Once a person sits down to write a resume there are two initial considerations that must be made in composing it. First, the writer must determine what to include in the resume. Second, the writer must determine how to effectively present the included content.
In order to determine what to place in a resume, the writer must determine the “personal branding” of the resume. Most job candidates write their resumes with little or no consideration of personal branding. Like a consumer product, your personal branding is the key to giving you a distinct competitive advantage in the job market. Personal branding depends on a number of considerations including the job sought, professional background, job history, age, skills, accomplishments, and personality.
Once you have determined content you must determine how to present it. Many of the same considerations for including content figure into its presentation. For example, if you have employment gaps you must deal with them in a way that de-emphasizes them, and emphasizes your strengths instead. Your personal brand is the key to formatting and must be established within 10 to 15 seconds. Your content must be consistent with your personal brand and answer the ultimate question each employer asks when scanning your resume: “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” This approach will allow your resume to avoid the circular file and get you into the interview room.
Copyright © 2009 Michael G. Kelly
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