Resume Advice

Do a Google search for Resume Advice and you’ll get over 15 million hits with tips ranging from “Try to keep your career highlights consolidated to one page if possible,” (yeah right, if you’re 15 years old and have 2 summers as a life guard in your work history), or how about one of our favorites; “Make sure your list of duties and accomplishments hit on the exact areas the hiring company is looking for in the position in which you’re applying.” Of course that’s assuming the posted job description has any correlation with the actual position it allegedly represents.

Unfortunately, we can’t provide you bullet proof tips for creating a resume that will automatically garner the attention your career deserves. Frankly, if we could we’d be out of business! However, what we can do is provide you some questions to think about when coming up with content for a resume that will be a solid representation of your career. Many of them may seem obvious but often are overlooked, and just may give you a little edge over the candidate with the one page “snapshot” resume.

1. What experience, skill sets, aptitudes, or character traits do you have that could be of some use to some employer?
2. Do others at work or elsewhere, come to you for any particular kind of help? What kind?
3. Do you have military experience? Provide details such as branch, grade, specialty, discharge status, duties, accomplishments, medals, citations, or commendations. Did you receive promotions ahead of schedule?
4. Have you ever given a talk, speech, or presentation, or provided training to anyone at work or elsewhere? Give the specifics.
5. Computer literacy and related skills: What platforms or operating systems do you use? List software, programs, internet skills etc.
6. What foreign languages do you know, and what is your level of skill in each (native speaker; fluent; moderate; phrase-book etc.)?

Regarding Your Responsibilities & Accomplishments

1. Explain what you do in a way that a young child would understand. Be specific as to what your actual day to day accountabilities are.
2. How many people do you manage? Are you a lead, or do you have administrative leadership responsibilities as well? (hiring, firing, performance reviews, etc.)
3. How large of a budget did you manage?
4. Who do you report to (title) and what has been the highest level employee you have reported to and/or directly communicated with?
5. Have you been responsible for developing and/or coordinating anything? What was the goal of the program? What tangible results/benefit did it yield?
6. Have you served as a liaison or intermediary between business units or key executives?
7. Have you ever been called upon to mediate between groups or individuals? Resolve any conflicts? Serve as mentor to anyone?
8. Did you do, or participate in, strategic planning?
9. Did you set or evaluate or participate in the setting or evaluation of policy?
10. Did you evaluate any individual or group performance, or any task or project research?
11. Did you communicate with customers? How?
12. Were you on any proposal teams, in-house or with a customer or subcontractor? Did the proposal succeed?
13. What was your function on the team, or your contribution to winning? Your team's percentage of wins?
14. Ever serve as a troubleshooter? In what area?
15. Did you back up someone? Who?
16. Did you do any surveys or other research or studies? Determine requirements?
17. Prepare recommendations?
18. Design or manage any processes, systems, or projects?
19. Organize any events, conferences, meetings? How many? For what purpose?
20. Consult for anyone, inside or outside the organization? What was your expertise utilized for and what recommendations did you offer that were implemented?
21. Did you gain experience in any special use software? Analytical or evaluative procedures? Equipment or hardware?
22. How much reduction in costs or increase in profits did you contribute to?
23. Did you add any smoothness, quality, or economy of operation that noticeably improved the way things were before you assumed responsibility?
24. Did you propose, suggest, or initiate any programs, changes, or improvements that were implemented at least partly because of your initiative? What positive results occurred?
25. What did you do as a volunteer, beyond the regular duties of your position?
26. Whether you were paid for it or not, what were you particularly good at that made a difference in how your business unit progressed from day to day? In other words, what do you feel is your greatest value added as an employee?