Six Critical Rules for Writing a Resume

Make a memorable impression with an attractive, results-oriented marketing document
by Wendy S. Enelow (reprinted from the National Business Employment Weekly,
from the publishers of the Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)
Fred Runyan didn’t want to be left holding the bag when the Northern California-based
management consulting firm he worked for completed a pending merger. After 10 years with the
firm, the senior consultant knew there would be big staffing changes ahead, and decided to
explore opportunities elsewhere.
He needed a resume, though, so he shuffled through his desk to find the one he’d used to land his
current job. He thought a few paragraphs about his decade-worth of consulting assignments
would update it sufficiently, so he jotted them down. Next, he dug up a resume he’d received six
years ago that had an attractive format.
He handed the revisions and original copy to his secretary and asked her to make the finished
version look like the sample. In an hour, his new resume was done and he felt ready to interview.
Six months later, Mr. Runyan was still waiting for an invitation to interview. He’d received a
few phone calls from employers, but nothing more. Discouraged and confused, he didn’t know
why the response to his mailings was so poor. He had worked for good companies, held
responsible management positions and delivered strong results. Couldn’t prospective employers
see that when they reviewed his resume?
Apparently not. By not thoughtfully redrafting his document, Mr. Runyan failed to address key
issues of resume-writing, according to members of the Professional Association of Resume
Writers, a St. Petersburg, Fla.-based professional group. To ensure your resume makes the best
possible impression, it’s essential to meet six challenges regarding its presentation, format and
content, say recently surveyed association members. These challenges and professionals’ advice
on writing a winning resume follow.
1. Presentation
Since your resume is actually a marketing document, its visual appearance is critical. To survive
next to those of hundreds of equally qualified candidates, it must look sharp and dynamic. Don’t
have it typed on an outdated word processor and printed onto plain bond paper, as Mr. Runyax
did, and don’t model it after resumes from years back, says Jerry Bills, a Colorado Springs,
Colo., resume writer.
“Picking up an old resume book from the library and following suggestions or styles that have
been outdated for years won’t give you a competitive advantage,” he says.
Instead, give your document an up-to-date style that attracts attention. This doesn’t mean using
an italic typeface, cute logos or an outrageous paper color. Instead, be conservatively distinctive.
Choose a sharp-looking typeface such as Bookman, Soutane, Krone, or Fritz, or if your font
selection is limited, the more prevalent Times Roman, Helvetica or Arial typefaces.
Unless you’re seeking a position as a graphic artist, don’t put logos or artwork on your resume.
However, using horizontal rules to separate sections can give it an upscale look. Your choice of
paper color isn’t important, as long as it’s conservative—white, ivory or light gray.
2. Format
Format shouldn’t be your primary consideration when preparing a resume. When Mr. Runyan
saw a format he liked, he tried to manipulate his information to fit it. Other job hunters make the
same mistake, says Susan Higgins, a resume write with Q Resume Service in Grove City, Ohio.
Many of her clients “insist on [using] a friend’s format because it worked for the friend, but [it’s
a] critical mistake,” she says.
Decide on a resume format after your text is prepared. And even then, don’t try to make your
information fit into someone else’s structure. Since each person’s career history, achievements
and academic credentials are unique, their resume format should be as well. Review other
resumes for ideas, but craft your document to “sell” only you.
Start writing without worrying about the format and concentrate on marketing yourself. It’s
likely that when you’re finished, the format you should use will become obvious. You’ll just
need to change headings or margins, insert rules, bold or italic type or edit sections to fit your
information more comfortable onto a page.
If possible, adhere to these formatting guidelines:
• Don’t expect readers to struggle through 10- to 15- line paragraphs. Substitute two or
three shorter paragraphs or use bullets to offset new sentences and sections.
• Don’t overdo bold and italic type. Excessive use of either defeats the purpose of these
enhancements. For example, if half the type on a page is bold, nothing will stand out.
• Use nothing smaller than 10-point type. If you want employers to review your resume,
make sure they don’t need a magnifying glass!
• Don’t clutter your resume. Everything you’ve heard about “white space” is true. Let
your document “breathe” so readers won’t have to struggle through it.
• Use an excellent printer. Smudged, faint, heavy or otherwise poor quality print will
discourage red-eyed readers.
3. Spelling, grammar and syntax
Typographical errors signal job-search death, which may be why Mr. Runyan’s did so poorly. It
contained three typographical and two syntax errors, as well as unpolished wording.
He didn’t recognize that resumes serve as your introduction to employers, and indicate the
quality and caliber of work you’ll produce. An imperfect document isn’t acceptable.
Write your document in the active first-person tense, never the third person, and choose language
that’s appropriate to the type of position you’re seeking. If you’re a mid-level manager, don’t
use “Ph.D.” language. If you’re in line for CEO, COO or other top operating slots, use words
appropriate to that level.
Proofread your resume not just once or twice, but repeatedly for typographical and wording
errors. Then ask three to five others to review it, paying attention to your terminology and tone.
As Walt Schuette, a resume writer with The Village Wordsmith in Fallbrook, Calif., says, “The
greatest mistake job seekers make is not reading for erors (whoops, errors).”
4. Content
Resumes aren’t job descriptions. Still, you may have seen some that included such descriptions
as, “This position was responsible for purchasing, logistics, materials management and
distribution.” Were you impressed with those?
Mr. Runyan made this mistake. For instance, under “Experience,” he included descriptions of
positions without mentioning the size of his past employers or his achievements. It could have
been anyone’s resume. He also cited every job he’d held, going back to 1968.
Listing all your past employment isn’t necessary or helpful. And, if you list responsibilities,
include their scope and your contributions.
“Generalizations aren’t impressive,” says Estelle Wiesmann, a Fort Atkinson, Wis., resume
writer. “You must cite specific figures, percentages and results when describing previous
accomplishments in the workplace.”
To highlight your strengths, develop strong, results-driven position summaries. For instance, a
logistics manager might write:
• Directed the planning, staffing, budgeting and operations of a 4-site logistics and
warehousing operation for this $650 million automotive products distributor. Scope of
responsibility was diverse and included all purchasing, vendor management, materials
handling, inventory control, distribution planning and field delivery operations. Managed
a staff of 55 through six supervisors. Controlled a $6.5 million annually operating
budget.
• ntroduced continuous improvement and quality management programs throughout the
organization. Results included a 25% increase in daily productivity and 63% increase in
customer satisfaction.
• Spearheaded cost-reduction initiatives that reduced labor costs by 18%, overtime by 34%
and material waste by 42%.
• Renegotiated key vendor contracts for a 28% reduction over previous year costs.
Prospective employers who read this description can sense the scope and results of the manager’s
experience. Remember, recruiters won’t read between the lines for relevant information if you
don’t spell it out.
And if positions you held 15, 20, or 30 years ago aren’t relevant to your current career path,
delete or briefly summarize them at the end. For example, “Previous professional employment
includes several increasingly responsible management positions with the ABC Co. and XYZ
Corp.” Whether you include your dates of employment depends on your circumstances.
5.  Focus
A resume doesn’t work if readers can’t quickly grasp who a candidate is and what he or she
seeks to do, say survey respondents. For instance, it’s likely that Mr. Runyan baffled readers
with his objective: “Seeking a position where I can contribute to the growth of a corporation.”
“With a resume full of unnecessary details, repetitive information and no summary of skills or
achievements, how is an employer to know who you are?” asks Jackie Murphy, a resume writer
with Accurate Professional Typists in Melbourne, Fla.
Clearly and directly state who you are, with this strategy:
Omit an objective and start with a “summary” or “career or technical profile” instead. Unlike an
objective, which states what you want, a summary describes what you know and quickly grabs
readers’ attention. For example:
SENIOR SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE Building Revenues & Market Share
Throughout Global Business Markets
Dynamic 15-year career leading sales, marketing and service organizations throughout the U.S.,
Europe and Pacific Rim. Delivered strong and sustainable revenue gains in both emerging and
mature business markets. Strong sales training and team leadership skills.
A summary eliminates the need for an objective because it usually indicates the type of position a
candidate seeks. And don’t assume that stating your objective in a cover letter is sufficient.
Cover letters and resumes must be able to stand alone.
6.  Selling
A resume 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.
“Take credit for your accomplishments. Know what makes you marketable and sell it,” advised
Mark Berkowitz with Career Development Resources in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Ironically, sales and marketing professionals often write the worst resumes, say career
counselors. That’s because when they become the “product,” they seem to forget everything
they know about selling.
Your resume is your only opportunity to distinguish yourself among the crowd of other
candidates. You must market your qualifications aggressively by highlighting your achievements
and defining the scope of your responsibilities. That means not just saying what you did but also
how well you did it.
Poor example:
• Managed sales regions throughout the U.S. with 82 sales associates.
• Met all company sales goals and profit objectives.
Good example:
• 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 1995 at 182% of revenue goal and 143% of profit
objective.
Poor example:
• Managed all financial, accounting, budgeting, MIS and administrative functions.
• Updated computer technology
Good example:
• 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 analysis, accounting, tax, treasury,
budgeting, MIS 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 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 resume 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 resumes 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 resume
can help you to do the same.
Source: By Lindsey Novak and Jeff Skrentny, CPC/CTS, ATM-B.
Special to the Tribune.
Section: JOBS.
Column: At work.
Copyright Chicago Tribune