Keyword Exclusive – Résumé Essentials

Supplement to Money Matters “Seeking a summer job”

What goes into a résumé?

1. Include a summary of skills at the top the résumé. Follow that with job experience and education, which includes specific licenses you have or tests you’ve passed.

2. Include a specific objective in your résumé.

3. Check your grammar thoroughly. Check your spelling and have a friend read it. An Office Team survey found that 84 percent of executives wouldn’t hire a job candidate with one or two typos on his résumé.

4. Keep it brief. Résumés should be no more than two pages.

5. Don’t lie. Companies will check whether you had that job title or have that master’s degree. You will get caught.

6. Words don’t tell potential employers as much as deeds. Before you advertise in your résumé that you’re experienced, be sure you can prove it. It’s good to be hardworking and ambitious, right? If you can’t provide solid examples to back up your claim, the hiring manager won’t be convinced.

7. If you’re sending your résumé electronically, send it as an attachment to an e-mail, says Trish Stueckradt, senior recruiter with Executive Resources in Des Moines, Iowa. She suggests using Microsoft Word because many companies use that software. More companies are requiring candidates to apply online, making polished language and details in résumés even more important.

8. When job seekers try to sell themselves to potential employers, they often load their résumés with vague claims. By contrast, the most successful job seekers avoid these vague phrases in favor of listing accomplishments.

To return to the March 2007 Money Matters column that goes with this supplement, click here: Seeking a summer job?