Resume Writing Help

Recruiters and hiring managers on average scan individual resumes for less than a minute before deciding if they should give them more attention To get your resume read you should provide the kinds of information that will assist the employer as opposed to how the employer can assist you. Do not list your objectives but rather include at the top of your resume a summary of experience and make sure this experience relates as closely as possible to the job to which you are applying. Be specific, concise and target the experience the job posting lists.

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Everyone's resume needs to be updated—not only because their experience has changed, but also because employers look at resumes differently today than they did in prior years.
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RetiredBrains has located a resource called TopResume that has helped thousands improve their resumes. If you wish to have your resume evaluated at no cost by a professional resume expert, click here for a free resume evaluation from TopResume.

Following these two guidelines will improve the likelihood of getting your resume read:

  1. Tailor the general resume you have written to the specific job and company where it is being sent. Expand your description of the areas of experience and education that apply and cut back the space you have devoted to those areas which have little or no value to the employer reading your resume.
  2. Make sure the first area at the top of your resume is a "summary of experience" and includes specific applicable experience as opposed to generalities. Consider using words from the job description or posting. This area of your resume should be designed to prove your value proposition and differentiate you from your competition — and shouldn’t list objectives.
On average, recruiters and hiring managers scan individual resumes for fewer than 20 seconds before deciding if they are going to read them.

Many recruiters separate resumes into three categories; not interested, hold for further review if a better candidate can’t be found, and those where the candidates meet most or all of the criteria in the position description. Your resume must get into this last group if your credentials are appropriate for the position to which you are applying.

​12 checks that should improve your chances of getting your resume seen by employers:

  1. Did you list your cell phone for contact? If so make sure there is a professional voice-mail message on it.
  2. Did you make sure your email address is appropriate for business? Hokey and fun email addresses can cut you out of the interviewing process.
  3. Are you using clichés in your summary of experience description? Catch phrases like “result-oriented,” “self-motivated,” “dynamic,” “team player,” and “proven track record” often won't get past the new resume scanning programs. Better to use words from the job description or posting.
  4. If you were self-employed were you specific in describing the projects you worked on and did you include your client names (with their permission)?
  5. Did you include anything other than name and dates of employment for jobs you had early in your career? Unless they are particularly relevant to the job you are applying for, don’t.
  6. Did you include your familiarity with specialized equipment, operating systems software, newer programming platforms, technologies, etc.?
  7. Did you include any volunteer work with nonprofits or other charitable activities?
  8. Did you list the core competencies and “buzzwords” of your job function and industry? These will help with recruiters using resume-parsing software. At the same time don't include words like “responsible for” or “duties included” but rather use language like “managed” or “oversaw” as recruiters and hiring managers react better to this terminology.
  9. Did you minimize descriptions of job tasks and maximize descriptions of accomplishments?
  10. Did you quantify your accomplishments? Did you include increases and comparisons in dollars, and percentages? Did you use numbers when ever possible? If you can support this information with charts and graphs do so. Did you provide examples of how you executed the relevant projects you described in your various work assignments?
  11. Did you create a text-only version of your resume? This will preserve the formatting when uploading into a company text box. Word documents don't formulate properly when placed in a text box.
  12. Did you include a cover letter? In most cases you can assume it won't be read, but your cover letter can serve to better relate your experience to the job to which you are applying. Regardless, briefly include this information in the resume itself in case the cover letter isn't passed on with your resume.

When you have been out of the workforce for more than 6 months

Northeastern University found that managers would rather hire someone with no relevant experience than someone who has been out of work for over six months.It is unfair that some employers see people who have been long-term unemployed or those that have retired and are looking to re-enter the workforce as out of date  How should your resume cover the gap in employment?  

What do you do or say when an interviewer asks why you have been out of the workforce for so long?
  • If you have been out of the labor market for more than a few months, your resume and during your interview you must explain how you have kept up to date with events in your industry and how you have kept your skills sharp.
  • If you have had medical issues your resume and your interview must explain that these problems have been solved and that health issues will not affect your performance.
  • If you worked occasionally as a consultant or on a contract basis you must include this information on your resume and in your response to interview questions.
  • If you volunteered and particularly if your responsibilities with the non-profit or charity match in any way the needs of the prospective employer make sure to cover this in your resume and during your interview.