented
resume. By writing about your experience in terms of achievements,
not job descriptions, you’ll convey three things:
➤ You have the experience and skills to do the job.
Career Casualty ➤ You’re good at this work and at using these skills.
When you create your achieve- ➤ You like your work. (You must! There’s pride in your statements.)
ment sentences, be careful not
to emphasize any aspect of the
experience that you don’t enjoy Who’s Your Audience?
doing. Only stress the parts of
the achievement that you would Keep in mind while you write your resume that your audience is the
like to repeat. hiring manager for the position mentioned in your Job Objective state-
ment. In order to sell yourself to this potential employer, talk about
yourself in ways that are meaningful to her. In some cases, you may
need to do one or more of the following:
➤ Translate terminology to downplay differences between your past
experience and your job objective.
➤ Select only aspects of your achievements that paint a picture of
you at your next job.
➤ Prioritize your points so that your most relevant achievements are
Job-Hunt Hint
emphasized.
Talk about your experience in
terms of achievements instead of
monotonous job descriptions. Downplay Differences
Achievements will impress the
reader, make your resume far Avoid job-specific jargon in order to downplay the differences and
more interesting to read, and emphasize the similarities between your previous position and your Job
stimulate productive conversa- objective. For example, Elizabeth was a nurse who was applying for a
tion during the interview. customer service position at a department store. She used general terms
when referring to her hospital work so the employer would see that her
customer service skills were just what was needed in the department
store.
Instead of writing: Explained medical procedures and equipment to
Hamilton Medical Center patients and their families to enable them to
make wise decisions regarding surgery, care, and discharge.
Elizabeth wrote: Educated clients about new products and procedures
at the medical center and assisted them in making personal decisions
Job-Hunt Hint
based on financial, lifestyle, and timeline concerns.
Build a strong foundation for
your salary negotiations by When Charles’s military service ended, he wanted a job in corporate
writing powerful achievement public relations, so he phrased his statements using civilian terminol-
statements that speak to the ogy to de-emphasize his career transition.
employer’s bottom line.
Instead of writing: Managed public relations for the U.S. Navy’s Fleet
Week, a $1.5 million celebration that drew 50,000 civilians.
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