The purpose of a resume is to secure an interview. It is not to conduct one with yourself or the reader. Therefore, it should contain enough information to entice the reader to call you instead of the 50-1000+ other applicants seeking the same position. Your resume and cover letter are the first two documents they see and it is really the first impression of you they form.

     You can use one of the example resumes in the workbook section of this book, substitute your information into the pre-formatted resumes and wind up with a pretty decent end product. By doing this, however, you will miss a critical component of the learning and understanding process. Also, what do you do about an ASCII-TEXT resume format required by both recruiters and large corporations?

     If you don’t, it is a shame, because you now have at your fingertips what is probably one of the most comprehensive resume word lists ever compiled in a single book - over 4000+ actionable words and phrases. If that fails, you can revert to the pre-formatted example resumes in the workbook section.

     Why don’t you completely read the chapter and then decide what you need to do to produce a resume that will set you apart from the other 50-1000+ applicants who are also applying for a particular position?

     There are enough books on writing resumes to fill a small town library. On the world-wide-web, you will find sites with page after page devoted to resume writing. In this book I have provided, in concise form, the rules I use in preparing resumes for my clients.

     You are in competition with lots of other people and securing the job is achieved through a process of elimination. Like the gladiators competing in the Coliseum in the glory gory days of the Roman Empire, the last person alive and standing, wins.

     You must be able to demonstrate clearly and concisely what you bring to the table AND, it must be deemed more valuable than that of your competitors. Otherwise, you are just another piece of paper with lots of words and no compelling reason for them to hire you.

To Get the Interview

     Throughout life, most people select what works versus what doesn’t. In this book, I will guide you through the process of designing and constructing resumes that have been successful for my clients.

     Please notice, resumes is plural. You may wind up with two or three, depending upon your background and the number of jobs for which you apply.

     Don’t fool yourself and think that you can just change a few items and that will be enough to make a difference.

     If you are like most people, you will print a stack of “standard” resumes and cover letters for immediate distribution and revise them only for special purposes or jobs.

     To secure an interview, your resume must not only be seen, but it must also communicate why they should hire you. This is a much less daunting task when you have completed the Career Summary and Resume Worksheets discussed in the last chapter.

     The other, and similarly important document, is your cover letter. As in your resume, your cover letter must be fashioned specifically to the job for which you are applying. Changing a few words and making minor changes won't draw the attention you require or emphasize your power enough to cause you to wind up being the last one standing. Both resumes and cover letters will be addressed in this chapter with clear instructions on the do’s and don’ts of each.