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If you are at midlife and it's been a while since
you revised your resume, you're in for a surprise. A lot of the
rules for resume writing no longer apply. Customization counts,
as does the importance of key words.
Let's start with customization:
That means writing a resume that presents you in the best light.
If you've been out of the work force for an extended
period, you'll probably want to skip a chronological approach, listing
jobs and the dates you've held those jobs. Instead of dates, put
the number of years you were with each company or arrange your resume
by skills rather than chronology. "It's always a matter of
choosing the lesser of evils," says Wendy Enelow, co-author
of "Expert Resumes for People Returning to Work." "Sure,
listing dates is usually the best, but if that works against you,
don't do it."
Also, "sell it, don't tell it," she says.
That means don't just list a job title such as"vice president
of sales," but detail your accomplishments during that time:
how much you increased sales, which campaigns you designed from
scratch, etc.
"Quantify your achievements," Enelow says.
And if you're changing careers and don't have relevant
work experience, then write an objective. That will tie in why you
should be considered and will include the key words that will make
your resume pop up rather than get screened out.
Key words are, well, key
These are important whether you post your resume online or send
it into a midsized to large company. Chances are your resume will
be scanned by a computer somewhere along the line, and it will accept
or reject you based on the words you use.
While Enelow and others have written entire books
on the topic of key words, here's one simple rule to get you started:
To win "lingo bingo," research what the hot words are
for your type of job. See what others use in resumes that are posted
online, or pick up the same words that companies use in their job
advertisements and on their Web sites.
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| 3 types of resumes |
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| Click image
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| Excerpted from "Expert
Resumes for People Returning to Work" by Wendy S.
Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark. |
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