Author: Lavie Margolin, Career Coach
Have you asked a few people for advice on your resume? Did you get slightly different answers from each person? Forget the golden rules. Spend the time ‘targeting’ your resume and cover letter specifically for each job to which you are applying. Make sure the items emphasized in the advertisement, as key requirements to the position, stand out clearly on your resume.
The resume should be a marketing piece for every job to which you apply. Make sure to show your accomplishments. How can you quantitatively and qualitatively demonstrate your success? Describe it on the resume as would be appropriate for that industry. Match it up as much as possible with the job description. Use terminology appropriate for that industry. If an aspect of your previous experience does not relate to the job for which you are applying and is not a desired requirement for the position, you can leave it off.
Companies have to screen hundreds of resumes for every job. Those resumes that clearly reflect the candidate’s qualifications for the position and prior experience performing the same job duties are most likely to get a call for the interview. One must use the same terminology as the job description to make it an obvious match for the human resources recruiter, often the first person screening your resume.
About the Author: Lavie Margolin is a New York-based Career Coach and the author of Lion Cub Job Search: Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers. To learn more, go to Lavie’s website, Lion Cub Job Search:www.Lioncubjobsearch.com