Resume tips...

[welcomewiki]

Tip 6 - Identify and Solve Employer's Hidden Needs

In addition to the s****s or needs listed in the ad shown above, the employer will have many more needs that Roger
should identify and address in his resume and cover letter. For example, this employer will need someone who can deal
effectively with other departments, research accounting issues and records to solve problems. To beat today's heavy
competition for jobs, it's important that you identify and anticipate the full range of needs each employer faces and show
how you can solve those needs.

[welcomewiki]

Tip 7 - Sell the Benefits of Your S****s

Most resumes provide a list of duties that each applicant has been responsible for--without explaining the benefit of those
s****s to employers. For example, a secretary's resume might state she can type 80 wpm and is extremely accurate. This
statement lacks an explanation of how her typing speed and accuracy benefit an employer's bottom line. The real benefit
is that the employee can produce more work and ultimately save the employer money. A better statement for this
person's resume would be: Selling The Benefits of S****s

· Achieved top production volume by maintaining high degree of accuracy with typing speed at 80 wpm.
· Cut labor expense over $6,000 annually by eliminating the need for part-time wordprocessing staff.

[welcomewiki]

Tip 8 - Create An Image That Matches The Salary You Want

As you write your resume, keep in mind the level of job and salary you want. Be sure to create an image that presents
you at the appropriate level. For example, language used in a resume for an $8 an hour position is much different than
the language used for a $16 an hour position. I recently met Lynn, who had held a Health Insurance Claims Management
position making $42,000 per year. She had retrained for the accounting field and hadn't yet gained any "direct accounting
experience" although she had prepared monthly accounting reports as a Department Manager.

I was appalled when she shared the resume she had been counseled to create. It began with this statement:
Seeking an entry level position in the accounting field.


Now what pay rate do you think this statement would motivate employers to offer Lynn? A much better statement would
be:
Seek an Accounting position utilizing my experience:


· Managing a department and accounting for up to $250,000 in monthly claims.
My goal is to help people either stay at their current salary level or move up--not go backwards. As you can see, the last
statement greatly elevates Lynn's image and will be much more likely to generate salary offers comparable to her last pay
rate.

[welcomewiki]

Tip 9 - Prioritize the Content of Your Resume

Another big mistake that job seekers make is to list very important data in the lower sections of their job descriptions. As
you compile statements for your resume, prioritize them by importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job you
want. Remember that a strong statement which uses power words and quantifies will affect every statement under it.
Read the two examples below. Which one has the most impact? Unprioritized
Maintained records control, filing, office supply purchasing and equipment maintenance.
Managed front office functions to support the President, Vice President and staff of 20 Sales Representatives.

Prioritized
Managed front office functions to support the President, Vice President and staff of 20 Sales Representatives. Maintained
records control, filing, office supply purchasing and equipment maintenance.

[welcomewiki]

Tip 10 - Tweak and Target Your Resumes and Cover Letters

You will generate many more interviews by tweaking your resume and cover letter so that they address the specific s****s
each employer requests. For example, Sally originally wanted a customer service position, then found an ad for a Retail
Management opening. How well qualified do the headings in the left hand column present her for the Retail Management
position? Do you think the headings in the right hand column will generate more and better interviews for Retail
Management positions? Customer Service
Cash Accountability
Computer S****s Retail Management / Customer Service
Cash Accountability / Supervision of Retail Stations
Retail Accounting Applications
Sally's actual title had been Lead Cashier, even though she managed her own retail cashiering station in addition to 6
other cashiers and stations. Once Sally had created her original resume, it only took about 5 minutes to tweak and relabel
her s**** descriptions to fit Retail Management positions. This "relabeling" is entirely truthful and is extremely important in
landing more interviews because it allows job seekers to apply for, and look qualified for, a wider range of jobs.