Fry - 101 Great Résumés

R esumes are dead, some will tell you. Dont need one, shouldnt make one, never send one.

Or you still need one, but not the one youre used to. Has to be scannable. E-mailable. Online. Even better, a multi-media presentation on your own Website!

Wellno. Resumes are not dead. The process has changed in some very key waysslapping together a quick list of your jobs and schools and, oh, yeah, some of that volunteer stuff and extracurricular clubs, is not going to fly anymore (presuming it ever did). Speaking of key, who ever heard of key words a decade ago? But then, we werent posting our resumes on Hotjobs.com, either.

There are more and more qualified people out there for most jobs than in recent memory. So whats really changed is the level of competition and the need, more than ever, to set yourself apart from all those other contenders.

Nope, still need a resume. Just one thats going to require more preparation, better writing, and a more professional, eye-catching presentation.

Your resume is a written (or e-mailed, scannable, or electronic) document that is intended to convince an employer that his needs and your skills and qualifications are a perfect match. Which doesnt mean you will immediately be offered the job, just that you will get in the door for an interview.

Your resume should describe you and show what you can do by highlighting what you have already done. It should include your professional and volunteer experience, special skills, education, and accomplishments.

What shouldnt your resume be? Informal, lengthy, unfocused, lacking in pertinent detail, glib, highly personal, chatty, dishonest, or overblown. Oh, and it shouldnt be a mix of 14 different type styles (with liberal use of boldface, italics, and underlines) printed on canary yellow or purple neon paper.

Who needs a resume? You do. Whatever your age, sex, marital status, religious persuasion, or hair color. Whether youre graduating from high school, college, or grad school; moving in, up, or out of a career; transitioning from one career to another (or from the military to anything); or reentering the workforce after any substantial interruption.

Did I omit your situation? Sorrybut you need a resume, too.

Even if youre a student just applying for a summer job, internship, or part-time work, a well-prepared, well-written, well-designed resume will set you apart, show prospective employers youre serious, and present you in the manner you want to be perceivedprofessional, competent, and ready to work.

An excellent resume will not get you a job all on its own. But it does demonstrate that you take yourself and your career seriouslythat youve put the necessary time and thought into communicating your qualifications, accomplishments, and goals.

A good resume helps you pique a prospective employers interest and prevents you from achieving circular-file status. Whether youre making a cold call or have already developed a contact within the company, your resume is the personal calling card that will help you market your skills and experienceand perhaps land you an interview.

In todays job market, networking is essential. Your friends, neighbors, relatives, and former co-workers are all significant contacts in the business world. Having a current resume comes in handy when Uncle James or Neighbor Nancy hears about a position right up your alley. Circulating your resume among your network increases your chances of landing gainful employment.

Your resume also serves as a self-assessment tool, an opportunity to complete a self-inventory and see where youve been and where youd like to go. Creating your resume allows you to evaluate your career and set future goals.

An effective resume must make a good first impression. Of course, appearance is important. Typos, grammatical mistakes, and dog-eared pages will not impress many prospective employers.

But content is even more crucial. The information in your resume needs to be well organized, easy to read, and results-oriented.

An effective resume should:

Address the employers needs. Employers hire people who can fill their specific needs. Communicate that you are that person. At this point, you shouldnt even be thinking about your needs, wants, or desiresI guarantee you the employer isnt!

Show employers how they will benefit. Stress your accomplishments and show employers youre an excellent prospect with talents to spare. Provide results-oriented data that proves youve handled previous jobs well and have consistently contributed to the success of every company, group, or club with which youve associated.

Be clear and concise. Employers sort through piles of resumes daily and typically devote 30 seconds or less to each one. Make your presentation clear, concise, and easy to read.

Be targeted. Your resume should communicate a well-defined objective tied to a specific career (even if you dont actually include a Job Objective).

Support your promises of performance with reasons why you are the best applicant. Clearly present your skills and qualifications.

Be realistic. It should describe a person qualified and suited for the particular career it has targeted. Shy introverts should not try to present themselves as killer salespeople; anal-retentive accountants should not be seeking creative jobs at the trendiest ad boutique.

Be honest. Many of you may be tempted to make that one short-term jobfrom which you were firedeffectively disappear from your resume by adjusting time spent at a previous and/or subsequent job. Or you will shamelessly inflate a low-level position into a fancier sounding title with greater responsibilities. The truth will out. Be careful.

Organize your job search. A good resume helps you focus on your accomplishments and career goals. It also helps organize your thoughts for potential job interviews. Once youve taken stock of yourself, and realized all youve achieved and what you have to contribute, you will enter the job interview and networking process with much more confidence.

Many professionals who have prepared a variety of different resumes during their careers make it a habit to keep at least a generic resume up-to-date, so that it always reflects their current job title and responsibilities, educational level, job-related skills, key awards and honors, publications, memberships, and activities. At the very least, they make sure pertinent data is kept in appropriate files for inclusion on any updated resume. Whenever they need a new resume, its a relatively simple matter of updating an already existing format.