A New Way With Resumes
Unfortunately, given the current state of the economy, you may have to look for a new job. The job search may include writing a resume.
Times have changed! The old rules for resumes “Keep it to a page; use bullet points; stick to listing your experiences” have been replaced with a simple standard—use a narrative style that describes not only what you did on the job but how you accomplished it.
You don’t want to go on and on about your experiences, but because many resumes can now be transmitted by e-mail or the Internet, length isn’t such an important issue anymore. And including the other parts of your life such as community service or volunteer work that are examples of your values is a big help.
What do you include in an effective resume? Here are some suggestions:
- Tell a prospective employer what’s important to you. A prospective employer wants to know how you will make him/her look good and make the company perform better. If you successfully raised money for a cause, or volunteered to work on a political campaign or coached a little league team, include these experiences in your resume. It says something about you, your skills and how you manage your life.
- Tailor your resume to each individual employer. Do some research on the company or school district you’re applying to. It might be a mistake to tell a prospective employer that you once participated in a peace march.
- Show how you deal with downtime. If you’ve been out of work for a long period of time or expect to be unemployed for a while, account for the time. Did you take classes? volunteer your time? care for your children? Again, all of this speaks to who you are and how you manage your time.
- Be honest. This rule hasn’t changed. Don’t lie about employment dates or your education. Don’t assume employers aren’t checking. With all of the latest business scandals, employers are calling references to find out what your former boss says about you. Play it straight.