Find Yourself, Find a Paycheck

From the time I was just out of college, employers have told me that I have a terrific resume. If you think this means that my experience has been equally terrific, think again. Hey, when I was applying for my first job, I didn't have any real experience. I imagined the employer scanning the page for something that mattered to him, and realized I had to make my few skills stand out in a way that would immediately grab his attention.

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Leanna, 25, California

The purpose of a resume is to land you an interview. Your local bookstore has a million books about the best way to write a resume so you can achieve that goal. In my opinion, though, writing an impressive resume is simple if you keep a few things in mind. First, employers never read a resume in its entirety, and I'm willing to bet that the average resume gets read in about five seconds.

My father once told me that employers like numbers and statistics—hard facts that show how a candidate is directly responsible for making a company more profitable. Now let's be real here. If you're still in your early 20s, the chances are not very good that you are at a high enough level to have sole ownership of a project. However, the chances are excellent that you have had some measurable impact along the way. Did you help with a project that drove company revenue? Was there any piece of that project that you alone were responsible for? Let's examine how this strategy might work for a candidate who is pursuing her first corporate job, and also for someone who has worked in the business world before.

First Corporate Job

Let's say you didn't have corporate internships while you were in college, but you did sell ice cream at Baskin-Robbins for four summers. Maybe, while you were there, you helped the manager execute a campaign to draw in customers from a nearby shopping mall.

Original Statement: Passed out free ice-cream cone coupons at nearby shopping mall.

Power Statement: Designed and distributed “Snack On Us” coupon targeted to mall shoppers, increasing store traffic by 25 percent.

See why the power statement is better? The original statement makes it look as though you were just a passive body handing out coupons, and the reader is probably thinking that anyone could have done that job. The power statement, however, reads like you made a significant contribution to the Baskin-Robbins corporation by creating an innovative marketing campaign. Note that the wording of the power statement is still good even if you didn't make the flyer all by yourself. If you had any creative input whatsoever, saying that you designed it bolsters the perception of ownership. The “Snack on Us” labeling also suggests that you were responsible for branding the campaign. With one statement, you have completely changed the reader's perception of your role from ice-cream shop cashier to small business entrepreneur.

Early Career Move

Suppose you worked as an administrative assistant in a large consulting firm. You were a member of a team that serviced a healthcare account worth $250,000 in monthly fees. Perhaps most of the real account work was left to the senior individuals on the team, but you were responsible for creating and managing the budget spreadsheets.

Original Statement: Created budget spreadsheets for healthcare account.

Power Statement: Managed finances for healthcare account worth $250,000 in monthly fees.

Maybe your contribution to this account was solely administrative. The first statement reads this way. The power statement, however, makes a reader think that you were responsible for managing an enormous amount of company revenue. It says to me that you are extremely trustworthy, and that you have a head for complicated finances.

As you can see, the words you choose to communicate your experience make all the difference in whether your resume is considered average or fantastic. In public relations, we call this strategy “spinning,” and if you don't think it will work for you, sleep on it. With a little creativity and positive positioning, the most mundane tidbits of experience can become resume jewels.

Spinning is one thing, but you should never lie outright on your resume or fake credentials. Now that this is becoming an increasingly common problem, employers are on high alert and the risks far outweigh the potential benefits. Here are some other tips that may help your resume through the door:

• • Tailor a resume for each field you are pursuing.
• • Leave off the objective—it boxes you into a particular position, and it's too easy to sound insincere.
• • Choose the layout that best suits your situation:
  • Chronological: Employment history is arranged by the dates you worked for particular companies. (Use this format if you're moving within the same field.)
  • Functional: Employment history is arranged by skills and accomplishments. (Use this format if you're changing careers.)
• Investigate what experience is required for your targeted position, and then illustrate how you fit the bill.
• List titles that accurately reflect your job description, even if they're not official.
• Focus on results rather than responsibilities.
• Use action verbs to qualify achievements (for example, coordinated and evaluated).
• Include a section for marketable skills (for example, computer and language skills).
• Keep the document to one page.
• Check for typos and inconsistencies in format.

Finally, make sure your resume has up-to-date contact information, including a cell phone number and e-mail address. Don't forget to replace your cutesy cell greeting with one that is tailored to your most important audience: your potential employer. (See Chapter 5 for voice-mail message tips.)