A new resume can jump-start
your career, especially if you seek employment in a conservative
environment impervious to networking, such as a university. Sometimes the
results can be astonishing.
1. Your resume is a sales
tool. It is not a place for therapeutic self-disclosure or true
confessions. Be honest but present your accomplishments in the most
positive way.
2. Leave tricky questions
("Why did you have six jobs in ten years?" "Why are you
applying for an entry position after you've been running the show?")
for the interview. Practice interview responses with a support group,
friend or career coach.
3. If chronology
works against you, opt for a sales pitch letter or use your network to get
past the screener. If you can't avoid a resume, some experts
will advise a functional resume. However, once you show up for an
interview, expect to be asked for a chronological review.
4. Focus on
accomplishments: . "Supervised ten people on a project that finished
three weeks before deadline and saved megabucks." And if you're
over fifteen, you do not have "duties." You have
"responsibilities" and "accomplishments."
Anyway, nobody cares about what you were supposed to do. They want to know
what you contributed.
5. Exploring multiple
jobs? Tailor your resume to each position and each field. Show that you
understand your target firm's problems -- and are uniquely equipped to
solve them.
6. Do not let anyone
write your resume for you. Accept suggestions and feedback but the final
product should be in your own words.
7. Use your network to
review the final product. Ask at least six people in your field for candid
feedback.
The final test: How do
you feel when you read the resume? When you feel proud of your resume, and
you're eager to share it with everyone you meet, you're ready to move.
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Cathy Goodwin, MBA, Ph.D.
wrote Making the Big Move, a guide to coping with relocation.
As an author, speaker and career/business consultant, she specializes in
creative career change for midlife professionals and business owners.
Newsletter: http://www.movinglady.com/subscribe.html,
mailto:cathy@movinglady.com 505-534-4294
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