It may seem like finding a job these day is just as hard as finding a Golden Ticket to the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. Although there may be fewer jobs out there, there are STILL companies HIRING and people finding their DREAM JOB. The first step is to re-review your own resume. Your resume is the first impression you leave on a potential employer. I can’t tell you how many resumes I have seen in my lifetime; the good, the bad and the outright ugly. So how do people make sure they have an outstanding resume? Well the first tip is to change your mind-set on how you view resume writing. View it as a living, breathing, ever changing marketing document of yourself and why you are the ideal person for the job opening. Come with me and I will show you how.

READ each job opening you are applying for

Make sure you are qualified and able to do what the employer is asking. I know this sounds obvious, but it has to be said. Applying for a job you don’t qualify for and wishing on a star will not work.

Understand that one marketing document is not going to work for every job opening you apply for

I know what you are thinking…I have to write multiple marketing documents? Well not necessarily, you should have a marketing document that can be built upon.

Customize your resume to fit the job description

Employers receive hundreds of resumes each day, so you have around a 5-10 second window to get their attention. Make sure what you write relates to what the employer is looking for. A great way to do this is to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the jobs you are applying for.

Provide measurable data to SHOW how you have made a difference

If you have designed an infrastructure system that saves over a million dollars annually, put that in there. It is very important to SHOW how you can make a difference. Make everything you have measurable and input the data to back it up.

DO NOT lie or bend the truth.

DO NOT do it, even if it seems like a small lie. You will not win and any good recruiter can sniff lies out very quickly.

Make it easy to read and easy on the eyes

Employers review thousands of resumes, make yours easy to read and follow. Below are a few tips:

Layout
Use bullets, indents and varying font options (such as bold and italic letters). Avoid using unconventional fonts or adding photos or graphics.
Length
The general rule is: one page for early-career and two pages for mid-career candidates.
Job Information
Provide the reader with relevant detail about your past and present employers: such as product information, size and physical location.
Job & Education Dates
Make sure the dates are clear and without gaps. If you’re a mid- to late-career candidate, you can save space by lumping early-career jobs together.

Here is a template of a resume you are free to use. If you would like the resume in a document format, please email me.

Highlight key words and job titles that relate to the job description.

Want to make your marketing document really stand out. Just highlight every key word, project, etc. that is applicable to the job description. Believe me, this alone makes a HUGE difference.

ABC…..that is, Always Be Closing. Do not be afraid to ask for the job.

You are selling yourself. Let your marketing document show that you want the job and that you are not afraid to ask for it. (This does not mean write “I want the job” in the resume though)

Do you have any more tips or questions?

Christopher McGill is a small business owner in the city of San Antonio, TX. Chris began his business with an aspiration to be a no nonsense, results driven, fun partner to his clients for their Human Resources Needs. Visit http://www.ChristopherMcGill.com for more information.