Work Strategically!
"10 Secrets for Career Change Success"
Discover why midlife is the PERFECT
time to change careers!
"Exactly what I needed to take the stress and chaos out of my job search!"
Did you know...?
†Lee Hecht Harrison study
People
who work with a Career Coach find jobs 15 - 46% faster than those who don't!†
who work with a Career Coach find jobs 15 - 46% faster than those who don't!†
Is it time to get serious about YOUR job search?
Request your free
Career Strategy Session with
Kim Avery,
The Midlife
Career Change Coach.
Your free 30 minute session will focus on YOUR goals, and a strategy to pursue them with confidence!
Career Strategy Session with
Kim Avery,
The Midlife
Career Change Coach.
Your free 30 minute session will focus on YOUR goals, and a strategy to pursue them with confidence!
†Lee Hecht Harrison study
How to Write a Resume
There is an old adage which states, you only have one chance to make a first impression. Nowhere is that more true than with your resume. It is usually the first piece of information that a future employer reads about you - and it needs to be good. Learn how to write a resume that quickly leads to a personal interview.
Writing or updating your resume can seem like an overwhelming process. Thoughts come to you in a seemingly random order, quickly leading to a log jam that gets you nowhere. This is one place where it pays to back up just one step.
One of the best ways to write or update your resume is to begin with brainstorming.
By not forcing your thoughts to conform immediately to neat little boxes, they will flow faster and freer, creating a much better resume in the long run.
Brainstorming
Learn how to write a resume without being overwhelmed. The easiest way is to begin brainstorming with a stack of blank index cards. Write each piece of information as it comes to you. Once this initial work is done you can take as much time as you want to tweak your keywords, order the outline of a resume, and finally choose one of several resume styles.
Gather several brainstorming cards for each of the following categories:
- Contact information - Name, address, phone numbers, email, website, etc.
- Objective - By knowing the different objectives you may explore, you can then customize your resume to closely match each position for which you apply
- Skills - List all your experience, strengths, specializations, degrees, skills, affiliations, etc. These can later be narrowed down and put in the appropriate category
- Accomplishments - Make your resume stand out. List 4-6 key accomplishments with hard data included whenever possible. For example: "Helped increase customer satisfaction scores from 82%%-93% in just one year."
- Experience - Employers, employer information, dates of employment, actual job title, general responsibilities, results you delivered
- Education - Name of college, location, dates attended or graduation date, type of degree, GPA (if a recent graduate), highlights
- Other Training - List relevant professional training, conferences, seminars, and vocational training - all with dates of participation
- Professional Licenses - Licenses or certifications
- Professional Interests and Activities - Professional affiliations, business associations, memberships, offices held
- Military Service - Branch of service, rank, relevant experience
- Personal - Interests, hobbies, or volunteer activities that may be relevant to your job target
Good job! Now that you have gathered all your essential information, the hard work is done. All that's left to do is to choose one of two main resumes styles and then begin to order your cards into the outline of a resume.
Before you know it, you will be ready to plug your information into a resume template, and send it out for distribution.
By going through this exercise, not only will you have prepared a great resume but you will have also reminded yourself that you have what it takes to succeed. You are ready to that dream job come true.
For more great resources, follow these links:
Resume Styles
Outline of a Resume
Functional Resume
Functional Resume Template
Chronological Resume Template
Cover Letter for a Resume
Resume Readiness Quiz
Back to Free Resources from How to Write a Resume