Plan Your Résumés

Targeted résumés are different than regular résumés in that they're written with the specific employer in mind.  No employer wants to hire you -- they only hire staff when they have problems to solve.  And remember that no employer wants to spend a lot of time hiring you, either.  It can take days or weeks to read résumés, call candidates, interview and hire them.  This process takes employers away from their business, which is not where they want to be.

So your résumé must quickly answer this question:  "What can you do for me?"

That's the question going through every employer's mind as he or she reads your résumé.  If you can clearly explain the good things you can do, then prove you've done them before, you'll greatly improve your chances of being called for an interview.

It's that simple.  Write what the employer wants to see.

Here's an example of my résumé from about 17 years ago.  I had office experience but had never taught.  I was applying for a variety of office positions and teaching positions.  Notice that the résumé is a bit confused -- I was listing computer and office skills instead of focusing on the teaching.

In this case I got lucky because Ukiah High School needed a Computer / Business teacher.  Even though I was only certified to teach History at the time, I got the job and worked toward my Computer and Business credentials.

Today you are going to be putting together a résumé for a specific occupation which you think you could get. Because you are young [and yes, 17 or 18 is still very young] you will probably not have the years of experience or professional skills that someone in their 20's or 30's might have, but your résumé is the tool to showcase the skills that you DO possess.

Some suggestions I have for résumés include:

• Keep it on one side of one page
• Use Font: Size 12
• Use Font: Times New Roman
• Header Fonts: You can use Arial Black, Bookma, or Albertus Medium
• Include a line at the bottom such as "References available upon request."

An objective with a job title is the best way to start your résumé.  It shows that you know exactly what job the employer is trying to fill.  Example:

Restaurant Management where more than 10 years of food service and management experience will contribute to efficient operations.

Network Administrator where three years of successful experience and training will add value.

Pharmaceutical Sales Rep where eight years of training and experience in health care and sales will add to profitability.

If you don't know the job title, you can start with a summary.  This will focus the reader on the skills you've used while giving you a bit more flexibility to apply for different jobs.  Examples:

Seeking a position where more than 12 years of sales, management and operations experience will contribute to increased efficiency.  An energetic team-player, able to motivate staff for best results.

Seeking a position as business analyst or consultant, where more than 13 years of software development and support will add value.  Proven skills in re-engineering and project management.

SAMPLE RESUME