Ten to 20 seconds is all the time you have to persuade a prospective employer to read further.
What this means is that the decision to interview a candidate is usually based on an overall first impression of the resume, a quick screening that so impresses the reader and convinces them of the candidate's qualifications that an interview results.
As a result, the top half of the first page of your resume will either make you or break you. By the time they have read the first few lines, you have either caught their interest, or your resume has failed. That is why we say that your resume is an ad. You hope it will have the same result as a well-written ad: to get the reader to respond.
You do not need to hard sell or make any claims that are not absolutely true. You do need to get over your modesty and promote yourself
FOCUS ON THE EMPLOYER'S NEEDS
Imagine that you are the person doing the hiring.
Ask yourself: What would make someone the perfect candidate? What does the employer really want? What special abilities would this person have? What would set a truly exceptional candidate apart from a merely good one?
If you are not sure, you can gather hints from the advertisement you are answering, from asking other people who work in the same company or the same field. You could even call the prospective employer and ask them what they want. Don't make wild guesses unless you have to. If you are not addressing their real needs, they will not respond to your resume.
Every step in producing a finished document should be part of your overall intention to convey to the prospective employer that you are a truly exceptional candidate.
PLAN YOUR RESUME
Focus your writing efforts. Get clear what the employer is looking for and what you have to offer before you begin your resume. Write your answers to the above mentioned question, "What would make someone the perfect candidate?" Make sure you address each required item in the advertisement.
Before you write your actual resume for submission write down everything you have ever done that demonstrates that you fit perfectly with what is wanted and needed by the prospective employer to get your mind flowing.
The whole idea is to loosen up your thinking enough so that you will be able to see some new connections between what you have done and what the employer is looking for. You need not confine yourself to work-related accomplishments.. The point is to cover all possible ways of thinking about and communicating what you do well. What are the talents you bring to the market place? What do you have to offer the prospective employer?
If you are making a career change or, you are going to have to be especially creative in getting across what makes you stand out. These brainstorming pages will be the raw material from which you craft your resume. One important part of the planning process is to decide which resume format fits your needs best. Don't automatically assume that a traditional format will work best for you.
