Think marketing, not history! Your resume should market you, not detail your history. Here's how to create a winning resume:
  1. Choose a target.
    What kind of a job are you going after? Write the resume to sell yourself to that type of employer, (for example: a not-for-profit looking for a chief financial officer). Later, you can see if this resume works for other types of employers, and revise it if necessary.

  2. Figure out what your target employer is looking for.
    What skills and experience does the employer seek? Take three sample job postings and circle all the key words listed. This will help you figure out what skills and accomplishments to include - assuming that you have those skills.

  3. Pick a format.
    Go to a library or bookstore and find a resume style you like. Choose between a chronological or functional (stresses skills, not past jobs) style or a combination. Buy the book, or photocopy the resume as a format example. If you are a career-changer or someone who has been out of the work force, consider a combination style. Decide what categories you want to use (for example: summary, professional experience, special skills, education and any others that you need to portray what you offer).

  4. Get out your old resume.
    Use it to make a separate list of all the jobs you have had, and the years you held them. Then put the old resume away, so it won't ruin your creativity.

  5. Write out your most important accomplishments.
    Do this without looking at your old resume. Write down three to six accomplishments from your most important jobs. (Use fewer or none from your older jobs.) Consider beginning with a summary of your responsibilities, then add bullets that list your accomplishments. Provide examples of what happened as a result of your work, and how your effort helped your organization. Use numbers if you can. Explain why the achievement was important. Most resumes are long on duties and short on accomplishments, which can be a big mistake.

  6. Take out your old resume or list of jobs, and add these accomplishments to it.
    Be sure to include information on the size and scope of your current and past work (how many people you supervised, the size of your portfolio or territory, the number of projects you handled). Your resume will look strange right now. Don't worry about the length - you'll edit it later.

  7. Write the summary.
    The very first line should make it easy for readers to figure out what you can do for them (for example, Business Manager). The second line should separate you from other business managers (Recognized as... Track record in... Consistently exceeded...). Why have a summary statement? If the reader is spending only 15 seconds on each resume in a first cut, you want a grabby summary. This is your ad for yourself, and what you can do for a potential employer - main skills and attributes, and an accomplishment or two. It should sing.

  8. Check the message and edit.
    Check carefully to see if you've emphasized the key skills the employer wants. Review your resume to make sure the main themes in your summary are supported by accomplishments in a number of places under the jobs section. Then edit, and pare it down to what you think will be relevant. Remember, this is not your history - it's an ad for you! Put your best foot forward, but don't make anything up.

  9. Adjust the appearance and length.
    Cut unnecessary words and add extra white space. Your resume can be 2, 3 or even 4 pages - as long as it is accomplishment-based. If you have less to tell, make it shorter. Length isn't crucial - appearance, clarity, accomplishments and proofreading are.

  10. Test your resume and make final edits.
    Find out how people you don't know think your resume positions you. Be thick-skinned and ask for reactions. Perhaps people will see you differently than you had planned. If so, see if you can revise your summary and list of accomplishments to position yourself better for the type of job you are seeking - not just what you have done previously.

You can do it - but consider hiring a professional.
Herzog Careers can help make a good resume even better. We can help you clarify what jobs to target - positions that will best suit your interests, skills, values and personality. You can also learn about the best ways to find openings before they are advertised, get expert coaching on how to conduct your search, and make extra money by successfully negotiating your salary and benefits.



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