ABSOLUTES

One of the interesting facts I find when researching about resume writing is that many people including professionals have this idea that there are absolutes in resume writing. Meaning there are definite dos and definite don’t dos.

This is true to a degree but some of what I read is actually not true. A resume should always be in the best interest of the client that you are representing. Sometimes this means take a risk, go against the normal, and if the resume is good, it will work.

It has worked for me on more than one occasion. Do some research on not putting dates on resumes; all you will find is that it’s the biggest no in resume writing everywhere. 

I really mulled over this and put a lot of thought into it remembering that I am dealing with someone’s career prospects. I made the decision to go with my instincts, which were write a fabulous, eye-catching resume and leave the dates off the resume. My reasoning was the dates were going to be detrimental to my client as it looked like the person couldn’t hold a job for any length of time. I decided the best chance the person would have of obtaining an interview would be to leave the dates off.

The person got an interview and came back to me with the feedback received. One of the best resumes they had ever seen.

There should only be one absolute in resume writing, and I will talk about this in a moment. This is one of the reasons my work is so successful. I consider all options, research information and then make a decision based on instinct rather than expectation. This method has worked for me on more than one occasion and would be frowned upon by other professional writers.

For me, if it works, use it, and the results speak for themselves.

Surfing the internet the other day I saw a statement, which said ‘Never use an objective statement on your resume as it’s very GenY”’.

Really, resume writing is about the whole GenY, GenX etc categories now is it? I don’t think so! 

I shy away from objective statements simply because a profile highlighting your skills and experience is a stronger statement.

There is a place for an objective statement. An example would be a school leaver with absolutely no experience in anything other than schoolwork. How does this person let an employer know what they are looking for? Well there is only one way and that’s by using an objective statement. I really can’t see how the GenY category comes into play here.

The only absolute in resume writing should be to get results for your client, and if that means having the confidence in yourself to display the client’s skills and expertise in a way that may be outside of the normal, well do it. 

I receive feedback at least once a week, sometimes more to say the client has received an interview. My resumes are not always “follow the rules” because if you are a talented writer, you don’t have to follow the rules, you give your client the best possible advantage to obtain an interview.

Talk to you next time.

Resumes of Excellence
www.resumesofexcellence.com.au

www.resumesofexcellence.com

 

Why a Professional Resume?

Why should I pay for a professional resume when I can write it myself?

This is one of the most common questions when people start looking into having a professional resume written for them.

There is no alternative to a professional resume, we have seen many resumes written by many different people and usually they are outdated between five and seven years. A professional resume writer will keep up to date with changes happening in the employment industry, the expectations that employers have today on what a good resume should or should not include.

How many of you still refer to Occupational Health and Safety? Well it has been a minimum of 2 years now that the terminology changed to Workplace Health and Safety. Clients ring us all the time to say, “You’ve made a mistake on my resume, you've written WH&S instead of OH&S”!

Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are no longer acceptable on a resume. They never were, but with the amount of applicants per position now, it is even more crucial that your resume is error free. Just spell checking does not work, it never has, you need to proof read and if you are a professional writer, use a grammar checker, as well.

If your resume has a list of duties and does not explain, what you do and how you do it then it is outdated. It will not get you results. Five to seven years ago, it would have worked for you but not today.

Many people forget the value of a strong results-focussed resume written by someone who understands the requirements in today's challenging employment world.

It could mean the difference from earning $30,000 a year to $100,000 per year! It really is that simple so why wait! Have your resume written by a professional today!

Our Resumes of Excellence Facebook page has genuine feedback, head on over and read for yourself!



The Team
Resumes of Excellence
www.resumesofexcellence.com.au