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50 Resume Tips to Propel
Your Job Search to the Next Level
(Step-by-Step
Approach to Resume Writing) - Part 4 |
Summary
of Qualifications
31) The "Summary of Qualifications" is what will give
you the edge over other candidates. Oftentimes, a
well-written Summary of Qualifications will set the tone
for the rest of your resume.
32) Although the heading reads "Summary of
Qualifications," it is more like "Summary of Strengths."
Misleading? A little, but what if you can pass all your
strengths to be your qualifications. Will that make your
candidacy stronger? You bet!
33) Careful about mentioning skills like "good research
skills" or "good organizational skills." Anybody can
mention these. If you do, make sure that the rest of
your resume supports your allegations. Also, keep a
balance between these general skills and specific skills
such as "in-depth understanding of international tax
rules" or "extensive experience working with
cross-border M&A transactions." Specific skills such as
the latter ones are more persuasive and make a much
stronger statement in terms of your knowledge base and
the possible contribution you can make to your new
employer.
Objective
34) The "Objective" section of the resume is one of the
trickiest parts because it is often misinterpreted as
being the candidate's objective. Actually, do you really
need an "Objective" section? Isn't it quite obvious that
your objective is to get the job? So why the "Objective"
heading? Well, some people say that it is for
organizations that have many vacancies, and helps them
keep track of things. This is true... but is there another
purpose to the "Objective" section of your resume?
35) The objective section is not about what you want,
but about letting the employer know that you are the
person that they want. What does this entail? This
basically requires you to know what the employer wants
in the first place. Remember what we discussed regarding
doing proper research? Unless you know what the need is,
you will not be able to fill that need.
36) There has to be a meeting of the minds. Something
like "your objective is my objective." We have a common
objective, what a coincidence!
Miscellaneous Headings
37) In addition to the usual headings, you should
consider adding specific headings that will be of
interest to the recruiter, such as: Computer Skills,
Languages, Professional Associations, Community
Involvement, Extracurricular Activities, etc.
38) Make sure the additional headings you add are
relevant to the position you are applying to and think
in practical terms. Many details are often omitted from
job postings, but if you can read between the lines and
do proper research, you can always come up with
additional needs that the employer has but that are not
stated. For instance, you may notice that the employer's
office is located in a neighborhood with a strong
immigrant population. How about drawing attention to
your multilingual background or your openness to other
cultures?
Interest
39) No, "Interest" is not a resume heading. "Interest"
is the impression you give to your potential employer
regarding "how much you want the job." Some people may
have all the required qualifications, yet there is a
sense that they don't really care... As opposed to common
wisdom, interest is not only shown in cover letters. It
can also emanate from your resume. How?
- By being specific.
- By showing that you did your research and know what
you are writing about.
- By focusing on the employer's needs as opposed to what
you want.
Some Writing Rules/ Reminders
40) A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends
with a period. Many people remember the former, but
forget the latter. Unless it is a title, you need a
period at the end of your sentence. |
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