Resume tips...

Tip 1 - Use Titles or Headings That Match The Jobs You Want
With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume hooks an employer's attention
within a 5-second glance. A great way to do this is to use job titles and s**** headings that relate to and match the jobs
you want. For example, compare the headings Roger used in his before resume to the headings used in his after resume.
Before Resume:
Accounting / Recordkeeping
Administrative
Computer S****s After Resume:
Management of A/R and A/P Accounts
Computerized Accounting Applications
Departmental Administration / Recordkeeping
Which set of headings are the strongest for an Accounts Payable / Receivable Manager position?

Even though Roger's title was Accounting Assistant, he actually managed over 1,000 A/R and A/P accounts. Using s****
headings that market the true nature of Roger's job duties will generate him more interviews and higher salary offers. For
more examples, like this one and the ones discussed below, click on 60 Free Online Resume and Job Search Workshops at
ProvenResumes.com.

Tip 2 - Use Design That Grabs AttentionEmployers make snap judgments when glancing at your resume. If they see unrelated job titles or s****s the likelihood is
very high that they will make an immediate assumption that you are not qualified for the job you want. Adding to this
problem is the fact that employers don't have the time to read through each of your job descriptions to determine if you
have the s****s they need.

You Must Do That For Them! The design of your resume must highlight the most important information about your work
experience, s****s and education. At first glance this information forms the image that employers have of your s****s and
abilities.

Tip 3 - Create Content That SellsResume design should get attention but it's really the content of your resume, the descriptions you include of your s****s
and abilities, that determine how many interviews you generate--as well as the level of salary offers you receive.
Compare the before and after statements from Roger's resume shown below:Before Resume:
Maintained records for accounts receivable and accounts payable accounts. After Resume:
Managed over 1,000 accounts receivable and payable accounts working directly with the Chief Financial Officer.
Which of these examples presents Roger as being more qualified, having higher s****s and worth a higher salary? As this
example illustrates, our image of Roger is changed and elevated when we read the after example. For more examples of
how to create powerful content click on 60 Free Online Resume and Job Search Workshops.
Tip 4 - Quantify and Use Power WordsAs Roger's after statement demonstrates, using numbers to describe your achievements and responsibilities can greatly
expand and elevate your image. Using numbers and quantifying creates vivid images in our mind when we read them,
whereas general statements like the before examples are easy to skip over or forget. Typically the more specific you can
be in describing your duties the better.

Another strategy that is extremely important in controlling the image that employers develop about you--is to use Power
Words or verbs that match the level of position you want. For example, Roger wants to use the experience he's gained to
move into a management position. To strengthen his image he should use as many "management oriented" words as
possible. Which example below do you think is the strongest? Typical Verbs:
Gave work assignments to staff of entry level accounting clerks. Power Words:
Directed workflow, supervised and trained accounting staff performing posting to general ledger, accounts receivable and
payable accounts.


Tip 5 - Analyze Ads and Job Descriptions to Identify Key WordsLearning how to analyze the key words that employers provide in help wanted ads and job descriptions is a key element
in creating powerful resumes. For example, read the ad Roger found for an Accounts Receivable Manager below and see
how many key words, phrases, or s**** descriptions that it includes. Accounts Receivable Manager
Seeking experienced A/R Manager to oversee accounts, manage billing and collections, train accounting and clerical staff,
develop status reports for management and prepare monthly balance sheets. B.A. Degree or A.A. Degree with minimum of
2 years experience required.


Even though this ad is small it contains 12-13 key words or phrases that should be addressed in Roger's resume. Roger
can also key words from an ad like this to create headings for his resume such as: Key Word S**** Headings
Management of A/R Accounts
Billing and Collections
Supervision of Accounting and Administrative Staff
Balance Sheet and Management Status Reports


Tip 6 - Identify and Solve Employer's Hidden NeedsIn 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.
Tip 7 - Sell the Benefits of Your S****sMost 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.

Tip 8 - Create An Image That Matches The Salary You WantAs 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.

Tip 9 - Prioritize the Content of Your ResumeAnother 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.


Tip 10 - Tweak and Target Your Resumes and Cover LettersYou 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.