Write a Resume That Gets Results

Why having a resume is important?   Whether you’re a graduating student preparing to enter the working world, or a more seasoned individual who’s been part of the workforce for some time, the resume is an indispensable tool.  Frequently dubbed “the passport to the interview,” the resume, is a job seeker’s most vital marketing tool, acting as his façade and image-maker in the pre-interview screening stage.  It also serves as an essential base for most preliminary interviews.
 
Statistics show that the average time given to a resume when an employer scans it for the first time is usually less than 10 seconds! That’s it- all your hard earned qualifications quickly scanned in less than half a minute! So is it worth all this hype? Is it still worth spending so much time in putting together? Why can’t you just wait till you get an interview and then tell them everything? The answer is: yes, you must spend sufficient time writing up your resume, because it’s the key to an interviewing opportunity. Without a good resume, you will not get that chance to be interviewed and tell them everything. If we think of an employer seeking to screen as many resumes out of a pile of 500+ resumes, based on the initial impression, structure, and organization, it should be an incentive to give your resume its due attention. 
 

Difference between a CV and a resume:  We commonly hear people use resume (pronounced res-you-may) and CV interchangeably to refer to the same document delineating one’s professional background. Although there are inherent similarities between both, one main difference between them is the length. A resume is, by definition, a summary of one’s qualifications, both academic and professional. It’s usually not more than 2 pages in length (don’t forget those 10 seconds!). A CV – short for curriculum vitae - is, in essence, more detailed than the former. The more experienced individual usually adopts it. Usually, a resume is requested of the candidates, and then at a later stage a CV is requested of those candidates with potential. The more common usage is for the resume, the term we will use to refer to the document bearing our qualifications.

Here are some common resume forms and their use: 
 

The Chronological Resume  
This is the most common form for a resume. It lists a candidate’s qualifications in the order they happen starting with the most recent, and going back in time. It is a simple, straightforward style, ideal for candidates who have relevant experience in their target field of interest, candidates with a consistent record, and no inexplicable gaps between one job and the next. 
 

The Functional Resume   Although not as common as the chronological form, the functional resume is quickly gaining popularity. It is used by individuals who have acquired specific skills (marketing/communication/organizational) from a multitude of experiences that may not be directly related to the target field of choice. It is also ideal in covering up unjustified gaps in one’s employment.
 

Diferent Sections of a Resume:  
 
Identification Data:  Name, address, telephone number and e-mail. This is the so-called “title” of the resume. 

Objective:
Usually overlooked by most job seekers, this is an essential part of a resume. It assists in projecting an image of a focused individual. Rather than identifying a specific position/job title, it points out the target field and type of organization the candidate seeks. If formulated properly, it can serve as the “thesis statement” of the resume, and everything in the resume should support it. Although an important element in a resume, don’t make up an objective if you don’t have one. Not having an objective is better than a putting in a fake one that you will not be able to talk about in an interview. A complete career objective clarifies the following: the kind of position you seek (challenging opportunity/entry–level position/middle management), the type of organization (well–established / dynamic / fast–growing / multinational / local), and the field (marketing / sales / advertising / industrial engineering).

Work Experience/Employment History:  Starting with the current or most recent job, we start by listing the following: position / company / employment dates. Every job title is then followed with a list of accomplishments within the job. To ensure that it doesn’t read like your job description, make sure you use action verbs at the beginning of your statements (supervise, participate, coordinate, train, etc.)

Extracurricular Activities:  This section highlights all your involvement in activities on or off campus. Things like Roteract, Keritas, MUN, student government, to name but a few, would come under this section. As with your work experience, start with the most recent and go back in time. Don’t forget to give your position within the organization, as well as two or three points describing what you accomplished. This is a very valuable section for a fresh graduate to have on the resume, but if you haven’t participated in any activities or community service, don’t worry - your resume will not be considered missing a section if you don’t include it. 

Education:  Starting with your most recent degree, list your university name, degree and year of graduation. Don’t forget to include your GPA (only if it’s 3.0 and above) or overall grade, (“good” and above) and some of your coursework, as relevant to the career objective. But, when doing so, give the title of the courses (e.g. International Business) rather than Business 101, which will mean nothing to the employer.  Next comes your high school – the one school that awarded your high school diploma, not all the schools you’ve been too since primary 1!! This section is subdivided into language and computer, and lists your capabilities in these 2 areas.

Personal Data: This section concludes the resume, indicating your date and place of birth, nationality, marital status and military obligations. Although considered an integral part of a resume in the Middle East, it is not advisable to include this section when applying for work in the US or Europe. 
 
 

Resumes of Recent Graduates and Experienced Individuals  
--Recent Graduate-- 
Education (include coursework) 
Work Experience (will not always exist) 
Extracurricular Activities

 
--Experienced Individual-- 
Highlights of Qualifications (sums up candidate) 
Work Experience  
Education 
No extracurricular activities 
 

The importance of producing a well-written resume cannot be emphasized enough. In addition to all the above, the strength of a resume comes from its relevance to the vacancy available. This means you might need more than one resume tailored to more than one career interest. 
 

So, if you’re called in for an interview, you’ll know that you did a good job on your resume.  To maximize on the positive effect your resume has left on the employer, do check out our notes on the different kinds of interviews, so you'll know what to expect.