6. Selling
A résumé should be more than a list of past jobs. It should serve as a personal sales and marketing tool that attracts and impresses employers. Your qualifications, words, format and presentation must all be packaged to sell yourself.
"Sell the strengths and benefits you bring to the table," says Louise Kursmark, owner of Best Impression Career Services Inc. in Cincinnati. "Your résumé is your one opportunity to get noticed. Unless you focus on those great things you've done, an employer will never know."
These examples illustrate the concept of selling yourself:
Poor examples:
- Managed sales regions throughout the U.S. with 82 sales associates.
- Met all company sales goals and profit objectives.
Good examples:
- Independently planned and directed a team of 82 sales associates marketing sophisticated technology products throughout the northeastern U.S.
- Launched a series of customer-driven marketing programs to expand market penetration and increase key account base. Closed 2000 at 182% of revenue goal and 143% of profit objective.
Poor examples:
- Managed all financial, accounting, budgeting, MIS and administrative functions.
- Updated computer technology.
Good examples:
- Chief Financial Officer with full responsibility for the strategic planning, development and leadership of the entire corporate finance organization for this $280 million consumer products manufacturer. Directed financial planning and analysis, accounting, tax, treasury, budgeting, MlS and administrative functions through a 12-person management team.
- Launched the introduction of PC-based client server technology to expand MIS operations throughout the finance function. Resulted in a measurable improvement in data accuracy and long-range business planning.
To create impressive descriptions, ask yourself not only what you did but how well you did it. Then sell your achievements, not your responsibilities. When Mr. Runyan went back to the drawing board, preparing his résumé took three weeks instead of an hour. The process involved his secretary, two friends and three professional colleagues. His new document includes a strong, accomplishments-oriented text and makes a sharp visual presentation.
Two weeks and 100 résumé later, his phone started to ring. In one day, he had spoken with five employers and scheduled more than 10 interviews. By remembering these six rules, your résumé can help you to do the same.
Ms. Enelow is president of Career Master Institute, a training, development and professional-networking organization for the career and employment industry in Lynchburg, Va.
This article is reprinted by permission from CareerJournal.com (c) 2002 Dow Jones & Co. Inc. All rights reserved.
Reader CommentsDisplaying 3 of 3
Pedro J Torres
Aug 5, 2011 10:00 PM ET
Excellent hints that help proggresive career
Apply the rules in your current job and will support a more action oriented resume updating process!!
Tom Kellum
Aug 1, 2011 7:17 PM ET
Role of Resume in Getting Interviews
Based on 20+ years experience personally helping executives get new C-level positions, I think most people would … more
Sohail Mateen
Jul 29, 2009 9:11 AM ET
6 Rules to Resume
The article is indeed very comprehensive and precise.
Post a comment | View all comments