Resume Help Blog

Posts Tagged ‘career changes’

If you are a more experienced worker your resume should be more definitive than a new graduate. Obviously a college graduates resume is going to be more general in nature while yours the “more experienced” should showcase to your potential employer what you can “bring to the table”. After all you have a proven track record and you want to show it in the best possible light.

Here Are Some Tips To Keep In Mind:

• Give a summary, not an objective. Select three or four skills that match the employer’s needs and specify these. These highlights can appear in a short paragraph or quick “bullet” format.
• Lead with experience, not education (the exact opposite of what a new graduate should do).
• List your accomplishments, not just your responsibilities. Don’t just tell employers what you did; tell them the outcome. For example: “Proposed and tracked $500,000 annual departmental budget. Only division to meet deadlines and operate within budget during past three years.” Making such a statement reveals your problem-solving abilities.
• List activities that relate directly to your self-improvement efforts, e.g., continuing education, and the position you’re seeking. Don’t include hobbies.
• Your resumes length should be determined based on your accomplishments. An experienced candidate often has enough relevant accomplishments to expand his or her resume to a second page. That does not, however, give you license to spell out every award, membership, or accomplishment in your resume. It’s one thing to boast of your accomplishments but you don’t want to dilute the focus.
• Tailor each resume to include the accomplishments that relate to a particular employer’s needs.

Ref: National Association of Colleges and Employers