Ten Keys to a Dynamite Resume

Ten Keys to a Dynamite Resume

Avatar photo Jeff Gipson | August 24, 2015

To help you assemble a significantly better, more powerful resume, here are ten overall aspects in regard to your resume’s material and presentation:
 
1. Position title and job description. Provide your title, plus a thorough explanation of your obligations and achievements. Considering that occupation titles are often misleading or their function may vary from one company to another, your resume ought to tell the reader precisely what you’ve accomplished.
 
2. Clarity of dates and place. Record your work history and academic credentials accurately. Don’t leave the reader speculating where and when you were employed, or when you earned your degree.
3. Explicitness. Let the reader know the nature, size and location of your past employers, and what their company is.
 
4. Detail. Identify some of the more technical, or involved elements of your past work or training, especially if you’ve undertaken tasks of any complexity, or significance.
 
5. Proportion. Give appropriate interest to jobs or educational credentials according to their length, or significance to the reader. For example, if you wish to be considered for an engineering position, don’t write one paragraph describing your present engineering occupation, followed by three paragraphs about your summer occupation as a lifeguard.
 
6. Relevancy. Confine your information to that which is job-related or clearly explains a pattern of success. Focus only on subject matter that addresses the needs of the employer.
 
7. Size. Fill up only a page or two. If you write more than two pages, it sends a indicator to the reader that you can’t manage your thoughts, or you’re trying too hard to make a good impression. If your material is strong, you won’t need more than two pages.
 
8. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Develop an error-free document that’s representative of an educated individual. If you’re unsure about the correctness of your writing (or if English is your second language), consult a professional writer or editor.
 
9. Readability. Manage your thoughts in a clear, concise manner. No resume ever won a Nobel Prize for literature; however, a fragmented or extended resume will practically assure you of a place at the back of the line.
 
10. Readability. Be sure to select a standard type style, such as Times Roman or Arial, and select a neutral background or stationery. If your resume takes too much effort to read, it may conclude in the trash, even if you have terrific skills.
 
Finally, I advise you write a number of drafts, and permit yourself time to review your work and proofread for errors. If you have a professional associate whose point of view you trust, by all means, listen to what he or she has to say. A straightforward critique can make the distinction between an interview and a rejection.

About the Author

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Jeff Gipson
Jeff Gipson Sr. is a veteran of the staffing industry, with more than 30 years of experience. He got his start working for an international staffing organization where he focused on information technology placements across the country. In July 1992, Jeff continued his staffing career with a St. Louis based information technology staffing company. There, he was strategically involved in launching the organization’s first branch office — and subsequently three additional branch offices over the next several years. In July 2000 Jeff made another move — this time to launch his own staffing company, continuing his IT focus. In 2003 the organization was reinvented. Relying on his earlier sales career in the insurance industry, the company changed course and began building the firm around the insurance industry. The company continues to put all their energy in the insurance sector filling positions of all titles across the country. Jeff and his wife Carolyn have been married since 1980. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
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