Preparing a Resume
Brainstorm
Focus on your writing skills. Understand clearly what the employer is looking for and what you have to offer before you begin writing your resume. Write your answers to the question, "What would make someone the perfect candidate for this job?" Write on notebook paper, one answer per page. Arrange the sheets of paper in the order of importance of the qualities or abilities that you think would be most important to the interviewer. Then, starting with the top priority page, fill the rest of that page (or as much of it as you can), about why you are the person who best fulfils the employer's needs. Write down everything you have ever done that demonstrates that you fit perfectly with what is wanted and needed by the prospective employer. Later, you will edit what you have written to eliminate what is not relevant.
What is Your USP?
The whole idea is to loosen up your thinking enough so that you can see some new connections between what you have done and what the employer is looking for. You need not confine yourself to work-related accomplishments. Use your entire life as the palette to paint with. If the football club or your former gang is the only place where you have demonstrated your special gift for teaching and leadership, fine, use those examples! The point is to cover all possible ways of thinking about and communicating what do you do well. What are the talents you bring to the market place? What do you have to offer the prospective employer? If you are making a career change or a young person new to the job market, you have to be especially creative in getting across the qualities that make you outstanding. These brainstorming pages will be the raw material from which you can craft your resume.
One important part of the planning process is to decide which resume format fits your needs best. Don't automatically assume that a traditional format will work best for you..
What does the Employer Really Want?
Undoubtedly, jobs vary and so do the qualities that best suit the job requirements. Still, we observe that some people have a very successful professional life. The sun always shines upon their careers. No matter how many job changes they make, they succeed, spectacularly. Clearly, they possess some key qualities that bring them success in every job they take. What are these qualities that every employer wants?
Employers agree that the candidates who have excellent communication skills, good grooming habits and relevant work experience impress them. Employers also say that they want trustworthy employees who can move right in, get along with their co-workers, and get the job done without having to be guided at each step. Let us look closely at what employers want.
The Top Ten Qualities Employers Seek
- Communication skills (verbal and written)
- Honesty/integrity
- Teamwork skills (working well with others)
- Interpersonal skills (relating well to others)
- Motivation/initiative
- Strong work ethics
- Analytical skills
- Flexibility/adaptability
- Computer skills
- Self-confidence
These qualities (not shown here in any particular order) are appreciated in all employees, whether you have years of experience or are new to the job market.
New Hire Skills
These are the top seven skills (not in any particular order) that employers look for in persons new to the job market, perhaps on their first or second jobs.
- Interpersonal
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Analytical
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
- Computer
No matter what the job level or what type of organization; your value to the employer will be enhanced if your resume and covering letter focuses on at-least some of these qualities. Your past track record should demonstrate that you have exhibited some of these qualities during your professional career.
When writing up your resume, go back to the notes that you had prepared while brainstorming (see get interview page) and let your performance record reflect how some of these desirable qualities came to the fore. Do so with flair and your resume will become irresistible to any employer!
Having created an outline of the contents by brainstorming as we have seen above, we need to now focus on the presentation of the contents by analysing the structure of outstanding resume. We do so in the next section of covering letter.