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How to write a resume is not just about getting a document out that you
can call your resume or CV.
It's
about writing an honest, compelling and personality packed document
that earns you the interview, and prepares you for interview success.
Sounds great I'll have one!
A Few Brief
Rules for Resume Writing Success
- A resume or CV is a marketing document, selling
YOU.
- It's written for a specific reader.
- The reader is faced with a buying decision (to
invite you for interview).
- To be "bought" you have to appeal to
your readers emotional and logical needs.
When considering how to write a resume or CV I believe it helps to
think of it in another way. It's a very similar process to writing an
advert, this time the product or service your selling is YOU.
What you are doing is copy writing.
Copy
writing is about grabbing the readers attention, holding their
interest, leveraging their emotions to create desire for the product
(you),
desire that is so strong it motivates the reader to take action.
When
writing your resume / CV you have to lead the reader down the same
path, creating the desire in them to take action (interview you).
When
considering YOUR specific reader, whether you actually know them or
not, you do know a couple of critical pieces of information.
- Whether
they be HR, or CEO or Recruiter they need somebody to fulfill work /
business tasks. And have a logical list of requirements or skills
associated with the successful completion of these tasks.
- They
also want to work with somebody who is trustworthy, reliable, and able
to fit in with the team. An emotional need I call likability.
Therefore
to be "bought" or more accurately invited in for interview, your CV /
Resume has to convince your reader that you are both a logical (skills,
experience, potential) and emotional (likable) choice.
When considering how to write a resume conveying your logical
reasons for getting the interview is easy, it's about
demonstrating to the reader you have the skills, experience and / or
potential to do what they need doing.
Conveying likability in CV / resume writing is another matter, a much
harder
proposition.
How to Write a
Resume
conveying both logical and likable benefits
This page is very much around the CV / resume writing technique rather
than the format
of your content or what resume
template to use.
It's not about how to write a resume
objective statement or resume
summary statement these are covered on other pages.
It is about showing how to write what your reader wants...
- Demonstrating you have the skills they need
- Describing achievements more so than tasks and
functions
- Using tangible, measurable
descriptions
- Injecting your unique likable personality
Presuming you know
what your reader wants and needs
Few more rules
- Your writing must be concise
- Whole document 1 - 3 pages max
- Must write in 3rd person (take all 'I's out)
Using
bullet points is an excellent way of cutting bulk out of your CV /
resume, and it introduces white space in your document, which is proven
to be very pleasing to the eye.
Use "power
verbs" one of these words can often replace 3 or 4
in a sentence, making for a fast, punchy delivery.
Use the STAR
Method to ensure your work descriptions include achievements.
STAR standing for Specific, Target, Action, Results.
And means that for every major role in your CV / resume you describe
it's specific
description, objective or target,
what actions
YOU took, and the results
or achievements.
Within
these STAR descriptions use tangible language (How much, many,
budgets, where, when, use percentages or exact figures where possible)
for example:
"2003/04 Sold £358,000 software licenses against annual target of
£400,000"
Most people would put something like "target busting salesperson",
which has been seen a million times before.
The example above even though shows a below target performance, will be
well received for it's honesty and detail.
Now to add Likability...
This
is likability in the business environment, meaning, honest, reliable,
professional, with appropriate social and communication skills to fit
into the workforce.
So in terms of CV / resume writing this
translates into using YOUR descriptive behaviour and character traits
that are appropriate to the readers needs.
So for the example
salesperson, tenacity and creativity would be great descriptive words
to include, as both are valuable assets to a salesperson.
It's not always easy to write about yourself, so if your struggling
take the free
MAPP test this will give you loads of great honest
descriptions to put into your CV / Resume.
If
you follow these tips you will write a CV / Resume that will not only
earn you the interview, but will prepare you for interview
success.
We
have prepared a free guide "How to Write a Resume" which includes all
relevant information and tools. Give us your name and email and
download "how to write a resume.pdf" free here.
Return
from How to Write a Resume to Resume writing Tips
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