Writing a Great Resume

When most people think of a resume they think of their education, employment history and responsibilities performed at their jobs. While these things are all part of a standard resume, they are not the things that will get you an interview and certainly not what will get you hired. The keys to writing a great resume are quantifying your performance, listing your accomplishments and always keeping your resume up to date. The groundwork for all of this begins before you ever sit down to write your resume.

Quantifying Your Performance:
The only reason a company hires more employees is to make more money. Sure they might hire someone to save time, but time is money. This is why it’s crucial to quantify your performance and prove your value. In order to prove your value, you need to track it. So many times workers go through the day, punch the clock and don’t actually think about what they’re doing. If you don’t know how you’re adding value to your employer, then you had better figure it out. Obviously this is easier to do with some jobs than others, but let’s say you’re a secretary/administrative assistant. How much time do you save your boss every day, every month, the whole year? Calculate it, and then try to put a dollar figure on it. Not only are you saving the bosses time, you are actually saving the company money as the boss is allowed to work on major projects instead of wasting time on a phone call from some idiot salesman. Look at the responsibilities listed below, which sounds better to you?

Answered incoming phone calls

or

Answered 50 phone calls a day, saving the CEO over 40 hours a month in time

The first one is boring, dull and tells the hiring company nothing. The second shows the company what you will be adding to their team. It also shows that you care enough about your job to track your performance.

Listing Your Accomplishments:
Some resume templates don’t even have an area for accomplishments, this is just plain stupid. Not listing your accomplishments is a huge mistake. Of course you can’t list your accomplishments if you don’t have any. Again the key to writing a great resume begins before you ever start writing. Does your company give out awards? If you win one, be sure to make note of it! Did you take over a project and improve the results? Write it down; highlight it on your resume! This is not the time to be bashful. When a company starts the hiring process they are scared of hiring the wrong person, by showing them that you have a track record of success you ease their fear and increase your chances of getting hired.

Keeping Your Resume Up To Date:
When people say their resume is up to date they’re probably lying. Sure it may have their current employment history and contact information, but this is far from ideal. A great resume is updated on a monthly basis with your new performance numbers and accomplishments. The ink on a great resume is never dry! When you apply for a job you should customize your resume by highlighting skills and accomplishments that best match what the employer is looking for. The hiring company lists these for a reason, the closer you are to matching their requirements, the more likely you are to get an interview.

In closing, the three most important things to a great resume are.
1. Track & Quantify Performance
2. List Accomplishments
3. Keep your Resume Up to Date (monthly at least)