A résumé is a universally recognized job-hunting tool that is as unique as you are a person. It is a marketing tool meant to attract the attention of its readers. It does not get you the job, but rather, a tool used to market yourself to an employer and compel them to want to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. Your resume should be less about you and more about what you can do for an employer.
You do not need to include your entire professional life on one or two pieces of paper. It is important to carefully pick and choose the information you decide to include.
Each résumé you send needs to be customized, depending on what it is the employer seeks. Everything you include on the résumé serves a purpose, and you only have a certain number of lines to use on the page. Therefore, ONLY list the skills and accomplishments that the employer cares about.
As a result, it is important to think about what it is you want them to know about you and how you can help them accomplish their goals. You will know these things by always starting with a job description. If you do not list the skills the employer has referenced in the job description, and qualify yourself for the job, they will not know you have what it takes to get the job done and may not call. A well-written résumé will accomplish the following:
- Introduces you to prospective employers
- Highlights your qualifications (i.e., strengths, skills, accomplishments, and knowledge) relevant to the requirements of a job
- Provides a summary of your qualifications that your references and people in your network can use to speak effectively about you
- Demonstrates your ability to present information in an organized, concise, and professional manner
