Write a Winning Résumé
By: AARP.org | Source: AARP.org
A résumé is not an end in itself; it’s a tool to get the employer’s attention. You need a well written, up-to-date résumé to market yourself effectively.
An attention-getting résumé is one that conveys your personal brand—the unique combination of skills, achievements, and abilities that shows you are an outstanding candidate for the job.
An attention-getting résumé is one that conveys your personal brand—the unique combination of skills, achievements, and abilities that shows you are an outstanding candidate for the job.
The Must-Dos
- Tailor your résumé to the specific job you want. Don’t send the same résumé to hundreds of employers.
- Keep it brief—at maximum, two pages.
- Proofread several times. One typo can send your résumé to the trash.
- Always include a cover letter with your résumé.
Basic Elements of a Résumé
- Contact information, including e-mail address
- Summary of your career objectives: Put this at the top, and be specific. Not sure how to write an objective? Use these tips from Monster.com.
- Experience, skills, and accomplishments
- Education, training, and certifications
- Awards, professional memberships, and volunteer work—if relevant to the job
Keywords: Unlocking Success
- Keywords are the industry-specific terms necessary to get attention. Learn more about keywords at QuintCareers.com.
- Sprinkle keywords throughout the résumé. Use them when referring to job titles, accomplishments, experience, skills, education, career objectives, and training.
- When applying online, in your résumés, use the exact keywords and language that the employers use in job postings, or your résumés will be discarded.
What to Include
- Descriptions of your most recent, relevant jobs—within the last 15 years
- Accomplishments, not just job duties: Avoid phrases like “responsible for” or “duties included.”
- Results and outcomes: Quantify your achievements and use action verbs. For example, “increased sales by 40 percent,” “expanded program,” or “exceeded fundraising targets.”
- Skills and experience most relevant to the job you want: Include computer-related skills!
- Transferable skills from non-work settings, such as volunteering: This especially applies if you have gaps in your work history.
What to Leave Out
- Dates of education
- Early job history
- Dates of previous experience: Say “five years” instead of “1980-85.”
- Personal information, such as age, height, race, religion, or health status
Résumé Styles
- A chronological résumé works well if you have had steady employment in an industry or field and want to remain in that field.
- A functional résumé is organized by skills and expertise. This is especially useful if you’re changing careers, because it focuses on transferable skills that carry over from one field to another.
- A combination résumé includes elements of both chronological and functional résumés. Organize by skills as you would a functional résumé, but include a brief list of key positions and dates at the beginning or at the end of the résumé.
Formatting Your Résumé
- The printed version of your résumé should have at least an 11-point font, black ink, and white paper. No colors, photos, or fancy fonts!
- A plain text version is the same résumé, but without formatting features such as bullets, bold fonts, and the like. Use the plain text version for pasting résumés into online forms and databases. The Riley Guide tells you how.
- Format the résumé yourself instead of using résumé-building tools provided by online job sites. Many online résumé forms require a chronological format.
Sell Yourself, Not Your Résumé
When networking, writing a cover letter, or interviewing for a job, never say, “As it says in my résumé….” Your résumé is not applying for the job—you are. It’s up to you to present yourself as the person whose skills are a great match for the job.
See more tips on how to present yourself in your résumé on RetirementJobs.com.
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