1. How to Write the Perfect Resume
I’m pleased to join you today from Robert Half Technology. [INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DO]
You’ve all heard the phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” During the job-search process, nothing is more true. With intense competition for each opening, you have only one shot to show hiring managers that you’re the right person for the position.
And there’s no better way to do so than to submit a well-crafted resume and cover letter. These documents are your first opportunity to make your case for why you should be hired and can lead directly to an employment interview.
It may seem simple enough to put together one of these documents: List your work experience and your skills, and you’re done, right? Not quite. There’s an art to resume and cover letter writing, and today I’m going to show you the secrets behind it.

2. Just Two Minutes
Research conducted by our firm indicates that hiring managers, on average, spend just two minutes reviewing an applicant’s resume. The first 15 seconds is the most important time because they look at the format and buzz words. That means you don’t have much time to convince an employer that you’re the right person for the job.
Your resume needs to be concise, to the point and targeted if you want to make a positive impression within those two minutes.

3. What We’ll Cover Choosing a resume format Organizing your resume
Writing your resume
Avoiding resume mistakes
Formatting your resume for print and electronic distribution
I’ll help you craft a compelling resume by first discussing the three different resume formats and which one is right for you.
I’ll then deconstruct the resume and go into detail about each section.
I’ll also talk about rules you should keep in mind when writing your resume.
Next, I’ll point out some common mistakes and how to avoid them.
We’ll also talk briefly talk about what you should do to ensure your resume looks good in both print and electronic versions.
Finally, I’ll discuss the importance of a strong cover letter.
Let’s get started.

4. Choosing a Resume Format
Chronological
Combination
Before sitting down to write your resume, you’ll need to select a format that best highlights your unique combination of skills and experience.
There are three basic types of resumes:
Chronological
Combination
Let’s take a look at each.

5. Chronological Resume
Easy-to-follow list of work experience in reverse chronological order
Shows duties and accomplishments at each job, with focus on current position
Use if:
Applying for position in a field in which you have success
Strongest career aspect is reflected in current job
More than likely, you’ve seen -- and probably even prepared -- a chronological resume. It’s by far the most common style.
A chronological resume lists your work experience in reverse chronological order and shows employers your duties and accomplishments at each job.
Many people prefer to prepare their resumes in this fashion because a chronological resume:
Provides an easy-to-follow snapshot of your work history; and
Gives prominence to what you’re doing now -- usually responsibilities and skills you’re most proud of.
Consider using this format if:
The position you desire is in a field in which you have a solid record of success; or
The strongest aspect of your career is reflected in your most recent job.

6. Combination Resume
Combines features of chronological and functional resumes
Showcases skills and accomplishments and briefly outlines work history
Gaining in popularity are combination resumes. This format combines the best of chronological and functional styles. It allows you to showcase your skills and accomplishments under functional headings, while providing the reader with a thumbnail sketch of your work history by including a short list of your past positions and employers at the bottom.
You might want to reconsider and use a combination format instead to avoid raising red flags with hiring managers.

7. Heading
Sue Ellen 28 Turnbull Road Southfield, MI (555)
Resumes should be divided into specific sections that cover different aspects of your background and qualifications. Let’s take a brief look at each section of a typical resume, starting with the part that comes first: the heading.
This is nothing more than your contact information. It includes your name, mailing address, telephone number and address.
Seems simple enough, but a few words of caution:
We regularly receive resumes from individuals with addresses such as or These do not present a professional image. Your first and last name or something similar is usually best.
Also, please be sure everything is accurate. If you’ve recently moved, update your contact information. And check for any typos. A hiring manager is not going to track you down if he or she can’t reach you.
Lastly, delete your favorite rock song, kids or pet from the greeting on your outgoing voic message. Again, you want to present yourself in as professional a manner as possible.

8. Experience Executive Assistant XYZ Corporation, Southfield, MI
January 2000-Present
Managed operations budget.
Coordinated meetings, events and travel for team of 25.
Accomplishments include:
Reduced department costs by 15 percent within first year.
Organized and taught series of courses to administrative staff, focusing on negotiation and time management.
The section of your resume that explains your skills and experience is the most important part. Here you list the jobs you’ve held and the companies you’ve worked for, as well as your dates of employment, general responsibilities and accomplishments.
Although this seems pretty straightforward, you may have some questions, such as:
What comes first: the company or title? If you’ve worked for a well-known company whose name alone would draw interest -- like PricewaterhouseCoopers, Disney or GM -- put the company first. If your previous employer isn’t well known, put your title first. Just be consistent throughout.
How specific should dates be? The answer here depends on how long you spent on the job. A good rule of thumb is to specify months if you worked for a company more than 3/4 of a year and to use only years if it’s been less than that amount of time. Under no circumstances would you use exact dates. Again, keep it consistent among all your job descriptions.
What do I say? Think about the positive things that came about as a result of your contributions. Did you save the company money? Train new staff? Implement new systems? Decrease production times? These are the things hiring managers want to know about. Start with a general statement that describes your overall responsibilities, then follow it with points about your specific tasks and achievements. Don’t be afraid to brag a little -- after all, you’re trying to sell yourself here.

9. Education A.A. in Administration Graduated May 2015 Bryman College, CA
The amount of detail you include in this section depends on how many years you’ve been out of school and how relevant your educational background is to the position. In general, the farther along you are in your career, the less emphasis you should put on your education.
Following are a few different ways of listing your education, based on the situation you’re in:
At the very least, mention the school you attended, the degree you earned and your field of study.
If you’re in the process of completing a degree, list the date you expect to graduate.
If you didn’t earn a degree, say “Completed some coursework at …” and include the name of the institution you attended.
It’s also acceptable to list certificates you earned at conferences or seminars.
You would, however, not want to list every course you’ve attended. Rather, include the credential you earned or kept current -- like your CAP or CPS designation -- as a result of the classes you’ve taken.

10. Miscellaneous Certified professional secretary in Kentucky
Member of International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)
Knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PhotoShop
Fluent in Spanish and French
Simply put, this section includes information that doesn’t fit anywhere else. That doesn’t mean you should list your hobbies, outside interests and the number of siblings you have, though. Limit it to job-related skills -- such as language proficiencies or familiarity with computer applications. You can also include professional associations you belong to, but only if they are relevant to the career you’re pursuing.
For mid- and senior-level managers, this section can probably be left off.

11. Writing Your Resume Avoid “I” Keep sentences short
Write in plain English
Use bullet points as appropriate
You don’t need impeccable English skills to create a resume, but you do need a good command of the language and the ability to clearly communicate your thoughts. In addition, keep in mind that resumes are business documents with their own set of rules -- some of them contrary to what you may be used to. They are:
Avoid “I.” The pronoun “I” has no place in a resume; everyone knows you are the subject.
Keep sentences short. Resumes require crisp statements which do not necessarily have to be complete sentences.
Write in plain English. Keep things
Use bullet points as appropriate. Bulleted information is easier to read and tends to stand out more than a solid block of text. Just be sure to keep the items brief.

12. Keywords Reflect specific aspects of your background:
Job titles
Departments
Organizations
The more you have, the better
Know which ones to use by:
Looking at classified ads
Looking at resume of recently hired person
One thing to remember as you compile your resume is that it’s increasingly common for companies to use computer programs to help screen resumes. These applications scan documents for key words -- and based on the number found -- send the applications to the next round of review (usually, the hiring manager) or filter them from the system.
Keywords are nouns that reflect specific aspects of a candidate’s experience and professional background. Job titles, departments and organizations can all be key words. For example, a firm looking for an executive assistant may look for key words like “CAP,” “CPS,” “IAAP” and so on.
In general, the more keywords your resume contains, the better. But remember to only include them if they accurately reflect your background.
So how do you know what keywords a company seeks?
Start by looking at the classified ad you responded to and see what terms are used there.
Another good tactic: If you know someone who recently landed a job in your field, ask to take a peek at his or her resume. Chances are it contained the right key words.

13. Common Questions Should I list temporary work?
How do I apply for multiple jobs with the same company?
What’s the appropriate length?
How should I address employment gaps?
Here are a few questions we encounter all the time from job seekers. The answers might also be helpful to you.
How do I list temporary assignments? Yes.
How do I apply for multiple jobs with the same company? If you submit more than one copy of your resume -- even for different positions -- there’s a chance some will be seen as duplicates and tossed. Your best bet it to produce a customized version of your resume for each opening.
What’s the appropriate length? While five-, six- and seven-page manifestos are always out, 52 percent of executives polled still believe a single page is the ideal length.
How should I address employment gaps? According to an OfficeTeam survey, 93 percent of executives said they’d be concerned about a candidate’s fit for a position if his or her resume showed involuntary periods of unemployment. You should proactively offer a brief explanation for employment gaps in the first interview to alleviate a hiring manager’s potential misgivings. Don’t try to camouflage any periods of unemployment in your resume by leaving dates out. Doing so will just raise a prospective employer’s suspicions. Employers are more concerned about what you did during that time, so list any volunteer work, educational courses or temporary assignments you completed.

14. What to Leave Out Reasons for leaving Personal information
“References available upon request”
Now that you know what to put in your resume, here’s what you should leave out:
Reasons for leaving. It’s better to wait to address this issue when it comes up during an interview.
Personal information. It used to be common practice to include a short section of personal data, but because of current discrimination laws, this is no longer appropriate. Don’t include your:
Marital status
Religion
Political affiliation
Age
Hobbies
Country of origin
“References available upon request.” There’s no need to include this phrase, as it’s expected you will provide them when asked.

15. Common Resume Pitfalls
Cute and clever language
Typos/poor grammar
Misrepresentation
Vagueness
Overkill
Overpersonalizing
Here are some other things to avoid:
Cute and clever language. Hiring managers won’t be amused by puns and jokes. Play it straight and focus on your skills and experience. After all, you wouldn’t wear a clown costume to a job interview just to stand out, right?
Typos/poor grammar. 84 percent of executives said it takes just one or two typographical errors in a resume to remove a candidate from consideration for a job opening. Before you send it out, read your resume out loud, from top to bottom, and pass it by a friend or family member to ensure everything is perfect.
Misrepresentation. Never lie on your resume or embellish the truth. Doing so can cost you the job and even lead to legal recourse.
Vagueness. Include enough detail to describe your experience and grab the hiring manager’s attention. Listing only a job title and an ambiguous description of contributions isn’t fair and won’t pique a company’s interest.
Overkill. On the other hand, don’t over do it by using a ton of adjectives or business phrases. Write your resume so the hiring manager can quickly and easily understand what you bring to the table.
Overpersonalizing. Do not include personal information beyond the basics in the heading. In other words, leave out your favorite color and the name of your dog.

16. Getting Your Resume Into Print
Use formatting elements sparingly
Avoid graphics and pictures
Stick to a single font
Choose a simple paper
Even if your sole method of resume distribution is electronic, you should still prepare a print version to hand to hiring managers when you arrive at the interview.
Here are some tips for ensuring it looks professional:
Use formatting elements -- such as boldface, underline and italic -- sparingly. For example, consider using bold lettering only to highlight certain categories, like job title. Too much stylization will make your resume look jumbled.
Avoid graphics and pictures. Your accomplishments alone should be enough to make your resume stand out.
Choose a font and stick with it for a consistent look. Popular lettering includes Arial, Times and Palatino. Most anything will work, but make sure it’s not too ornate or stylized. Also use a font size between 10- and 14-point. The larger the point size, the larger the font and the less room you have to write. But smaller font sizes can make your resume hard to read.
Choose a simple, high-quality paper in white, off-white or cream. Dark colors and textured paper may obscure the print.

17. The Necessity of a Good Cover Letter
Your cover letter
Is your first chance to make a good impression.
Is a way to direct attention to those aspects of the resume that are likely to push the right buttons.
Demonstrates your knowledge about the company you are applying at and its industry.
Represents your only means of explaining aspects of your work history, that might otherwise portray you as being unqualified.
Now that we have discussed the finer points of resume writing, I would like to turn our attention to the necessity of a good cover letter.
As the job application process increasingly moves online, some job seekers might be tempted to think a formal cover letter is no longer necessary. However, according to an OfficeTeam survey, 86 percent of executives said cover letters are valuable when evaluating job candidates.
Why are cover letters so important?
For one thing, a cover letter is usually the first thing the person who screens your resume looks at, so it’s your first chance to make a good impression.
A well-focused cover letter allows you to direct the reader’s attention to those aspects of the resume that are likely to push the right buttons.
A well-researched cover letter allows you to demonstrate your knowledge about the company you are applying at and its industry.
And a cover letter represents your only means of explaining aspects of your work history, such as unemployment gaps or lack of direct experience in the field, that might otherwise portray you as being unqualified.
With these things in mind it’s important to realize that writing an effective cover letter takes time, thought and effort.

18. rht.com Jessica Greene – Technical Recruiter Jessica.Greene@RHT.com
Jasmine Carrillo – Technical Recruiter
Your resume and cover letter may be just two components of your overall general job-search toolkit, but they are two of the most critical in helping you land the job you seek.
The tips you learned today will help you craft a resume and cover letter that stand out from the crowd and immediately grab a hiring manager’s attention. The end result hopefully will be an interview and, ultimately, a new job offer.
Thank you all for joining me.
[OPEN THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS]
rht.com