Nancy Schuman - The everything resume book: create a winning resume that stands out from the crowd

THE EVERYTHING RESUME BOOK

Create a winning resume that stands out from the crowd

Nancy Schuman

3RD EDITION

Certified Staffing Professional

Copyright 2008, 2003, 2000 by F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.

Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.

www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59869-637-8

ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-637-0 (paperback)

ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-204-5 (EPUB)

Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C B A

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the publisher.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases. For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

Resume Book
3rd Edition

Dear Reader,

To the inexperienced eye, the difference between an average resume and a great one is minimal. To the sophisticated eye of the corporate recruiter or prospective employer, the difference is enormous. It translates into getting the interview or simply being dismissed, even if your credentials and work experience are strong.

This book is meant for all readers the ones who are writing their resume from scratch and the ones who are eager to improve it. You always want to present your best version of yourself so that hiring authorities are eager to meet you. The Everything book format makes creating a great resume easy for all levels of job candidates. It will also help you navigate the technology and methods today's job seeker uses to get noticed.

Use your resume as your key to a world of job opportunities!

Good luck with your career!

Certified Staffing Professional

For Tommy Czizik, who has always done it his way and never with a resume.

Welcome to the Series!

These handy, accessible books give you all you need to tackle a difficult project, gain a new hobby, comprehend a fascinating topic, prepare for an exam, or even brush up on something you learned back in school but have since forgotten.

You can choose to read an Everything book from cover to cover or just pick out the information you want from our four useful boxes: e-questions, e-facts, e-alerts, e-ssentials. We give you everything you need to know on the subject, but throw in a lot of fun stuff along the way, too.

We now have more than 400 Everything books in print, spanning such wide-ranging categories as weddings, pregnancy, cooking, music instruction, foreign language, crafts, pets, New Age, and so much more. When you're done reading them all, you can finally say you know Everything!

Answers to common questions

Important snippets of information

Urgent warnings

Quick handy tips

DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION Paula Munier

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Laura M. Daly

EXECUTIVE EDITOR, SERIES BOOKS Brielle K. Matson

ASSOCIATE COPY CHIEF Sheila Zwiebel

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR Lisa Laing

DEVELOPMENT EDITOR Elizabeth Kassab

PRODUCTION EDITOR Casey Ebert

Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to my colleagues and friends who have provided support and resources for this project. I want to particularly thank the Banks Team (Merrill, Keith, and Jason), Cheryl Pagliuca, Sharon Miller, Drew Petrillo, Barbara Cohen Farber, Linda Matias, Mac Ismail, Ellen Schechterman, Janet Pushee, and the entire Czizik family.

Thank you to all my business associates at Lloyd Staffing for their input on resumes and job seeking in the Web 2.0 world. Sincere appreciation to my editors, Lisa Laing and Elizabeth Kassab, for their guidance, flexibility, and valuable input every step of the way. And finally, heartfelt thanks to my friend and agent, Grace Freedson, for her energy, enthusiasm, and for making all things possible.

Top Ten Reasons to Update Your Resume

1. You've been promoted!
2. Economic ups and downs in your industry mean you might be subject to downsizing or a layoff.
3. You can do the job better than your boss.
4. Your contact information has changed, or you have a new cell number, married name, address, or e-mail provider.
5. You are thinking about moving to a new city, state, or industry.
6. You have new career goals, aspire to a better position, or want to transition to a different field.
7. Your education has changed; you've just gotten a new degree, taken new classes, or been trained in a new skill.
8. It's been more than two years since your last update.
9. You've been asked for your credentials for an award, board position, membership, or networking opportunity.
10. You might be recruited when you least expect it.

Introduction

THE PHRASE, IT'S time to get your resume together sends shivers down many a spine, causing headaches as well as heartaches. Graduating from college, hunting for a new, more responsible position, and losing a job can all cause nervous palpitations. It is possible, however, to be invigorated by a review of your achievements and to look forward to a challenging and rewarding future.