Looking for a job? Many people are, and the first question asked by most potential employers is: “Do you have a resume?”
A resume provides an employer a summary of an applicant’s experience, skills and interests. It is the candidate’s opportunity to sell himself by showing that he has done and can do what is required in the potential job.
Think of a resume as a marketing tool. The more effective the resume is at matching the needs of the job, the better chance the candidate has of getting noticed. In the 10 seconds recruiters spend reviewing resumes, it has to be powerful, on target and accurate.
The Purpose of the Opening Statement
Just after the name, address and contact information, the opening statement – or headline – is a sentence or short paragraph that sets the tone for the resume. It briefly, but powerfully summarizes key strengths, sets the direction and builds the foundation for the rest of the resume. Before an opening statement is crafted, however, give some thought to the overall resume.
How Will the Resume be Used?
Before pen is put to paper, it’s important to know what the resume is going to be used for. If there is a specific job or industry an applicant is pursuing, the resume should reflect that. If an applicant is pursuing two different areas, i.e. finance and marketing, she should develop separate resumes that show skills targeted to each one.
Get Information about the Job Opening
Whether it is an ad in the paper, or word of mouth from a friend, it is important to find out as much about the job and the company as possible. Read the ad, grill the friend, look up the company’s website, do a search on the Internet. Find out key goals of the company and the division that job is in. What are the company or industry challenges? What common themes are mentioned in the company information?
Know Key Strengths and Abilities
An impressive statement clearly outlines the applicant’s strong points. So before developing the statement, take some time to write down the greatest accomplishments as they relate to the job opening. Be specific in what those accomplishments were. Was it saving the department money? How much? Maybe it was inventing a new widget that streamlined a process? Or perhaps it was coordinating a team that surpassed project goals.
Writing the Opening Statement
In their book, The resume.com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes [McGraw Hill 2004], certified professional resume writers Rose Curtis and Warren Simons offer the following tips building the opening statement.
- Start with a powerful adjective and title, i.e. accomplished marketing professional, award-winning architect, dedicated administrative assistant.
- Add your main selling point, skill or accomplishment, i.e. accomplished marketing professional with 18 years of experience, or award-winning architect experienced in commercial development, or dedicated administrative assistant with strong organizational and computer skills.
With this statement, the applicant has identified her brand to potential employers. This is who she is and what she offers. The remaining resume, including the summary of qualifications and detailed work experience will provide the backbone for an effective marketing tool.
Pamela DeLoatch - Four kids, three schools, a bazillion sports, a growing writing career, a messy house and 90,000 miles on my four-year-old van. Need I say ...
