Page 155 - Complete Idiot's Guide to The Perfect Resume

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Chapter 9 ➤ Step Four: You’re an Achiever!

Charles wrote: Managed public relations for a $1.5 million
celebration sponsored by the Bay Area’s largest employer
and attended by some 50,000 people.

Always make it simple for an employer to understand how you fit
into her organization. If necessary, translate your experience into
terminology that she will identify with easily.
Career Casualty
Obey the seventh Resume
Keep It Relevant Commandment: Thou shalt not
lie. You can be creative, as long
Your achievements consist of several ingredients, some of which
as you’re honest.
may have nothing to do with what you will offer your next
employer. Make an impression that you’re a good fit by presenting
only the aspects of your achievements that relate to your job objec-
tive.

For example, Henry was an excellent event planner who wanted to
use his organizational skills in a new field: graphic layout for a
daily newspaper. He knew he could not assume the employer
would conclude that Henry was capable of laying out newspaper
copy just because he knew how to plan events, so Henry took extra
care to draw the parallels between the two occupations. Job-Hunt Hint

Instead of writing: Produced social and business events for Select from your past only those
up to 2,000 people, managing budgets, catering, entertain- parts of an achievement that
ment, and logistics. describe you at your next job.
Henry wrote: Maintained a perfect record of on-time delivery
of at least 20 projects a month, involving time, budget, and
space constraints.
As a horticulturist, Patty realized that the part of her job she liked
the most was answering clients’ questions. When she wrote her
resume for a job as a travel agent, she emphasized her customer
service skills and downplayed her scientific expertise.
Instead of writing: Provided scientific information on thou- Career Casualty
sands of plant species as the lead horticulturist of the coun- Don’t go on and on with details
try’s most prestigious botanical garden. that aren’t relevant to your job
objective. Space is limited on
Patty wrote: Assisted customers in selecting from more than
your resume and the employer’s
2,000 options by patiently answering questions and educating
clock is ticking the whole time
them about costs and benefits.
she’s reading it.
In order to have effective achievement statements, refer to the
aspects of your experiences that paint the picture of your job objec-
tive, and therefore have meaning to your prospective employer.

First Things First

Prioritize your statements, so the achievement most relevant to your job goal is first. For
example, as a former office manager, 75 percent of Andrea’s time was spent processing
administrative paperwork, and less than 25 percent of her time was spent on training and

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