Resumes are the first introduction you have to a prospective employer. A hiring manager can't see your personality or professional appearance from your resume, but somehow the successful candidate manages to communicate those things. Thinking about a resume as the first conversation with a new business contact will help candidates have increased confidence in having it represent them during a transition between careers.
Here are some best practices in creating an impactful resume:
- Focus the resume content on what the specific employer considers most important to the job. This may mean expanding details on certain work experience or training or volunteer activities to make the content relevant to the position.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout the resume to have it meet criteria in scannable software programs.
- Double check the resume with spelling and grammar tools in Word before saving it in PDF or RTF formats.
- Remember that the resume is an introduction – it should compel the hiring manager to want to contact the candidate and schedule a phone or face to face interview.
- Keep the most relevant information on the first page of the resume. With the high numbers of people applying for positions, hiring teams may not have time to read to more than one page before moving candidates forward to the phone screen process.
For more assistance on specific content to make an impactful resume, transitioning job seekers can attend a free workshop offered by the University of Phoenix West Valley Learning Center. To register:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=122882544429425&index=1
Comments