Is Your Resume Up To “PAR”?

January 27th, 2010

Whether you have a long work history or are developing your career, keeping on top of best practices when it comes to your resume is always a good idea!

We all know that in order to be considered for a role you are applying for, that you need to have a current resume, but many people aren’t sure where to start when creating one or how to effectively keep it up to date.  Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1.   A resume is a document that should present you in the best possible light for the purpose of obtaining a job interview.

2.   Don’t just list past jobs; make sure you state what you accomplished in these roles.  Highlight those accomplishments that are most relevant to your career path.

3.   Try to avoid using statements like “responsibilities included” and replace it with “on-the-job accomplishments”.  Don’t forget, this is where you can sell yourself to a potential employer and are allowed to brag about what you achieved.

4.   Show that you have a sense of direction.  If you know where you want to be in your career in the next 5 to 10 years, don’t be afraid to state it as an objective.

5.   Be sure to show a clear chronological work history that lists your accomplishments for each position.

6.   If you don’t have any experience in your chosen field, try to get some volunteer work that will utilize the skills you will need to obtain that next role.

7.   Attempt to fill in significant gaps in work history with brief explanations.  For example:  1993-97 Full time student — or — travel.

8.   If you have a rather long work history, highlight your 3 most recent roles with detailed statements of accomplishments and then just list the rest under “Additional Roles”  with just company name, title and dates.  Never leave any work history off of your resume, even if you left under less than positive circumstances.

9.   If you have significant work history with only 1 employer, list each position you held with your list of accomplishments so that your job progression within the company is more obvious.

10. Avoid listing hobbies and interests on your resume unless they directly pertain to your job objective.

11. Similarly, avoid including any ethnic or religious affiliations on your resume unless they too directly pertain to your job objective.

12. Keep it simple.  Don’t use fancy paper or brochure-like presentations, simple white bond paper is the most widely received by employers.  If you are submitted your resume via email, send it in word format and not as a pdf or jpeg.

13. Finally, and most importantly, make sure that your resume is filled with “PAR” statements (Problem-Action-Results).   In other words, first you state the problem that existed in your workplace, then you describe what you did about it, and finally you point out the beneficial results.

Keep in mind this is not all written in stone, but these best practices will certainly keep you on track for an eye catching resume that gets the interview!    (PS~  Have you changed jobs or career focus?  Please let us know!)

Posted in Job Seekers -