Most people don't think about their resumes until they absolutely have to look for a job. They realize their resumes haven't been updated since the last time they looked for a job.
Your resume needs updating because there may have been changes in the flows of your lifestyle, your division or company and even the marketplace.
Part I - Your Career Objective
If you are in a job that makes you happy you might not be thinking of where your career is going or how the job will change for you. What will you have accomplished in the long run? A degree, a certificate, a promotion, more responsibility, your own office, a team of people reporting to you?
If you are creating a career path to a specific field, you track your accomplishments, you upgrade your skills, you network and you keep an eye on the careers of your reporting relationships and how they're growing their careers, you process the feedback they give you about your performance, and you pursue:
- Certificates, licenses, degrees, citations, accreditation
- Qualities that enhance your performance and experience such as management and communication skills.
- Soft and hard skills
It is not necessary to put an objective statement on your resume, and as a matter of fact, some recruiters frown on them. But having a written objective in mind, when you are searching for a job should be something you go-to often. I have found having a career objective is similar to having a CMS, or Career Mission Statement. A career objective can help you be more selective in the kinds of positions you pursue. But, if you want to target your objective to ajob and not a career, you have to make sure the language fits. You may even have to tailor the objective (and your resume), to match each job position you apply for.
If you do put an objective on your resume as a career mission statement, make sure you don't come off as being haughty or condescending. I like to think that a career objective can be a talking point during your introductory statement in the interview.
Part II - Your Experience
Your experience details where you have been and where you are now. Your experience is an important component to career building because it shows future employers your capabilities. If you've been in your job awhile and you're looking to make a change, it will be important to examine whether your accomplishments can become a springboard to your next job or career.
Your career may started out as a stroke of good luck or because someone looked out for you, but your decisions and efforts afterward at increasing your experience should become calculated and intentional. If you are only working for a paycheck you may become disappointed one day if you're passed over for a special assignment or promotion, especially if you find out that it is something lacking in your experience or with you as an individual.
Part III - Your Education & Training
Having advanced training or schooling can help you get a better job. What kind of job? It depends on the training. The better the training, the better the job. You must be realistic - If you are trained as a cosmetologist, then you might qualify to work in a salon, a or retail store demonstrating products and selling make-up or even as a business owner in your own private venture. The same principles apply if you are trained as an accountant, meaning you qualify to work in a business that uses accounting. The broader your experience and higher your credentials, the more responsibility and compensation will come your way.
When you describe your education, be specific and include formal training, continuing education credits, diplomas, certificates, fields that you are licensed in and degrees. Give dates and be ready to produce valid documents of your achievements.
Part IV - Professional Status & Technical Skills
Your professional status should be listed on your resume. You may be a licensed electrician, a certified public accountant, (CPA) a certified social worker, (CSW), Microsoft certified, or a certified administrative professional, (CPS), a carpenter, a painter and so on. Your technical skills may include computer software programs such as Office Suites, certifications, licenses (state, local or national) or skills learned in the Armed Services.
Part V - Your Interests
Your experience, education, professional status are rounded out by your extracurricular interests, which are interests and activities you do when you are not working. You may be a volunteer, a tutor or mentor, or involved in your community or you may enjoy sporting activities, or you may like traveling abroad. You may even enjoy writing or some other interesting hobby such as gardening, fishing, scouts.
Your interests make you a more interesting person when you share them as part of your experience. They provide interesting conversation during interview screenings. Your interests may be the one area that allows you to see into an interviewer's personality and vice versa.
When providing your interests, you should pick 1 or 2 and provide the briefest description of no more than a few words to describe it. If the interviewer continues to prompt you, try to keep your answers short. Don't go on and on about it.
If you are affiliated with an organization, you only need to the name of the organization, its standing and your role, e.g, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters - Mentor; or XYZ Yacht Club and enjoys sailing and boating on weekends.
Part VI - Your References
References are very necessary to the resume process. Your references should be anywhere from 3 to 6 professional contacts and 3 to 5 personal contacts. These individuals should know you well enough to speak openly about you to anyone who inquires it of them, (with your permission).
I like to break up references as one part former bosses and supervisors, one part former co-workers from various jobs and one part friendships. Using Family as a reference is not a good idea in a professional job setting. There may be extenuating circumstances where a family reference is necessary. However, the job situation will most likely dictate that.
Your references should be people who can be relied upon to recommend you as an individual of high integrity and excellent character and conduct. Your references should not crank or joke with the individual asking for the reference. He or she should be smart and serious enough to understand the gravity with which a reference is provided. If required to provide a written reference, they should be able to do so.
One other factor I consider important is tailoring your references to the job for which you are applying. Most of us know many people who work in different settings, cities, industries and job types. A good example would be if you are applying for a job in a florist shop, but you know people who are landscapers and gardeners, it makes good sense to see who among this group would be eligible to give you a reference for the florist's job. Or, if you are applying for a job in a hospital, why not talk to your Uncle Bob, AKA Dr. Robert Jones, or for a job in an educational setting, confer with your former boss, who teaches at the local community college two days a week.
When applying for a job, it is important to really read through and understand the job description provided, so you can pinpoint areas in your skills, experience, education, credentials and references can be best matched to the job description itself. And the best way to do this is to entirely know your achievements, your skills, your milestones, as well as areas where you need improvement or that might be considered weak.
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Most people are not the best at creating resumes that market themselves to recruiters and future employers, because many of us were never taught or encouraged to self-gratify ourselves by talking about ourselves. Some of us are basically shy and need to be drawn out in order to share our experiences about who we are.
The idea of interviewing and networking is for you to get relaxed and used to talking (not bragging), about yourself and what you can offer so that recruiters and hiring companies can see how you will match, mesh or jive with their culture and teams.
One of the best ways to prepare for job interviews is to spend some time volunteering in a situation where you give your services away to an organization or to someone, whom you feel worthy of your time and effort. This transfer of skill and activity should leave you feeling gratified and useful. If you can then parlay these feelings into job seeking and networking opportunities, your chances of successful job seeking will increase considerably.
Like our favorite Wise Ways Tip #1, "Nothing demonstrates confidence, like a long list of accomplishments."
And to justify it, all you have to do is look at your Milestone Map and Skills-Building List to feel empowered enough to do what is necessary move your career forward. Other words of wisdom and encouragement can be found in the CWW Wise Ways Tips Blog.
After, you've drafted your resume, try to find the best writer you know; someone you trust, who will be able to re-language your attributes into a glowing masterpiece of who you are on paper. If you don't know anyone, go online and research resume writing organizations. But, before handing over your draft resume, research the service by asking questions about the cost, the timing, the turnaround and other questions as they come to mind.
Remember, this is a business transaction and that you want quality service. Also, remember to save your receipt, because paying to have a resume created is tax deductible and should be included with other job-search expenses and receipts.
CWW Career-Wise Ways…!