WRITING A WINNING RESUME
The perfect resume is a written communication that clearly demonstrates your ability to produce results in an area of concern to selected employers, in a way that motivates them to meet you.
Communication
The essential ingredient in communication is personal responsibility. This means that if the reader doesn’t get it, you didn’t communicate it. You have to take responsibility to hear what others think of your resume and use it to discover ways to improve your effectiveness.
Clearly Demonstrate
At the end of the day, results count. Not reasons, not explanations, not hopes, not excuses. Make sure that you have accomplishments clearly stated in every position to clearly show how you produce results and what those results look like. Be specific!
Ability to Produce Results
The on-line access to your paycheck is a helpful tool to manage your expenses. Accounting Resources has the ability to email you a link giving you access to your paycheck prior to you receiving it. All candidates are eligible for this benefit immediately if requested.
Concern to Selected Employers
You want to target a specific target group. For example, if you are in accounting then you want to target managers in accounting. If you have three job targets, you will have three different resumes.
Motivated to Meet You Personally
The resume is not designed to get you the position. The perfect resume is designed to get you an interview to determine if you have a valuable, potential contribution to make.
Resume Content
When using the Chronological format (List each position you have held , beginning with the most recent, followed by description of your responsibilities) to write your resume, there are a couple of ways you can get the information across but all will need to have some basic information included.
Suggested Basic Information
Heading or contact information
Your name, address, phone numbers and email address.
Work History
Include the name of company, your job title and dates of employment for each employer. *Note, information about the company may also be included such as, whether a company is private or public, revenue size of the company, industry the company falls under and/or if the company is international. *Note, when listing bullet points, make sure that you list accomplishments in detail, do not be general since being general is too subjective. For example, if you say that you can process high volume invoices, make sure that you describe what “high volume” means. Does that mean 100 invoices per month or 1000?
Education
Include the school(s) attended, degree(s) received, and field of study. It should be clear if you have graduated or if you still have additional classes to take.
Other Information (Optional but suggested)
Computer skills, Certifications (CPA, CIA, CPP, etc.), Awards, References
Resume Tips
After you have written your resume, check it against these tips.
- Limit the length of the resume to one or two pages.
- Use the traditional format of Chronological (List each position you have held, beginning with the most recent, followed by description of your responsibilities.)
- Stay away from colors, graphics or pictures. Use high-quality paper in white, off-white, cream or grey.
- Spelling is one of the main reasons a skilled candidate will not get an interview. Make sure that you do a spell check, and then have at least two people read the resume for clarity of content and errors. Sometimes when you are working on something for a period of time you over look things that someone else might pick up on. (Very important tip)
- Avoid writing in the first person ( I, We, etc)
- Make the resume easy to read. Highlight using bold or underline headings for emphasis.
- Don’t list hobbies or personal information.
- Do not exaggerate or lie on your resume. Everything on your resume will be verified by one or more people. (Most important tip)
Making More Money
Please realize that the name of the game is satisfaction, not money. Work success is having a job that works for you that lets you be yourself in the work you do….. But make more money anyway (if you want to).
Remember that the cardinal economic principle is this: Money follows value. The way you make more money is to create more value and to stay with value creation until the results are so good it is impossible not to compensate you, out of the value you create.
One way to show your value is to write a perfect resume. Making sure that your resume clearly states how you are going to add value to the company who hires you. Some of the ways to accomplish this is by listing your accomplishments in a way that is specific, quantifiable, and state in what time frame you were able to accomplish these goals. Another way to add value is to site any unique skills and to what level you are using these unique skills. Also, show progression in your resume. If you have been promoted show the steps you have taken to get to the position you are in today. Show your ability to overcome hurdles and that you have staying power in one company. Your recruiter can also give you examples and suggestions as to how to you can show value to get the most money possible.
