A GUIDE TO RÉSUMÉ WRITING
by the National Résumé Writers Association

10 RÉSUMÉ WRITING SUGGESTIONS

1. There is no universal résumé format. There are only guidelines. The résumé writing example below is intended for that purpose.
2. Actively sell your qualifications by focusing on accomplishments and results rather than routine job descriptions.
3. Final hiring decisions are rarely based on résumés alone; however, the résumé should be a concise, factual and positive listing of your education, experience and accomplishments.
4. Make sure the information you provide (throughout the résumé) is relevant to prospective employers, supports your candidacy and focuses on skills and experience needed to do the job.
5. Be conscious of the continuity of your history. The reader will be looking for reasons to eliminate as many résumés as possible. Writing résumés with gaps of unaccountable time often reach the circular file.
6. Weigh your choice of words. Select strong action verbs, concrete nouns and positive modifiers for emphasis. See our list of high-impact words below. Use concise phrases and clauses rather than complete sentences.
7. Try your résumé out on someone who knows you and who will be objective in his or her opinion.
8. Keep a separate list of references and make them available only on request.
9. Always send a cover letter on matching paper with specific references to the company's needs and your qualifications for the job. A personal letter is always best, so make an effort to get the name and title of the individual making the hiring decision.
10. Remember, your résumé is only a door opener to get a personal interview. You should carefully frame your résumé as a platform for your interview, setting the stage for the discussion. Your résumé should help you control the interview agenda, and your résumé is also your final word that others may see after your interview is over.

RÉSUMÉ WRITING REQUIREMENTS

• Submit your résumé on high quality paper the reader will remember; paper that looks and feels valuable just like you, the candidate! A research study conducted among business decision-makers recently concluded that the use of Southworth's fine business paper used for résumés led to more positive impressions and more positive business decision outcomes than documents printed on ordinary copy/ multifunction paper.
  
• Make your résumé stand out! Look for our exceptional résumé folders and 9" x 12" mailing envelopes.
  

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THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Your reader will ask four questions of your résumé...Make sure you have the answers! Answering the following four questions in a fully persuasive way will greatly increase your odds of developing a winning résumé. The questions are the crucial elements of the résumé writing formula. Answering them will not only give you the material you need for building a strong résumé but will also prepare you for networking and interviewing. Use the résumé writing examples below as a point of reference.

What do you want?
What is your job target? The résumé should be built around your job target (whether you include an objective or not) so that prospective employers can immediately see what position you are aiming for.

Why are you qualified to do it?
That's the summary or "professional profile" section. This is where you outline the skills and credentials that qualify you for the job. You can break your skills into functional sections or use bullet points to highlight key points. If this section is done properly, it will convince prospective employers that the rest of your résumé is worth reading, bringing them to the next question.

Where have you done it?
That's the "experience" section. The reader needs to know whom you worked for, the city and state where they are located and what you did. Ideally, your job descriptions should include lots of active verbs and focus on keywords and functional skills that are most relevant to your job target. See our list of words below.

How well have you done it?
Listing accomplishments and special projects shows by example that you have contributed to previous employers' bottom lines. The best accomplishments are those that demonstrate quantifiable results or your willingness to go "the extra mile." Did you come up with an idea that saved the company money? Were you promoted because of your team building skills? Were you selected for a key program because of your positive attitude? Whenever possible, describe how you improved previous employers' bottom lines - i.e., doubled sales, cut costs, reduced errors, streamlined processing or improved efficiency.

RÉSUMÉ WRITING EXAMPLE

The résumé sample above was provided by the National Résumé Writers' Association. For more professional résumé samples download a free résumé template.

HIGH-IMPACT WORDS
Action Verbs

Concrete nouns and positive modifiers

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE BOOKS

Change Your Job Change Your Life 7th Ed., By Ronald L. Krannich, Impact Publications, 1999

What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles, Ten Speed Press, Berkely, CA, 2001

Do What You Are - Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger, published by Little, Brown and Company, 1995

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